Buenas from Peru!!
Peru is a dynamic country. It is evident that it is very poor and is learning to thrive on its natural wonders. But what has struck me most about the country is the beauty of the Peruvian people. Every local I have met here has been more than willing to help with any questions or issues we might have. A prime example is when we went out dancing one night, one of my housemate, Meg, set her jacket down on a stool, because it was getting rather hot inside. After dancing for a while and meeting a Peruvian we decided to move on. We looked and looked and looked for her jacket, but couldn't find it anywhere. I mentioned this to my new Peruvian dance buddy and he grabbed my hand and brought me down the stairs to a coat check. He had seen Meg set down her coat and felt uneasy about leaving it there so he checked it for us.
On top of their kindness they all have a natural beauty. I have really found that within the indigenous, and their eyes specifically. Their eyes have so much character to them. Looking into them you can tell that they have worked hard all their lives and still have amazing optimism about what each day holds. They also have this little sparkle when they find something enjoyable, it reminds me of my Dad's special sparkle.
So far we have just been busy exploring the city and getting our bearings. I'm too cheap to invest in any of the city tours, let alone paying for a Taxi daily, so we do a lot of walking. Depending where you are that can be a bit overwhelming because everyone is trying to sell trips to Machu Picchu or Puno. Soon enough I'll need that, but for now it is fun seeing all the different types of markets, parks, and hangouts.
I love the people I live with, we all come from totally different places (South Africa, New York, Brazil, Kazikstan) so we all feed of of each other to learn more about the world. Right now I am learning a new Africaan word a day. My favorite so far is KOK which is an expression like poopy or shitty. The diversity is great, it is just hard because our only common language in English so sometimes I get confused as to how I should respond. It does get me good practice at the markets communicating for them!
The meals in home-stay have been fantastic so far. Peru is the home of the potato so every meal includas a bit of potato. For the most part they are served differently: mashed, stuffed, or baked. Our house Mom, Patricia and her helper Toti are great cooks are really know how to mix it up. They are both very sweet and inviting in and out of the kitchen. Toti is probably my favorite Peruvian so far. She stands about 4'6'' and speaks the native language of Peru, Quechua, as well as broken Spanish with a lot of hand gestures. She gets super excited about the best things, I just love coming home to her smile!
Despite my content with my housing set up I may be looking to relocated to somewhere where I can easily walk to class without it taking an hour or the chance of wandering off path. It is a big pain having to pay for a Taxi everyday, I much prefer the fresh air anyways.
As for the reason I´m here: Class started today and I really feel that I will like it. It is going to prove to be intensive, but I think my class will make it worth it. I have already found some classmates, in the few short hours we spent together, that want to go on hiking and biking adventures. Get out of the city and see the beautiful countryside of Peru for what it is worth!
Monday, January 16, 2012
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Arizona, where the sun is shining. ..
Sun, sun, Mr. Golden sun!
It is amazing how much vitamin D can enhance a day! It has been a beautiful visit to Arizona. With plenty of down time, but enough adventure to get s me thrill out of the trip.
When we got in we didn't have much planned. Really what I want was some good Mexican, a nice, hike, and time with friends. All of the above were quite successful.
Day one we went on a scavenger hunt for those things I couldn't get at home. Epic fail, but it was fun anyways. We topped of the day with a "hike", in other words not a hike at all. We get to the trail and not only is it overpopulated, but there are stairs up the first half mile of the trail, followed by a safety bar that you find on stairs in arenas. New to me, but we survived. But the adventure wasn't over, after we made it past the manmade help we hit a boulder field. Lauren said that at many points throughout the hike I looked like an extreme monkey because my leg was as high as or higher than my head. Quite the hike to end with a city view summit! Afterwards Angie’s commentary on the hike was hilarious, being from the city originally she didn't know what she was in for (not that we did either.) The same night we went out to the Big Bang... a dueling piano bar that had non-stop entertainment through the night. It was a good mix of music, comedy, and relaxation... I would totally go again in a heartbeat.
The next day was Lauren's last day off from the hellish med school schedule. We decided to top it off with a mini escapade to watch the sunset over Phoenix. Nothing like a smoggy sunset to make you really appreciate where you come from, but also your company. It was a friendly reminder that I have maintained some pretty great things the throughout the years and that I need to treasure them. Once the dark set in we headed to the Zoolights display. It was by the far the most intricate light tour I have seen, but what was even better than that was Angie's excitement. Every animal or neat display she was stoked beyond belief! It made it that much better.
Over the rest of the trip we all racked up some good relaxation time, poolside reading, as well as a good game of soccer. It was great to see familiar faces. Not just Angie and Lauren, but also Trevor and Spencer from Grand Canyon University that took good care of us this summer on the road. Not to forget my favorite Mexican, Alex, who just moved back to Arizona and gave us a full tour of his hood as well as a taste of quality comida.
After all that fun, I am rejuvenated and ready to test my comfort zone and be thrown into whirlwind of fun new exciting things!
It is amazing how much vitamin D can enhance a day! It has been a beautiful visit to Arizona. With plenty of down time, but enough adventure to get s me thrill out of the trip.
When we got in we didn't have much planned. Really what I want was some good Mexican, a nice, hike, and time with friends. All of the above were quite successful.
Day one we went on a scavenger hunt for those things I couldn't get at home. Epic fail, but it was fun anyways. We topped of the day with a "hike", in other words not a hike at all. We get to the trail and not only is it overpopulated, but there are stairs up the first half mile of the trail, followed by a safety bar that you find on stairs in arenas. New to me, but we survived. But the adventure wasn't over, after we made it past the manmade help we hit a boulder field. Lauren said that at many points throughout the hike I looked like an extreme monkey because my leg was as high as or higher than my head. Quite the hike to end with a city view summit! Afterwards Angie’s commentary on the hike was hilarious, being from the city originally she didn't know what she was in for (not that we did either.) The same night we went out to the Big Bang... a dueling piano bar that had non-stop entertainment through the night. It was a good mix of music, comedy, and relaxation... I would totally go again in a heartbeat.
The next day was Lauren's last day off from the hellish med school schedule. We decided to top it off with a mini escapade to watch the sunset over Phoenix. Nothing like a smoggy sunset to make you really appreciate where you come from, but also your company. It was a friendly reminder that I have maintained some pretty great things the throughout the years and that I need to treasure them. Once the dark set in we headed to the Zoolights display. It was by the far the most intricate light tour I have seen, but what was even better than that was Angie's excitement. Every animal or neat display she was stoked beyond belief! It made it that much better.
Over the rest of the trip we all racked up some good relaxation time, poolside reading, as well as a good game of soccer. It was great to see familiar faces. Not just Angie and Lauren, but also Trevor and Spencer from Grand Canyon University that took good care of us this summer on the road. Not to forget my favorite Mexican, Alex, who just moved back to Arizona and gave us a full tour of his hood as well as a taste of quality comida.
