it's summertime and i'm bouncing around.

ahhh. the school year has ended. and i have relocated again.  

while i am beyond excited to spend summer 2k12 in richmond, va, the constant moving around is beginning to really wear me down.  as i was moving out of my most recent apartment, i realized that the last place i lived in for longer than a year was my parents house - more than 6 years ago.  and a for a lot of those 6 years, i lived in more than one place.  like 3rd year of college when i spent 5 months in siena, italy.  that year i moved into the sorority house in august, home for december, to italy in january, and back to charlottesville in june.  that is so many moves in one year!  and you shouldn't be surprised to hear that i had many years that looked like that during my past 6. 

so i'm exhausted from moving hundreds of times in the past 6 years but the thought of actively deciding to move somewhere to stay is terrifying to me.  

so we'll see what happens.  all i know is that i am very thankful to have a summer vacation and i don't know what i would do if i had to enter the real world where summer break (and spring break and christmas break) didn't exist.

i'm going to spend most of my time this summer in richmond getting to know the city (as much as i can in 2 months), reading, writing, and thinking.  hopefully i'll clear my head and relax about where i'm going to go and what i'm going to do because deep in the back of my head i am certain that everything is going to work out wonderfully!  and i don't need to know exactly how, i just need to sit back and enjoy the things as they come.

x! 

memories of the mekong

i'm training for a (sprint) triathlon.

after my second half marathon, i decided i was up for a different kind of challenge.  in a roundabout phone conversation, my sister and i seemed to unintentionally convince each other that flying to san diego for a long weekend to compete in what will be my first triathlon was a great idea.

now don't get me wrong, i'm very excited.  i've developed a strict training regimen that involves me waking up far before the sun each morning to work out.  some mornings i cycle and other mornings i swim.  then in the afternoons i often run and do yoga.  i'm exhausted, but i'm feeling physically fit and prepared for the trio of fitness challenges that awaits me on the west coast.

the one leg of the race that i'm very nervous about, despite my preparedness, is the swim.

you may or may not know this about me.  but i'm scared of the dark.  this fear includes:

1. walking alone at night (the only legitimate part of my fear for someone my age)

2. entering a room/building when no one is home and thus, all the lights are off (i have grown to be ok with this situation in my own apartment)

3. sleeping (yes, i have a nightlight to scare away the monsters under my bed)

4. camping (lions, tigers, and bears, oh my)

5. expansive bodies of water when i cannot see the bottom

those expansive bodies of water are what concern me most right now.  to prep myself, i have been trying to recall all the times that i've swum in something dark and unfamiliar.  unfortunately, all the water we swam in during our travels last year were perfectly crystal clear, so that doesn't help my comfort level.  the atlantic ocean is cloudy but i've swum in it my whole life, making it familiar and non-threatening.  i generally tend to stay away from anything particularly murky... 

the one very fitting experience that comes to mind for comfort was last fall in thailand.  A and i were nearing the end of our SE asia adventure and had traveled with A's cousin, H, from nong khai via motorbike to a sleepy "town" on the mekong river.  by town i mean, a very small cluster of people and buildings having the most relaxed life imaginable.  we each rented a bungalow for a long weekend of reading in hammocks overlooking the vast mekong river.

to say that our setup was idyllic is an extreme understatement.  i don't know if there are even words to describe the calmness of this place.  despite the roaring mekong below us, i cannot remember a time when i have been more relaxed.

on our last night in the bungalows, we stayed up late chatting and drinking leos until the boys decided that it was time to go swimming in the mekong.  now, it was the middle of the night and we were in the middle of nowhere.  darkness surrounded us and i was terrified to begin with.  absolutely not was i going swimming in the river that RAGED below us.  had they not seen how fast it was moving?  had they not seen how wide it was?  had they not noticed that you can't the bottom?  who knows what lives in there! did they not notice that it was DARK OUTSIDE?!!  

while they ran down the hill and dove in, i slowly made my way behind them as their "lifeguard."  i wasn't going to completely miss out on the "fun" by sitting on the porch in the dark alone.  

well. needless to say, after a couple rounds of the boys flipping into the water and letting it carry them downstream before swimming back to the hill and climbing up, i realized that they weren't going to die.  if any scary monsters lived in the depths, they hadn't surfaced yet and i they were having so much fun!  so in i jumped.  the swift current caught me by surprise and my heart was racing (you know, because of the potential sea monsters and all the darkness) but i was swimming in the mekong!  those 15 minutes of swimming in the hugest, muddiest, fastest moving body of water that i have ever seen are something that i will never forget.

it's funny how something that encapsulates so many of my fears can be one of my greatest memories. 

