Autumn in Texas

It's a strange combination--the cold air meeting brown, dead earth. Trees stand like skeletons eerily swaying, naked in the wind. It wouldn't be cold if it weren't for the wind actually. But it's the kind of humid wind that goes right through you, like a gulf breeze. I miss the fiery fall's of Appalachia. And the mountains.

But I'm happy here in Texas. And I've discovered that it doesn't matter where you live in the world, there are always people who will make you smile, scenery that will make you happy to be alive, and experiences that will change you. And isn't that the point of life?

Here are just a few of the things I"ve observed about East Texas:

1. 90's music. I will never again think of the 90's when I hear the strains of Savage Garden. I will think of an East Texas bar with a juke box.

2. Which brings me to my second observation. Juke boxes--they're everywhere. Why have live music when you can have a juke box? That might work out if you share the musical taste of 70% of the bar. But that's  never the case. Just say no to Sir Mix A lot.

3. Trucks. Everyone told me everything was bigger in Texas, including your carbon footprint. It's just not necessary, people.

4. Roadkill. It is customary in Texas to place a beer bottle in the hand, hoof or paw of roadkill and take a photo. Nevermind why you had that empty beer can in your car. I can't make fun of this too much though, because in Tennessee it's legal to eat your roadkill. Redneck Thanksgiving much. Everyone get in the truck!

5. And just to add some positivity to it all--there are some awesome people here. People with stories at every turn. Like Ab Abernethy who has traveled all over the world, taught folk music to Janis Joplin and showed up at the Dalai lama's apartment a few years ago. I'm proud to have his type writer. Then there are more characters around, such as Brad Maule and Wally Knight, just to name a few. It's a writer's haven.

So maybe I should write more.

Nacogdoches, Texas

It was late March, mildly cold, and my room was empty. I had packed everything I could into my tiny car the night before. Now all I had to do was load up the dog, fill up on gas and head West. My destination was 800 miles away in a small town in Texas called Nacogdoches. Two weeks before I was hired as a copy editor by the Daily Sentinel. So I did what I had to do to follow my dream. I sold almost everything I owned, quit my job and found someone to sublet my apartment. Now I'm here, living the dream, so to speak. All in all I'm realizing a few things, like how I definitely want to get my master's in film. Right now, things are fine, but I can't see myself staring at a computer screen 8 hours a day for the rest of my life. I need to be a journalist, that I'm certain of. But I think I need to include all the visual elements of film. Seeing is believing.

But in the meantime, this is a charming town. It doesn't quite boast the music scene I'm used to. In fact, there isn't much of a music scene at all that I'm aware of yet. But this little town does have appeal. The oldest town in Texas, it boasts a rich history including (but not limited to) rumors of Bonnie and Clyde, Indian burial grounds and the accompanying ghost stories, and a charming downtown filled with forgotten antiques, many art galleries and delicious food. My late hours make it difficult for me to fully enjoy all of these things, but perhaps I'll get the opportunity once I'm acclimated to the crazy schedule. My plan is to sign up for a yoga class at Morning Glory downtown, and perhaps start making art to sell at the farmer's market on Saturdays. These simple goals seem rather lofty just yet, to be honest.

In other news, Ben Recchi has completed his journey by motorcycle across Central America. He decided to stop by Nacogdoches on his way back to New York. His seven month voyage reaped many incredible stories that he has devulged on his blog. There is talk of a book, and I'm going to make certain it happens. It will contain the nitty gritty details that would make his grandmother blush--the one's that aren't included on his blog. I need a project, and this seems like a good one.

Anyway, here are some shots around Nacogdoches today. Enjoy. Comment. Etc.

Kimberly

Keeping it real in the Middle East

Nicholas Kristof.

He's a two-time Pulitzer-prize winning journalist with an amazing knack for keeping it objective. I've been following his blog and his New York Times column for a while, but his recent coverage of the protests in Cairo was very impressive. Kristof covered the Tienanmen Square protest in '89, and has been covering wars and humanitarian crises for years. He's now moved on from Cairo to covering the protests in Iran.



Check out his blog here.

