So the deal with my internship program is that we have internships 9-5 Monday-Thursday, classes Monday-Wednesday nights, a class Friday morning and then we're free for the weekend. But having just started my internship Thursday, I offered to come in on Friday afternoons, to which my supervisor replied by saying she wanted me to be able to experience all DC has to offer while I'm here! I'm so lucky to have such an encouraging work environment (I know I've only been there a day and a half, but everybody I work with seems great and it's been fun to get to know some of the other interns a little bit too!). But yesterday was one of the few Fridays I actually had to come in because newbies have to do IT training. So after class ended at noon I scarfed down some lunch with my roommates, stood in line for the bus with about 30 other people in about 95 degrees, felt my stomach turn over as we got stuck in traffic for an unacceptably worrisome amount of time, speedwalked my five blocks (more so than usual... I may have been called out on walking annoyingly fast in general before), and luckily ran into my fellow intern a block away from the Peace Corps so we could hustle to find the IT training room in the insane layout of the Peace Corps headquarters before 1pm.
Thankfully we arrived on time and survived the two hour training. Rebecca got to go home because she's done at 3 every day, but I got to do a little work for my supervisor before heading out. I came into this internship expecting to know nothing about how to do anything, so it's quite rewarding to get tasks and figure out how to do them! Also hilarious that everybody in the office has been commenting on how amazing it was they squeezed my mini cube in between two others and also that they're all so jealous of the fact that my cube's little overhead cabinet has a fabric covering while everybody else's are plain! I even have a phone and a computer at work (one I will probably not use; the other will be utilized quite heavily) - I'm like a real employee! Small delights. My next task is to print out some pictures and find a couple other decorations for my little office home, for which I am quite excited.
After I was sent home to enjoy my Friday, I just got to hang out around downtown DC for a little while as I waited to hear from my roommate to make a plan for our afternoon. It was really nice to just walk my route back to Dupont Circle rather slowly rather than in the rush with which I usually make that trek. There are so many cute little eateries and other businesses around, and it was nice to just do my own little errands to see what was around. Kind of not knowing what to do with myself while I waited to hear back from Rezina, I just wandered. I took care of a craving for something sweet and cold with a mango Green Tea Tango smoothie from Smoothie King, and I discovered there is a post office about a block from my work (for which I was in dire need considering we can receive mail at Georgetown but have to find someplace off campus to actually send anything out!). I also stopped at an adorable secondhand bookstore that was having a sidewalk sale and found a couple of entertaining books. My question is how does a book to learn to cook Chinese food ever go out of style? For $2, I'm definitely in.
I was in my own little world walking towards Dupont Circle when I stopped at a crosswalk because the little orange hand told me I had to. But the woman across the street started crossing because there were no cars coming, but I kind of spaced out and started crossing after a cute little perhaps 60-year-old man on my side started going. He joked with me saying, "What, you wait until I start going, see if I get hit by a car, and then decide it's safe?" So we started chatting as we walked the same direction for a couple blocks, and he asked if I was planning on watching the World Cup game with the US versus Ghana. I said I hoped to, and he replied saying he was from Ghana, that they took the US out a couple years ago, and that he hoped they'd do the same thing because the US is just too much talk. Hilarious and so true. We laughed about American arrogance for a few and we both wished the best of luck to both teams. I'll probably never see him again in my life, but it's funny the people you meet in the city, and I enjoy the smallest personal interactions like that.
A quick conversation with Rezina resulted in hopping on the red line from Dupont Circle, switching to the blue/orange at Metro Station, meeting Rezina at the Rosslyn station, chatting our way back on the GUTS bus to Georgetown, and making our way to M Street. I still don't exactly like shopping, but I like exploring, and I like even better exploring with friends. And I learned that H&M really is awesome. Tons of cute clothes with even cuter prices (definitely appreciate that), and we both came away with some great deals for a couple of nice items for work. After some successful deal finding, we meandered our way through the uneven brick streets lined with the adorable blocks of multicolored housing back to the Georgetown campus for some fridge raiding and a go-with-the-flow Friday evening.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
First day of work!
