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Billy, Kate & Will in Perú

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England

easyJet – Is it really easy?

Posted on Sunday, August 12, 2007 Leave a Comment

Yesterday I took my first flight as an easyJet passenger, from London Gatwick to Madrid’s Barajas airport. Since the rest of Alma’s CRL group was flying out of Heathrow earlier in the day, I got on a National Express bus to the Gatwick terminal. Since my flight wasn’t until later that night, I had to wait in the check in area of the terminal for a few hours, since easyJet does not allow check in until two hours prior to departure. After a couple hours of sitting on the floor (due to the severe lack of seating in Gatwick’s busy airport) I checked my 1 piece of luggage weighing less than 20kg (44lbs) and proceeded through security with my one carry on and checked the screens for my departure gate. The screen said “please wait” and since I had about an hour and a half to kill, I walked around the duty free shops of the waiting area and had something to eat. Now I suppose that this entry could have and probably should be entitled “Don’t fly out of Gatwick”, but I don’t know which experience was least pleasurable.

Around my boarding time, I checked the screens again to see what gate my plane was to be departing from. The slot still said “please wait” so I took a seat across from the screens, still in the passenger waiting area. After fifteen minutes, the screen had changed to “delayed until 20:40.” After more waiting and more delays, the flight which was supposed to depart at 7:30pm, still had yet to depart at 9pm. Finally the screen said proceed to gate 16, where I encountered a mass of Spanish teenagers returning home from vacation in the United Kingdom. We passed through the checkpoint to sit (yet again), waiting to board the plane. Since I had checked in early, I was part of boarding Group A, which meant that after the special boarding people, I was in the first group to board the plane and select our seats. Unlike other airlines, easyJet does not assign seats, but rather lets the passengers choose their own seats once aboard the plane.

Fortunately, I was one of the first passengers from Group A on the plane, which meant I was able to sit near the front next to a window. Even though we had departed late and I was exhausted from the previous week’s busy CRL sessions, I could not fall asleep – a rarity on my part.

Thanks to Bose and their noise canceling headphones, I barely heard the child crying for most of the flight two rows ahead of me, but it did not block out the constant announcements from the pilots or flight attendants. First it was drinks, then food, then easyJet shopping and finally some scratch and win lottery cards to be redeemed on future easyJet flights.

Thankfully we quickly arrived in Madrid, a full 2 hours late and I jumped into a taxi to take me to the city center to check into my hotel (which was quite nice by the way – Hotel Plaza Mayor, Calle Atocha, 2 Madrid).

So, in light of recent events, I will be avoiding all travel from Gatwick and using Heathrow instead and will opt for paying just a little bit more (than the $110 easyJet ticket) for the usual flight service. Unless, I find a stellar, ridiculously cheap deal…

Maybe it was just a bad night to be flying easyJet.

Posted in: Alma College, Spain | Tagged: air travel, easyJet, England, Spain

International Development and the United Kingdom

Posted on Thursday, August 9, 2007 Leave a Comment

Today the International Development focus group met with some pretty influential and powerful people in London.

We began our day at a bright and early 6am bus ride into the city center of London to meet with the representative from the British Department for International Development (DFID). The DFID meeting was interesting and inspiring. Despite the very low statistics about US giving to international development, the United Kingdom is doing an excellent job in sharing their wealth. Now, of course the DFID is going to up-play their positive work, and downplay the United States, lack thereof, but still, they are working considerably more than we are. As part of the presentation, we discussed the United Nation’s Millenium Development Goals (MDGs), which are set to be completed by 2015. Unfortunately, things are not looking excellent for the completion of all 8 goals, but many are on the road to completion by the deadline. Despite the predicted completion date for 10 years later than desired, the other statistics were refreshing to hear.

After the Department for International Development, we proceeded to Parliament to meet with MP Tony Baldry from the Banbury region. While it was exciting to be meeting with a real, live Member of Parliament in a conference room in the Houses of Parliament building, his discussion of the topic was not quite as interesting. Just a traditional politician, talking in circles.