After all that fun, I am rejuvenated and ready to test my comfort zone and be thrown into whirlwind of fun new exciting things!
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Salute to HOME
Now comes the time where it is only appropriate to issue a salute to home...
After moving back home for the past few months I have really found its beauty in every way. At first it was harder being home than anticipated. I had a big summer and I didn't feel that home had changed as much as I had. But that has turned out to be a good thing in the end. I went out and created my own community that is making it harder and harder by the day to leave.
The friends I have kept, maintained, became closer to, and made have enhanced my journey home in so many ways. These are the people I have and will constantly surround myself with to show the nifty quirks of life. I have come to appreciate the little things more and more; A cup of coffee or a beer with friends. A afternoon hike. A random (yet not so random) encounter with future mentors and friends at work. The importance of a community in Christ. Camping out for an early morning sunset. The friend you made by jumping into a ill-equipped vehicle. Dress up (as fire "hydrants"). Childlike amusement. Consistency. Pie club. The excitement of a dog after a long day home. A good and exhilarating workout. The steady love of family. Generosity. How what the future holds is totally doable. The art of waffles. The belly ache of laughing too hard at board games. The creativity of decorating. Support. The nerdiest of nerd conversations. Reading. The protection of lifelong friends. Motivating and flattering texts messages. Finding a fellow orphan to be adopted by an amazing family for weekend dinners. Intellectual pod casts. The lack of coincidence. Tradition. Love and engagements. People who care. Flying. Opportunity. Really the list could go on and on, but all these things have "romanced my heart" as one of my friends would say and proven to me how life works out in mysterious and un-thought of ways.
I am excited to see what this next chapter holds. It keeps me calm knowing that what I have is great, and what I can find is even BETTER.
Salute to you home, thank you for pulling out an amazing community for me yet again.
After moving back home for the past few months I have really found its beauty in every way. At first it was harder being home than anticipated. I had a big summer and I didn't feel that home had changed as much as I had. But that has turned out to be a good thing in the end. I went out and created my own community that is making it harder and harder by the day to leave.
The friends I have kept, maintained, became closer to, and made have enhanced my journey home in so many ways. These are the people I have and will constantly surround myself with to show the nifty quirks of life. I have come to appreciate the little things more and more; A cup of coffee or a beer with friends. A afternoon hike. A random (yet not so random) encounter with future mentors and friends at work. The importance of a community in Christ. Camping out for an early morning sunset. The friend you made by jumping into a ill-equipped vehicle. Dress up (as fire "hydrants"). Childlike amusement. Consistency. Pie club. The excitement of a dog after a long day home. A good and exhilarating workout. The steady love of family. Generosity. How what the future holds is totally doable. The art of waffles. The belly ache of laughing too hard at board games. The creativity of decorating. Support. The nerdiest of nerd conversations. Reading. The protection of lifelong friends. Motivating and flattering texts messages. Finding a fellow orphan to be adopted by an amazing family for weekend dinners. Intellectual pod casts. The lack of coincidence. Tradition. Love and engagements. People who care. Flying. Opportunity. Really the list could go on and on, but all these things have "romanced my heart" as one of my friends would say and proven to me how life works out in mysterious and un-thought of ways.
I am excited to see what this next chapter holds. It keeps me calm knowing that what I have is great, and what I can find is even BETTER.
Salute to you home, thank you for pulling out an amazing community for me yet again.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Beauty Behind Faith
“Faith is a knowledge within the heart, beyond the reach of proof. “ Khalil Gibran
Does anyone else ever have those days/weeks/months where it feels like every question running through your head is being answered through daily occurrences? Well, that has been the case for me in this summer tour finale. I’ve had my questions about faith and about the power of God’s grace, and all have been answered directly or indirectly through all the amazing people I have had the privilege to meet along the way. Sermons I have attended seem to be directed straight at me, religious metaphors have nailed it on all on the head, and every person I meet brings a new unique light into my life. I am more comfortable in my thoughts and my words with these experiences and it is all because of faith. A thank you is owed to everyone that I have met along the way.
As we headed to Colorado I felt more and more in my comfort zone. The rest of the trip was more or less worked out, so the rest of the trip was all about enjoying it. Colorado feels like a second home to me and this was only my third visit to the area. After jetting to the venue we headed to stay with some couch surfing friends. My friend Jackie had made a great recommendation for a girl she stayed with on her visit earlier this year. Sara turned out to be a great fit. She had done a similar tour with a gospel group a few years ago so she was totally aware of life on the road, and knew exactly how to accommodate us. We ventured out in Fort Collins (my new favorite town) and found a good beer and some Ethiopian food, over rich conversation that Jesse always seems to spark. We figured if we are trying to raise funds for Ethiopian women then it was crucial that I knew the taste (however Americanized it was) of the culture.
The next day was the festival. This time the festival was only one day so it was quite refreshing not getting burned out on saying almost the exact same thing over, and over, and over again, at least not for days at a time. We still did fairly well, connected with some old friends, and I learned quickly that I dislike the smell of coconut. With only one day we made some awesome contacts in the Colorado area, it is great to see people so pumped about joining the stand.
Sara was extremely accommodating here as well, we had two extra festival tickets so we gave them to her and her roommate. They showed up with deluxe sandwiches and root beer milk, yes, root beer milk. … best stuff ever! I made nearly all our festival friends try it. It was a hit, although when most people hear root beer milk they don’t see the beauty in the combination.
The next day we went to church with Sara. The moment we walked in the door it seemed so fitting. The church was held in a coffee shop with local art all over the places. The worship music was full of moving and uplifting lyrics and the sermons filled me up for the day. It was the most uplifting service I have ever been to, and clarified for me that I believe in beautiful things. Jesse and I had to take off early for a big MyFight meeting in Denver with the Micro Financing Institution that we are working with in Honduras. Jesse attended the meeting and I wandered downtown Denver and found my favorite bookstore where I spent some time absorbing the morning. After finding some books to my library I wandered back to meet up with Jesse. While I was sitting on the sidewalk outside the coffee shop waiting for Jesse I was joined by a seemingly addict and radioactive homeless man, who upon reading the title of my books tried to engage in a theological discussion that was out of both of our leagues. As I was sitting there while he was saying some pretty harsh things about religion I kept myself calm and distracted by playing with my iPod, with my phone on my lap, and my Kindle in my bag. I realized how fortunate I am, I felt to guilt of my fortune instantly. This man treating me like an equal and addressed me as “sister,” despite the fact that I was clearly in a different class than him. He didn’t ask for anything from me, just a listening ear. The man had his issues and had made some intense statements that had ignited an unfriendly fire inside me, but it was nice to relate on some level.
This was a nice day off overall, we got some coffee, I went on a hike, and we had a nice dinner after a bold phone call to the host stand made by Jesse to get noticed. That evening we stayed at a friend from the roads new apartment. We rested up for the long drive to Vegas the next day. This drive was beautiful. We started in the mountains of Colorado, and heading west we got to drive through most of it. After a pit stop in Grand Junction to see the Light Gives Heat office (friends that I met on the road next year,) I think that Jesse got a lot out of meeting them and seeing entrepreneurship from another perspective. The rest of the drive was through the red rocks of Utah. A-Freaking-Mazing. One of the few drives I was entertained through the whole thing.
