trip

Charlottesville + D.C. for the weekend

Just getting back in from a lovely weekend with the family in Charlottesville + D.C.

Today = Kelsey’s birthday and we celebrated by:

Sleeping in//Eating Texas chocoloate cake for breakfast//Watching this//

[Photos: Abby + Guion’s place | Near Union Station | Pyrrha watching the world//Grace Farson]

Hatteras through the clouds

After spending a short weekend on Hatteras Island, I cannot help but believe it still shines regardless of the weather. It rained almost every second we were there, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying ourselves thoroughly. For me, anytime at the beach is good time.

“Look at that sea, girls–all silver and shadow and vision of things not seen. We couldn’t enjoy its loveliness any more if we had millions of dollars and ropes of diamonds.” – L.M. Montgomery

My Hatteras highlights:

A long, productive road trip//Staying up until 5 a.m. talking and laughing with Kelsey in a big, soft bed//Waking up to the sound of rain and realizing that there was nothing I had to do //Talking wedding plans with Alex and Kels// A refreshing swim in the rain//Kels’ wedding shower and meeting all of Alex’s Hatteras folk//Playing in the ocean//Crab cakes, collard greens, and sweet potato fries//The Olympics//Knowing I’ll be back someday soon. . .

[Photos: In and around Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. //Grace Farson]

off to indonesia

“not i, nor anyone else can travel that road for you.
you must travel it by yourself.
it is not far. it is within reach.
perhaps you have been on it since you were born, and did not know.
perhaps it is everywhere – on water and land.”

– walt whitman

ten months ago, i was on a plane headed home. four a.m. tomorrow i’ll be boarding another plane. . . this time i’m heading east.

if all goes as planned, in two short days i’ll be in this crazy city!

in three weeks all seven of us {daniel, nicole, amirah, jen, kevin + greg} will be in indo starting work. . . but before that. . . i’ll be hitting up more of java, bali, and the gili islands. amirah gets in in a few weeks {*make sure to check out her fabulous blog !} and we are so excited to see the beaches and the bright, blue water together.

i think excitement stage finally set in this afternoon.  life = wild right now {visa//sub letter//credit card//financial aid issues all day! *note: if you know of anyone in chapel hill this summer without housing. let me know! i have an empty room and i’m getting desperate! everyone keeps backing down and it’s the cutest little house ever!}

yesterday, kels and i drove to d.c. and back and although my time was far from productive, it was still fun. how can i can complain when i had a few hours  here?!

i certainly didn’t think i would be on a plane ten months after the big bad gap year. i had thought i did a good job of convincing myself and everyone else around me that i would stay home for a while, but . . .

that didn’t last long.

i feel so  incredibly blessed and i really couldn’t be more excited. thanks everyone for your continued love and support.

indonesia – i cannot wait to meet you! next time i write i’ll be in a brand new place // new time zone.

cheers!

also:

+ sarah’s fab summer blog

+ this

{photos from doha and ameerika!}

the andrew alphabet

ambition: become homeless

bad habit: reckless bike driving

city: chapel hill, n.c.

drink: arnold palmer {*in his creepy nalgene}

education: yes

food: steak and apples

guilty pleasure: creating awkward situations for others for his own enjoyment

hometown: charlotte, n.c.

ice cream: dairy frost soft strawberry

jonesing for: a natural disaster {*a hurricane, tornado, and earthquake weren’t good enough for this kid}

kryptonite: christmas carols

look-a-like: the guy who played gilbert blythe in anne of green gables

movies: “fiddler on the roof.” “saving private ryan.” “the emporer’s new groove.”

nicknames: carrot cake. bubba. stinky pants. andew.

obsession: gold bond

perfume: hmmmm. . . natural flavors

quirk: getting distracted from brushing his teeth by making faces in the mirror

regrets: never been in a fistfight. never learned an instrument.

starbucks: stealing grace’s chai tea

talents: unicycling. climbing. dancing.

university: uni of north carolina at chapel hill {studying arabic & asian studies}

vacation: escaping from the château d’if and winning a knife fight with a pirate, then stealing a ship and sailing to an island where he would discover sunken treasure.

wine: welch’s

x: x grace farson {*for making him do things like this}

years: nineteen years

zen: sticking head out of window in the car

. . .

here’s the fourth alphabet!

i’ve known andrew since i was in the seventh grade. when i think about it, we’ve both changed a lot. . . but. . . at our core, we are essentially the same people we were at age twelve.

we really haven’t grown up much.

i can always count on andrew to help me get out of my ruts in life. he helps me to live life to its fullest. he is always there when i have the need to – climb a building, climb a tower, climb a tree, climb a mountain, climb through a tunnel or two, go on a scavenger hunt, take a spontaneous trip, etc.

he helps challenge me to think outside the box and find a creative solution to most anything.

andrew, thanks for being you. . . for putting up with me at my best and worse. . . and for ending up at unc too!

. . . here’s to a fun, crazy, memorable year bro!

{p.s. if anyone else wants to contribute to my alphabet series let me know! i’d love to share them! just post a comment with your email and i will contact you . . . fariha & anna’s coming soon!}