So….I’ve been interviewing girls from a variety of high schools in the San Francisco Bay Area for my book roughly 2 months now. I’m truly enjoying the process and appreciate that the schools are allowing me in and that the girls are comfortable and (hopefully) honest with the information they share with me.  Some of the information is very insightful, enlightening, and sometimes surprising. I’ve spoken with some teen girls where I never wanted the interview to end.  Other times it was almost painful, trying to find something that connected with them and that they wanted to talk to me about. For those girls, I wonder “why did you choose to do this interview?’  I have been blown away by their openness and sometimes by their innocence. It’s completely contrasting to talk to a girl who is academically bright and can name for me her top 5 college choices while only in her sophomore year, yet in the next sentence asks me if I think she’s fat. I’ve been  pleasantly surprised by their wisdom, their concern for the environment and the well-being of others in war torn countries. While I’ve also been angered by their lack of self value and their unwillingness to stand up for what is right.

But this is a journey and there are many more girls for me to interview. I look forward to being surprised, disappointed, enlightened and sometimes saddened each and every time.  Thank you