Como Say What?

it is time. . .

2011-07-31T17:33:00.001-07:00

time to say. . .

so long, farewell, au wiedersehen, goodbye. . .

goodbye - dear, sweet como say what? {at} blogspot . . . hello - new, fun como say what? {at} wordpress !!!

i've MOVED:

http://gracefarson.wordpress.com/

check it out!

p.s. please take a minute to change this new address over in your google reader! thanks. all the love! a new blog awaits. . .

packing

2011-07-29T07:55:00.001-07:00

i like packing.

. . . even if that is all i have been doing - packing and unpacking - these past few months. . .

in a bit mom and i are off to go see sisters in charlottesville! this will be the first time in months since all four of us have been together. we couldn't be more excited. abby is kicking her husband out of the house and we plan to do all the things we do best - talk, laugh, and eat.

have a beautiful, sunny weekend world. . .

also:

* i doubt i could be any more obsessed with this song

* my family and our epic email chains. thx a for posting this. it will forever make me laugh.

* beautiful, creative, hipsters who entertain

{picture 1.) new fave nail polish color, 2.) packing another bag, & 3.) what i am bringing on the journey}

how to make old jeans new again

2011-07-29T07:14:00.001-07:00

i can never refuse a second-hand item with potential!

brandi passed this jean skirt and jacket down and i decided to have a little fun with them.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

how to make old jeans new again:

1.) cut them

2.) make them look worn and loved with sandpaper

3.) bleach them with a spray bottle full of concentrated bleach

4.) wash them

5.) wear them

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

simple as that.

thanks b for the new clothes!

new zealand landscapes

2011-07-24T12:34:00.000-07:00

more of beautiful, inspiring, lake tekapo and the church of the good shepherd here!

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ any ideas of where i could find a lovely colorful quilt for cheap? i am smitten with this one, but not the price tag. been dorm shopping. still just need to find some bedding. . . pyrex, brita water filter, knives, and cutlery now in my hands though!

+ my friend ric's absolutely stellar photography portfolio. he's brilliant. just look at this one from varanasi

+ happy sunday. hope wherever you are, you are reading the times!

the south

2011-07-21T19:38:00.000-07:00

. . . farmers markets in south carolina. . .

atl fun

2011-07-21T19:21:00.000-07:00

enjoy the massive photo collection!

1.) bets, mom, & me in the mart
2.) night time on the balcony of the hotel {watching the sunset over the city } with bets
3.) view from our room
4.) grace fearson! {the name badge i get every year. even if it is wrong, i won't change it}
5.) greasy dinner at the world's largest drive-in {the varsity}
6.) mom & me at dinner {cannot even remember the last time i had a hot dog}
7.) we paid for dinner with all two dollar bills
8.) a showroom in the mart
9.) more varsity photos
10.) queen betsy
11.) indian inspired
12.) my coronation
13.) bets in halloween attire
14.) long, very funny story {but one that would not translate online}
15.) all the levels of the market
16.) first day enthusiasm
17.) hotlanta
18.) never grew up
19.) sexy working women

a few of my favorite things

2011-07-21T18:32:00.000-07:00

home again after a hectic couple of days in atlanta and chapel hill!

just thought i'd share a few photos of my recent favorite things this week. even though all i have been doing is traveling these past few months, i still love this lifestyle. living out of a bag is fun, going from place to place is still fun.

+ + + + + +

favorite things:

+ old{er} silver watch rediscovered!

+ swanky new 13" macbook pro {with both mac and windows 7 capabilities! how this is even possible, i havent the slightest idea}

+ homemade channa masala, chipatti, and raita {recipe or non- recipe to come! . . . i made this without any recipe or measuring cup and it tasted mighty good. i already miss indian food and this is the second missing india meal i have made since i have been back}

+ + + + + +

more favorite things {not pictured}:

+ eating animals by jonathan safran foer {my summer reading for carolina. so glad we freshers got a good one}

+ djuna bel's closet visit

+ fire fall down song by hillsong {i drove to chapel hill at 4:30 monday morning and found a radio station that played this song. it was the perfect way to start a morning with the sun. also it meant a lot because it was a song that i brought with me on my travels abroad and used to love singing at davidson worship}

+ seeing friends from the past and hearing their stories

+ talking and texting friends and family {still weird being able to talk on the phone to loved ones after living without a phone for so long!}

in atlanta

2011-07-15T16:42:00.000-07:00

. . . quick update from atlanta!

mom, bets, & i made it safe and sound to hotlanta wednesday afternoon. we're here shopping for the store and get back sunday night. i leave for chapel hill sometime monday morn. and should be back for the rest of the week on tuesday.

good to have some time with my momma and bets {and even alex grey for a night} - lots of walking, shopping, eating, and laughing these past few days.

hope you are having a special week!

{photo from another one of my favorite cities - nyc. there is nothing quite like nyc in the fall!}

same, same but different

2011-07-10T10:15:00.000-07:00

in nepal they have this saying - same, same but different. . .

it might not make sense outside of wonderfully bizarre nepal, but i love it. it explains absolutely nothing about nepal. . . but at the same time it explains a lot. essentially, that's nepal for you.

when i think about it, that's how i feel about home right now. . . it's the same as always but still there is something different. . . maybe it's just me that is a bit different now. don't get me wrong, it feels great to be back but big transitions are always a bit rough.

currently working through more photos - decided to start with the ones i took with my baby cam.

other thoughts:

+ getting a much needed haircut on tuesday. . . thinking bangs again. . . yes or no?

+ my time with abby & guion went by too fast this weekend

+ saw that asheville {and the asheville yoga center} were mentioned as yoga destinations in a recent yoga journal . wish i had the time and money to go to a-ville this summer to see s and take some yoga classes. . .

+ new bios of female abstract artists lee krasner & joan mitchell {i've liked mitchell's work for a bit but krasner's work is sorta new to me. i like it very much and look forward to reading these bios. p.s. krasner was married to pollack!}

+ when the world spoke french {want to read this}

+ 17 year old art curator {when i read this. . . i think what went wrong? why wasn't i doing that at 17? i have regrets about not being more involved in the arts in high school}

+ basking in the presence of an ever-changing god

+ in case you haven't noticed. . . i spend most sundays reading the times. i think it's so classy and i've missed it much over the past few months.

+ song of the day - heads will roll

{photo over kathmandu in monsoon season from my flight from delhi back to the city}

what i've done

2011-07-09T22:14:00.001-07:00

even though i've been here for a week now, i am still having a hard time facing the realities of being home again. it has been a bit rough sleeping through the night {in a safe and comfy bed nonetheless}, finding the time to unpack and clean up my messes {poor family. the grace monster and her messes are back - paints and brushes and clothes and gifts are now in every corner of our once perfectly clean house}, and finding foods that don't upset my confused stomach. in addition to all of those little things, i am still finding it hard to adjust to normal life {whatever that means} in other areas as well.

when it comes down to it, i have realized i really haven't had much time to even think through all that i just experienced. . .

here's to remembering!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

just a few of the things i did with my time abroad:

* survived on my own for half a year {i did have to face my pride and ask the parents for a bit of a loan, but i am proud to say i made it home with exactly $13 in the bank account}
*bungy jumped where it originated
* cruised the milford sounds on a boat
* hitchhiked around nz
* rode on a ferry and a water taxi
* wwoofed on two different farms on the south island, nz
* got a real, paying job in nz {harvested garlic and worked on a beautiful vineyard}
* opened an international bank account
* saw the sydney opera house
* got stuck in china without a visa and got interrogated by chinese officials {!}
* ate red meat again for the first time in two years
* made a documentary film with the people at psi - population services international {washington and nepal branches} and the wonderful and talented mary olive smith
*learned ali ali {a little} of the nepali and hindi languages {my telegu is still sad}
* saw rhinos, elephants, crocodiles, deer, monkeys, peacocks, camels, and other rare birds in their natural habitats
* rowed boats on lakes in nepal
* rode on the roof of local buses in nepal
* read lots of books both good and bad
* flew long distances and sometimes short on a lot of different planes
* filled up three journals with my notes and paintings
* traveled by train, jeep, and bus in india {and survived}
*rowed a boat down the ganges at sunrise
* took a bath with an elephant
*rode a camel through the desert for two days
* saw the lights of pakistan
* saw kangchenjuga {the third highest mountain in the world} and the everest mountain range
* trekked the annapurna circuit and through the world's longest mountain pass {at 5,416 meters . . . nearly 18,000 feet!}
* waded up to my knees in the ganges and lived to tell about it
* had a tea tasting on a plantation in darjeeling
* visited friends in india
* made lots of new friends and connections around the world
* volunteered working on bio-gas projections and teaching english in southern nepal
* learned how to make dal bhat, mo:mos, pakoda, proper chai tea, and other delicious curries
* learned how to drive a motorcycle
* got my first tattoo
* walked around barefoot a lot
* bought lots of gifts for myself and my loved ones
* designed some clothes and had them made at a tailor
* had a 70 year-old nepali guru for a while
* kept up with my yoga and meditation practice
* bought a sari and learned how to wear one!
* had natural dreds in my hair for a while {still have one in as a souvenir i guess. no one is a big fan}
* learned a lot about the world and her people
* fell in love on a daily basis

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

photo 1: riding the mini bus in ktm, nepal

photo 2: frisbee golfing barefoot in queenstown, nz

photo 3: meditation time in the airport, delhi, india

where i've been

2011-07-09T21:18:00.000-07:00

photos from all six countries i visited on my little trot around the globe.

i tried making a google map of all the places i visited {might still get around to doing this} but i quickly gave up. . . if i do, i'll be sure to post it!

just getting started sorting through my photos. . . it might take me years, but i thought the least i could do was share a little of what is to come!

+ i will continue to post more photos on my photography site {agfarson[dot]wordpress[dot]com}

home

2011-07-06T06:26:00.000-07:00

i made it back to where i started.

*see the video of my homecoming by my father. high-pitched squeals, hugs, funny comments, and all!

{all images by the baby cam. in and around kathmandu}

tell the world. . .

2011-06-30T20:02:00.000-07:00

3 continents, 6 countries, and over 6 months later. . .

I'M COMING HOME.

{even before i left this was my designated coming home song, but now it's real. singing this walking off the plane for sure}

friends, tonight i board a plane to qatar. after a few hours in the doha airport, i'm off to nyc and from nyc - HOME.

i am filled with such a mix of emotions right now i am going to be a mess when i walk off that plane in charlotte in two days. it is all very bittersweet.

as much as i have loved, enjoyed, cherished these past few months abroad - all the funny stories, making new friends, exploring old and new cities, getting lost, trying out new foods {and learning to make them!}, taking photos, writing in my journals, reading for hours {entirely uninterrupted}, seeing some of the world's largest cities for the first time, a life of true adventure, painting and drawing, the daily excitement, the constant change, and feeling the true sense of victory when i overcame something really difficult or challenging - {just to name a few!} - i am really looking forward to HOME.

just some of the things i am looking forward to:

- that first hug from my family & friends . . . seeing them all for the first time in HALF A YEAR!