We pulled into Vegas late where we had amazing arrangements with our new friends from Grand Canyon University. Lucky us they had two extra beds and extra money to spend on dinner that night. We had some tasty Indian food and then wandered the strip. I can honestly say I think that Vegas was way better when I was seven. Everything seemed brighter and bigger back then. Now it seems it would only be enjoyable somewhat intoxicated. Although, it was nice to meet up with some other roadies and watch the local street drum crew and the August Rush style guitarist.
The next morning Jesse and I enjoyed an awesome hotel breakfast (sparking motivation for the next part of our trip) and hit the road. The drive to California wasn’t nearly as intoxicating, but it was neat driving right up to the coast upon our arrival. California is more dynamic than popular culture makes you think. Monterey proved to be extremely chilly with a dense fog sandwiching a powerful daytime sun. It was like a real fall, kinda nice since we don’t get much of those up north. The one issue that we really had was the wind. Since our booth space was much bigger this festival, when Jesse felt the wind he decided to set up his tent on the vendor island. Since we paid for the camp space and because I like camping I decided to set up at our site-located on top of a hill. Not my wisest decision yet. The second night I returned to my tent to find it flipped. Luckily I had left my bag in it so that was holding it to the ground; otherwise my tent would have blown away. I ended up having to crash in our friends’ booth space. They had a nice futon so it made my sleeps quite nice.
I found this festival extremely entertaining because people started figuring out my true nature. One, that I am a wanderer. I have a hard time staying in one place for an extended period of time. Especially when there are exciting new people to meet. Two, that I am a mooch. Or as I like to put it, I surround myself with people that take care of me and let me utilize those things that they have and I don’t. Food, water, showers, floor space, and access to the cyber world all fall under this category. I’m just good at embracing it and meeting the people who let me be me.
Another huge bonus this festival had was the luxury of time. Jesse and I allowed ourselves to stay up later so we could fully enjoy what the last festival had to offer. We hung out at friends hotels rooms, stayed up past close to chat with other vendors, had a beach campfire with our new favorite band, and tested out the local brewery for a farewell brew. New and old people enriched our experience and it was worth every minute.
This was the festival it all started clicking. We made the right connections. Figured out the power of connecting and helping bands. Hopefully we will see continued growth through those famous connections we made.
The excitement didn’t end at the end of this festival. The morning after close we woke up bright and early to go sailing in San Francisco. Jesse had a friend who made amazing arrangements for us. We sailed with her friend who had done cross-world sailing trips. What he has seen seems magical and you could tell he enjoyed everything about it. It was a nice relaxing Sunday, we were strangers to
the people we were sailing with so we were allowed to really enjoy the full experience internally. Naturally, being the social beings that we both are, we eventually socialized and made a few new friends. Jesse says no one is safe talking to me. I have the luck to be able to befriend those I wish and in effect encourage them to get on board with our mission, by buying a shirt or an event. You can say the sailing trip, in that respect, was no different than the festivals.
Beyond the people, sailing itself was the most peaceful experience I have had. As life goes on around you, you are allowed to fully enjoy the turns and fresh air rushing by. I was nearly thoughtless when I got to sit on the front of the boat.
San Fransico was more than a success. Sailing set the day right, and then Jesse and I both got time to spend time with some dear friends of ours. I was lucky enough to enjoy some overly spicy food with the one and only Sarah Craig. We both are in similar points in our lives and it was excited to exchange all the fun new opportunities life has presented for us. Plus, we tested out a pie shop. Life doesn’t get much better than pie with a good friend.
After staying the night on his friends sail boat we headed home. Being the site seers that we are we headed for the redwood forest. Being the little person that I am it was utterly amazing, what was neat about it is that it would have the same effect on a person of any size. We left the Redwood Forest and I wanted to see the drive that everyone talked to highly about up California 1. Minor mistake. This decision took us on a road trip twice as long as intended. For anyone who is wondering, you can’t get off of 1 or 101 as easily as you might think, but it is totally worth it. Winding up coast was beautiful, scaling over the 4000 plus feet of mountains was quite a view, and getting onto the interstate in time to enjoy breathe taking colors of the sun set topped off the day. No matter how long it was, it was one of the prettiest days I have had.
We made it to Craig’s in Corvallis to get some sleep and breakfast before we headed to Missoula for the night. Again, it was nice to be able to catch up with friends in both places and share our journey.
The last day of the trip Jesse was nice enough to let me stop and see my Mom in Butte and my Dad at home. In the end he got experience his first pasty, something no Montanan should go without trying. We pulled into Billings late in the evening and got some time to on our own, and relax…kinda. Relaxing isn’t something that is easy for either of us to do.
The festival tour was an overall amazing experience. I got to travel, meet new people, learn about myself more than I thought possible in two months, all in the name of something that I am passionate about. MyFight has showed me my calling, and got me hooked on its mission… and opened up the door for endless adventures.
Does anyone else ever have those days/weeks/months where it feels like every question running through your head is being answered through daily occurrences? Well, that has been the case for me in this summer tour finale. I’ve had my questions about faith and about the power of God’s grace, and all have been answered directly or indirectly through all the amazing people I have had the privilege to meet along the way. Sermons I have attended seem to be directed straight at me, religious metaphors have nailed it on all on the head, and every person I meet brings a new unique light into my life. I am more comfortable in my thoughts and my words with these experiences and it is all because of faith. A thank you is owed to everyone that I have met along the way.
As we headed to Colorado I felt more and more in my comfort zone. The rest of the trip was more or less worked out, so the rest of the trip was all about enjoying it. Colorado feels like a second home to me and this was only my third visit to the area. After jetting to the venue we headed to stay with some couch surfing friends. My friend Jackie had made a great recommendation for a girl she stayed with on her visit earlier this year. Sara turned out to be a great fit. She had done a similar tour with a gospel group a few years ago so she was totally aware of life on the road, and knew exactly how to accommodate us. We ventured out in Fort Collins (my new favorite town) and found a good beer and some Ethiopian food, over rich conversation that Jesse always seems to spark. We figured if we are trying to raise funds for Ethiopian women then it was crucial that I knew the taste (however Americanized it was) of the culture.
The next day was the festival. This time the festival was only one day so it was quite refreshing not getting burned out on saying almost the exact same thing over, and over, and over again, at least not for days at a time. We still did fairly well, connected with some old friends, and I learned quickly that I dislike the smell of coconut. With only one day we made some awesome contacts in the Colorado area, it is great to see people so pumped about joining the stand.