Finally got my government clearance a couple of days ago and started my internship at the Peace Corps today! It is an awesome feeling being able to take care of myself in a large city, figure out my way around, and take public transportation and walk everywhere. Even if it's already so hot at 8:30am that you're trying to avoid dripping, I love the fact that I can take a free Georgetown bus to Dupont Circle and walk like an actual young professional decked out (aside for the flip flops for actually making it to work - thankfully it's socially acceptable for women to wear comfy shoes to get themselves to the office and then switch to heels!) for 5 city blocks. And my boss's boss sent another intern and me on an errand today and asked, "Wait, are you ok with the city? Can you figure out how to get there?" And the other intern and I were both able to look at each other with the same amount of assurance that we can figure out the grid without a hassle - she comfortable with the city as an American University student, and I with usually infamously poor directional skills but at least an ability to figure out a grid from attempting to figure out Minneapolis the last couple of years. My work environment is so supportive and kind so far, everybody was so nice in meeting me, and people even commented, "We've heard a lot about you and we're so glad you're here!" That's scary to try to live up to! But I'll do my best!
And yes, like the good daughter I am, I took pictures for my parentals from my first day of work experience.
In the apartment, ready to head out on the 8:15 bus with two of my suitemates.
Alison and Ania on the bus, Ania still finishing her breakfast...
I really am lucky that I tend to adjust well to new situations - I love taking the bus to work!
And yes, like the good daughter I am, I took pictures for my parentals from my first day of work experience.
In the apartment, ready to head out on the 8:15 bus with two of my suitemates.
Alison and Ania on the bus, Ania still finishing her breakfast...
I really am lucky that I tend to adjust well to new situations - I love taking the bus to work!
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Mt. Vernon excursion
The task for today was to explore Mount Vernon, the estate of George and Martha Washington. For the hour drive from DC my suitemate Alison and I drifted in and out of consciousness as one of Sinbad's comedy shows played on the bus's mini screens. Once we woke up haha it was definitely a fun time! A little toasty outside (about 95), but nevertheless a good experience. Here are some photos of the day's wanderings:
Plaque for the Mount Vernon Memorial Highway to welcome us.
The group from TFAS waiting for our tickets - we filled 3 coach buses to get there!
In front of the Washingtons' mansion.
Long line to get into the mansion, but standing outside for almost an hour was worth it because the grounds were so beautiful!
Unfortunately we couldn't take photos inside, but in order to keep the lines moving the guide in each room had their spiel down pat and allowed us to marvel at the lovely decor while listening to some fun facts about each room. The mansion tour was really well organized - I was impressed.I'm actually a big fan of GW's style! As opposed to European mansions and palaces gleaming of jewels and precious metals, his home was characterized by quaint woodwork and bright blue and green painted walls!
Further wandering of the grounds led suitemate Alison and me down to the wharf on the Potomac where we had a little picnic of the lunches we had packed. What a beautiful view!
Washington's tomb:
Slave memorial - click on the photo to read the inscription.
Mount Vernon's cows and sheep took refuge in the shade too.
Just a few flowers from the lovely gardens. I'll put the rest in my Picasa album, especially for my momma!
Fun fact:
People back then thought bathing was scary. Ben Franklin, though, was rather fond of it.
Quote of the day:
"It's not polite to eat other aminals!"
- A little ringlet-curled 3 year old girl to her dad after seeing turkeys hanging upside down outside the mansion kitchen
It was definitely a fun little trip, and we enjoyed the few hours exploring and learning more about the people who played such a large part of our country's history. The tricky thing, though, is to try and remember the people we don't hear about so much that were just as vital to our history as the big names. Within this context, I have learned a ton here and especially from my roommate Rezina because she is so passionate about race issues. These cities were founded through the dehumanization and segregation of peoples that still exist today - and particularly in our nation's capital! Especially through the sentiments I discovered yesterday, we all just need a little more love as human beings.
Plaque for the Mount Vernon Memorial Highway to welcome us.
The group from TFAS waiting for our tickets - we filled 3 coach buses to get there!
In front of the Washingtons' mansion.
Long line to get into the mansion, but standing outside for almost an hour was worth it because the grounds were so beautiful!
Unfortunately we couldn't take photos inside, but in order to keep the lines moving the guide in each room had their spiel down pat and allowed us to marvel at the lovely decor while listening to some fun facts about each room. The mansion tour was really well organized - I was impressed.I'm actually a big fan of GW's style! As opposed to European mansions and palaces gleaming of jewels and precious metals, his home was characterized by quaint woodwork and bright blue and green painted walls!
