Chasing the Wind

Floods and fanciful foods

larasumera — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:52:00 GMT

I'm not really sure what the title means.

Well, there was this one night in Va Beach that we all made some home-made nacho dip that looked crazy good and tasted delicious and the next day seemed to be the best worse idea ever... ;)

Anyway, Kris and I spent the weekend in Virginia Beach. I have two friends, brother and sister, living on campus at Regent University. This is the school I almost went to two years ago for my doctorate. Being around college peoples makes me want to go back. I had the fortune of being given a private tour of the CTV (Cinema-TV) building, and felt seduced! I am a nerd at heart, and love school, and not ashamed to proclaim it!

Kris and I were suppose to do a show at a Norfolk school Friday afternoon. We drove from Harrisonburg, VA Thursday night to get to Va Beach. It was a 4 hour-ish drive...througha "tropical" storm. It was called tropical, but having experienced storms in the D.R. and Thailand, I highly resent this term. But maybe that's just East Coast. Crazy. We drove straight on into it. There were flood warnings and cars that got stuck on the side of the road. I half expected to see cows floating by. Somewhere somehow I kept thinking, maybe it was really okay I did not relocate my life to live there for the time it would've taken me to finish my PhD.

With all the flooding, our Norfolk school was canceled. This we found out late Thursday night, and I definitely did the happy dance when my co-worker told me the news. That meant a long weekend, and a lot of sleeping in. Even with the dreary weather, I did manage to see the campus, and as I mentioned, tour the CTV building. It was preview weekend for Regent (something I didn't bother with when I applied three years ago), so I felt like I was really blessed to be there at the time I was despite the rain and wet and sludge and floods. Jack (our van) was there every day and hadn't run away with the craziness that was the weather, so that was good.

After church on Sunday, Kris and I left almost right away (...well, after lunch that is) to drive the 4 1/2 hours to Roanoke, VA (no, it's not the Roanoke Island where the colony mysteriously disappeared 400 years ago) for our Rocky Mt. school. And of course, our Norfolk school rescheduled for Tuesday morning, the morning we originally had off, so we had to drive the 4 1/2 hours back east. Except that it was just a lot of driving in only a couple of days, at least I got to see my friends again.

Now we are chillin in Baltimore with the courchsurfing host we stayed with two months ago. Courchsurfing is just the awesome. We get to be here for there nights in a row--it's good to have temporary stability, though everything is so fleeting in our job. Last Saturday was 3 months since we headed out on the road. I can't believe how quickly this is all going. Kris will get to go home for Thanksgiving, but seeing as my family is on the other side of the country, I won't. I'll be spending Thanksgiving with the friends Kris and I met in Dillsburg. So far that means being stationary for one week...which will be nice.

Til next time, good night, dear void.

Hotels, Couchsurfing, and Church-hopping

larasumera — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:18:00 GMT

We are in the middle of nowhere. Even priceline.com didn't have a hotel to suggest for us and it searches like 50 miles out! I googled the only hotel in town that wasn't a bed and breakfast. Of course, there are no couchsurfers within 2 hours of where we are, and no churches responded to my email.

We are off a highway, and across the way is the only restaurant. It's Italian and tonight it was hopping. Being the only one in town does that at dinner time. It seemed mom and pop-ish, which I love. And people kept saying things like "y'all" and "bu-bye" in their southern twang.

Tonight we are in a our second hotel for the month of November. For this tour we've averaged less than $10 a night. It's because Couchsurfing.com rocks. We've also had some good fortune with a few churches. Actually, we've only stayed with a handful of church people that have responded to emails I've sent out to see if anyone in any given congregation would show us some good ole Christian love. The few that have responded have been so wonderful and gracious. They've fed us home-cooked meals and gave us separate bedrooms. It's interesting that I've had more luck with the couchsurfing community than with churches.

Thanksgiving is in a few weeks, and contrary to what I was hoping, none of the other East Coast teams will be near us. Kristen is from Maine, so she will get to fly home. I, however, will be spending time with Kris and Bob in Dillsburg, PA. They are the lovely couple we have stayed with about four different occasions now. They are awesome, and I feel so blessed to know them. I will be missing my Cali people, though. Well, as is life.