Ben rides to Central America again

It was around this time last year when my boyfriend, Amlan, and I met Ben Recchi in Guatemala. We were staying at Hotel Backpackers, a hostel in Rio Dulce, while volunteering at an orphanage called Casa Guatemala. Ben visited the orphanage with us and participated in our photography project with the kids. We brought several disposable cameras and allowed the kids to take photos of their world, through their eyes.

After a few days in Rio Dulce, we traveled with Ben to Quirigua, some Mayan ruins in the middle of a huge banana farm. Ben had been there before and insisted that it was a must-see. He was absolutely correct. The year before, Ben rode his motorcycle from his small town of New York City to Guatemala, and he had visited the ruins during that trip.

Well, Ben is doing it again. This time he stopped by Knoxville on his way down south and hung out with us for a couple of days. He is currently riding through Mexico with the photographs the children at Casa Guatemala took in his backpack. He plans to visit the orphanage again and give them the pictures.

Ben is once again updating a blog with all the details of his adventure. Click here to check it out.

Click here to view Ben's first blog that chronicles his adventure south of the border.

Good luck Ben!

Underbelly Project

Jasper Rees, New York Times writer, explores an underground, secret art exhibit in an abandoned subway station in New York. I like this concept, this hidden gem in a dismal forgotten corner of New York. Street art is typically pasted front and center, screaming propaganda from brick walls and trash cans. But this exhibit is different, and I think it really captures the true essence of street art. Check out the article here.

New Orleans street performers

I filmed these kids tap dancing on the streets of New Orleans in late July. Just now getting around to posting it. These talented kids attached coke cans to the bottoms of their shoes and tapped away while tourists meandered by, occassionally throwing a couple dollars in their box. Maybe Adidas would be interested in a commercial?

Peter DiCampo

A friend sent me a link to Peter DiCampo's work a couple month's back and I decided to post it on here. These photographs are truly amazing and this young photojournalist has already accomplished quite a bit in his short career. I was initially drawn to his work because DiCampo worked as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana, where I studied abroad in the Spring of 2008.

His collection titled "Life without Lights" is a fantastic exposition of life in rural Ghana. In these photos, he used a flashlight to illuminate the lives of his subjects going about their nightly duties, whether working or dancing. Hope he doesn't mind that I ripped this photo of him off his facebook ; ). Check out the links below to his site and a New York Times article about him.

New York Times article about DiCampo's "Life without Lights" project.

Peter DiCampo's Web site.

Well I'm not traveling, but some other people are...

Well it's summertime, and I'm not in Africa. So this isn't exactly how I wanted to spend my summer, but oh well. I had to stay in Johnson City to finish two summer classes before I can officially graduate, then it's off to Ghana in September. I'm still trying to raise money, for both the orphanage and for my own travel expenses. So if you're interested in helping out let me know. For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, check out my Web site at www.thepeaceandloveproject.com.

Since I'm not currently traveling, I thought I'd give you something else to read. My best friend, Eileen Rush, is currently living in Uganda and has a pretty awesome blog you should check out. She's been working in the slums of Kampala and helping tutor kids at an orphanage there, among many other things.

Also, another friend, Joel Gerlach, is also going to Africa this summer. You can check out his promo video here. He'll be filming a documentary as well and his promo video rocks!

Casa Guatemala

Christmas break is approaching, which means it's time for an adventure. Eileen Rush, Amlan Pentiah and myself will be traveling to Guatemala over break to backpack and volunteer. We started checking out some volunteer opportunities and found this orphanage called Casa Guatemala that is in desperate need of help. The orphanage is in Rio Dulce, a swampy area with serious malaria and vampire bat problems.

In the past, many volunteers have begun projects at the orphanage, only to leave before finishing them. Eighteen children sleeping in an incomplete dormitory were actually bitten by vampire bats. The orphanage is currently experiencing a decrease in funding because the area is a little dangerous, which means tourists and volunteers haven't been traveling there. The home has a shortage of nutritious food right now because the funding it low. This means the 250 children at Casa Guatemala are surviving on merely beans and rice. I saw similar conditions at the Peace and Love Orphanage in Ghana. The orphanage has also seen a few cases of H1N1, which means they need hand sanitizer.

The following list was compiled by Eileen:

1. Food. Get them funding so that they can purchase meat and vegetables.

2. Vitamins. Chewable vitamins for 250 children can add up, but we'd like to get them enough of a supply to last them for at least a year. Malnutrition can have devestating affects on a child's health, and vitamins could really make a difference in these kids' lives.