- painting on real canvases

- going to church

- sleeping in my first clean and comfortable bed in HALF A YEAR {no more rats, poisonous snakes, roaches, spiders, bed bugs, lice, urine stains, wood mattresses [yes] to worry about!}

- cooking in mom's kitchen {and eating her amazing homegrown foods!}

- kale

- editing and posting photos {on my new lappy!!! no more internet cafes y'all}

- being able to walk down the street without being stared at, shouted at, and asked if they could take their photo with me {realized on this trip i am so not cut out to be a celebrity}. i cannot wait to get back and simply blend-in

- unpacking and staying unpacked

- reading books from a library

- playing sports with family and friends

- sharing stories and hearing stories

- driving things

- working {knowing i am actually earning rather than only spending!}. . . paying off my little debt that i owe to my parents!

-planning for the next four years at uni

- getting back to a classroom and real schoolwork

- running

- yoga classes and teaching!

- learning new things back home too {this is the year i learn to sew and knit mind you}

- playing with new babies and puppies

- davidson

- nc weather {and a/c and pools and being able to wear shorts in hot weather!}

-clean water

- writing letters

i still have A LOT to still write and share about this little journey of mine, so stay tuned! . . .but for now, i'm just focused on getting HOME.

this was the best decision i have ever made in my life and i am forever thankful for all that i have had the chance to see and do. i feel so loved and so blessed. thanks for all your support too lovies!

signing off for the last time from kathmandu,

xoxox

p.s. tonight there will be tears.

{photo from flickr}

so little time left

2011-06-25T05:11:00.001-07:00

hard to believe it. . . just where does time go when you travel?

in just three days i'll be back in kathmandu!

instead of killing myself to get back to this place, i have opted to take the expensive {though more practical} route back into nepal. a direct flight from delhi to ktm.

currently in pushkar having a killer time and i look forward to seeing friends in delhi tomorrow afternoon {after my LAST long train ride in india for a while!}

all the love!

three little things

2011-06-20T05:58:00.001-07:00

+ just finished a fabulous book {may you be the mother of a hundred sons} this afternoon in udaipur. a certain lovely lady recommended it to me last time we were in india, and i finally got around to reading it. i think you should read it too.

+ tonight = overnight sleeper bus in the desert! in the morning i'll be in jodhpur {a famously blue city}

+ eleven days. in eleven days i'll board a plane. it's unreal.

bombay for dreamers

2011-06-16T06:32:00.000-07:00

i made it to mumbai world!

this place is wayy better than i thought it would be, in fact, i don't particularly want to leave anytime soon, but in the afternoon tomorrow, i'm off to rajasthan {starting in udaipur [a.k.a the city of lakes] for those of you who are interested in a more specific travel itinerary!}

leaving bapatla was hard and i hate not being able to answer the questions "when are you coming back? coming for christmas?coming next year???" the truth is i don't know. i really didn't even know i would be fortunate enough to make it back there after two years. i am so happy to have had the chance to get back there. i felt truly at home there and it was well worth the long journeys and expense of getting down there.

my journey into mumbai wasn't ideal {it had me coming into this crazy city at 4:30 in the morning without a place to stay [after 24 hours on a train too!]} but everything worked out and the salvation army house thankfully let me sleep on the floor of the kitchen until check-in time at 7:30 {dear friends and fellow travelers, here's a tip for you - travel with a lightweight yoga mat. always. it has saved my life more than once on this trip}.

once i got showered, changed, i got to do one of my most favorite things in life - wander through a new city. i found mumbai {or at least the parts of what i have seen today} surprisingly charming. i haven't seen or experienced the pressures of shantaram's world. . . yet.

i met a group of sweet swedish nurses tonight at the gateway to india {sometimes being a tourist is quite fun. . . esp. when you are an instant celebrity. more photos were taken of me and the swedes than the "gateway" itself today.} . . . and now i'm off to a little dinner with them.

p.s. my sister is wonderful. please read her most recent post about the blog world. i don't have any real reasons for keeping this blog myself. i am no writer but i do love to share what inspires me throughout the day. . . most of the time i know i am writing to myself, but ultimately it is a ridiculously fun way to document time. one of these days i will actually get around to writing about meaningful stuff . . . but for now, i'm sticking to my travel agenda and what i am doing from day to day. . . read it or not. . .

p.p.s. it is absolutely killing me not being able to post photos. . . i have seen some amazing things in india this time around and i am afraid my limited vocabulary doesn't even begin to capture this place.

until next time world. . .

little letters

2011-06-12T05:02:00.000-07:00

dear blog,

sorry i have been a lame blogger. internet is slow and without recent photos to post i just haven't felt much like blogging.

dear ipod,

please have enough battery to get me through the next few train/bus rides. please.

dear indian summers,

you're hot.

dear random facebook messages from people i have only met once,

i've received lots of you this past week and they've all been great, very affirming. keep 'em coming.

dear bapatla,

you are awesome. i love you. thanks for the good times.

dear women of the kitchen here in bapatla,

thanks for letting me help out. i've missed cooking dearly and i've loved learning new things from you. also, where can i get my hands on one of those fancy/ not so fancy knives/ blades? i want one to come home with me.

dear family bank,

thank you for the loan. without you, i would be sleeping in the streets in india. one of these days i will have a job again and pay you back!

dear johnson,

thanks for the driving lessons. i can now officially mark off - "learn to drive a motorcycle" on my life list. one of these days i'll see all of india by bike. i just know it.

dear ice cream, polaroid cameras, and red ray ban wayfarers,

i would like all of you to be a part of my life when i get home.

dear future dorm room,

i cannot stop thinking of all the ways i want to decorate you. i just hope i will follow through with some of these ideas. it will be rad.

dear clothes being made at the tailors,

please fit. remember, my arms are not indian sized.

dear camera {s},

you're dirty and need a good clean after all this traveln'.

dear rihanna,

one of these days we're going to be so close you're going to call me up on the phone whenever you've got man problems. i just know it.

dear family and friends and america,

i miss you more than i can say. three weeks. then this is all over.

{photo from india two years ago}

where i am now

2011-06-09T00:10:00.001-07:00

after two years, i've made it back to bapatla!

i went through hell to get here, {the train from varanasi to vijayawada took 31 hours. yes, 31 and unless you have traveled long distances on indian trains before, you have no idea how challenging they can be!} but as soon as i saw johnson at the train station, i was the happiest person on earth.

not long after i got in, got showered, i was whisked off to not one, but two weddings in the local villages last night. let's just say i was reminded once again why i love india so much!

i did not realize how much i missed this place until i got here.

most of the childrens are still on summer vacation, but most should be here by the time i have to leave.

more to come. . .

but for now, enjoy the photo from the water fight two years ago. . .

happy {early} birthday sam!

2011-06-04T02:16:00.001-07:00

little bro peep,

i get this feeling you are going to be twice as tall when i get home, have a girlfriend, and act all mature and grown up. this, is not allowed i am afriad.

hope that you have a fantastic 17th birthday tomorrow.

love you and miss you dearly,

your big sis,

{photo of sam and i sometime in the winter last year}

happy happy {belated} birthday maria

2011-06-04T01:55:00.000-07:00

dear mac,

sorry i couldn't be there to celebrate with you this year. remember last year we got to celebrate at the beach?!

it has been unfair going this long without seeing you and i absolutely cannot wait to hug you.

you are amazing in every way and i love everything about you.

i know full well that you will have a great year of LIFE!

xoxo,

{photo from charleston trip '10}

tea, darjeeling, and all that jazz

2011-05-27T07:07:00.000-07:00

i survived the longest bus ride in history and made my way to beautiful darjeeling!

this place is unlike anywhere i have ever been before. . . it is nothing like the india i am used to, a little like nepal, and a good bit like england! i only wish i could share a photo. . . it will just have to wait friends.

the tea is all that it is cracked up to be. i'm all cracked up on caffeine everyday thanks to all the tea. i just cannot resist it with every meal. although i still have lots to learn about tea, i got a good introductory lesson about tea today from a nice darjeeling local today.

tomorrow i have an appointment on a train. i cannot wait. its a tad touristy, but it is the cutest thing ever. feeling like a kid again in darjeeling!

xoxo

p.s. i miss my family. i miss snuggling with the sister shasties and the mother one, playing frisbee and other sports with the dudes, and my mother's amazing food . . . they are awesome and i cannot believe i have been away from them for this long.

hey friends!

2011-05-22T19:19:00.000-07:00

so. . .

tomorrow afternoon i leave for this place. {abby linked to this man's blog and i am now obsessed}

i have to apologize for my blogging absence these past few weeks. my laptop has officially died and i am afraid from here on out you won't be seeing many of my photos. i have seen some remarkable things these past few days and i would love to share them with you all {and will. . . when i get home in july!}

i just keep hoping it will be just like this. {i have to admit, wes anderson is one of the reasons darjeeling has been on my list of places to see before i die. him and tea. those are my reasons for going. it makes no sense, me going the distance to darjeeling, but i feel good about this decision and cannot wait to see some tea plantations!}

p.s. abby also posted the pic of me on an elephant that i sent to the fam. on her flickr. . . just one of the things i've been up to these past few weeks!

back in chitwan!

2011-05-13T20:50:00.000-07:00

i love this place.

possessive me

2011-05-09T02:17:00.000-07:00

+ my momma. happy mother's day again to my favorite person in the world

+ my song of the week

+ my next plan - n. africa

{photo of me in my room here in kathmandu. everyone here knows 103 is "grace's room" and no one elses!}

que sera. . .

2011-05-09T01:34:00.000-07:00

. . . whatever will be. . . will be. . .

i feel a tad bit overwhelmed by all this unc stuff. doing all of this abroad is a little tricky. i just feel so out of touch with that side of the world/ that side of my life right now.

i'm fully here and not at all there.

in just a few days i need to:

- find a roommate

- make a list and apply for housing

- send in medical forms

- apply for a laptop grant {i actually already missed this deadline}

- apply for ctops

- and a whole lot more. . .

plus my unc onyen/account hates me and won't let me change what i need to. . .

- - - - - - - - - - - -

in nepali there is an expression - ke garne!

it can be translated as - what to do!

- - - - - - - - - - - -

and:

*que sera by wax tailor {whoa! weird sauce}

*i couldn't live without tea {i'm downing a big mug of masala tea as i write this. . . i think my favorite of all time is hot ginger, lemon, and honey. . . it's heavenly}

*off to chitwan {again} in the morning!

{i found this hat in a tiny trekking shop in pokhara. this little gem was in the middle of a pile of knockoff northface and adidas baseball caps. i was tempted to buy it just because it was so unexpected - who would have thought i'd find a unc hat in the middle of nepal! - but i opted for this outrageously orange northface one. }

annapurna circuit - day one

2011-05-04T22:59:00.000-07:00

pokhara and other things

2011-05-03T18:35:00.000-07:00

+ walking around town +

+ the view from the hotel balcony +

+ eating like kings and queens for only a few dollars +

+ beautiful lakeside in the morning +

+ all the bright blue boats +

+ phewa lake +

+ brad reading some ayn rand & drinking his nepali tea +

i liked this place a whole lot.

pokhara is the place to go before any trek in the annapurnas. it is beautiful {surrounded by that glorious mountain range!} and a lake, still touristy, but not to the same degree as kathmandu.

we went there two days before the trek- just to check it out, get our gear {trekking poles, "northface" fleece jumpsuits, gloves, you name it!}, and get all our permits and registrations in order.

other things:

+ this song is lovely {love her style, love the color, and love her fabulously decorated fingers}

+ this was posted a while back but you check out mandy's final post over at psi's healthy lives blog {some of my photos were used}

+ my trekking journal that i love a little too much

+ friends are all finishing up the school year back home . . . crazy for me to think that i could have been finishing up my freshman year. . . but. . . i choose a bit of a different path in the end. i always loved this time of year back home - so much excitement about the summer months, being done, and getting geared up to do it all over again!