Good night, dear void.

The Hazards of Nomadic Life

larasumera — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 01:26:00 GMT

I sit in a cozy little home, warm and dry from the dreary and drizzle that is outside my window, and I'm thinking, I could have this in California!

I meet and stay with wonderful, interesting, and genuinely good people on on my travels, all the while I'm missing out on the really important people in my life back home. I know this is the inevitable risk one takes upon embarking on any kind of long-term (or sometimes short-term) adventure. Since I've been gone (this time) I've missed two best friends' birthdays, a wedding, an engagement, some very difficult crisis within the church family back home, and now, just yesterday, the passing of a very dear man who had been with my home church since it started 27 years ago.

In the end, I know I have chosen being on the road for myself. What is this drive to be constantly fleeing and constantly coming home soon? Part of it is fueled from the childhood rebellion of a adolescent sense of being a little too sheltered. Part of it is not really knowing what I want to settle down with, the very words frightening in a way because maybe I really don't know what I want in life. Part of it is running away, but only to want to want to come home again.

I don't feel like I will have this need forever (because it is a need), but all the while missing out on the lives of the people I plan to have in my life forever...do I regret that?

I have loved this journey of learning about the world through the people that are placed on my path, but dare I say I finally am coming to a point after nearly a decade of always leaving to wanting to come home, and stay home? Maybe not quite. I feel travel is just as much a psychological addiction as anything else, so once a travaholic, you are always looking for that next time to go somewhere, to see something new. But it doesn't mean I'm not also looking for that next time I'll be coming home as well. It's like I want both all the time, so it's nice to always look forward to something--and at both ends it's filled with cool people.

The Fall is Back

larasumera — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:05:00 GMT

Finally...this is what fall is suppose to look like! Good news...there is actually sun in Pennsylvania. The hill sides in the country look like multi-colored broccoli. I love the orange the most, but the reds are brilliant. I think I make my co-worker nervous whenever I drive because I am so distracted by God's masterpieces all around me outside the windwos of our van--in the sky, the trees, in the rustic home complete with tractor, barn, and cows.

Today was the second day in a row of a gloriously beautiful fall day. The sun was like a friend from California coming to visit. We had a nice time sitting together outside ;) This was after I attempted to give blood to the Central PA Blood Bank. They had a trailer set up outside the school I was at this afternoon, and I wanted to give blood after I had helped set up. Unfortunately, once they found out I had traveled to Istanbul last winter (but Thailand and Kenya checked out ok...???), I was deferred. Apparently there was something about possible exposure to Malaria...I don't understand (Istanbul, not Nairobi they were afraid of!), but oh well. I gave blood last March once I got back from Europe, and Red Cross thought my blood was a-ok. I guess Pennsylvania just don't want my California brand blood. ;)

In other news, tonight and last night Kristen and I are staying at another Pastor's home. He and his wife are wonderful. We haven't been in a home yet where we wished we were in a hotel instead. For one, they feed us. For two, Pastor Mike is just a riot. He is boisterous and little boyish, and is a movie buff! He was more interested in my Master Thesis on religion in popular film than I was writing it. Whenever he is excited about something, or agrees with you (very heartily), he says a bit drawn out "Yessss!" with such adamant enthusiasm, he reminds me of a professor that loves his students, or...a game show host? He has a collection of all sorts of guitars, and we tried to boogie-woogie together on guitar and piano. The cool thing is we get to come back here in a couple of days and stay two more nights. It's nice coming back to some of the same people--like it's some semblance of stability.

The holidays are coming up. It will be hard, but I look forward to Christmas. I've missed a wedding. And a couple of birthdays. Sigh. Two more months, two more months...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ROME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (your birthday is in 2 hours from now, east coast time)

Snow in October

larasumera — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 02:59:00 GMT

So we are not even a month into Fall yet, and it snowed! It's only mid-October, and apparently this is the earliest snow central Pennsylvania has seen in a century. Being from California, I bought a new fleece beanie to guard against the cold. It then rained during the weekend and washed all the snow out. Right now there's actually a sun out! I am amazed.

