Comments for Being the Change for Peace http://beingthechange4peace.wordpress.com Abby's Peace Corps Adventure Sun, 04 Oct 2009 16:38:06 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on Back in the T-Stan by Ted Hogeman http://beingthechange4peace.wordpress.com/2009/10/04/back-in-the-t-stan/#comment-220 Ted Hogeman Sun, 04 Oct 2009 16:38:06 +0000 http://beingthechange4peace.wordpress.com/?p=91#comment-220 Hey Abby, I'm one of the T-18's that was supposed to be coming to Turkmenistan this week. I know you don't want to share speculation on the blog, but I was wondering if you'd be willing to speculate over e-mail. We're all speculating here ourselves, but I think it would help if we had some input from some people who are already there. My address is ted@hogeman.net . We're all still really curious what happened. Hey Abby, I’m one of the T-18’s that was supposed to be coming to Turkmenistan this week. I know you don’t want to share speculation on the blog, but I was wondering if you’d be willing to speculate over e-mail. We’re all speculating here ourselves, but I think it would help if we had some input from some people who are already there. My address is ted@hogeman.net . We’re all still really curious what happened.

]]> Comment on First 2 weeks of School Goodness! by Dorthy Switalski http://beingthechange4peace.wordpress.com/2009/09/12/first-2-weeks-of-school-goodness/#comment-219 Dorthy Switalski Mon, 21 Sep 2009 11:27:57 +0000 http://beingthechange4peace.wordpress.com/2009/09/12/first-2-weeks-of-school-goodness/#comment-219 Hooray for perseverance! Keep posting. Love to read your updates Dorthy Hooray for perseverance!
Keep posting. Love to read your updates
Dorthy

]]> Comment on First 2 weeks of School Goodness! by Molly http://beingthechange4peace.wordpress.com/2009/09/12/first-2-weeks-of-school-goodness/#comment-218 Molly Sat, 12 Sep 2009 18:13:09 +0000 http://beingthechange4peace.wordpress.com/2009/09/12/first-2-weeks-of-school-goodness/#comment-218 I love that your students pick Justin Timberlake to have a conversation with. :) I am so glad that you are able to see the rewards of your labor and frustrations of previous months. It is that reward that will keep you going through year 2! Again - I am way impressed by all that you've done and your desire to make a difference in the lives of the Turkmen people. I love that your students pick Justin Timberlake to have a conversation with. :) I am so glad that you are able to see the rewards of your labor and frustrations of previous months. It is that reward that will keep you going through year 2! Again – I am way impressed by all that you’ve done and your desire to make a difference in the lives of the Turkmen people.

]]> Comment on Inspiration by Dorthy Switalski http://beingthechange4peace.wordpress.com/2008/08/13/inspiration/#comment-210 Dorthy Switalski Sat, 15 Aug 2009 12:34:25 +0000 http://beingthechange4peace.wordpress.com/?p=12#comment-210 Thanks for sharing the letter which details life where you are. It gives me a better understanding for sure. This weekend is Blueberry festival. We'll go to the parade today. We took Alli's senior pictures at Sleeping Bear Dunes last month. Your mom shared lots of memories of that area of the state with us when we ran into your folks at Sam's. Keep posting and I'm keeping you in my prayers. Dorthy Thanks for sharing the letter which details life where you are.
It gives me a better understanding for sure.
This weekend is Blueberry festival. We’ll go to the parade today.
We took Alli’s senior pictures at Sleeping Bear Dunes last month.
Your mom shared lots of memories of that area of the state with us when we ran into your folks at Sam’s.
Keep posting and I’m keeping you in my prayers.
Dorthy

]]> Comment on Busy August by Tim http://beingthechange4peace.wordpress.com/2009/08/14/busy-august/#comment-209 Tim Fri, 14 Aug 2009 12:30:29 +0000 http://beingthechange4peace.wordpress.com/2009/08/14/busy-august/#comment-209 Glad things are going your way. Don't be surprised if mom doesn't show up with the backpack you want (too much for her to lug around). I may have convinced her to buy you a new one in London. If she takes that route be sure to go to an outdoors store with knowledgeable staff. Fit is everything in a pack. Also, Grandma is back in the hospital. She had a stroke. Pray for her. Glad things are going your way. Don’t be surprised if mom doesn’t show up with the backpack you want (too much for her to lug around). I may have convinced her to buy you a new one in London. If she takes that route be sure to go to an outdoors store with knowledgeable staff. Fit is everything in a pack.

Also, Grandma is back in the hospital. She had a stroke. Pray for her.

