Friday, August 29, 2008

Hello, My Name is Team Awesome

GETTING TO KNOW THE TEAM

(I wanted to borrow the acronym GIBTK from
Giving It Back to Kids, 'cause I love me some acronyms, but the best I could do was General Information: Better Team Know. Sounds like something was lost in translation...)

But enough about me and how I spend my time!  In our first installment of
Getting to Know The Team, we visit our neighbors to the north, our Kansas City team members Chris and Erin.  I asked the team a series of questions, and they were lovely enough to play along. 
Here's what they have to say:

1. who are you:
i am chris
2. where'd you grow up and where do you call home:
i grew up in north central Missouri in a town called Meadville. population 360. i went to school k-12 in the same building.  I live in Belton now, a suburb south of K.C.
3. describe your "real world" life:
i am guessing what "real world" means but i live with my wife (Libby) and daughter (Estella) in the suburbs, i am a multi department manager for Target and part time photographer and painter. i collect and restore old cameras and like to build things for around the house in my free time.
4. where else have you traveled:
i have been to every state but Hawaii, and Canada 6 times, Mexico once. when i was 16 i went to Spain with a traveling street performer group (i used to be a theater nerd) and on that trip i also was in Amsterdam. then in college i took a hands on art history course in Italy and was there for about three weeks, and on that trip i also went to Switzerland. and now we are going to Viet Nam.
5. what are you most looking forward to about the trip:
i am looking forward to doing something new, somewhere new, and using my talents for the betterment of others, i think that that is a rare thing.
6.what phrase would like to learn how to say in Vietnamese?
i would like to say, does that come with fries? and the common greetings and polite words, please, thanks etc.


1. who are you?
Erin Swanson
2. where'd you grow up and where do you call home now?  
Grew up in Springfield MO, just finished school at Drury University (BA in Integrated Media and Global Studies), living in Kansas City for a whole 2 months now with a best friend from high school and her parents - a fabulous temporary situation as I prepare for things to come...
3. describe your "real world" life: 
Currently an intern at WaterPartners, a non profit that works to provide clean drinking water and water sanitation to the developing world; I am also a server at a steakhouse called Hereford House; my future is kind of open, not sure what else is ahead after this winter. I like to call this state in my life one of certain brilliant uncertainty!
4. where else have you traveled?  
Mission trip to Mexico, summer 01; studied abroad in Lithuania - June 08; Traveled with Convoy of Hope internship to the Philippines and China, Fall 07
5. what are you most looking forward to about the trip? 
Working with Giving It Back to Kids and the group Sesha has brought together - getting to know everyone, interacting with the people and kids of Danang, letting them touch our lives; I am also really excited to take in another culture, travel more, and especially learn and grow on many different levels; for just this entire opportunity itself, I am so thankful and floored to be a part of it :)
6. what phrase would like to learn how to say in Vietnamese?
"nice to meet you", "you are beautiful" and "i am happy to be here"


So much to be excited about!  For now, wrap your noggin around these helpful Vietnamese phrases, courtesy of www.VDict.com:
(disclaimer:  we'll have to rely on a handy phrase book and our translators for true pronunciation...one false tone and we're asking for extra fish balls by mistake...)
you are beautiful: bạn đẹp
nice to meet you: đẹp để gặp bạn
i am happy to be here: tôi (thì) vui mừng ở đây  
please: vui lòng
thank you: cám ơn bạn
does that come with fries: làm đạt đến với những bột

cheers! (vui lên)  --Sarah

1 comment:

-F said...

Erin come back we miss you!!! I hope you are having fun and doing well over there! No one has laughed since you left:( Your team name is pretty cool- Team Awesome. I bet they got the name from you, cause you are awesome!!!!!
-Fiser