We've been on the road for 8 weeks now. The holidays are coming up, and it's always a time where one misses home most. I am not going to be home for Thanksgiving two years in a row, but at least I'm flying home for Christmas. After the break, though, I am rallying for a warmer region, like Texas maybe.

Remember, Remember

larasumera — Sat, 3 Oct 2009 09:15:00 GMT

I saw the Holocaust Museum today.

Like everyone else, I started the tour of the building on the 4th floor. When the elevators open, I was assaulted with the black and white image of charred bodies lying in a row. It took up the whole wall. Suddenly I was walking through the atrocious past that has added to the quickly blackening fabric of humanity's history.

The floors were filled with stories of the rise of Hitler and the Nazi party. The tearing apart of families. The inhumanity of the camps. There was a scale model of the gas chambers, where first people were put into a room to strip. There were posters on the wall that said absurd things like "Cleanliness leads to freedom" that led the room's occupants to think they were going to a hygienic cleansing shower of sorts. But then they would be locked in chambers where they unsuspectingly would be gas. The chambers even had shower heads so that they wouldn't realize what was about to happen.

There was a wall of child drawings. 23 in all. Each had a caption underneath with a name, date of birth, and "deported to Auschwitz." Only 4 had "survived" next to the caption.

There was a section of hundreds of shoes, all belonging to some victim of the Holocaust. It was at that point that I finally felt like I would break and cry.

You read about it, and you continue to hear learn about through various media. Even at this place of remembrance, I know I still don't get it fully. What gets to me is that this kind of hate still exists in the world. And people say they don't need a Savior.

National Treasure, Backwards

larasumera — Fri, 2 Oct 2009 15:19:00 GMT

I went from the Christmas City to the birth of the USA, and now where the President lives.

The birth of the USA being at Independence Hall, Philadelphia, PA. It was my first time there. Kris (my co-worker) and I met up with two other co-workers in the same area at the time, Christina and Rachel. We stayed in a house that already had two girls and two women in the house. So really with the four of us added, there were 8 women in the house. Sharing one bathroom.

The main events of our Philly tour, of course, was seeing all the historic places like Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, the Love sculpture, Benjamin Franklin's grave, etc. And then, of course, the Philly Cheese Steak. I do love me a good cheese steak. MmMM. So we spent Friday night and all Saturday walking around seeing sights, taking pictures, and eating. It was fun with another team, mixing up the company a little bit. Because let's face it, one the road with one other person that you share space with day in and day out with can get a little old if there isn't a change of scenery every now and then! That is just the simple traveler's truth.

So this week was a full week. I believe it's the first time that we actually had a school a day, if not two a day, all five work days. I was looking forward to this weekend, though, because it is a long weekend, since our show was canceled for Monday. Kris and I are in Washington, D.C. until Tuesday morning. Kris is staying with her aunt and uncle, and I have a good friend that lives literally 1.0 miles (according to GoogleMaps) away. So it worked out very nicely for us to part our ways for the weekend.

The girl I'm staying with I met in the Dominican Republic, as she was my tour leader. We kept in touch, and last winter, while I was in Istanbul, so was she, so she had me stay over her grandmother's place for a night. We caught up after a two year absence. So here we are again meeting for the first time on USA soil. So I'm in this house that is shared by five people together. They are a good bunch, and I know it'll be a good weekend! There are a few things I need to do while I am here, and priority one is seeing the National Archives, then the Holocaust Museum, and the Smithsonian (natural history I think). The FBI would be cool to see, as well as the Pentagon. Oh, and the Spy Museum.

I feel like these entries are so mediocre compared to what is all in my head of all the beautiful things I have witnessed on this trip, but I get so busy if not sleepy when I get a sec to write in here. So I do apologize for lack of elaboration.

Until next time, good night, dear void.

