Finding Significance

I am home and it feels great.

Adam and I woke early Friday morning for the drive down to London from Manchester. I made the flight in plenty of time. I flew out of London Gatwick Airport and let me tell you, they know how to move people through security. They had individual tray areas for each person and if you were searched they moved you to the side away from the line. This probably doesn’t seem to impressive or unfamiliar to you, but after a year in Africa the efficiency and ease of it all was glorious.

If you ever wondered what northern Canada
looked like...

I flew Icelandair from London to Reykjavik, Iceland. The plane came in late and so I had about 15 minutes to connect to my flight home. I believe I would have missed it if it wasn’t for the connecting flights delay one hour. I was glad to see that. I boarded another Icelandair Boeing 757 home to Minneapolis. The flight flew over a bit of Greenland and Canada from top to bottom.

One never really sees the uppermost pieces of Canada considering it is all ice, but I thought it was cool. At around 7:30PM Central Time I landed. I was happy to see that both of my bags had also made it. I passed through customs easily. Though, the officer took a good hard look at me because with my long hair and beard I look nothing like my passport photo. He laughed, joked about it and welcomed me back into the great county we call the United States of America.

My welcome home was perfect. Both of my parents were there to greet me with a wonderful sign and all. After a year away I couldn’t have asked for more. It was great to be able to see them and finally speak in person. Technology is wonderful, but nothing can beat an in-person conversation.

Probably like all parents, they had made a few changes to the house and my room. I must say that they have done well because the changes are great. It is fun to see all of the things that have changed and been altered since I left. It’s also freaking great to sleep in my own bed. To add to that, it’s wonderful not having to secure a mosquito net around myself each night. I was even able to crack the window and allow some cool air to flow in throughout the night, something that doesn’t happen often in Africa.

It’s the small things in life.

Since this will be my last post on this blog I hope it is lessons like these that I have been able to teach and leave you with. I also want to take this time to truly thank each and every one of you for continuing to follow and keep up with me throughout the year. Being alone in a foreign land for a long period of time can bring with it challenges, though every time I sat down to write a blog I was filled with a sense of connectedness and that is because of you.

My amazing parents!

I enjoy writing, but it helps to have another to read what has been written. So, thank you for pushing me to continue with my blog and helping me document my entire experience. I also want to thank you for continuing to read even though there were some pretty lame jokes and random pieces that made their way into my blog posts.

Now that I am home I must decide on what my next adventure will be. I am unsure what I will choose to do in the coming year/s, but am very grateful to have a number of options and opportunities available to me as well as family and friends that will support me in whatever decision I choose.

I am sure the list will grow and then slowly dwindle until there is only one standing, but some thoughts on what I could do in the coming future are graduate school for psychology, find a job, pursue another volunteer position, buy a cheap car and travel and hit the road or just live off my mom and dad forever…you know the norms. I’m guessing that last one is out of the running and that I am too practical for the traveling idea so I suppose I’ll have to work out something for myself, though that is part of the fun. I am excited for the future and am happy to be able to carry my past experiences and lessons with me to the next parts of my life’s journey.

Hey, if you’re lucky I may even write a blog about my next adventure. Just what you want, right?

Well, my friends, I believe it is time for me to bring this blog to a close. Always remember that each one of life’s journeys is like a long ride on your Harley. You’ve got your boys riding next to you, a good looking woman on the back, it’s fast, loud and a hell of a lot of fun. Oh, and there is you who is a total badass.

Whether you are close to me or not, know me or don’t, like me or hate me it does not matter. I am happy to have had you along for this ride.

I have been in a constant search for significance throughout my time in Africa and abroad. I believe we all want to be significant in a way that brings us joy, happiness and meaning to our lives. To be seen as significant and to know oneself is significant are two different things.

Like most things in life, the answer to what I have been searching for has been right in front of me this entire time.

I have been able to find significance in the giving of myself to others.

Happy to be home!

In giving my time, energy and love to others I have found that it has created a strong sense of significance. When we give we also receive and so I am significant in the eyes of the ones I help and because of this I feel I have significance.

I have learned that when you raise another up you rise alongside them. To spend one’s time in the service of others is one of the greatest ways to use our time while we are here. There is no downfall to helping another. No one is able to make it completely on their own and so let us all continue to give ourselves and lend a hand. I promise, they will benefit, you will benefit and all of humanity and the entire world will benefit.

Now, I better go. My Harley is waiting and another ride has to be planned. I am excited for the next adventure to begin.

Take care, God bless and as always…

Thank you very much for reading!

-         Joseph Kerber

       Zambia and Tanzania Benedictine Volunteer 2015-2016

All-Year Cheer

Fireman Joe and GI Joe

I just returned from a Manchester Man and Van job with my friend Joe Hallam. Adam and Joe are business partners (Joe is also marrying Adam's sister Amy) and Joe needed help with a job moving a client's furniture to her new home across town. The job took four hours, but was a lot of fun.

We had to move an entire truck full of stuff which included a five-year olds firetruck bed. We thought this was awesome and so we had to get a picture with it. 

Joe and I are fairly cheerful guys and the 45-year old woman we were helping move was happy about that. She had told us about a couple of other times she has hired people to help her move and how they were always grumpy.

That's no fun. Heck, even if the job you are doing isn't ideal you might as well make it the best it can be. You have to stretch that Christmas Cheer out a bit longer. 

The All-Year Cheer is better.