Further wandering of the grounds led suitemate Alison and me down to the wharf on the Potomac where we had a little picnic of the lunches we had packed. What a beautiful view!
Washington's tomb:
Slave memorial - click on the photo to read the inscription.
Mount Vernon's cows and sheep took refuge in the shade too.
Just a few flowers from the lovely gardens. I'll put the rest in my Picasa album, especially for my momma!
Fun fact:
People back then thought bathing was scary. Ben Franklin, though, was rather fond of it.
Quote of the day:
"It's not polite to eat other aminals!"
- A little ringlet-curled 3 year old girl to her dad after seeing turkeys hanging upside down outside the mansion kitchen
It was definitely a fun little trip, and we enjoyed the few hours exploring and learning more about the people who played such a large part of our country's history. The tricky thing, though, is to try and remember the people we don't hear about so much that were just as vital to our history as the big names. Within this context, I have learned a ton here and especially from my roommate Rezina because she is so passionate about race issues. These cities were founded through the dehumanization and segregation of peoples that still exist today - and particularly in our nation's capital! Especially through the sentiments I discovered yesterday, we all just need a little more love as human beings.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
"Beginning of new beginnings"
Today was insanely long but amazing on all accounts. We played the "hurry up and wait" routine rather well as my suitemates and I speedwalked to board the bus to our respective Service Saturday projects before the ripe old time of 8am, only to sit around as the rest of our program's volunteers gathered and some were even sent home to change into close-toed shoes and long pants. Even though we received numerous emails on the subject... Whatever. I ended up in the same project with two of my suitemates, and with the two of them snoozing on the bus, we were on our way to clean up a portion of Marvin Gaye Park.
Upon our arrival, from the Washington Parks and People organization we learned the history of this park, which was named for the African American singing legend but became unfortunately a bit run-down and what I'm assuming the vast majority of the TFAS kids would not consider an ideal spot for a nice walk as it took on the role of the local drug trafficking venue. But the past few years the community along with a whole host of volunteers has really taken it upon themselves to remake it into a lovely, enjoyable place for the community.
Following the background info spiel, we all showed up and took on our respective tasks to spruce up a section of the park, as some hopped into giant yellow waterproof boots armed with a claw to grab trash out of the river, others hauled four-by-fours. My suitemates and I joined the ranks of weedwacking down by the riverside. A hot, labor-intensive job with seemingly no end in sight. Our group uncovered a stash of hypodermic needles in the ground as we attempted to rid the riverbanks of the weeds from their roots, but it really did seem like the park as a whole was a lot better than it could have been.
I was actually kind of having fun for a while, taking a crack at irritating plants and ripping them out of the ground. But as we were all dripping from sweat after not even 20 minutes had crawled by, we stared down the riverbank and all attempted to process the next few hours into our brains. We were not talking the "Why do we have to do this?!" kind of complaining. But the "Gosh it's hot. These weeds suck, I just want a five minute break. My shoulder hurts," etc. kind of complaining. After we took a little water and snack break, one of the guys rightfully trying to get the most out of the volunteers came over to the three of us and asked if we wanted to water the sod. Sounded like something that had an end goal, something with an incentive rather than endless weed chopping! So we set up a pulley system, as Alison hopped into the river, filled up the bucket on a rope, and Rezina pulled the bucket up a couple stories. I emptied that bucket into my own, carted it up the hill and watered each strip of new sod in between each of the rows for what was to become a lovely little amphitheater. Repeat x 30. Needless to say, I was quite thankful for the little bit of muscle leftover from tennis.
Unsure of what project would fill the last chunk of our time, we headed to the Washington Parks and People office for a bathroom break. Only in between us and the bathroom, a good chunk of the community was just having a gathering! Haircuts on the sidewalk, dads and kids throwing a ball around, kids jumping and screaming in one of those blow-up plastic castle things. I felt like kind of an intruder on their special community time, and I didn't want to seem like the high and mighty outsider who just comes in for a few hours, gets her hands a little dirty, feels good for doing volunteer work, and leaves. But as people spotted our bright blue TFAS shirts, tons of people we walked past simply wanted to talk to us! Some asked about our program, others praised us for being in college. But most said simply "thank you," and "God bless you," and the most loving things that I was really not expecting at all. One man pulled us aside and practically force-fed us watermelon! They had a whole barbecue spread out, and from him we learned that this was a group from a Baptist church not too far away, and it sounded like they come every Saturday to have free food and haircuts for the community and try and teach people about how God's love has made a difference in their lives. He asked a little bit about us, and then he put his arms around us and prayed for us! He encouraged us to get more food, but I truly felt we were undeserving because they were the ones truly doing the good work.
