Life Unscripted

Travel often; getting lost will help you find yourself.

Thu, 23 Aug 2012 20:42:24 -0400

With a pile of stuff smaller then the pile of trash, it’s officially the end of an era for me in Boston. I’m packing again, this time with a sincere effort to leave behind the things that are truly in the past, with a few keepsakes that will ease me into the next adventure. I’m strapping on a backpack once more and flying out to New Zealand in October. I will be flying one-way to Wellington, New Zealand with no job, no house, and no friends. Why? Here’s how I see it and how Mark Twain put it on paper: “twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

I’m off to do just that. Explore, dream, discover. But first I have to clear out my apartment, clean my slate, and put a few things into boxes that I’m not ready to let go just yet.

Thanksgiving with the doggies.

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 00:02:21 -0500

Thanksgiving with the doggies.

And the Indian Summer Lives On.

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 17:19:27 -0500

A warm sunny Sunday in November leaves me with a calm mind from yoga, a squeaky clean house which includes fresh laundry, a fully stocked fridge, and an acceptance that tomorrow is Monday.

This whole health kick thing is starting to settle in and I find myself routinely doing wonderful things that don’t include binge eating ice cream, or watching 6 hours of TV getting up solely to pee and maybe get another snack. While I miss big glasses of red wine and the occasional demolition of an entire bag of mint chocolate chip bites, I’m figuring out new things that still rock my world without the killer headache or stomachache after. So cheers to a new smoothie recipe I just got and bon apetit to my roasted brussel sprouts.

A case of the Mondays

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 13:09:14 -0500

I’m so over Mondays. The only good thing about them was 10 cent wing night, but now that I can’t eat wings, the only redeeming quality about Monday is that it consistently ends at 11:59 p.m. and gives us Tuesday. My lackluster attempts at finding a glass half full yesterday has led me to the lingering depressive attitude on Tuesday. So I sit, rather pathetically, with a mammoth chocolate shake (not recommended by my doctor) from J.P. Licks as I surrender to my statistics homework.

And honestly how does Monday expect me to be pleased when I am forced to get back into the grind after a sublime weekend in Vermont with the family. While I could banter on for days about the negative effects of Monday, I recognize that it is now Tuesday and time to move on. As a quick side note before I pull it together and end my rant I just need to get this out. Whoever thought green juice was good is an absolute maniac. In efforts to follow through with my health kick I opted for green juice as I’ve heard of the insane health benefits. Extra shot of wheat grass? You betcha. It tasted like a fresh cut lawn mixed with vegetables I cannot even pronounce, and it looked like bile. I never want to taste it again. So I have burned ‘learn how to make green juice’ off of my list of things to accomplish.

On my quest to become a master roaster, I successfully roasted salmon filets and broccoli. Unfortunately I tried the broccoli straight out of the oven and have subsequently singed the majority of my taste-buds. Lesson learned, do not eat food covered in olive oil directly out of the oven. Even with half my taste-buds missing it still tasted great. So while green juice was an epic fail, I am well on my way to being a connoisseur of roasted salmon.

And tonight, I’m back to hip hop yoga. Maybe I’ll do a headstand today. Probably not considering I have not been to a class in ages, but maybe the inner yogi will appear and inspire me to at least try.

The new Flying Kites Oasis video. Definitely something to watch...

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 23:40:00 -0400

The new Flying Kites Oasis video. Definitely something to watch and feel the inspiration and love.

My New Years Resolution in November.

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 20:01:00 -0400

This crazy thing keeps happening, one minute I look at the calendar and it’s just September. Now I look out my window (that is broken and doesn’t close), and feel the bitter chill of the November night. My dedication to write weekly again fell to the wayside as everything else, including Kim Kardashians two part wedding special, took precedence. But it’s November first today and I’m initiating my new years resolution two months early. How’s that for ambition?

Every fall I set goals for myself, little reminders of what I want to accomplish in the day to day. Rather pessimistically I lose steam sometime in the middle of October and try and cram them back onto my to-do list before the holidays, which ends up failing because I’d rather sit home eating pumpkin pie and listening to baby it’s cold outside on repeat. I’m confident this year will be especially bad as I’ve already begun the Christmas playlist and my room is merrily adorned with two full strands of festive holiday lights — the perfect recipe for an afternoon nap. And just when I see myself going down the path of no return, I find myself here, on my blog, talking to no one in particular about the demise of my goals. But it’s these moments here where I find myself back on track a bit firmer in my convictions to do what I set out to do.

