Jordan and Jess

Relay For Life

2011-07-24T12:07:00.004-06:00

Cortney and I took part in this year's Relay for Life in Woodland Park. I walked in remembrance of my dad and his battle with leukemia, my grandma and her battle with cervical and esophageal cancer, and in honor of Jackie Bullard's (Cortney's mom) fight with melanoma.

It's been nice to have someone to relate to and talk to during this difficult time. Cortney and I never imagined we'd be dealing with these issues so early in life, but we are and it's nice to have each other!

~Jess

Remembering

2011-07-13T23:28:00.004-06:00

Over the past couple months, I have spent a lot of time remembering and recalling the years of my childhood, adolescents, and early adulthood. I have spent most my time remembering how my dad was involved in each of these stages. I was truly blessed with an amazing dad and only wish he could be around for the next stages of my life. Here are some (not all or in any particular order) qualities and memories I have of my dad.

*UNCONDITIONAL love; no matter what my sister or I did, he always loved us.

*Gentle-natured.

*Selfless; always thinking of others and how he could make their lives better.

*Loved the game of golf and knew everything about it. Jordan was always shocked at how much information (dates included) he knew about each tournament, golfer, and golf course.

*Picking up pennies. I'm sure many of you had seen my dad picking up pennies wherever he went. He would bend down in this half courtesy position to pick up a penny. I always made fun of him for this, but over the years, he saved up hundreds of dollars by stopping to pick up a penny. =)

*Laughter filled our house. His laugh was contagious and it was heard often.

*Jazz. My dad loved jazz and the sound of the saxophone. This was one thing my parents did not agree on. My mom said it sounded like 'elevator music'. He would just laugh and continue to listen.

*Interest in others. Even in the last days of his life, my dad showed interest in others. He knew every nurse on the 11th floor (cancer floor) and not only did he know their name, but he knew intimate details of their lives. He was curious about people and wanted to get to know them. After my dad passed away, my mom and I visited the 11th floor to say 'thank you' and deliver a funeral program. I knew my dad touched many lives, but I didn't realize how many lives he touched in such a short time. Nurses came out of nowhere and began to cry after realizing my dad had passed. Even Gerta, the janitor, began to cry. For my dad was a man that even got to know the lady that cleaned his room.

*Giving. My dad loved to find gifts/items for people. He frequented thrift shops and rarely came out empty handed. He would pick up basketball books or movies for Jordan, a golf club for a friend that was missing his, a cooking book for me...the list goes on and on. He was always thinking about others. Over the years, my dad gave away so many sets of golf clubs...he always found someone in need of a set.

*The way my dad looked at my mom. My parents were deeply in love. Not many people can spend as much time with their spouse as my parents did. They worked together for 30 years! Not just in the same building, but right next door to each other. I remember coming to Summit to help out in their classrooms and they would even eat lunch together in the teacher's lounge. They drove to school, ate meals together, spent weekends hiking, snowshoeing, seeing movies, hopping from one thrift shop to another, etc.... Needless to say, my parents spent their whole marriage practically inseparable, but my dad always looked at my mom like he was seeing her for the first time. Even until his last day, he would stare into her eyes with such amazement...I can only hope people have a marriage like my parents. What role models they were for me and my sister!

*His smile. My dad wasn't much for grumpiness (not sure if that's a word). No matter how bad his day was or how awful he felt, my dad always had a smile. Just like his laugh, his smile was contagious as well.

*Proud. I know my dad was proud of me. I not only heard it every time I spoke to him or received an email/card, I saw it. He was proud of who I was and who I had become. I never had to doubt his feelings because he was so outspoken about them. At times, this was embarrassing. When I was home in April, I felt so inadequate when arriving at the hospital. When the elevator doors opened to the 11th floor and I found myself trying to find room 1108, I came across a couple nurses that said, "You must be Win's daughter from Africa!" I of course, slightly rolled my eyes because I knew immediately that my dad had been talking about me. In fact, all the nurses and doctors knew who I was once they entered the room...and if that wasn't enough, he still had to brag about me everyday when they came in. I was blessed to know how my dad felt about me and I will continue to make my dad proud!

*Strict when need be. Although I was a good child and didn't get in much trouble {haha}, my dad could be strict. My parents didn't play the "good cop, bad cop" role. When we did something wrong, both my parents showed disappointed and both were in charge of discipling. I never felt like there was one parent to go to and the other to avoid when in trouble. My dad was even gentle when disciplining. I don't remember my dad raising his voice...and because of that, I always trusted him, no matter what I had done.

*Expectations. My dad had realistic expectations of me and wanted me to be the best person I could be; no matter what that looked like. He did not expect me to fulfill his childhood dreams/goals, but allowed me to be who/what I wanted to be. Because he didn't have unrealistic expectations of me, I never felt that he was disappointed in me. I never wondered if he was proud of me. He expected me to be happy...and I am.

*Loved to vacuum. My dad wore out the carpet with all his vacuuming. He cleaned at least 5 times a week and enjoyed it. He wouldn't let any of us touch that vacuum.

*Chart House. My dad loved this restaurant. Over the years, we visited more than 15 different Chart Houses across the nation. Anytime we went on vacation, he would look to see if there was a Chart House nearby.

*Loyal.

*Valentines. My dad always got me a single red rose for Valentines day. He would bring it home after work and I remember how special that made me feel.

I have many more memories of my dad, but these are some of the memories I had tonight.

~Jess

On To New Things

2011-07-10T19:34:00.006-06:00

With the passing of Jess's father, we have decided to not go back to Abuja, but rather stay close to home during this difficult time. It was a tough decision because we were leaving behind good friends, nice paying jobs, and the experience of overseas teaching, but it was the right decision for us.