Another young man also stopped us to talk, and he told turned his life around from what he himself confessed was of selfishness, greed, and unconscionable deeds spoke of trust, love, God's love, and God as your conscience. One comment that struck me was when he said something like, "Just a couple years ago, I would have never thought to feed others. I would have gotten my food and told you to get your own too," and he attributed his transformation to someone speaking the word to him. He was so inspired and so passionate, and it was just amazing to me to see this community try to pick itself up and spread love. I was just in awe, and I'm definitely thankful for the full experience of that bathroom break! As our whole group was leaving the site, the whole community called us to circle up and join hands with them, and they sent us off in prayer, for which I felt truly undeserving. We were merely changing landscape; they were changing lives. However you define and think of the force that inspires you and calls you to love other people and love this world shouldn't matter - what is needed in this world is simply more love and understanding.
Mental debriefing was quite necessary. Then after a couple hours of lunching, semi-relaxing, and errands, one of my suitemates and I then set out to canvass M Street, Georgetown's main shopping and entertainment district. Shopping is definitely not usually my thing, but I'm always open for going exploring with a friend and hoping to find some good deals in the process. Dashing in and out of whatever businesses intrigued us (mostly ones that had clothing sales, souvenirs, or snacks to relieve us from the heat), we wandered for a good three hours and realized only when we got home that there was still a good chunk of it that was beyond where we turned around to come back home! A wide variety of cute little cafes to nice restaurants of who knows how many different types of cuisine, stores that range from sweet little secondhand clothes to price ranges way beyond conception for my bank account, knick knacks and gadgets, the list goes on and on. Apparently on weekend nights, M St. is the place to be in Washington, DC if you're looking to get out on the town - you can usually find what you're looking for, but be prepared for there to be a lot of people looking for whatever they're looking for too!
Our treat: the famed Georgetown Cupcake!
Things I've learned from DC so far:
- Cockroaches are easier to smash than you'd expect.
- The heat accompanied by humidity is frightening (along with the frizz they induce), but if it doesn't turn into a random little ten-minute afternoon shower, there's at least always a hint of an amazingly refreshing cool breeze.
- Carleton's intro macroeconomics is a heck of a lot harder than econ 257 here (so far at least...).
- SE DC is a perhaps paradoxical place with more rundown neighborhoods but at least one church every block.
- I don't get homesick but I miss people and get lonely sometimes.
- It's quite enjoyable to dance and sing to Disney tunes in the campus grocery store at 9pm on a Friday night and come away with a receipt for mango sorbet and morsels totaling $14.14.
- The majority of people I've run into here are at least passionate about something, which is cool even if I don't particularly agree with their convictions or personalities.
- The ability to listen is even more of a necessity when you're strong in your convictions because humanity will never learn if people continue to just speak their minds with no regard for others.
Net gains from today:
- A couple new items of clothing and jewelry in my closet from fun sales on M Street.
- Sleepy eyes.
- Re-energized and renewed commitment to love people.
Part of our section of the park once we were done working.
The neighborhood turned out on a Saturday morning!
Spontaneous prayer circles were popping up all over the place.
The incredible people who showed us all so much love and kindness.
Our group joined the prayer circle.
Hopefully the rest of the volunteers realized how much the little bit of work we did meant and how every little bit we and the community can do can help those small children in the center stay kids as long as they can. A hard life forces kids to grow up pretty fast, so it was really cool to see these kids being able to just be kids. The man speaking rightly said that this is "the beginning of new beginnings."
Upon our arrival, from the Washington Parks and People organization we learned the history of this park, which was named for the African American singing legend but became unfortunately a bit run-down and what I'm assuming the vast majority of the TFAS kids would not consider an ideal spot for a nice walk as it took on the role of the local drug trafficking venue. But the past few years the community along with a whole host of volunteers has really taken it upon themselves to remake it into a lovely, enjoyable place for the community.
