tuesday: day 2 (aimee)

                 My day began with a traditional Indian breakfast, some tea, and good conversation. Although my eyes were drooping throughout breakfast, once I stepped outside things got a little more interesting. Devotees of Shiva were clustered in the street and hanging off a large, intricately painted truck. Music blasted out of the vehicle, accompanied by shouts and whistles from the crowd. One boy stepped into the middle of the crowd and began to dance - he held one foot in the air, his arms twisted around each other and his white teeth were revealed by a goofy grin. After a few moments, others followed his lead and began to dance together, all smiling, laughing and shouting joyfully. Jeremy, a boy from my program, jumped into the middle of what had become a dance circle. His long brown hair swung around wildly as he jumped and gyrated to the infectious Indian beat. One by one, each of us swallowed our pride and jumped into the middle of the circle - our faces that were once shy and tired became bright and excited. Its amazing how something as simple as dancing can turn strangers into friends. Our group has known each other for less than 24 hours and it already seems like weeks. Diverse and independent, everyone has a reason that they're here - all those reasons are what draw us together. 

Today has been eternal and surreal. But good.

My body still hasn't acclimated to the time here, so all I'm wishing for tonight is a good night's sleep.

Where we went: Humayan's Tomb, Dilli Haat Arts and Crafts bazaar
Where we ate: Centrum Hotel, Andhra Bhavan Canteen, Dilli Haat bazaar

 Me and Jordan at Humayan's Tomb 

New friends  

A few more of us...

-- Aimee 

spices, stares, and Bollywood (aimee)

Hey y'all! Namaste! I made it to New Delhi safely. I am currently watching MTV in my hotel room...its much better than American MTV. I had forgotten how this country smells...spicy. So many things are familiar from the last time I was here, like the smells and the noise, but its still overwhelming. Its been my dream to live here for so long, and now that I'm here its scary. Extreme feelings have replaced my once calm demeanor - fear, excitement, curiosity, sadness, joy...I heard somewhere recently that India is an "assault on the senses" and that is a good way to put it. My pathetic American body isn't quite ready for all of this, but I guess it takes time to adjust. I'm also getting used to how people stare at me here. I guess they don't see many green-eyed, blonde haired girls around these parts.

For now, I'm spending my time exploring the streets surrounding my hotel, reading Them Bones (a book my mom suggested to me, one that True's mom suggested to her...TRUE: you should read it, I'm loving it so far), watching MTV, and enjoying the simple pleasure of a soft bed and air conditioning.

-- Aimee 

What is "Real Life?" (cole)

Hello!

It seems lately, my life keeps flip flopping from one extreme to another. And nothing ever seems like "real life" anymore. Especially the fact that I will be living in the Peru for the fall. That definitely doesn't feel real. I know this sounds silly, but let me try to explain..

In May, I left Sewanee stressed, tired, and a little sad. Exam week took a lot out of me, and Grad week took whatever was left. After multiple trash bags of cleaning out my room, a few shed tears, and a handful of all night-ers, it was time for summer to begin. But before I could go anywhere, I had a week home to pack, finish up paperwork, and most importantly, relax. It was a strange transition to go from my "Sewanee life" to "home life." I went from being surrounded by peers to only having my parents in our new home in Chattanooga. I love both, it was just a bit of an adjustment. But before I could even fully settle-in, it was time for my first summer expedition, the Appalachian Trail, with my sister, Macon, who is currently through-hiking (walking 2,181 miles from Georgia to Maine.) Well, let me tell you, that was the adjustment. Stripping away all the luxuries I take for granted and living with basic necessities on my back. The first few days I struggled, but eventually I caught on to the ways of the trail. My sister and her friends she has made along the way provided insightful tips to help me with my "new life" on the trail. During my 400 mile, month long trek, I was able to see two of my fellow wanderers, and closest friends, Aimee and Campbell. June 11, Aimee and I attempted the infamous "Four State Challenge" - hiking roughly 45 miles in one day to touch foot in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. After 35 miles, sore feet, and dim headlands, we decided it was more important that we stay safe and healthy, rather than try to push farther into the night. The challenge aside, it was fun to hike with a friend ALL day long. Straight from the journey with Aimee, I got to see Campbell (who already wrote about our visit in her post) at her farm in Maryland. Campbell and her family provided beds, food, and beer - a hiker's dream! Macon still says its the best trail magic she has had yet. Soon after my visit with friends, my time on the trail was coming to an end. I continued in Pennsylvania for a few more days, and hiked side by side my sister sharing our favorite memories during my stretch on the trail, knowing my next adventure was around the corner.
  