3. Hand sanitizer and sanitizing spray. In a group home this large, disease can spread quickly. Already the orphanage has experienced problems with H1N1, which can be deadly to children.

4. School supplies. The children need everything -- paper, pencils, pens.

5. Art supplies. When basic needs aren't being met, the healing power of creative energy is also lost. The kids completed a production of The Lion King over this summer. A group started to build them a theater, but the project was put on hold. They ended up performing it at an abandoned prison nearby, called just "The Castle." We would love the funding to buy these kids paint, clay, crayons, markers and paper, other things that can sharpen their minds and express themselves.

Let me know if you're interested in helping!

Local exploration.

Just like that, summer rolls around and I'm nowhere to be found. My budget hasn't allowed for any grand adventures, so instead I've made several trips to Knoxville for Sundown in the City, as well as a roadtrip to Roanoke, Virginia to see my brother. I visited the Booker T. Washington Memorial in Hardy, but didn't realize the plantation where he worked was a short distance away until I got to my brother's and looked it up on the internet. Today I made a short roadtrip to Mountain City with a friend. It was a beautiful town, appropriately named, with some very interesting characters.

Last week, I hiked up to Beauty Spot in Erwin where I met two hikers who are heading North on the Appalachian Trail. I definitely want to hike the AT at some point. They had many colorful stories and I was tempted to forget about summer school and join them on their journey. Eileen Rush, my friend who is a reporter at the Erwin Record, snapped the photos at the top...

My every day daydream.

Today, after finishing up my spring cleaning and jamming out to some Ray Lamontagne, I went on a bike ride and enjoyed this absurdly warm weather we're having. Of course, as these things typically go, it's supposed to snow tomorrow.

Before my bike ride, I laid on a blanket in my back yard and let the sun seep into my skin as I re-read 'What is the What' by Dave Eggers. Perhaps it was because I was reading about Africa, I'm not sure--but my mind was transported to another place. This place was, of course, Ghana. I'm longing to breathe that African air again and to hear the chanting of the village fisherman as they gather up their nets in the morning. Fresh pineapple, recently plucked and succulent, dripping from my fingertips. The hot sand beneath my naked feet as I wander through the rasta's huts looking for Stephon. When I do find him, he's carving salt and pepper shakers out of calabash, rolled herb hanging from his lips and a slight smile on his face. Roots and Culture (his dogs) laying on the floor of his hut, happily panting, their hearts beating to the sound of the drum little Abraham is playing. The children from the village stumble in. They're hungry. Stephon pulls a bag full of bread from under his bench and begins to feed the children, one-by-one. He speaks to them in Twi, even though his first language is French.

I wander over to the gazebo with a notebook, feeling inspired as I always am here. The words flow from my pen and onto the sweat and salt stained paper that rests on my lap. These are words I know I'll read in years to come, and I'll long to be here.

I'll long to be here.

New York roadtrip.

This is a late blog, excuse my absence.

Well, I was sitting in Jacksonville on January 3rd, and a friend called to tell me she was leaving for New York City the next day. You guessed it...I was in my car the next morning, driving 10 hours to Tennessee before getting in another car and riding another 12. We were picking up our Swedish friend who got stranded in the city over break. She was staying in a hostel in Harlem...and we went there to pick up her luggage, at night. Interesting to say the least. I snapped this photo on the way home and was very pleased with how it turned out. I think I'll frame it.

Seaside inspiration.

Daytona Beach, FL
[excerpts from my personal journal]
12-30-08

I must live by the sea someday--a presumptuous seagull told me so. And so did a little girl, though not to my face. She was not held back by a fear of what others may think. It was this childlike nievity that pushed her along the sand, arms raised in the air and hair blowing in the breeze. She screamed her response to the sea and marveled at the way the sand felt under her sneakers. I think the sea could offer enough inspiration to keep me writing for years. Here's how I picture it:

It would be a small house, white stucco with large brown wooden doors. The lower floor would only be visible from the ocean side and green ivy would be perpetually climbing up the outer walls. A homey porch overlooking the sea would of course be necessary. This house would need to be removed from any business district and booming neighborhood. I should be able to sit on my porch naked (if I so wished) and write or paint or gather inspiration at my own will.

