St Peterburg, Russia

St Petersburg, Russia

Semester At Sea Program

June 2013

 

The Bride's Maid Speech

 

The Bride's Maid Speech

My Nephew's Wedding

West Chester County, NY

September 2017

She said her sister knew Kevin was a keeper when she told him on their first date that she was a Shakespearean voice coach and he didn't laugh at her.

My New Pledge

 "I pledge allegiance to  the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with   liberty and justice for all."

The Steps To The Ganges

The Steps To The Ganges

Varanasi, India

July 2015

I climbed these damn steps every day, in the rain, without a hand railing and while wearing flip flops.  It was treacherous and I didn't handle it well. Going down was worse than going up.

 

Octoberfest

Octoberfest

Munich, Germany

September 17, 2016

Gabby Resigns from WAFW

 

Gabby Resigns From WAFW

Sias University

Henan Province, China

Fall 2013

In the spring of 2012, I taught leadership skills to young women at Sias University in Henan Province.  I was stunned by their commitment to the program and to those of us who served as facilitators to the program. Here is an example of this commitment.

Gabby's email to me:

My dear Bridget

I think It's better to let you know I stop participating in World Academy .I have three exams coming and I also have to prepare for the exams for my master degree .I love World Academy so much but It's a crazy life I couldn't balance very well.I hope you can understand the situation where I am standing .You are always be my best mentor and my best friend.Thanks .

Gabriella

发自我的iPhone


My email response:  

I know this must have been a hard decision for you. But your school work must come first. You made the right choice but it will be a loss for the World Academy because your were such a strong participant.

 

Just tonight, I was looking at some photographs and I found the photo that I took of you in Philadelphia. How great it was to see you in my country.  Where do you want to study for your masters degree?

Bridget E. Kelly, DEd

 

Gabriella's response:

 I will take the language text soon too see if my grade is good enough to apply for scholarship for America schools. In the meantime I will prepare for the exam that will come in December this year for the Chinese post graduates.  can you share the pictures with me. I would like to travel by myself to America then I can spend more time with you.I still miss Robert and hope Everything goes well with you and him.

Love ya

Gabriella

发自我的iPhone

Adoption in China- One Child Policy 20 years later

 Adoption in China- One Child Policy 20 years later

Spring 2013

Philadelphia, PA

 

Selia is going to get to know another young Chinese woman who was adopted.  As I mentioned in a previous blog, one of the young women highlighted in the movie, Somewhere Between, had agreed to connect with Selia.  Both women were put up for adoption due to the one child policy.  Ann was adopted by white Americans and grew up in PA.  Selia was adopted by older Chinese parents and has not yet been told by her parents that she was in fact adopted.  As her uncle once told her, he would not talk to her about it because, “it is not the Chinese way.”

 

 

Email from Ann to me:

Mrs. Kelly,

I'm emailing you in regards to the girl from China that you spoke with me about. I'm sorry for sending this so late, it's been a busy week home for me, but I'd love to get a chance to meet this girl and try helping her with anything she needs.

If you're still interested, please let me know.

Thanks and hope you have a happy Thanksgiving,

Ann Boccuti

 

My response back to Ann:  Great. I just wrote to Selia to see if she is interested in making this connection. I know she is going to her village this weekend so it may be a few days before I hear from her. In the interim please feel free to go on my LinkedIn profile and look up Selia Wang.

Bridget Kelly

Long Nv

 

My email to Selia:  I met a young Chinese woman who was adopted by white Americans when she was an infant and she grew up in the USA. She was just featured in a documentary film called Somewhere Between. I asked her if she would be willing to connect with you and she is interested. Do you have any interest?

Selia’s email response to me:   Sounds good, I think it is a neat idea.

My email to Ann:  Ann- I just heard from Selia and she is interested in connecting with you

so the two of you can contact each other.

 

MY THOUGHTS ON THE WHOLE THING:  I don’t know who is more excited about this idea (Selia or me).  But this will be the first time Selia has met another Chinese person who was adopted.  This practice is very rare in China and very secreted. Selia only talks to the Americans about her adoption and she continues to be amazed that we speak openly and proudly about adoption in our country.  The shame of being given up and abandoned by your parents permeates all of these adoptions.

Pinelands Brewery

Pineland Brewery
 NJ- 

Pineland Brewery
NJ
Fall 2017
This brewery has a butternut squash beer as an alternative to pumpkin beer and it is delicious.  I also loved the vanilla porter.  There was a nitro coconut beer that was tasty but could be dangerous to drink because it went down so smoothly.  I could consume too many of these beers on a hot summer afternoon. 

