i've moved.

Moved my blog over to Word Press. You can find me there for new updates from now on:

www.erinlm.wordpress.com

Peace out Blogger. It's been real.

i don't sleep anymore so here's my latest project

This is what happens when I don't have a set work schedule - I'm up til 4AM, sleep until 11AM and my days are completely random! Anyway, I've been doing more self-educating on photography lately and learning more about photo-editing, which is fun. My friend also just recommended some photography classes and one-day workshops you can take on the cheap at the Botanical Gardens here, which I think I might start soon.

Anyway, some fun foto projects for you. The plan is to make some cheap little wood boxes, paint them black, have good ol' Kinko's print these on matte board, and then spray glue the fotos onto the boxes to give my poor empty walls some dimension. I'll post more fotos of the project soon, assuming it goes well.

amazon river, peru 2008

bondi beach, summer 2003

new zealand roadtrip, summer 2003

sydney bridge, summer 2003

These are just some of the older fotos I've been playing with. I may use more recent ones for the actual project, but these ones were good for practice.

Peace.

tales of the funemployed

When life hands you lemons, make lemonade. Or something like that. Since I hear it's a recession, I decided it would be a good time to quit the old J.O.B. There were many reasons: weird organizational changes (see previous post), issues with the administration (sometimes I like to be paid for the work I do, crazy I know), and unmet expectations (I was promised the opportunity to have a home, and that was quickly taken away).

Maybe it wasn't the best idea. Maybe it was a little impulsive. I'm not gonna lie, there was a glimmer of regret for the first 48 hours, thoughts of crawling back, pleading temporary insanity and begging for my job back. But then I got to thinking about what I could do with all my free time and suddenly the regret was gone, replaced by sparkly ideas of beaches and bike riding and more traveling traveling traveling. =)

The more people I talk to, the more stories I hear of others doing similar things - people who have been laid off and are taking advantage of the opportunity to do things they wouldn't normally have time to do. Oaxaca Lindsay was a great example - lost her job, spent three months in Mexico, learning Spanish and backpacking around. You can do it on the cheap, and what better time to do it?

The funemployment* plans are already starting. I'm technically still employed through mid-September and then have a few options for September - December contract work, either with the Chicago International Children's Film Festival (school programs coordinator) or the National Youth Leadership Forum (faculty advisor in DC).

That means the funemployment doesn't technically start until December, but I'm still excited. Luckily my friend Vanessa is also funemployed starting in January, so we'll be finding some adventures together. Right now the plan is to WWOOF ** in Kauai during Jan/Feb, then head for New Zealand to work in a vineyard that Vanessa knows of, and finally finishing in Thailand, hopefully shacking up with my friend in Chiang Mai before heading back to the states.

So stay tuned for upcoming tales of the funemployed! I leave you now with this video of some surfing chica in Kauai. Give me 4 weeks and I'll be making surfing videos of my own. =)



Peace and aloha (that means Hawai'i love, right?).

*Funemployed: I've heard others use this term, but google searched it anyway to see what was floating around on the interweb, and apparently it's an actual thing - check out the LA Times article for more.
**WWOOF: WWOOFing or Willing Workers on Organic Farms, is super popular right now. In almost any country throughout the world, people can exchange 2 - 4 hours a week, 4 - 5 days a week of farm work for room and board. I've been dreaming of moving to summerland forever, and I have failed for 26 years. Funemployment might be just the thing to kick my butt into gear and WWOOFing would be a great way to get to Hawai'i and figure some things out.

a lot is happening

So a lot is happening with work and things here. It's very frustrating, because while I love the heart of what I do, the bureaucracy is completely messing with things (doesn't it always?). My organization, which has set itself apart in the international education industry as a service-learning and international development organization focusing on sustainability, is completely abandoning everything that makes it good in order to make money. Which sucks.

I understand we need to make money, and especially now, with the economy as bad as it is, some sacrifices may have to be made. It's just sad that they are willing to sacrifice the integrity of our projects.

We have always prided ourselves on the fact that our projects are sustainable - that we are onsite year round to work with our host communities, become a part of our host communities, to collaborate to come up with innovative and culturally-appropriate solutions to issues and really promote true grassroots development. It's been a huge learning experience for me and a great intro to development.

Now that we've teamed up with this generic study abroad company (which shall remain nameless, but it's pretty much the anti-us in every way), our integrity is going out the window. I was recently working on the design of some of our new promotional materials, and noticed that in addition to our seven regular host countries, they wanted me to add on about 10 more countries for our group opportunities - countries which we have never had projects in, where we don't have staff, etc., etc. I asked my boss today about this, and he said that the execs feel that we have strong enough relationships with other organizations that we'll be able to offer "quality" programs, despite the fact that we are not planning on opening offices in any of these countries.

