WHASSUP Y'ALL, I AM BACK.
By "back" I mean back blogging - for many people (particularly those based in Maryland), I am gone. YES FOLKS, I HAVE MOVED TO NEW YORK CITY. BROOKLYN SPECIFICALLY. LIVIN THA DREAM.
I've been here for a week and you might be wondering how I've changed now that I'm a New Yorker. Well, I'll tell you. Now that I live in New York, I've made countless discoveries. I've discovered my neighborhood. I've discovered Prospect Park - or as I like to refer to it, the "Central Park of Brooklyn." I've discovered the cheapest grocery store, the most vegetarian-friendly grocery store, and the ritziest grocery store within three blocks. I've discovered the differences between the 4 and 5 trains (express) and the 6 (local). Most importantly, I've discovered the existence of designer sponges. (Yes, I'm talking about those things that one uses to clean a sink). I've also discovered that I really, really want some. Who knew that I could buy three kitchen sponges for 8 dollars, beautifully packaged, in pink and purple? Since when did cleaning things become so FUN ?! I see these sponges in every drugstore and kitchen-supply store that I enter (at least one per day)....but I resist the urge. "I already have sponges," I remind myself.
This is fine, because it's New York City. Soon enough, I will discover another overpriced, fancily packaged item that I will refrain from purchasing. Hopefully it's something less nerdy.
SEE YOU SOON, LOVERS AND FRIENDS.
xoxo
samantha
PS - Thoughts and sympathies to the families and victims of today's shooting near the Empire State Building. I am spooked, but ok. Gun violence is a problem.
Friday, August 24, 2012
Monday, July 9, 2012
Friendship
Hi guys,
I was really overwhelmed by the responses to my last post about Emma. I received phone calls, emails, and text messages from supportive friends and family friends. It warmed my heart and I was reminded how lucky I am to have an extensive support system made up of wonderful, loving people.
Thanks y'all!!
xoxo
Samantha
I was really overwhelmed by the responses to my last post about Emma. I received phone calls, emails, and text messages from supportive friends and family friends. It warmed my heart and I was reminded how lucky I am to have an extensive support system made up of wonderful, loving people.
Thanks y'all!!
xoxo
Samantha
Monday, June 25, 2012
Seeing the World
I was home for a week when I learned that my friend, Emma, from university was killed suddenly while biking. I had just gotten over my jetlag and was immediately forced into a new state of perplexity. A friend's octogenarian grandfather told her that "the first one is the hardest" - hopefully as an octogenarian, I will be able to understand this in a new way. Now, though, as a 22-year old, my fourth time burying a peer - putting my friend in a box in the ground - I don't get it. I've excitedly taken many opportunities to travel, to learn new skills, to gain new understandings and acquire more knowledge. But burying my peers is one experience that I have never chosen: it has been forced upon me.
Sometimes well-meaning people say things like, "it was their time" or "she's in a better place" or "everything happens for a reason." I'd love to agree with these people, and I am so happy for those who do find solace in those words, but I do not. Nothing is the slightest bit easier this time than the first time. Nothing is fun about this. Nothing.
I've made some wonderful friends while travelling, and Emma was the first one. In the winter of 2007-2008, I went on my school's Birthright trip, knowing no one else. In the airport, with 45 other college students awaiting our flight to Israel, Emma sat chatting with another girl, Jessie. They were the only girls in the airport that I felt truly comfortable approaching - they seemed open and easygoing. When they replied to my request to watch my stuff while I went to the restroom with the quip that if I wasn't fast enough, they might sell it, I knew from that moment we'd be friends.
The three of us spent the remainder of the 10-day trip inseparable, talking and giggling about everything from the hokey pro-Israel concert we attended to teenage pregnancies, our majors, our Jewishness, and our dating lives. We remained friends upon returning to campus, and when they graduated and moved to New York City, I went to visit. I was so excited about moving back to the same city and reconnecting this fall.
Emma was a rockstar. In many ways, she lived the life that I hope to live: a lot of life was packed into her twenty four years. She was a homecoming queen. She always had a smile. She was goofy, but knew when to be serious. She knew how to ask questions to get people talking, and she knew how to listen to the answer. She loved movies and went to see them often. She loved sandwiches and took a road trip (coast to coast) sampling the sandwiches of different regions. She was a young woman searching harder than most to find her own unique inspiration - to figure out what she wanted to spend her life doing. She loved fiercely and unashamedly.