With an unexpected year off, we plan to do some traveling around the U.S., spend time coping with the loss of Jess's father, and make plans for the future.

One Last Long Weekend

2011-05-28T04:12:00.004-06:00

We were pleasantly surprised by the announcement on Thursday that we would not be having school on Monday. No, it's not for Memorial Day, but rather for Nigeria's Democracy Day (Sunday, May 29th). President Goodluck Jonathan is also being inaugurated on Sunday, so Monday is a day of celebration and NO SCHOOL!

Jess kicked off the weekend with a girl's night out

Catie and Jordan (Jordan Lee, that is)

Who knows what the rest of weekend has in store for us...

Some of This and That

2011-05-19T11:51:00.005-06:00

Tonight's storm

A view from our front patio

(Notice the water kettle on the right? that would be for washing afterwards)

Morning drive to school.

(The harmattan causes the smoke to linger longer than usual)

LONG LOST PHOTOS...Winter break 2009

These photos were on my old camera and I just found them!

Some of the Ricks clan in the Denver Museum

(thought you'd get a kick out of these)

Bring on the Rain

2011-05-01T05:14:00.005-06:00

Ahh...the rainy season is back! After months of dry, hot, dusty conditions we have been relieved with some much needed rain. With the rain comes the mango and avocado season and the vibrant colors of flowering trees.

One of the Highlights

2011-04-13T11:35:00.006-06:00

The Colosseum...what a sight to see.

What used to be below the Colosseum floors.

One of the famous Colosseum cats.

The Arch of Constantine

Walking the Streets of Rome

2011-04-13T11:32:00.012-06:00

Rome is such a "walkable" city. We stayed in the perfect location. We were just half a mile from the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. We also had a metro stop just around the corner. As we walked around Rome, we came across many historical and ancient sites. What an amazing place to experience. We enjoyed just walking and coming across places.

Here's what we found:

Jess was SO excited for our trip!

View from outside our hotel...indescribable.

Jordan and Jess at one of the many piazza around town

Beautiful orange trees.

Trevvi Fountain

mmm...

The Spanish Steps

Jordan enjoying the view from the top of the steps.

The popular shopping avenue with all the famous italian designers...a very busy place!

WWII memorial and museum

Castle Sant' Angelo

Heaven...

Piazza Navona.

The infamous piazza where Jordan was called up on stage to take part in a magic trick. =)

Gelato...one of the best parts of the trip

Olive Trees

The Vatican Museum entrance.

We could have spent hours in there, but the students were getting bored and were tired of waiting for us to read every single sign.

Hundreds of ceiling paintings done by Michelangelo

Sistine Chapel

Another wall of the Sistine Chapel

The famous "Creation of Adam" by Michelangelo

More ceiling pantings done by Michelangelo

The coolest staircase

The Pantheon.

The dome inside the Pantheon.

Since the ceiling is open, the floor has tiny holes for drainage when it rains.

Still holds church service on Sundays

The Vatican City

2011-04-11T23:16:00.000-06:00

We visited The Vatican City a couple times during our trip...all in the hopes of climbing up to the top of the dome of St. Peter's Basilica.

On Sunday, we attended the Pope's speech, hoping he would give a "shout-out" to AISA, but either he did not do it or we did not hear/understand it. Either way, it was fascinating to watch such a powerful man/world leader speak to his followers.

On Monday, we had tickets to visit the Vatican Museum. We tried to climb the dome before our appointment, but it was too crowded and we didn't have enough time. After we were finished with the museum, the dome was closed for the day, so we decided we would have to try again another day.

Jordan and Jessica infront of St. Peter's Basilica

We had a great view of the Pope during his speech.

Although we are not Catholic nor Italian, it was still interesting to listen to the Pope address his followers.

St. Peter's Square

A Swiss Guard

On Wednesday, we made our way back to the Vatican City in hopes of climbing to the dome of St. Peter's Basilica. Unfortunately for us, the Pope also addresses his followers on Wednesday.

We were told the Basilica was closed to the public until early afternoon. We decided to take a double-decker bus ride to waste time, but when we returned at 1pm, the crowd had moved from their seats into a line. They had the same idea as us; to climb to the top of St. Peter's Basilica. The line would have taken hours to get through, so we made the tough decision to skip St. Peter's Basilica. As Jordan always says, "We have to save something for our next visit..."

Cardinals waiting for the Pope to speak

Yes, we were on TV.

A view of St. Peter's Basilica from the Vatican Museum

The Vatican City walls

Ancient Ruins

2011-04-10T10:04:00.011-06:00

Rome is such a unique city for a variety of reasons, but one of the main reasons is the fact that a modern city has been built around the ancient ruins. It is crazy to see thousand year old buildings amongst city traffic and bustling cafes.

The Roman Forum:

the center of political and social activity during the ancient times

Temple of Saturn

Roman Forum at dusk

Basilica of Maxentius

Palatine Hill:

where the rich and famous Romans lived during ancient times

The Imperial Palaces

View from Palatine Hill

Sporting arena on Palatine Hill

chariot raceway

The Baths of Caracalla

It was an unbelievable experience to walk amongst these ruins that are still standing after so many years.

Our Trip to Rome

2011-04-10T07:59:00.005-06:00

Due to the sheer volume of pictures and information, we have decided to break our Rome trip post into parts.

While you're waiting for new posts...enjoy these tell tale signs of spring

We Shall See...

2011-03-12T05:12:00.007-07:00

Incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan promising change.