After a rather chaotic and wonderful year indulging in my wanderlust and trotting the globe, I’ve been slowed down by my own self. The long story short is that in early August instead of going on a planned road trip in South Africa I landed in the hospital for five days with pancreatitis. No one is quite sure why I got it but nonetheless it happened. To keep the pity party going a few more lines, after planning for a trip to Kenya and Kilimanjaro in December I was told that that was not in the cards this year. Neither was drinking. Or traveling to any country with insufficient medical care. So here I am, staring at my list of ‘to-dos’ which include going to Kenya, trekking in the himalayas, and taking a tour of the Sam Adams brewery. I realize a few things are going to be put on hold, but then at the very bottom of this very long list it says four words that put it all in to place: less human. more being. I’m so caught up in what I cannot do, possessed by this sadness that really isn’t so bad. Finally, after rambling for a bit, I have decidedly kicked out the crazies in my own head, and officially have ended the pity party.

Here is my open list of goals and my resolutions that I’m going to write about over the next six months. Just six months because really, come May, come rain or shine, I’m going to be healed, hopefully with some better cooking skills and a few other interesting things in my repertoire.

It’s a work in progress but for now here is the short list:

- Do a headstand in yoga.

- Cook my way through a cookbook. (Which will hopefully and ambitiously include a tur-duck-in).

- Read books that should be read. Starting with a reread of The Great Gatsby.

- Go to Mardi Gras.

- Drive from San Francisco to Vancouver.

- Take a boxing class.

- Master the perfect Sunday brunch.

- Run the Boston marathon.

- Volunteer at the animal shelter in Boston.

So join me, give me recipes, road trips to take, books that should be read, places that should be seen, and music that should be heard. I’m hoping to write when inspired about something new, something discovered, and in the process plan to become a more devoted yogi, a better cook, a master of French toast, and a girl with a mean right hook.

Open the windows, turn the speakers up, and let summer live on!

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 22:13:00 -0400

Open the windows, turn the speakers up, and let summer live on!

The Dog Days of October.

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 22:09:00 -0400

I have no idea what exactly qualifies an ‘Indian Summer’ but I’m going to go ahead and declare this October weekend exactly that. An indian summer, a throwback to those August days, extending the life of my well travelled flip flops and awkward tank-top tan. 80 degrees, blue skies, and cool breezes helped the East Coast store up on some much needed vitamin D, and as the week returns to normal the energy in the air in infectious. While I try and finish some papers I’ve known about for weeks, I can’t help but feel a bit of that spark from the first days of class where I was genuinely ready to get back on the grind. I knew it was there somewhere, just needed some of this summer air to recharge. Hopefully you’re catching some of this pre-winter bliss too. With this re-emerging energy and spirit, I turn you to the Njabini Apparel blog as ‘energetic’ is highlighted this week as one of the seven words we live by! Stop on over, and tell us what gives you energy?

http://kenyahearnjabini.wordpress.com/

Leaf Peeping & Dream Seeking

Sat, 08 Oct 2011 16:13:07 -0400

Thanks to Christopher Columbus and his wanderlust, I have a long weekend. My wanderlust took me out of Boston and up 93-N, just over the Roxbury Gap, and at the end of the road to home. With leaf peepers across the country making their way up north, I found myself stuck behind the Sunday drivers and lost tourists for much of the three hour trek. But with my stress and to-do list in the backseat and my ipod accompanying me for much of the ride, I turned the music up and my mind off. You know that old phrase, home is where the heart is, well for this weekend my heart is in Vermont with my Moms homemade apple pie and the comfort of family. It’s so nice to be reminded of the simple things and how important they are. And I’m sure the world or at least my roommates are going to appreciate this mental break as I will come back with a bit less sass and a bit more positivity and happiness.