Considering I have just competed a job in Manchester that means I have made my way back from Newcastle. Newcastle sits about 2 to 3 hours north of Manchester. Jamie and I enjoyed the weekend in both Newcastle as well as Sunderland and met up with his friends Mikey and James. Both great guys. 

While heading out for a night in town we all decided it would be fun to change our names to a famous celebrity. I think I look like Shaun White who is a famous American snowboarder, but other suggestions were Boris Becker and James Johnston who is a member of a Scottish band named Billy Clyro. Being British, my friends didn't know too much about Shaun White and considering Boris Becker is much older than I am I decided to go as James Johnston. It's always fun to switch things up when out in an area where no one knows you. 

The crazy thing is, I kid you not, while exiting the bathroom a guy who was entering stopped me and told me I looked just like James Johnston from Billy Clyro. I swear it happened! Too funny. 

Anyway, as the night and weekend went on we ended up dropping the fake names and identities and my friends became adamant about making sure everyone knew I was an American. It was funny and the ladies loved my accent. This is what it must feel like when Brits come to America and just talk. 

American accents are definitely better, though. I actually struggle to understand some British accents. 

After spending the weekend at Jamie's parent's house Adam picked me up on Monday afternoon and we made our way back to Manchester. 

The past two days have been more errand and business based. A good chunk of the days have been spent running around and getting things taken care of. This is completely fine with me, though. It's actually quite nice to be able to relax a bit and just hang out.

Though, yesterday afternoon and evening we were able to make it over to the nearby mall which was nice, but nothing compares to the Mall of America. We also went to Old Trafford where the football (soccer) team Manchester United plays. It was cool to see the stadium. I also saw a part of the headquarters of the BBC (British Broadcasting Company). They have a number of buildings here in Manchester.

As for this evening, there is a famous buffet in town as well as an Indian restaurant and so we are deciding which one we should go to for tonight. Adams birthday is tomorrow and so I am sure we will head to the other tomorrow.

The 2016-2017 Benedictine Volunteers have completed their pre-service retreat and are preparing to depart for their year-long assignments in monasteries around the world. This year the BVC has assigned six volunteers to Africa. Two will go Katibunga, Zambia, two to Hanga, Tanzania and the final two will head to Imiliwaha which is also located in Tanzania. I believe it is a bit to the northwest of Hanga which makes sense because I suppose you can't get much further south. Ha! This will be the first year volunteers serve in Imiliwaha.

With six volunteers instead of one I believe their experience will be a bit different than my own, however still very beneficial and great. There is so much to learn and to share and so I wish all of the BVC volunteers a wonderful year, especially the ones headed to Africa.

As their service begins, mine ends. If you have read any of my blogs throughout the year then you will know that I have enjoyed my time very much and have loved each and every experience. Even though it is sad to see this phenomenal year come to an end I am very excited to be able to return home and begin to plan out the next chapter of my journey. 

My flight home on Friday is out of London and so Adam and I will head down early that morning. After a layover in Iceland I will fly home and land around 6:30PM Friday evening (CST). I am excited to get home, but it is a bit crazy having it so close now after so long. It will be great to be home and around everyone again. 

I will even be able to visit my brother Thomas who is stationed at an Air Force Base in Little Rock, Arkansas next weekend. My sister Abby is also there for her service in the Americorps. It will be great to see them next weekend. Two in service for the United States of America! God Bless America and all who serve our great country. Having seen how others in countries around the world live makes me even more thankful this past Memorial Day.

I plan to post my last blog this Saturday so stay tuned. 

Well, it has been a wonderful stay in Europe and I have had a blast seeing many of its sights. I have one more full day and so I better get going so I can enjoy it all.

Happy June, everyone! I hope it has brought with it some nice weather. I suppose I will be able to see for myself in two days because...

MA, I AM COMING HOME!

Thanks for reading!

Big City, Small World

The past couple of days have been very fun. I made it to Ireland and London. 

On Wednesday I made it over to Ireland and spent the day as well as the next touring Dublin. I was able to see a few museums, the Dublin castle, pour the perfect pint of Guinness at the Guinness Storehouse, visit Phoenix Park, attend mass at the cathedral and experience a bit of the nightlife. 

It was a nice time and very fun even though it may have been a short stay. The hostel I stayed at was great. What I like most about hostels is that you meet so many different people from all over the world. You also are able to see how small our world really is.

I met two other guys from Minnesota actually. They live in Mound. One happened to be a Tommie. Too funny. 

Dublin is a great city to visit. It was a bit gloomy while I was there, but that is how the weather usually is when on an island. Rainy. 

I took a ferry there and back to the U.K. The company was called Irish Ferries. My ferry back to the U.K. was at night. I like going out on the deck of the ship while out at sea, but it's obviously very windy and cold. When on the ferry back I could only see the lights of the ship glimmering off the waves below. It's beautiful but also a bit spooky. I couldn't imagine going overboard. Yikes. 

The ferries are very nice and fast. I arrived back at Holyhead in Wales around 12:30AM on Friday morning. Adam picked me up and we drove straight back to Manchester. We slept a bit and then got ready for the trek down to London.

We met Jamie in London and considering Adam had work this weekend it was just Jamie and me. 

We rented a room through AirB&B again which allows us to contact a person who has a spare room in their apartment. The apartment was in Canary Warf which was about 20 minutes from the pubs and bars. We took the tube (subway train) into town. 