Sara was extremely accommodating here as well, we had two extra festival tickets so we gave them to her and her roommate. They showed up with deluxe sandwiches and root beer milk, yes, root beer milk. … best stuff ever! I made nearly all our festival friends try it. It was a hit, although when most people hear root beer milk they don’t see the beauty in the combination.
The next day we went to church with Sara. The moment we walked in the door it seemed so fitting. The church was held in a coffee shop with local art all over the places. The worship music was full of moving and uplifting lyrics and the sermons filled me up for the day. It was the most uplifting service I have ever been to, and clarified for me that I believe in beautiful things. Jesse and I had to take off early for a big MyFight meeting in Denver with the Micro Financing Institution that we are working with in Honduras. Jesse attended the meeting and I wandered downtown Denver and found my favorite bookstore where I spent some time absorbing the morning. After finding some books to my library I wandered back to meet up with Jesse. While I was sitting on the sidewalk outside the coffee shop waiting for Jesse I was joined by a seemingly addict and radioactive homeless man, who upon reading the title of my books tried to engage in a theological discussion that was out of both of our leagues. As I was sitting there while he was saying some pretty harsh things about religion I kept myself calm and distracted by playing with my iPod, with my phone on my lap, and my Kindle in my bag. I realized how fortunate I am, I felt to guilt of my fortune instantly. This man treating me like an equal and addressed me as “sister,” despite the fact that I was clearly in a different class than him. He didn’t ask for anything from me, just a listening ear. The man had his issues and had made some intense statements that had ignited an unfriendly fire inside me, but it was nice to relate on some level.
This was a nice day off overall, we got some coffee, I went on a hike, and we had a nice dinner after a bold phone call to the host stand made by Jesse to get noticed. That evening we stayed at a friend from the roads new apartment. We rested up for the long drive to Vegas the next day. This drive was beautiful. We started in the mountains of Colorado, and heading west we got to drive through most of it. After a pit stop in Grand Junction to see the Light Gives Heat office (friends that I met on the road next year,) I think that Jesse got a lot out of meeting them and seeing entrepreneurship from another perspective. The rest of the drive was through the red rocks of Utah. A-Freaking-Mazing. One of the few drives I was entertained through the whole thing.
We pulled into Vegas late where we had amazing arrangements with our new friends from Grand Canyon University. Lucky us they had two extra beds and extra money to spend on dinner that night. We had some tasty Indian food and then wandered the strip. I can honestly say I think that Vegas was way better when I was seven. Everything seemed brighter and bigger back then. Now it seems it would only be enjoyable somewhat intoxicated. Although, it was nice to meet up with some other roadies and watch the local street drum crew and the August Rush style guitarist.
The next morning Jesse and I enjoyed an awesome hotel breakfast (sparking motivation for the next part of our trip) and hit the road. The drive to California wasn’t nearly as intoxicating, but it was neat driving right up to the coast upon our arrival. California is more dynamic than popular culture makes you think. Monterey proved to be extremely chilly with a dense fog sandwiching a powerful daytime sun. It was like a real fall, kinda nice since we don’t get much of those up north. The one issue that we really had was the wind. Since our booth space was much bigger this festival, when Jesse felt the wind he decided to set up his tent on the vendor island. Since we paid for the camp space and because I like camping I decided to set up at our site-located on top of a hill. Not my wisest decision yet. The second night I returned to my tent to find it flipped. Luckily I had left my bag in it so that was holding it to the ground; otherwise my tent would have blown away. I ended up having to crash in our friends’ booth space. They had a nice futon so it made my sleeps quite nice.
I found this festival extremely entertaining because people started figuring out my true nature. One, that I am a wanderer. I have a hard time staying in one place for an extended period of time. Especially when there are exciting new people to meet. Two, that I am a mooch. Or as I like to put it, I surround myself with people that take care of me and let me utilize those things that they have and I don’t. Food, water, showers, floor space, and access to the cyber world all fall under this category. I’m just good at embracing it and meeting the people who let me be me.
Another huge bonus this festival had was the luxury of time. Jesse and I allowed ourselves to stay up later so we could fully enjoy what the last festival had to offer. We hung out at friends hotels rooms, stayed up past close to chat with other vendors, had a beach campfire with our new favorite band, and tested out the local brewery for a farewell brew. New and old people enriched our experience and it was worth every minute.
This was the festival it all started clicking. We made the right connections. Figured out the power of connecting and helping bands. Hopefully we will see continued growth through those famous connections we made.
The excitement didn’t end at the end of this festival. The morning after close we woke up bright and early to go sailing in San Francisco. Jesse had a friend who made amazing arrangements for us. We sailed with her friend who had done cross-world sailing trips. What he has seen seems magical and you could tell he enjoyed everything about it. It was a nice relaxing Sunday, we were strangers to
the people we were sailing with so we were allowed to really enjoy the full experience internally. Naturally, being the social beings that we both are, we eventually socialized and made a few new friends. Jesse says no one is safe talking to me. I have the luck to be able to befriend those I wish and in effect encourage them to get on board with our mission, by buying a shirt or an event. You can say the sailing trip, in that respect, was no different than the festivals.
Beyond the people, sailing itself was the most peaceful experience I have had. As life goes on around you, you are allowed to fully enjoy the turns and fresh air rushing by. I was nearly thoughtless when I got to sit on the front of the boat.
San Fransico was more than a success. Sailing set the day right, and then Jesse and I both got time to spend time with some dear friends of ours. I was lucky enough to enjoy some overly spicy food with the one and only Sarah Craig. We both are in similar points in our lives and it was excited to exchange all the fun new opportunities life has presented for us. Plus, we tested out a pie shop. Life doesn’t get much better than pie with a good friend.
After staying the night on his friends sail boat we headed home. Being the site seers that we are we headed for the redwood forest. Being the little person that I am it was utterly amazing, what was neat about it is that it would have the same effect on a person of any size. We left the Redwood Forest and I wanted to see the drive that everyone talked to highly about up California 1. Minor mistake. This decision took us on a road trip twice as long as intended. For anyone who is wondering, you can’t get off of 1 or 101 as easily as you might think, but it is totally worth it. Winding up coast was beautiful, scaling over the 4000 plus feet of mountains was quite a view, and getting onto the interstate in time to enjoy breathe taking colors of the sun set topped off the day. No matter how long it was, it was one of the prettiest days I have had.
We made it to Craig’s in Corvallis to get some sleep and breakfast before we headed to Missoula for the night. Again, it was nice to be able to catch up with friends in both places and share our journey.
The last day of the trip Jesse was nice enough to let me stop and see my Mom in Butte and my Dad at home. In the end he got experience his first pasty, something no Montanan should go without trying. We pulled into Billings late in the evening and got some time to on our own, and relax…kinda. Relaxing isn’t something that is easy for either of us to do.