My last day I woke up, drank coffee from Macon's hiker friendly french press, ate the end of my oatmeal, and hiked six miles out of the woods to the train for New York City. In less than 12 hours, I went from the peacefulness and simplicity of the woods to the bright lights, endless noise, and crowded streets of the Big Apple. Luckily, I didn't have to adapt to city life for long. I was headed to my favorite place ever: summer camp! I am currently working for the Fresh Air Fund in Fishkill, NY at Camp ABC. Its no secret that I love, love, loveee camp! Ever since I was a kid, camp has been my favorite part of summer, and probably my year. I grew up going to a variety of camps that I feel helped shape me into the person I am today. The Fresh Air Fund is unique in that they provide camp for low income, inner-city NYC kids completely for free. Their mission is to get kids out of the business of the city and provide with a camping experience in the fresh air (get the name?). So far, camp has been incredible! I am loving every minute of it. But again, "camp life" is so far away from "real life." Running around playing Ninja, singing "Boom-Chicka-Boom" with face paint feels like a dream world, but right now there is no where I'd rather be. Well, except Peru - but that will come soon enough.
  
I leave for Peru on August 15... Yikes! It feels so close, yet so far away. At camp you have days that seem to last forever, but before you know it has been a week- this makes for a strange perception of time. So in one sense, I feel like camp will never be over and life in Peru is far away. Likewise, its crazy that session one has already come to a close and before I know it I will be in Peru. When the time finally does come, I know I will be ready. And "Peru life"- that will be the biggest transition yet. And who knows, maybe that will finally feel like "real life."


- Cole

5 inches less (aimee)

6 days until I leave for India!! I got my hair cut yesterday...

-Aimee

Summer Update: Back in Sewanee! (campbell)

Hello Fellow Wanderers!

In case you need a refresher, I am attending European Studies, a Sewanee-Rhodes program, which consists of three weeks of classes at Sewanee, a week exploring historical sites in England, six weeks of study at Lincoln College and the remaining five weeks travelling around either Western or Eastern Europe—in my case, Option Two: Western Europe in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. I will visit major cities in France, Italy, Germany and Belgium—whew! I am tired just writing it all out. I am thrilled that we have this blog to connect, share and envy each other’s adventures until we all reconvene on our beloved mountain. Until then, this is a short recap of what I have been up to:

After the craziness of grad-week (Cole will probably never forget my lack-of-sleep-induced meltdown in the middle of the Blue Chair) I headed home to DC, where I met our newest family member: Lainee, a cavachion—King Charles Cavalier-Bichon Frise "mutt"—I had never heard of it either.... Lil’ Nugget, as we like to call her, is simply adorable, loves to snuggle and a true “dumb blonde.” More so, it is difficult to overlook her eerie likeness to the Snuggles bear, as they both share “blank, soulless eyes,” to quote my fahjah.

 In addition to bonding with Lainee, I happily reconnected with Sewanee girls (notably Avery, a fellow wanderer) who we had over for a few dinners. In between impressing my parents with their notable internships on the hill, stylish work apparel and impeccable manners, I had to compete with them for my own parents' affection and attention during, and after, said dinners.

I had the pleasure of meeting "through hikers" Gribley and Pants on Fire, and seeing the York Girls  at our Maryland weekend cabin. I may have scarred them with my driving, but, nevertheless, we all had a lovely time (at least I did) wine drinking, eating and horn-playing (wish I had a picture of that) until they had to head back to the Appalachian (App-a-latch-in, as Gribley explained) Trail the next morning.

My parents dropped me off for a quick detour in Nueva York to stay with a fellow Sewanee junior in  da Bronx . I was able to visit a MSSA friend and had dinner with another Sewanee pal. From here, I Megabused it to Portland, Maine, to spend ten days with family in a small summer community, Mere Point, on Casco Bay, near Brunswick (and Bowdoin, Mom’s alma mater).  

no lobster for me, please (with an NCS High school friend & Shep)

During our stay, I once again upset my Maine-native mother: she continues to be appalled that her only daughter does not eat her favorite seafood (“lobstah”) or any, for that matter.

