When in Roam

Photos: What it Means to be Pittsburghese

cnengel — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 12:43:00 GMT

What it Means to be Pittsburghese

cnengel — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 12:30:00 GMT

Yinz want to know what it's like to be a Pittsburgher? Well, we can start right there...yinz.

As much as I'd like to say I'm not a Yinzer, whenever I speak to an outsider about the slang we made up here in the 'Burgh, I realize that I use the words regularly. For example, step one of being a Yinzer requires the usage of these several words:

1. Buggy (shopping cart)

2. Slippy (slippery)

3. Gumband (rubber band)

4. Pop (soda)

5. Sweep (vacuum)

6. Yinz (you guys)

For instance, a suitable sentence that will solidify your identity as a Pittsburgher could be:

I was walking through the slippy parking lot with my buggy full of pop and gumbands.

Of course, you have to add the twang we Pittsburghers put on certain vowels. Downtown becomes dahntahn and the Southside becomes Sathside. Do not correct a born and raised Yinzer when they speak this way...I'm warning you now. We are an angry people.

Speaking of anger, nothing angers us more than those damn Cleveland Browns. More people in these parts know more Steeler players and their stats than they know their local Congressmen and women. If Ben Roethlisberger were running for local office, maybe the roles would be reversed. However, as of now, the Steelers (in Pittsburghese, it's Stillers) run this town (tahn- you getting the hang of it?) and don't even try to change it. You will be slapped in the face with a piece of jumbo (that's what we call bologne).

There really is no rhyme or reason to our lingo or our ways, but I guess that's what makes us who we are. Our blood runs black and gold and we put fries and ranch dressing on everything. If you don't like it, yinz can get out (aht)!

My Travel Writing Scholarship 2011 entry - My Big Adventure

cnengel — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 01:11:00 GMT

I haven’t been many places in this world although I hope one day to go everywhere. However, last summer I was given the chance to be a volunteer photographer for Project Hawaii, a non-profit organization headed by one woman who provides food and hope to the hundreds of homeless children living on the Big Island of Hawaii. My original duty was to merely document a sleepover camp the organization was sponsoring but it turned into something much more. The kind of big adventure most young travelers experience while abroad (or in my case in another state) involves staying up late, jumping off of cliffs or hiking in a mysterious land. Those are all activities I wish to do one day, but my adventure in Hawaii became a personal, internal transformation.
I have always been involved in volunteer organizations and community service, so my mission in Hawaii was nothing new. However, when I stepped onto the campground and was greeted by a swarm of smiling and laughing children jumping all over me, I sensed something was different. After five days of spending time with the children, who despite their circumstances were like any other children in the world, I realized my calling was to help them and others like them.
I have never felt more at peace than I did at the Kalopa State Park. Waking up early and spending long days playing with the children and seeing their endless smiles gave me more energy that I’ve ever had before. All the stresses from home that I felt getting on the plane all faded away by holding the hands of the children, giving them piggy-back rides, and helping them with art projects. With every day that passed, I felt something inside of me change. I felt myself growing and realizing how superficial life was prior to meeting those children.
When it came time for the graduation luau at the end of the trip, I had a hard time realizing it was all over. I forgot that my life in Hawaii was not my real life and that I had to return back to my home in Pennsylvania. While sitting in my airplane seat watching Hawaii fade away, I realized that perhaps my home had changed. Those kids were now my home and I know, one day, I will go back and dedicate as much of my time and myself as I possibly can to helping them. They deserve better lives and if I can play a part in them achieving that, then my life here on this earth is worthwhile.
So, I had a huge adventure, yes…a typical one? Not quite, but what constitutes a real adventure? Who says that a spiritual, transformative experience doesn’t qualify? Traveling, for me, is an opportunity to change and learn and I truly hope that in my future lies more of these opportunities.

Behind the Backdrop of Paradise

cnengel — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 03:43:00 GMT

I was given the opportunity to photograph a summer camp for homeless and low-income children for the non-profit organization, Project Hawaii. The program director, Magin Patrick, moved from California to Hawaii in 2002 and only after a few days she found homeless children living on the beaches of this so-called paradise. So many people wonder how such a beautiful place could be stricken with poverty, but the truth is, Hawaii has the 5th highest poverty rate in the world.

I didn't know what to expect from the children- whether they would be shy, nervous, hurt...but as soon as I got to the camp at Kalopa State Park on the Big Island, I was surrounded by happy and loud children demanding hugs and piggyback rides. For five days, I took photos, played tag, helped with science projects, and smiled...I smiled a lot. We think we have it so hard with our lives, but we have it made...all of us. These children have nothing and yet are so happy aside from their horrible circumstances.

Some of these children did not even know what a toothbrush was or how to wash their hair. A lot of them also had problems sitting at the table to eat because they don't have tables where they live- they eat on the ground.

Beaches in Hawaii are full of tanning vacationers but if you travel into the real Hawaii, you will see ripped and worn-out tents housing hundreds of homeless citizens. On any given day, there are over 1,500 homeless children on the Big Island alone. This is the United States, and the fact that there are that many homeless children in our country in general is unacceptable.

Magin Patrick is doing all that she can (full-time) to help these children and their families. There are governmental restrictions (for some reason) that prohibit her from doing certain things such as handing out food to the families at the graduation luau after the summer camp. Someone try to tell me that this is disturbing and unethical of our government.

This trip opened my eyes to a whole new world and I realize now that the more you know, the less you need.

Aloha nui loa.

Photos: Project Hawaii

cnengel — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 03:40:00 GMT

I traveled to Hawaii to photograph a summer camp for homeless and low-income children for the non-profit organization, Project Hawaii. Not only was I blessed with being able to see the beautiful scenery, but I was able to play with the children and see a different side of paradise hidden from most travelers.