The festival tour was an overall amazing experience. I got to travel, meet new people, learn about myself more than I thought possible in two months, all in the name of something that I am passionate about. MyFight has showed me my calling, and got me hooked on its mission… and opened up the door for endless adventures.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Friends, Family, and Fire
Before the last festival I received a letter. The letter told me I was beautiful and what I was doing was admirable. What is most interesting is that the author of this letter met me and greeted me with a warm hug only two hours earlier. The letter had already been drafted, but it was evident that what I am doing with MyFight has been a guiding force in her life this summer. It made me proud of what I am doing and hope that I have had the impact and the power to inspire more people to follow through on their ambitions and to “be the change.” I fell upon MyFight at a coffee shop to a random visit home. After following up on my findings I was hooked and sucked in to a whirlwind of adventures that has become my life this summer. If I can do it, anyone can. I have found that the most important things are to follow through, listen to your heart, and trust.
The past few weeks have been full of comfort. After leaving some new and old friends in the cities I was greeting by a show of support in Jamestown. We held an event at Meeting Grounds with very little to it. People still showed up and bought shirts without fully knowing our cause; they just came to support me and learn about what I have been busy with. Others bought shirts when I was hanging around the coffee shop the next day and my old coworker did her fair share of promoting for us. After a long first month on the road this is exactly what I needed to get a second wind for the last push of the summer.
In Jamestown I followed my routine from the start of summer. Morning run, morning walk to the coffee shop, life chat with my dear friend Courtney, walk to the res with Lauryn, and an evening topped off with a good beer and Mac and Cheese pizza with the whole crew. It was comforting to see that life hasn’t changed much since I left, seems like the small town will still has its quirks. This time was perfect for both Craig and I to catch up with our minds.
From Jamestown we headed to the next festival in Rapid City, South Dakota. Again, I got refreshment from old faces. We stayed with my friend Quinn the first night to fully experience their downtown Summer Nights. The night was filled with random bar hopping, and meeting the whole town whom Quinn seems to play soccer with. The next morning I went on a hilly run and was reminded of what training is really like. Through this I’ve found that I really miss the feeling of exertion that used to consume my summers when training for soccer. It just means I have to start pushing for something more.
After finding a delicious local sub shop, Craig and I headed to the hills with my old soccer Coach. Ben is a new dad and loving his lifestyle since he relocated to the Black Hills. This is the fourth time I’ve stayed with him since he moved down there and he never fails to keep every moment eventful. The hike was a perfect way to top of the week. I had really been missing the great outdoors and needed the fresh air that you can only find at the summit of a hike. Something about the view at the top never fails to remind me how great life really is.
The week seemed to get us back on the right foot to make a solid showing at the hidden secret of Hills Alive. Little did we know the heat that awaited us for the weekend. The afternoon reached to over 100 degrees with an intense amount of humidity, quite a change from the rainy and cold festivals from the start of summer. I easy downed a gallon of water and never had the need to pee. One of our fellow roadies got stuck in the sun for the heat of the afternoon without any sort of covering. Poor kid had quite a week full of unlucky event, and ended up suffering from heat stroke the first day of the festival. Luckily while I was covering for him to get some shade a festival official noticed the blaring sun and got him a nice tent to keep him cool for the remainder of the festival.
Once again this festival proved to be a different atmosphere than the others. This one was a free music festival in the heart of Rapid City. The people walking around seemed to be those C and E Christians just out to enjoy a day in the park. Something that I think is needed in a religious society. Although it was healthy to see the less extreme practices of Christianity because it was a better picture of the true American society, it caused a bit more anxiety about keeping a closer eye on inventory. Yet, we all made it out alive (barely in some cases) and with a significant amount of success.
The next journey proved to be one of our tightest journeys. We had to make it the West coast (or close to) in two days. We headed to Billings and met up with Jesse for a nice treat with nachos, spinach dip, and margaritas. I’ve decided that food and drinks is one of the best ways to say thank you, even if it takes three restaurants to get the best of the best. Afterwards I got to break away to spend some time with my mini me’s. They wanted to go swimming and didn’t believe me when I went to get my swimming gear on. It was a good way to enjoy and summer weather and drop of gifts from the road. My niece Brook asked me why I got them presents, my only response was that maybe I liked them/ how could I not buy Oshkosh overalls while in Oshkosh. After our stop in Billings we went to stay at my house. My family treated us to some of my favorite pizza and “Birthday” dessert. It was a good time to be home and make a few pit stops to check in with my people.
The next morning we left bright and early and powered through the rest of Montana, Idaho, and Washington. In Idaho we stopped to see Craig’s friend (the one who wrote me the letter). I let the two of them spend some time together, while I explored one of my favorite downtowns. Later that evening we met up with the rest of our team in Enumclaw and made some hot cocoa over a warm propane stove and hit the hay to recover from the journey and rest up for the big weekend ahead of us.
Creation Northwest proved to be our best event by far. People in the Northwest were easily attracted to our booth with the best spot in the venue. Also, adding an interactive part of the booth made it easier for people to comprehend the power of micro-financing and the value one t-shirt can have. This was enlightening after struggling to get light of understanding to turn on for people all summer. At Creation, nearly every conversation you could see it click in their eyes the significance of the issue and the impact of their purchase. We even got other vendors excited and involved in the count of the number of people we were empowering. Good time all around.
What was best about the trek to the west was my day to get away. For the traveling crew of MyFight I am the only one on all summer. So when I heard that Jesse was bringing some friends out to Creation I jumped on the luxury of more people and requested a day off. I spent it in Seattle with my lifetime friend and neighbor, Katie. We explored Pikes Place, where I found cherries (my summer addiction) for an amazing price, and saw the more local atmosphere of the city. We even got our nose and ear pierces (my nose, her ear) by the best rock, paper, scissor champion there ever was.
I was extremely glad I got to see her while I was out there. Our friendship has endured a lot of changes and there is no one more deserving of a friendly visit. After telling Katie about the summer and breaking down what we do at MyFight, she told me that she could tell this is where my heart is. As much as I jump around with what I want to do with my life she keyed in on how fitting this was for my lifestyle, passions and knowledge base. Hearing that from someone who knows me so well reaffirmed the value of this summer.
After packing up from our successful weekend we met up at the bar with other roadies. For a lot of them this was there last festival, and it was fun to have a nice send of karaoke style. The next morning we headed to out after filling up our fortieth coffee stamp of the weekend. Our next destination was my families cabin on Ennis Lake. We met up with remainders of the YWAM crew and Caleb- my partner from the first part of the trip. The evening was spent with amazing conversation and reflection of the summer under the Big Sky Country. It was excited to share this with everyone, especially Andrew who got to see his first shooting star. The next morning we celebrated the start of Jesse’s birthday by going cliff jumping and rope swinging. By midday we sent the YWAMers off and greeting my friends from home for a trip to the old ghost town Virginia City, a little more cliff jumping, and a night around the fire with friend and other roadies. Jesse was impressed by my ability to unite life on the road and life at home, because of the difference of the people and lifestyles.