It's just hard for me to believe that this goes along with our mission of "sustainable development." We have always said that we are not like Cross Cultural Solutions or Projects Abroad or those other organizations because of our program model - we don't just come into a community with a group of students for 10 days and then leave; we are there 365 days a year, working with these communities, gaining their trust and respect, and because of it, creating some great projects. We are highly respected by our host communities and countries - the Pan American Health Organization funds our projects in Latin America; the Belizean Prime Minister came out to applaud our efforts to improve education in the Cayo District; National Geographic named us in the Top 10 Best Adventure Travel Organizations on Earth based on our sustainability model; the Environmental Protection Agency recognized our work to reduce carbon emissions in Peru. When I wear my gear around in Mexico or Peru, or I mention where I work, people know who we are. Community leaders come to our office, asking to work with us. How can we say that we're going to deliver the same "quality" projects and programs in countries where we are doing the type of "development" that we have shunned for the past 11 years?

Again, maybe I don't know what I'm talking about and the execs, I'm sure, know what they're doing, but it just seems hypocritical and sad that this is the direction that we're moving towards. I really hope that it's not, but if it is...well, I'm not sure how I feel about that. Sigh...

Ok, I'm done with my rant. Off to a wine and cheese party. Hopefully that will lift my spirits a bit.

Peace.

reunited and it feels so good

No, really, it feels really good. For the first time in four years, the ladies of MSU were fully reunited. It felt great to see everyone all together for Jenny's wedding and crazy to think we've been out of the E.L. for FOUR YEARS. In those four years, five have married, three are homeowners, one is engaged, one has a kid. And then there's me and Rosemary, who have a lot of stamps in our passports, but not a whole lot else to show for it! Haha. But it was good seeing all the girls and dancing the night away.

Oh yeah, and Jenny and Jeremy got married. Congratulations to them!
Peace.

it's sad having to miss people all the time

I know, I know, I've neglected the blog once again. And I feel bad about it, I do.

Nothing super exciting has been happening. Living the life in Chicago, trying to enjoy my time here. It was a really hard adjustment coming back this time - I left a lot of good people in Mexico. Tuesday night, my Mexican beach co-pilota, Lindsay, was in Chicago for a conference, so we went out salsa dancing and had a blast. Kate just got back to the states and hopefully I'll get out to NYC before she heads to Ecuador in October. It's just sad having to miss people all the time. But I'm trying to stay positive.

Anyhoo. Summer, thus far, has pretty much been focused on weddings and engagements, which is fun! Crazy how many of my friends are getting married! I'm in another wedding this coming weekend and then one the weekend after that, plus it seems like there's an engagement every other day. Yikes!

Here is a rather large homage to the last wedding I went to in Asheville, NC. Congrats to Mel and Phil for throwing an amazingly awesome and very Mel-and-Phil-esque wedding!

Armstrong '01 and May '02 Roommies Reunited!

all the friends stayed in 3 "cabins" on the property for 2 nights, which was a blast

the scene of the weddingthe property

random chairs by the river? i liked them.

more from random walks around the property

phil, brian and jason

x, mel and nish

carla, mel and libby...libby is getting married august 15!one of my favs of khalid

mel's cute

bride and maid of honor

what's a wedding without some cornhole?aw...all the msu kids reunited! bryan and i are the only ones still sporting our msu gear apparently.

The end. I'll try to write more about my summer adventures (hopefully there are a few more!).

Peace.

dear oaxaca...

Dear Oaxaca,

Our time was short....too short, really. I hope to someday return to rekindle our love affair, but I'm not sure when that will be, as my life right now is somewhat unpredictable. Though I only knew you a few short months, my love for you is strong.

I will miss so much about you: your delicious food - mangoes and Pechote sushi and quesillo and endless stacks of tortillas; how you can tell when I am tiring of your heat and you respond with a cool thunderstorm; your amazing art, whether displayed in galleries or sprayed on the side of buildings for all to see; the people who, no matter what their opinions, good, bad, right, wrong, voice those opinions openly; your beautiful beaches and mountains and hot springs and jungles. You really are everything a girl could ask for.
You introduced me to so many things and people as well: Kacki and Augustin and Lloyda of ProMexico; salsa dancing Ney; Julio, the surfing wonder; my partner in Mexican crime Kate; crazy Nacho, Blanca, Kayla, Josiel and Osmar; Lindsay and the handful of other travelers who passed through Oaxaca and became part of my little circle. Sigh, I miss them already.

And even though I'm returning to an old and familiar love known as Chicago, know that I will always hold a special place in my heart for you and that I will be thinking of you while I'm gone.

Much love forever and always.

E