Sunday morning, 11:00, in front of a hotel in Flagstaff. Sunny weather with a blue sky, 74°F, fresh with a gentle breeze. The green tree leaves are swaying softly. Mountain views in the near distance with fluffy white clouds draw…
The Grand Canyon, an Overwhelming Experience from a Sacred Place
As the sun goes down, the Grand Canyon transforms. The sunlight is like brushstrokes on a canvas of rocks, drawing shapes and textures. These natural paintings are ephemeral, changing from one minute to another, showing magical landscapes, an echo from…
Packing Up the SUSI Program at VOA and the Newseum
We are packing up our six-week program with these final days in Washington DC, our last days in the US as well. And today, we are packing up our journalism journey with Voice of America and the Newseum. VOA is…
A Tale of Untold Stories
Journalism is the “first rough draft of history.” Phillip L. Graham This is the beginning of our last week of our SUSI program. Our last Monday together in the US. By now, we should have mastered the art of being…
You Fight, to Breathe Again
This is not a simple story. This is an eternal story of life, and of freedom. The story of Rosa Parks, and the story of thousands of fighters. When you witness these stories, you’re not going to be able to…
“One hand against oppression and one hand as a sign of forgiveness”
The stained-glass window that stands in the rear center of 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham is distinct from all the others in that venue. Deep shades of blue encircle a stylized figure of a black crucified Christ, which appears…
Happy Birthday, America!
As I woke up early on the morning of July 4th in Birmingham, I got a Twitter notification that “the Independence Day celebration had been carried out.” I was surprised for a moment, but immediately realized that Nepal time is…
Of Aliens, Sun Devils and Sun-Affected SUSI scholars
After four weeks in Phoenix, the SUSI scholars hit Los Angeles on Saturday, with the Arizona weather still the “hot” topic of discussion. The emblem of Arizona is the Sun Devil, for good reason: the heat is simply hideous. We…
Field Trip
It was 5:38 am, in a WhatsApp group. “Good morning, see you in 50 minutes behind the school 6:30 am” read the text from Alma Telibecirevic , Administrative Director for the SUSI program. Many arrived earlier, gathered inside at Taylor Place,…
Grand Canyon, the Place Where Desktop Images Are Made
The trip to the Grand Canyon was a deep visual experience: from the views on the sides of the highway to the layered depths of the canyon. I see before me the variegated color chart of this visual journey: it…