Africa is not an easy place to be gay. Homosexuality is illegal in more than half of African countries. South Africa is the most progressive African country …

I grew up watching baseball, as I described in a recent post. I also grew up playing softball, which is baseball’s alternative for girls in the United …

This guest post was inspired by the Blog of Otis. Hello, I’m Squeak. I also have another name, but I’m keeping it a secret for now. This is me, …

I don’t write often about South African government and politics. Politics here are complicated and contentious – even more so than other countries I …

I’m back in Joburg, recovering from jet lag. Since I had to leave for the U.S. in such a rush last month, I didn’t get the chance to share all the stories from …

Before moving to South Africa, I spent much of my adulthood living and working in the Washington D.C. area. But growing up, I lived closer to Baltimore. My …

Hooray for Wordpress, who Freshly Pressed Voortrekker: My New Favorite Afrikaans Word on Thursday. Thanks to everyone who read, commented on, and subscribed to …

Today was my last day in D.C. Before leaving town I had hoped to visit (and blog about) the brand-new Martin Luther King Memorial. (We love our memorials in …

Washington D.C. commuters love to complain about Metro. And the D.C. subway system does have its faults: rising fares, rush-hour delays, malfunctioning fare …

Dear Mom: This post is going to freak you out. Please read at your discretion. And please don’t write me out of your will. Love, Heather ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ …

My dad still lives in the house where my sister and I grew up. It’s in a quasi-rural part of Maryland, about an hour’s drive north of Washington D.C. and …

Yesterday was my grandmother’s memorial celebration, held on our family farm in Ellicott City, Maryland. It was also the day that Hurricane Irene hit America’s …