an update on lost time

i quit writing for a while. clearly. and this is my attempt to explore it again...we'll see if i stick to it

gosh, as always a million and 5 things have happened since I last wrote...I've returned to America indefinitely (sad face) but readjusting has gone as smoothly as I could have hoped for; a little rocky at first (the reverse culture shock was actually more intense than the initial culture shock of kenya), but i feel pretty acclimated to where i am right now...


So i'm going to a small photo montage of big events leading up to right now:

minnie visited me in KENYA!! and this is us climbing Mt Longonot

mark and gina joined in kenya and we traveled to the masai village in amboseli!

i summited kilimanjaro (4.5 days up 1.5 down) with the wonderful emily fleming!

built a community center in kibera with the Seva Safari group

spent 2 weeks at the lake readjusting to america-rough i know

went to ottawa with mark and gina-yes this is caesar in a stroller

cleared the wake wakeboarding for the first time evaaa

went to woodstock to see billy paige and emily!

rekindled old friendships in good old boston

clearly thats a brief overview but it does lead me to right where i am now...so i've started grad school at Boston University...and its awesome!! i lost interest in my undergrad major about sophomore year so its been a while since i've been genuinely interested in my courses and its a fantastic feeling...i'm taking courses that are heavily involved in current global issues the world is facing today: issues such as poverty, sanitation, HIV/AIDS, infectious diseases, child mortality, NGO management, leadership within organizations, uniform education, community mobilization, gender inequalities and the list continues...I find myself constantly inspired by the what my professors and fellow students have to say and so needless to say, i'm enjoying school.

also, boston is this wonderful city i've never taken the time to explore until now. in the past i've been biased to nyc and always overlooked boston, but to my surprise, i can't imagine myself anywhere else right now. i've happened to meet up with SO many people from different walks of my life-old friends from high school, my yoga teacher training, asia escapades, figure skating, and pittsburgh have been popping up in my life and i'm loving it. reunions could quite possibly be one of my favorite things because it is so fascinating how much people can change and how much i have changed. and with reunions, the conversations never run dry-both parties are usually extremely interested in hearing about one another's pasts and its so great to see where all of my friends have ended up!

its exciting to be in a new phase but i feel like my life is in constant adjustment...i'm in a new city, at a new school, taking new classes, meeting new people, and its a little overwhelming at times. not saying that i don't like it or i don't fit in, i actually would label myself as a very adaptable person, its just the idea of living back in america and where i fit in under that label...

'i've joined this network of people who are from the world. i don't feel like i fit in america and i know i'll never be fully kenyan'-miss paige elenson herself

this idea really resonates with me because although it is easy for me to be a 23 year old american, i still have all of these experiences that have influenced my mentality that leave me feeling like i can't relate to a lot of people. i'm amongst the souls who are trying to save the world and in essence from everywhere?...i feel grateful that i'm in the program i'm in because i think that many people in my classes feel the same way and have had similar experiences. 

so to conclude this thought: its good to surround ourselves with like minded people-it somehow makes the hard things easier. but mannnnn i miss traveling the world...at least a girl can dream

the beautiful koh tao off the eastern coast of thailand-take me backkkk