I can see nothing good in her wonderful life being cut short. But I am going to continue striving, as I know she was, to live my life by this quote:
Be well. Live your life with love in your heart,
xoxo
Samantha
Sometimes well-meaning people say things like, "it was their time" or "she's in a better place" or "everything happens for a reason." I'd love to agree with these people, and I am so happy for those who do find solace in those words, but I do not. Nothing is the slightest bit easier this time than the first time. Nothing is fun about this. Nothing.
I've made some wonderful friends while travelling, and Emma was the first one. In the winter of 2007-2008, I went on my school's Birthright trip, knowing no one else. In the airport, with 45 other college students awaiting our flight to Israel, Emma sat chatting with another girl, Jessie. They were the only girls in the airport that I felt truly comfortable approaching - they seemed open and easygoing. When they replied to my request to watch my stuff while I went to the restroom with the quip that if I wasn't fast enough, they might sell it, I knew from that moment we'd be friends.
The three of us spent the remainder of the 10-day trip inseparable, talking and giggling about everything from the hokey pro-Israel concert we attended to teenage pregnancies, our majors, our Jewishness, and our dating lives. We remained friends upon returning to campus, and when they graduated and moved to New York City, I went to visit. I was so excited about moving back to the same city and reconnecting this fall.
Emma was a rockstar. In many ways, she lived the life that I hope to live: a lot of life was packed into her twenty four years. She was a homecoming queen. She always had a smile. She was goofy, but knew when to be serious. She knew how to ask questions to get people talking, and she knew how to listen to the answer. She loved movies and went to see them often. She loved sandwiches and took a road trip (coast to coast) sampling the sandwiches of different regions. She was a young woman searching harder than most to find her own unique inspiration - to figure out what she wanted to spend her life doing. She loved fiercely and unashamedly.
I can see nothing good in her wonderful life being cut short. But I am going to continue striving, as I know she was, to live my life by this quote:
Emma and I at Masada, 2008
xoxo
Samantha
Thursday, June 7, 2012
PRIDE
Hey y'all !
I'm home now, but wrote this post a few weeks ago, before I left France.
As I'm finishing up my last two weeks on this side of the Atlantic, I'm taking time to reflect on what I have learned and accomplished this year. I've been doing a lot of reading lately on being proud of yourself, not playing down your hard work, and in this spirit I want to share some of the things that I've learned about myself this year as well of some of the things that I'm especially proud of.
Yeah, I had a lot of help (DAD DAD DAD YOU ROCK DAD I LOVE YOU), but I got my own apartment. I navigated the lease in French. I opened a bank account in French. I figured out health and home insurance in French. I got a doctor in French and used French social security.
I figured out living on a budget. I figured out how much money I spent per month on food and going out, and worked out that I could spend 5 euros a week to buy myself a bouquet of flowers, because I knew that having them in my apartment would make me smile. I eventually figured out planning ahead so I wouldn't have to take money out of my American bank account to pay rent.
I gave careful thought to budgeting and travelling. I travelled on the cheap and made the most of the cities I visited. I used my own money and made decisions about where to go based on what I wanted to do. I decided to treat myself and go to Paris just for one day to attend a concert. I made decisions about how to spend my free time: teaching myself about photography, reading, writing, running, exploring my neighborhood... I worked on keeping my notebook close so that I could write down all the small miracles and hilarious things that I witnessed or participated in when I was out and about.
I've stayed in touch with a lot of people, especially my family and sisters. The most important things we have in our lives are our relationships, and I am proud that I have actively cultivated valuable relationships with my sisters and parents despite being far away.
I tried to do what was best for me: navigating when I needed to go to bed early and skip something fun so that I could attack the next day with all of my energy, and deciding when I needed to just go out and make the most of my evening. I reminded myself to have confidence in my decisions and to take responsibility for the atmosphere that I created, wherever I was. I reached out to friends when I needed help.
I figured out my city. I got a bus pass -with the student rate!! I made friends - from France, Australia, Canada, Jordan, Italy, Germany to name a few - and went to live music shows at bars, went to concerts in genres I was unfamiliar with. I also made friends with the people at different market stalls and my esthetician.
In school, I thought every week about how to engage my students: what types of activities they enjoyed, what subjects would spark their interest, how to make activities work with their very basic levels of English but sophisticated levels of thought. How to get them to participate, how to command respect, how to create a rapport.
I am so, so proud of myself and everything that I have done this year. I'm currently home for an undetermined period of time as I search for a job in the community health research world in New York.
