Our own former Online Organizer Alan Boswell is now studying in Kenya and published an article in his local Illinois newspaper.

Best yet, he sent us the link to the piece via Facebook:

“here it is up finally. although it was actually published jan. 23, not the 30, which is important considering things keep on changing. they want me to do this every two weeks, so i guess i will have my own little column.”

Alan’s piece in the Aledo Times Record :

Not Just another “African” Storyline; By Alan Boswell/Foreign Correspondent

A few years ago growing up in Aledo, Kenya was nowhere on my radar. That this equatorial East African nation would soon become my home for a year’s time would have come as a definite surprise. That this place I have come to love suddenly became much less hospitable has come as even more of one.

Unfortunately, friends and family, who knew as much about Kenya as I did just a short time ago (very little) have watched as a flawed democratic election launched the country into the front of the world news’ headlines these last few weeks amid rioting, violence and political instability.

To many, another headline of death and instability stemming from “Africa” probably does not even justify a raise of an eyebrow. However, to international observers and Kenyans, myself included, the rigging and post-election turmoil came as a complete shock….

Read Alan’s full piece here.

-Virginia Simmons