So thank you Christopher Columbus for landing in the Americas and giving me a chance to go home. And while I spend the weekend working on the resume and figuring out what is next, you have inspired me to seek a career as an explorer/navigator. It worked out well for you, maybe it will work for me too.

Inspiration in the art of traveling.

Sat, 08 Oct 2011 15:38:04 -0400

Inspiration in the art of traveling.

Pamoja. We are together.

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 00:49:00 -0400

I have lost track of mondays and tuesdays and somehow October has found itself on my doorstep along with the crisp fall air and a never ending but glorious to-do list. My wanderlust has all of the other tabs on my browser marked with future adventures in far off places, but for these few minutes, it’s about the present. The stories from Capetown will find their way onto these pages eventually, but for right now this story is not my own but that of women that I have not met, (yet) but that have inspired me in a profound way.

It starts in Njabini, an agrarian town in Kenya with enough love to spread around the world. And that’s exactly what is happening, starting with a group of women and ending with handmade products connecting a community in Kenya to people like you and me. This story is about opportunity and the empowerment that is created from one great idea, started last year by a wonderfully inspirational yet humble friend who spent enough time in Njabini to recognize a solution for these women. In a community where agriculture dominates, it can be near impossible to make an income if you are disabled. Women were caught in a poverty trap without a solution to pull themselves out. That is where Njabini Apparel began, and where these women began their quest to overcome poverty. A lot of long days and late nights has gotten Njabini Apparel to where it is now: a social business employing women in Njabini who knit hats, scarves, divinely soft slippers, and bags that are sent to the United States and sold for a profit. Those profits are then sent back to Njabini for the women and their families, and for the growth of Njabini Apparel. If it couldn’t get any better, 15% of the profits also go to Flying Kites Global (http://www.flyingkitesglobal.org/). Flying Kites takes in orphaned children and gives them back their childhood and an opportunity to grow into the future leaders our world needs. So there it is in a very basic nut-shell. Stay posted for updates and more stories, and be sure to stop by the creative brilliance that is the Njabini Apparel blog: http://kenyahearnjabini.wordpress.com . The official Njabini Apparel website to be launched at the end of October!

Photo credit to Njabini Apparel. The kids of Flying Kites in...

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 23:57:01 -0400

Photo credit to Njabini Apparel. The kids of Flying Kites in Njabini, Kenya rocking the knitted slippers.

A blog worth reading & passing along. Check it out, and join the Njabini movement.

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 23:54:43 -0400

A blog worth reading & passing along. Check it out, and join the Njabini movement.

A much delayed story from Capetown.

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 15:27:22 -0400

I have found home in Capetown, South Africa. It has been one week, I’ve barely had enough time to stretch my legs out and explore but there’s something about this country and this city that is enchanting. It probably helps that my apartment overlooks the chilly but alluring ocean as the sun rises and sets right off of my balcony. But, even if that were not the case I’m sure my sense of peace and comfort would still be resting somewhere between my heart and soul. It sounds crazy, it seems crazy but I’ve never known a place quite like Capetown. The South Africans have an energy that I have never known in a culture full of vibrancy and life. The setting between the seemingly endless ocean, the city buildings, and the towering mountains makes for a spectacular skyline. And the history makes for interesting conversations with a totally different perspective on our world.

The gap between the rich and the poor is obvious to the point that you look at townships in the distance and know exactly where the divide is between the whites and the colored and blacks. At the school the students are shy about their own backgrounds but are open about their history and the past as well as the relationship between apartheid and the present. Northeastern is working with Tsiba, a local school, on consulting projects for small businesses around the city. I was assigned to work with a woman named Mathokoza who started Sitabe African Craft. Along with another student from NU and three girls from Tsiba we are tackling her already flourishing business. Just being in the presence of Mathokoza is enough to aspire for more. Her business is simple but beautiful and her vision is to empower women in South Africa while preserving traditional African art. It’s hard not to go home at the end of the day and feel inspired to do something more, whatever it may be.

The Tsiba students are also something else. They’re just like the Americans: young, loud, and full of energy. The difference is that they come from entirely different backgrounds filled with struggles that we have never had to face. Yet all ninety of us are in one classroom as if it has been that way forever. The sense of comfort I found instantly with them made for an easy transition back into school and into South Africa. I have even been given an African name, Nonkose (sp?), which means something about the king.