so when i think about swimming in the mekong, i realize that san diego's mission bay can't possibly be that bad. 

x!

life seems so mundane and i feel like a brat for complaining.

on this calm saturday evening, i've been sitting on my couch, sipping a tasty stone smoked porter and trying to update this here blog with stories of my current real life.  everything i begin to chronicle, however, seems so..... normal.

i mean, i do lots of fun things, i guess...  (although writing a follow-up sentence here is proving to be rather difficult) 

it's just that living here in arlington and working in the DC area is a life that so many other people are living.  not everyone can say that they've lived in italy and taught at an international school, or traveled to SE asia for 6 weeks, or driven the alaska-canada highway, so i've had a significant leg up in the realm of exciting life experiences during the last year and a half.  and now i feel that i've fallen so far...  maybe i'm still coming down from the high or i'm still struggling to adjust to staying in one place?  how long is reverse culture shock supposed to last? 

i struggle every day with my level of happiness.  i am enjoying my time here (all 4 months of it so far) but i just feel like such a cop out.  to be here seems like taking the easy way out -- i mean i already have friends here, family close by, to build a more long-term life here would involve almost no effort.  so that sounds great! what's the problem?  ugh! i don't know!  i find myself welling up with tears in moments of even the smallest confusion.  or when i'm stuck in traffic that i've learned to expect.  what is wrong with me? 

i'm teaching which is what i want to be doing.  i'm doing something good for the world -- not everyone is willing to work to educate those adorable children with whom i spend most of my time.  i have an excellent job at an excellent school in an excellent district with excellent funding with the best coworkers and an excellent class of students with supportive parents -- it just all seems too easy, too normal...

when i compare my current state of affairs to what i was doing a year ago, things aren't that different.  we took weekend trips to nearby places like slovenia, verona, and venice .  i still take day and weekend trips but they are to richmond, charlottesville, and other places in the great expanse of northern virginia -- it's much less exciting to write home about traveling across northern va for dinner than it is to tell of an osmiza adventure in slovenia.  i'm still spending most of my time at school with small children and much of my free time is taken up by reading, running, and drinking illy coffee.  and i'm happy.

i guess i shouldn't be complaining.  i have just told you how i have pretty much everything i could need or want as far as a job and a life go and the fact that it's not terribly exciting for every minute of every day is no reason to complain -- that makes me sound like a little bit of a brat.

ugh.  

alaska: anchorage and more

my trip to alaska wasn't what i had in mind but then again, i'm not quite sure what i expected.  as i mentioned before i left, i didn't spend a ton of time mentally preparing for this trip, i just kind of went.  i was visiting a friend, S, and since he's been living in anchorage for the past year, i presumed that he'd just do all the planning.  later, i learned that he wasn't the biggest fan of this plan and maybe i should have done some research about what i wanted to do other than "cool alaska stuff." oops?  oh well.  i had a great time so thanks, S!

i arrived fully rested at 1am and even after going out for some tasty alaskan brews, i was up early the next morning without any feeling of jetlag (woo!).  we met up with a friend and drove around the mountains outside of anchorage in his jeep.  as i was trying to figure out what to wear for this day of adventure, i couldn't gather from S what we'd be doing all day, and it turns out that we didn't really do much other than look at the beautiful sights from the (open) windows of the jeep.

J, the jeep-owning friend, lives in palmer, which is northeast of anchorage.  after meeting him and his jeep, we continued a bit farther north to the mountains and uninhabited areas around sutton.  we drove around on lots of pot-hole-filled "roads" and up some very steep inclines.  for the majority of the day, the jeep was enveloped with fall colors and snow-capped mountains loomed in the not-so-far-away distance; my mouth was open in awe pretty much the whole time.  the views were like those familiar to me from colorado - but on steroids.  we were lucky to have incredible, sunny weather for our sight-seeing and the temperature was just crisp enough that i wasn't cold; it was perfect.

after exhausting the area around sutton, we drove west to hatcher pass which is a popular day trip from anchorage, yet S had never been.  a creek (river?) runs through the pass and there are deserted mining buildings at the base of gnarly, snow-dusted mountains, all making for incredible sights.  at the top of a hill off hatcher pass, we saw a paragliding lesson taking place (so, naturally, that has been added to my bucket list).

 i mean, just thinking back on these views and looking at my pictures, i am realizing that there's no way i'll ever be able to help you to understand how amazing it is (although i'm going to try my hardest).

