Friday, November 6, 2009

Operation Christmas Child

Pack A Shoe Box!
NATIONAL COLLECTION WEEK: November 16th - 23rd

We all know Christmas is more than just gifts under our tree; it's a religious celebration as well as a time to gather with those closest to us and share the joy of the Holiday season. Many children around the globe do not ever get to know these experiences we ourselves look forward to year after year after year. So do you have a few minutes to make Christmas a reality for a child living in poverty? Pack a shoe box full of Christmas goodies to be delivered by Operation Christmas Child around the world. On a basic level it will provide children with a tangible gift but even more importantly it will let them know that somewhere out there someone is not only thinking of them, but including them in their Holiday celebration.

Could it be any easier to spread a little Christmas love? Nope! For packing instructions and gift goody ideas, click here. Keep in mind that it's the thought that counts and fun gifts can be inexpensive (Dollar stores are great fun!!).

Interested in more than dropping off your shoe boxes? Look into year-round or Collection Week volunteer opportunities to be a Christmas Elf at one of their 2,000 collection sites.

This will be my 23rd Christmas, how about you? It's time to use our power to give ____ their 1st Christmas.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Drop TOMS, Not Bombs

I recently learned of a really interesting volunteer opportunity and wanted to share it with all of you 'travel with a purpose' lovers.

Friends of TOMS works in partnership with TOMS Shoes, and is a non-profit organization committed to connecting volunteers with the One for One movement by experiencing it first hand. How can you contribute? Participate in a TOMS Shoe Drop, an adventure to serve those in need of decent footwear; deliver shoes, partake in excursions, meet new friends, and make a difference in the young lives of children. Invest in a volunteer to participate in this adventure. Provide treatments for those children already infected. Provide support in scouting new locations. Become a TOMS advocate and spread the word. BUY TOMS!

For more information, check out: http://www.friendsoftoms.org/

UPCOMING shoe drops include...
August 25-28, 2009: New Orleans, LA, USA
September 5-12, 2009: Argentina
October 10-18, 2009: South Africa
December 5-12, 2009: Argentina

Monday, June 22, 2009

Proyecto San Andres Saludable & GV Trips



The more I give, the better I feel... I'm not sure if that makes me a generous person or a selfish human being.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Habitat for Humanity

They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul. A lot of times I feel as though peoples eyes are etched with their life experiences. On San Andres Island, the young children of four or five have eyes that hold so much, that have experienced so much already in their short lives. It was clear that they learned early on about pain and hardship. Yet underneath this exterior, were the most beautiful, most cheerful children I have ever met. They don't have much, they don't ask for much, but what they emmit is a spirit so strong it gives me hope. It's absolutely true that Habitat is an organization that gives tools to those in need to make their lives better. However, as a volunteer helping those in need, my life is now better for having the chance to know these children and their families. They have touched my soul and left my heart a little bit bigger, a little bit stronger and a little more hopeful.

So where do I begin. This experience was one of, if not the, defining moments during my weeks of travel. One of the more obvious reasons is because this opportunity brought about another opportunity to extend my work with Habitat for the summer, which I am now carrying out in Bogota, Colombia. Outside of this, there are a million and one reasons and ways I evolved during the week long build. Afterall, how can you not be changed after meeting and seeing a walk of life so drastically different from your own?

On the first day of my first trip to San Andres, we toured through the five homes we would be working on for the week in Barkers Hill village. Some of these families barely had four walls to call home. The living conditions were less than less than desirable, which made me grateful we were there as the first International Team to begin making improvements. I took one big step up onto the concerte floor of Ruby's wood planked home, leaned to the right and then to the left. I had seen her kitchen, bedroom and bathroom where she and her three children live. In that moment I had the most overwhelming urge to hug my mom - who like Ruby, was a single mother of three for the greater portion of my youth - and thank her, over and over and over again for the life she provided for me. My gratitude continued through the next four homes; thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. How very different my life could have turned out.

Over the course of the week I had a reoccurring question that stemed from that initial feeling: why me? Who decideded Ruby, and every other person here for that matter, is to live in these conditions, while I am fortunate enough to be born into the life I have? It doesn't make sense. I mulled over this question throughout the week and came across a revelation. All of us "non-Ruby's" of the world have a responsibility to accept and uphold. The responsibility to use our resources, the resources handed to us at birth, to improve the lives of "Ruby's" around the world. Just because it's her and not me, or me and not her, doesn't mean things have to stay that way.

