Phone calls from Italy

Well this week I got some great news from the centers I'll be working with in Italy. Monday morning I awoke to an e-mail from Casa Cares (the center in Tuscany) that said they would love to host me from mid August until the beginning of January! This fantastic news was promptly followed by a phone call by one of the directors from Agape (the center in the Alps) who told me that they would be able to offer me an extended stay at the center, so I will be staying in the Alps from early June through mid August. This much awaited news was followed by even more good news...I had received a scholarship to attend the theological conference at Agape in August and that because I was doing so much work with the Waldensian society they would be able to help pay for my travel costs! So now the work on booking flights and applying visas begins. Hopefully some time in the next two weeks I'll be making a drive to Detroit to visit the Italian consulate and interview for a long term visa. So please be sending all of your prayers and well wishes my way that I get approved!

The annual trip to California with Jake, this time we did a little hiking and visited an old fort by the ocean. This trip was followed by a little side trip to New Orleans so Jake could give a paper at a political science conference and I could do some more eating. Despite the stress of going from the laid back nature of the farm to the city it was a great trip. It's always wonderful to spend time on the farm with the family and we had a great time meeting up with Paul in New Orleans for some great wine and good news of Kate's pregnancy.

Kelsey and I decided to take a little drive to the Smokey Mountains. We climbed our first mountain together and Kelsey claimed it for the motherland. After our conquering of the mountain we came across an upside down house which warrented a few photos. There is nothing better than road trips with best friends.

As you all know this winter I spent part of my semester break working in Guatemala. It was by far one of the most beautiful places I have been. I met an amazing man named Padre Gregorio who totally changed what I thought was the relationship between sociall justice and the Church. I had a chance to help build a women's center that will serve as a center for women to learn new cooking techniques, provide a place of social support, and opportunities for women to participate in the formal economy. I spent one morning working on a coffee farm, picking beans, and wandering through the Guatemalan woods. It was beautiul. I can't wait to go back and do some more work with this community. I've never felt so closely tied to a group of people I just met, it was like coming into a family who was just waiting for your arrival. An amazing experience.

This summer I surprised Jake with a trip to Gettysburgh. Although I was quite sick for most of the trip it turned out wonderfully. Here are a few of my favorite photos from the cemetaries and the female soldier who was my hero for the trip.

Some photos Katie and I took on our visit to the botanical garden in Atlanta. It was an amazing orchid show!

Hot-lanta

This Spring Break Katie and I took a road trip to Atlanta. What an adventure! I will certainly never forget the blizzard of '08 which made what was supposed to be a 4 hour drive to Kentucky into and 8 1/2 hour drive. Thankfully we finally made it to Atlanta and had ourselves a great time. We visited the aquarium and the art museum and spent most of our days deciding what to eat, and boy did we eat! If anyone is heading south I have some great restaurant recommendations.

INDIA

I know you all have heard the wonderful stories and saw the beautiful photos I brought back from India but these are a few of my favorite so I thought they deserved a space on my travel blog. It was quite the experience and I would recommend it for any one. It'll shake up what you think you know about the world and change who you think you are, an experience I wouldn't change for anything

Chi-Town

A lovely visit to spend some time with Crina and Diran. The two of them took me to Millenium park and Diran took this photo in front of the ampitheatre. I had a wonderful time visiting with the two of them and eating more than I though was humanly possible...always the mark of a good trip

So here it goes...

Well...as you all know it won't be long before I head off to Italy for a year so it seemed appropriate for me to start a travel blog so all of you who are living vicariously through me can keep track of my travels. I suppose for now things aren't all that exciting, I'm still in the process of getting dates solidified. As of now it looks as if I'll be leaving for Europe in the beginning of June, returning...who knows when. For now, I figured I'll post some favorite photos from my previous travels and keep you all up to date on what my travels bring.