The Christmas City

larasumera — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 07:27:00 GMT

Bethlehem, PA

We are couchsurfing with a young opera singer/music teacher in her cute apartment on the south side. The skyline here is abundant with church steeples (many Lutheran churches), the streets lined with art shops and hip cafes. Yesterday, and then again today, we hit up a popular cafe called Blue Sky Cafe. We went in because there were so many people in there (had to be delicious!). I was stricken with their specials menu. For soup, they offered a butternut squash habanero soup. SO GOOD! I went back again today just to have it one last time before we take off for Hamburg in the morning. I will be spending the whole of my Christmas break making a likeness of it.

Kris and I wandered up and down 3rd and 4th street where all the shops were, and found our way to the Banana Factory. The Banana Factory is a building comprised of artist studios. You could go in and see the local artists' works on the walls, and visit them if they happen to be in their spaces. The uberly-delicious soup, along with the cafe itself, and the Factory were the highlights of the town.

Kris wanted to stay in last night, but our host, Jenna, and I ventured into the town hoping to find some live music. Unfortunately, we were out too early (9pm) to be very successful on that front, so we had a drink (I ordered a Shirley Temple) and went back early. The three of us popped in V for Vendetta (always a good idea).

Today was visiting the closest church we could find, which meant a Lutheran church in this town. It was very much like a Catholic service, and I found the message a bit wanting. But, I generally like trying different churches and denominations.

Tomorrow begins a new work week. It will be the first time that we are working all five week days. I am looking forward to next weekend, as we will spend in in Philadelphia (yay for cheese steaks!) and we will also be meeting up with another Camfel team, so it will be a good mini-reunion of sorts.

So adieu, dear void. Until next time.

Maryland

larasumera — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:41:00 GMT

After Maine, we drove down to Baltimore to couchsurf. The girl that was hosting us actually was going to a theatre performance that night. We would have went with her, but we had to be up at an ungodly hour once again.

She had us have our run of the place--these couchsurfers are so trusting, it's a beautiful thing. Though she was gone most of the night, she pointed me in the direction of a climbing gym and a coffee shop. I was so tired from the drive, I opted for the coffee shop and did my paper work there, which was One World Cafe right across the street from Hopkins U. I got caught up in a random convo with a girl sitting next to me. Strangers and a cup of chai. Good times. I just hope we come back to the area because our hostess was super cool; good conversation when she came back from the theatre, I feel like we could be good friends! (isn't that how it usually is with fellow-travelers?)

We're in Lusby, MD tonight staying with a pastor and his wife. They responded to an email I sent to the local churches for places to stay. They were gracious in accepting our request as well as feeding us (always a good thing!). Then we went for a walk in the Solomons, where there is this little island that you cross a small stream to get into. The sun was already set, but my cool little Nikon got some pretty slow-shutter shots, even without having a tripod (so a little blurry).

We have some shows tomorrow around here, then on Friday in Deleware, then we are off again into Pennsylvania for the weekend in this little artsy town called Bethlehem. I'm excited to go; we'll be couchsurfing. Did I mention yet how much I love couchsurfers???

Until next time, good night, dear void.

Coast to Coast: California to Maine

larasumera — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 11:32:00 GMT

Well, we have officially trekked across the whole of continental United States in three weeks. I can't believe we've been on the road for that long--it feels like 3 months.

Our shows this week have been riddled with minor pains such as broken sound, awkward set-ups, and our first two-screen set-up. The worse is over, which was going from one school to another within a very narrow window of time. God went before us, and His angels were with our hands, feet, car, and equipmetn, and we thankfully pulled it off with His help. It wasn't perfect, but it was still good. And the best part is that it is over!

We are in Sanford, ME just hanging out with Kris' family. We are again being very spoiled--food is goooood! The girls, including mom, went to Portland, ME for the day to take Jack (our van) for an alignment and to get a balding tire replaced. I bought 6 soundtracks and a few shirts--all of which I didn't need! (Well, maybe the music. I always need music).