Which brings me to my next point.

I'm on a mission. I'm 22 years old and up until now my life has been pretty spectacular. Sure I may have complained along the way, and through acquiring a new perspective of the world, I feel rather embarrassed now for worrying over my “hardships”. Life is good. So like I said, I’m on a mission; a mission to give others the same kind of 22 years of life that I have been blessed with – love, education, happiness, independence, health. After all, these are things that every human being, of every race, deserves a chance at. And as I've mentioned before, it's me who was chosen to receive these privileges initially by circumstance. So now I’m on a mission to bring these things to others, to take responsibility for sharing my privileges. I plan on continuing to “find” myself along the way too... but that's a whole 'nother topic.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

A new day, a new opportunity

I don’t know how it happened to me. When I stop, and REALLY think about everything I have just done in the past 2 months and 4 days, I don’t know how it happened; how it was/is all possible. I say possible in the sense of the pure and perfect timing of it all, possible on my very limited, very small budget. How in the heck was I so lucky?

From country hopping (Mexico to Guatemala to Colombia to Panama to Costa Rica to Guatemala to Honduras to USA to Colombia...); to snorkeling on a deserted island; to barfing my brains out for 10 hours straight and thinking 'is it ever going to end?'; to riding the L.D. train for days (if you have to ask what L.D. is, then clearly you've yet to experience the ride - don't worry, you'll know when you're on it); to Salsa lessons from male teachers the height of my tatas; to receiving foot/back massages from strange men on not one, but two occassions; to ditching flights and straight up being shut down from boarding others; to carrying 80lbs bags of cement with the Mayor, who could see I was clearly struggling on my own; to spending countless hours wine tasting and talking about everything in a teeny tiny wine shop in Antigua; to rain that poured down heavy on us on top of Mayan Ruinas; to reconnecting with my dear family and friends in Michigan; to wandering streets everywhere; to being lost in translation 24/7 and somehow missing it during my brief stint home; to negotiating cabs and often getting ripped off; to the many long bus rides; to sleeping in the jungle on a twin bed with a Kiwi, tangled in mosquito netting and fearing our survival from cockroaches in the night; to renovating homes to make people's life a little bit better, while they made mine better by just having known them; to meeting the most interesting people in the most unsuspecting places (i.e. the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner's husband in a Cafe on a rainy day); to laughing long and hard with new friends over cervezas in the Caribbean; to drinking local mezcal and eating blindly; to rafting waves, hiking and swimming currents; to reading, thinking, learning, changing, and absorbing every minute of every day; to yoga’ing on the beach and yoga'ing on rooftops with the smoky scene of volcanos pictured perfectly between prestine white walls and tiled rooftops......to Spanish classes in a courtyard a world away from the classrooms I spent much of my life; to beach time in bays and surfing for the first time with a teacher who was clearly more fed up with my progress (or lack thereof) than I was; to love affairs ending and new ones beginning; to the Spanish morning radio shows I don't understand but enjoy the happiness it brings the bus driver during the herendous morning rush hour in Bogota; to feeling lost and lonely and the "what do I do next?"; to running through terential downpours in the middle of the night and laughing the whole way; to hippie clad hostels and banana pancakes; to seatless toilets and ice cold showers; to mangos falling off trees and machete chopping cocos; to wakeboarding on the Rio; and every once in a while, having that wonderfully peaceful feeling that whispers inside, 'You are in exactly the right place at exactly the right time, doing exactly the right thing'. As quickly as it comes, it leaves me to continue on. If you have ever experienced this feeling, you know for yourself how incredible it is.

So I'm telling you, it's possible. It's all possible. When you are ready to let go and dive into the future, eyes blindfolded, towards all of the wild and obscure things you want - they will be there waiting for you. And the great thing is it's like a magentic force; once you open yourself up to the possibility of an opportunity, more and more opportunities reveal themselves. Opportunities you may not have ever dreamt or desired that now seem imminent to your life. Nevermind the logistics, the money, the time. Those are inconsequential matters in comparison to your life and creating the future you want to be living in. Don't feel bad. We all have our moments of insecurities and persistent questions. I still get them even doing what I'm doing. And it's probably a good thing. It means you're looking out for yourself. But in order to do that properly, you need to take more into consideration than just the downfalls; think about risks that will reap you great rewards. Think about all of those wild and obscure things you want. Now repeat after me: it's all possible.