The apartment we stayed at was extremely nice. I am amazed there are people out there that can afford such places each month. It makes me think about what I am doing with my life haha! Kidding, I am happy with what I am doing and I get to enjoy their super nice apartment too :)

Sarah, the apartment owner, and her boyfriend Rick were very kind. They were both German and so they loved my last name. Once we started talking I noticed once more how small our world is. 

Sarah went to college in St. Louis, Missouri which is where I was born. Rick had spent a year of high school as a foreign exchange student in Rochester, Minnesota. Absolutely crazy! He knew about Lakeville and everything. I told him I went to St. John's University and he told me he had friends who attended the school as well. They were both 27 and so a bit older than I, but it's still so cool. 

How crazy!?

London was fun. Very congested, but fun. I don't like being around a ton of people and so I could never live in a city like London, but I liked visiting. Driving was very difficult and the trains and subways were slam packed. 

The nightlife was great, though, and the subway is so fast so it is easy getting around. 

After going out, Jamie and I made our way back to the apartment we were renting for the night. We woke, got ready, said bye to Sarah and Rick and made our way back to the city center.

I saw the London Bridge, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and Parliament Square. 

So, my entire life I have thought London Bridge was this amazing and beautiful bridge. We usually mistake Tower Bridge, which is really beautiful, for London Bridge. In fact, London Bridge is just that...a bridge. Honestly, the 35W bridge puts the London Bridge to shame. 

Big Ben was cool, but another funny fact. Big Ben is actually the second largest four-faced chiming clock in the world. Guess where the biggest is? 

Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

Crazy, right? I had no idea. Too funny. I think this is a sign that I just need to come home. Everything is better in Minnesota :)

Buckingham Palace is beautiful. They have the cool queens guard outside of it, but unfortunately they were still inside the gates when I visited and so I couldn't get a good picture. 

I have mixed opinions about the queen and monarchy. I think it's a bit bizarre considering all of this money and power is given to a random person who just happens to be born into it. I am guessing the money could be used elsewhere and I don't think any one person needs an entire palace to themselves, but this is how it's done here.

It's neat, though.

So, Jamie and I toured London. It was a great time and I really am so lucky to have friends who will just bop around London and the U.K. with me. 

Before hopping the train back to Newcastle (which is what we are on right now) Jamie took me to this famous bagel bakery. 

Folks, if you are in or going to London and you have to choose between getting one of these bagels and seeing the sights, choose the bagel!

Soooooo goooooodddd!!

The Brick Lane Bakery has literally crafted a little piece of heaven into a bagel. I had four. Another bonus is that they were reasonably priced. They were £1 which is cheap for the U.K. were everything costs an arm and a leg. 

The bakery was in East London. This is where I would live if I moved to London. It wasn't as nice as where we stayed the night before, but it was not as packed with people, the ones there were really cool (great fashion and a fun atmosphere), there was live street music which is fun and it's a bit cheaper. Plus, this is where the bagels were located.

I really liked East London. 

Well, that has been my past few days. 

Jamie and I caught the tube back to Kings Cross Station where we hopped a train north to Newcastle. Jamie lives in Newcastle. We will check out the nightlife tonight and then crash at his parent's place. Then tomorrow we are hoping Adam and Tom will travel up from Manchester to spend the day with us in Newcastle and the surrounding area. 

I will head back to Manchester with Adam and then spend the remainder of my time there. On Friday I'll get dropped off at London Gatwick Airport and fly home. 

One more week, folks. It's crazy to think I'll be home in six days. 

I hope everyone's May has been splendid. Hopefully June brings warm weather, fun days at the lake cabin and a Twins win-streak. I'm thinking that last one may be too much to ask for, though. 

I guess we can't always get what we want. 

On the train, Jamie is sound asleep and the person sitting next to me is zoned in on her YouTube video. I think I'll wrap this blog post up and just enjoy the ride to northern U.K. 

Have a great Saturday!

Thanks for reading!

An Irish Wednesday

I have just boarded Irish Ferries which is the ferry company that takes passengers across the Irish Sea from Holyhead, Great Britain to Dublin, Ireland. This ferry is moving much faster than the one I took from France to Great Britain. I will arrive in Ireland around 1:45PM my time. Only about an hour and 45 minute ride. 

Upon arriving in Dublin I will head to a small hostel where I have a bed for the night. I will make sure to check out the Dublin castle, Guinness Storehouse and a number of other things. It should be a nice time.  

This will be a shorter blog considering I want to enjoy the ferry ride as well as Ireland. 

With my limited time in Europe I won't be able to stay for long, but am happy to be able to see Dublin for a bit. 

I have spent the last few days in both Manchester and Wales. While in Manchester I have been hanging out with Adam, Tom, Joe and Amy. We have gone to see a movie, ran a few errands and even went to Manchester's Comicon. Comicon is a festival for people who enjoy comics, movies and video games. I wouldn't normally show up at one of these and this was my first time, but it was fun to go to. 

Tom's brother is really into it and so we went with him and his family. I have to admit, it was pretty fun. People dress up and there are vendors who sell memorabilia for each comic. Fun to see.

From Manchester we headed west to Wales. Joe, Amy's fiancé (Amy is Adam's sister), has a family farm out there. We stayed there for two nights. It is nice and relaxing and Wales is a quiet little town. 

I am making a solo trip to Ireland for Wednesday and Thursday while Adam stays in Wales. Upon my return on Thursday night he will pick me up from Holyhead Port and we will travel back to Manchester. We have some errands to run and then we will head to London and meet Jamie there for a night out. 

