We’re so excited to let you meet Aletheia – our Communications Intern.  Alethiea volunteers her time and talents to make Interaction’s social media presence cohesive and visually pleasing.  She is doing a great job!  We’re so glad to have her on the team this summer.  Recently, she answered a few questions so you can get to know her better.

 

Without further ado, here’s your chance to meet Aletheia – our communications intern.

Meet Aletheia: The Nuts and Bolts

Who are you?  (What’s your name–at least the one we should call you.)  

My name is Aletheia Spangler, but in high school I went by Ali.

Where have you lived?  And in which place does your toothbrush currently reside?

I have lived in a bunch of different places in the United States, but also in France and Cameroon. This summer I’m staying in Arizona with my grandparents, and during the school year I am at John Brown University in Arkansas.

 

Of all the places you’ve lived, what’s a must see or do in one of them? 

I think one of my favorite things I’ve ever done was go on safari, but not in Kenya, in Cameroon. Cameroon has several national parks and a few hunting camps, especially in the northern region. My family and I went up and stayed at one of them during spring break my Senior year and I would recommend it to anyone who’s willing to bear the heat and roads. I think what made it so special was not that we saw lions and giraffes so much as that the safari was in West/Central Africa as opposed to Kenya. Nothing against Kenya, I’m just thankful I got to see the wildlife in my corner of the continent and if you can, I’d totally recommend going!

 

In a nutshell, what’s your role at Interaction International? 

I am an intern here at Interaction International and I get to help with their social media accounts. What that ends up looking like is creating, scheduling and posting about the different things Interaction is involved with.

 

Why Interaction? 

I wanted to work for Interaction because I believe in the work that they are doing, but also because I was seriously impacted by the organization through some of their programs and I want to be able to help more TCKs be reached. The staff at Interaction has proven time and time again that they know what they’re talking about and they have the ‘street cred’ to be respected by me and other TCKs I know who I’ve gone through their programs with. So when I was given the opportunity to be an intern with them, I jumped at it.

Meet Aletheia: The Life of the Mind

What book(s) are you currently reading/listening to? 

While I don’t read much nonfiction, I am reading The Girls Who Stepped Out of Line by Mari K. Eder, along with the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan.

 

What’s one of your favorite movies?  Why do you like it so much? 

One of my all time favorite movies is The Emperor’s New Groove. It’s got amazing storytelling, it’s hilarious, and it’s good for the whole family. As an eldest of five, that’s an important quality in a movie.

:Meet Aletheia: Important People and some Bucket Lists

Who makes up your family?  Are there any TCKs in the mix? 

I am the eldest of five kids. I have two brothers and two sisters, in that order. My parents are missionaries in Cameroon. My dad is a helicopter pilot and my mom is a mechanic. Me and my siblings are all TCKs, but my parents are not.

 

Who have been the most influential people in your life? Who speaks into you?

I think the most influential people in my life have been my mother and several of her friends, both stateside and on the field. I have learned so much from all of them about life, parenting, people, being christian women who are strong in their faith and on fire for God in so many different positions with so many different giftings.

I really appreciate all of them for their wisdom, encouragement and occasional rebukes over the years, both directed at me and what I have learned from listening to them.

 

What are three bucket list places for you to visit? 

I would love to visit Thailand with one of my friends, I would also love to go to Switzerland and Italy.

 

What are three bucket list experiences you would like to have?

I would love to publish my own novel some day, as well as get my private pilot’s license (probably for small planes, not helicopters, though, sorry Dad!) and go on a roadtrip with my siblings.

 

Which person from the Bible, other than any part of the Trinity, would you like to sit with and have a conversation?  What would you like them to talk about? 

I would love to sit and have a conversation with Ruth, Mary (Jesus’s mother) or Mary Magdalene. I would want to chat with them about their faith, and what it was like for them living cross-culturally in their respective times.

 

What do you want everyone who reads this to know about you? 

I am a huge nerd and I also enjoy hanging out with other people who are big nerds and listening to them talk about whatever they’re passionate about. I’m a strong believer in the idea that everyone is a nerd about something, be it doctors chatting about their cases, pilots discussing aircraft, or college students talking about movies.

The Most Important Question

 Marvel or DC?  Favorite character?  Why? 

Marvel all the way. One of my favorite characters from Marvel is Peggy Carter, because she is a very strong and independent woman while still being classy. In some ways she reminds me of my mom and other women who I deeply respect and want to be like when I grow up.

And now you can count yourself among the privileged because you got to meet Aletheia – our Communications Intern!  Bret and Sheryl first met Aletheia during the pandemic on TCK Connect.  Last year we had the privilege of getting to meet her in person at Transit Lounge.  We are thankful she could join our team this summer.