And then there is my running route. In the mornings I step out the front door, take in the crisp morning air, and appreciate the last few moments of quiet calm before the sun makes it way over the mountains. By the end of my run the salty sea air sticks to my skin, and the reddish oranges that paint the sky fade to a clear blue. I catch a glimpse of the South African sun before heading in to get ready for class. The taste of the sea lingers on my tongue a bit longer and reminds me that there is no other place I’d rather be.

"Watch your way then, as a cautious traveler; and don’t be gazing at that mountain or river in..."

Sun, 26 Jun 2011 15:10:06 -0400

““Watch your way then, as a cautious traveler; and don’t be gazing at that mountain or river in the distance and saying, “How shall I ever get over them?” but keep to the present little inch that is before you, and accomplish that in the little moment that belongs to it. The mountain and the river can only be passed in the same way; and, when you come to them, you will come to the light and strength that belong to them.” - M.A. Kelty”

- From my wonderfully insightful Godmother, Nancy.

Sitting on a dock in the bay indefinitely.

Sun, 12 Jun 2011 23:37:00 -0400

Well, it’s been ages since I’ve written. Not so much for lack of time but more for lack of Internet or lack of interest in being on the Internet. Who knows if this post will even upload.

I’m four weeks into my transition from village life to real life. It seems to hold true that once anyone leaves the mainland for Utila they also leave their troubles. It’s one of those cherished spots in the world where worries go about as deep as a power outage that makes the beer a bit warmer or the water is not absolutely perfect for a dive. The ferry comes in twice a day and with it comes a new group of people eager to be here just to be, maybe do some diving, pretend to leave in a few days but instead stay a few weeks. A few weeks for us just reached the four week mark and as we finally have settled in and made some friends we’re up and leaving Thursday morning. No complaints here though, I could not be happier to be getting on a flight home to Boston.

In the meantime, Molly and I have surpassed expectations and completed open water and advanced diving courses. I’m now certified to dive alone at 30 meters. My dreams of becoming a mermaid have really come as close as possible. And with two more dives on Tuesday perhaps I’ll run into some weird fish, or dolphins, or maybe a Merman. I’ve realized though that I’m definitely on an island of divers when dinner conversations revolve around the dives of the day and post dinner-drinks involve conversations about how many lion fish were speared and the latest plans to get the invasive species off the reefs.

Life here is simple and sweet. The biggest decisions I’ve made as of late are what ice cream flavor to get or how far to swim from the dock. And although I am so sick of hand-washing clothes I’d still rather spend 30 lempiras for a beer than for a laundry service down the street to wash my delicates, etc. The luxuries of home are starting to flood my mind a bit as I dream of warm showers and a proper duvet. But soon after I find myself floating in the middle of the ocean using the current to get to the beach and all the yearning for home comforts fade into the blue. My favorite question is from people who just get here and wonder what we’ve been doing here for this long if we aren’t getting our divemaster. My favorite is when the people from the dive shop answer for us. Really, who ever has this time to just be? We’re the girls from Boston just doing whatever seems good on any given day. Can’t complain about that.

Tomorrow morning we’re up and attem for a three hour paddle to one of the Cays off of Utila. Not quite sure how we got roped into it but we’ve become a member of the paddleboard business on the island as well as the models for their flyers. Should be good. And I’ll come back a bronzed goddess.

Only three more days in utopia but I think it’s about time to get back on the grind and on the mainland. Hopefully though my worries and troubles stay somewhere in the Caribbean waters and I return stateside rejuvenated with a peaceful mind and appreciation for the simple things..

Rainy Wednesday on an island.

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 15:10:25 -0400

A rainy Wednesday leaves me sitting in a café with no choice but to face realty and reconnect to life in Boston as I try and write my research paper. But first I can check email, write friends, people watch for a minute, and even write a blog. It’s been the chilliest day I can remember providing relief for my over-heated body. Our hostel is more like a sauna so the feeling of a cool breeze and rain is greeted happily by most on the island today.