Elections take place in April, but word on the street is that Jonathan has already won. We've recently been asking the Nigerian staff at school about the elections and who they are voting for. They seem to think Jonathan is the best candidate for various reasons. Here are some of the main reasons: he is not Muslim and he won't make us become Muslim, he does not have high morals (strange, but this was a real comment), and we want to see what he can do. One of our colleagues even said that Jonathan's opponent Ribadu was too principled.

Season Changes

2011-02-26T13:26:00.004-07:00

As most of you know, Nigeria has two seasons; rainy and dry. The Rainy season begins sometime in April and ends anywhere from the end of September to mid October. Once the rains stop, the land becomes very dry and the harmattan (small dust particles that blow in from the Sahara Desert) begins to blow into Nigeria sometime in December.

These pictures illustrate the difference among seasons...quite incredible!

picture taken during a small dust storm

Who Would Have Thought

2011-02-06T02:26:00.005-07:00

Much to our surprise, we had a nice rainstorm on Friday night. Rain does not usually start until April, so this was an unexpected, but welcome event. The best part, was that the rain cooled down the Saturday morning temperature and allowed us to take part in a walk/run event at school without dying from the Harmattan heat.

The Elementary PE teacher put together a walk/run event to raise money for an American foundation helping kids with AIDS in western Africa. We created a team with the Blazeks and set a goal to each finish 50 laps (12.5 miles) in the three hour event. We ALL reached our goal and did it in only 2 1/2 hours!

Back At It

2011-01-31T11:13:00.003-07:00

As of today, January 31st, we are back to work.

We missed nine days of school, but the school board decided that we only needed to make up six of those days. During our break, the teachers met to decide how we would make up the lost hours. We decided that we would extend the school day by 20 minutes for seven weeks (that would take us to the end of 3rd quarter). We also realized we would have to have one make-up Saturday to insure that we could get back to our normal school schedule for the beginning of 4th quarter. The most important thing was to make sure that we did not extend into our Spring Break or Summer Break. Lets just hope that we do not have to close school during the presidential election or else we are going to have to continue with our extended school day into the 4th quarter.

Update on School Closure

2011-01-22T03:31:00.002-07:00

Last we reported was that Pre-K through 8th grade was closed until February 1st, but the school was waiting to hear from the board about what to do with grades 9-12, as well as AP students. The board decided that the entire school would remain closed until February 1st, with the exception of AP students. Since Jordan teaches AP Comparative Government, this decision affects him. Since, no one wants to interrupt the upcoming week off, it was concluded that Jordan would meet with his students next Friday for a couple hours and then on the following Monday for another couple hours. This will allow for us to enjoy a full week off without interruption.

So, although this is not an ideal situation, we're making the best out of our extra time off. We have made plans to get out of Abuja and head up to Minna, as well as catch up on some things we've been wanting to do for months.

No School...for Now

2011-01-20T03:33:00.004-07:00

The day before school was to resume after winter break, we had heard that the Nigerian government had closed all schools until February 4th for voter registration. The Federal Government stated that schools would be used for voter registration stations for the upcoming April elections. Our school, which is a private school, resumed on Monday, January 10th as scheduled with authority from the US Embassy. We made it through seven school days, but closed the day after this news article was published. On Wednesday, we were informed that Pre-K through grade 8 would be closed until February 1st. The board meets today, January 20th, to decide what to do with grades 9-12 and AP students. It is possible that both of us will have 2 weeks off, but it is also possible that Jordan will have to work for a couple hours a day to ensure that his AP students learn what is needed before the AP exam in May. We are awaiting the final decisions, but are keeping our fingers crossed for another holiday.

This article was published today, in light of our school closure.

One of our reasons for teaching abroad was to learn about a different culture and its political history and progress. Although this is a difficult time in Nigeria's history, it's exciting to be learning from our experiences in Nigeria.

Although the Ministry of Education has closed school until February 4th, recent statements from his office have not been as specific. Statements are now stating schools will open in February, with no specific date. Another worry is that when the elections take place, schools will be closed again. We have already been told that there will be three days in April dedicated as "no movement" days. We shall see what this election year brings...we will keep you informed.

The South Africa Gang

2011-01-12T04:11:00.004-07:00

The start of our adventure...

Zuid Africa

2011-01-07T23:00:00.002-07:00

Our trip to South Africa got off to a rocky start, but we made it! Our original flight was to leave Abuja on Friday night at 6:30pm. The night before leaving, we got a call from our travel agent telling us that our 6:30 flight got cancelled, but we might be able to make a different flight. She told us there was a 2:30, 4:00 and 5:00 flight. We had decided to fly Arik, a Nigerian airline, being that it was the cheapest by almost a thousand dollars. We had heard good and bad things about the airline. As we got ready for our 3 week winter break, we realized that Arik doesn't accommodate when they've cancelled a flight. "You're own your own" is the mentality. We were told that if we didn't make our connecting flight in Lagos, we would have to pay for another flight to get to Johannesburg. When we got to school on Friday, we talked with our administrators and they tried getting us on the earlier flights, even though we would have to leave school early. With no luck, our director suggested we leave at noon and just get to the airport and try to figure it from there. So, we left school early, got to the airport by 1 and sat there until 8:30. We were told we were on the 3:30 flight, which used to be the 2:30 flight but got moved. To make a long story short, they kept delaying flights. We finally made it onto the plane at 8:30 with our 3:30 departure tickets in hand. Once we got to Lagos, were were told that the Arik flights were delayed and cancelled due to plane movement being suspended because the president and governors were flying in and out of Lagos. Who knows...either way, we made it to Lagos and made our connecting flight to Johannesburg.

