The views at the Georgetown waterfront was busy with paddle boarders launching from the Key Bridge Boathouse and lunchers enjoying the open patio seating at Sequoia and Tony & Joe's Seafood Place. Bikers were criss crossing the Capital Crescent trail on their way to Bethesda or Cabin John. Runners and strollers were enjoying the historic C&O Canal stopping at the … [Read more...] about Prayers for Nepal
Overseas
The Walls Came Tumbling Down
I sat distraught and exhausted in the American Airlines Admirals’ Club, staring dreamily at my laptop screen. I was applying the final touches to my enduring midterm — a take-home test for an MBA class at the George Washington University Foggy Bottom campus, a stone’s throw from downtown DC. I had heard it several times over — almost in a trance — every … [Read more...] about The Walls Came Tumbling Down
Five Qualities of the Ethiopian Diaspora
In the spring semester of 2012, I enrolled in a six-week course entitled Engaging Diaspora Communities for International Business and Development. It was taught by Dr. Liesl Riddle, the associate dean of GW’s School of Business who has written extensively about diasporas and international entrepreneurship. The course studied the diaspora communities in the US and … [Read more...] about Five Qualities of the Ethiopian Diaspora
Beautiful Barcelona
Sometimes life brings you pleasant surprises -- it's not scripted or orchestrated, but just right. Life can be charming, like that, if you let it." The tall white fir draped with multi-colored lights shined bright and festive in front of the U.S. Capitol. A mile and a half to the west, the nation’s most iconic monument was bathed in spotlight embodying the history and … [Read more...] about Beautiful Barcelona
9/11 – 20 Years Later
It has been 20 long years since terrorists-hijacked airplanes brought down the twin towers and struck the Pentagon. It’s a tragedy that’s seared into the souls of most Americans especially those who were directly affected. But with each passing year, there’s less commemoration as if our nation’s wounds have now been healed and the day becomes a distant memory. In fact the … [Read more...] about 9/11 – 20 Years Later
Traveling is in my Blood
Traveling is in my blood. When I was four my mother, with my sister and I in tow, escaped the evil grips of my biological father. I remember vividly the night my mother woke me and my sister up as if our lives were suddenly on the brink and our future on the balance. Our bags were already packed and we sneaked out of the flat that was the venue for vilification over … [Read more...] about Traveling is in my Blood