My first days in Kathmandu
Welp. Apparently I’ve been partying too hard in Nepal because this morning I woke up sick. JK. I haven’t been partying – the air here is horribly polluted and I bet that has a large part of why my throat…
Jen Halley
Ramblings while in Hong Kong
In 2015, I was offered a job to teach English in Japan. During my time in college, I’d been studying to become certified in TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) and I was convinced no other path awaited me…
Purging the extra weight
Well, I did it. I packed my life into a 65-liter backpack plus a 20-liter carry-on. And I’m sitting here staring at it, thinking, but do I have enough stuff? Obviously, yes, and I can always buy more. But that’s…
SNAP Uncertainty Tip of the Iceberg for Marion Polk Food Share
Marion Polk Food Share’s mission is to bring people together to end hunger and its root causes. Especially when a crisis is on the horizon, like the uncertainty surrounding the distribution of SNAP benefits as the federal government shutdown, which…
Head Starts Expands Services in West Salem
The Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Head Start program has expanded its services into West Salem. This new location, which resides at 1205 Wallace Road, will offer childcare to a community where options have historically been limited. “We’re doubling our impact…
Meet the Artist: Mike Light
When Mike Light noticed there weren’t any comics in The West Side’s November edition, he sent out an email to the publication. “I said, ‘hey, wanna see some of my work?’” Light said. “And the editor said, ‘sure, send over…
Give Your Fear A Hug
In fifty-five days, I board a plane bound for Kathmandu, Nepal (well, Seattle –> LA –> Hong-Kong –> Kathmandu, but that’s beside the point). Never before have my thoughts been so consumed with the future, not in this sense anyway.…
An Ode to my Little Nook
The first time I laid eyes on what would become my future home, I knew I needed to live there. Nestled on a quiet hill across the street from Minto Brown Park, this renovated basement apartment, which I now refer…
I’m moving—
Welp. I really dropped the ball on posting one blog a week. OOPS. I’ve had my reasons for it, though. I’ve been consumed with thinking about one thing and not much else. But I couldn’t talk about that one thing…
Religion: shame, guilt and Disney characters.
I grew up in a very religious household, which meant that most of my young life was spent in and around church in some capacity: Vacation Bible School; youth group; prayer group; family Bible study; Sunday school. You get the…