Once in South Africa, our first stop was Wilderness, a small town on the Garden Route. We were staying in a place that overlooked the Indian Ocean as well as a lagoon.

(For my Oklahoma friends and family, the owner of the B&B we stayed at is from Oklahoma City and has family living in Enid...such a small world!)

View from the front porch of Mont Fluer B&B

After a four hour drive from Wilderness, we had made it to the cape.

We rented a house in Simon's Town, which is a small beach town 20 minutes south of Cape Town on the cape peninsula. We stayed there for two weeks and traveled all throughout the Western Cape.

Indian Ocean with the cape in the background

The view from our front porch in Simon's Town.

The view of Simon's Town.

The hills of Constantia

Steenberg winery in the Constantia area

Brian, Jordan, and David scoping out the perfect spot at Boulders Beach.

Boulders Beach is known for its penguin inhabitants and its unique beach.

Strolling past our stuff

David peeking through

Boulders Beach

These penguins are known as "Jack Ass" penguins because they are as dumb as a jack ass. They are officially called African Penguins though. Boulders Beach is part of Table National Park and a place where you can enjoy the beach and the waters of the Indian Ocean along side these magnificent penguins.

A ten minute walk from our place in Simon's Town.

We attended the Civil Twilight concert at the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.

We were under the impression that the twilight concert at the botanical gardens would be a small venue where we would enjoy a quiet picnic with some lite music, but were surprised to show up to such a crowded concert. The band, Civil Twilight, is a popular South African band playing their first concert on home soil. They sound a lot like U2, so much so that we thought it was them for a while.

Kirstenbosch Mountain

Baboons crossing the road

Baboons wresting on the side of the road

The view north east from Cape Point lookout

Distances from Cape Point...

Cape of Good Hope Point.

(the southern most point on the cape peninsula)

The farthest south Jess has ever been

A baboon cleaning his wound

Thick marine layer over the Atlantic Ocean.

The Indian ocean side, where we were staying, was clear.

A wonderful sight from the top of the mountain pass.

GQ men

The Arra Selection

Enjoying lunch with Arra wine owners, Niel and Monica.

We were introduced through mutual friends from Abuja. Niel and Monica also have a house in Lagos where he imports his South African Wine. It was an enjoyable afternoon at their winery.

Stellenbosch region...absolutely gorgeous

Overlooking the Arra winery.

Jordan and Brian playing a game of boules (aka padunk or batchi ball)

After our stay in Simon's Town was over, we made our way back to the Garden Route. We stayed in a cute B&B perched on top of a cliff overlooking the Indian Ocean.

Jordan exploring the loft in our cottage.

The view from our place in Wilderness.

Salt water pool right outside our thatched roof cottage

Playing Boules on the beach

Our road trip through South Africa included driving over mountain passes, through tree farms, along the ocean, and across farm country. The vast landscape was gorgeous. South Africa is an amazingly beautiful country. We just scraped the surface on this trip...We'll be back to explore some more!

One Decade... and Many More to Come

2010-11-30T12:37:00.007-07:00

Ten years...and we still love each other!!!

For those of you that don't know, we met in high school through mutual friends. Jessica was a sophomore (15 years old) and Jordan was a senior (17 years old). Although our families knew each other through our sisters, we had never formally met. Jessica's friend Jackie and Jordan's friend Colton asked us to accompany them on their first date. I guess they wanted others on the date just in case things weren't working out. Turns out, we clicked and started dating soon after. We have been inseparable ever since.

We have been through so much together in the last decade. We have encountered challenges that would rock most relationships, but throughout, we have kept our love and friendship alive. We are so lucky to have found one another so early in life.

We have so much to look forward to...the best is yet to come!

Since we live in Africa, we don't have any pictures from our early years...sorry.

If it makes you feel better, we look just as young. haha

Thanksgiving...AISA style

2010-11-29T09:21:00.000-07:00

This Thanksgiving, we did things a little differently. We passed on the traditional turkey dinner and headed up to Minna in Niger state with 12 other friends. Minna is about 3 hours northwest of Abuja and worth the drive.

We stayed in the ex-military ruler's, Abdulsalami Al-haji Abubakar, villa. The villa sits up on a hill, overlooking the vast African landscape. It was a such a peaceful, quiet place...much different from the life of Abuja.

The villa was equipped with a huge kitchen (by Nigerian and American standards), swimming pool, a tennis court, pool and snooker tables, foosball, five suites, and a small mosque (just in case you need it). The boys also rented three motorcycles for the weekend and enjoyed riding around the bush.

A little mishap with our volleyball net.

We learned, after three times, not to spike if you think you might pull the net on your way down.

(the umbrellas were our poles)

Some of the gang watching the sunset

Last year when Brian was here, he took pictures of the village people in the area. This time, he brought back prints to share with them. So, on Friday, a group of us trudged out into the bush to visit these same villages. We left early in the morning to avoid the heat of the day. Unfortunately, the heat turned out to be too much for Jess and wiped her out for the later part of the afternoon. Here are some pictures from the hike.

This particular village was unable to communicate with us. They couldn't speak English and we couldn't speak Hausa. But through common hand motions and friendly gestures, we were able to communicate enough to learn about their customs and daily chores.

We had such a wonderful long weekend. It was nice to get away and bond with new friends. As we were leaving, we vowed to do this a couple times next semester. Hopefully, we all keep our promise because it was a weekend to remember!

What We've Been Up To Lately

2010-11-14T05:54:00.004-07:00

Jess' first try at curtains.

(One's about a centimeter longer)

Some of the books we're reading at the moment

Jordan is learning to play the guitar.

Jess made the strap to display the guitar.