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Whitney's right... I've reached the point where I will exhale

Saturday, May 30th an unsuspecting Delta employee kindly greets me in a deserted terminal at DTW where moments later for the first time in public, I shed uncontrollable tears. I try to hold them in, I really do. I tell myself, 'Keep your composure, at least until you make it to the pay phone cubby'! That statement in and of itself was enough to keep the water works flowing; I don't even have a mode of communication. I am now just like the terminal, deserted.

After 6 days - one hundred and forty four hours - of travleing, packing, shopping, preparing, hello's, goodbye's, driving, planning, laundry, stressing, reassuring, visiting, organizing, explaining, emailing... my emotional rollercoaster came to a crashing hault; I'm stuck in Michigan and I'm not going anywhere. Well, until I get either A) A visa or B) Shell out a couple more hundred for a new flight to do so. My effortless dreams and plans have been crushed. This cannot be happening, this isn't how it was supposed to go. I know it's no use, what's the point of debating reality? Reality has brought me right back into a Volvo, cruising down 94, and my mind can't stop racing to figure out what my next move will be.

Despite my creativity, my options are quickly being exhausted. In order to reissue my unused ticket (Flight NW8901 is flying high in the sky by now) to redeem the whopping $98 to put towards a new ROUND TRIP ticket (very important for all of you international travelers out there!), I would owe a $150 penalty and another $50 on top of that. Superb. Scratch that. How about a Visa? I ring the Colombian Embassy in D.C. Perplexed why no one was picking up my call, a light bulb flickers: it's Saturday. Man, I'm really on a roll here. I do a little google'ing and my speculations (driven primarily by sentences that pretty clearly state exactly this) lead me to realize it could take a whole lot of time before I'm granted a Visa. I begin to loose faith; looking out the sideview mirror of the car, memories of the past 2 months, the anticipation to see my girls again and rejoining Habitat are quickly fading along in the distance. 'So long future 3 months!' Loosing faith that is until the Enemy (Delta), becomes the Allie. It took a day of recooperation, 1 massive migraine and a dent in my travel tissues to recreate my departure (with minimal damage at that). I'm drained and I'm tired, I'm content for now. Right now all I need is to let go of the breath that I've been holding onto and exhale.

Shoop, shoop, shoop, shoop-be-doop.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Homeward Bound


Officially back on American soil as of Saturday at approximately 5:30ish p.m. (thank you very much Delta!). I had mixed feelings about returning home for a quick visit. Nevertheless, a free ticket home to see your worry-riden family for seven days is usually something you can't pass up. It's like they say though, there's no such thing as a free lunch. I know my lack of excitment may sound odd, (and it's not that I didn't miss the fam, however worry-riden they may be, or the good old USofA for that matter) but once you've already put yourself out there and are in backpacker mode, it can be a big adjustment to unadjust to everything you just spent 2 months adjusting to in the first place. Being able to actually understand every word, phrase, conversation -what have you - in evesdropping sight; flushable loo's; drinkable tap water; accomplishing seemingly menial tasks exponentially faster (i.e. getting food, agua, laundry, internet...I'm struggling to fill my days here in the Mitten and it's only been 48 hours); just to highlight a few immediately recognizable differences.

Turns out those mixed feelings straightened right out after a few mixed drinks with some old friends. I now realize a week back in Michigan will be the extra dash of confidence that reconfirms my decision to stay abroad, provide some much needed quality time with my beloveds and allow me to resuit, regear, and repack (and not to mention give my overworked intestines a break). I look forward to the week to come and I look forward to my Colombian summer; I look forward to it all.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

"They say people in your life are like seasons and anything that happens is for a reason"

It started off as a post-college dream. As some Nirvana I had to achieve. I thought I could control it all while I was gone; control how much I change and the relationships I was involved in. Now I'm here - in a hole in the wall internet shop, large black sunglasses disguising the tears in my eyes on an overcast Antiguan day -and the world has its way with you. Sure, you let it change you, to some extent you even welcome the change. But after a while you begin to wonder when and how it all happened to you. Are you really this person? You're stuck in the middle of where you were and where you are supposed to be.

