Destinations

Wandering Through Brussels in Wet and Windy Weather

My son and his fiance decided they wanted a wedding ceremony in Paris rather than a big wedding at home. Destination weddings seem to be quite popular, and this was their choice of destinations. My wife Silvette and I decided since we were going to Paris for the wedding, we would make this a longer trip and fulfill some of the travel goals we have had. We planned a three week European trip starting in Brussels, Belgium. My daughter Andrea…

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Some Unique Sites to See in Arizona

For many people the main reasons to visit Arizona are the Grand Canyon and Sedona. Others may come for baseball’s spring training. Of course other folks come just for the sunshine and warmth, especially in the winter. My parents spent time in Yuma, Arizona for that very reason the winter before my mom died. However, like most states, there are actually quite a few unique and different places to enjoy in Arizona beyond the Grand Canyon and the baseball fields.…

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Water Gives Life in the Nevada Desert

Having spend two days in Death Valley, it was time to head to Las Vegas and our flight home. However, we had two more places to see before returning home. Both of them were wildlife refuges. The US Fish and Wildlife Service manages refuges across the country. Their purpose is to protect and preserve native wildlife. We had visited wildlife refuges before in Washington and Hawaii. For the two that we visited in Nevada, the purpose was to protect desert…

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Hiking Hills and Sand Dunes in Death Valley

After a good night’s sleep and a hearty breakfast at our hotel, we were ready to begin our second day around Death Valley. It was another clear blue-sky day which started out cold, but quickly warmed up with the sun. Our first experience when we arrived in Death Valley was a drive through the hills on the east side of the Black Mountains. The drive is called Twenty Mule Team Canyon Road. Those of you who are older might be…

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Exploring the Highs and Lows of Death Valley

I realized recently that I have been to almost all of the national parks in California. Only two remained, Death Valley and Sequoia & Kings Canyon. I had tried for a few year to make it to Death Valley, but no one would go with me. Finally I convinced my wife to go, and so we began to plan our adventure. Death Valley has hit 130 degrees twice in the last few years. This of course was during the summer…

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Man on a Motorcycle in the Dominican Republic

When I arrived in the Dominican Republic in 1974 to teach, I was able to get around pretty well with public transportation. To get to school and back, the school provided a van that picked up the teachers each morning. However, after two years, the school decided to leave the transportation to and from school to the teachers. That was a bit of a hassle. A motorcycle seemed the answer. I wished that I could afford to buy a car,…

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Church Life Challenges in the Dominican Republic

In 1974 I moved to the Dominican Republic to teach in a school. However, my presence there was under the guidance of the Free Methodist Church so being a part of the church was an expected part of my responsibilities there. It was in the church that I really encountered much of the cultural challenges that I had in the country. While teaching I worked mostly with American adults. At the church I was with Dominicans. I had much to…

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Multicultural Experiences Teaching in the Dominican Republic

I went to the Dominican Republic in 1974 to teach. Santiago Christian School (SCS) hired me to teach 5th and 6th grades. The school was an English speaking school that had been started to teach the children of missionaries in the area. However, over time that focus expanded, and the school admitted anyone who wanted instruction in English. It became an international school while maintaining its Christian perspective. The students at the school came from a number of different backgrounds.…

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Life Changing Experiences Living in the Dominican Republic

In 1974 I moved to the Dominican Republic. I lived there for almost four years. The journey began when I graduated from college in 1973. I had a teaching degree but so did a lot of other Baby Boomers. Finding a teaching job was tough. I ended up subbing that first year out of college. What I really wanted to do was teach overseas, but every school I looked at wanted teaching experience which I obviously didn’t have. One day…

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