Dear Gentle Readers:

In a previous post I shared with you the thoughts of my aunt, Shubha Singh.  As a journalist in India, she has a unique perspective on America and our politics.  I thought I would share her recent article discussing her thoughts on the new direction America's foreign policy should be heading. Enjoy.

New Priorities [...]

                       Pictured: Hendrik, Sam and Dan at Addo National Elephant Park.
The adventure continues with your three protagonists slowly making their way through the Garden Route of the southernmost road of South Africa. We entered the Tsitsikamma Coastal National Park in the early afternoon.  We did a hike through the park before the sun down and [...]

The adventure continued as the three of us took the coastal route towards the East Coast of South Africa.  We stopped in a number of small communities giving me a better sense of the country outside of the big cities that I had been to before the trip had started.
Pictured: Me trying to do my [...]

                           Pictured: Sam and Dan Haight at the southernmost city in Africa.
As I mentioned in yesterday's post after a fun weekend in Cape Town, I embarked on a guys trip with my friend, Dan Haight and our trusty guide, Hendrik Van Vuuren.  The first stop was to go to the most southern point of the [...]

             Pictured:The view of Cape Town from Table Mountain.
I spent a weekend in Cape Town, South Africa before heading out on a
12-day adventure that would satisfy any adrenaline junkie.  I had
received an e-mail from my friend Dan Haight before the end of the
year. I met Dan and his wife last year in Antarctica and through [...]

"Today when I look at Robben Island, I see it as a celebration of the struggle and a symbol of the finest qualities of the human spirit, rather than as a monument to the brutal tyranny and oppression of apartheid. It is true that Robben Island was once a place of darkness, but out of [...]

                           Pictured: Morgan Tsvangirai being sworn in by his rival, Robert Mugabe this past week in Zimbabwe.
"You should listen to all people.  Everyone has a story.  Everyone can teach you something."
The above is a paraphrase of a statement my grandfather told me when I was young.  It is typical grandfatherly advice.  I am sure someone [...]

                  Pictured: Lindsey and John, Peace Corps Volunteers, during our hike in Malealea, Lesotho.
I received an e-mail while I was heading to South Africa from my friend Stacie, who mentioned that she had a friend in South Africa and that I should look her up.  I contacted her friend, Lindsey, and she invited me to [...]

I made the long journey from Indonesia to South Africa with a short stop over in Malaysia. I was detained by the wonderful security of the Malaysian Airport because they were concerned that I was flying on a one way ticket. I tried to explain that I was travelling around the world but that sounded too suspicious [...]

Happy Valentine's Day!  Ladies, I know this will be a disappointment for you but I have a new lady in my life.  She came into my life a few weeks ago in South Africa.  Her name is Mallory–Flat Mallory.  Flat Mallory is modeled after the Flat Stanley Project.  The project is the extension of the [...]