+ my google reader is out of control

+ like, sarah, there are just too many things i want to do with my life {i've had too much time to think on le futur these past few months. . . remember this, this, and this? those weren't to be laughed at. . . when i think of the thing i really, really want to do though, this comes to mind. [short, sweet, and with purpose] ultimately i just want to make beautiful short films, take photos, and make art all the days of my life}

+ this brief article on india's gender inequality is so shocking. it is hard to believe that this is still so prevalent in one of the world's rising powers

+ i've been asked so many times "aren't you so excited now that osama bin laden is dead?" by the people here and i don't know how to respond to that question. sure, but i don't know enough about it and i don't feel comfortable talking with a complete stranger all about it. being away from home when something like this happens is very strange.

+ shantaram was my choice. it is every bit as epic as i thought it would be

+ just when you think you're starting to figure out a lot, you realize once again. . . you've got lots to learn about life. . . and, i'm okay with that.

three photos from that little walk of ours. . .

2011-05-01T21:46:00.000-07:00

books read a long the way. . .

2011-04-30T18:42:00.000-07:00

we had lots of down time on the trail/ at the guest houses and during the time we were away, i managed to read through all three of these - tilled earth, travels with charley, and a time to kill {*not a normal john grishom reader, but when it's all you have with you. . . you'll read it}

i must admit, i haven't read as much on this trip as i thought i would, so i thoroughly enjoyed the quiet times we had just sitting, reading a book and drinking a tea after a long day's hike.

i'm thinking shantaram next. . .

any other good book recommendations dear friends?

i already miss those mountains. . .

2011-04-30T10:10:00.000-07:00

got back to ktm this afternoon.

i'm still a good bit overwhelmed by all that just went down in those mountains. never before have i felt that small/that inspired.

legs are still sore, clothes still stink, and i've still got dreds!

{photo of sunrise + mountains + trees on the trail}

about to . . .

2011-04-17T03:34:00.000-07:00

go on a long, beautiful, and crazy trek in the himalayas y'all!

brad got in two days ago, we decided on our trek, and just got in to pokhara an hour ago. it is all moving very fast now. . . the trip from ktm to pkh was long, hot, and exactly what you expect from a long bus ride in nepal. {there is only one road out of ktm and it takes you to both chitwan and pokhara so i had already driven most of the trip just two days before}.

we packed last night - i left most everything back in ktm and i am afraid i am going to put the trekking community to shame. . . i don't have official trekking shoes/boots just my lovely salomons, i have a lowepro camera back instead of a real hiking pack, and i have glittens instead of real gloves.

after seeing friend's recent pictures and hearing stories, we hope we have warm enough gear. there is still snow on the mountains and ground and nights get uncomfortably chilly. we packed light but we at least packed our warmest layers.

we are also going sans guide or porter. . . so. . . two to three weeks with just our maps and gear is going to be incredible, challenging, and hopefully rewarding. i know if i survive {laughter. . .yes, friends and family, we're going to be fine} i'm coming back in the best shape of my life!

i cannot wait to see these mountains up close and to spend this amount of uninterrupted time in the nature!

annapurna circuit here we come! {please do check it out if you aren't familiar with treks in nepal}

it's going to be one incredible journey and i think i'm ready. . .

all my love from nepal!

{also you most likely won't see a post from me until may}

xoxo

a funny little video

2011-04-14T11:03:00.000-07:00

one of my best and brightest students was also a hilarious little dude.

whenever he'd sit across from me he'd look over at me, catch my eyes and do this.

love him. i also think i miss my little class already {even if they were little terrors at times. . .}

namaste!

happy new year {again!}

2011-04-14T09:25:00.000-07:00

happy 2068 world!

today is new years day here in nepal. the nepali calendar is funky. 2068? really?

i've made it safe and sound back to kathmandu. i'm currently skyping with my lovely sarah and we're talking about the summer.

it is hard for me to think about what life will be like come summer. all i can think about is the here and now and i'm happy with living in the present. . . something i haven't always been good at in the past.

today on the forever long {but entirely gorgeous} bus ride from chitwan, i had my head out the window, listening to my ipod, and watching the lovely scenery pass, i was reminded of the little note my daddy gave me before leaving. . . all he wrote was:

- - - - - - - - -

pb,

wow! it is time to go finally. while you are away wake-up every morning:

- with a smile

- with energy

- with a zeal for life

- with god

- with thoughts of us back in nc

- with thankfulness that god created such a cool place called earth

- and finally carry this portait with you {* a lovely little sketch of dad's favorite girl, dublin}

love you sweetie,

daddy

- - - - - - - - -

in chitwan i did i wake up every morning with those things in mind. i am entirely thankful for my time in chitwan. each day brought a new adventure.

as incredible as ktm is, you can't stay here forever and chitwan gave me a whole new appreciation for nepal.

i am excited to see what's next. tomorrow will change a lot and i will officially have someone to travel with for a little while.

carlos, trevor, mel, and i did a massive music and photo exchange before i left today and this lovely little song will make me happy every time i hear it. . . and make me miss mel and chitwan and all the people. . .

oh. . . and one more thing, i did get to ride my elephant yesterday.

{i already miss this little dude in the photos. louis is bhim's youngest son and he was a constant source of laughs. just look at him with his bowl of pomegranate seeds or with my water bottle. he had a little obsession with my bottle. everytime he saw me he'd come running screaming "didi pani!!!" [sister water!]. these were all taken just moments after he woke up.}

elephants, bikes, and kids

2011-04-12T19:06:00.000-07:00

i almost got to ride an elephant today. . .

the weather here is monsoon-like at the moment and the idea of sitting on an elephant for a few hours in the jungle in this weather = not the most ideal jungle safari.

the problem is that i'm leaving lovely chitwan tomorrow for kathmandu {local bus at 5:30 or tourist bus at 9:30? which one should i go for?} and i really want to ride an elephant. . .

i guess i'll just have to come back : )

these past few days have been crazy and full of incredible experiences. i wake up by 6:00 each morning, have my tea, then for the past few days the three other volunteers and i have been digging these massive holes for the bio-gas projects in the neighboring village {i'll have to share photos soon}, then in the afternoon i've been going to sauraha to teach english, then we go back in the hole to dig more in the late afternoon. by the time we get back at night, usually around 7:00, we're all beat and we can barely move. most nights i lead the group in a little restorative yoga and then we have our daal bhat and go to bed by 9:00 or 10:00! . . . and do it all again the next morning. . .

last night we all gave each other neck massages and watched this movie.

got to go now. . . others are waiting for the internet cable. i just wanted to give y'all a little update.

{photo of mel and trevor and all the crazy elephants}

one more little note

2011-04-06T04:23:00.000-07:00

i am feeling better! i guess i just needed a little break from kathmandu i guess. . .

my throat isn't sore anymore, but it still looks and feels swollen at times. it is getting better though and i am not worried. you shouldn't be either {. . . mom & abby!}

. . . also, i'm thoroughly obsessed with rice fields. always have been, always will be.

{photo from the field right beside the house}

with love from chitwan

2011-04-05T22:22:00.001-07:00

i'm entirely in love with this place.

once again, i only wish i was a more elegant writer and could share with you all just how happy i have been here these past few days.

i arrived in chitwan with bhim {the director of webnepal} and carlos {a volunteer from spain} on sunday {pronounced aitabaar in nepali . . . the days of the week have been my focus yesterday and today} and moved into bhim's house in the outskirts of sauraha. currently there are four volunteers living here {carlos from spain, trevor from canada, mel from france, and me} in addition to all of bhim's family and most of his extended family {i still don't know how we all fit in every night!}. on my second day, i was given a bike and all of us volunteers went to the school/ room where we are supposed to be teaching the kids english and conservation {there is just no organization and we never really know what we are supposed to be doing. . . but i love it. loads of freedom!}

having a bike, an old, lovely, rickety thing, has sorta changed my life. i adore the 20 to 25 minute ride to school each day. i love riding on the dirt and gravel roads, love the dust, love the hot sun, love being the only white person around, love passing over bamboo bridges, and love dodging the elephants on the road.. . . just to name a few things. . .

everday i see at least half a dozen or dozen elephants! that is when i feel the farthest away from home.

it's so crazy, wonderful, and empowering here.

my life couldn't get any better at the moment.

chitwan is seriously hot this time of year and i feel like i am right back in india. . . it is bearable, but still, you have to get up early and stay up late if you want to spend any time outside.

this morning, mel and i woke up at 6:00, took a barefoot walk {at sunrise} by the river, helped lakshmi peel the potatoes for the dal bhat, had our masala tea, did a little yoga class with the nieces, and then tried to check email. everyday i am at school from noon until 2:00 p.m.

after class today {it went really well this afternoon and i got excited because i felt like the kids really understood the assignment [for once!]} i went to town. in town i had more tea with the shop owners and talked with them about my home and how great a time i've had in nepal. plus i found the ring i have been searching for the whole time i've been in nepal! it was just too much money {even after i talked the man down to half price. oh bargaining! i am getting better at it for sure. . . it is just a way of life here and if you don't do it, you won't survive}

i am back at home now and am excited because i have internet access! hooray.

{i hope these images help you see why i love this place so very much. these were all taken yesterday on our bike ride back from town. 1.) trevor + mel down the path + the glorious magenta sunset 2.) me + mel + rice fields + sunset + laugher 3.) my sexy little bike that is a good bit too short for me 4.) me + mel + loving life faces again [mel is a real inspiration. chitwan has been her home for the past 6 months. she is carlos, trevor, and my nepali teacher and guide in addition to a lot of other things] & 5.) sunset + workers in the fields. . . it all reminds me a good bit of this very idyllic pic from the eat, pray, love movie}

starting to feel like home to me

2011-04-02T03:06:00.000-07:00

this short, bad quality video was taken today on the ride back from the hospital. it was a really long ride and i was a little bored, so i thought i'd show you the place that's really starting to feel like home for me. . . it isn't all that exciting of a video, and i would have talked, but it would have freaked the silent taxi driver out to have the funky american girl chatting it up in the back!

really sorry for the poor quality. . . yes, film is one of the things i want to study in college . . . i know. . . i have lots to learn.

the sickness

2011-04-02T02:25:00.000-07:00

as it turns out i am more ill than i thought i was.

after talking with mom last night about my lingering earache and sore throat, she called the dr. back home. the fact that i cannot open my mouth or stick out my tounge worried the dr. and mom encouraged me to find a hosptial/er/clinic/ something here.

so. . . after a long breakfast {tried to eat eggs and toast, but the toast was out of the question} and a skype call to madre and my insurance company, i went to find the dr. recommended to me by the josefchuk family of all people! i must say when i went to my email i felt very loved. so many people have been praying for me and helping make contacts here.