Then, the plan is to head back up to York where Jamie has a video gig (he is a videographer/director) and he will get us tickets to that. Then we plan to enjoy a night out in either Leeds or Newcastle. 

The final bit of my stay will be done in Manchester. Adam and I will travel down to London and do some sightseeing on the day of my flight back to the U.S. 

A solid and fun plan for my last few days here. All is well and everything has been a lot of fun. 

*A very big happy birthday to my Dad. Thank you for all you do and have done. I hope your birthday was a great one. I look forward to seeing you in a few days! I love you!

Thanks for reading!

The Island Countries

I have safely made it to Manchester, Great Britain. It is nice up here and I am enjoying my time at the Eccleston's. They are some of the nicest people and I have really enjoyed getting to know the family. 

Tom, who joined Adam, Jamie and I on our trip, lives up the street. So I am able to see him often as well. 

In addition I have met Amy, Adam's sister, and her fiancé Joe who is a really nice guy. Joe and Adam run a car recovery and moving business together.

Jamie is back in Newcastle, but will be traveling to London this coming weekend. Adam and my plan is to meet him there.

My time in the U.K. has been relaxed which is good. Traveling throughout Europe was beyond fun and exciting, but even a 23 year old like myself enjoys a few days off. 

We are currently staying at Adam's parent's house in Prestwich. Prestwich is a suburb of Manchester.

Considering its the morning of the 21st and we have plans for the day I am going to structure this blog as I do when out of time. I'll list the important things. I would rather write them out in a nice smooth way, but time is of the essence my friends. I have to book a hostel and ferry ride to Ireland soon as well. 

So...here are a few things I have noticed:

• The $1 Bill

Throughout my travels I have continuously searched for a one dollar bill like we have in the U.S. I have been unsuccessful. Simply put, the $1 bill is awesome. It makes life so much better. The smallest bill most countries over here have is the 5. Therefore, you always have tons of change. I have new appreciation for the $1 bill and look forward to being able to use my own currency soon.

• York

After reaching Manchester we headed to York to drop Jamie off. He is from Newcastle, but had a meeting in York. The Yorkshire is wonderful. A small, cute and fun English town. It has everything you need on three main streets. York is the old one and I am sure you all know where the new on is. It was fun to see the town that inspired the U.S.'s most popular one. York, Great Britain looks nothing like New York.

• Fish and Chips

I am not one who needs to try all sorts of food while abroad. Don't get me wrong, I love doing so, but I'm not very picky. I like experiences more than food. However, with that being said, I did have some fish and chips which is a staple here in Britain. They are delicious and the curry sauce poured on top is heavenly.

• The American Accent

When I was younger I remember hating the British accent because all the girls loved it. Like, what the Hell, man? Ha, anyways, now I am getting the redemption I have always sought. Girls (well, everyone) here love the American accent. It is funny because I'll be walking down the street and speaking with my friends and all the heads turn my way. I may have come to a first world country, but I am still not home. 

• James Bond

I thought it was funny that the first thing I see on British TV is James Bond. The only more British thing that could top that is Harry Potter. The houses here look as if they are from Harry Potter so that was already covered. 

• British Slang

The one thing I have found difficult, but great is the slang terms each person uses here. I have mentioned this before, but it really is apparent. I feel as if we don't have as much slang (common slang) as them. A few great ones are when speaking about getting a drink of beer everyone refers to it as getting a pint. As if the smallest amount of beer one can drink in a sitting is a pint. Too funny. In addition, they say "that's a good shout" when referring to a good idea or thought. This phrase is quite common after suggesting that everyone gets a pint 😄👍🏼

• Teeth

Going along with the slang topic, while I was at the Notre Dame in Paris my friend Inna and I had a picture together. Tom was also in the picture. One comment was how happy she was (being a Ukrainian girl) to have a Brit and American on either side of her. The Ukrainian girls dream. Ha, the other comment was on the full American smile. We laughed and Adam said, "Oh yeah, those Americans are the only ones you'll find with a full set of gnashers!" I laughed because of the use of the word gnashers and also because it's actually true.

I have begun to notice that oral health and hygiene seems to lack a bit here. I expected it in Africa because they don't have access to a dentist, but even in Europe it isn't to the standard of America. Not that I'm knocking the U.K., but it is noticeable.

• Interested in America

While in Africa I was asked a lot about America and how life was over there. These routine questions have not stopped just because I have come to Europe. In fact, I am asked about America a lot. It's fun and I don't mind, but just as there are things we don't know about Europe there are many things they don't know or understand about America. It's nice to learn and teach at the same time. 

• Noticing More

One major thing I have noticed while here in Europe is that I notice more. I was strolling through downtown Manchester the other day alone (Adam was on a job) and it was great, but a bit overwhelming. I know I haven't been out of the game for a super long time, but even a year affects you a bit. 

In the village there are a few people, moving slowly, maybe one or two cars and huts. In the city there are thousands of cars, even more people, tons of noise from police sirens to people yelling, everything is moving fast and everything is at your disposal. 

I felt a bit lost almost. I was waiting to cross at an intersection and struggled doing so a bit because of all the commotion around me. One obviously wants to make sure they won't be hit by a car as they cross so I was looking and I found it tough with all the lights, people passing by and noise. 

