summer 2014 adventure!

I am excited to announce the next adventure that I will be going on!  This summer I have been honored to be invited to work as a research intern with a very credible organization called Love146, which is a non-profit that fights against sex trafficking through research, rehabilitation, restoration, and awareness.  The team I will be working with is located in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

For several years now, I have been a part of a student group at Nyack College that is an anti-trafficking group.  We host events on campus to raise awareness about trafficking, raise money to donate to local non-profits, and have even gotten to volunteer some at a safe house in the area.  It has been a dream to work with an organization like Love146 that I honestly that would not come true anytime soon.  But God worked some situations out in a way that opened the door for this opportunity.

Although my blogging tendencies may not show it, writing is a gift that I really enjoy.  This internship will bring together many of my passions...research, writing, culture, and working with human rights.  I am not naively believing that the two months I spend in Cambodia will be easy, and truth be told, I am very nervous.  But I am also very excited for this adventure, and am even more glad that because of the wonderful digital age that we live in, anyone who wants to keep up with all my goings-on can do so right here!

So stay tuned!


 If you would like to financially support me for this trip, click here!

Crap white girls say:

"I'm going to travel the world!" 

If I am being completely honest with you, then I'll tell you that I think all the time about travelling the world.  When I met a man on a bus in NYC who told me how average, everyday people can get to Antarctica, I thought God was giving me a sign that my dream to set foot on every continent would come true.

It's easy to fuel a "passion for travel" or "wanderlust" with travel magazines, cozy corners in bookstores with travel books and guides, and, best of all, the lovely "Travel" category on Pinterest.  Quintessential photos of beautiful young women backpacking alone through the streets of Thailand or the Swiss Alps make you think, "That could be me!"

About two weeks ago, I saw with my own eyes one of those quintessential young women.  My family was eating some authentic American food [aka Dominoes Pizza] on a busy street here in Delhi.  This particular strip of the street is "home" to some well-known American chains, so it isn't uncommon to see other "whities" (as I fondly call my fellow race-mates) coming out of Dunkin Donuts or McDonalds.  But when a white woman in her early twenties, blonde as can be, walked in alone, lugging her backpack and a purse with her, I immediately said to my family, "Wow, look at that girl."

Wow, look at that girl.  This is a phrase, folks, that I could use in two ways when referring to a beautiful, blonde, well-dressed white girl who is backpacking by herself through India.  In America, with my naively Pinterest-shaped world-view, I might say, "Wow, look at that girl" with awe and lots of envy as she sets off with a smile on her face and big dreams to conquer the world.  But friends, while I was sitting at that table across from her in the freezing AC of a Dominoes in Delhi, India, I said, "Wow, look at that girl" with lots of hesitation and fear for her.

To clarify, I will say this: Western women (Americans, Europeans)...value the "equality" and respect that you have.  Most of the women in this world are either a) seen as sex objects b) do all the work without receiving any credit for it, and c) not seen as anything at all.  A majority of Indian women believe that it is ok for their husbands to beat them.  I have lived in an African country carried on the backs of women while the men sit around all day drinking alcohol.  And in every non-Western country I have visited, I have experienced what it is like to be seen as a beautiful white body and nothing more.  I knew as I stared at that brave young woman that she was probably realizing just as fast as I had that on the streets of Delhi you will have a lot of eyes staring at you and that the smiles of the men passing you are not "friendly" ones.

I want to pause here to say something very important, though.  I love India!  I love Gabon!  I have thoroughly enjoyed so much about the experiences I have had in these types of cultures, and I still want to visit more!  The things that I have least enjoyed, though, are how men stare at me and call out to me and whistle at me and rub up against me in crowded places.  I don't enjoy walking down the road that was the site of an international-news-making gang rape.  I wish I could tell my sister to just "go explore" this amazing city, yet I haven't told her that because I don't want to chance anything happening to her.

The point I am trying to make is that while I DO believe that people should travel more, and I believe they should travel to places like Delhi or Libreville, and I don't think that anyone should let fear keep them from experiencing other cultures, I have faced the hard realities of travel.  Sometimes you aren't welcomed.  People aren't always as nice as you expect they should be.  And truly, as a young woman, there are some situations where I could be (and have been) in more danger that I had expected.

