Today was a big day for me here in Jamaica. After arriving in Ocho Rios from Kingston last night I found it hard to sleep. It might not be the cool thing to say but I was experiencing a bit of anxiety over having to present my paper the next day. I felt like I was...

I started my day workshopping with a group of teenagers who weren’t real familiar with storytelling. It worked out really well. We ended up doing the storytelling together, the entire group, on stage. I was proud of my little group of novice tellers. There was one...

It is a strange feeling to start out in one part of the world in the morning and end up in another part of it by evening. When I left Los Angeles this morning there was a familiarity with the environment that I take for granted. Exiting the airport here in Kingston...

On the 19th of November I’ll be boarding a plane heading to Jamaica to attend a Storytelling Festival & Conference. I’m excited because I won’t only be performing but I’ll be presenting a paper as well. I’ll make the paper available online as soon as the...

I’m just returning from a small workshop in the city of Watts. It was a gathering of children their fathers. I facilitated the group on how we, as men, can build on our relationships with our children through using storytelling as a mechanism to bond. This was one of...

I've been working with both adults and children for more than 20 years, helping them to develop as speakers and listeners; promoting the Art of Storytelling as an instrument of instruction. Recently, I was working in a classroom with a group of 11 and 12 year olds....

While in Mali some years back, I roamed the countryside in search of an elder willing to share folktales and stories with me. I needed someone with wisdom and depth whose feet I could sit at and drink from their fount of knowledge and experience. I ended up in a...

I am excited that the Chicago Teacher’s Strike has ended but there is a troubling issue, for me at least, that went ignored. In spite of a dramatic seven-day assault on our senses through ritualized rhetoric, and well-tailored talking points, not a single soul offered...

I positioned myself on the edge of the young boy’s bed, close to his outstretched legs with tiny wiggly toes dancing in my direction as he smiled wide. His face was glowing in heightened anticipation of impending story and music I had come to share with him. He’s only...

After yesterday’s torrent of activity, today seemed almost like a day of ease. I had a single performance in the afternoon, which freed up my morning to take a walk into the city. My main objective was to visit “El Museo del Hombre Dominicano (Museum of the Dominican...

When I began my day this morning I entered a vortex of activity that kept me going throughout the entire day until my head hit the pillow at night. I started the morning with an interview at a radio station, Viva FM, with hosts Carmen Imbert Brugal and José Antonio...

Today I met some really amazing teachers during a workshop I gave on the Power of Storytelling. The questions they asked were so poignant and their passion for their work was inspirational to me. I carried their enthusiasm for their students and the obvious love of...

Anyone have any ideas how to get an extremely fragile West African harp from Los Angeles to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic? You know it is too big to carry on, too exotic to gate check, and way too precious to send down a luggage conveyor belt. What any decent...

I’ve tried to keep my blogging addiction in check by getting out in the air, taking walks, and dusting off my rollerblades but so many thing continue happening around me that I’ve got to talk about them. I was in a line just the other day at a video store (Yes there...

Here in the United States there have been people who have openly threatened to burn Islam’s holy book, the Koran. Most of the people I’ve seen making these threats appear possessed by anger, fear and, often, an irrational hubris crying out for immediate medication or...

Last friday two young girls agreed to meet off-campus from their school to fight one another here in the City of Long Beach California. According to witnesses the fight only lasted about a minute after which each of the girls went home. Later that evening Joanna...

I just left a church in Pomona California where I performed. I experienced such warmth and true affection that I’m  inspired to pull my car over and pen thoughts to paper. I travel the world, literally, and I’ve met with people from every station in life. I’ve spoken...

I know what I’m about to ask is going to sound a bit strange but recent events have me re-thinking of lot of what I had considered the norm. Here’s my question, “Why is it important to teach our children that they must be able to stand in a line?” Before you answer,...

I spent the day at Covina High School today. As I write this I’ve got a huge smile plastered across my face. I was invited to play my Kora and do a little singing for the school’s “Multicultural Festival.” It seems each day the students celebrate different cultures...