I have nothing too interesting to say, but I felt I have been neglecting my journal for all both readers I might have! haha. I am having a blessed time. Connecticut and Maine are so beautiful--some leaves are changing, and it is a wonderful sight to behold.

Also, couchsurfing is amazing. My other ingenious plan is to email churches in the areas we will be going to and emailing our prayer requests while we go into their community and chidlren's schools, as well as possible lodging for the night. So far, we have a pastor and his wife hosting us next Wednesday in Lusby. The pastor is also having some of the students from the school we will be doing our show in the next morning come over for ice cream! So cool. I'm hoping we'll get more offers to stay with church people--fellowship is beautiful. But the couchsurfing friends I've made have also been amazing in their own way--fellow travelers are always good for exchange of knowledge and adventure stories. I have a goal to get an entire 4 weeks straight of free accommodations--all things are possible with God!

Good night, dear void.

Chi-Town to 2300 Jackson St to Gettysburg

larasumera — Sat, 5 Sep 2009 02:17:00 GMT

Hello World!

After a week of small towns, we finally hit up Chicago where I stayed with my friend from high school, Scott. We called him Soupman since his last name was Campbell. He and his fiancee, Bella, live in the cutest little basement apartment a few blocks from Wrigley field. They were kind enough to let us hang out with them and their adorable animals (3 cats and a doggie so cuddly) for a couple of nights.

We got in after 9pm on Sunday night, and as a prep for our day in Chicago, Kris and I watched 'Ferris Bueller.' Of course, all they did was impossible to do in one day, but we tried our best. The next morning we got up early and hit up Willis Tower, previously known as Sears Tower, to hang out on their glass platforms that jut four feet from the side of the building. You are standing on very solid material, but it's nonetheless a bit frightening and what feels like a walk of faith to step out on the ledge. You look down 15,000 feet below to the river and streets, towering high above the other buildings around you. It felt like I was in the Matrix. So that is how Superman feels all the time (well, not the frightened part).

We had lunch in Chinatown (Kris' first time in any Chinatown) and had dim sum (I also introduced her to this). We got our fill, and headed to the Arts Institute where we gazed on famous works of art. My favorite was Dante Rosetti's Beata Beatrix, his replica of his own famous piece of the same name that hangs in the Tate in London (I saw that one too!). I didn't realize there was a second one done by Rosetti's own hand, so when I turned the corner and saw it, it was like seeing a good friend I hadn't seen in a long time. I sat and stared at it for a while.

We had to head back to the apartment because we had to make a call to our boss for work, but afterwards headed out to Millennium Park where the famous "Cloud Gate" rests, that is more commonly known as the Bean (it's big, it's silver, it looks like a giant bean) and other cool structures. We met up with Kris' friend Matt and the there of us headed to the famous Giordano's for their Chicago-style deep dish pizza. Good thing we had a boy with us, because those pies are massive! We still didn't finish a medium altogether. The remnants became Kris' and my breakfast the next day ;)

As we headed back to the apartment, Matt parted ways to head back to Moody Bible Institute where he is studying, and Kris and I walked down Michigan Ave. It was a gorgeous night to walk about the city. Chicago is really beautiful after the sun goes down (isn't every city? with those deep city lights--a la Sara Bareilles). On the way back to the apartment we stopped in front of Wrigley field to take pictures. Scott and Bella called us up just in time to go get some cupcakes, so they picked us up and I had an amazing red velvet cupcake to end my amazing day.

We had to be up by 4:30 the next morning to get to our school in Kenosha the next day. From there, I wanted to veer off course for a bit to visit the Jackson family home in Gary, Indiana. The house was taped off, so no one could go inside, and across the street were tons of memorabilia being sold. I bought a friend a shirt, took a few pictures, and went on our way.

After three days of shows in Indiana (our last one being a crazy one where our sound went out in one side of the speaker mid-show--headache galore), and a late start getting out of there, we crossed Ohio in one night to be here in Dillsburg, PA, staying with a lady from Kris' church from while she was going to school at Messiah College. Her name is also Kristen, and her husband is Bob. They are super sweet, have two bedrooms for us, food available for us to cook for ourselves, and offered for us to do laundry in their machines before we even asked! God is so good, and His people are awesome.