Commonwealth Secretariat – Communications & Public Relations Advisor

Buttery Quiz Night

Posted in: Alma College | Tagged: Department for International Development, DFID, England, United Kingdom, USAID

Stratford-upon-Avon

Posted on Monday, August 6, 2007 Leave a Comment

Today we spent the afternoon in Stratford-upon-Avon, the famous home of William Shakespeare. Let me tell you, this cute little town has certainly capitalized on Shakespeare’s popularity, and it’s working. During our afternoon in Stratford, we saw his birth home, childhood home of his wife, grave site, and a whole string of places that he and/or family members frequented. It was just a nice afternoon in a small town.

Later on that evening, we saw the play Henry IV Part 1 put on by the Royal Shakespeare Company in their Courtyard Theater. The theater is a temporary theater to be used while the main RSC theater is under a three year renovation. Even though the Courtyard Theater was temporary, it was beautiful, with an “interactive three sided stage” for the audience to sit around the scenes. Two of the other CRL Fellows, (Abby and Megan) and I happened to be one of the first people to get our tickets from the director of the Alma College program, which meant we sat center stage in the second row for the amazing performance. We were sitting in the middle of the action and it was great.

Oh, and James Franco was in the audience.

Posted in: Alma College | Tagged: Alma College, England, Stratford-upon-Avon

Oxford

Posted on Sunday, August 5, 2007 Leave a Comment

Sunday was a day with a considerable amount of free time due to individual group meetings. Since my meeting time wasn’t until the end of the day, I called up an Alma alum from 2006, Julie Bolitho, and her husband and we spent some time together in Wroxton and then in Oxford. It was great to see Julie since I hadn’t seen her since her wedding reception in January. We compared differences between the American and English life, shared lunch on the street in Oxford and in the short time left, walked around the city with their 11 week old puppy.

Posted in: Alma College | Tagged: Alma College, England, Oxford

London

Posted on Saturday, August 4, 2007 Leave a Comment

Today was our free day in London, which was quite an intense day. The bus dropped us off in the center of London in Trafalger Square in front of the National Gallery at 9am and then it was a great day of just walking around the city exploring the non-touristy sites, such as Portobello Market in Notting Hill, walking through Hyde Park, a quick stop to the department store of department stores – Harrods – a nice walk along the Thames and a lunch a cool little place called Eat (www.eat.co.uk). My friend Rachel and I gave in and jumped on a random red double-decker bus and rode around for a half hour into nowhere – just to explore the city, and indulged in her Harry Potter love by visiting Platform 9 3/4 at the King’s Cross train station. The day ended at 9:30, when the entire group of 44 students and 10 professors/staff met for dinner. It was another long day, but well worth the trip.

Posted in: Alma College | Tagged: Alma College, England, London, Portobello Market
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katebruder

Happy fourth birthday to our little Will! You have Happy fourth birthday to our little Will! You have made our world a whole lot sweeter and you are our greatest adventure 🤍 We love you forever! #littlewilliamnoah
Last night the Peruvian president announced a two- Last night the Peruvian president announced a two-week lockdown covering 1/3 of the country, including Lima, amid a significant rise in COVID-19 cases here. The new lockdown will run from January 31 through February 14. New restrictions include the closure of all non-essential shops (only pharmacies, grocery stores/bodegas/markets and banks are allowed to be open) and a ban on domestic air and land travel. The ban on flights coming from Europe (and now Brazil) is extended. As of right now, the border remains open to all other international flights. Only 1 person is allowed to go grocery shopping at a time, and we are no longer allowed to use our personal cars. We also are only allowed outside for 1 hour per day for exercise/mental health, and should be at home the remainder of the time. 

We are experiencing a second wave of infections and with the variants, it sounds like there will be more positive cases this time than we had a year ago during our first quarantine. Experts are predicting that we will not hit our peak until April. According to Johns Hopkins University, Peru has reported more than one million cases and about 40,000 deaths related to COVID-19. 