I've just finished posting a short video of highlights of my tour of schools in Mexico. Enjoy! Leave me a comment or a little message letting me know what you thought once you've had a chance to watch it. Peace and a multitude of blessings to one and all! Baba the...

Seven years ago my preferred beverage at “every” meal was Coca Cola in a nice tall glass and poured over several small cubes of ice. It is embarrassing to admit now, but I used to drink at least four 12 oz. cans with every meal. I am not joking! I had grown up...

I recently returned from a school where I spent the day in classrooms, performing assemblies and having lunch with students and staff. The school was immaculate with manicured landscaping, plenty of windows, a huge gymnasium and even an Olympic size swimming pool. Art...

While in Mexico I received an email from the director of volunteers and bereavement services, Kaiser Permanente. It was a request that I perform for a group of hospice volunteers during one of their social gatherings. My heart was touched that someone would think to...

I’ve been sitting here in the airport of the City of Culiacán for the last hour and a half. I finished performing for the students of Instituto Senda. It is an odd feeling sitting in this tiny airport listening to the Blues being played over the loudspeakers and...

There are many things to dislike about Mexico City: the smog, the insane traffic, profligate smoking, where 51.2% of all men can be found toking on cancer sticks in every crevice of public space. Add to these issues the congestion of 8 million souls populating a land...

It would be a misnomer to say that last night I attended a "dinner party" because the gathering was so much more than that. Ever since I first began this tour of Mexico I’ve been looking forward to meeting two phenomenal storytellers, Victor Árjona and Ángel del...

Last week I visited a school called “Crecer” which means “to grow” in Spanish. The school is located in the City of Tlaxcala. I didn’t know much about the city except that it was located outside of the metropolis of Mexico City. I always love getting away from the...

While in Mexico I decided that I would make sure to use public transportation. I honestly feel that public transportation is a sure fire way to get to know the city and people up close and personal. Little did I know when I boarded the subway in Zona Rosa that I was...

I had ascended to the top of the Sun Pyramid at Teotihuacán and was feeling rather proud of myself until I spotted an old man and woman in about their mid-70’s appear over the crest of the steps about 20 minutes later. My jaw dropped. This was no easy climb. The steps...

I didn’t want to much time to pass before I kept my promise to a group of young girls at a school I visited recently. I was heading to the cafeteria to get a bite to eat when then swooped in and surrounded me. I was being held captive in the middle of a circle by...

I’ve been in Mexico City for about a week now. The city’s tempo is just like most other urban centers of the world, fast paced and congested simultaneously. The streets overflow with pedestrians, careening taxis and sirens morning, noon and night. I haven’t blogged in...

While waiting to board my flight to Mexico at the Los Angeles International Airport yesterday, I decided to purchase a local newspaper for Spanish speakers . I used to do this more often when I first began learning Spanish, in order to challenge my word knowledge and...

Late in the evening on October 19th I stood in line with hundreds of other passengers hoping to make it to the ticket counter of Continental Airlines at Guarulhos International Airport in São Paulo Brazil. I could have given in to the temptation to fume with anger and...

Today I visited my last school on the final leg of this 3 city tour in Brazil. Did I enjoy myself? More than I can say. Do I feel as though my work was appreciated and respected? Yes, and with such grace and dignity that I can honestly say that I was an honor to visit...

Whenever I travel to other urban areas of the world I try to explore their graffiti. Graffitti, not tagging, those are two totally different things. I know we get them confused sometimes but, to me, tagging is ego tripping and graffiti is self-expression. While...

It’s late in the evening here in São Paulo, around 11 pm, and I’m just getting back to my hotel room. I attended a small, very intimate dinner hosted by a couple who reside here, Patrick and Teresa. It was an unforgettable evening and, instead of going to bed, as I...

Well when I left off on my last post I sort of said that I was going to take dance lessons at a Samba School here in São Paulo. That didn’t quite end up being the case. We went but the school wasn’t a school it was actually a club. A Samba Dance Club. Permit me to set...