i got a taxi to the other side of town, then wandered into the hospital. i was then directed to the er and asked to sit on a sticky blue bed. {1st visit to the er in a foreign country. . . just anotherexperience i've had recently}

after a solid 20 min. the nurse, a guy about my age who didn't speak english came in and started sticking things in my mouth and checking my blood pressure. he left suddenly and then the dr. came in. another young guy, but this time he spoke excellent english. the first thing we actually talked about was unc once he heard i was from north carolina. he was researching the best public health programs in the world, and unc was at the top. i encouraged him to visit and he said that one of these days he will.

after the small talk, he checked my ear and throat and looked a little scared once he saw my throat {plus i apparently still have tikka powder in my ear left from holi. . . two weeks ago. . .}. he was concerned too and didn't know what to prescribe, so he had to call "the specialist".

after another 45 min. of waiting {i just drew pics, thinking i could be in private and do this, but no. . . i'm in nepal! all the nurses came in to see what i was doing and started flipping through my journal without even asking} . . . then the specialist arrived {in jeans and a t-shirt. today was his day off and he had to come see the strange patient}.

why do i always get the weird illnesses? like shingles at age seven? when i get sick, it get sick with the weird stuff.

so apparently i have this strange case of tonsillitis still and it has only attacked one side of my body. he said if it gets any worse i'll have to get surgery. NOT COOL.

so everyone, please pray that my three meds will just knock this sucker out and i won't have to get something more done here!

he said i could go to chitwan tomorrow, but he wouldn't recommend it. . . i'm going anyway. . . i think a little break from the ktm air will do me a world of good right now.

i'm not saying this to brag, but i think i've always had a fairly high pain tolerance and if it was up to me, and not my mother, i would have been my typical stubborn self and not have gone this afternoon. i'm usually a big believer in giving sickness time. . . but this has gone on long enough without any improvement. . .

thank you mother. you always do know what is right.

if this gets worse, i could potentially loose my voice or not be able to breathe normally he said. also, NOT COOL.

i have confidence this will work out and i will get better. i'm just tired of pain and i want to be able to eat a real meal and enjoy it too!

nepal, you're wonderful, but man, you sure have been rough on me!

{enjoy the pics. . . these are the only three i took at the hospital. love the wide-eyed look of confusion in number two. also, i am very, very thankful the bill didn't wipe out all that i have left in my savings!}

just a few photos for your day!

2011-03-31T20:54:00.000-07:00

i could easily spend a fortune here in kathmandu.

the shops are incredible and full of all the stuff i love - fabric, bracelets, rings, beads, etc.

i just wanted to share a few photos of my life right now. tomorrow i plan to leave for chitwan nat. park for a week or two, then i'll be back in this crazy, wonderful capital city!

still lots to figure out, but i'm working through my options.

off to eat breakfast now!

xoxo

future job # 3

2011-03-30T01:01:00.000-07:00

rickshaw driver in thamel, nepal

one of the greatest experiences one can have in kathmandu! i still cannot believe my little friend let me have a turn on this. as i was driving away, mo yelled out, "grace make sure you don't wreck it!" and not three seconds later, i hit the brick wall outside of the hotel. yup. grace and all her coordination! the rickshaw was fine, but i was too embarrassed to ride much farther. it so doesn't ride like a bike! when i truly do run flat out of money, you will see me, like this, on the streets of thamel pestering all the crazy tourists!

peace.

{photo from kathmandu, nepal}

happy birthday bob

2011-03-30T00:10:00.000-07:00

happy happy 23rd birthday abby!

i'm really sad you are sitting in the snow in charlottesville and not here enjoying spring with me on a rooftop in thamel right now.

i cannot believe you're only 23, married, have a stable job, and incredible ambition. i tell people about you all the time. i guess it's just my way of expressing how much i miss you - i talk about you to anyone and everyone. i somehow always manage to work you into a conversation!

without a doubt, you have influenced me more than most anyone i know. i could not ask for a better role model, sister, or friend. i remember when i was little, i thought there is no way i was ever going to live up to her. i still think that. i won't ever live up to you, but at least i have a great example/ a great person to look up to!

more than just musically {although, yes, j. newsom has pulled me through some rough times in nepal} you've inspired me. you were always my rival in art class and i always wanted to think as creatively as you. your head was always full of interesting stories, ideas, and goals. i was always intimidated by you. i thought you were just too cool. i still do.

whenever i pull out a photo of you, everyone here always says {this happened just last night at mr. and mrs. shrestha's house!} "is she a model or movie actress?" you're such a babe. and gigi is one lucky man.

i'm writing all this just to say how much i love and miss you! i wish more than anything i could celebrate in person with you today.

go enjoy every minute of this day and remember you are a remarkable person! also remember you are ridiculously and wonderfully loved.

xoxo

{photo of bob and i on the new year's partee this year}

photos of me on the shoot

2011-03-26T22:00:00.000-07:00

for those of you who still might be confused by what role i played in this. these pics show just a few of the things i did along the way.

it is raining in kathmandu right now. : (

{all photos by nirdesh tuladhar.}

behind the scenes, nepal documentary

2011-03-26T02:51:00.000-07:00

i rarely had the time to shoot much with my own camera while we were on location, but here are a few photos to show you what i was up to my first two weeks in nepal.

+ + + + + + + ++ + + + +

when i think of all that went down on my first few weeks here in nepal, i'm truly blown away.

the whole experience was enlightening, inspiring, and life-changing.

on our first day of filming, i knew i loved this line of work. as a pa, i was in charge of typically pa sort of stuff - loading film, setting up tripods, making lists of what we shot, putting lavaliers on the people we interviewed, etc.

not only did i learn new film techniques and care each day, but i was simultaneously learning about nepal, about women here and their lives, and a lot about family planning {in particular iucds [that little copper t-shaped device we like to call iuds in the states]}

the days were long, hot, and tiring, rarely did we get the chance to go to the bathroom or sit down, {other than lunch} but we all felt so accomplished at the end of each day. we ended up shooting far more than necessary, but we wanted to make sure we had everything covered.

the hardest part was finding our main "characters." on day three {i think it was} we found her and she was perfect! her name was anju {a mother of four} and she was not only great on film but she also had a great story to tell. in addition to anju, we have so many wonderful and some not so wonderful interviews with doctors, nurses, providers, and women all around different villages and towns. we spent most of our time in nala, banepa, and pharphing {towns/ villages all about an hour or two outside of kathmandu}.

i thoroughly enjoyed getting to meet all the different women and hearing each of their stories. i was amazed at their willingness to talk. most of the people we interviewed were incredibly open to our questions and acted very naturally in front of a big camera and a team of people listening to their conversation.

what i most appreciated was our "team" of very talented individuals. we had an amazing, young, and beautiful translator, bandana, from psi nepal, in addition to nirdesh and dinesh also from psi nepal, and two very patient drivers. mandy {you can find one of her most recent posts [and my two photos!] on psi's healthy lives blog here} from psi's washington branch is largely responsible for pulling all this together. this little baby was largely her idea! and then there was mo. mo is a role model and i am still honored to have had the chance to work so closely with her.

overall, i am most thankful for all this because i was left inspired get back to school {finally}. i am not going to lie, the way this trip started off, i was fully convinced i would never feel the pressing need to go back to school - i could just get an education in the world! but talking with everyone about their school days, what they learned, the opportunities that opened up for them there, it hit me - i am finally excited to get back into a classroom and study the things that capture my mind! {come august i will have been out of school for a total of 15 months. that's a really long time.} i am excited to getting more involved in art, photography, photojournalism, documentary work, french, health, nutrition, anatomy, public health, international studies, women's issues. . . just to name a few. part of the problem has always been i want to study too many things and i often just get too confused. i know that unc will have way too many opportunities for me, but i hope that this year has at least given me more of an idea of what i want to do there {even though it still might be impossible to do everything}.

+ + + + + + + ++ + + + +

you can be certain i will be sharing the final product once they finish pulling it all together in washington, nyc, and boston! i'm so anxious to see the end result and i really hope to be a part of something like this again soon.

future job # 2

2011-03-25T10:00:00.001-07:00

professional bungy jumper

don't know if you really can do this for a living, but i'm curious to find out. . . mom, dad aren't you proud? always what you had in mind for me, i know. all that hard work you put into raising me and educating me {even when i was by far the most impossible kid who ever lived} and all i want to do is throw myself off of bridges.

{photo from the kawarau bridge, nz}

future job # 1

2011-03-24T02:59:00.000-07:00

street musician.

yes, i finally got my hands on an accordion.

no, i still have no musical talent, but i do have the motivation.

please ignore the crazy hair and face.

{photo from queenstown, nz}

thinkn

2011-03-24T02:37:00.001-07:00

this time abroad has given me lots of time to think.

think about what i what i want to study in school in the fall, think about what i like and love in life, and most of all think about what i want to do with my life.

so, from here on out, i'll be posting a handful of possible future jobs . . .

enjoy!

p.s. think was always one of dad's favorite words. at least his favorite word that wasn't crude, that is. . . i remember being really young and walking in his office and seeing in bright orange white board marker five letters - THINK. that was all. all he had on the entire white board. it is a good word.

{and no, i'm not even going to try to connect this post with the awkward monkey family photo. it just makes me laugh. check out how earnest the momma's face is here! i love when animals show human emotions}

one more thing

2011-03-20T22:15:00.000-07:00

i miss her.

i got this email a few days back and my day was just that much brighter.

- - - - - -

"What is this, Horseville? Because I am surrounded by neigh-sayers! Wordplay."

-- Mr. Tracy Jordan

That's all. And I miss you. And we are going to Durham/Chapel Hill/Raleigh this weekend for a whirlwind trip. Whee! Love your pictures of Nepal and your post sponsored by "Wolves," by Phosphorescent (isn't that a great song?). My hair looks wonky today. But at least it's Friday!

What's the weirdest thing you've seen in Nepal?

MILF Island forever!

xoxo

Abby

- - - - - -

p.s. why am i the only one in my family who hasn't perfected the art of hilarious/random emails? they're all masters.

books

2011-03-20T21:47:00.000-07:00

what i have in my bag now:

+ travels with charley

+ the bible

+ lonely planet nepal

+ reaching out

+ the kite runner {replaced by a nepali phrasebook}

+ the digital photography handbook

in the last post, i also mentioned some of the books i was reading through, but here is an overview. i love kathmandu because there are heaps of used and new bookstores and i have already traded in my kite runner copy for a small nepali phrasebook. i'm almost done with reaching out and the digital photography handbook {something i got for cheap in nz} and i know those will be leaving my possession shortly as well. i've just been reading and passing down books as i go!

lonesome traveller

2011-03-20T21:03:00.001-07:00

when mom asked me the other day what it was i missed the most i told her two things - family and friends {of course!} and not having the space or time to unpack for a while.

after this crazy wonderful journey {i still wake up some days and just have to laugh. i'm doing what i've always dreamt of - living abroad, on my own, fully living and loving each day.} i know travel. i know all about the ups {all of nz} and downs {chinese customs}. i know how to bargain, how to make friends, and how to stay healthy {for the most part - i was sick for a good while here the other week, but all better now}. most of all, i know living out of a backpack!

but that said, i still have lots to learn. i love this lifestyle more than i can put into words and i am forever grateful for this opportunity.

last week, my sick week, i experienced loneliness for the first time of this trip. it only lasted a day or two, but i felt very alone, sick, and tired. since mo and mandy left me i had a really difficult time meeting people and finding enough to do around kathmandu. during this time, i spent a good bit of each day in my room hoping and praying i wouldn't be sick forever.

in this time, i finished the kite runner {i have to admit, i wasn't a big fan until the last two hundred or so pages. it was really hard to read, but those pages changed a lot} and started reaching out. nouwen's first three chapters are on loneliness. i read it at just the right time in life. thanks to the book, i took this period of loneliness and tried to look at it as a time of solitude. i found this passage particularly true, and i am guilty.