on day 2 we took a little jaunt down south of anchorage to homer.  we stopped halfway, in soldotna, to eat breakfast, buy me a flannel shirt, and for my first kaladi brothers coffee experience.  then we continued down along the cook inlet and stopped at the most incredible overlook just before getting into the town of homer.  homer is a fishing town, so it's right on the water.  from the overlook, we could see across the inlet to mountains and mountains beyond mountains forever.  again, the weather was beautiful so the clear sky was reflecting off of the water and all the mountains to create the most incredible array of blues in the distance.  right in front of us was a ton of alaskan fireweed which turns red as it's dying out at the end of summer.  the red fireweed, the yellow trees, and the blue mountains, water, and sky - who knew alaska could be so colorful (i didn't)?!  i could have stood at the overlook just staring at the view with a giant grin on my face for the whole day, it was so breathtaking.    

and THEN in addition to these incredible vistas, there is a glacier just around the bend!  glaciers are crazy looking and they're all over the place (i probably saw 5? during my time in alaska and canada).

later in the week, i had some free time with which to explore the city of anchorage.  i was able to use S's car and went about my days as if i lived there; it was pretty nice.  i started off a few of the days with a yoga sesh at laughing lotus anchorage.  i'm so glad i thought to seek out a yoga studio in the area; while cooped up in a car during the days to come, i was glad i had been able to move around and stretch my body.  other things i loved about anchorage were kaladi brothers coffee and tidal wave books.  because of their incredible convenient proximity, i was able to make multiple trips to tidal wave books and kaladi brothers coffee.  as i was sitting in a comfy chair by the fire at kaladi brothers, diving into a book from tidal wave, i only remembered where i was when the barista shouted, "alaska chai ready at the counter!"  i also discovered normalcy at the kobuk in downtown anchorage; here i was able to go about my travel routine of (more) coffee, reading and postcards (and a homemade pumpkin donut!).

    

other highlights of anchorage time included dinner and a movie at bear tooth pub and restaurant - tasty pizza, in-house-brewed beer, and a movie theatre?! i had never experienced such a combination and i  have to say i was a big fan (although the movie, midnight in paris, was not among my favorites).  also, our last night in the city we drove to the west and saw the sunset over the water.  to the northwest, we could just barely see mt. mckinley through the clouds, which was incredible, since mckinley, north america's tallest peak, is more than 100 miles away from anchorage.  oh, and the sunset was kind of pretty.

alaska is just a grand expanse of nature and anchorage is a speck of population amidst the emptiness; a typical small city dwarfed by the overwhelming nature surrounding it.  i was captivated by the mountain views just outside of anchorage much more than i can ever remember before of another mountain view.  in alaska, it's all you can focus on when looking to the distance; it's all you see because it's almost all there is.  sure, there are people, but not too many of them.  for such a huge state, it has a less people than many major cities in the lower 48 (to use the alaskan term).  it's just spread out quiet, which is kind of nice.

and then crazy things happen like a moose eats your bushes.

x!

i'm going to alaska.

so a while ago, i gave you all a preview about what i was up to this fall.  then i got busy actually doing it all and haven't shared an update.  sorry about that.

today i leave for alaska, my first major adventure of the fall.  the current plan is to fly to anchorage and in a few days, hop in a car with my friend, S, and drive back to virginia.  but that's not all - S wants to go ALL the way down to new orleans and THEN back up.  now, i'm not sure how your US + canada geography is but canada is huge and alaska is very very far away.  this endeavor will involve driving almost all the way across canada and reentering the usa around north dakota.  let's just glance at this map over here to the left. see alaska, obviously top left and then north dakota is in the middle (it's a green state) and virginia, way east (yellow).   last night, S said the total mileage estimate was some enormous number like 6,000.

so. yeah.  S has recognized that i have never driven in a car longer than 6 hours and even that wasn't all that recently -- he's worried about me.  i've put it out there that i may want to be dropped off at a major airport along the way to jump ship.  then S will have to continue on his own and that will be sad, but i just might not be able to handle it. 

i am feeling incredibly unprepared for this trip and i can't pinpoint why although there are many factors that could be contributing.  first of all, we'll be camping in the canadian wilderness for about a week; i've been camping before and i've spent lots of time in the snow, but i have not done both of these things together.  do i have the right clothes? am i going to be freezing? i'm fully prepared to wear every article of clothing in my backpack while sleeping in a tent.  but still, i'm nervous.  the nerves i have are very different than any i had before unplanned trips last year, in fact, i was always more excited for unplanned things last year, but those trips were predictable.

it could also be that i've never done anything like this (camp in canada OR drive across the country) and it's just so vastly unknown that i can't wrap my brain around it.  everyone has been telling me that this will be an amazing experience - a cross country road trip! when else will i have the chance?! and apparently we'll be "chasing autumn south," and fall is my favorite season, chasing it could be fun.  my friend, A, told me yesterday that there's just something about a road trip that can't be described adequately; the passing views create a gorgeous panorama that you can't possibly recreate, you only know how beautiful it is if you're there, looking out the window (i wish i remembered exactly how eloquently he said that) -- and we all know how i feel about a good bella vista.  

