Bono In Grand Rapids, Michigan

[thankyou]

http://www.dutchbingo.net/TanzaniaJanuary2005/index.html

Those little kids from the Masaai Village or the Sukuma children, you just want to bring one home. They're all so beautiful.
(It reminds me of an episode on Oprah when she took Christmas to South Africa, where she said that all the children were so beautiful there.)
Amazing trip Lies! An experience of a lifetime.
Thanks so much for sharing .

 

[xERINx]

wow... i am so torn....

the day bono comes to my backyard is the day my dad decides to surpise me with plane tickets to florida.

i wont be going, but i'll see him again. i'm pretty spoiled as it is anyway with three meetings under the belt.

have fun guys!

 

[Liesje]

wow... i am so torn....

the day bono comes to my backyard is the day my dad decides to surpise me with plane tickets to florida.

i wont be going, but i'll see him again. i'm pretty spoiled as it is anyway with three meetings under the belt.

have fun guys!

Um yeah, I'd DEFINITELY take Florida!! We'll miss meeting up, but I'm sure you'll have a blast. I highly doubt we'll have any chance of meeting Bono anyway.

 

[Liesje]

Those little kids from the Masaai Village or the Sukuma children, you just want to bring one home. They're all so beautiful.
(It reminds me of an episode on Oprah when she took Christmas to South Africa, where she said that all the children were so beautiful there.)
Amazing trip Lies! An experience of a lifetime.
Thanks so much for sharing .

Thank you, thankyou! (hehe)

The children there are so beautiful. Some have no clothes, flies on their faces and distended bellies, but they are always smiling, giggling and yelling "JAMBO!!" I'm not a very sensitive or emotional person, but probably the hardest moment of the trip was when we were at an orphanage and got to play with the kids for a while. Putting them down and walking away was very difficult. They all cry a lot because they are so starved for attention, they will do anything to get your attention and be held for a few minutes.

 

[Bibien]

I captioned these so it tells a bit about what we were doing:

http://www.dutchbingo.net/TanzaniaJanuary2005/index.html

This was the official course description:

http://www.calvin.edu/academic/off-campus/interim/interim_04/tanzania.htm

Awesome pictures! I'm so jealous! Thanks for this story, I've enjoyed reading it.

Putting them down and walking away was very difficult. They all cry a lot because they are so starved for attention, they will do anything to get your attention and be held for a few minutes.

Yes, that's hard.. I had a similar experience years ago in Guatemala. I did some volunteer work there and when we had some time off we played with children whose parents were murdered, or children who lived on the street etc. But when we left a few months later they wouldn't let us go. They started crying, screaming,.. Really, your heart breaks

Anyway, congrats on meeting B. soon! And very nice of you to take some people of Interference with you!

 

[bonosloveslave]

Well the connection I thought I had does not look very promising for coming through - so if anyone needs a dinner date please think of me...

 

[Liesje]

Yes, that's hard.. I had a similar experience years ago in Guatemala. I did some volunteer work there and when we had some time off we played with children whose parents were murdered, or children who lived on the street etc. But when we left a few months later they wouldn't let us go. They started crying, screaming,.. Really, your heart breaks

I know, it's so sad. You want to say "I'll come back for you some day, I promise!"

 

[tullygirl]

So who out there is attending this dinner? I'm curious about how many people will be there... I'm looking forward to it, still can't believe its going to happen -
Tully

 

[eep]

So who out there is attending this dinner? I'm curious about how many people will be there... I'm looking forward to it, still can't believe its going to happen -
Tully

I am.

 

[Liesje]

I am going and bringing three others from my college with me (they are U2 fans from Grand Rapids, not members here). Eep and Laura (Stories For Boys) are going and our friend Renee (psychoU2fan) is going with her friend Rick. My internship boss is going (no connection to Interference). Another Interferencer posted in the news thread that s/he's going.

Tully, what company are you going for?

I was at a dinner in Nov. at DeVos place and it's not THAT big. Sometimes they also have a screen so people at the back can see.

 

[tullygirl]

I work for a company in Ann Arbor - I'm from Grand Rapids though, so I know the place well. Apparently the Econ Club didn't care if your company was in GR or not - they let me join without a second thought.

Well thats good to know - I figured there would be other fans there like me but I was wondering how many.