. . . "too often we will do everything possible to avoid the confrontation with the experience of being alone, and sometimes we are able to create the most ingenious devices to prevent ourselves from being reminded of this condition. our culture has become most sophisticated in the avoidance of pain, not only our physical pain but our emotional and mental pain as well. we not only bury our dead as if they were still alive, but we also bury our pains as if they were not really there. we have become so used to this state of anesthesia, that we panic when there is nothing or nobody left to distract us. when we have no project to finish, no friend to visit, no book to read, no television to watch or no record to play, and when we are left all alone by ourselves we are brought so close to the revelation of our basic human aloneness and are so afraid of experiencing an all-pervasive sense of loneliness that we will do anything to get busy again and continue the game which makes us believe that everything is fine after all" . . .

since i read those chapters, i found new inspiration from this solitude and to be honest, i haven't felt lonely again. i also have been well enough to make new friends each day, so that's good too.

i still don't know what i am doing here in kathmandu, but i am still working through my options! there are so many opportunities, but it is difficult knowing who you can trust {i have heard some unbelievable stories about volunteer placements}.

more to come later!

{this song has been one of the theme songs for my trip, but unlike marianne faithful, grace will never stop all this travellin! . . . all photos from my life in hotels here in ktm!}

holi in nepal

2011-03-20T20:47:00.000-07:00

holi was two days ago and i am still covered in paint. my hair is an interesting shade of red, my skin looks like i got a really bad fake tan, and my toes have a lovely green tint to them!

watch the short video {taken around 9:00 am} and see some of the fun. we didn't stop celebrating until my face was entirely covered with metallic silver paint and we had all been covered head-to- toe! it got more wild with each hour and by the end of the day in addition to being a colorful mess, we were bruised, tired, and happy.

i wish that holi was more than once a year. what a good excuse to make friends and celebrate color?

i feel priveldged to have had the chance to rock holi in this part of the world!

where to begin?

2011-03-17T22:08:00.000-07:00

why is it always so hard to start blogging once you have been away for a while?

i keep making lists of all that i want to share, but i keep getting overwhelmed.

{this will be brief, maybe a little boring, but . . . at least it is something, n'est-ce pas?}

in short, my new home is a crazy one.

this place is a strange, wonderful blend of everything - india, tibet, china, america, peru, etc. it is so difficult to describe.

i keep wishing i was a talented writer like abby or sarah so that i could more fully try to explain this place with words, but i cannot. it is much to crazy for words. . . . or even pictures for that matter! {any picture of these mountains, and these are MOUNTAINS people, comes out looking like nothing. . . it is all very tragic}

i just got back into kathmandu last night after lovely a three day/ two night trip to nagarkot and bhaktapur {tons of photos to come. . . i always promise them, i know!}. i appreciated the clean air and change of scenery so very much and it is always good to see another side to nepal apart from the sometimes maddening kathmandu/ thamel area!

sick stories, funny stories, and other nonsense to come.

listen to this song, loose yourself in it, visit iceland, be happy.

{all photos from one of my daily walks through thamel/ outside of thamel area}

foochie

2011-03-14T21:04:00.000-07:00

dear foochie/ nate / katie,

happy, happy, happy 7th birthday!

i wish i would have been as cool as you at your age.

all the love!

missing you dearly,

p.s. when i get home, we will do something together to celebrate.

daddy-o

2011-03-13T22:32:00.000-07:00

juju,

happy {belated} birthday!

sorry this is two days late, i tried to post this on the 12th but kathmandu currently only has power late at night during this time of year. my computer time is precious to say the least!

i have a whole new appreciation for power 24/7 now.

anyways, dad, i hope you had a fun time celebrating the big 5-oh! i wish i could have been there to eat cheesecake and see you open all the gifts you'll never use.

i wish you were here right now. i think traveling through nepal with you would be ridiculous. i especially wish you were here to trek with me. these mountains are insane.

love you,
pig 1

kathmandu update

2011-03-11T09:04:00.000-08:00

i have no doubt i will come home with a.) an extra suitcase full of fabric and beads, b.) a real monkey {monkeys and stray dogs are everywhere, in everything} c.) a nepalese child {they're all cute}
i still don't know what tomorrow holds. . . mandy is off to kenya tomorrow morning and i'll be all alone then. mo left the other night and now mandy is leaving me. i have a place until i get kicked out tomorrow at noon. after noon, i will have to find a place to stay {thinking the crazy cool but touristy thamel area for a while}. the rest of my plans here are still up in the air as well, but the good news is that there are lots of options {yoga/volunteering/trekking just to name a few. . . but i need to be wise with just how i spend the last of my savings!}
i have friends here now! most of them work for psi nepal, but still, i have friends!
the weather is gorgeous {cool in the mornings, mild to hot in the afternoons, and cool again at night} . . . but the pollution makes me sad {i choose pics that don't really show the pollution, but i'll have to post more later}.
i'm fully surprised that i haven't been more sick in nepal. i've done nothing right! i've eaten street food, radishes, carrots, and even a little lettuce, drank the milk/water/yogurt from the townspeople, and i've even brushed my teeth with the water! apparently food from nepal is notorious for getting foreigners really, really, sick {mandy has already experienced this}. other than an upset stomach, i'm doing just fine {for now}. . .
i've had a rough day {sarcasm}. slept in until 7:00, had tea and breakfast at the hotel buffet and read newsweek for almost two hours, tried to post pictures on fb {five photos alone takes about an hour, so i gave up quickly}, checked emails, went to the gym, to the sauna, took a shower, hand washed my laundry, and then mandy and i went to get massages at this lovely little place near the hotel. because the massage packages were so inexpensive, we both opted for an hour massage and an hour facial! it was pure bliss. i think i smiled through the whole two hours. i definitely have a future in giving/receiving massages. . . after the massages, it was a typical newari meal {chewy buffalo meat, fermented lentil pancakes, and everything in between. it might sound a little strange, but it is really good, i promise! a little less spicy than indian food, but still packed with flavor}
yesterday, our day off, turned out to be a little shopping day too. . . i didn't buy much and i had to keep reminding myself that i'm here for several more months, but i did come away with a rocking turquoise ring {it might just be a bit too big for my finger though}, a pair of long embroidered purple cotton shorts {they kinda resemble lederhosen!}, and get this. . . a yellowish, greenish fanny pack!thanks to mo, i've seen the beauty of the pack and i cannot wait to show nc hipsters what they're missing out on!
i've loved feeling connected to each place i've stayed {long term/or at least longer than a month}. in nz, i felt connected to the ground/the earth/the land thanks to wwoofing and the other farm jobs, and in nepal, i already feel like i'm getting connected with the women and women's issues here {primarily thanks to the docu. work and research}. . .
today was also the first day i've used conditioner and shaving cream this entire trip! i felt like a queen.
that's all for now, i need sleep and mandy does too . . . her flight is out at 7:00 tomorrow : (

{photo: 1.) mo and me at dinner in thamel, 2.) all the lovely prayer beads, 3.) view of ktm and valley from the monkey temple, 4.) ktm's durbar square, and 5.) the jamal neighborhood}

a room with a view

2011-03-09T20:22:00.001-08:00

good morning friends!

it is 10:00 here and mandy and i are ready for our afternoon out on the town. today is one of the first days we have had off since we've been here and we're excited about seeing more quirky corners in ktm.

i just wanted to post this picture i took yesterday morning at 6:00 and let you all know that i'm still alive.

three things for your day:

1.) mandy's post on psi's healthy lives blog

2.) this song. i heard this almost everyday in nz and i still try to listen to it here . . . even when youtube is slow. it brings back lots of good memories, but makes me sad too.

3.) be on the lookout for a behind the scenes look at the film in the next couple of days!

happy in nepal

2011-03-08T01:22:00.000-08:00

it is hard to believe i've been in nepal for a full week now.

my apologies for not posting sooner, but life has been a little hectic since i left nz.

once i made it safely it to sydney, i spent a wonderful, whirlwind 24 hours in the heart of the city. by the next morning/ afternoon i was on my way to shanghai. after nine long hours on the sketchy nine hour china eastern flight, i made it to china.

i thought once i made it to china, all would be alright and i could get through to india without too much trouble.

. . . i was wrong. . .

apparently, you need to get transit visas for any country you have a layover in for more than 24 hours {even if you planned to spend all of it in the airport}. my flight plan was originally scheduled so that i'd have almost 25 hours in delhi and without a transit visa or renewed indian visa, the chinese government/china eastern airlines wouldn't allow me to board the plane in shanghai.

so i was faced with two options - be on china or india's bad side. i choose china. the thought of having bad relations with india was heartbreaking.

. . . so, there i was stuck in shanghai for two nights and almost three days! another china eastern flight to delhi didn't leave until two days later, therefore, i had no other options but stay in china.

i paid for an inexpensive {but overpriced} airport hotel and was so exhausted from all the traveling/arguing with the chinese airlines, i fell asleep almost instantly. at 5:00 am, i jumped out of bed and realized where i was and what all i still had to do. i felt sick to my stomach and entirely overwhelmed in the morning. that was the first time on this whole journey that i was homesick and tired of all the traveling.

at breakfast in the hotel {it was just me, a chinese family, and a group of monks} i met one really sweet girl who spoke good english and she helped get me out of the hotel and closer to the heart of the city. it took me all morning and into the mid-afternoon to finally get to the city center and find another budget hotel.

i finally found a way to get internet at the hotel, found s on skype, and asked her to immediately call kelsey to call home! she did and she saved the day! my lovely parents were wonderful and around midnight their time, they helped me call airlines and reschedule my delhi - kathmandu leg of the journey.

once all that was sorted out, i finally had a chance to go and explore the city {and take some photos!} china was cold, lonely, and scary at times, but now looking back, i'm glad i got to experience life there for a couple of days!

the next day, i got to the airport several hours too early, and thought everything was going to be just fine. . .

. . . i was wrong a second time. . .

once i finally got checked in, i was on my way through customs when i met some trouble. . . the airlines informed me i'd have no problems staying in china for the 48 hours necessary to wait for the next flight out. apparently, they lied and i did run across some major issues.

the woman at customs had to call the "inspector" and the inspector plus his possy led me down this long, dark hallway into this white-walled room with only a desk inside. i was asked to sit and then i was questioned. . . no joke, straight out of a movie.

i didn't know if i should play it cool, cry, or make a run for it. in the end, i did a little of both. okay, maybe not the running part, but i was incredibly overwhelmed and scared!

eventually, after a long time and several conversations in rather broken english, i was asked to pay an expensive fine and sign a stack of papers, all in chinese. even though the officers tried their best to explain what the documents contained, i still doubt i will be allowed into china for sometime {maybe ever again!}. after all this madness, i had just ten minutes to find my gate and board the long-awaited flight to india.

i can barely remember the flight out of china, i was just so relieved to be out of the country, and once i made it to india, i felt like i was at home. i was greeted by all the sweet indian men with a happy face and a "morning madam." i wanted to hug them all.

it was around 2:00 am once i made it to delhi and my flight out to ktm was around 9:00. the only other trouble i experienced once in kathmandu was once agian with my visa {but this time it was b/c i didn't have enough cash on me - thanks china!}. thankfully, my new nepali friend was there to help me out though and he lent me money until i could pay him back! even after i paid him, he offered to help get me to the hotel and even rode with me in the taxi.

after all the madness, i've had a relatively easy time adjusting to life here!

the hotel is seriously posh and it has been such a relief staying with the rest of the film crew.

even though i don't have much to say now about the project, i know that i made the right decision coming early. i love this work and i'm incredibly thankful for this opportunity.

i don't think it is an overstatement saying that this experience has already changed my life.

more to come later my lovelies!