We bid Ennis adieu the next morning and headed to Bozeman to see Jenn-the girl I originally traveled with last year to Creation East. The three of us wandered downtown and headed to the farmers market for all of us to learn our kidneys are off balance and livers are on edge from the acupuncture booth. Ah the life of a man needing some new customers. Jesse and I then headed to Billings where we have an event tomorrow. He and his friend Tensy, who helped at Creation, treated me to a surprise day at the spa with a nice massage, haircut, and eyebrow wax. What a treat! Appreciation and gratitude for all the work I have put in are unnecessary, but definitely make it more worth the ride and give me able to enjoy the few hours of serenity before we hit the festival life again...
The past few weeks have been full of comfort. After leaving some new and old friends in the cities I was greeting by a show of support in Jamestown. We held an event at Meeting Grounds with very little to it. People still showed up and bought shirts without fully knowing our cause; they just came to support me and learn about what I have been busy with. Others bought shirts when I was hanging around the coffee shop the next day and my old coworker did her fair share of promoting for us. After a long first month on the road this is exactly what I needed to get a second wind for the last push of the summer.
In Jamestown I followed my routine from the start of summer. Morning run, morning walk to the coffee shop, life chat with my dear friend Courtney, walk to the res with Lauryn, and an evening topped off with a good beer and Mac and Cheese pizza with the whole crew. It was comforting to see that life hasn’t changed much since I left, seems like the small town will still has its quirks. This time was perfect for both Craig and I to catch up with our minds.
From Jamestown we headed to the next festival in Rapid City, South Dakota. Again, I got refreshment from old faces. We stayed with my friend Quinn the first night to fully experience their downtown Summer Nights. The night was filled with random bar hopping, and meeting the whole town whom Quinn seems to play soccer with. The next morning I went on a hilly run and was reminded of what training is really like. Through this I’ve found that I really miss the feeling of exertion that used to consume my summers when training for soccer. It just means I have to start pushing for something more.
After finding a delicious local sub shop, Craig and I headed to the hills with my old soccer Coach. Ben is a new dad and loving his lifestyle since he relocated to the Black Hills. This is the fourth time I’ve stayed with him since he moved down there and he never fails to keep every moment eventful. The hike was a perfect way to top of the week. I had really been missing the great outdoors and needed the fresh air that you can only find at the summit of a hike. Something about the view at the top never fails to remind me how great life really is.
The week seemed to get us back on the right foot to make a solid showing at the hidden secret of Hills Alive. Little did we know the heat that awaited us for the weekend. The afternoon reached to over 100 degrees with an intense amount of humidity, quite a change from the rainy and cold festivals from the start of summer. I easy downed a gallon of water and never had the need to pee. One of our fellow roadies got stuck in the sun for the heat of the afternoon without any sort of covering. Poor kid had quite a week full of unlucky event, and ended up suffering from heat stroke the first day of the festival. Luckily while I was covering for him to get some shade a festival official noticed the blaring sun and got him a nice tent to keep him cool for the remainder of the festival.
Once again this festival proved to be a different atmosphere than the others. This one was a free music festival in the heart of Rapid City. The people walking around seemed to be those C and E Christians just out to enjoy a day in the park. Something that I think is needed in a religious society. Although it was healthy to see the less extreme practices of Christianity because it was a better picture of the true American society, it caused a bit more anxiety about keeping a closer eye on inventory. Yet, we all made it out alive (barely in some cases) and with a significant amount of success.
The next journey proved to be one of our tightest journeys. We had to make it the West coast (or close to) in two days. We headed to Billings and met up with Jesse for a nice treat with nachos, spinach dip, and margaritas. I’ve decided that food and drinks is one of the best ways to say thank you, even if it takes three restaurants to get the best of the best. Afterwards I got to break away to spend some time with my mini me’s. They wanted to go swimming and didn’t believe me when I went to get my swimming gear on. It was a good way to enjoy and summer weather and drop of gifts from the road. My niece Brook asked me why I got them presents, my only response was that maybe I liked them/ how could I not buy Oshkosh overalls while in Oshkosh. After our stop in Billings we went to stay at my house. My family treated us to some of my favorite pizza and “Birthday” dessert. It was a good time to be home and make a few pit stops to check in with my people.
The next morning we left bright and early and powered through the rest of Montana, Idaho, and Washington. In Idaho we stopped to see Craig’s friend (the one who wrote me the letter). I let the two of them spend some time together, while I explored one of my favorite downtowns. Later that evening we met up with the rest of our team in Enumclaw and made some hot cocoa over a warm propane stove and hit the hay to recover from the journey and rest up for the big weekend ahead of us.
Creation Northwest proved to be our best event by far. People in the Northwest were easily attracted to our booth with the best spot in the venue. Also, adding an interactive part of the booth made it easier for people to comprehend the power of micro-financing and the value one t-shirt can have. This was enlightening after struggling to get light of understanding to turn on for people all summer. At Creation, nearly every conversation you could see it click in their eyes the significance of the issue and the impact of their purchase. We even got other vendors excited and involved in the count of the number of people we were empowering. Good time all around.
What was best about the trek to the west was my day to get away. For the traveling crew of MyFight I am the only one on all summer. So when I heard that Jesse was bringing some friends out to Creation I jumped on the luxury of more people and requested a day off. I spent it in Seattle with my lifetime friend and neighbor, Katie. We explored Pikes Place, where I found cherries (my summer addiction) for an amazing price, and saw the more local atmosphere of the city. We even got our nose and ear pierces (my nose, her ear) by the best rock, paper, scissor champion there ever was.
I was extremely glad I got to see her while I was out there. Our friendship has endured a lot of changes and there is no one more deserving of a friendly visit. After telling Katie about the summer and breaking down what we do at MyFight, she told me that she could tell this is where my heart is. As much as I jump around with what I want to do with my life she keyed in on how fitting this was for my lifestyle, passions and knowledge base. Hearing that from someone who knows me so well reaffirmed the value of this summer.
After packing up from our successful weekend we met up at the bar with other roadies. For a lot of them this was there last festival, and it was fun to have a nice send of karaoke style. The next morning we headed to out after filling up our fortieth coffee stamp of the weekend. Our next destination was my families cabin on Ennis Lake. We met up with remainders of the YWAM crew and Caleb- my partner from the first part of the trip. The evening was spent with amazing conversation and reflection of the summer under the Big Sky Country. It was excited to share this with everyone, especially Andrew who got to see his first shooting star. The next morning we celebrated the start of Jesse’s birthday by going cliff jumping and rope swinging. By midday we sent the YWAMers off and greeting my friends from home for a trip to the old ghost town Virginia City, a little more cliff jumping, and a night around the fire with friend and other roadies. Jesse was impressed by my ability to unite life on the road and life at home, because of the difference of the people and lifestyles.