Jess spends a lot of time cooking and baking.

We have started growing our own herbs.

So far we have oregano, parsley and basil.

The King of the Jungle

2010-10-24T04:41:00.000-06:00

Balloon Ride Over the Masai Mara

2010-10-24T04:10:00.000-06:00

While in the Masai Mara, we took a balloon ride over the savannah. This footage shows the Wildebeest migration which occurs during the summer months. The migration occurred early this year and we were lucky enough to see it. Sorry for the loud noise and shaky footage...

Baby Rhino @ Lake Nakuru

2010-10-24T03:27:00.000-06:00

This baby Rhino thought he was pretty tough...he kept picking on the much bigger water buffalo.

Elephants in Isiolo

2010-10-24T02:46:00.001-06:00

I have started uploading our video footage of our safari onto YouTube. Here is the first of many. This video was shot in northern Kenya in Isiolo National Park.

Fela Kuti

2010-10-17T08:07:00.004-06:00

Fela-bration was held in Lagos this week to celebrate the life and music of Fela Kuti. Fela Kuti, was a remarkable musician who has been called a musical genius and also the creator of a new musical genre. He was born/raised/lived in Lagos, Nigeria. He was a vocal opponent of the Nigerian government, which had been known for its corruption. He expressed these issues and grievances through his music.

The last events of Felebration were held in Abuja. On Saturday, we met up with some friends at a local cafe for some drinks and then headed over to the French Cultural Center to watch "Music is a Weapon", a documentary about Fela and listen to a book reading from his biographer. We had a wonderful time listening to stories about Fela. It was an experience to meet and listen to a friend of a man who tried to change Nigeria through non-violent protest. After the book reading, we were able to get our books signed by the author, Carlos Moore.

One of our favorite Fela Kuti songs. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1A-oZ_WmFSU

AISA's Golden Jubilee Celebration

2010-10-08T17:02:00.000-06:00

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Nigeria's independence. The Nigerian Studies teacher put on a wonderful celebration at AISA on Monday. Here are some pictures to capture the day...

Some of Jess' students from last year.

Muslim dress from the North.

The boy on the left has been 'titled', so he wears the formal head dress.

(I'm not sure if he is a prince of a tribe or what his specific title is)

Jess and Dusty Rose

Fulani dancers from Kano

A view of the new multipurpose hall.

The year before we came, the old multipurpose hall blew down in a storm.

Jordan and Brian

Celebrating 50!

2010-10-02T01:17:00.003-06:00

October 1st is Nigeria's Independence Day. In fact, Nigeria is one of the first countries in Africa to gain independence from colonial rule. So, Friday was the 50th anniversary. We had a day off from school and were excited to join in on some of the festivities around town. We knew this independence day was special when we noticed hot air balloons advertising 50 years and jets practicing their display routine for the big day. Due to bomb threats, the US Embassy, declared the festivities to be unsafe and suggested no one go. We know that things are hot in the country and decided against going to any events. We did head over to the Blazeks house to relax and enjoy their company. While there we heard, what we thought, were explosions. Of course, we couldn't see anything. We called people that were watching the parade and event on tv and they claimed that nothing was going on, so we dismissed what we heard. Within in the next hour, Brian, who has connections with anyone and everyone important in the expat community, received numerous calls from people in the know. We soon found out that the explosions we heard were in fact car bombs and seven people were killed. We want all of you to know that we're okay. We were no where near Eagle Square and were not affected by the incidents at all.

It depends on who you ask, but some wonder what Nigeria has to celebrate. With known corruption and mass poverty the positives seem bleak. Since living here, we have experienced great hospitality from Nigerians and people who have a genuine heart. On that note, we do see the affect of corruption everyday and wonder if there is light at the end of the tunnel.

This year is very important for Nigeria. Not only is Nigeria celebrating 50 years, but the presidential elections are scheduled for January. Early last year, President Yar'Adua died and his Vice President, Goodluck Jonathan took over. Since Nigeria is split with Muslims in the north and Christians in the south, the ruling party's unwritten policy requires executive power to rotate every eight years. Since Yar'Adua, a northern Muslim, died before his term was up and his Vice President, who took over, was a Christian, there is some hostility. Muslims believe the next president should be a Muslim, whereas Christians believe that that term is up for Muslims and their leader is rightfully up for election.

As you drive around Nigeria, you notice billboards with political ads and propaganda. "A breath of fresh air..." is the ad for President Goodluck Jonathan who seems to be a breath of the same air...so far. For the last couple months, his ads were the only ones seen around town, but just yesterday we noticed an ad for a new candidate. The opposing candidate is IBB. If you've heard the name, you know that Ibrahim Babangida (IBB) was a repressive military dictator of Nigeria years ago.

The 50th anniversary year may be a pivotal and critical juncture in Nigerian history.

Gurara Fallls

2010-09-17T14:02:00.000-06:00

Last Sunday, we traveled an hour and half north of Abuja to visit Gurara Falls.

Zuma Rock

Can you spot the upside down face?

Gurara Falls from above

Lily and I

Making our way down the hill and planning our next move.

During the wet season, trudging through the bush can be a difficult task.

Back up we go...

The perfect picnic place...out of the midday sun.

left to right: Sara, Leah, Matt, Jordan Lee and Laura

Laura and Brian

Can't forget to BYOW... =)

Oops..Jess led them the wrong way.

Good thing we had Brian to keep us in check.

Wherever we go, people ask to be snapped with us (have their picture taken).

We had numerous people stop us and take our pictures

on their camera phones...I guess they are as interested in us as we are of them.

A wonderful end to the day...

