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Karen LeAnn McKay

Guest Blogger
Karen LeAnn McKay

Karen LeAnn McKay is currently the manager of Ten Thousand Villages Portland, Oregon. Ten Thousand Villages is an independent, non-profit store selling fair trade crafts from developing countries. A native Oregonian, Karen has lived in Central Africa, France, Seattle and the east coast of the United States. She has consulted throughout Africa in natural resources management, non-profit management and small enterprise development. She is passionate about fair trade, loves beautiful things and interacting with people about aesthetics and meaning.

Visit Karen LeAnn's web site at http://portland.tenthousandvillages.com

    Posts by Karen LeAnn McKay:

  • when we ceased vacationing and started traveling
    Posted July 15th, 2008 in Fair Trade

    If I said that I was overwhelmed on Bali it was only because I hadn’t yet been to the island of Java Indonesia. As soon as we landed in Semarang on the north central coast of Java we ceased vacationing and starting traveling. As all travelers know, there is a big difference between [...]

  • long deep breaths on the island of gili meno
    Posted July 7th, 2008 in Fair Trade,  Guest Bloggers,  Holiday,  Travel

    Well…a trip to a country of tropical islands for vacation would hardly be complete without a trip to a beach with white sands and turquoise waters. Particularly for my 13-year-old daughter Lydia this was the fulfillment of a long-held dream; to be able to frolic in warm, clear waters that turn from a light turquoise [...]

  • Keeping global connections alive
    Posted June 30th, 2008 in Feng Shui,  Guest Bloggers,  Holiday,  International,  Travel

    In Bali I met with a group called Mitra Bali (shown at right.) They work with about 70 groups, primarily on Bali but also on Java. These beautiful products perfectly fuse traditional Balinese craftsmanship with modern design. It’s wonderful to witness the creative freedom in artisans as they explore new designs and ideas [...]

  • Bali: A symphony of bells, birds, gongs and frogs
    Posted June 26th, 2008 in Community,  Consciousness,  Fair Trade,  Guest Bloggers,  International,  Travel

    So, Bali… I don’t quite know where to start. Bali is overwhelming in every sense. To the ear, Bali is a symphony of bells, birds, gongs and frogs (not a bad combination!) To the eye, Bali is rice paddies, coconut palms, tall mountains and crafts everywhere. Even I, someone who [...]