out of touch

sometimes i'm asked why i don't have more to say about my work. the truth is that nothing would do justice to what i have seen or heard. i began this blog to give my loved ones a peek into what i have been seeing and experiencing: the resilience and the perseverance of people who have faced and overcome challenges of which i had never conceived; the incredible strength of the women who remain the backbone of every society; the magnificence of nature in places that remain untouched; and the humanity that overcomes us all as brothers and sisters when we trade stories over a drink or the sacrifice of the sole stringy chicken.

it's true, it is far from perfect - the complex politics stem from issues originating long before conflict mediation became an official Ph.D. topic. but looking beyond of the headlines of the media, beyond the mortality and morbidity statistics that rain down upon us, beyond the lack of modern conveniences that "civilize" us and separate us from the "uncivilized," there is so much more to learn, to fully comprehend, and to embrace in this place far from home.