on the road

...to sacramento

today was my first day of work at my new job! i thought it was yesterday, but I was happily mistaken...since i've been sniffling, coughing, and groaning for a few days now...

this morning, i awoke at 6:15 am to catch the train to sacramento. it was a 2 hour trip, most of it along the bay. i kept falling asleep, only to awake to the most beautiful, clear views of water, bridges, wetlands, and so on. i would think 'wow, this is beautiful,' happily rest my head back onto the window, and slowly shut my eyes again. the thought of getting out my camera did pass thru my mind...but i was too sleepy!

the day went well. i got caught up to speed on my work with the center, and it sounds very new and exciting. i'll truly be the contact for these 9 cities to build capacity around youth engagement, and i'll be planning regional mini-conferences for these cities to learn from each other after the new year.

til then, i'll be doing site visits...that's right, traveling all over the USA to see what's goin on with folks around health, and systemic inequities in their cities and towns...oooo

i was already asked if i could travel to boston from october 1 - 3 just to meet with peeps! for the next few months, i'll be a jet-setter. spending time in NYC... :) and in many other places too. it's exciting.

today, i read about how the t'hono odom tribe in arizona has been struggling from being separated from their native foods and culture...very different from the philly, boston, nyc proposals, that's for sure.

here's a hot air balloon from my romantic train ride. i even went to the food car and bought a hot cinnamon bun...mmm it was delish.

xo
alis