Things you never notice before are very apparent now. In addition, I notice people more. Everyone is in their own head, has their headphones in and passing by without noticing the person next to them. That's normal, but now I notice myself seeing them more and more. All these people. I notice the elderly woman trying to squeeze her way through a group of business men walking down the street, I see the homeless sleeping or laying at the corner, I see the large Coca-Cola advertisements protruding from every building, I see the 15 year olds who are wannabe thugs lean against the side of a wall, I see the smoke billowing from the tops of buildings and I see how many people actually still smoke cigarettes (there are a lot which is absolutely nuts). Things you tend to miss when running to your next appointment or caught up in your own thoughts are evident.

Don't get me wrong, I totally understand being caught up with what you are doing and wanting to complete all of your tasks as quickly as possible. I am the same. However, I just found this bit interesting considering I haven't been in this situation for some time. 

There really is a lot going on around us. Sometimes all you have to do is listen and open your eyes.

Well, folks, that's all for now. I better get out of bed and start searching for ferries to cross from the U.K. to Ireland. I will be able to dock in Dublin, the capital city. My stay in Ireland will not be long and I was hoping for more time, but there is much to do. 

I plan to head to Wales with Adam this week. We will spend a few days there and this is when I'll take the solo voyage across the great sea (okay, it's quite a short voyage) to Dublin. I'll find a hostel to stay at while in the city. After researching I have found there is a ton to do there. It will be fun.

Then, afterwards, I'll head back and with Adam I'll come back to Manchester. Then we will head to London for the weekend with Jamie. We will need to come back to Manchester before my flight out, but that's okay. On June 3rd I fly home to Minnesota. That is the plan as it stands now. I'll keep you updated.

I am soon to be off to the motherland (get it, my mother's family comes from Ireland) haha...oh God, I need help. 

Thankfully I'll be home soon. 

Thanks for reading!

In Search of Refuge

A few more days have past and my time in Europe continues to get better.

We entered into Belgium and spent a night in Brussels. We drove from Rotterdam, Netherlands to Antwerp, Belgium after spending the morning at a large indoor market in Rotterdam. There was a lot of free samples of food (which we took advantage of) which was fun. 

In Antwerp we grabbed a bite to eat and enjoyed the city. It had beautiful architecture and there was a nearby cathedral and so we went to check it out.

After Antwerp we drove down to Brussels. I contacted my mother's friend Kathy Foster who lives nearby. My friends and I only stayed in Brussels one night so we were unable to meet up, but we really appreciated the kind gesture for us to stay with them that she and her family offered. 

The next time I come to Belgium I'll bring my Mom and we will make sure to stop by, Kathy. 😊

We ran into a number of problems when trying to book a hotel room because all were full. Pride week was taking place in Brussels this week and so many people were there in order to celebrate same-sex couples. At the last minute we were able to score a room at a small hotel called Hotel Royal. 

Inna, a friend of ours from Camp Lake Hubert, who is from Ukraine was in town and so she joined us for the past couple of days as well. She tagged along for Belgium and France.

After booking our hotel we were able to make it out into town. It was very lively. I was also able to meet my friend Bridget from CSB/SJU at the Grand Place which is the landmark center of Brussels. The whole group then went to a number of bars and had a great time. Bridget has lived in Cannes, France since September and just happened to be going for a weekend trip to Amsterdam and was passing through Brussels. 

The night out was great, but after a night out most people my age (or any age) usually sleep in for a long time. I am a morning person and wake early usually. I did so in Brussels and so while my friends slept I went for a walk around town.

It was really fun. I enjoyed just strolling around by myself. It was also really quiet out. Barely anyone was out that morning. 

Brussels (and a lot of Europe) does not have very obvious street signs. It can be a bit of a struggle to get around because of this. I found my way, though, and felt good when I found my way back to the hotel. 

That morning we spent checking out the city and locating lots of waffle shops. There was a waffle shop on every street. Ha! After, we made our way to France. 

France has toll booths and considering Inna was sitting in the passenger seat she had to deal with the payments, tickets and receipts. We love Inna, but at each one it seemed as if she lost the ticket or something else would happen. It became a joke which was funny. It all worked out, though. 

We made our way to Paris where we spent time at the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame and Louvre. We did not go in the Louvre because we had other things planned, but the inside of Notre Dame and the view of the Eiffel Tower were amazing, both were beautiful. 

We spent the day going around the city and exploring. That night we grabbed dinner and then went to sit out by the Eiffel Tower. There are vendors who sell wine bottles at the tower (only in Paris...) and so we bought a few and enjoyed our time. 

Every hour the Eiffel Tower would light up and sparkle. It was so cool to witness. I really enjoyed hanging out and having a good time right under the Eiffel Tower. 

We met a girl who lived in Paris while hanging out and she had with her two light sabers. Light sabers are popular from the movie Star Wars. So, yes, my friends and I totally did have a light saber fight beneath the Eiffel Tower...

We are cool.

The night was nice. Instead of booking a hotel we actually all crashed at our new friends apartment. It was fun to be at an apartment in the city. 

Once again, I woke early while everyone slept. I found a book on Martin Luther King, Jr. on the shelf and ended up reading the whole thing. It was short, but good. 

In the book I read a quote by King and it really resonated with me and this time in our world. It read, "it may well be that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition is not the glaring noisiness of the so-called bad people, but the appalling silence of the so-called good people."

It makes you think. 

After everyone finally woke we made our way out of Paris and towards Calais, France. Calais is where we caught our ferry across the English Channel. 

Calais is also where many Syrian refugees are. There is a refugee camp here. Why? It is because there is a tunnel under the English Channel that runs to Great Britain and many are trying to make their way across. 