it's not that i'm not excited, because i am.  i know it will be an incredible experience that i might not ever get the chance to have again and that's exciting.

stay tuned, hopefully i'll be able to update along the way.  i can tell you how cold i am, how beautiful the sights are, and how excited i am for a shower.   

x!

next up in the life of liz: fall 2011

when i typed the title of this post, i initially typed "2010." that's wrong.  it's 2011 and really almost 2012.  when did that happen?! it really is true what they say, "time flies when you're having fun."  as my sister said the other day, "how much faster is it going to go when we're OLD?!"  i'm not sure how the acceleration of time with age works, but i don't want to waste any of my 20s trying to figure it out -- i know i need to enjoy it while i can; i only have one life. 

so what am i going to do with these epic years of mine, you ask? what have i been up to since my grand return to america at the end of july?  well, besides spending lots of quality time with all those people i missed last year, i've got some pretty sweet plans in the works.  i won't give away all of my hopes and dreams because, you know, i don't want to jinx anything.  but i will give you a high-quality preview. 

(an extended) labor day weekend: new york city! people i can't wait to see include: my long-lost ladybird, IST ex-coworkers who are educating the new york city youth at a charter school in brooklyn, J, who will absolutely be my first famous friend with her sure-to-be-rapidly-approaching broadway musical debut,  some sisters (a fellow ginger and twin b), my favorite princess (who's engaged!!), and many others.  i'll be there for pretty much a week and who knows, at that point the city may have sucked me in and i might never leave. 

if i do make it out, 

september 8th - 11th: dc/northern virginia!  again, so many of my favorite people live densely packed into this small area that i just hope i get a chance to see them all.  concrete plans so far include hanging out with V and her family; i have been suffering without my roommate/coworker/travel partner/friend since she left me in trieste on july 11th.  i'll get to see her as cheerleading coach in-action and i'm hoping her dad will cook us some delicious puerto rican food.  or maybe we'll make italian food?  we'll probably eat a lot; it will be delicious. 

later in september: a weekend in charlottesville for some other liz time (which will surely include a "cville highlights" journey before she leaves for oxford) and some concerts with friends and the family, some days at the beach (which days are yet to be determined), and then! an unprecedented alaska/canada/other places road trip adventure.  no, i have no idea what i've gotten myself into but i'm excited. 

other goals: i've been told i'd like chicago and seattle.  i also have some friends who are out of the country in some pretty cool spots that i might need to visit....

stay tuned for updates! 

x!

reverse culture shock?

by no means am i claiming that i have been in the third world, however, it's still weird to be back in the states. 

i remember going through the required prep classes before studying abroad my third year of college and two of the things they warned us about were culture shock and reverse culture shock.  i remember being incredibly annoyed that i had to sit and listen to what i thought was nonsense at 10am on a saturday morning.  i also remember not really experiencing it at all during or after my semester in siena.  "well it was only italy," i thought.  and this time, it still was only italy, but this year was so much more.  i've been trying to reflect upon the year little by little as it has gone by so i'm sure you're aware that this past year was so much more than me living in italy.  i made friends that i am sure i will keep for the rest of my life and they helped me to grow into someone with many more goals and interests than she had a year earlier.  i traveled to some incredible places and saw and experienced too many things to even begin to list here.  AND i taught some of the coolest kids i've ever met. 

and now i'm back in america.  why isn't everyone dying to hear stories?  why do i only get the question, "how was italy!?" i don't have any idea how to answer that question.

i'm pretty sure i'm making my way through the stages appropriately and i'm hoping that "readjustment and adaptation" is quickly approaching.

we'll see? 

x!  

america, you are overwhelming.

ah, the good ole usa. i'm back. and i am overwhelmed.  my head hurts from being able to understand everyone's conversations around me and why are they complaining about everything? yes, i know that the heat is sweltering.

but anyway, i have made it back across the pond in one piece.  i'm in richmond right now with nancypants and will be in cville tonight (yay!) before returning to roanoke tomorrow night.  hopefully this week i'll get to see harry potter, eat some mexican food, drink some hoppy beers and not be too distraught about the lack of wonderful coffee.  and then! on to OIB next week. 

i really shouldn't complain, i have quite the cushy few weeks planned.  they will hopefully ease my transition back into the land of the plenty.

stay tuned, as i'll still be updating those backlogged posts from last year's travels (partly for reminiscence).

 x!