So, at present, I'm just waiting for my laundry to finish so I can stick it in the dryer, and then we are off to Gettysburg. I'm so excited; we didn't even plan to be going this weekend until we realize it was only 25 miles away! I read the Gettysburg Address again this morning, and it is just as powerful as the first time I heard as a kid. The cool thing about the East Coast is how old it is, how much of our nation's history is soaked into the grounds here. So cool.

Couchsurfing is the Awesome

larasumera — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 03:31:00 GMT

Hello World!

So I technically couchsurfed with my friend Melissa's family in Istanbul, then with my friend Ray in Bozeman, but tonight is the first time with a complete stranger, and her and her husband are awesome!!!

I sent out a few requests this week for a free place to stay on couchsurfing.com for Minneapolis and when things just weren't working out for some, literally just as I was about to book a hotel room for us, one of my couchsurfing contacts called me! God is good...all the time...all the time...God is good.

Teresa and Salvador are very sweet people with a very beautiful home. They actually were at a party when we arrived, but I had instructions as to where their spare key would be and how to get in, and with a note to make ourselves at home. These people rock my world. Too bad we are only here for a night, but c'est la vie.

We drove an entire state (North Dakota) today from the border of Montana (Glendive to be exact), to almost crossing Minnesota to get here. 10 hours later we are happily settled in our host home =)

Tomorrow is Sunday, so Kristen and I are attempting to find a place of worship. So far, Catholic churches and bars are in abundance. After church, we'll check out the town a bit, but then we are off to Chicago!!!

Til then, good night, dear void.

I <3 Montana

larasumera — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:50:00 GMT

So, I think I would move here if it weren't for the snowy winters. In W Yellowstone, they actually had a "no man's land" in every building, which are large holes that they'll pile in the snow during the winter. No thank you. But the drive through Montana has been the best part of the trip so far. West Yellowstone was a cute little town right outside Yellowstone on the Montana side (as opposed to the Wyoming side). We actually pulled into an RV park and slept in our car. Was ghetto-camping, cold, but fun.

We ventured on to Bozeman to meet up with my friend Ray who I met in Turkey (small world?!). He was nice enough to let us have a couch and floor space to sleep on, then took us rock-climbing (Kristen was our official cheerleader and photographer). It was my first time top roping on an outside course. I am addicted.

We drove on to Cut Bank for the night to do a show in Sunburst (4 miles from the Canadian border) the next day. Sunburst was a very small town of dirt roads and one restaurant and 52 kids in our 7th-12th grade show. But the townsfolk were super nice, and the one restaurant had awesome home cooked meals (we had the chicken caesar salad...mmMmmMmmMmm). We drove on to Havre for the night for our show this afternoon!

So that's the quick update on our trip...until next time!

On the Road Again

larasumera — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:20:00 GMT

We left La Puente yestserday afternoon and drove for about 10 hours until we got to Salt Lake City. It had been a long two days of almost nothing but the road, our music, and each other. I can't believe we were in LA yesterday, and already we are in our third state. We lost an hour with the time difference, but got okay sleep anyway.

This morning, we hung out in Temple Square and saw the Mormon Tabernacle and even saw a demonstration of the acoustics by someone dropping a pin. It kinda rained, but was warm at the same time. We left SLC for Riverton, WY. It was a bunch of empty land, some cows and sheep here and there, and some signs that warned of "wild" crossing. We have our first two schools tomorrow; I'm a bit nervous, but I'm sure God will go before us to make it all good!

What I'm excited about is our sudden decision to do some ghetto camping in Yellowstone Park. We will be in our vans without proper equipment, but the campgrounds are cheap, and hopefully the showers will be hot!

Time for some resting up. Good night, dear void.

Why, Wyoming?

larasumera — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 08:35:00 GMT

Um. I'm losing track of the days. I forget what was for the various meal times, I forget what happens on which days. To be honest, every day is more or less the same in structure and we do things just and over and over again until it is drilled into our muscle memory. I dream about our set ups at night sometimes. It's scary.