Following the background info spiel, we all showed up and took on our respective tasks to spruce up a section of the park, as some hopped into giant yellow waterproof boots armed with a claw to grab trash out of the river, others hauled four-by-fours. My suitemates and I joined the ranks of weedwacking down by the riverside. A hot, labor-intensive job with seemingly no end in sight. Our group uncovered a stash of hypodermic needles in the ground as we attempted to rid the riverbanks of the weeds from their roots, but it really did seem like the park as a whole was a lot better than it could have been.
I was actually kind of having fun for a while, taking a crack at irritating plants and ripping them out of the ground. But as we were all dripping from sweat after not even 20 minutes had crawled by, we stared down the riverbank and all attempted to process the next few hours into our brains. We were not talking the "Why do we have to do this?!" kind of complaining. But the "Gosh it's hot. These weeds suck, I just want a five minute break. My shoulder hurts," etc. kind of complaining. After we took a little water and snack break, one of the guys rightfully trying to get the most out of the volunteers came over to the three of us and asked if we wanted to water the sod. Sounded like something that had an end goal, something with an incentive rather than endless weed chopping! So we set up a pulley system, as Alison hopped into the river, filled up the bucket on a rope, and Rezina pulled the bucket up a couple stories. I emptied that bucket into my own, carted it up the hill and watered each strip of new sod in between each of the rows for what was to become a lovely little amphitheater. Repeat x 30. Needless to say, I was quite thankful for the little bit of muscle leftover from tennis.
Unsure of what project would fill the last chunk of our time, we headed to the Washington Parks and People office for a bathroom break. Only in between us and the bathroom, a good chunk of the community was just having a gathering! Haircuts on the sidewalk, dads and kids throwing a ball around, kids jumping and screaming in one of those blow-up plastic castle things. I felt like kind of an intruder on their special community time, and I didn't want to seem like the high and mighty outsider who just comes in for a few hours, gets her hands a little dirty, feels good for doing volunteer work, and leaves. But as people spotted our bright blue TFAS shirts, tons of people we walked past simply wanted to talk to us! Some asked about our program, others praised us for being in college. But most said simply "thank you," and "God bless you," and the most loving things that I was really not expecting at all. One man pulled us aside and practically force-fed us watermelon! They had a whole barbecue spread out, and from him we learned that this was a group from a Baptist church not too far away, and it sounded like they come every Saturday to have free food and haircuts for the community and try and teach people about how God's love has made a difference in their lives. He asked a little bit about us, and then he put his arms around us and prayed for us! He encouraged us to get more food, but I truly felt we were undeserving because they were the ones truly doing the good work.
Another young man also stopped us to talk, and he told turned his life around from what he himself confessed was of selfishness, greed, and unconscionable deeds spoke of trust, love, God's love, and God as your conscience. One comment that struck me was when he said something like, "Just a couple years ago, I would have never thought to feed others. I would have gotten my food and told you to get your own too," and he attributed his transformation to someone speaking the word to him. He was so inspired and so passionate, and it was just amazing to me to see this community try to pick itself up and spread love. I was just in awe, and I'm definitely thankful for the full experience of that bathroom break! As our whole group was leaving the site, the whole community called us to circle up and join hands with them, and they sent us off in prayer, for which I felt truly undeserving. We were merely changing landscape; they were changing lives. However you define and think of the force that inspires you and calls you to love other people and love this world shouldn't matter - what is needed in this world is simply more love and understanding.
Mental debriefing was quite necessary. Then after a couple hours of lunching, semi-relaxing, and errands, one of my suitemates and I then set out to canvass M Street, Georgetown's main shopping and entertainment district. Shopping is definitely not usually my thing, but I'm always open for going exploring with a friend and hoping to find some good deals in the process. Dashing in and out of whatever businesses intrigued us (mostly ones that had clothing sales, souvenirs, or snacks to relieve us from the heat), we wandered for a good three hours and realized only when we got home that there was still a good chunk of it that was beyond where we turned around to come back home! A wide variety of cute little cafes to nice restaurants of who knows how many different types of cuisine, stores that range from sweet little secondhand clothes to price ranges way beyond conception for my bank account, knick knacks and gadgets, the list goes on and on. Apparently on weekend nights, M St. is the place to be in Washington, DC if you're looking to get out on the town - you can usually find what you're looking for, but be prepared for there to be a lot of people looking for whatever they're looking for too!
