Tell Me Your Story 2.29

James has been working with the Program on Negotiation since 2001. Born in Rochelle, NY from Irish descendants, his parents chose to relocate to Cape Cod where James lived until finishing high school. He describes his childhood as peaceful and safe and recalls the trips his family would take back to NY to visit relatives. While in high school, he spent a summer semester in Israel through a school exchange program and had the opportunity to travel around the country with his host father. James went to Brown University and spent his junior year at the American University in Cairo, Egypt, learning Arabic and Middle-Eastern politics. He enjoyed exploring the areas in town and took train trips to other countryside villages which helped him to improve learning the language faster. James has become a well-versed traveler. He and Edgar talk about his trip to Brazil, where he survived 10 days of carnival between Rio and Sao Paulo. In addition to his travels, James also worked at the University radio station. He majored in International Relations, and after graduating from college, a friend invited him to visit Nairobi, Kenya. Soon after arriving in Kenya, a coup started and he and his friend had to flee the country through the mountains to find safe place in Uganda. Through his work at HLS, James has had other opportunities to travel, and was able to go back to the same Egyptian neighborhood he had lived in during his college years. Stay tuned for the second episode, where Edgar and James discuss the work he does with PON at HLS.