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| (c) Caleb Stumberg |
We bid Ennis adieu the next morning and headed to Bozeman to see Jenn-the girl I originally traveled with last year to Creation East. The three of us wandered downtown and headed to the farmers market for all of us to learn our kidneys are off balance and livers are on edge from the acupuncture booth. Ah the life of a man needing some new customers. Jesse and I then headed to Billings where we have an event tomorrow. He and his friend Tensy, who helped at Creation, treated me to a surprise day at the spa with a nice massage, haircut, and eyebrow wax. What a treat! Appreciation and gratitude for all the work I have put in are unnecessary, but definitely make it more worth the ride and give me able to enjoy the few hours of serenity before we hit the festival life again...
Monday, July 11, 2011
Smiles for MIles
There is nothing like the expressions of amusement and complete happiness on a friends face. Nothing. It is so completely contagious that it is hard to tell if it is radiating from you or others. This is something I have come to fully embrace watching friends and families at festivals and being around my new and old friends on the road. Whether it be the simplify of a chocolate covered banana, amazing lyrics in a song, or the adrenaline rush of a water park- complete bliss is written all over peoples’ faces and is one of the most enlightening experiences I have encountered….
Lifest in Oshkosh, Wisconsin proved to an amazing reunion with old friends that we had to split ways with before our trek to and from the east. The night before the festival I was lucky enough to time a reunion with an old friend from home who happened to be in the area. It was nice to catch up and get that taste of home after missing the typical Montana Fourth of July festivities. Although it was great, it did not take relieve the chaos of the next day. With inventory and set up completed at the last minute we were running of fumes going into day one. It helped that our Visible Music College friends were just across the isle from us while our first festival neighbors, YWAM were almost directly behind us. Plus my new fair trade friend located behind our big curtain. It was easy to escape for a few minutes to share a random fact, get a rejuvenating hug or high five, or point a sneaky loaded rubber band gun in the middle of conversation. Initially, Lifest seemed like a bust, but that quickly changed when a few groups became very passionate about what we are doing and bought multiple shirts. This is more of what we are pushing for this festival anyways; people who want to keep working with us to host an event in our fall tour. So after a rough start it really picked up and people pulled through for us as usual.
The overall atmosphere of this festival was a bit skewed from that of previous festivals. It was more of a family event then a Christian event. But it was here I really started to feel my religious pull. I wasn’t as deterred from an overly strict atmosphere that surrounded the other festivals. After and amazing dinner and chat with the old friends with the group Restoring Eden I was able to fully verbalize my sentiments towards organized religion and my internal spiritual pull. Which in my experience, seem to continuously butt heads. This tour is proving to be an amazing experience in so many realms and is motivating me to really touch base with the benevolence of a higher being. Simple things, like the beauty of a smile and the joy of laughter are continuously reminding me that this life is a gift and needs to be continuously celebrated and explored. I’ve been extremely encouraged to push myself outside my comfort zone and continue learning in order to be fully able to define my connection to the divine.
Going to the biggest water park in the Country, Noah’s Ark really solidified how awesome this experience is. I went with the YWAM crew and loved every minute of it. The look of Andrews face going down the Sting Ray, the scream let out by Stephen before a straight drop on a slide, the nonstop smile of Erika, the childish nature of David, and the calm and daring nature of Rheanne. I’ve found that beyond feeding off of other peoples energy I am completely addicted to adrenaline and love the steep drops and moments of weightlessness that send your stomach into an explosion of butterflies. The park can be summarized in one word. Epic.
Speaking of adrenaline, my endorphin kick has been very much satisfied on this cross-country adventure. I’m finding amusement in running in different areas of the country, city to farmland. It keeps it from getting monotonous, and I seem to be able to find all sorts of new places.
After a relaxing drive the Twin Cities, it was refreshing to touch base with my close friend Kendra. As different as we are, we have a strange understanding and acceptance of each others lifestyle's and outlook on life. It is always good to be reminded of that comfort. Plus, I felt pretty special this morning when I got to walk her to her first day of grad school and send her off on the bus.
The rest of this week has been long anticipated and I am overly excited for tonight’s birthday celebration, my visit to Jamestown, and the festival in South Dakota. The familiarity of my second home is a perfect halfway mark for my summer long journey.
Lifest in Oshkosh, Wisconsin proved to an amazing reunion with old friends that we had to split ways with before our trek to and from the east. The night before the festival I was lucky enough to time a reunion with an old friend from home who happened to be in the area. It was nice to catch up and get that taste of home after missing the typical Montana Fourth of July festivities. Although it was great, it did not take relieve the chaos of the next day. With inventory and set up completed at the last minute we were running of fumes going into day one. It helped that our Visible Music College friends were just across the isle from us while our first festival neighbors, YWAM were almost directly behind us. Plus my new fair trade friend located behind our big curtain. It was easy to escape for a few minutes to share a random fact, get a rejuvenating hug or high five, or point a sneaky loaded rubber band gun in the middle of conversation. Initially, Lifest seemed like a bust, but that quickly changed when a few groups became very passionate about what we are doing and bought multiple shirts. This is more of what we are pushing for this festival anyways; people who want to keep working with us to host an event in our fall tour. So after a rough start it really picked up and people pulled through for us as usual.
The overall atmosphere of this festival was a bit skewed from that of previous festivals. It was more of a family event then a Christian event. But it was here I really started to feel my religious pull. I wasn’t as deterred from an overly strict atmosphere that surrounded the other festivals. After and amazing dinner and chat with the old friends with the group Restoring Eden I was able to fully verbalize my sentiments towards organized religion and my internal spiritual pull. Which in my experience, seem to continuously butt heads. This tour is proving to be an amazing experience in so many realms and is motivating me to really touch base with the benevolence of a higher being. Simple things, like the beauty of a smile and the joy of laughter are continuously reminding me that this life is a gift and needs to be continuously celebrated and explored. I’ve been extremely encouraged to push myself outside my comfort zone and continue learning in order to be fully able to define my connection to the divine.
Going to the biggest water park in the Country, Noah’s Ark really solidified how awesome this experience is. I went with the YWAM crew and loved every minute of it. The look of Andrews face going down the Sting Ray, the scream let out by Stephen before a straight drop on a slide, the nonstop smile of Erika, the childish nature of David, and the calm and daring nature of Rheanne. I’ve found that beyond feeding off of other peoples energy I am completely addicted to adrenaline and love the steep drops and moments of weightlessness that send your stomach into an explosion of butterflies. The park can be summarized in one word. Epic.
Speaking of adrenaline, my endorphin kick has been very much satisfied on this cross-country adventure. I’m finding amusement in running in different areas of the country, city to farmland. It keeps it from getting monotonous, and I seem to be able to find all sorts of new places.
After a relaxing drive the Twin Cities, it was refreshing to touch base with my close friend Kendra. As different as we are, we have a strange understanding and acceptance of each others lifestyle's and outlook on life. It is always good to be reminded of that comfort. Plus, I felt pretty special this morning when I got to walk her to her first day of grad school and send her off on the bus.