. . . but for now, enjoy the start of spring {all the trees are and flowers are in bloom here in nepal}.

{photo from swayambhunath, aka the monkey temple}

a sad farewell

2011-02-24T20:54:00.000-08:00

i'm afraid i'm going to cry at the airport tomorrow.

as excited as i am about what awaits in nepal, i've fallen in love with new zealand and the thought of leaving hurts me.

tomorrow afternoon i'm off to sydney. after sydeny it's shanghai, delhi, and finally KATHMANDU! it'll be a good four almost five days of travel, so wish me luck!

. . . i don't know if i'm mentally/ physically prepared for all this, but i have no choice now. . .

goodbye precious new zealand, i'll never forget the good times!

{p.s. i found a new hobby today - bungy jumping. i have a whole collection of photos to post from the past few weeks and i cannot wait to share my faves}

update

2011-02-23T16:14:00.000-08:00

dear all,
i´m safe here in queenstown. tuesday´s earthquake in christchurch has left us all in shock. i just cannot believe i was there only five days ago. the hostel i stayed at in cathedral square is no longer standing.

i went back and looked at all the photos i have from the spire. . . it is hard to believe what it looks like now.

i have recieved so many sweet emails and messages from friends and family and i feel very loved.

that said, please continue to pray for the people of christchurch.

i am still waiting to hear back from friends. today i got several worried facebook messages from the relatives of friends i have met here . . . some friends still haven´t had contact. . . i still haven´t heard from candice and tom (pictured in some of these photos.

when i have the time, i hope to write again soon.

i´m off to nepal on saturday and i have mixed emotions about all of this. . .

i have four days to travel and i should get there on the 1st of march!

take care. i love you all and i only wish keeping in touch was easier.

all the love,
grace

the great debate and final decision

2011-02-19T15:57:00.000-08:00

remember this post just a few days ago?

it was probably all really confusing considering i didn't really explain anything that was going on.

in short, my plans have changed dramatically in the past few days. originally i had planned three months in new zealand and another three almost four in nepal, but that was before . . . before i got a little email.

i got this certain email while i was in the blenheim library. at first i was shocked to see who sent the email but i was even more shocked once i started to read the message. a few months back, i wrote about going to see a documentary by mary olive smith. the documentary, "a walk to beautiful," is about women in ethiopia living with fistulas. i thoroughly enjoyed the film and talking with mary olive after the show. i had asked her back in the fall if she had any contacts in nepal and we had a brief email correspondence for a while about the filmmaker/ photojournalist friends of hers in asia. after a few months, i had not thought about it much, that is, until i got an email from mary olive just a few days ago.

in her email she asked if i would considering being her production assistant for a short film on family planning in nepal.

what?!

i was all ready to write back and tell her, absolutely, until i saw she was getting in in early march. in march, i was still supposed to be in new zealand.

but, after talking with everyone here and back home, i realized, this is an opportunity i could not pass up! it isn't everyday that an emmy award-wining filmmaker gives you the chance of a lifetime.

she knows i am a novice, but this is ultimately what i want to do for the rest of my life.

mom and i talked a couple of months back about what i saw myself doing with the rest of my life, and i shared with her that my dream would be working as a photojournalist/docu. filmmaker who exposes issues relating to either women's issues or malnutrition. i just had no idea i would have an opportunity to do that very thing so young/ so soon!

even though i'm sad to leave nz early and miss out on australia almost entirely, i know that they'll always be there {just waiting for me to come back!}. i've already had a lifetime of fun here and i know that nepal will be incredibly rewarding and challenging.

i made it to queenstown {the adventure capital of the world y'all!} yesterday afternoon after a nine hour bus ride and like all the other places i've been in nz, i fell in love almost instantly. the views here are unreal. i'm currently sitting in the hostel meeting room and every way you look there is something lovely. i can almost touch the remarkables {the mountain range} from where i sit!

on the long, but surprisingly pleasant journey from christchurch yesterday, i realized just how happy i am right now. this might just be the happiest i've ever been in my life. i'm living my dream and i feel so incredibly blessed, supported, and loved.

thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. it made be the crazy decision, but i also think it might be the right decision.

. . . nepal here i come!

{p.s. this photo is just one of the many reasons you might be able to understand why my decision was so difficult! this shot was taken on the tranz scenic train across the country on wednesday}

happy valentine's day!

2011-02-13T22:54:00.000-08:00

valentine's day for me this year =

* working in the garden for a couple of hours

*skype dates with mom, mm & dd, then abby & guion, and then later today sarah

* a walk around town {figured out my bus route for tomorrow. . . spent a lot of money on bus/ train tickets!}

* grocery store run {ate a kitkat bar alone on a park bench {kitkats are usually good, but this chunky one tasted like cardboard}

* officially made my decision {more to come about this later}!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

other thoughts:

- i miss the blog world but trying to keep up with all my fave blogs while abroad is next to impossible {i haven't once opened up my google reader since i have been here! eek.}

- abby's week of challenges start now {best of luck lover!}. it can be an enlightening experience.

- i posted a few new photos over at the wordpress blog

- travelers always have a good story to tell

- my song of the week is gray court { i listen to it everyday on my long-ish walk to town}

i'm about to . . .

2011-02-12T22:11:00.000-08:00

. . . make a really crazy decision. . .

i don't really have the time or energy to explain it all right now, but i would really appreciate your thoughts and prayers today and tomorrow!

i'm just too happy here in nelson and there lies the problem. i'd be more than happy to stay in nz forever. no matter what city or town i end up in, i always want to stay there for a year or two. . .

people come to nz and they stay.

i'll fill you in once the decision is made official.

i'm at mcdonalds now b/c the internet is so slow with a dozen people on at one time back home, so . . . i have to walk 30 min. through town for free internet on a sunday, but it's all good. i'm so happy to finally have the chance to check in on people, get caught up on the rest of the world.

more to come. sorry nothing exciting to report here. just know i'm perfectly content and incredibly inspired every moment.

[mcflurries are wayy different here btw.]

{photos from yesterday's walk around town}

in nelson

2011-02-09T23:37:00.000-08:00

if asheville and denver had a kiwi baby, it would be neslon.

nelson, nz is a fabulous hippy town that i could live in for the rest of my life { i think } . . .

i made it here yesterday after a two hour bus ride from blenheim. it was hard leaving blenheim, my home for the past two weeks, but nelson looks like it is going to be grand. i wasn't ready to say goodbye to all of my new friends, my new family {see first photo}, but knowing i had so little time in nz as a whole, blenheim really isn't the place to spent all of your time.

the bus ride was lovely, but i had a hard time keeping my eyes open {kinda like that beautiful, sleepy train trip k and i took through the s. of france last summer!}. once i arrived in the city center, i realized, i had no clue how to get to the farm. after walking around hopelessly with only a street address, i was about to give up . . . it was hot, i was tired, and my bags were much heavier than i remembered!

i had little hope until i saw those famous golden arches and a sign advertising free wi-fi. so after nearly a year or two without setting foot in mcdonald's i found myself with an m&m mcflurry and a google map of nelson. thanks to mcdonalds and deep ujjayi pranayama, i made the long trek uphill and through town to seven oaks! kelsey, it reminded me so much of our experience in calais, i had to laugh. this time around though it was a little more difficult being alone and having more bags! it was equally hot and hopeless at times though!

now that i am here, i have been able to catch up on some sleep, get back to working, and skype with family and friends!

the house, more like mansion {pics to come!} was built in 1878, so you can only imagine how lovely it is! the ceilings are impressively high, the dark woodwork is irreplaceable, and there is even an antique fireplace in my room!

the work here is easy and fun - primarily weeding, raking, etc. today = planting petunias and impatients and more weeding!

got to get to work now -

{all photos from blenheim. . . even if it might not have been the most exciting of nz's spectacular towns, i will always have fond memories in blenheim.}

20 by 20

2011-02-06T16:18:00.000-08:00

i've made it - made it to 19!

today {feb. 7th, nz time} is my first birthday abroad. my morning was spent - meditating, practicing a few asanas, showering, making breakfast, and skyping with my lovely family back home and sarah! they were all so cute {mm, dd, mom, dad, kelsey, sam, emily, aunt b, kim, ally, kate, alex, and even abby and guion in virginia!} and talkative. they were even having the birthday dinner there tonight in honor of me : ) it was hard seeing everyone at home today and be reminded that i can't reach out and hug them or eat the flank steak and salad with them, but i know that i should be here right now. i'm having the time of my life and i wouldn't want to be anywhere else, but your birthday only comes once a year and all i really want to do is celebrate it with people who know me.

as it turns out, thursday was my last day of work here in blenheim, so i've spent the last few days relaxing and recovering from the hard work. my blisters are {mostly} healed and my back doesn't ache much any more. the last few days have been lovely and the weather was really nice, although a little too hot and sunny : ) my sunburns have now become a peeling mess of brown flesh. . .

unfortunately it is a little rainy today, so i'll most likely spend the rest of my birthday indoors. we had planned to go to the river like we did yesterday, but . . . now we're just inside watching the super bowl {maria, i keep thinking of you and your steelers!}.

i have had a truly wonderful 18th year and i cannot wait to see what my 19th throws at me! last year i was here in asheville and at the time i would have never guessed i'd be in nz at this time. never would i have imagined all this was possible by just 19. by my 19th, i've spent at least a month on 5 different continents. {just two more to go now!} i've been so incredibly blessed and my life has changed drastically thanks to my travels. i think that the thing i love most about travel is the people you meet on the road. i've met an assortment of crazy, adventurous, and inspiring travelers already and all of them have a story to tell. hostels are genuis and i've only had good experiences with them in nz so far. . .

in honor of my birthday today, here are a few things i hope to do by 20.

grace's 20 by 20 goals:

1.] learn to make a ridiculously good and moist chocolate cake

2.] volunteer somewhere doing something i love

3.] buy a bike

4.] see mt. everest

5.] take a self-defense or karate class

6.] become a better friend and better listener

7.] teach yoga weekly {at home and abroad!}

8.] learn to knit with ms. beth

9.] have weekly cooking nights over at sarah or kelsey's place

10.] work in a garden

11.] find a job doing something i love

12.] learn to sew a skirt, romper, or dress

13.] start looking for more travel opportunities, grants, scholarships, you name it!

14.] make a chain of blessing and add one each day of school

15.] join a bible study

16.] make art on a daily basis

17.] run in a race

18.] find the best place to see the stars on/off campus

19.] go rock climbing with andrew every week

20.] make a documentary film : )

c'est tout!

tonight is bbq night here at the hostel and we're all going to go to the store in a little while to get some foodstufz.

all the love. . .