Tully

 

[Liesje]

Nope, apparently they didn't much care about anything! When I initially e-mailed them, the woman taking the e-mails insisted that I just buy a membership and go. I didn't do that b/c that's way too much $$ for something I won't use beyond August (getting married and moving), but hey they suggested it! Are you taking any Interferencers with you?

 

[bonosloveslave]

If I cave and buy a membership, does any one know what the deadline is to sign up for the dinner?

 

[Liesje]

If I cave and buy a membership, does any one know what the deadline is to sign up for the dinner?

The registrations went out the first week of April and I think the last deadline is the 26th, unless they reach the limit before that. That's how I understood it from their people.

 

[Miroslava]

Good luck everyone Hope you make it Beth!

So glad you get to go Lies! I know this a topic you really care for and something you know quite a bit about.

I am not even going to try, though the temptation is there. Woud love to hear him speak one day.

 

[lauramullen]

Ditto on what Miroslava wrote.

 

[DesiresFire27]

Anyone have a spare ticket? I'm willing to pay cash, take a train, and reschedule an exam in the name of Bono! In my eyes this is probably a once an a lifetime deal. If you have any insider info about where to meet the man, if he is elusive at the event please email me at GreenFairy2727@aol.
Bono is a role model in my eyes, and I only want to say hello not stalk him around Grand Rapids.
If I go to G.R its to visit a friend and tour the town, not just Bono.

 

[Liesje]

ooo, I just found out Laura and Eep will be seated near the front!

 

[eep]

ooo, I just found out Laura and Eep will be seated near the front!

HOW did you find this out?? If that's the case, we need to get Laura to bring her camera - mine sucks.

 

[tullygirl]

yeah - I got my ticket last week and they said nothing about seating - they said seating is guaranteed but didn't assign a location. Also they said no cameras.

The thing I'm interested in finding out is where we can wait outside the building for an autograph/sighting?

Tully

 

[bono_212]

I'm really thinking about going just to hang around and maybe get a photo (i'm such a loser ) it's just that Grand Rapids is SOOOO close, and i'd be kicking myself for weeks if i pass the chance

 

[silvrlvr]

Nope, apparently they didn't much care about anything! When I initially e-mailed them, the woman taking the e-mails insisted that I just buy a membership and go. I didn't do that b/c that's way too much $$ for something I won't use beyond August (getting married and moving), but hey they suggested it! Are you taking any Interferencers with you?

Not sure how much a membership cost but the ticket was less than I paid to see U2 from not-very-good-seats at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

 

[Liesje]

yeah - I got my ticket last week and they said nothing about seating - they said seating is guaranteed but didn't assign a location. Also they said no cameras.

It's kind of a long story. My friends and I put in a number of seating requests and bla bla bla and in one follow up, the econ club employee said my people couldn't sit with my friends b/c they were with someone who was under a different membership. But as it turns out, they're not actually sitting with the people they signed up with....so, long story short, I've got it straightened out in my mind and we're all seated with/near each other.

They are very strict with the camera policy. If they see one, you'll be asked to check it.

 

[Liesje]

Not sure how much a membership cost but the ticket was less than I paid to see U2 from not-very-good-seats at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

There's different types of memberships. The one I'm using is an academic one that belongs to a Professor, so it was cheaper than all the others. I think the "regular" memberships are $175/year.

 

[eep]

Also they said no cameras.

That's alright. Not that I was going to take many, just for memories anyway.

9 days!

 

[jobob]

Good luck everyone Hope you make it Beth!

So glad you get to go Lies! I know this a topic you really care for and something you know quite a bit about.

I am not even going to try, though the temptation is there. Woud love to hear him speak one day.

I'm still holding out hope he'll speak at the Detroit Economic Club someday.

Enjoy, those of you who will see Bono soon in GR!

 

[psychou2fan]

Yup, I'm going, and I got Eep and Laura in too. We're going to have a blast. This is our city, yeah!!!! Plus, we get to have a U2 viewing night on my big tv

 

[Liesje]

I'm so pumped! I finally found something to wear!!!

 

[psychou2fan]

Did you go with that dress similar to mine?

 

[Liesje]

No, I just bought three from the mall. It was the LAST store I was going to try (I've been going places for the past week) and they were all under $30 so I got three for weddings this summer and Phil's aunt is having a co-ed wedding shower/cocktail party for us at her swanky place in Chicago. They're all really different, I'll send you some pics b/c I'm not sure which one is most appropriate...