Why am I writing this post?  I'm thinking that right now...I'm thinking about how my parents or grandparents might read it and get freaked out about me travelling alone as much as I do.  I'm thinking about women who have successfully traveled alone in all sorts of sketchy places and might say, "It worked for me, what's wrong with you?".  I'm thinking about how you might misinterpret everything I've said and think that the dangers of travel have scared me off.  I'm thinking about how bad it would be if I have instilled fear into you to travel more.

But at the same time, these are things I've been thinking about these last few weeks.  I want to share with anyone who reads this that I have discovered that the world can sometimes be a little scarier than you think.  It's awesome and beautiful and interesting and vibrant and the diversity has taught me so much about God...but it not heaven and  bad things can happen.  Dreams are great, and I say, "go for it!", but be safe at the same time.

I have found this article to be really helpful, and I agree with pretty much all of it.   It is so easy to visit cultures that are SO different from our own and almost forget that the people there are people.  When I remember that, I start to have less fear because at the core of us all is humanity.

Anyways, that's what I've been thinking about.  

Namaste from India

I am currently eating an apple that I washed in a foul-smelling chemical wash called "Veg-Fru Wash", dish detergent, and filtered water...and still I run the risk of getting sick from it.  Since I'll only be here for 2 weeks it might be a stupid idea...

Let me give you three words: noisy, hot, and dirty.  This is how a lot of people described India to me when they told me about their experience in this country.  To be sure, walking through muddy streets filled with trash, smelling BO everywhere you go, and having a hard time pulling up your pants because of the sweat covering your body isn't an ideal foreign experience for most people.

Here are another three words: colorful, unique, and spicy.  These are MY three words to describe India.  It is extremely colorful..the clothing, the green trees, the skin tones, the jewelry...  everything is unique, sometimes in bad ways and sometimes in good ways.  Seeing a monkey in the subway station was unique.  Watching dozens of kites flying high in the sky to celebrate Independence Day was unique.  Riding in a rickshaw is VERY unique (and I love it!).  The way that they say my name is unique (pretty much sounds like Olivie-hey).  And spicy..yes, the food can be spicy, but I like to use this word more than "hot".  When I think of "hot", I think of never-ending heat.  But the word "spicy" makes me think of intense periods of heat followed by moments of refreshing coolness and rest.  These literal moments of coolness can be a fresh breeze, a cup of cold water, an air conditioned cafe.  Figuratively, though, there are moments of "coolness" to just the hectic and disconcerting way of life here.  Amongst the dozens of men who stare rudely or whistle, there are those that give up their seat for old women (aka my mom) or bow respectfully at you.  Every so often when passing someone they smile at you in greeting.  Or when the children smile brightly at you and your heart melts...these are the moments that refresh you in this city so large that you start to forget that the figures milling about you are actual humans.

Qutub Minar, part of a complex of ancient mosques, minars, and tombs

Some Hindu-styled pillars located in the mosque...so much culture going on!!

A huge arch with awesome designs...

...me by the arch :)

We've done a little sight-seeing of a complex of an ancient mosque and minars and tombs and such..much of northern India's history during the early to mid-2nd century is of Islamic rulers who took over and set up their kingdoms in one area or another, only to die or be overthrown by another ruler who set up their kingdom somewhere else...all of them building really beautiful and intricate and big buildings.  

There is a lot about Delhi that reminds me of Libreville (in Gabon, Africa).  I think any third-world city will have some similar aspects.  But there are many differences as well.  Delhi is much more influenced by West...I don't know if there is such a thing as a 2nd-world country, but if there was I personally would rank Delhi in it.  I haven't been to a slum (yet..that happens on Monday) and I won't be going to any villages during this trip, so maybe I'm wrong about the country as a whole, which I have no knowledge about. 

7 hours in London!

I wasn't sure if it was a good idea or not to purchase airline tickets to India in a way that gave me a day-long layover in London.  I mean, for someone who has visited a major European city like this before, stopping over for a day makes sense for a relaxing break in between flights.  But for someone who has never been to the city, there was a lot of pressure to see as much as I could!  However, I decided early on that this probably wouldn't be my only chance to see the city, so I took my time during my seven hours and enjoyed what I did.  

My favorite part about traveling by subway into a major city is the first view you have as you walk up to ground level.  It is especially amazing in European cities when you "emerge" into what seems to be another world, what with hundreds of years old buildings surrounding you.  London was every bit as "Londony" as one might expect, as double-decker buses rolled by and people chatted away in their British accents.  

