I am originally from Colorado, but currently living in Kansas to finish up my master's degree in Public Health (emphasis nutrition). I miss the mountains, but I am fortunate to be able to get back to Boulder and Fort Collins a few times a year. I had the opportunity to volunteer in Vryheid, South Africa with a friend when I was an undergraduate and that experience has dramatically shaped my life ever since. Last summer, I worked in Zambia and Kenya with small-scale nutrition intervention projects. The people were amazing and taught me about patience, contentment, and the power of hope. I am so blessed.
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Hey Valerie, I read in your "about me" that you've done work in Kenya before. I'm currently looking for some place to volunteer there, and was hoping you could help me out. I'm particularly interested in working with women's issues, but would definitely be open to anything else you could recommend. Got any ideas?
That's awesome! Are you in the same place in Kenya as last time? I was back in Ghana last month, and it was so good to see all my old friends. It is so much fun visiting the same places. I am still in Fort Collins - let me know if you come through this area. It would be cool to hear about what you're doing over there! Take care,
Jonathan
Hi Valerie, I heard from your parents that you are running in the Boulder Boulder this weekend. We will have a booth at the Boulder Creek Festival if you have a chance to stop by and say hello.
Thanks for working with us the last month!
Hi Valerie! Great to hear from you! And thank you for your interest in the Africa Bags project! We would love to be a part of your 5k run. Thanks for thinking of us. We can definitely send you 40 bags. I will touch base with you through your email address. Thanks again, Valerie! Holly
Oh, totally. That was the first time I had ever written a poem - in that class. Everyone else, it seemed, was experienced poets. Oh well. I actually got my masters in literature which was great - I loved it. Then I graduated and didn't really want any of the jobs out there. I met a man that worked at Samaritan's Purse that said, with my construction bkgd, that I should go to Sudan and help rebuild churches the gov't had destroyed during the long years of war. I was excited, but then Sudan became unstable (again) and the opportunity fell through. But this made me realize that I COULD go to Africa at that moment and not wait for some opportunity to present itself. then, I started looking for construction projects on the continent and ended up going to an orphanage in Ghana. Now it is all I think about. How did you get interested in Africa?
That sounds awesome! Hope school is going well. I took a lot of classes with Matthew - I was a grad student so it was a grad class that met at night in the basement of eddy - he is such a great teacher. Alright, take care.
Hi - I have a question - were you in Matthew Cooperman's poetry class a few years back at CSU? Because I totally was... that would be crazy - let me know. Okay, take care.
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Jonathan
Just seeing how you're doing. Hope all is well!
God bless,
Jonathan
Thanks for working with us the last month!