I have never been so tired as today. My partner and I did a few time tests today and I think I just wore myself out, the last two weeks of tiredness building up to today. Incidentally, Kristin and I will be heading out to Wyoming on Saturday for a show on Monday, and then we will head out east, hitting shows along the way. That means I have two more nights in SoCal. I think some of the NorCal guys are coming tomorrow to hang out in Hollywood, so if I can persuade them to come get me, it could be a good time. And then I'm torn because it is the last day I'll have with everyone else that is not my partner. We shall see.

I'm so tired.

Good night, dear void.

Day 7

larasumera — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 10:55:00 GMT

Well we all have survived to the weekend, worked a full day Saturday, had Sunday off, then back to the grind on Monday. I spent Sunday with CCC people (thanks, Kristin, for picking me up!) which was amazing. Got back late on Sunday night, and felt well rested, but last night still went to bed at 8:30. I really tried to stay awake until 9:00 at the very least, but it was not happening.

Today was a full day of running around, hustle hustle hustle, and more time tests. We had to do a full set up (all three screens, two speakers, and our a/v set) in 45 minutes. We were the first to go in the morning so our fabrics for the screens were cold, making it very hard to put onto the frames, and one of the frames was broken, so we had to fix it. The broken frame happened to us both times. First we got 56 min (we were happy under an hour), the second at 44 min. Supposedly we'll get set-ups done by like 30 min once we are on the road for a while.

We all got our partner and region assignments today. My partner's name is Kristin, and we have picked up a reputation as "Team Mafia" simply because we played Mafia the other night and beat all the towns people...then on we just were always teamed together, and now we are teamed together until Christmas. It'll be a good time. We have an East Coast assignment, but we don't have all our cities yet. We stop first somewhere in Wyoming and from there go onward more east.

Anyway, it is about 9 now, so I'm probably going to crash quite soon (so does this just get worse with age, or what!?). Good night, dear void.

The First Show: Day 3

larasumera — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:45:00 GMT

"For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life." Galatians 6:8

Today five of us girls, including a trainer, went to Corona to a middle school. We had a couple of funny happenings. First off, we ended up at a totally wrong school at first--our school was right across the street, but still funny when we went in to talk to the office who looked at us strangely, not knowing what we were talking about. Then our projectors turned off randomly about three times, which kinda scared us, but we figured out the problem, prayed, and in the end it all worked out. It was fun to see it all set up and see the kids and just admire how professional our screens looked! It was definitely an encouragement before we headed out on the open road to wherever it is each team will be going.

Everyone back on the farm was doing speed tests--I'll have to get my set-ups up in a timely matter tomorrow...we'll see how that goes. A lot of people are in bed already, and it's not even 10. Last night I was in bed by 9pm, up at 6am. I'm getting more used to all this though, and that's good.

So not much for today. Good night, dear void.

Weary: Day 2

larasumera — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 10:05:00 GMT

"Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says "Oh Crap, She's up!"

Today was our first full day of training--many of our trainers were hands-off (well, we did get a lot of help anyway) and we did audio/video set ups and screen set ups etc etc over and over again. It was physically tiring, and because it was the first time all of us doing all of this on this scale, it was mentally tiring. It's 8pm now, and I'm pretty sure I'ma be in bed by 9:30. Tomorrow I'm going with four other girls to do an actual school at a school with one of the trainers, so that will be good to get into the swing of things before going out on the road. It'll be especially interesting as we don't have everything under our belts yet!

I'm excited about the ministry part of all this. I'm essentially going to be out on a mission field in my own backyard for 10 months. I'm excited for the kids we'll meet--the stories some of the returning technicians have told about kids approaching them after seeing the programs and opening up to them, it's so touching. My body and mind are aching so much, but I'm so hopeful that this is really all going to not only be a wonderful seed-planting opportunity, but a time of personal growth.