The French police patrol and guard the port to the U.K. I was curious and wanted to get a better look at the camp. My friends and I drove down to it and spoke with some police who allowed us to walk around. We did not go in, but many refugees were out and about. We spoke to a few and asked them about themselves and what they were hoping for. We also asked about the condition of the camp. 

It was not only interesting to hear, but I think it is extremely important to speak with and meet people so we are able to learn more rather than just speculate. I spoke with Syrian and Iranian refugees. 

The refugee crisis is a difficult one and I don't know enough about it to comment further, but it's good to learn more. 

My friends and I made our way to the ferry and passed through customs. They checked my passport and asked me some questions and then let me through. We are currently on the ferry which is very nice. It's like the Titanic up in here.

One of my favorite movies, Die Hard, is playing and we are all just hanging out and watching it. It's 1:00AM right now. 

After we get off we will drive to Manchester where Adam and Tom live. Jamie will have to go back to Newcastle. This next week should be fairly relaxed. We will still meet up with each other and hang out, but less traveling. Jamie and I plan to head to London in the coming weeks to have a night out down there. Other locations will be visited as well.

That is all for now. The ferry has left the port and we are on our way across the English Channel. 

A few random things I quickly want to mention are how expensive Europe is, Amsterdam's genius bathrooms and espresso overload. 

After a year in Africa it is hard to spend so much. Europe is quite expensive. Heck, even McDonald's is outrageous. It's like 10 euro ($12) for a burger and fries. No free refills either. 

I forgot to mention it earlier, but Amsterdam has a pee spot for men on multiple corners throughout the city. It sounds weird, but it is extremely convenient. It is a little space that is closed off and you go in and just take care of business. It filters into a little drain and your job is done. Very nice. 

Finally, my friends love their coffee and Adam loves espresso. He is addicted. He gets them a few times a day and at McDonald's you can buy little small espresso shots. I find it funny. I don't like caffeine so I just have to laugh at all the espresso.

Onwards to the U.K. and surrounding countries/islands. 

-From the English Channel

Thanks for reading!

First Impressions

I'll have to keep this short because my friends and I are at an airB&B (rent an apartment room for the night) and we have to head out soon. 

So far so good. I met up with Adam, Jamie and Tom at the airport and started off. We are driving around in a small e-class Mercedes-Benz and we have a lot of luggage between all of us. It's packed, but fun. 

While we were going through the car and sorting out how to pack everything I came across Jamie's bag and found an entire pack of sugar. I looked at Jamie and asked why he had it. He just turned to me and with a straight face said "I'm British, it's for tea, man!" I laughed so hard. Typical Brit haha :)

The first two days were spent in Amsterdam. A great city. We actually found a campsite (we packed tents) and slept there for the two nights. It's right by the tram which took us into central station and downtown. It worked well. 

While checking in we were speaking with the man at the front desk and we noticed he wasn't fully with us. We believe he may have enjoyed some of the local special (marihuana). It was funny because he was enjoying a snickers while checking us in and he was so into eating it. Marihuana is legal in this area. 

We went out to the bars and enjoyed the night life. It was interesting. It was definitely very different than Africa. It's a good experience and comparison to have seen. 

Yes, you are all thinking it, Amsterdam is home to the Red Light District. I found it's fairly hard to maneuver around downtown and the bars without passing by it. It's pretty crazy if you ask me, but, once again, just a part of the experience. 

(No, I do not like it, but it's literally right there so it's hard to miss. Quite like walking into your kitchen and noticing your refrigerator. It's just there.)

I actually was wearing the t-shirt that I received in Tanzania from the religious seminary. One of the men we passed by commented on it and asked what my religion was. I told him Catholic /Christianity. He was really nice actually and shook my hand and said "man, you just came to Hell." Ha, I suppose it isn't where the Pope would be seen, but we are all sinners. We must meet everyone at where they are at.

Amsterdam is also home to a lot of cheese stores. Cheeeeesssseeeeee. It's fun because each store sells those big rolls of cheese that are like 25 pounds each. A lot of cheese. We decided to buy a slice (we love our cheese) and we stuck it in our bag. We then walked over to the bar (natural reaction to buy a beer after acquiring cheese) and we had our bag checked at the door. 

The bouncer looked in and questioned what it was. Tom just looked at him and said "it's cheese." The bouncer was confused and asked again. Tom responded, "it's cheese, man!" The bouncer looked back, smiled and responded "ah, great man, you're good!" Haha it was funny!

We passed by Anne Franks house, but the line to enter was outrageously long. We didn't have much time and so we just stood outside of it.

We have bought some food from the grocery store near by. The bags we got from the store were super nice. I commented on how great the plastic bags were and my friends just laughed. It is obvious I have been in Africa for a year. I am amazed by the plastic bags at the grocery store.

Europe also has Magnum ice cream bars. If you haven't had one you must try. They are great. In addition, I stopped by a McDonald's while in the Netherlands and they serve little packets of mayonnaise. I don't believe they do that in America. People love to eat their fries with mayonnaise.

So, everything is good here. We spent the night in Rotterdam and the nightlife here was great. A lot of fun. Now we are heading to Belgium for the day. We will spend the night in Brussels. I have a friend from CSB/SJU that has spent her year in France. She is actually in Brussels now and so we are planning to meet up. That will be fun. 

