The Six-Week Mark
Is six weeks in a country enough time to start talking about tips n’ tricks? Things I miss from home? The things I don’t? No? I’ll start anyway! The list will likely shrink and expand, change and change again as…
Jen Halley
Cats, identities and song lyrics
When I was at a cafe today, one of my favorites called Krazy Gecko – you can sit out on the ledge with a picturesque view of Phewa Lake before you – a white cat came up to me, plopped…
Dichotomies and other musings
Nepal is alluring and depressing. Chaotic and peaceful. Inspiring and exhausting. Rich in history and poor in development. Its people are kind in demeanor and yet cold. This country is everything and nothing I thought it would be. So far,…
This isn’t what I thought it’d be
Yesterday, I woke up and seriously considered booking a ticket home. I thought about how that would feel. I envisioned being nestled in my little nook with Magnus asleep on top of me, going about my day like nothing had…
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…
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…