Tag: inspire

Lexington, my reluctant Kentucky home

So we are going to rip off a bandaid here: I didn’t get into TAPIF. A lot of you readers are going to say, “What the heck is TAPIF?” and that’s because I haven’t mentioned it at all. I didn’t want to get my hopes up. But here I am, telling you that my plan for moving to France has been moved back a year. Technically, I am still on the waitlist with a pretty good chance to be accepted for this coming school year, but I’m not in a position to be waiting. It really stinks to be writing this, but I think it’s going to force me to do what I have refused to do for the last year: really call Lexington, Kentucky my home.

I have lived in the same place for a year, stayed at the same job for a year, seen road construction begin and actually be completed in a year. I called myself a nomad for so long, maybe I shouldn’t do that anymore! I do keep the fact that I have the desire to move abroad around, with my pursuit of the French culture and understanding the laid back French lifestyle. You can still count on me to be a travel blog, I will just start to be more accepting that maybe I can be a travel blog who still has a home? We’ll see!

This means that I’ll just have to explore this city more in depth! I know that I think Lexington can be really cool, I have my favorite bars and ice cream shops, my favorite place to watch planes take off and land. So all this is to say, expect a Lexington guide soon, but also maybe I can branch out a little. Cincinnati, Louisville, Indianapolis, Asheville? These are all cities I have heard by word of mouth are great, but I want to put pen to paper about them.

Let me know how you guys have turned some sort of negative experience into a positive one! Also, what cities are you headed to? I’m currently planning a Canada and Iceland trip- and about 20 imaginary trips too!

French: A Language And A Way Of Life

 

Bonjour! Parlez-vous français? Ouais, moi aussi! J’aime les chatons, aimez-vous les chatons?

I could probably keep going for three more minutes talking about cats or the weather before scrambling for my pocket dictionary. I’ve been taking French for around a year and a half, starting in my sophomore year of college. My university, like most, requires three semesters of a foreign language.

Continue reading French: A Language And A Way Of Life

Meeting People- Let Them Inspire You.

Meeting people is an important part of work in media. I have been blessed to know some incredibly creative people, including one of my best friends. Recently, she launched her own photography company, while she already co-owns a production company. She inspired me to a think about life as a college student. As a student, we juggle midterms, one or two jobs, career experience and that extra credit project our professors ‘highly insists’ on is about as easy as turning down the music when Taylor Swift is playing.

Where is the time set aside to breathe and actually do what we love to do?  It’s difficult when we have so many obligations pulling on our social calendars to think about setting time aside for what we really love.

However, that is exactly what Corynne Hogan does! All while in her sophomore year at college. Her photos bring us incredible moments that are so relatable. Need proof? That moment during the guitar solo of our favorite band’s concert when we pushed our way to the front row. Her photos have been used by concert venues and high profile bands before. Our best friend laughing in a field of sunflowers or drinking out of their favorite coffee mug? Her photos capture genuine smiles that make us envious of the joke she probably cracked before hitting the shutter. The relaxed behind the scenes music video photos? She’s got those because she was also there filming the music video. The indie photos with intricate lighting from sparklers and colors from smoke bombs? She’s got those down on lock.

So with that inspiration form Corynne, I will strive to do more than just what is expected of me.

 

You can read my original blog post here.

Rome

Photo of the Vatican City from the Cupola of the Cathedral // August 2012
Map of Rome
Birds eye view of Rome
Architecture in the Vatican City
A local man waits to walk across the street in Rome
In Venice, the main point of transportation is either walking or boats

Rome, the eternal city. This city was the first time I felt overwhelmed by the history. I remember being astonished when the tour guide told me that the stones we walked on were so old the apostles had walked on them. I just took a moment and thought. Having tour guides were really great for when we went to the museums. I didn’t know much about art history then, so it was really great having someone to explain to me why Michelangelo used so much blue paint. My dad and I were on this trip together, and before we ordered food he would look up how to order in Italian. We usually butchered the words or forgot them, but the local waiters seemed to appreciate our effort.