I probably didn’t mention it in previous posts but I received an email from the school I visited on October 11th, Lorenço Castanho. They were asking if I could fit, at least, one more visit into my schedule before leaving Brazil. Friday was a scheduled day off, a...

Last year I received an invitation to attend a festival of storytelling in the country of Iran for 2012. I haven’t spoken much about it since almost everyone I encounter seems to think it would be a horrible idea for me to go. At odds are two trains of thought. On one...

I often struggle with how much information about one’s personal life should be shared with others. What is the limit on information we should give people about ourselves? How much of what we might divulge about ourselves could be deemed inappropriate? Over the years,...

When I woke this morning, had I know that I would hear hundreds of teenage voices telling me that they love me and drowning me with hugs, I would have gotten up earlier and arrived at the school I was set to perform at before they opened. Today I visited, here in São...

This morning, after breakfast, the sky grew darker and darker as the clouds gathered. Initially, It seemed like it was going to be a scorching hot day. The sun was beaming and hot. The wind was almost nonexistent, and then, all of a sudden, clouds came together and...

The city that I’m in currently is Brasilia. Brasilia is the political capital of Brazil. It is where the president works and resides. Brasilia is where the different branches of government have their own office buildings and there is a long main thoroughfare where you...

I walked onto the campus of today’s school here in Brasilia expecting to be gone within a couple of hours after only two performances. I was pleasantly surprised when this did not end up being the case. The school I visited is called The International school. They had...

Today I visited another school here in Rio called The German School. I am in awe at the amount of greenery enveloping these schools. There are fruit trees, creeping vines of all sorts, and flower beds everywhere. It almost feels like your in the middle of a rain...

I was performing at my first school of the tour here in Rio de Janeiro today for a group of about 6 eighth grade classes, yes dreaded middle schoolers, when about 2 minutes into my performance the power went out. No lights, no air, nothing! What would you do? How...

Since I’ve arrived in Brazil I’ve become enamored with the Rio de Janeiro.  I only have one more day here before I have to travel to other cities in Brazil and so I’ve wanted to make the most of my time. My tour manager has been “The-Most-Gracious-Host” by taking me...

I wanted to ask all of you guys a question, but I think I’ve finally figured it out. When I got to my hotel room yesterday I was surprised to find a garden hose attached to the wall next to the toilet. I know how communal and environmentally friendly some cultures can...

I arrived in Rio de Janeiro yesterday morning after having spent 12 hours in flight. If I had possessed the common sense of a mule I would have gone straight to my hotel room to relax and recuperate from an entire day of travel. My mind, imagination and adrenaline...

I have a “Do-Not-Like-To-Rush” policy that I like to adhere to whenever I’m planning on doing “anything” and that includes traveling. Instead of getting to the airport the 2 hours ahead of time that the customer service agents recommend, I usually am there 3 1/2 to 4...

I received a phone call from an old friend, a man more like an elder to me, about two weeks ago. Some readers might remember him from previous blogs. He was the elder who suffered a stroke sometime back and the community rallied together to help him through a very...

There must be some reason why I continue having these dualistic experiences. Yesterday I had a performance at a school in the city of Los Angeles. The school was one of those progressive educational institutions housed in a corporate high rise with underground...

Last night I had the opportunity to provide translation services for a "Back to School" night. There have been so many budget cuts during this era of austerity that many of the basic necessities required by our educators, to do their jobs, are basically nonexistent....

I've been performing since early 94, telling stories, playing Kora and singing. I've always managed to get around the expense of a flight case. That is until now. I used to have my clients just pay for an additional seat for my Kora and, because I was only touring...

While most of my friends were partying during our early years and engaged in unmentionable activities (at least that's what I heard), I had my head buried in books. Sometimes I lost in conversations with old friends because I wasn't present when they had some of their...

I'm having a lot of thoughts of my upcoming trip to Brazil and I'm trying to reconcile time constraints with a desire to provide service. The truth of the matter is that most schools that can afford to bring me to their respective countries are private and never seem...