{this map is in the hostel and everyone puts a tack on the place they're from. i'm currently the only american, but we have finland, russia, malaysia, japan, germany, and the uk covered at the moment!}

p.s. i've added a few new nz photos to my photography portfolio too

from garlic to grapes

2011-02-01T18:29:00.000-08:00

where do i begin?

my life is one hilarious mess. i love traveling without a set plan b/c my plans always change.

after i left the farm in the sounds, i found my way to blenheim and in to the koanui lodge/ backpackers.

i had planned to stay only one night, but as i was playing german card games with all the germans, karen at the desk walked past and asked if everyone had a job. i kinda jokingly said, "no, but i'll probably just leave in the morning." her response, "okay, we'll you can start tomorrow on the field."

alrighty then.

so. . . the next morning, i was up and ready to go at 5:50 without any clue of what i had just gotten myself into. work as it turns out is harvesting garlic in a big dirty field {see pictures}. the work is by far some of the most physically demanding work {reminiscent of those fabulous mississippi days friends!} i have ever done in my life.

after seven hours, 42 full buckets of garlic, and a sexy sunburn, i didn't know what to make of my first real job experience abroad.

it is the real deal now though, kiwi bank card/account/ employer and all! i love that this whole experience fell in my lap and although it is challenging, it is a job and it pays for my rent these next couple of days.

today was really lovely though b/c we got to work in a vineyard. garlic harvesting is not what i plan to do with the rest of my life, but i think i could get used to vineyard work. the darling grapes were just starting to change color and our job was to simply prune and pluck. i genuinely loved it!

i'm currently overwhelmed by all of the emails/skypers/and fb messages, so i need to stop this post shortly, but before i sign off, know that i'm happy, healthy, and content in this lovely little farming community and town!

i've been online for about an hour now and i've already cried once {i have such a lovely support system back home and i've loved and appreciated every sweet email}, almost wet my pants with excitement {amazing offer in nepal opened up, but bad timing. . . so. . .}, and i have not stopped thinking about how crazy it is to be this far away from home. . .

all the love!

{many more pictures to come. a.) rainbow on the way to work yesterday. in short, it was the perfect way to start the morning. b.) sarah, ali, and i on the fields. these two brits help me through each day. i'm so thankful for their positivity and for the sing along sessions! and c.) the lovely vineyard from today!}

weeds

2011-01-23T18:19:00.000-08:00

the sky is blue today!

after five days with almost constant rain, all of us here on the farm {stefan, heike, frank, phillip, & i} were starting to get a little desperate.

in other weather related news, i felt my first earthquake early yesterday morning! exciting {?} and a little scary. thankfully it was a 4.4 quake and didn't cause much damage. i didn't know what it was and i just fell right back to sleep.

yesterday's work involved drying garlic cloves for a couple of hours, cleaning the house, etc. today's work was of a different sort - weeding!

i was so excited to get outside heike could have told me to do anything and i would have done it. i ended up weeding entire garden beds with my hands and just one tool. it was pretty intense b/c nz weeds are a good deal heartier than nc weeds.

today also marks day seven without a shower and day five without changing my clothes {mom, can you believe it? i really cannot either. i sleep in this, work in this, etc. tonight i change and i'll be so happy!}. b/c water here is precious {regardless of the torrential rains} i haven't even ventured to ask about showering. i realized on the first day in picton that i had only taken two showers the entire trip! then i made the mistake of telling my picton friends that. i have now gained an international reputation for not showering. i made sure to take two in picton alone, but now i'm back to the same habits.

also, friends thank you all for the little updates. i just skyped with emily and dana and abby has been a great source of laughs. she's kept me updated on all the cool lady bloggers and their lives!

keep in touch world, i miss you, but i am so happy to be here. today, i've felt incredibly strong, healthy, and inspired and i just wish everyone was here with me to share this.

more to come, but i need to let others on the internet. . .

{photos from fantail organic garden [my new home here] yesterday}

a walk

2011-01-22T00:21:00.000-08:00

here's a short {but boring} recap of the past couple of days for you all:

- the weather has been a little dreary and wet, therefore my days have been spent doing one of the following activities: cleaning dishes, cutting things in the kitchen, vacuuming the floors, or washing all the windows and mirrors. not bad work, just a little sad that i cannot get outside to pull weeds or stare at a flower.

- went for a walk down the road today {see in the photos} and it hit me, i'm in new zealand AND i'm in the middle of nowhere! really, picnic bay has only about four houses and the nearest town {to get groceries and such} is over an hours drive! amazing. { i do love eating food almost entirely made on the farm. even the meat we ate today for lunch was at one point one of their pet pigs.} also on this little walk of mine, i came to realize just how beautiful this place is. thanks to all the rain, everything is thick, healthy, and green. you can literally walk outside, take a few steps then see/hear a mini waterfall.

- i spent my free time today trying to figure out my next move. i want to make it to blenheim soon, but i still don't have the next farm lined up. there are so many options but it is difficult to find a way to get to the farm or to find availability.

{click any picture to see it larger. . . 1.) found this lovely vine of one of the trees, 2.) see that little bit of blue roof? yup, that's my house for the next couple of days!, 3.) directly outside of the driveway. on my hour or so long walk down this road, only one car passed me. the only thing i heard were little bird noises}}

life on a farm

2011-01-20T01:01:00.000-08:00

even though it was a good three days after i had originally planned, i've arrived safe and sound at the farm here on the outskirts of picton!

new zealand thus far has been one crazy, beautiful adventure.

my week has turned out somewhat different than i had imagined it would, but i can honestly say i loved every minute of my three day stop-over in picton.

after my water taxi ride today i spent the day picking beans and peas from the garden then i helped in the kitchen, peeling, cutting, freezing food and cleaning.

day one of this wwoofing experience = a very good one indeed!

i'm just so thankful that i finally have internet right now too. after nearly four days without it, i was ready to see what damage was done. as expected i had a series of new fb friend requests/ emails from crazy parents and various family members/water taxi information/etc. just waiting for me.

about the only thing really bugging me is this nasty little sinus issue. i have been wayy too generous with my water bottle these past few days {really funny actually b/c no one here/ or at least none of the other travelers from outside of the states understands how a camelbak works!} and there is always all this pet dander flying about in addition to the seasonal changes. . . so. . .

i'm not in a very good state right now {health wise}.

even so , i'm delighted to be here!

{picture from the farm}

the wellington life

2011-01-14T20:16:00.000-08:00

+ walking + hot yoga + running + walking + making food + walking + eating strange new foods + sunburns {check out my white winter skin in pic. 5} +

soft lights

2011-01-12T14:56:00.000-08:00

* * * * * *

"it is where we go, and what we do when we get there, that tells us who we are." - joyce carol oates

* * * * * *

this is what an afternoon in beautiful welly looks like . . .

first few from wellington

2011-01-11T16:36:00.000-08:00

it has been one terribly lazy wednesday!

all i have done is skype with family and friends. . . really, that is all i have done!

i don't know what to make of all this free time.

photos from yesterday:

1.} eggs benny lunch & journal time

2.} view from my walk with bilbo and sonas

3.} sonas { her name means happiness in gaelic} in the flower field

4.} the hill i climbed in the morning

5.} me & sonas on the porch

in a few minutes ken and i are taking the cameras out for a little walk.

*also: ab's monday snax were particularly entertaining this week.

{click any to see it larger}

in wellington

2011-01-10T16:31:00.000-08:00

new zealand is a marvel.

i have had the opportunity to seen a lot of stunning places in my life {ex. cinque terre - photograph above}, but one of the most beautiful sights i have ever seen was on the flight from auckland to wellington.

nz's beauty is a beauty that kills.

i have never seen anything quite so strange or beautiful. it is incredibly unpredictable and full of surprises. i was fortunate enough to get a window seat and every minute some new and exciting scene would come into view. unlike the intense blues, greens, and golds of the mediterranean, nz's colors are of a much softer quality. the sun hits the water here and everything is washed with this sparkling metallic color. at one point i looked down and to my great surprise there was this massive, picture-perfect volcano in the middle of nowhere! i felt like i was living in a dream.

i unfortunately had my camera up in the overhead bin for most of the trip, so little of this part of the journey was documented. : (

after a long couple days of travel, and four long flights, {plus some trouble in auckland - er. . . missing a flight to welly along with a group of other unfortunate people} i really couldn't be happier to be here. i have had a truly blessed first day and a half in nz and i can only hope the rest of the journey will be this easy.

i had a ride from the airport and i have a place to stay for a while. ken and orla, friends of eva's have been kind enough to put me up for a couple of days. a little after i arrived, i went out to dinner with ken and orla and a big group of their friends from ireland. i had to navigate the bus route on the way back {alone}, because the two of them were on bikes, but thankfully their lovely home in newtown is in the center of town. i honestly don't know how many people are living here at the moment! i've been sleeping on a mattress in the living room and i have two roommates on the couches right beside me.

i feel asleep last night in a matter of minutes and didn't roll out of bed until 8:30 this morning. i had intended to go for a run, but i ended up just walking around town for two hours. there is this big, tree-covered hill overlooking newtown and i decided to climb it this morning. getting to the top was somewhat challenging, but i managed to make it to the top. it was so quiet and peaceful up there {minus the animal sounds coming from the zoo below! *kels, there is a zoo only a two minutes walk from the house!} so i sat on a stump and meditated for a couple minutes. it was too perfect, i only wish i had my camera then too!

i'll post pictures soon! this place is fascinating.

after working everyday, all day for so many months now, today has been so strange and disorienting. not only am i in a an entirely different place but i don't have work to do. i can wake up and decide to do whatever i want whenever i want.

i don't know what to make of all this. . . i still cannot believe i'm here, this far away from everything i know. . .

all the love from wellington!

{i'm off to go find some food and then to take the dogs on a walk in the park}

goodbye to all that

2011-01-08T08:18:00.000-08:00

" i travel not to go anywhere, but to go. i travel for travel's sake. the great affair is to move."

- robert louis stevenson

* * * * * * * *

so i leave for nz in a few minutes. patrick was just over, maria, sarah, and mrs. cargo were over earlier and right now, mom, kelsey, alex, and i are at the kitchen table watching the snow. {i hope this means i can still fly out on schedule!}

it is currently 60 in wellington, and i cannot believe that i leave on the 8th and get there on the 10th! i still don't know final plans, but i know it is going to work out.

packing has been a funny/challenging experience. so far, i have enlisted sarah,

maria, brandi, and mom to help squeeze everything inside my backpack!

speaking of backpack, though, i still need to finish packing a few things. . .

i'm really just writing to say thank you. thank you everyone for all the love and encouragement. i couldn't be any more excited/amazed that one of my biggest dreams is coming to fruition!

whatever happens world, this is what i wanted all along.

i don't know what awaits me, but i know this will be one of the greatest challenges/adventures of my life!

with all the love in my heart,

is this really possible?

2011-01-06T18:05:00.001-08:00

you've gotta love a packing post!

all along i knew this was going to be a challenge, but who knew packing for six months would be this ridiculous? i have just now starting this forever long process, and i don't know when i will finish. tomorrow is hectic, so packing is left to tonight. . .

the list of things never seems to end, but i really couldn't be any more excited. i have received so many sweet cards/letters/emails/calls today and yesterday, i feel incredibly loved right now {plus mom made quiche just for me tonight for dinner}

{so sorry for the poor image quality, the big cam. is already in a bag - the first thing to go in!

