Author Archives: Al Doerksen

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About Al Doerksen

I'm sort of a vocational tramp; my working career divides about evenly between non-profit and the business worlds. I have lived in Mexico, India, Germany and Canada, and now USA. I've had the good fortune to travel to 90 countries of which at least half are developing countries. The last 25 years of my "career" have involved significant (and enjoyable) international management challenges: travel industry, furniture manufacturing, food (aid) programming and ultraviolet water treatment among others. I'm now leading a development enterprise called IDE.

Seventy Five

Posted on May 10, 2023 by Al Doerksen

It seems that my last word blog was published in 2017, so maybe the completion of 75 trips around the sun is a good reason for a bit of reflection. After my retirement from paid work, I morphed into a … Continue reading →

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Visual CV – Who am I?

Posted on February 17, 2017 by Al Doerksen

A friend, Timothy Neesam introduced me to the notion of contemplative photography via Kim Manley Ort. One of her ideas is to create a visual CV. It’s an interesting notion: a visual response to a series of questions about oneself.  Without further … Continue reading →

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Bob

Posted on December 14, 2016 by Al Doerksen

Having visited a few of the washrooms at John Bergen’s City Cafes in Kitchener & Cambridge I already knew that Bob was an accomplished model, so when el esposo de la prima de mi esposa (the husband of my wife’s … Continue reading →

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Engaging Strangers

Posted on December 6, 2015 by Al Doerksen

One thousand days ago I started posting a single photo (blip) daily to a global site in which users ran journals, attracted friends and became part of a global virtual community.  Getting these 1000 photos (each taken on the day … Continue reading →

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Crossing the border

Posted on November 12, 2015 by Al Doerksen

We were walking along US Mexico border wall just east of Douglas, AZ.  We were headed up a small hill for a better vantage point, we could see a Border Patrol truck sitting at the top.  As we neared the … Continue reading →

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Full Frame Photography

Posted on March 3, 2015 by Al Doerksen

It’s been two years since I started posting a daily photo; in all cases a photo taken on the day it was posted.  I am gratified to have well over 200,000 views of these nearly 720 images.  [Most days I … Continue reading →

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Get a World View

Posted on July 15, 2014 by Al Doerksen

Since I last wrote about my daily “blipping” activity, we have relocated from Mexico to Colorado where we sold our home, and then carried on to Waterloo, Ontario.  We are missing Mexico, and are certainly missing Colorado big time, but … Continue reading →

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Sombreros and stilettos

Posted on February 22, 2014 by Al Doerksen

So we’re back in one of our favorite (and warmest) Nafta countries – Mexico – and my daily “blipping” has continued.  Over 300 entries so far with nearly 80,000 views.  Zihuatanejo is just a little part of the Mexican cosmos … Continue reading →

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Leaving Mexico

Posted on December 12, 2013 by Al Doerksen

I left Mexico for the first time over 60 years ago.  I was 4 or 5 at the time; my parents had wanted to be missionaries in the state of Chihuahua but were unable to secure long term visas.  So … Continue reading →

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The Streets of Winnipeg

Posted on October 20, 2013 by Al Doerksen

It was great to re-visit Winnipeg this October 2013.  Starbucks, Grove Bar, Keg, Cholestrol Café, iDE office, Stella’s on Sherbrook, Tall Grass Prairie, FORKS, Donwood Manor, McNally’s – I managed them all, and some more than once.   I/we have so … Continue reading →

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