After a too-long hiatus, T&S is happy to announce that our guest-blogging machinery is slowly creaking back to life…. And we’re especially happy to announce that the first of (what we hope to be) several guest-bloggers familiar to our readers is Erica Merrell–better known to almost all as “Amira,” the thoughtful writer behind The Golden Road to Samarqand and the ringleader of the group blog Conversation. Erica currently lives in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, about as far away from a Mormon community of any size as you can possibly get; her husband is teaching law on a Fulbright there, and her adventures make for delightful reading (try this one, and this one), and sometimes heartbreaking reading too (see here and here). She has degrees in international reations, Near Eastern studies and Arabic, loves to read and learn about “anything international” and watch geysers erupt. Erica will be sharing her thoughts with us for the next couple weeks. Erica, welcome aboard!
LDS Newsroom
- Frances B. Monson, Wife of President Thomas S. Monson, Passes Away May 17, 2013
- Elder Dallin H. Oaks Honored for Championing Religious Freedom May 16, 2013
- Rendering of Meridian Idaho Mormon Temple Now Public May 15, 2013
- Mormonism in the News: Getting It Right| 15 May 2013 May 15, 2013
- Mormons Around the World: Country Newsroom Websites |14 May 2013 May 14, 2013
- Mormon Delegation Encourages Religious Dialogue at International Conference May 14, 2013
- Church Donates More Than 1 Million Pounds of Food to Top Hunger-Relief Organization May 9, 2013
- Mormons Around the World: Country Newsroom Websites | May 9 May 9, 2013
- Mormonism in the News: Getting It Right | 8 May 2013 May 8, 2013
- Angel Moroni Statue Placed on Ogden Temple May 7, 2013
Return of the Guest-Bloggers: T&S Welcomes Erica (Amira) Merrell
11 Responses to Return of the Guest-Bloggers: T&S Welcomes Erica (Amira) Merrell
Conferences and Events
- American Society of Church History Annual Meeting
- American Academy of Religion/Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting
- Communal Studies Association Annual Meeting
- Society for the Scientific Study of Religion/Religious Research Association
- Western History Association Annual Conference
- Utah State Historical Society Annual Meeting
- Center for Studies on New Religions
- Mormon History Association
- European Mormon Studies Association Conference
- Sunstone Symposium
Welcome Erica! We’re so glad you’ve agreed to guest at T&S for awhile. I’m looking forward to your posts.
Erica, given how much we’ve enjoyed your responses here and the intelligence, compassion, and wit of your posts other places, I’m looking forward to your “visit” with us. Thanks.
Awesome!
Although I thought Amira was your real first name.
Welcome!
Cool! I’m surprised she hasn’t been doing this earlier.
Thanks! What a nice welcome to wake up to. I am looking foward to this.
Hooray, I’m anxiously looking forward to reading your posts. I’m already a big Amira fan!
Yup, me, too. I had no idea you were so educated. I thought you were just an ordinary girl in a foreign country. :)
I thought your name was Amira, too! One of my best friends is named Amira and for a moment when I first saw your comments I thought you were her. :-)
uhhh… she. (blushes)
annegb, I’m not quite as educated as it sounds. I actually just have a BA in international relations and NES with a minor in Arabic. And since I don’t know if we’ll ever live near a school that offers anything like Central Asian politics, I’m probably out of luck for a masters degree.