To read more stories, check out:   bkmemoirs.blogspot.com

 or  bkmemoirs.wordpress.com

melissa Needs Advice

Melissa Needs Advice

SIAS university

Henan Province, China

Spring 2012

Melissa is part of the Sunshine Angels Service Project team and they went to a school for the deaf where they planned a series of activities to engage the students with each other.  I just received this email form Melissa a few minutes ago.

from:	弓长贝贝 919433526@qq.com
to:	bkelly327 <bkelly327@gmail.com>
date:	Thu, May 10, 2012 at 12:21 PM
subject:	your melissa need some advise

Dear bridget:

 Long time no see. I am Melissa. i am missing you for a long time. Our project was held this afternoon and I was moved by the children and the teachers who had helped the deaf and dumb for 17years. before I get in the world academy ,I really do not know the meaning to do  public benefit activities ,and I feel the bad situation is far from me. and I really do not know how to do it .this afternoon I really found my strength ,I made the children felt happy. i cannot forget the smile on their face .i talk to the teacher and then I know how hard the children are to learn knowledge ,how hard the teachers are to teach .i talked with  teacher Chen. She had sacrifice to the school for 17 years and the headmaster for 20 years. I really moved .i know that I must help them and try my best.

  These days ,I feel bad about myself , but after I went to the school .I thought a lot . i had lot of love from my parents ,I thanked them for a lot, they gave me the healthy body ,they gave me the chance to enter into the Sias. Be one member in the world academy. Last day ,my teacher told me that I can apply for“Phoenix rising women’s scholarship”. Last year I had applied  but I failed .this year I also want to have a try .and  I hope to get some advise from you .the scholarship had affected me for a long time. the award had inspired me to learn from the women who are successful and  i am always happy and optimistic ,I hope to bring others happiness .what I like is affecting others not control others .my sister always like to get advise form me and I also like to help her. she once said to me that I had made a good example  I am happy to affect others . today’s project had encouraged me much more , I can share the money with the world academy , the deaf and dumb school children, and with my parents .i do not know the reason why I failed last year ,tomorrow I will go to ask my teacher who had in charge of this. i really want to get the suggestion from you.  i had to hand in tomorrow

I really thanks for you to give me a lot when I am in the world academy , I will remember what you had affected me.

                    Love you

                                                        Yours Melissa

Marrakech, Morocco

 

Marrakech, Morocco

July 2008

I was in a store, buying jewelry, when the owner's young so asked me if I wanted to see "a beautiful sight."  I followed him as he climbed up three flights of narrow steps.  We walked out to a rooftop and looked down on the whole town .  It was beautiful.

A Butte

 

A Butte

Somewhere in Wyoming

Summer 2017

We came around a bend in the road and saw this piece of geography and I made my fired stop right there so I could take this photo.

Dogfish Pumpkin Ale

Dogfish Pumpkin Ale
Dogfish Brewery
Rehobeth Beach, DE
Fall 2017

Last night, I had a draft of Dogfish Pumpkin Ale and just about started to cry because it was soooooooooooo good.  I just couldn't believe the favor.  So I immediately went to a beer store in search of a case of it. The case cost $46 which exceeds what I will pay for a case of beer.  So I had to settle for a four pack which cost $10 ( and also exceeds my price for a six pack of beer, let alone a 4 pack).  But I bought it anyway.

 I quickly drove home and put one bottle in the freezer and waited, in great anticipation, for 20 minutes.  I pulled the slightly chilled bottle out, popped off the top and poured in great anticipation.  I took that first sip and i flinched with a little disappointment.  This beer wasn't as tasty as the draft i had two hours ago.  I took a few more sips and again, it was good but it wasn't GREATTTTT!!!!!!!.

I guess the favor loses something between the draft and the bottle. So now I am in pursuit of another bar serving the Dogfish Pumpkin.  I will keep you posted on this very important developing issue.

China, A Year Later

 China, A Year Later

Spring 2013

Maryland, USA

It was a year ago today that I left to travel in  China.  While I only stayed for three months, I still feel a trememdnous connection to all of the people I met there.  I still hear regularly from many of my students. 

One student, Tina, in now studying at Fort Hayes University.  Selia was here this summer and is now back in CA, doing an internship for an NGO.  She is going to research Chinese policies as they related to childwelfare.  One student, Gabrielle, is just finsihing up a one month trip here. She came with a select group of students who participated in a workshop at the University of Arizona.  Agatha is studying for her GREs so she must be thinking of studying abroad.  

Emily has returned to her village and working for a small company.  She is worried about losing her English skills. As I read her emails, I see her skills slipping away.  Olivia has stepped up as the new student leader of the World Academy and I can just hear her confidence soaring with each new email.  Gloria continues to plug away at being a genuinely nice person.  Corina is worried about her brother who dropped out of school to get married.   Amber has been quite lately.  I haven't heard from her so I hope things are alright.  