The other day I was at a small arts festival being hosted by a school. I've been visiting this school and performing there for almost 10 years now. They host a festival where artists spend the day going from room to room, visiting with students and performing their...

I just left the Children's Hospital after being there for two hours. What an amazing time I had! I got to visit with a few of the children that I met last week and share new stories. I love having the chance to perform for people who've already seen me perform. Today...

Today I'll make my final visit to Children's Hospital before leaving for my two month tour in Brazil and Mexico. I'm not feeling as apprehensive as I was last week and I'm hoping to re-visit a couple of children who I played music for and told stories to. There is one...

Yesterday I wrote about my nervousness in preparing for a visit to Children's Hospital Orange County (CHOC). It was a therapeutic process putting pen to paper and helped me deal with the performance anxiety that only seems to rear its ugly head when I'm going to CHOC....

Before I begin this story let me tell you something, “I do not like lines…not standing in them, near them, on them or anywhere around them. Also, I have never eaten green eggs and ham and I deplore lines because that is just who I am.” Now on to my adventure of how I...

There is a pattern that plays out in my mind whenever I leave a new city or country that I am visiting. As I am preparing to leave my mind offers observations such as, "this time tomorrow I will be back in Los Angeles," or "this will be the last morning I hear the...

I'm back in Bogota! The rain last night delayed some of the services at the airport and so I got home really late. I woke up this morning thinking about a friend I made at Colegio Jefferson in Cali. Her name is Claudia and she is such a beautiful person. Claudia is...

As I´m preparing to leave the beautiful city of Santiago de Cali, I´m feeling a bit sad. The schools, teachers, administrators and students really rolled out the red-carpet for me. At Jefferson I was challenged creatively to engage each and every grade level they had...

Today was a day of excess and indulging. I arrived really early at this morning’s school and was greeted by food and a drink called “Avena” (Oatmeal milk drink). The drink is quite refreshing but difficult to explain the taste and texture. Had I realized what an...

Yesterday I visited a school here in Santiago de Cali that is about 50 years old. My first session was with 16 and 17 year olds. Mornings are usually a rough start for performers at most schools and I’m no exception. The first group, early in the morning is often...

Hey! Alright... I'm not actually in Bogota now, I flew to Cali last night but I like the title of the running blog so I'm keeping it. I'll be back in Bogota in another week anyway. I had to get this written down though. My tour manager Pablo and I arrived last night...

I’m getting ready to board a flight to go to the City of Santiago de Cali, which is approximately 300 km south-west of Bogota. I’ll be touring schools in that city for a week before returning back to Bogota to finish up with a final week of schools there. I’ve been in...

As soon as I returned to my apartment here in Candelaria I had to sit down and write about my experience today. I had one of the most unbelievable experiences in my career today. I took a cab to a school called San Tarsicio here in Bogota early this morning and when I...

I’m exhausted. I’ve been up since 4:30 this morning and did four back to back sessions of music and stories at an all girls school called Gimnasio Feminino. The most amazing part of the day was presenting to a gathering of more than 300 sophomores, juniors and...

I know, I know. I had promised to blog more often about this experience of touring schools in Colombia as a storyteller, but the rich and deep social exchanges here in Bogota are impediments to the isolation needed in order to write. The daily decisions are difficult:...

I had to write about something I witnessed today. While walking through the city of Bogota I kept encountering elderly women (maybe late 70's or early 80's) doing some amazing stuff. While in the national park I was in awe of an elderly women jumping rope with some...

While I'm here in Bogota I won't be able to write the long, detailed blogs, but I will try to return periodically and let everyone know what's going on with your favorite storyteller. I just wanted to take a second and share an experience I had in a restaurant in the...

I had one of those moments a few days ago that make me smile each time I think about it. I was in a restaurant leaving the salad bar and returning to my table. I ended up behind a few other people who were walking up a narrow aisle towards some stairs so I had to...