This evening Will and I went for a walk through our neighborhood to squeeze in a little more outside time before Sunday when it will become harder to complete our 1000 hours outside. 

It’s difficult knowing we have to go back into a lockdown, but we are thankful for our health and that we have a safe place to quarantine at home. Join us in praying for the country of Peru and that these measures taken will make a positive impact on the pandemic here. 

#littlewilliamnoah
Working towards spending #1000hoursoutside and put Working towards spending #1000hoursoutside and putting many kilometers on Will’s scooter and bike this year 🚴‍♂️🛴#littlewilliamnoah @1000hoursoutside
To end what has been a long, unexpected year we di To end what has been a long, unexpected year we did a little staycation at a hotel in Lima. We walked around a new neighborhood, had a picnic in the park, watched movies, studied the city from above, spent time swimming in the pool and watched fireworks being set off over the city of Lima as the clock struck midnight and we entered the new year. 

While 2020 may not have been what we envisioned it would be a year ago, I am thankful for my little family, our health and the opportunities we have had this year. 

May 2021 be filled with adventure, laughter and hopefully being able to see family again! ✈️ #littlewilliamnoah
It was a quiet Christmas at home for the 3 of us i It was a quiet Christmas at home for the 3 of us in Lima this year but we enjoyed a slow 2 days, lots of good food (including, per Will’s request, funfetti cupcakes for Baby Jesus’ birthday), Zoom calls with family and time together. 

(Also don’t let the first gift your child opens to be a costume of one of their favorite characters unless you want all of your photos of the child to be in that costume 🤦🏻‍♀️) #littlewilliamnoah
Today was Will’s last day of 3 year old preschoo Today was Will’s last day of 3 year old preschool. It was bittersweet way back in March when we took him to his very first day of school. I wondered how it would go for him not knowing Spanish and his first time being away from family, and if he was really ready to start school (or, more like if I was ready!). Little did I know that Will would only have 1 week of in-person classes before switching to @greenmanbilly or I assisting with Zoom preschool at our kitchen table. While there were challenges with balancing school and work, I am thankful we were able to be a part of the start of Will’s academic career. It was fun to see him learning Spanish, and as the year went on, interacting with the other students and teachers. Will also was fortunate to have wonderful teachers, specifically Miss Dani, his Spanish teacher. She truly made this year a joy and encouraged Will in their daily Zoom calls. I don’t think there has been a day since March that Miss Dani has not come up in conversation. She has set the bar high for future teachers ❤️ So now it’s summer break and next year we will have a pre-kindergartener! #littlewilliamnoah
After many months of staying in our city apartment After many months of staying in our city apartment due to the pandemic (and 2 weeks of very cautious quarantining ahead of time), we rented a house through @airbnb for a few days. It didn’t matter that the property was only 30 minutes south of our apartment and still within the province of Lima - it had a lawn, beautiful outdoor space and a pool! We were able to relax (as much as a 3 year old lets you), read under a tree, fly kites in the field, swing in a hammock and take deep breaths of fresh air with friends. #littlewilliamnoah
The little cookie elf was busy this weekend making The little cookie elf was busy this weekend making (and decorating) sugar cookies and chocolate dipped shortbread 🎄 #littlewilliamnoah
As you may know, tomorrow is #GivingTuesday! As mi As you may know, tomorrow is #GivingTuesday! As missionaries in Peru, @greenmanbilly and I rely on a group of people to financially support us as we work with at-risk teens and young adults through a mentorship program with @pathsofhopeministries. Every month we receive our giving statement from @uwmorg and we are humbled to see the list of people who God used to love on us that month, and people that want to invest in what God is doing here in Lima. It never ceases to amaze us. You know who you are, and we appreciate you.
If you’d like to partner with us here in Lima, it would be an honor. Giving link is in my bio. (📷: Christmas 2019, pre-COVID 😕)
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