There are several students that I never heard from again.  I set all of them up on google email accounts so we could stay connected.  But they just never go to this site.  They set me up with a QQ account which is the Chinese facebook.  But I cant figure it out.  So we have slipped away from each other.  And that is my lose.

At The Wedding

At His Mother's Wedding

He Gave the Bride Away

New Hope, PA

November 2018

 

Dancers

Dancers

Imod, Nepal

January 2018

We were driving to the next town and we could hear music int he streets.  And then we came upon them because they were blocking the road.  We got out of the car and joined them.  Well, I didn't.  I was the official photographer.

 

Comment on the Chen Guangsheng event

Winter 2012 

I sent a newspaper article to several of my Chinese students about Chen Guangsheng, a blind man who escaped the police.  They had not heard of the incident. Here is one response:

Comment on the Chen Guangsheng event

Actually I can’t get enough information about this event. What I know are just several pieces of news from BBC and my dear friend Bridget, Carol and Katrina, which are not enough for me to choose a position. So I’ll show my view on this according to what I heard and saw.

Indeed, I can’t help wondering why a blind man had the ability of “evading three rings of guards.” “He walked for hours, apparently alone.” He must be more worthy to hire than the guards.

Plus, it is said one way the layer suggested to deal with the ones who break the One-Child Policy is to fine them. However, I don’t think we are entitled to the right of distinguishing people according to their fortune, especially, when the anger that the poor hold against the rich is increasing.

But I’m in favor of the opinion that our government had better ensure the information available to the public. Hushing affairs up and keeping citizens blind is the most common practice of governments. They are always afraid that citizens are not civilized enough to keep the unification of countries. When it comes to China, the huge number of population causes more concerns of our government, which is certainly understandable. However, I believe there must be more pleasant and effective way to cope with problems. For instance, all the constitutions and regulations should be applicable to everyone fairly.

Conspiracy is not good to the development of human beings.

2 X Presso

 2X Presso

Double Espresso

Southern Tier Brewery

Beer Exchange Party

January 2015

I am at a beer exchange party.  Everyone brought something to share. I try the 2X Presso. The first sip of this beer left me ambivalent,  I just couldn't figure out the taste.  It was full of bitterness and spices.  Then it dawned on me that I was drinking an espresso beer and the second sip tasted like a cool cup of coffee.  Most of the people at the beer exchange did not like this beer.  A few took one sip and no more.  Some wouldn't even try it because it was too dark for them.  So I scanned the room and saw that I was really the only one who had any interest in this selection.  I casually went up to the sampling table and slowly took the bottle back to my seat and discretely finished it off. 

September 22

 ON THIS DAY

September 22

2019,  2018,  2017, 2016, 2015

1 year ago

Bridget E Kelly

 is at 

Walnut Street Theatre

.

September 22, 2019  · Philadelphia  · 

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Young Frankenstein

LOCAL BUSINESS

Walnut St

You, Julia Kelly Maslanka, Maureen Patton Reis and 11 other

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ON THIS DAY

2 years ago in Wales

Bridget E Kelly

 is at 

Cardiff Central railway station

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September 22, 2018  · Cardiff, United Kingdom  · 

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Should I worry about taking the train with this guy?

107Brian Kelly, Kathi Lewis and 105 others

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ON THIS DAY

3 years ago in Stroudsburg, PA

Bridget E Kelly

 was attending 

WXPN Welcomes: David Bromberg

 at 

Sherman Theater

 — attending 

WXPN Welcomes: David Bromberg

 at 

Sherman Theater

.

September 22, 2017  · Stroudsburg  · 

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FRI, SEP 22, 2017

WXPN Welcomes: David Bromberg

Stroudsburg

You've checked in to Sherman Theater before

Interested

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ON THIS DAY

4 years ago in Carpenter's Point, MD

Bridget E Kelly

September 22, 2016  · 

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ON THIS DAY

4 years ago

Bridget E Kelly

 is at 

Historic Ephrata Cloister

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September 22, 2016  · Ephrata  · 

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I don't think I would last very long at the Cloister.

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ON THIS DAY

5 years ago in Philadelphia, PA

Bridget E Kelly

September 22, 2015  · 

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Suffragette

 

September 22, 2015  · 

MOTHERS. DAUGHTERS. REBELS. The Suffragettes are the reason women have the right to vote! To celebrate National Voter Registration Day be sure to check out the …

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Debra War

ON THIS DAY

5 years ago

Bridget E Kelly

 updated her cover photo.

September 22, 2015  · 

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ON THIS DAY

5 years ago in Philadelphia, PA

Bridget E Kelly

September 22, 2015  · 

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CNN

 

September 22, 2015  · 

#PopeFrancis hopped into a Fiat to start the U.S. leg of his trip: http://cnn.it/1QwK80d via

CNN Politics

#PopeInDC #PopeInUS

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September 22, 2015  · 

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