Our treat: the famed Georgetown Cupcake!
Things I've learned from DC so far:
- Cockroaches are easier to smash than you'd expect.
- The heat accompanied by humidity is frightening (along with the frizz they induce), but if it doesn't turn into a random little ten-minute afternoon shower, there's at least always a hint of an amazingly refreshing cool breeze.
- Carleton's intro macroeconomics is a heck of a lot harder than econ 257 here (so far at least...).
- SE DC is a perhaps paradoxical place with more rundown neighborhoods but at least one church every block.
- I don't get homesick but I miss people and get lonely sometimes.
- It's quite enjoyable to dance and sing to Disney tunes in the campus grocery store at 9pm on a Friday night and come away with a receipt for mango sorbet and morsels totaling $14.14.
- The majority of people I've run into here are at least passionate about something, which is cool even if I don't particularly agree with their convictions or personalities.
- The ability to listen is even more of a necessity when you're strong in your convictions because humanity will never learn if people continue to just speak their minds with no regard for others.
Net gains from today:
- A couple new items of clothing and jewelry in my closet from fun sales on M Street.
- Sleepy eyes.
- Re-energized and renewed commitment to love people.
Part of our section of the park once we were done working.
The neighborhood turned out on a Saturday morning!
Spontaneous prayer circles were popping up all over the place.
The incredible people who showed us all so much love and kindness.
Our group joined the prayer circle.
Hopefully the rest of the volunteers realized how much the little bit of work we did meant and how every little bit we and the community can do can help those small children in the center stay kids as long as they can. A hard life forces kids to grow up pretty fast, so it was really cool to see these kids being able to just be kids. The man speaking rightly said that this is "the beginning of new beginnings."
Friday, June 18, 2010
DC wanderings with the parentals
So basically I had been psyching myself up for a really long time, since January really, to be in a city for two months that's completely new to me, and then I really didn't have to stress that much anymore! My dream for a while has been to do an internship in DC this summer to test out kind of what I'd like to do with my life (preferably some concoction of international relations, human rights issues, and foreign languages), and I ended up with the International Affairs track in a summer program at Georgetown called the Institute on Comparative Political and Economic Systems (part of the organization The Fund for American Studies (TFAS)). The deal is you take a couple classes at Georgetown and the program finds you an internship based on your skills and interests. So I'm currently waiting on government clearance to start my internship for the Peace Corps! But I was (I think understandably) a little nervous to pack the largest amount of luggage I've ever dealt with, travel by myself, and at least get myself to Georgetown where I'd meet the suitemates with whom I'd be sharing a Georgetown apartment until the end of July. But I ended up flying in and out of Reagan National Airport literally a week before the program started because I had a tennis tournament an hour away in Fredericksburg, Virginia, so after the tourney was done it turned into family vacation aka getting to know where I'd be for two months! Here are some photos from our explorations:
Lines around the corner for Georgetown Cupcake. Can't wait to try it!
Our sweet decor in the Georgetown hotel.
The apartment complex hosting the majority of the TFAS kids. Our apartment is quite cute! Spacious common area with a full kitchen and then dining/living room, a bathroom that unfortunately gets kinda cramped with more than two, and two doubles sandwiching a single.
The adorableness of DC homes.
And now I'm here in DC, loving the liberating feeling of figuring out public transportation in a snap, attempting to kick some butt in Comparative Economics, exploring with my suitemates on weekends, and getting antsy to start my internship!
Lines around the corner for Georgetown Cupcake. Can't wait to try it!
Our sweet decor in the Georgetown hotel.
The apartment complex hosting the majority of the TFAS kids. Our apartment is quite cute! Spacious common area with a full kitchen and then dining/living room, a bathroom that unfortunately gets kinda cramped with more than two, and two doubles sandwiching a single.
The adorableness of DC homes.
And now I'm here in DC, loving the liberating feeling of figuring out public transportation in a snap, attempting to kick some butt in Comparative Economics, exploring with my suitemates on weekends, and getting antsy to start my internship!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Fave pics of some of my fave people
Just a few of the pictures that make me happy while I'm away from the people I love :D
Setting out to experience the world...
