Caleb Manu: Post 6

Caleb ManuProvider: Lomé, Togo2022 Summer During my two weeks in Lomé, I had the opportunity to work with an NGO called Halsa International. This is an NGO that takes care of kids on the street of Lomé. The NGO divides its works amongst three teams: First, the Education Team—sets up educational activities with the kids on the streetSecond, the Integration Team—helps integrate kids on the street into families and jobsThird, the Medical Team—helps sick and injured kids on the street. I worked on the Medical Team at Halsa International. I studied under Dr. Nare Aureole. We joined the Education Team […]

David McElrath: Post 4

David McElrath JYF Sweet Briar Paris, France Fall 2018 Slow goodbyes and Yellow Jackets – on partings during the “jillets jaunes manifestations de 2018” I find that it’s always helpful to take a moment to look back over a period of time, or an experience of some sort, and to savor and appreciate it fully before my memory naturally applies a rose-tinted filter. It’s good to remember the good with the bad, the hard and the easy, things won and lost. As I approach the end of my semester abroad (six days to go from the writing of this post), […]

David McElrath: Post 3

David McElrath JYF Sweet Briar Paris, France Fall 2018 You know, I feel as if I should caveat my blog posts by assuring you that yes, I actually do have school work to do most of the time. What you don’t see (largely because I only remember it as a kind of edifying blur) are a great many hours sitting in large classrooms crowded with other students, most of whom speak French far better than I do. In terms of material, it’s pretty similar to what I imagine I would be learning back at H-SC – just with longer lectures, […]

David McElrath: Post 2

David McElrath JYF Sweet Briar Paris, France Fall 2018 I was asked this week to write about my commute to and from my classes during the week. To be honest, I was (and still am) not entirely sure where to begin – and I think the confusion stems from the fact that my commute is never the same any given day. Now, there are a few reasons for this. The first is this: there are always at least two ways to get to any given destination (thus, an enormous variety of routes to explore). Personally, I have always preferred to […]

David McElrath: Post 1

David McElrath JYF Sweet Briar Paris, France Fall 2018 These last two weeks have flown past in a nearly uninterrupted flow of lessons, experiences, and memories made with new friends, at new places, and with new adventures each day. Our extended orientation weeks have given us, as a group, time to get to know one another and our respective host families here in Paris. Last weekend, we took a group trip down to the Loire river valley, enjoying an extended look at the plains of France’s heartland. While there, we visited three different royal palaces, each with its own unique […]