I thought I would go away for a month, maybe 2 for the financial aspect alone, if nothing else. But I knew deep down, the gypsy inside of me had a secret agenda of her own. In the back of my mind she would tell me that I could fall in love with it all and never come back. That seemed too radical though. Surely I just needed to get this travel bug out of my system and move on from right where I left off. That's exactly it though. You can't always return to where you leave from. Maybe the bug I had to get out of my system was achieved. Maybe it was leaving home, traveling, doing things that scare me everyday - living a life that has meaning and is meaningful. I keep trying to convince myself I made a mistake coming here, but just like the gypsy I tried to ignore, deep down I know it was what I needed to do.

So where does a girl go from here? The gypsy tells me anything is possible, and this time I believe her. It's time to move on and see where this road will lead me.

Friday, May 1, 2009

TOMS Shoes

TOMS Shoes. Get inspired to get involved in the movement! The One for One movement. For every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need.
They're fun, super comfortable and best of all - affordable!

To learn more about TOMS, purchase TOMS and make a difference with TOMS, check out: http://www.tomsshoes.com/

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Viva Las Vegas

Okay, so it has been a while (a long while) since I have updated. Traveling the world really gets your hands tied up and there is not a whole lot of free time at your disposal to catch up on life, if you will. I did something kind of crazy though and I just wanted to update you on that at least. Hopefully in a few days time I will catch you up on Puerto, Guate City, Antigua, and San Andres Island. Rough life, huh?

Anyways, from time to time you may be noticing the absence of question marks, apostrophes, and other necessary grammatical marks that are often needed when forming coherent sentence structures. Im not illeterate, Im just not down with Latin American computer systems. They are a real trip.

Getting on with my story.

It all started 2 nights ago when I was approached by one of my fellow team members with a proposition to join them in Cartagena, Colombia for a few days (a resort town on the Northeastern corner of mainland Colombia). Surprisingly enough the Cuba Libres in me dismissed the idea immediately as rediculous. However, last nights soberness made me think a little longer and clearer on the opportunity.

11am this morning at ADZ airport, my flight (paid in full) back to Guate takes off - without me. After 2 hours of negotations and consideration, I've decided to take the leap and buy my ticket to Cartagena. Goodbye Panama, MGA and Guate City. Hello Las Vegas (ironically, that is the hotel we are staying at and no I didn't plan it that way)!

I understand the spontaniety of my choice; believe me, I have butterflies flocking to all areas of my body. 'I'm flying to Colombia to meet an Egyptian' was not a phrase I ever expected to come out of my mouth. Totally on board with that. And the fact that abandoning my scheduled flight back may or may not have been the right decision for a variety of reasons. However. It is only for a few days... well actually... its for as long as I want. I suppose if resort life in Colombia turns out to be a crock I can always hop on the next flight out of there. I just couldnt help but wonder what I would be missing if I missed Cartagena...

Saturday, April 4, 2009

"The mountain that empties your stomach"

April 3rd & 4th - Oaxaca City & Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca

The rest of my time spent in the city was compromised of wandering through various shops and museums solo and plans that fell through. To begin with, I was scheduled (and paid for) to take a day trip to Monte Alban, but apparently a protest (ehm, for the SECOND day in a row) decided it was necessary to block the one road needed to get to my destination. Bummer #1. Later on, we had planned on trying a salsa class. No classes offered on Viernes, only Lunes to Jueves. Bummer #2.

We headed to bed and woke bright and early to depart for Semana Stanta - thrilled for beach week in Puerto!!!

Wrong.

It was probably the most nauseating 6 hour bus ride I have ever experienced in my life. Ever. I felt like a mother in labor, taking my heh-heh-hew's, trying to keep the oxygen flow going and what was left in my stomach from coming up my mouth. Quite possibly the reason this winding mountain trail of a road is dubbed "the mountain that empties your stomach". You don't have much left upon arrival. Luckily, I was able to keep myself from emptying my stomach; however, a local on another nearby bus was emptying hers out the window. Ek.

Immediately I could sense the difference in locations. Puerto is as authentic a beach town as you could ever desire. The sun, the sand and the smell of the Pacific crashing in the distance.

We made our hot, sweaty trek (packs in tow) to our casa for the week. And what a wonderful surprise indeed! Casa Loma looked like paradise and for $10/night it is better than paradise. Suddenly the last 6 hours were totally worth it and room by room, we were guided through our tropical mansion by the gardener.