Double rainbow in Maine

Currently, I am swinging on our Monteagle house porch, where we have been as a family for the week-long celebration of the Fourth of  Ju-ly in the Monteagle Sunday School Assembly, Tennessee, another small but tightly-knit community. Hilltop, the name our cottage, was built around the same time as the house in Maine (1880s +/-) but is much more shabby-chic house than the carefully—coordinated Maine house. We must wash our hands to avoid lead paint poisoning from peeling porch furniture, but it’s another place with so many cherished traditions (Dad went to Vanderbilt, as seemingly everybody down here did.)

MSSA Fourth 2012

I must sound like a real a$$#0le, tossing off “weekend” as an adjective and “summer” as a verb, but these are the places we go, and the services are pretty basic…we don’t even have cable. Heck, my parents don’t even have cable. (I suppose now is not the time to mention my mom and her cousins own an island in far down east Maine…)

Not to sound too cheesy, but, similar to what most feel before encountering the unknown, I am nervous; however, any uncertainties I have are dominated by greater emotions of excitement and curiosity for what the future holds.

And now, paradoxically, I will wander on the mountain rather than off as I am about to begin summer school tomorrow for roughly a month…more updates to come!

Miss you all!!
Campbell

Also: Shout-out to Aimee who leaves in a WEEK!!!

“board” meetings & one-way tickets (laura)

Normally, I would go for the ladder, but I love this cause I’m working for in Charleston. So much so, I don’t mind working and going to meetings all day long. I feel very lucky to be surrounded by like-minded people and am honored to be a part of this awesome team of conservationists for the summer.  I must admit, paddle boarding and the likes are included when I use the term “work”… they say it’s important to get out in the environment they are working to protect. These people really get it...

So as my time in Charleston comes to an unwelcome close, I will undoubtedly soon be overwhelmed by excitement and to-do lists for this seriously ambitious foreign adventure I'm about to set out on. We are buying one-way tickets to Panama tomorrow. That's a sentence I never thought I'd say. I’ve also been busy getting tons of vaccinations and waterproof gear for the trip. Next challenge: figuring out how to fit everything I need from late August to mid-January into a backpack… that I can “carry for long distances and in dugout canoes, for example”- SIT packing guidelines.

While that sounds like it’s going to be hard to do, the following item on my list will make even that task feel like a breeze: convincing my parents, via maps and itineraries, that I’ll be okay in Chile/Argentina and it’s not going to require some big bodyguard to tag along. Please… wish me luck.

A few years ago, all of this travel would have been a mere pipe dream. Now it's reality?! I can't believe it. I already miss home and Sewanee so much and I have no idea what lies ahead. I just know the fact that a hammock and snorkeling gear is on my packing list has got to mean something good…

-Laura

rumination (aimee)

            I leave for Delhi in less than three weeks. I think I’m just now realizing what that means. After years of dreaming, months of planning, and hundreds of to-do lists, I am finally beginning the “next chapter” of my life. To cope with my constant anxiety, I have decided to do as many American things as possible before I move to Delhi. Although I am embarrassed to admit it, I have been watching a lot of reality TV in the past couple weeks - can’t get much more American than that, right? I've also enjoyed a few chocolate shakes from McDonalds, and more than a few pints of Ben and Jerry’s.

My dad doesn’t understand my desire to fill my last weeks at home strictly with American things. Our fridge is filled “Indian” food from Costco, leaving little room for the fried chicken I crave. Last week, my dad and I got chai lattes from Starbucks. He asked me if it tasted the same in India. I laughed, he had no idea. Tasty? Sure. Indian? No way. 

I decided to add “chai latte” to my American to-do list. 

            I leave for Delhi in less than 20 days. To be honest, I’m terrified. I thought that leaving home to begin my adventure would be easier than this. I thought it would be easy to leave all the stress and drama of my American life behind, but it hasn’t been. I’m homesick for Sewanee. I’m homesick for Middleburg. I’m homesick for things that haven’t even happened yet. 

So, why torture myself? Because despite all my doubts and the butterflies that have taken up residence in my gut, I want to experience something. I want to challenge myself. I want to see, hear, understand, question, cry, smile...if nothing else, I want to grow. 

            I leave for Delhi on July 14th. I think in time I’ll realize what that means. 

-- Aimee