If only.

Breathe, just breathe.

[tick]

Life these days has consisted of an endless stream of tasks awaiting my attention. I've contimplated changing this blog's title to "The [mis]adventures of a multi-tasking idiot." The chill atmosphere of Africa now seems like something I could have never experienced. I walk like an American again. I have a planner (I just vommed a little in my mouth), and every moment of every day is sucked into the tick-tock rhythm of a hateful clock. I have lists upon lists of things to accomplish, and what seems like hundreds of people who will be upset/disappointed in me if I don't accomplish it.

And, time's up.

[tock]

Trapped.

There is a fly trapped in the apartment. He is erratically plunging his small black frame into the glass, buzzing wildly in desperation. My first reaction was an annoyed glance toward the window. But now it's sympathy. He's trapped here and he knows that what's beyond that glass door is fresher air and something full of more promise and hope. It's probably more dangerous out there, what with car windshields and all, but he wants to take that chance...he needs to. He's longing for a better existence.

I just let him out.

In transit.

Why is it that I am creating a blog to be tossed into the endless expanse of the world wide web with the name, "The [mis]adventures of a lost nomad." Or better yet, why am I doing this during a period of seeming immobility? I have come to realize that I am perpetually in transit somewhere, whether that "somewhere" be an emotional state of mind or a physical destination.

My current location is Johnson City, Tennessee. I have just returned from much more exciting places in Africa and Europe, and am now making my way back into American culture and fattening food. I will be using this blog to document my experiences as a frustrated nomad stuck in a fast-paced, ever-changing world. I will start by telling you a little about myself.

As you should have already guessed, I am a bit of a wanderer. I love experiencing new cultures and in doing so, learning more about myself. I feel that I am fairly self-sufficient and can usually figure out how to get out of difficult situations on my own. Speaking of difficult situations, well--those are typically self inflicted. Sometimes I dive into something without mapping out all of the possible outcomes, in which case, being self-sufficient comes in very handy. There is nothing more exhilarating to me than spontaneity in the form of an ill-planned adventure.

Recently I was sitting on a porch in Spain (because a friend accidentally locked us out while we were eating our dinner) and a conversation ensued about each of our personalities. When it came my turn to be put on the "hot seat", I was described as being serene and poised. I guess someone else's description of me would be more accurate than what I could give myself.

It is probably worthy to note that I have a terrible sense of direction, hence the "lost" in my blog's title. I think my problem is that I spend so much time people-watching and nature-watching, that I tend to ignore those wonderful human accomplishments...street signs.

There are two things about me that never cease to annoy the people I'm close to (typically my mom and my boyfriend). I have been told that I am a procrastinator. I haven't looked into this yet, but I'm sure I'll get around to it sometime. It has also come to my attention recently that I have a horrible habit of interrupt--Yeah, so anyway...I went to the store earlier and this guy walked up to me and...This is a bad trait and I'm working on getting rid of it. Maybe I'll start on that tomorrow...or the next day.

I guess it is also worthy of mentioning my nomadic roots. Growing up I had to move around a lot and spent a majority of my childhood looking out the window of a wood-paneled Dodge Caravan that we referred to as the Jesus Mobile. My mom had a Jesus license plate on the front and legend has it that if the Jesus plate was removed, all of the nuts and bolts would drop off the vehicle. We were too afraid to try. All in all, I have lived in 7 different states and 3 different countries.

My childhood was not exactly conventional, and as much as I hated my constant mobility at the time...it is something I now cherish. My life was not "normal" in any way growing up. I was adopted as a baby by a former professional athlete and his Canadian wife, a former playboy bunny turned house wife and wonderful mother to five. We bounced around the country due to my dad's job and were educated at home, a fact that produced more ridicule and attention than I cared for at the time.

These days I'm majoring in Journalism with the plan to become a freelance international writer. I'm a laid-back, multi-tasking over-achiever. You may think that is an oxymoron, but I can assure you it is not. I love to do just about anything outside, minus golfing, much to my boyfriend's dismay. And I spend a lot of my free time playing the piano, reading, or writing.

This has been a long enough introduction. Mkay. Bye now.