Home?

Here is the photo I received a few months ago actually, from my host dad, who will also be my supervisor at the newspaper as well as most likely my translator during my time in Nepal. This house reminds me, in ways, of the houses in Mexico and even my home last summer in Oaxaca. Seeing a photo really helps make me realize that its a real place that I'm really going to. Anyone sensing my severe case of denial that I've been developing ever since receiving my official registration notice?

I honestly think about Nepal at least once an hour. I can't contain my excitement. The furthest I've been from home is Costa Rica I believe; and, though I'd consider myself a well traveled individual I haven't exactly made it all that far from home. I'm 19 and have been to a handful of countries, and 33 states-- Asia is just a bit different. The culture is going to be so fascinating to learn more about, the religion, the food, the language, everything.

The part that excites me the most though? I get to bring my camera with me everywhere I go. This isn't a trip to explore and bring a camera along, this is a trip to take photographs every single day, and to become better at story telling. I hope that I am able to come home from Nepal with many stories that I will be able to tell through thousands of photographs.

फोटो (photograph)... I'm working on finding how it is pronounced.

A Plane Ticket

Well, today it actually finally really happened! I got my plane ticket! I had a full blown screaming and jumping and absolute giddy attack when I got the text from my dad to choose which meal I would like for my flight. I selected "Vegetarian Hindu" so we will just have to see how that goes, but how exciting to order a meal I will eat over two months from now right at the start of my journey!

I will be leaving Detroit on May 30th early in the morning! No worries, I do plan to return; I'll be back in the States on August 11th! I am so excited to have everything finally becoming a reality.

On that note I'll be sure to say all my goodbyes and pass out all of my contact information for while I am there before May 30th.

Tapaik Ko Din Suva Rahosh (Have a nice day!)

I Got It!

On March 29th I got the official word that I will be heading to Kathmandu, Nepal this summer for a ten week photojournalism internship at the Kathmandu Post! I am so unbelievably excited to be heading out on this journey and I can't wait to share it with everyone back home! I look forward to every part of this process from packing to actually being in the field with my camera. This is just the beginning though, heck I haven't even bought my plane ticket yet! 

From this point forward I hope to maintain this blog all the way through returning in mid-August. Photos will be a must, and I look forward to many a cultural story of the wonderful bliss of crapping in a hole in the ground all summer ("local type" is how they refer to toilets that don't flush, aka- a hole in the ground). My journey will also most definitely include my struggle to learn Nepali and to learn (and repeat) the phrase "I'm a vegetarian," "I do NOT eat meat." 

In every single way this summer will most definitely be one of the best of my life. I'm 19 going on 20 soon and traveling the world to take photos all summer. I think my dreams are coming true!

On that note: Suva Ratri ani mitho sapna dekhu hola! (See you later!)