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Posts by Audrey

Feb 7

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Walking to Listen

Andrew starting his journey in Chadd's Ford, PA.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like if you left your hometown tomorrow and just started walking? By yourself with little more than just a compass and a general direction? Well that is exactly what Andrew Forsthoefel ’11 did on October 14, 2011. Currently in southern Alabama, Andrew has been walking for the last four months with one purpose: to listen. He has no specific final destination, just an abstract goal of reaching the Pacific. The project is truly more about the journey where he hopes to learn more about this country’s land, its people, and himself simply by listening, especially to stories of transformation. You can track Andrew’s progress and learn more about his journey by visiting his blog. Andrew was gracious enough to take the time to sit down (get it?) and answer some of our questions.

If you’d like to meet Andrew, walk with him, share a story or a meal, offer a place to stay, or even just say hello, he can be reached at: walkingtolisten@gmail.com

Where did the idea for a “listening walk” come from? 

The idea for this listening walk has been growing in me for years. I think it probably began when my parents moved our family to India when I was seven and I got a taste for what it’s like to be around people who seem totally different from me. I loved it. The idea grew during my time at Middlebury as I became more immersed in listening to the stories of others. In many ways, this walk is an extension of a column I wrote for The Campus called The Interface for which I’d go out and talk with folks in our greater community that I wouldn’t normally come across as a student: Jamaican apple pickers, Mormon missionaries, homeless people, whoever I could find that might be able to share a new perspective. The How Did You Get Here? project also gave some concrete form to my desire to listen and find the extraordinary in everyone. That’s what that project - and this walk - is all about: celebrating the compelling, beautiful lives we all lead. So, it’s been percolating for years. The direction I intuited at Middlebury coupled with my lifelong yearning to journey, seek, and wander pushed me off into this listening walk. And sure enough, here I am in little Camden, Alabama.

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Jan 1

From the Editors: Happy New Year!

As we start up 2012, the editors of MiddBlog would like to wish you all a very happy new year! Along with this sentiment, we share with you some significant moments of the past year (personal or global) and some predictions for the next! See you in 2012!

Significant Moments of 2011

  • Audrey: Going to PRIDE 2011 in NYC just two days after the same-sex marriage act was passed by the NY State legislature and signed into law by Governor Cuomo. Watching hundreds of people walking down the streets of NYC with signs saying things like “Thank you Governor Cuomo!” and “Finally getting married after being together for 50 years!” was truly moving.
  • Brittany: Standing at the front of Mead Chapel, with my partner in crime Chris de la Cruz, welcoming the Class of 2015 to Middlebury with our Orientation Kickoff and Voices of the Class. The energy was absolutely electric, and I will always hold that night very close to my heart. Orientation 2011 forever!!!!!
  • Ryan: Earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster in Japan.
  • Cailey: Seeing the photographs of clashes between protestors and police in Tahrir Square at the beginning of the Egyptian revolution, and then seeing photographs of crowds celebrating Mubarak’s resignation in the same square just weeks later.
  • Olivia: Watching for two weeks as friends, important individuals, and people I will never know got arrested in front of the White House in protest of the Keystone XL pipeline.

Prediction for 2012

  • Audrey: MiddKids will continue to dominate reality tv shows. (Personally, I want to see one of us on the Amazing Race)
  • Brittany: That I graduate on a beautifully sunny day… and maybe Tina Fey as our commencement speaker?
  • Ryan: The presidential election will be long and eventful as it has already been so far. The next SGA election? Maybe less so…
  • Cailey: The iPhone takeover! From Siri to FaceTime to Angry Birds, the iPhone’s capabilities have become a part of our modern lexicon. I predict a big boom in the number of available apps, as well as in the number of iPhone users. (and maybe i’ll finally be one??!)
  • Olivia: Juice back at dinner? Let’s not get too crazy…

Dec 8

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Abigail Borah ’13 Ejected from COP 17 for Disrupting Speech

Photo Credit: Project Survival Media

Abigail Borah ’13 was ejected from climate change negotiations at COP 17 in Durban, South Africa early today for interrupting top U.S. climate negotiator Todd Stern. She has been serving at the UN Summit as a member of the SustainUS youth delegation. She also served as a member of this delegation last year at COP 16 in Cancun, Mexico.

After nearly two weeks of stalled progress by the United States at the international climate talks, Borah delivered a passionate speech calling for an urgent path towards a fair and binding climate treaty and admonishing members of Congress for impeding global climate progress to internationl ministers and high level negotiators at the closing plenary of the Durban climate change negotiations. Borah’s speech was met with an eruption of applause while she was ejected from the talks shortly following her entreaty.

Borah told Stern that the U.S. negotiators “cannot speak on behalf of the United States of America (anymore),” highlighting that “the obstructionist Congress has shackled a just and delayed ambition for far too long.”

“I am scared for my future,” cried Borah. “2020 is too late to wait. We need an urgent path to a fair, ambitious, and legally binding treaty. You must take responsibility to act now.”

Part of Borah’s Speech

Coverage of the incident can be found on SustainUS.org, Democracy Now!, BBC News (second picture from the end), and the NY Times.

COP 17 will end this Friday with Borah being banned from the rest of the negotiations.

Middkids like Abigail rock it like Elvis. We make sure you know about it. Support MiddBlog. No change in your pockets? Like us on FB or follow on the twitters instead.

Aug 7

frank
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Frank Sweeney ’11 to be on MTV’s Real World

Note: Look for our recap posts after each episode of the Real World. The posts feature mostly Frank but also let’s you know what you missed. CLICK HERE for all our recap posts.

According to a thread begun on the site Vevmo, an online entertainment discussion community with a focus on reality television, recent Midd grad Frank Sweeney ’11 has been cast in the upcoming season of the Real World. Set in La Jolla, San Diego this will be the twenty-sixth season of the hit MTV reality series.

The bio of Frank on the discussion forum mentions his studies at Middlebury and even links to his hit performances at the Middlebury Moth. Other forums on the site claim that the show is to air this coming November or December.

Aug 6

atwater
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Atwater Dining Hall to Reopen!

In a blog post today, President Liebowitz announced that Atwater Dining Hall will serve lunch in the upcoming 2012 school year. Atwater will serve continental breakfast in the morning and will stay open till 2 pm to serve lunch. Language tables will be moved to Redfield Proctor in upstairs Proctor. Atwater will also continue to host special and theme dinners. It is the hope of Dining Services that this reopening will address concerns of overcrowding during the lunch hour at Ross and Proctor.

In addition to the reopening, Dining Services will also introduce other changes to the dining scene in the fall. Including measures to reduce the loss of dishes such as introducing portable “go” containers to allow students to take out food from the dining halls in an easier, more efficient fashion.

An action long sought after by students after its closing two years ago, the reopening of Atwater is sure to be a hit among students this coming fall. As always, MiddBlog would love to hear some of your reactions in the comments below!

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