I believe in voice. I believe that focusing too much on the future can hurt a person’s chances for happiness in the present. I believe in equality. I believe in staring out the window into a Minnesota blizzard while snuggled deep within blankets. I believe in hot chocolate—with marshmallows. I believe also in tennis on a warm summer day. I believe that every person has a unique type of inner strength that can be exhibited.
I believe in the attraction of water. I believe in community. I believe in singing loudly and dancing vibrantly—even when nobody is around. I believe in playing ping-pong with my dad for a study break. I believe in untidy organization. I believe in setting goals for myself and giving my best effort to achieve them. I believe in staying up all night with best friends at a cabin to see the sun rise. I believe that technology and progress are not always the best thing for humanity.
I believe in using the natural alternative whenever possible. I believe in nonviolence. I believe that the array of resources controlled by the United States should aid humanity rather than tear it apart. I believe in warm blankets straight from the dryer. I believe in recycling.
I believe in family. I believe in furry pets. I believe in pushing back bedtime to console a hurting friend. I believe in listening. I believe in occasional spontaneity. I believe in running through sprinklers to get relief from mosquitoes and summer weather.
I believe in trying new things and experiencing different cultures. I believe in learning other languages to see the beauty in other ways of thinking and living. I believe in Spanish siestas so family lunches are possible. I believe in volunteering to shovel our steep driveway simply so I can dance in the falling snow while listening to my Latin music. I believe in the necessity of solitude, but that too much alone time is unhealthy for the soul.
I believe in music. I believe in playing guitar—electric by day for energy and acoustic by night to settle down. I believe in painting to express, not to photocopy. I believe in hugs. I believe in doodling. I believe women can have both strength and femininity. I believe that mirrors may be deceiving because if you are okay with yourself on the inside not much else matters. I believe in a faith community that empowers its members to work for justice and encourages different ways of understanding spirit, humanity, and oneself. I believe in noticing and appreciating natural beauty. I believe in independence. I believe in cuddling with a significant other or with stuffed animals. I believe that the ones you love the most, you will hurt the most, and you should try to not let that happen.
I believe in examining my overall beliefs once in a while to ensure that I am following nothing blindly. I believe in always trying to be open to other views as well. I believe in the power of love to heal a broken person, a broken community, and a broken world. And I believe in my ability to help people, protect human rights, and work for equality and justice in the present and in the future.
I believe in the attraction of water. I believe in community. I believe in singing loudly and dancing vibrantly—even when nobody is around. I believe in playing ping-pong with my dad for a study break. I believe in untidy organization. I believe in setting goals for myself and giving my best effort to achieve them. I believe in staying up all night with best friends at a cabin to see the sun rise. I believe that technology and progress are not always the best thing for humanity.
I believe in using the natural alternative whenever possible. I believe in nonviolence. I believe that the array of resources controlled by the United States should aid humanity rather than tear it apart. I believe in warm blankets straight from the dryer. I believe in recycling.
I believe in family. I believe in furry pets. I believe in pushing back bedtime to console a hurting friend. I believe in listening. I believe in occasional spontaneity. I believe in running through sprinklers to get relief from mosquitoes and summer weather.
I believe in trying new things and experiencing different cultures. I believe in learning other languages to see the beauty in other ways of thinking and living. I believe in Spanish siestas so family lunches are possible. I believe in volunteering to shovel our steep driveway simply so I can dance in the falling snow while listening to my Latin music. I believe in the necessity of solitude, but that too much alone time is unhealthy for the soul.
I believe in music. I believe in playing guitar—electric by day for energy and acoustic by night to settle down. I believe in painting to express, not to photocopy. I believe in hugs. I believe in doodling. I believe women can have both strength and femininity. I believe that mirrors may be deceiving because if you are okay with yourself on the inside not much else matters. I believe in a faith community that empowers its members to work for justice and encourages different ways of understanding spirit, humanity, and oneself. I believe in noticing and appreciating natural beauty. I believe in independence. I believe in cuddling with a significant other or with stuffed animals. I believe that the ones you love the most, you will hurt the most, and you should try to not let that happen.
I believe in examining my overall beliefs once in a while to ensure that I am following nothing blindly. I believe in always trying to be open to other views as well. I believe in the power of love to heal a broken person, a broken community, and a broken world. And I believe in my ability to help people, protect human rights, and work for equality and justice in the present and in the future.
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