Eating beachside, patiently waiting for the rest of the crew to arrive, I had my first-ever taste of what I like to call Mexico's Long Island (and if you know me at all, you know my love for LI's are strong). The Coco Loco, intoxicating as it sounds, is tequila, rum and vodka loaded into a coconut larger than the size of my head. I would say the coco jugos was an afterthought in this beverage.

Around midnight the entire crew was complete. Emma, Dibo, Sam, Tony, Bex, Chino, Juanish, Sharp, (soon to be Jorge), and I settled into our diggs and shared a nightcap on the third floor outdoor living space. It was going to be a great week.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

"but i thought it came with beans..."

April 1st & 2nd
Oaxaca City, Oaxaca

Arriving impossibly fresh and stunning looking was more challenging than one may think. Landing in Oaxaca, I was down 1 gold bracelet and up a whole lot of holes in the crotch of my patched and re-patched blanco pantalones, I so desparately wanted to bring. Beware: Holes in the crotch spread like wildfires people.

We spent the day touring the charming streets of the city; popping in various cathedrals (absolutley stunning, they really show the churches of America what's up); visited the Zocalo; hiked up to Auditorio Guelaguetza to view the city ariel style; enjoyed a cafe at the ex-convent, now a high-end hotel; passed through several markets (can we say chaos!); explored the casa de la ciudad museum; and experienced my first taste of Tlyuada in a cozy, street side restaurant. The Tyluada was rico but Emma was rather disappointed with her combo especial - beans NOT included. Other first-time foods include: papaya, guyaba and toposo.

Chilling in the courtyard of our very colorful hostel, I'm trying to bust out a quick Spanish lesson before the sun goes down (no outdoor lighting here). Reflecting on the day, I have to be honest. So far I'm still absorbing everything. Initially, things were pretty overwhelming. Note to self: It's stressful not understanding Spanish, especially when visiting a Spanish speaking country. I can't say I finally understand foreigners living in America who do not understand English, but I certainly sympathize with them now. How one can live in a country their entire life without feeling the urgency to become fluent is on them. 24 hours here and I can't get fluent fast enough. On the flip side, Emma has been a great translator. Never before had I heard her speak Spanish. So the first time she exchanged in rapid dialog, I was very impressed. In order to completely grasp my Latin American experience however, the Spanish lessons shall continue...

Sunday, March 29, 2009

"Oh, Mexico, it sounds so sweet with the sun sinkin' low"

It's official: I am on sabbatical! Well, my version anyway. I finished at Club this past Wednesday and The Ltd yesterday. My co-workers at the latter surprised me with a large cookie cake, a gem of a dessert, and sent me off with warm wishes for safe travels. It was so nice and not to mention muy delicioso. Nonetheless, I still woke up bright and early at 8 am like clockwork. Which was especially painful after staying up until the wee hours of the night indulging in a few bon voyage drinks with friends in Royal Oak.

The whole out of work thing has really made me realize that I am infact leaving. It is the first time in a while that I've had the time to let this realization soak long enough to get excited slash frantic all over again. Mostly I'm eager to see how and where this adventure will lead me. It is my first solo-ish trip and i'm really starting to regret not effortlessly picking up the entire Spanish language like I had originally planned these past few months. Minor detail. The packing and the planning is all coming down to the final 72 hour stretch and I can't help but wonder what i'll be doing when the 96th hour is here. Eating tacos and humming James Taylor?

Monday, March 16, 2009

Locks of Love

Two thousand and nine. I decided to start the new year by doing something for someone else.

Thanks in part to my sister who donated this past summer, on January 2nd, 2009 I donated 11 inches of my precious hair to Locks of Love. It wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be, possibly because I had undergone months of preparation for this very drastic feature change in advance. It was sort of freeing in a way; I had just graduated college and began the new year as an adult. Very second season Felecity-esque. Anyway, just a few days ago I received a letter from Locks of Love informing me my donation had been received and will be used for a child. Even after three months passing (along with the thrill of the entire process) it felt so good all over again.


I highly recommend all of you long-locked girls to do the same. It is a great thing to do for someone who has suffered so severely, and I'm actually loving the new do! And if you are about to give me that "I look awful with short hair...I don't know, it might take years to grow back" saga, keep in mind people, it has probably been at least ten years since I have done such a chop (not exageranting when i say drastic). Your hair will grow back. I've gained a solid two inches since January and my roots are slower than a slug! I told myself no matter how much I dislike it, I have to feel good knowing it is bringing someone else so much joy and a glimpse of "normal" back into their lives.