To conclude, the British have different slang words then us in America. For example, they will ask "are you peckish?" in order to see if you are hungry. Interesting.  

One term I thought was a bit funny was their comment "you're a bit o' crumpet" when they see someone they like. I suppose comparing a person to a crumpet isn't good, but it's almost cute. I guess we can't take offense to everything. It's said in a kind way too. 

Well, that's all for now. We are at the Rotterdam market now (it's a massive indoor market full of shops). Heading to Belgium, then Paris and then onwards to the U.K. in the coming days.

All is well. 

Thanks for reading!

The Pride of Africa

I have successfully made my way to Nairobi, Kenya. This is the nicest and most developed airport I have been to in Africa. I like it. I am currently sitting at Java House which is a restaurant in the airport. It's about 1 minute from my gate and has reasonably priced cheeseburgers. So, that is what I am enjoying. From here I will board (in 3 hours) and take my 8 hour flight to Amsterdam! I am excited and very happy everything has been going so smooth. If my bags are having the same luck I am then everything will be great once I get to Europe.

Before I begin discussing the present let me start back to when I was still in Mbeya. 

When I first arrived in Mbeya last year I remember it being pretty rough. I suppose it still is, however now that I have experienced much more of Africa and this area I must say that Mbeya is fairly nice. It wouldn't compare well with a city in Minnesota, but for Tanzania I think it works.

On Sunday I attended mass with the brothers who work and stay at the Mbeya guesthouse. We drove into town to attend. One of the sisters from Hanga had come to visit her sisters in Mbeya one day after I traveled here. I saw her at mass and so it was fun to reunite even if I had only been gone for a day. 

Sister Agnes introduced me to one of her sisters who was currently staying at the convent. I must say, if I could speak Kiswahili better I think I may have had the urge to try and persuade her to leave the convent and head back to the states with me. This sister was gorgeous.

God, give us guys down here a chance, man! :) Ha!

While in Mbeya I was able to hang out with Br. Odo. He is in his 60's but is a social and personable guy. It also helps that he attended Saint John's for two years in order to obtain a degree in theology. He did so back in the 90's. 

When I was in Mbeya in January I met a guy by the name of Romanus. I spoke about him in my post back then. Nice kid who is my age. I met up with him again which was fun. We grabbed a beer and had a nice talk. He has moved away from Mbeya, but came back to visit for the weekend.

Unfortunately, I was unable to meet up with the Peace Corps guy from Minnesota. He never responded to our call. Oh well. It was a fun weekend anyway.

Odo took me around and even showed me the Masai dress (which is actually a type of cloth/blanket) worn by a lot of people. It's very common. It was nice to get a closer look. 

On Monday he took me to have my last Safari beer which was nice. One more before I hit the road. 

At breakfast each morning it is common to have milk, but there was none in Mbeya. I commented on its absence and one of the brothers told me that his cow had died. No cow, no milk. No grocery store to get any so we were out of luck. 

I trimmed my beard and packed my luggage once more for my trip to Europe. I now look a little bit like my passport photo. Ha!

On Tuesday morning I left Mbeya. Folks, I must say, after a year of profusely sweating and extreme heat I was finally cold. It does get cold in Africa after all. Now, it was probably 55 degrees out, but when it is usually 90 that seems cold. I could see my breathe. 

I took a taxi to the airport in Mbeya where I passed through security and hopped my flight to Dar. On my way through security my bag was checked by one of the guards. He then motioned to the soldier standing by the door to have a look. I couldn't figure out what was going on until the guard pulled out my toothbrush. I have a Sonicare electric toothbrush which can break into two parts when traveling. The guard looked at me like I was about to blow the place sky high. 

I quickly assembled the toothbrush and explained how I used it to brush my teeth. They both laughed and then I was able to pack my things and go. 

Damn, toothbrush. 

After landing in Dar I stepped out onto the tarmac and felt the warm breeze. Yup, I was in the right place. I swear, Dar es Salaam must be where the sun directs its solar flares. The place is always hot. Also, even though it is the biggest city in Tanzania I would say it is not as nice as Mbeya. That might just be because there is so much trash, traffic and other things that come along with having over a million people in one place. Who knows.

I went through security, checked my bags to Amsterdam and passed through immigration once more. I have officially left Tanzania. I was happy that it went so smooth. My flight number had been changed and so I spent some time looking for the right desk and when I went to the Kenya Airways clerk she told me I was where I was supposed to be. I was able to get my boarding pass for Kenya and Amsterdam right there.

The Kenya Airways flight began boarding at 6:30 instead of 5:30. It was an hour behind, but it wasn't a big deal. I have a long enough layover as it is. I wasn't worried. 

The flight from Dar to Nairobi was similar to the one from Mbeya to Dar. Roughly one hour. 

Kenya Airways slogan is 'The Pride of Africa'.  

I had a few schilling left to get rid of while in Dar so I bought a bottle of water and some popcorn chicken from a nearby fast food joint. That's all this white guy could afford. That was the only thing I had eaten and so when I was onboard Kenya Airways I received a small chicken burger snack. I am fairly certain I inhaled it from the flight attendants hands. Ha! It was great. I'm a big fan of airplane food! :)

On my flight I was reading Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. I began the book awhile back, but left it for another. I have returned. There are so so many good parts to this book and I would highly recommend it. However, rather than speak on each part I will just mention one quickly because it was the best so far. 