If you are reading this, you have contributed to my growth by being a positive influence in my life. Our relationship helped me evolve and prepared me to spread my wings be the independant woman I am (still becoming). Thank you.
xoxo,
Samantha
PS - I still have some great stories to tell about my last few weeks, so stay tuned!
I'm home now, but wrote this post a few weeks ago, before I left France.
As I'm finishing up my last two weeks on this side of the Atlantic, I'm taking time to reflect on what I have learned and accomplished this year. I've been doing a lot of reading lately on being proud of yourself, not playing down your hard work, and in this spirit I want to share some of the things that I've learned about myself this year as well of some of the things that I'm especially proud of.
Yeah, I had a lot of help (DAD DAD DAD YOU ROCK DAD I LOVE YOU), but I got my own apartment. I navigated the lease in French. I opened a bank account in French. I figured out health and home insurance in French. I got a doctor in French and used French social security.
I figured out living on a budget. I figured out how much money I spent per month on food and going out, and worked out that I could spend 5 euros a week to buy myself a bouquet of flowers, because I knew that having them in my apartment would make me smile. I eventually figured out planning ahead so I wouldn't have to take money out of my American bank account to pay rent.
I gave careful thought to budgeting and travelling. I travelled on the cheap and made the most of the cities I visited. I used my own money and made decisions about where to go based on what I wanted to do. I decided to treat myself and go to Paris just for one day to attend a concert. I made decisions about how to spend my free time: teaching myself about photography, reading, writing, running, exploring my neighborhood... I worked on keeping my notebook close so that I could write down all the small miracles and hilarious things that I witnessed or participated in when I was out and about.
I've stayed in touch with a lot of people, especially my family and sisters. The most important things we have in our lives are our relationships, and I am proud that I have actively cultivated valuable relationships with my sisters and parents despite being far away.
I tried to do what was best for me: navigating when I needed to go to bed early and skip something fun so that I could attack the next day with all of my energy, and deciding when I needed to just go out and make the most of my evening. I reminded myself to have confidence in my decisions and to take responsibility for the atmosphere that I created, wherever I was. I reached out to friends when I needed help.
I figured out my city. I got a bus pass -with the student rate!! I made friends - from France, Australia, Canada, Jordan, Italy, Germany to name a few - and went to live music shows at bars, went to concerts in genres I was unfamiliar with. I also made friends with the people at different market stalls and my esthetician.
In school, I thought every week about how to engage my students: what types of activities they enjoyed, what subjects would spark their interest, how to make activities work with their very basic levels of English but sophisticated levels of thought. How to get them to participate, how to command respect, how to create a rapport.
I am so, so proud of myself and everything that I have done this year. I'm currently home for an undetermined period of time as I search for a job in the community health research world in New York.
If you are reading this, you have contributed to my growth by being a positive influence in my life. Our relationship helped me evolve and prepared me to spread my wings be the independant woman I am (still becoming). Thank you.
xoxo,
Samantha
PS - I still have some great stories to tell about my last few weeks, so stay tuned!
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
FURTHER ICELAND UPDATES
OK YALL SO I AM just sitting here, normally, casually, at the one cafe (next to the one restaurant) in the Reykjavik airport. It's gotten busier. And crazier.
Some dude just went to the cash register carrying a stuffed animal attached to a rock. Not just a stuffed animal like your normal Teddy bear, but a stuffed animal. We're talking taxidermy. Furthermore, the animal is wearing a rainbow scarf.
I swear I'm not delusional, here's a photo.
This raises many pertinent questions:
Where is the dude from?
Where is the animal from?
How far has the animal travelled? The dude?
Who knew you could take these on planes?
Why is the animal wearing a scarf?
Does the animal have a name?
Is the animal the mascot of something?
How did the animal meet its demise?
I wanted to speak to the person but he walked away quickly. I am hoping he is on my flight (quite possible because there are just a few flights out of Reykjavik today, I checked the board) so that I can discuss this situation with him.
Talk to you later,
Detective Sam
Some dude just went to the cash register carrying a stuffed animal attached to a rock. Not just a stuffed animal like your normal Teddy bear, but a stuffed animal. We're talking taxidermy. Furthermore, the animal is wearing a rainbow scarf.
I swear I'm not delusional, here's a photo.
This raises many pertinent questions:
Where is the dude from?
Where is the animal from?
How far has the animal travelled? The dude?
Who knew you could take these on planes?
Why is the animal wearing a scarf?