Finally, another great aspect of donating is the conveience and security of having your regular stylist do the big chop for you instead of going to a random one-timer. Check out their website to learn more: http://www.locksoflove.org/ and help a child cope with the loss of their hair.

Riding the waves, creating the plan

It has never felt unusual to me that those closest to me are jet-setters; always eager to explore a new corner of the world. Now I realize that these people, my friends, with such deep senses of adventure implanted inside are truly unique. Traveling has never been a question of embarkment for me, my ever-present curiosity has made it clear that it is something I will forever crave.

However, figuring out and making my own travel plans has been somewhat of a rollercoaster of an event. They have started out as long-term globetrotting treks with varied destinations (not very practical to say the least, but hey, a girl can dream), to a more realistic outline. Things have not been set in stone for the tail end of my trip, but I definately feel content with what I hope to be my itenerary.

Based on time limitations, money (of course the last-minute realizations of immunization shots; summer rent that I wanted to altogether avoid, telling myself it would magically take care of itself; a looming loan payment; etc.), friends, family, work...and well reality, a different than expected, yet still very exciting plan has been unfolded.

April 1st (what do you know, April Fools Day...let's hope this makes for an interesting start) I will be flying direct from Detroit to Oaxaca, Mexico where I will begin my journey. Easter week my friend has found quite the diggs to kick back in at the beach. Check out our pad and don't get too jealous, i'll be sure to take a lot of pictures :)


Afterwards I plan on taking off for San Andres Island, Colombia to participate in a Habitat for Humanity program. We will be renovating kitchens and bathrooms - giving some running water for the very first time! I can't tell you how excited I am about this, it was one of those things I wasn't initially planning on doing that worked itself out perfectly. The day I was interviewed and accepted into the program happened to be Ash Wednesday. I sat in Mass with a giant smile pasted across my face looking like a dufus. I couldn't help it, I was just so excited.


Hello World

With the recent end of my college years (tear), I am beginning to shed the safe shell of a bubble that I have existed in for the past 22 years of my life. The Real World (aka reality) is knocking as each month draws further from the life of an undergrad and I'm beginning to realize life is a whole lot different on the outside.

I'm a firm believer that people always say"college was the best time of my life," because life as a college student is like living on a playground; its just like the carefree years of being an adolescent, PLUS the conveniences of maturity (hopefully ) - having your license, legally being able to drink and go to the bars, money (that is, if you haven't spent it all due to point #2), total freedom due to zero adult supervision, etc. (and for the record I loved my college years; however, have no intention on accepting it as the final "best time" in my life...I plan on having many more). With each new day and experience however, I feel that someone out there is beginning to prick this little bubble of mine and it will deflate before my very eyes. And what will be revealed before me? With the playground fading out of sight, am I jumping off the merry-go-round, or will I simply hop onto a new one? We'll have to wait to find out.

The good news is it's okay. Sure the economy might be in the tubes, and the weather can be as pleasant as a chilled Corona on a deserted beach one day and magically transform into a bitter shot of nyquil the next, but the Real World is here. It's time to move on to bigger and better adventures to challenge myself with. The first obvious obstacle you might be dreaming up is a job, or a "career" as you real worlders call it. Problem solved. Currently, I have two in blossom. I have been busting my chops for the past fifteen days straight. Tomorrow and Wednesday are my first days off since this stretch of my use and abuse in the working world. Which conveniently happens to be St. Patty's day. Hey, how'd that happen? :)

Anyways, getting back on track. "Career"/job - Check. Check.

The kink in that plan is that I have always planned on traveling after the grueling 4 1/2 years of professors, exams, papers, five day weekends and Saturday morning drinking fests during tailgating season. Au contraire friends, I know what you're thinking but power hour at 7am is not an easy feat. It really does take a toll on a girl. Those plans are finally getting on track and will be in full swing in approximately 2 weeks.

This transformation into adulthood, among other things has been the inspiration for creating this blog. It is also due in part to two very good friends. After being separated by hundreds of miles for our college years and now as it seems, beyond our post-undergrad years (okay, so far its only been a few months...but it sure does feel like years), these busy bodies have become regular bloggers; updating me on their most recent travels, thoughts, experiences, and all of the juicy details in between. (Check out my little fashionista and foodie at afreshdille.wordpress.com and my globetrotter at emmalsefton.blogspot.com).

I'll stop rambling and start blogging - Enjoy!