Christianity is frowned upon by so many because of all the rules and guidelines people have to follow. Those rules being morals. In reality, morals act more as directions. They help in preventing breakdowns in the human machine (us). So, I think it's good to have morals. You don't misuse your car, bike or iPhone because you don't want it to break. So you shouldn't misuse yourself. Morals are good. 

The part I want to touch on is what one may receive when morals are left out. C.S. Lewis speaks about sin and there are plenty, but he brought up what he thought the worst one was. That being pride. 

What about unchastity, anger, greed, gluttony? Those are no good, but Lewis believes pride is worse. 

Why? Pride is always in competition with everyone else. Pride is in search of power and being above all others. "Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man." Since there will always be someone with more than us pride will always be in competition. Pride is enmity. Enmity towards humans and God. 

A proud man thinks himself better and therefore above others. He is always looking down. How can you see something that is above you (God) when you are always looking down? 

Now, don't fret. Taking pleasure in being praised is not pride. Though, one must be careful not to think too highly of themselves when being praised. If you begin to delight more in yourself and less in the praise then you are on the wrong path. 

Nor is being proud of another person pride. I suppose it is similar, but as a father is proud of his son we can see he is admiring something outside himself. Remember to admire God the most, though. 

Lewis says if you meet a person who is humble he won't be that person who is always saying he is nobody. "Probably all you will think about him is that he seemed a cheerful, intelligent chap who took a real interest in what you said to him. If you do dislike him it will be because you feel a little envious of anyone who seems to enjoy life so easily." 

I'm guessing he seems so easy going because he isn't in constant competition. He will be thinking about you, not about himself.

Finally, many people will say they don't care what others think. I'm guessing we all do a little, but if you don't that's alright if it's for the right reason. If you don't care what others think because they are below you then that is no good. If you don't mind what others think because you care more about what God thinks, that is good. 

We are all a bit prideful I'd say. If you think you are not then you probably are very much so. We are equals and the love we have for ourselves is the love we should have for our neighbors. We can see how Pride becomes the misery in every nation and family. We must work to correct it.

I suppose that conversation was a bit random, but it was something I read and liked. We always focus on the sins that are obvious. The sins of the flesh. They are sins, no doubt. Though, we must not forget pride and how it affects and has affected us and the ones around us. 

I have to give full credit to C.S. Lewis for the above passage on pride. Most of what I said was regurgitated from what I read. In addition, my title of this blog is not linking pride to Africa. It's just the slogan of Kenya Airways and so I thought it fit well. :)

Well, that is all for now. I am still waiting for my flight to Amsterdam which departs at midnight. The cheeseburger at the Java House was great. I don't like spending my money, but it was nice to get something here. 

While in line to enter gate 13 a security guard and his bomb-sniffing dog (impressed they have those here) came by. I, along with 5 others, had to put my bag down for the dog to sniff. Luckily, my Sonicare toothbrush wasn't stepped on. It would start buzzing and rather than end up in Amsterdam I would find myself somewhere a little less fun. Ha!

I'll board my flight soon and then settle in for the next 8 hours. I like KLM. They have movies on their flights. They are recent ones too. I wonder what is out now. I have no clue what is new since being here in Africa. That will be fun. I'll probably get a meal or two which will be great.

Then, upon landing, I hope to post this blog and then pass through customs. Adam, Jamie and Tom will be pulling up at the airport in the morning. Then the fun begins. 

I will try to keep you posted like usual. I may just post updates while here unless I have more time than I think. I'll go with the flow and see how things are. 

To conclude, I finished reading my book on the Apollo missions a few days ago. It was really good. 

Who do you think of when I say the word 'astronaut'? I'm guessing Neil Armstrong. He deserves recognition for being the first on the moon and everything, but after reading this book I have become a fan of Pete Conrad. 

One of my favorite parts was when the commander of Apollo 12, Pete Conrad, was speaking to mission control a few seconds after takeoff. The five F-1 jets that create the millions of pounds of thrust that allow the shuttle to leave earth's atmosphere and orbit obviously create very strong g forces as well. These are felt by the crew.

Pete Conrad was an exuberant and playful man who felt no compulsion to pretend he wasn't excited. He patched into mission control during liftoff and said, "This baby's real goin'!" Ah, I love this. I love that he didn't hide his excitement like so many do and I love the quote. I bet she was really goin', Pete. 

Apollo 12 was struck twice by lightning about 36 seconds after Pete Conrad said those words. He was able to keep an energized and happy tone while in command in figuring out the problems that were caused. Due to the crew and the men at Cape Canaveral and Houston, Apollo 12 made it to the moon and back. Pete Conrad was the third person to set foot on the lunar surface 🚀🌑

Also, before going, big shout out to Commander Lovell and the Apollo 13 crew for making the impossible happen. You probably have a good understanding of their story, but they get left out often too. A scary mission that all astronauts survived.

Well, like Pete Conrad, I better get in my jet. After I get a gin and tonic in my hand I think she will be "really goin'" as well. :) See you soon, Europe!

*I have made it through customs and am on my way. Shoot, customs is easier here than passing into the U.S. (Yay for being American). Both my bags came through too! All is well. It almost hurts how smooth the trip went :)

Things are so different here. For one thing, I'm no longer the only white guy. No more stares haha that is nice. I also saw a Starbucks, Burger King and H&M all in a row. I must be in the first world. It's actually a bit overwhelming with how fast everything moves here. Gotta get back at it again!

Just waiting for Adam who will arrive soon. Flight went well and the food and movies were good. I'll write again when able! :)

Thanks for reading!