*in the photo also, the camera pack looks just as big, if not bigger than my regular pack, but in reality is much smaller, so, i'm having to get creative. . . traveling sans cameras would be easy, but i couldn't imagine a trip without one!}

one more thing -

2011-01-05T21:24:00.001-08:00

this video just made me *bawl my eyes out.

maggie doyne is one remarkable person. and those kids, good grief! please take time and read her beautiful blog. i have been following her and her life for some time now and it never ceases to amaze me.

goodnight!

a new phase

2011-01-05T19:34:00.000-08:00

in preparation for all the changes 2011 will bring/have already brought, i've decided to change the look of le blog a little and introduce the brand new look of grace farson photography!

please take a minute and check out the new photography portfolio [at] agfarson[dot]wordpress[dot]com.

it is still a work in progress and i'm just now working to understand the fundamentals of wordpress.

==================

also, since this post is all about the new phase of my life . . . i feel like sharing a few of my new years goals. . . ever since i was little i have loved our family tradition of talking through our new years resolutions over the dinner table. i love getting inspired by all my friends and family at this time of year. even though the year has started off dramatically different than i had hoped, i know 2011 holds great surprises, adventures, and challenges!

here are a few things i hope to accomplish in 2011:

- survive on my own for 6 months abroad!

- return to a simpler way of living

- journal and draw daily

- teach yoga and meditation {at home [davidson and chapel hill] and abroad}

- have my qt and meditate every morning

- make friends abroad and at school/ reconnect with other friends

- stay in touch with family and friends throughout the year {esp. while i'm away}

- learn more about truly organic living {i hope to learn how to milk a cow, shear a sheep, plant new varieties of plants, take care of a beehive, etc. . . i really cannot wait for this!}

- start memorizing isaiah 58

- memorize a poem

- run again! {2x/wk}

- be wise with the decisions i make/ how i use my {limited} funds

- see everest

- go skydiving with padre

- learn to speak a little nepali/ brush up on my sanskrit

- ride a horse/ some other interesting animal

- take beautiful/interesting photos and study/intern with a photographer

- buy a bike and ride it like it's my job

- get involved in a bible study

- learn to use film cameras {ae-1 and reflex primarily}

- find a roommate/ figure out the college life

- make a chain of blessings each day of my first semester

- write more letters

- learn how to knit from ms. beth in the summer!

- pull out the sewing machine and make lovely little things with sydney campanella!

- read 5 c.s. lewis books

- rock climb with andrew in the fall!

- have weekly cooking nights at sarah and kelsey's places

- listen more/ love more/ witness more

- learn to french braid

- learn to play the accordion {ha. . . this will be on my list every year until it happens. . .}

==================

yes, so it is a bit long and exhausting, but. . . 2011 = crazy travel/part of summer at home {it is actually the year of two summers!}/the start of my life at carolina, so why not dream big?!

what are your new years goals friends?

{all photos from venice this summer - click to see any larger!}

sunday styles

2011-01-02T14:07:00.000-08:00

in honor of my last day at mainstreet books today, i made a little collage of my sunday looks over the past fourteen weeks or so. . .

2011

2011-01-02T09:56:00.000-08:00

the year has not started off quite as i had imagined it would. . .

yesterday was really hard and sad and i felt anxious the whole day. i feel like at any moment i will start crying and never stop.

it is only 1:00 {i'm at work and it's silent, so i thought i could take a moment to write a little}. i've already cried twice today. rather than everything starting to work out in these last six days in the states, everything seems to be spinning out of control. i am still leaving saturday, don't get me wrong, but my last week at home has started off rough.

my heart aches for the law family, but i am truly thankful that ms. susan is now in a place of great peace and love. she was such an incredible person and i will never forget my first memories of her. i just told mom last week one of my most vivid memories from church at david cox involved ms. susan. i still remember helping pack up the kids toys after the service and i was carrying this big plastic bin when she stopped to help me carry it over to the other room. i remember thinking, not only is she the most kind person in the world, but she is so beautiful. when i think back to church in the old days, i think of the laws.

i also had to say some sad goodbyes to some people i love dearly last night/today. i said my goodbyes to brandi and georgia last night and i cannot imagine just how much georgia and griffin will change in six months! by far the worst goodbye was to abby and guion. as much as i love work at mainstreet, i just wanted to sit with abs all day long. i still have time with other people, but not her. she leaves for va again today and i honestly don't know when i'll see her again. late summer hopefully! sure skype/email is a blessing abroad, but even so. . . i don't know what my connection will be like or what the future holds. it's just not the same. . . i'm dreading the other goodbyes, but at the same time, i know this is exactly the way i want to spend most of 2011!

the party last night was smaller than in the years past, but really chill. even though i've never been as obsessed with tradition like sam, i'm big into keeping christmas and new year's day the same from year to year. my only regret with last night was that i wasn't all there. . . my head and heart where torn and i felt incredibly sad throughout the night. i acted the part of hostess, but inside i just wanted to curl up in mom's bed and cry.

with all that is going on, i'm really starting to loose it. i'm going on next to no sleep these past few nights. k and i opted to share a bed last night since we had a full house, but i kept her up through the night. at 4:30 she rolled over and said "grace, you still awake," i answered back and at that point i'd been up since we went to sleep. there is just too much on my mind right now, and i have a disability that runs in the family. . . you know, the one that inhibits me to say no. i'm working today, monday, tuesday, and wednesday all day, which leaves me only thursday and a little of friday to plan for six months. i have college stuff, taxes, emails, and paperwork to sort through in addition to packing/planning!

i know full well that everything will work out, but right now i feel overwhelmed. i'm so sorry to gripe, but i needed to get some of this off my mind . . . and because i don't have my journal here with me at the store, i decided to post all of this on le blog.

2011, so far you have left me sad and burdened, but i know that even on a grey and rainy day like this, there is light.

my last goodbye of the day is mainstreet. it has truly been the greatest job in the history of jobs. i'm incredibly thankful and blessed to get paid for something i enjoy so thoroughly enjoy.

h.a.p.p.y. n.e.w. y.e.a.r.

2010-12-31T19:35:00.000-08:00

2010 couldn't have been a better year.

i doubt i will ever forget this year and what it brought.

2010 was the year:

. we hosted a great new year's day party/and had some new year's day photo booth fun

. i finished applications, got accepted/rejected from colleges, got my heart broken after falling in love with corcoran/ d.c., and made the crazy, wonderful, and last- minute decision to take a gap year.

. spent time with kiddos

. graduated from asheville yoga center's 230 hr program/ discovered a whole new passion for teaching and practicing

. climbed a little

. graduated high school

. my beautiful sis got married and set the perfect example of a calm, beautiful, and happy bride.

. went on the annual beach trip with my bright stars

. backpacked through europe with my other darling sis/had the time of our lives/met dana/fell in love with travel all over again

. worked various jobs and learned a lot about the real world

. read a ton of books good and bad

. drew stuff/ painted stuff

. wore some seriously funky ensembles/ no pants april

. took thousands of photographs

. learned to be truly thankful for health/ recovery

. painted at thursday night worship/had the privilege to worship in a whole new way

all this to say one simple thing - 2010 was great.

i only wish it would have stuck around a little longer! it slipped past us too quickly.

may the new year bring new joy and peace to your lives.

happy happy 2011!

i'm fully confident 2011 is the year to live your best life. . . approach life in a whole new way and make sense of all the madness to the best of your ability.

"the very least you can do in your life is figure out what you hope for. and the most you can do is live inside that hope." - barbara kingsolver

with all the love in my heart,

another christmas past

2010-12-29T16:48:00.000-08:00

can you believe it? another christmas already gone?

i'm still living in a state of disbelief.

even though it sped past, this christmas was as good a christmas as any! i'm tremendously thankful for my beautiful, crazy, generous family. they're all so cool {aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, parents, sibilings, brother-in-law. all of them!}

plus, we almost had a white christmas! {the day after is good enough for me}

one of my greatest joys in life is waking up to a blanket of fresh, shiny snow. in addition to the beautiful snow, the highlight of this christmas was guion and guion's gift. read all about it here!

{click any to see it larger}

venice nights

2010-12-21T20:17:00.000-08:00

venice photographs great at any time of the day, but i was particularly captivated by the time after sunset in this always radiant city.

in a way, venice changed our lives.

what k and i knew about city life, changed entirely and k and i met one of the most wonderful people in the world here!

. . . a few more pictures to come . . .

{click any to see larger}

a day in monaco

2010-12-17T21:56:00.000-08:00

monaco was everything i had hoped it would be. . .

i can finally check one more place off my list of places to see before i die.

the land of grace kelly was just as classy, elegant, and quirky as i had always imagined!

tt & emma jean

2010-12-17T21:18:00.000-08:00

i really love dogs. as i write this, dublin has her head in my lap {she wants to play catch with her squished, pink toy and she thinks if she's really sweet i'll play with her all night. . . and i will}.

as much as i love pups, i doubt i'll ever have one of my own. i'm somewhat allergic to pet dander and all i fully intend to travel for the rest of my days, so. . . i doubt i'll ever call one my own.

with that said though, i hope to always be surrounded by dogs/animals in general. i want all of my friends to have at least one or two beautiful pets! a, i want you to get a dog, and fast!

- - - - - - - - - - - -

as i said before, these two were a wonderful pair to photograph. they are so fun and happy together.

tt & emma jean, i wish you all the best!

3rd birthday photographer

2010-12-16T16:13:00.000-08:00

brandi asked me to come over and take a few pics of georgia's 3rd birthday party last saturday.

the house was overpowered by pink and frills. the girls all looked darling in their princess dresses and crowns.

this event was particularly fun b/c i have been present at all three of this little one's birthday parties!

{happy 3rd georgia! you've got a great year ahead of you}

eight

2010-12-15T17:09:00.000-08:00

i had the intention of posting these pics since spring, but . . . life happens and i forget about these things until i find a stack of pictures in my bedroom.

this was my first attempt with my holga {most of these are from march/april}. my second roll of film was destroyed {bye-bye all may wedding photos, etc.} and i still have not developed my third roll!

i've been spoiled by the digital generation and film is a constant guessing game for me. i find that i have very little patience when it comes to waiting for a good picture. . . on my list of goals for 2011 friends!

the above eight are my favorite out of the ones that did turn out. many, er, most of mine turn out too dark {s, you're not alone! who knew holga's needed light that much!}

* * * * * * in other news, k & friends are coming home friday! i cannot wait to spend time {ugh, after work} with them. and yes, diddy is my favorite artist of the week.

0 days left to teach yoga on wednesday mornings {today marked the last of my 9 weeks. i'm sad it is already over, but so happy i got back into sharing my love of the practice with others} . . . 1 or 2 days and most of my lovies are out of school . . . 10 days to christmas . . . 23 days before i leave. . . i really could not ask for more right now. * * * * * *

k's sexy south of france dance!

2010-12-13T18:27:00.000-08:00

the sun in the south of france does this to all of us k, you're not alone. . .

it's just that i had a camera to document this priceless moment in time, you didn't. . .

i love you and really want to be basking on a beach with you right now {or having a dance party}!

enjoy this world.

the s. of france

2010-12-13T17:53:00.000-08:00

nice, france

we loved this place