]]> Comment on Since When was I Old Enough to be a Chaperone??? by beingthechange4peace http://beingthechange4peace.wordpress.com/2009/07/18/since-when-was-i-old-enough-to-be-a-chaperone/#comment-199 beingthechange4peace Tue, 28 Jul 2009 06:40:47 +0000 http://beingthechange4peace.wordpress.com/?p=84#comment-199 Hey Samantha, Good question actually. You would think they would be more conservative by default, but actually a lot of these kids listen to and watch American music videos from Russia. What's worse is that they all watch Russian music videos which is like 15x worse than American media. While the government controls a lot of things they haven't yet controled what access people can get from satelites. As for positive empowering Turkmen women, I would have to say no not really. Women in Turkmenistan are taught to be meek, quiet, and good wives for their husbands, the opposite end of the spectrum that these girls are trying to be like. What they really need are role models who fall into the middle, someone who is strong, assertive, and confortable in her own skin without feeling the need to flaunt everything she's got. I made a suggestion for more focus on postive body image and how to be a strong woman next year which was well received by the coordinators. Salsa dancing and the like are excellent ways to help teach that, lol if only I didn't have two-left feet. I'm hoping to teach these lessons at my school via a volleyball club. Hey Samantha,
Good question actually. You would think they would be more conservative by default, but actually a lot of these kids listen to and watch American music videos from Russia. What’s worse is that they all watch Russian music videos which is like 15x worse than American media. While the government controls a lot of things they haven’t yet controled what access people can get from satelites. As for positive empowering Turkmen women, I would have to say no not really. Women in Turkmenistan are taught to be meek, quiet, and good wives for their husbands, the opposite end of the spectrum that these girls are trying to be like. What they really need are role models who fall into the middle, someone who is strong, assertive, and confortable in her own skin without feeling the need to flaunt everything she’s got. I made a suggestion for more focus on postive body image and how to be a strong woman next year which was well received by the coordinators. Salsa dancing and the like are excellent ways to help teach that, lol if only I didn’t have two-left feet. I’m hoping to teach these lessons at my school via a volleyball club.

]]> Comment on Since When was I Old Enough to be a Chaperone??? by Molly http://beingthechange4peace.wordpress.com/2009/07/18/since-when-was-i-old-enough-to-be-a-chaperone/#comment-198 Molly Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:06:53 +0000 http://beingthechange4peace.wordpress.com/?p=84#comment-198 aah! Now I feel extra old. Thanks :) aah! Now I feel extra old. Thanks :)

]]> Comment on Since When was I Old Enough to be a Chaperone??? by kaiwhakako http://beingthechange4peace.wordpress.com/2009/07/18/since-when-was-i-old-enough-to-be-a-chaperone/#comment-197 kaiwhakako Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:49:48 +0000 http://beingthechange4peace.wordpress.com/?p=84#comment-197 Hey! Im samantha from Facebook and stumbled across ur blog. But i was curious, isn't Turkmenistan a predominantly Muslim country and are by default conservative? So i wonder how kids are getting access to or why their parents let them watch risque dancing, woman and so on. In Morocco (another Muslim country) i know they're crazy strict on what airs on TV to prevent that. also what about the female parent for a roll model or are there any positive, empowering Turkestan woman that they can look up to?... just curious. also, a cool 'critical thinking skill' i did in middle school was taking a piece of paper (paper u would see in school) and cutting it so it would surround at least 5 people and it has to surround the people without breaking. It was fun and frustrating at the same time. And for dancing, u could try to hold a class for ballroom dancing (swing, salsa.. so on.. and if u dont know how u can look it up online.lol.) Hey! Im samantha from Facebook and stumbled across ur blog. But i was curious, isn’t Turkmenistan a predominantly Muslim country and are by default conservative? So i wonder how kids are getting access to or why their parents let them watch risque dancing, woman and so on. In Morocco (another Muslim country) i know they’re crazy strict on what airs on TV to prevent that. also what about the female parent for a roll model or are there any positive, empowering Turkestan woman that they can look up to?… just curious.

also, a cool ‘critical thinking skill’ i did in middle school was taking a piece of paper (paper u would see in school) and cutting it so it would surround at least 5 people and it has to surround the people without breaking. It was fun and frustrating at the same time. And for dancing, u could try to hold a class for ballroom dancing (swing, salsa.. so on.. and if u dont know how u can look it up online.lol.)

]]> Comment on Since When was I Old Enough to be a Chaperone??? by Cathy http://beingthechange4peace.wordpress.com/2009/07/18/since-when-was-i-old-enough-to-be-a-chaperone/#comment-195 Cathy Wed, 22 Jul 2009 01:49:45 +0000 http://beingthechange4peace.wordpress.com/?p=84#comment-195 Now you know what it's like / how you feel as a Hall Director. Now you know what it’s like / how you feel as a Hall Director.

]]> Comment on Since When was I Old Enough to be a Chaperone??? by Kelly http://beingthechange4peace.wordpress.com/2009/07/18/since-when-was-i-old-enough-to-be-a-chaperone/#comment-194 Kelly Tue, 21 Jul 2009 18:18:01 +0000 http://beingthechange4peace.wordpress.com/?p=84#comment-194 Indeed. When did we become grownups? Indeed. When did we become grownups?

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