The rest of this week has been long anticipated and I am overly excited for tonight’s birthday celebration, my visit to Jamestown, and the festival in South Dakota. The familiarity of my second home is a perfect halfway mark for my summer long journey.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Rugged Roadie
A day in the life of a roadie is one that involves very little sleep, a lot of dirt stuck in between your toes, much talking, lots of new faces, and an overwhelming abundance of ice cream. In all, its a pretty fantastic fit for me. I have missed the comfort of familiar faces, but that void is starting to be filled with my traveling festival family whether it be at the festivals themselves or stopping in for a night in the city. It is absolutely great!
Creation was the same way. It was the one festival I had already been to so I knew my way around the place as well as the pace of the festival. I was excited to get there and see our booth buddies from last year, sadly enough this was the first year in the thirty plus years of the festival that they haven't been there. They had held down the exact same location for every festival up until this year... kinda sad. Even with that minor hiccup I found that the most comforting thing at this festival was asking people if they had heard about us and them responding in a positive note about having our shirts, loving them, and loving what our organization does. All I could do was smile at this response, because it shows our progress. I even started talking to a girl, made eye contact and blurted out "I have a picture of you on my computer!" Needless to say she had been by to visit last year too.
Overall creation was a huge success, once we got on the right page we were really rolling and sold out of a lot of gear. Which, despite how hard as it makes still selling the shirts, was awesome! Seeing and hearing about it all clicking together is the best reward ever.
Outside of the business end of things we made some great new friends with new organizations, got to know some others that we had already been traveling with a bit better, and fully embraced the camping experience. Up until this festival we had failed to have a camp fire or s'mores. For those of you who fully register this, you know that me without my marshmallows just doesn't fit. It was a much needed treat. I also learned an awesome new treat... hobo pies! Possibly the greatest camping idea ever. Two pieces of bread, pie filling, put in a sandwich skewer and cooked in the coals of the fire. Second best pie I've had, right behind the famous Randi, Griffin, Fred, and Kodee pies. Great way to top off a festival.
The festival was full of spaz moments on my part. Some classy quotes illuminating my intelligence (or lack thereof), kept everyone on their toes. So did the lovely rubber-band I shot at my own face trying to get someone across the booth. Karma. Just to be topped off with me leaving my phone in Columbus after lunch and coffee and not realizing it until we were 27 miles out. Joy.
Sunday we hit the road again and missed a possible sailing trip with the ice cream man previously mentioned to get to Indianapolis to spend some time with our Undignified family. Like I said, it is comforting to have those familiar faces that you get so excited to see. We had a blast with Joel and Sarah, meeting their friend who had just returned from a mission and summarizing all their awkward animal jokes/ funny daily sayings. There is a good chance I gained 10 pounds in a six hour period while in Indianapolis. We had to try the classic Steak & Shake milkshakes at one in the morning, and of course 6' 5" Joel had to get us all larges as an appetizer to our 6 am breakfast made up of Oreo pancakes. Absolutely delicious, totally worth every pound that may result from it!It was unfortunate that our stay had to be so short again, but at least I know I always have a place to visit.
From Indianapolis we headed to the Windy City to spend our Independence day. Here we met up with the YWAMers and got a taste of Chicago... the big silver ball, the John Hancock building, and the Navy Pier with fireworks. Not to forget the classic deep dish pizza that made me feel as if it would have been easier to roll down the street rather than walk. It may be one of those once and a lifetime experiences, because that is far too full for me.
I have come to a conclusion, after spending the past two Fourth of July holidays in New York and Chicago I have decided that cities are not for me. Too many people, too much planning. Take me to my Mountains, with my overly nice people, little traffic, and I will be set. This tour of the U.S. is showing me that more and more with every stop. I am learning a lot about myself along this trip, and I hope to continue learning and define myself more.
Wisconsin is our next stop, I am so excited to be in familiar territory close to some of my favorite people in the world!
Creation was the same way. It was the one festival I had already been to so I knew my way around the place as well as the pace of the festival. I was excited to get there and see our booth buddies from last year, sadly enough this was the first year in the thirty plus years of the festival that they haven't been there. They had held down the exact same location for every festival up until this year... kinda sad. Even with that minor hiccup I found that the most comforting thing at this festival was asking people if they had heard about us and them responding in a positive note about having our shirts, loving them, and loving what our organization does. All I could do was smile at this response, because it shows our progress. I even started talking to a girl, made eye contact and blurted out "I have a picture of you on my computer!" Needless to say she had been by to visit last year too.
Overall creation was a huge success, once we got on the right page we were really rolling and sold out of a lot of gear. Which, despite how hard as it makes still selling the shirts, was awesome! Seeing and hearing about it all clicking together is the best reward ever.
Outside of the business end of things we made some great new friends with new organizations, got to know some others that we had already been traveling with a bit better, and fully embraced the camping experience. Up until this festival we had failed to have a camp fire or s'mores. For those of you who fully register this, you know that me without my marshmallows just doesn't fit. It was a much needed treat. I also learned an awesome new treat... hobo pies! Possibly the greatest camping idea ever. Two pieces of bread, pie filling, put in a sandwich skewer and cooked in the coals of the fire. Second best pie I've had, right behind the famous Randi, Griffin, Fred, and Kodee pies. Great way to top off a festival.
The festival was full of spaz moments on my part. Some classy quotes illuminating my intelligence (or lack thereof), kept everyone on their toes. So did the lovely rubber-band I shot at my own face trying to get someone across the booth. Karma. Just to be topped off with me leaving my phone in Columbus after lunch and coffee and not realizing it until we were 27 miles out. Joy.
Sunday we hit the road again and missed a possible sailing trip with the ice cream man previously mentioned to get to Indianapolis to spend some time with our Undignified family. Like I said, it is comforting to have those familiar faces that you get so excited to see. We had a blast with Joel and Sarah, meeting their friend who had just returned from a mission and summarizing all their awkward animal jokes/ funny daily sayings. There is a good chance I gained 10 pounds in a six hour period while in Indianapolis. We had to try the classic Steak & Shake milkshakes at one in the morning, and of course 6' 5" Joel had to get us all larges as an appetizer to our 6 am breakfast made up of Oreo pancakes. Absolutely delicious, totally worth every pound that may result from it!It was unfortunate that our stay had to be so short again, but at least I know I always have a place to visit.
From Indianapolis we headed to the Windy City to spend our Independence day. Here we met up with the YWAMers and got a taste of Chicago... the big silver ball, the John Hancock building, and the Navy Pier with fireworks. Not to forget the classic deep dish pizza that made me feel as if it would have been easier to roll down the street rather than walk. It may be one of those once and a lifetime experiences, because that is far too full for me.
I have come to a conclusion, after spending the past two Fourth of July holidays in New York and Chicago I have decided that cities are not for me. Too many people, too much planning. Take me to my Mountains, with my overly nice people, little traffic, and I will be set. This tour of the U.S. is showing me that more and more with every stop. I am learning a lot about myself along this trip, and I hope to continue learning and define myself more.
Wisconsin is our next stop, I am so excited to be in familiar territory close to some of my favorite people in the world!
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