"And let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we will reap if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith." 1 Galatians 6:9-10

Camfel Productions: Training Day 1

larasumera — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 12:08:00 GMT

"...And Samuel cried out to the LORD for Israel, and the LORD answered him. As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to attack Israel. But the LORD thundered with a might sound that day against the Philistines..." 1 Samuel 7:9-10

Our team manager, Andrew, led us in short devotion this evening after a very very very long hot and sticky day with the above passage (we had breakfast at 6:30am and finished the day around 7:30pm). He drew attention to Samuel crying out to the Lord, and the Lord answering with thunder against Israel's enemies. He told us that there will be times where we get frustrated while on the road and will want to quit, or will feel insignificant, but he also encouraged us to cry out to the Lord, because ultimately He is in complete control.

I arrived yesterday afternoon here in La Puente at the Latin American Bible Institute where we are staying in dorms while students are out of session. It's totally college life meets spiritual boot camp meets technical school. I love it. The people here are Christians from all over the United States, and already in the first day I have become more excited to be on the road for the aspect of fellowship.

Just to clear up some ideas about Camfel for those who are wondering, what the heck did Lara get into this time, here is some of its background "Camfel Productions' three screen presentations are designed to promote positive values, such as dedication, patience and courage..." So it's basically an elaborate video production. So I'm here learning how to set up and take down and put together elaborate video presentations involving many pieces of expensive equipment. The training is for two weeks (it used to be one month), after which we two by two will go out into the world in our vans and road-trip throughout the US (we decide partners and regions later).

More than just a video production, these productions are made with Biblical principles in mind, but put in the context of secular high school settings. It invites conversation, and more than just a video production company, Camfel is first a ministry. What I like about it is that it's focus is not only the students, but its technicians. Camfel's goals is to make stronger Christians standing in a world of unbelief and cynicism. It'll be a different kind of journey for all of us, and I'm excited for that.

The Last Entry: Back in the Yay!

larasumera — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:09:00 GMT

Back in the Bay Area, in my own bed, with more than just a backpack to pick out clothes from. I'm putting up last pictures from the last leg of my European trip.

Some last thoughts...

Even though I need to find a new job and I live at home again I would never take back those months roaming around free as a bird, going wherever the wind pushed me. There are those who do it for longer, even years, and I only did it for about 4 1/2 months (if you don't count my extra 3 weeks in SoCal to visit various friends' extra beds before I committed coming back to the real world in the form of a responsible contributor to society). When I started this, I knew it was an opportunity not afforded many people, so why not take it now while I could, while I have nothing tying me down.

Things I didn't expect were funny things like Turkey being the Best Kept Secret in Europe, if not the whole world, for beautiful men. Or ending up sleeping in the back of a pizza parlor in Croatia. Or, as a little Cali girl, actually surviving the winter weather in godforsaken Paris (who lives like that?! It is COLD, people, what are you doing outside???). Classic is the anticipation of turkey in Turkey for Turkey Day but riding a camel instead as there appears to be a shortage of such bird delicacies in that country. Getting a ride from a no-English speaking Italian mama stranger on the Amalfi Coast is still pretty up there for best stories. And all the free stuff we got were pretty awesome--if I were to write a book of The Truth About How to Travel for Cheap would start out with, "Rule #1: Be female. Sorry guys, but the truth is you'd get around cheaper if you were a girl."

What surprised me the most, and most people I talk to who know me and my addiction of travel, was my homesickness. It was around the holidays, and I never did Thanksgiving and Christmas away before, so that was hard. But more than that, it was so hard not having anyone to relate to with spiritual matters. I just felt dry and stifled and frustrated with myself because I am weak without accountability. But also, I was kind of wandering around the world having fun and really no productive purpose. That's fun, though, I get weary of after a while.

I figured out I really do want to do the Peace Corps. In my 4 months nomading around Europe, it was an extended holiday meets cultural immersion program. I wouldn't change that. And it was an amazing time, of course! If anything it makes me more excited that there that I could do out there that allows me to travel AND give back to a community.

So until the next adventure, folks...hasta pronto.