Our Loko Adventure

2010-09-16T12:26:00.000-06:00

This past weekend was a four day weekend, so we took full advantage of the opportunity to get out of Abuja and explore.On Saturday, we joined an entourage of friends and drove 3 hours southeast of Abuja to the Benue River. According to the map, there is a road that goes all the way to the town of Loko, which is right on the river. When we got an hour away from Loko, we suddenly reazled the road had been washed out by the rains. The locals made a pedestrian bridge, but there was no way for a car to cross. So, we parked the cars, crossed the washed out road, and jumped on an okada (a dirtbike/motorcylcle) to our final destination, Loko. We were told the ride would be 30 minutes one way, but we soon found out it was much longer than that. After an hour and ten minutes of riding through the African bush, we arrived in the town/village of Loko. The purpose of our visit was for Bryan to research possible boating excursions. We hung out around the river for a while and then we were given a tour of the village. There had to have been at least two hundred people following us through the village. We must have been quite the scene. During our tour, we were introduced to the chief of the village who was not at all happy with us. It is expected when visiting a village to find and greet the chief before doing any other business. We unfortunetly did not know that and ended up meeting him about 15 minutes after our arrival. After apologizing and conversing for a few mintues, we were shown to his compound and invited to stay whenever we were back in the area.

Lana, Lulu (the dog) and I at a rest stop

Need I say more...

waiting for our ride

crossing the washed out road

The Benue River

The village tour guides

Almost made it...

This was the furthest from Abuja we had been since arriving last year. We had a wonderful trip full of 'firsts' and new adventures. We look forward to visiting Loko again.

Our Home

2010-09-07T12:00:00.002-06:00

This year we moved into a new flat. This flat is an upgrade from last years place, but because it is new, we are finding problems that haven't been fixed yet. Another plus this year is that our flat is within 5 minutes of the school.

We do miss the area we lived in last year. It was much quieter and closer to the city center. But overall, we are much more happy with our situation this year.

Our Apartment building.

There are three other buildings on the compound where fifteen other AISA staff live.

Our flat is on the top right in this picture.

A view of our apartment.

The kitchen.

The kitchen comes with a gas and electric stove and plenty of counter and cupboard space.

Our dining room.

The "quiet" room.

This also houses all our artwork until they get hung up.

The master bedroom.

The master bedroom includes a huge built in closet and bathroom with two shower heads.

Our living room

Our view from the dining room balcony.

View from our front balcony.

Aso rock in the background (just to the right of the cell tower).

This is another view off the front balcony.

Do you notice the congested highway in the distance?

We live close to a big church and this is the traffic jam on Sunday.

Settling In...

2010-08-18T09:32:00.003-06:00

Coming back to Abuja is easier this time around; we know our surroundings, what to expect, and how to get around. Although I say that, we still find ourselves overwhelmed with things to do. We arrived in Abuja late on the 9th and started work at 8am on the 10th. We haven't stopped since. We've had teacher orientations, school gatherings, and first week preperations. We are now halfway through the first week of school and find ourselves READY for our weekend.

As many of you know, we moved into a new apartment this year. Our new place is brand new and much nicer than our previous residence...it has 3 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, a big kitchen with plenty of cupboard space, 2 balconies, and a pool. We have been working hard to get things situated and setup so that we can feel at home. We have a few more things to do before we have completed this task. Once we are done making our home a home, I will post pictures.

Hard to Say Goodbye

2010-08-04T13:37:00.004-06:00

As summer comes to an end, so does our time with friends and family. We enjoy living abroad and love all the experiences and adventures, but leaving loved ones behind is very difficult. This summer was AMAZING! We enjoyed spending time with our family, traveling around the Pacific Northwest, and enjoying yummy food. As we head back to our life in Abuja, we want all of you to know that we LOVED spending time with you this summer and look forward to the time when we meet again.

Aren't Summers Amazing?!

2010-07-30T15:02:00.000-06:00

Finally, after lots of hard work and long hours, Jordan and I had our first official summer OFF! We enjoyed every minute of it...

Jordan and Kalee's Adventure

A road trip starting in Seattle and ending in San Francisco

Olympic National Park

Tillamook cheese factory

Oregon Coast

Obviously, Jordan is very excited to be on vacation!

Enjoying the view

Lake Tahoe

Camping under the stars

Jess' Vacation with her Family

A trip to the Pacific Northwest: Washington, British Colombia, and Vancouver Island

Olympic Mountain Range

Vancouver, British Columbia

The Lyons crew in Whistler, Canada

Whale watching

Couldn't help ourselves

Parliament building, Victoria

Butchart Gardens, Victoria

Lunch at the top of the Seattle Space Needle

View from the top of the space needle

Ricks' Girls Day-in

Getting henna done

Ricks' girls day-in

Off to see Jamison

Jamison recently got a job as a geologist in Salt Lake City, working for Kennecott. We traveled out one weekend to visit him.

Park City, Utah

Some of the Ricks boys: Jayson, Jamison, Jordan and Jensen

Jamison took us to the Kennecott Copper mine just outside Salt Lake City.

It was great to see where he works and what he does!

Jensen, Jordan, and Jamison

Kennecott Copper Mine: the biggest in the world

Crested Butte Getaway

The Best of Washington

2010-07-05T06:53:00.000-06:00

Once again, we headed up to Washington. We hung around the Seattle area before heading up to Anacortes for some whale watching.

Can you see Mt. Rainier?

Barely!

A beach on the Olympic Peninsula

A ferry going to the Olympic Peninsula

Jordan relaxing to some live jazz music on our balcony in Anacortes.