Does the animal have a name?
Is the animal the mascot of something?
How did the animal meet its demise?
I wanted to speak to the person but he walked away quickly. I am hoping he is on my flight (quite possible because there are just a few flights out of Reykjavik today, I checked the board) so that I can discuss this situation with him.
Talk to you later,
Detective Sam
Greetings from Iceland!
Hello lovers,
T-minus manymorehours til I am back in the US of A. And my bed, I hope.
I'm writing to you from the airport in Iceland! I "woke up" (didn't really sleep however, flying always stresses me out) at 430am to take a taxi for my eight o'clock flight out of Paris ... layover in Iceland! It's 24 hours of travel, but as my mom reminded me yesterday, "You're a traveller! You're used to it! It'll be fine!"
If only. Yes, I am used to travelling, but I still have not mastered this fine art. When I took my first solo trans-atlantic flight, 6 years ago, my mom advised me to put on my "don't talk to me face." She then lamented that she was unsure I even was capable of making this face. Let me assure you, I am. When I travel, I generally slip into a mode of "I hate everything". This means a perpetual frown and only speaking French, as I want to distance myself from other loud Americans. Yes, I know it's snotty. It means that I often travel in silence, which suits me just fine. This year I've also tried to work on being om and zen (or accepting circumstances as they are, and what I can and can't control), so that means that my time waiting for the flight attendants to arrive at the check-in desk at 530 am was a mix of me thinking "I HATE EVERYTHING" and "Be calm, Samantha." (Yes, I beat the airline employees to check-in).
Anyways, so I am still not good at travelling. Case in point: I forgot to put my perfume/liquids in their own bag. You'd think that after minimum 6 flights a year (Boston/DC/Boston/DC/Boston/DC) I would have learned this by now. Second case in point: once I got to Iceland I accidentally left the airport and had to re-enter through security.
Anyway, here are some observations I've made in the past few hours I've spent in Iceland's airport:
With that, my friends, I leave you.
See you soon,
xoxo
Samantha
T-minus manymorehours til I am back in the US of A. And my bed, I hope.
I'm writing to you from the airport in Iceland! I "woke up" (didn't really sleep however, flying always stresses me out) at 430am to take a taxi for my eight o'clock flight out of Paris ... layover in Iceland! It's 24 hours of travel, but as my mom reminded me yesterday, "You're a traveller! You're used to it! It'll be fine!"
If only. Yes, I am used to travelling, but I still have not mastered this fine art. When I took my first solo trans-atlantic flight, 6 years ago, my mom advised me to put on my "don't talk to me face." She then lamented that she was unsure I even was capable of making this face. Let me assure you, I am. When I travel, I generally slip into a mode of "I hate everything". This means a perpetual frown and only speaking French, as I want to distance myself from other loud Americans. Yes, I know it's snotty. It means that I often travel in silence, which suits me just fine. This year I've also tried to work on being om and zen (or accepting circumstances as they are, and what I can and can't control), so that means that my time waiting for the flight attendants to arrive at the check-in desk at 530 am was a mix of me thinking "I HATE EVERYTHING" and "Be calm, Samantha." (Yes, I beat the airline employees to check-in).
Anyways, so I am still not good at travelling. Case in point: I forgot to put my perfume/liquids in their own bag. You'd think that after minimum 6 flights a year (Boston/DC/Boston/DC/Boston/DC) I would have learned this by now. Second case in point: once I got to Iceland I accidentally left the airport and had to re-enter through security.
Anyway, here are some observations I've made in the past few hours I've spent in Iceland's airport:
- It is very clean
- Very minimal vegetarian options in the two restaurants (everything has fish)
- There seem to be less travellers than people who work here
- Elves are a thing.
With that, my friends, I leave you.
See you soon,
xoxo
Samantha
Monday, June 4, 2012
Home, home, home
Hey all !
Quick update. It's currently Monday evening in Paris and I'm leaving bright and early tomorrow (my flight leaves at 8am) to head back home!
Can't wait to see you, give my phone a buzz, and keep checking the blog because I have a few more observations about life abroad, stories to tell, and photos that I'll be posting...
xoxo,
Samantha
Quick update. It's currently Monday evening in Paris and I'm leaving bright and early tomorrow (my flight leaves at 8am) to head back home!
Can't wait to see you, give my phone a buzz, and keep checking the blog because I have a few more observations about life abroad, stories to tell, and photos that I'll be posting...
xoxo,
Samantha
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