Lost in Translation – Part 2

Our first storyteller is Ben Catton, a tall man in Chile who tries to connect with a Deaf grandmother, culminating in the around a parakeet cage. Ben calls his story “Periquitos”

📷Donal Lakatua

Ben Catton is Missoula born and raised but spent the majority of his adult life elsewhere, orbiting to Wyoming, Idaho, Wisconsin, Alaska, and Chile. In the midst of those orbits, he studied at the University of Montana to become a teacher and he has taught high school English and Spanish. Currently, he’s pursuing a Masters degree in Public Administration and is back at UM. He and his wife Jessie are doing their best to raise two kiddos to be silly, adventurous, kind, and curious. 

 

Next up is Ren Parker loves slow travel. She prefers buses and trains and one day finds herself on a train to Cambodia whose tracks end just across the border. Ren calls her story “Slow Travel”.

📷Donal Lakatua

Ren Parker grew up in Hawaii and lived on sailboats she restored on the Pacific for seven years. She gave up her nomadic ways and moved back to Missoula three years ago to be close to family and has been growing roots here ever since. Ren loves to dance and hike with her faithful dog, Poet. And spend time with her remarkable Missoula friends. She found her passion for storytelling this winter in a weekly open mic, Word Dog.

Next up is Abe Kurien shares his story of woe in which his Indian father mistakenly puts “Sugar Daddy” on the back of his van, thinking it means “one who gives candy to loved ones.” Abe calls his story “Middle East meets the Midwest