Haifa, Israel - Baha'i Pilgrimage

"In brief, all in the Garden were recipients of the choicest bounties and in the end expressed their thanksgiving unto their Lord. O that all God’s beloved would have been present on this day!" 

~ Bahá'u'lláh

I'm still processing the amazing and glorious past 9 days of our Baha'i Pilgrimage in Haifa/Akka, Israel....for now here's my favorite 2 pictures from the trip:

Shrine of the Bab

Garden of Ridvan

San Diego - Torrey Pines

I've been traveling every other week, between that and work there's not much time for blogging. In the meantime here's some lovely pictures of San Diego's Torrey Pines.

My husband and I spent 3 days enjoying the Cali outdoors with my older brother. Hiking and running trails, eating lemons & oranges from trees in my brother's backyard & eating lots of food.

Next stop Haifa, Israel in 9 days!!!!

Why I love Riga, Latvia

 Business took me to Riga, Latvia last week. I admit, I knew very little about the country/city before I left. I was pleasantly surprised at how lovely it was. Here are 9 reasons why I love Riga, Latvia:

9. In the summer the suns sets around 10:15 pm
8. Padlock bridge - the tradition is to put a padlock on the bridge on your wedding day, lock it and then throw the key in the water. The padlock can't be opened the same as marriage can't be divorced. 
7. Skābeņu zupa (Sorrel soup)- After years of drinking the Caribbean drink made from the flowers, I was able to try out the rest of the plant
6. Black Magic Cafe - they have secret Harry Potter like doors that open when an employee pulls down a statue on a bookcase
5. Dozens of creative ways to eat beets (in soup, in salad, steamed, baked, juiced)
4. Dried fish galore! Who knew dried sea bass would taste so good, plus 1 serving is 2 Lats ($3.50)
3. Parisian and Italian style cafes. I had an espresso and chocolate everyday :)
2. Tasty high quality food for 3 Lats ($5).  For example: a piece of baked salmon, beet salad, bread and cake all for $5 :)
1. The peaceful city allows you to enjoy a walk down cobblestone streets or along the river without the noise and crowdedness of normal cities

Davis, joy and hope

Just returned from my 9 day trip to Tanzania......the place I lived from Sept 2006-Nov 2008, the place where I met my husband, the place that will always have a piece of my heart, the place where nature's beauty moves me, the place where at one moment I can witness something so heartbreaking that I don't know what to do and the next moment witness something so inspiring that I then figure it out.

Above is a picture of Davis (the one on the back of the bike). When Davis was first taken into the Olive Branch for Children's care he was almost 2 years old but could not walk, crawl or speak. Davis was extremely malnourished and near death. My friend Deb, who runs the Olive Branch for Children, took him in and months later he was walking/talking. Later we realized he had a learning disability. In Tanzania there are not many options for people living with a disability....and few schools able to help. Visiting doctors from the West think he's autistic.

3 years later Davis is developing well. The whole time I was there I never saw him not smiling. He would follow me around bringing a smile to my face each time. He is no longer shy and can carry on simple conversation....he still has his moments (like toilet accidents and walking around with no underwear)....but he's making great progress and bringing joy to everyone he meets.

Mumbai classroom

Classroom in Mumbai

I love visiting classrooms. I am fortunate enough that my job not only involves visiting classrooms in the US but around the world as well. A work conference this past week took me to Mumbai, India. It never ceases to amaze me how similar the qualities of good teaching are regardless of cultural/country context.

Gesture means: I am raising my hand without talking

There's something so powerful about education.....about the process of learning. Just sitting in the classroom watching the students learn English grammar concepts (Who, Where, What, Why and When) I found myself completely engaged and full of pure joy. Even though these were 3rd graders they reminded me of my high school students in Tanzania.

After their classes I went around the room talking to the students. Their English was limited but our hearts connected. I learned of their dreams to be a pilot or teacher. I learned of their favorite subjects. After teaching more pictures they asked for my autograph (I have no idea why). I ended up signing my name in 25+ notebooks....my heart overflowing and maternal instincts kicking ;)

Core Values for a Mumbai classroom

Washington, DC running tour

I had a 3-day meeting in Washington, DC this week. So during one of my morning runs I decided to take my cellphone with me to take a few pictures.....I called it my personal running tour. It turned out to be a brilliant idea. Most monuments in DC are around the national mall. So a 6-mile run allowed me to see the main sites.













I found myself stopping to reflect and give God thanks at many of the sites. I was surprised by my intense emotional reaction standing and looking out where Martin Luther King, Jr gave his speech. Or the sense of accomplishment after running up the stairs to the Lincoln memorial and looking at the view.