Deception Pass on Whidbey Island

Mom and baby finding food

Three whales swam underneath our boat.

They were so close that the zoom lens was too much!

Bellevue Botanical Gardens

Love Hydrangeas; any color

The Great Rift Valley

2010-07-04T06:51:00.001-06:00

Saved the Best for Last

2010-06-29T19:50:00.000-06:00

The Masai Mara is known as being the 'prize' of Kenya. Our last game viewing was in the Masai Mara and we were not disappointed. We spent two days at the Masa Lodge in permanent tents.

Canvas walls, hardwood floors, and granite counter tops...not the typical tent.

Our first lion sighting.

Love the tongue.

Our second sighting, just minutes later.

Hakuna Matata (No worries, No problems).

We got stuck while looking for cheetahs. We were all on the lookout for any lingering animals.

A couple of lions resting in between mating sessions.

When the female is in heat, they mate every 5 minutes for 24 hours straight.

Showing she's ready to begin.

Growling at the nearby couple.

Hyena

The hyrax right outside our tent. They are seldom seen.

Wildebeest on the move.

Vultures waiting for dinner.

Just got done eating his catch.

Wildebeest

Vultures

We had a wonderful safari. We saw so many animals, met fabulous people, and got to explore the country of Kenya.

Floating above the Masai Mara

2010-06-29T17:53:00.000-06:00

We decided to take a hot-air balloon ride over the Masai Mara. We left the hotel at 5 am and arrived at the take-off area by 6. We left the ground a little after that and enjoyed the sunrise, the view from above, and a champagne breakfast.

The balloon was huge. 16 of us fit inside.

Wildebeest migration.

Millions of wildebeest were in the Masai Mara while we there.

Just caught breakfast.

After a couple bounces, we landed safely! Now...how do we climb out?!

(We had such a fun safari group. We were lucky to have met such great people)

Lake Naivashu

2010-06-29T09:13:00.009-06:00

After leaving Lake Nakuru, we headed farther south to Lake Naivashu. This was the place where Joy Adamson, author of Born Free, lived in the mid 1960's. Lake Naivashu is a freshwater lake in the Rift Valley. We stopped here on our way to Masai Mara.

Hippos

One of the most dangerous animals.

They have been known to tip boats over; making us feel on edge throughout the entire boat ride.

Lake Naivashu is a bird lovers paradise.

Protecting her eggs

A Fish Eagle waiting for fish to surface.

Looks very similar to a Bald Eagle.

Going in for the kill

The amazing Masai Giraffe's

Stops Along the Way

2010-06-28T14:51:00.000-06:00

A breakfast surprise for the 'happiest bus".

Our driver, who kept telling us that we were the happiest bus he's ever had in 10 years,

surprised us with a private breakfast at one of our lodges.

Thompson's Waterfall--237 ft. tall

Standing in both hemispheres

Taking advantage of the extra time at the lodge

Lake Nakuru

2010-06-28T14:34:00.009-06:00

After spending a couple days in northern Kenya, we headed southwest to Lake Nakuru National Park. The weather was cool and mild, making for a wonderful day of animal watching. It was the first time in Africa where we were a little chilly.

YellowBark Acacia trees (aka- Yellow Fever)

The view from our lodge

Mingling in peace

Sizing each other up

A baby rhino chasing and playing with the water buffalo

Our luck just got better!

We got to see a leopard in the process of a hunt. Unfortunately, once the leopard went in for the kill, the camera clicks distracted the leopard and allowed for the gazelle to become aware of the danger.

Waiting for the gazelle to get closer

What Lake Nakuru is known for...

The layer of pink on top of the lake can be seen miles away.

Lake Nakuru is home to hundreds of flamingos

Isiolo National Park

2010-06-28T13:30:00.000-06:00

Isiolo National Park is on the other side of Shaba National Park. On the second day of our safari, our AWESOME driver, Benjamin, had the brilliant idea of skipping our game drive in Shaba National park and heading over to Isiolo. The original plan was to do a game drive in Shaba all day, but he knew Isiolo was abundant with animals. This was the first full day of game viewing. Benjamin kept telling us how LUCKY we were to see all the animals we did.

How many baboons do you see?

Our lucky streak was just beginning...

Supa (aka- Hello)

2010-06-28T07:37:00.020-06:00

We were able to visit the nomadic Samburu tribe living near the Shaba National Park. We arrived early in the morning and were greeted by a group of native women. We were given beaded necklaces to wear and were encouraged to join the men and women in their dancing festivities. The Samburu want to keep their culture alive and were excited to teach us their traditions and way of life.

Jordan trying to jump as high as one of the Samburu men

Goats are an important part of survival for the Samburu.

The tribe eats very little meat, but uses the milk and even the blood for the main source of their nutrients.

Making fire.

The village was surrounded by a thorny fence to keep wild animals out.

Houses made of sticks, cardboard, and plastic bags.

Women build the homes as well as do 90% of the work.

Men are hunters and herdsman.

Admiring the walls made of cow dung and dirt

Polly and Jess inside one of the native dwellings. Each home has two small areas (rooms). One area is for sleeping while the other area acts as the kitchen and living area, but is transformed into another sleeping area for the adults.

Jordan trying to be as tough as one of the Samburu men. Are you convinced?

Inside the school room

They couldn't stop touching and smelling Jess.

They were all so adorable.

The village from afar.

Shaba National Park

2010-06-28T05:01:00.010-06:00

The first couple days of our safari were spent up in northern Kenya. After arriving in Nairobi, we headed north, passing by Mt. Kenya, coffee and tea fields, and the famous Kenyan rose plantations. After a six hour drive through the Kenya country side, we arrived at Sarova Shaba lodge inside the Shaba National Park.