It’s a bit crazy to sit down and try and get back on the grind. It’s even more crazy that it’s June 1st and in just sixteen days I fly back home ending my Central American adventure. And with just two weeks home I repack my backpack and head to Africa for one month. But really what I can’t believe is that just a year ago I was just finishing up my first week in Bali for the seven week summer trip. For all of the planning that goes into these trips they certainly vanish before you even realize you’re away. As my Dad has been telling me, just live for the moment in the moment. For now, it’s time to seize this rainy day without the temptations of the sun and the water and get back to realty for the afternoon. Hopefully this cup of tea and cool breeze will help me focus. If not, I’ve run out of ways to procrastinate and hopefully it will just happen.

Under the Sea

Sun, 29 May 2011 20:47:10 -0400

Officially a certified open-water diver. I pretend I’m a divemaster now but really I can just go down to 18 metres. Once my ears clear up and cooperate I’m off to 30 metres and a night dive. Tryna’ find some sharks. Ironically enough, the water we breathe underwater is the cleanest purest air of the day. And as my quest to become a mermaid becomes slightly more obtainable I am hoping that I also run into a whale shark or some giant underwater creature. A bit under three weeks left until I’m back on the grind so going to take in the lazy days and laid back vibes of Utila before the chaos of the States becomes my day to day again.

Unless the world ends at 6:00 tonight I only have 22 more hours of this dreaded 72 hour bug.

Sat, 21 May 2011 15:44:49 -0400

Rumor has it that at 6:00 p.m. tonight the world is ending. In the meantime I’ve been overtaken by a 72 hour bug. For real, this thing is no joke. It started with less than friendly feelings in my stomach, and then a night sleeping outside the bathroom as I thought I was going to die, and then a day sleeping in the hottest hostel on the island, followed by intense fever and shakes for another night, and now I sit here post-toast just hoping it stays down. So much for living the charmed life. Diving has been postponed until further notice but the goal is for Monday. I’ve got to be honest I would give anything to be home right now on my parents red seersucker couch with my dog and an ice water but alas that is not in the cards so I will have to make do with the slightly broken hammock and slightly warm water.

Enough of the pity party though, aside from being out of commission for the past couple of days this island still holds true to its charm. Once I can make it out of my hostel I am eager to wander about and see what I can find. For now, I’m going back to bed in hopes of a miraculous recovery. Hope to wake up to see the world still intact.

As close to paradise as it gets.

Thu, 19 May 2011 15:16:52 -0400

After disconnecting for a few days and doing little more than sleeping and swimming off the dock I am having a hard time processing the transition from San José Villanueva to the rest of the world. It’s starting to settle in that my internship is now part of the past and I am back into the charmed life; living one month on an Island off the coast of Honduras before eagerly returning home. I’m sitting on the balcony of my almost free hostel that overlooks the ocean, trying to escape the heat, and do something productive. The days move slow as the heat makes everything like molasses, but the care-free attitude makes it all so simple. Wake up, go for a swim, eat a bowl of cereal on the dock, and see what the day has to offer. I broke my flip-flops the other night and haven’t even bothered to by new ones yet as it seems more fitting to roam around barefoot. And my clothes consist of a swimsuit and a tank top as I spend most of my time in or near the water. It’s been easy living to say the least.

Tomorrow begins the underwater adventure as Molly and I start our course to become certified scuba divers. Utila is one of the cheapest places in the world to get certified and it happens to be along the second largest barrier reef in the world. Hoping to cross paths with a whale shark or maybe a real shark, we’ll see. As for today, laundry is hanging out back drying and Microsoft word is up as I attempt to focus for a bit and get some work done. Hard when you’re surrounded by the warm Caribbean water, cool breezes, and people doing nothing more than just living moment by moment. Everyone that has moved here seems to just have been swept up with Island fever as five days turns into 5 weeks or 5 months or 5 years. After almost five days I’m certainly drawn to the appeal but after more than 4 months away I am feeling the anticipation of returning home, excited to be back to a place I know with people that I miss everyday. So Mom, don’t worry, I’m not going to miss my flight back but rather I will be at the airport a few hours early ready to celebrate your birthday. In the meantime, I am going to take in this notion of just ‘being’, and hopefully take in the past four months and really let it all sink in before returning home.