At the lodge

Every morning, the baboons walked past our room.

Our friend Ben called it the Baboon highway.

grooming on the sidewalk

View from our lodge. This river was crocodile infested.

The first animal sighting in the park.

The first of many elephants seen on our trip.

Gerenuk gazelle (aka-giraffe gazelle)

Stay Tuned...

2010-06-26T06:08:00.007-06:00

We haven't stopped since leaving Kenya last Tuedsay! We have stayed in 4 different countries over the last 4 days, but the good news is we finally hit U.S. soil last night. Updates on our safari trip will be coming your way soon!

A Little of This and a Little of That

2010-05-27T01:51:00.017-06:00

Jess' henna tattoo; should last a couple weeks.

Senate Minority Leader Lawan came and spoke to

Jordan's AP Comparative Government and Politics class

Sunday washing.

As much as we hate doing laundry, we have it pretty good.

I will no longer complain.

Wildlife at Usuma Dam:

Random Abuja Pictures

2010-05-14T22:54:00.001-06:00

Lauren admiring the teapot Chris made for her birthday

AISA student's work getting ready to be fired in the kiln

Fulani herdsman

Ironic!

Nigerian drivers, especially taxi drivers, are always in a hurry.

Yam field

Brian, Jordan and Lily relaxing during a picnic

Carrying the cooler the Nigerian way

Usuma Dam

2010-05-09T11:58:00.010-06:00

On Sunday, we went for a hike at at Usuma Dam (30 minutes from Abuja) with Chris and Lauren. We were pleasantly surprised by the cool breeze and beautiful scenery.

Chris, Jordan and Lauren reaching the top of the cliff.

Chris showing Jordan the climbing routes.

Fulani herdsman at the base of the cliff.

Earth Day 2010

2010-04-29T21:16:00.000-06:00

The first grade and fifth grade classes at AISA teamed up to help plant trees at the school in celebration of Earth Day. We asked Rubens, a sustainable farmer, to come help us with the planting process. He brought 4 trees for us to plant as well as cashew seeds for each of the students to plant at home. The first grade planted Cashew trees while the fifth grade planted Guava trees.

Rubens presenting my homeroom class with their tree

One Blue-- my homeroom class

One Red--the other first grade class.

I see these kids for math and science every day

What a Name!

2010-04-26T01:45:00.006-06:00

We recently went out to dinner and found the waiters name to be a typical Nigerian name, but yet unique. Before we go on to tell you what his name was, let us explain names in Nigeria.

Most names are either biblical or faith based. For example, we have come across names such as Patience, Grace, Faith, Innocent, as well as the typical biblical names like Emmanuel, Joseph, Isaac, Jonathan, Ester, etc... Many names also begin with 'Chi', which means 'with God'. We work with Chinwe, Chijoke, and Chidiebere. We have also found that the days of the week are used for names. We have a guard whose name is Friday and when we first arrived in Nigeria, one of our guard's names was Sunday. Although this may sound odd to those of you back in the states, the names in Nigeria are very meaningful and are given for a particular reason.

So, to not keep you guessing...the name of our waiter was Thank God.

The Smallest European Country

2010-04-18T11:34:00.006-06:00

Luxembourg City was quant and quiet. We had limited time in the country of Luxembourg, but we did manage to find a Mexican restaurant.

The Best of Brussels

2010-04-18T10:22:00.001-06:00

During spring break, we traveled by train down to Belgium and stayed in Brussels for a couple days. We were able to enjoy what Belgium is known for: beer and

chocolate.

traveling down to Brussels

the old town hall

We stayed at the Royal Windsor Hotel:a block from Grand Place

cobblestone streets throughout Brussels

Grand Place: built as a merchants market in the 13th century.

Grand place is a square with ornate baroque and gothic guild houses.

Grand Place is listed as a World Heritage site, and one of the most beautiful squares in Europe.

The Cathedral of Saints Michel and Gudule

built in the 15th century

beautiful stain glass windows

The Royal Palace

The oldest church in Brussels.

Built in the 11th century

One of Jess' favorite brews. Each beer comes in a unique glass.

She could barely hold this with one hand.

Sampler of the most popular Belgium brews.

The red beer on the far left was cherry flavored, which was surprisingly tasty.

Spring Break Travels in Amsterdam

2010-04-17T01:35:00.013-06:00

The church right outside Anne Frank's house.

In her memoir, she talks about hearing

the chimes of the church bells.

A canal in the Red Light District

One of the many canals outside our hotel

Parking garage for bicycles.

Floating tulip market

Wooden clogs

Picking a pair was a tough decision...

Fresh flower market

Gouda cheese

Holland Tulips

2010-04-16T17:47:00.000-06:00

As most of you know, Jessica loves flowers, especially tulips. The last two spring breaks, we've traveled to the Pacific Northwest in search of finding blooming tulip fields. We've always been a week too early. This year, we traveled to Holland in search of these 'famous' flowers. We were in luck. The Keukenhof Tulip Festival was going on from March to May this year. Here is a glimpse of what we saw.

Nigeria at a Glance

2010-03-28T12:09:00.001-06:00

Some random pictures for you to enjoy...

These lizards are seen all around town. Such vibrant colors!

The ring road-- a highway that circles the city. We are driving towards the stadium. (white dome seen in the background)

Waiting for business

Home Sweet Home

See...Jess really does wear pj pants around the house.

Mango season.

Can you believe the size of these things?!

During the mango season we've enjoyed mango upside down cake, mango sorbet, mango salsa, and mango smoothies. We'll be sad when the season is over.