Picaddilly Square..my first view as I came up from the Tube (subway)!

London is quite diverse, just as I had been told it would be.  Actually, there were more "foreigners" working in the shops and restaurants than there were traditional British people.  I felt much more comfortable than I did in Paris because in Paris I was definitely a tourist..everything about me--my clothing, my accent--screamed so..but here it was a little easier to blend.  People don't dress nearly as fashionably as Parisians do, and because there was so much diversity, I didn't stand out so much.  

It took me a while to find, but eventually (after a ride on a double-decker and a stop for some tea) I found Westminster Abbey.  I passed by Big Ben on the way but for some reason I had my mind set on paying the $20 fee (pretty standard to get into anything you want to see in London) to get into the Abbey.  Because Europe is pretty much the only continent in the world with the beautiful cathedrals, I always like to visit them when I am over there.  Westminster was uniquely different from other "cathedrals" or abbeys I have seen before.  It is shaped like a cross with two intersecting "hallways".  The shorter of the two is more open, but the longer one was filled with the tombs of almost every British monarch..including Elizabeth I, Mary Queen of Scots, and some Richards!  There is also a large choir area with a massive organ (much of which is hidden from view) and possibly hundreds of monuments to or graves of distinguished people of the past.  One of the most poignant areas of the abbey was a grave to the "Unknown Soldier" from the 1st World War, honoring all of the fallen unknown British soldiers of that war.  

After finishing in the Abbey I walked over to St James park with lunch from a cafe called Pret a Manger (if you ever travel to London check it out!  they have a few in Heathrow Airport also).  One of the things I love most about big cities are the parks.  No matter where it is (Paris, London, NYC), you will see couples laying in the grass, old people playing board games, children running around or climbing trees, and all sorts of different people walking through.  

Finally I made my way over to look at Buckingham Palace.  The changing of the guard had happened hours before, sadly, but it was still a sight to see!  Interestingly enough there were even a lot of Brits milling around out front, gazing at the palace and such.  British nationalism/loyalty?

Seven hours definitely was NOT enough time in this amazing city!  

India!

Today I saw my family off on the first leg of their journey to India!  In two weeks I'll join them and visit for just under 3 weeks before heading back to school...check back for updates!

I haven't brushed my teeth in 24 hours!!

I really don't like flying...which is so ironic, considering I want to live overseas someday, and I go to school all the way across the country.  It's just such a hassle, especially when trying to keep up with personal hygiene in the airports!

Last night I said my second tearful goodbye to Gabon, although this time it was different...in a way it was harder because as I walked away I didn't have the same resolve in my heart to return in a year like last time. As much as I would love to go back to Gabon again as soon as possible, I know that I need to be open to whatever God wants for my future, not just what I want.

I am thankful that I have been blessed to stop in Paris for ten days before going back to the States.  Ever since I was little I have dreamed of visiting Paris, and as I walked through my dream city today I kept saying, "Wow...wow...this is so beautiful...wow..."  This definitely is one of the coolest cities I have visited!

Being here is a good segway between Gabon and America...I am surrounded by whities again, but because of the more conserved culture, I still don't really make eye contact with people and smile at them.  It's important to be aware of your surroundings just as much here because of pick-pocketing.  Of course, as usual, I am freeeeezing!!!

The family I am staying with, the Roos family, is awesome--they just moved here about six months ago and have been going to language school.  The girls--ages 7 and 10--have picked up a lot of French from their public school, and they already are very good at figuring out transportation on the subways and metro.  If they can do it, so can I!

two decades later...

...and I celebrated my first birthday away from home!  But it was awesome, spent with awesome people, eating awesome food, dancing, singing, relaxing, and lots of laughter (c'est naturel!).

I went in the morning to a church I never visited before (Sortega) with Leanne and Happy (our guy intern).  We got there around 9 and left at 2, but the time was filled with awesome singing, dancing, and a lunch afterwards.  It was the "mama's day" (like Mother's Day) so it was a special service for the women...I am so glad it was on my birthday!

In the afternoon we relaxed and watched some of The Office (I had to include that bit...it was an awesome couple of hours).  Then Leanne and Hannah told me to get dressed and be ready to leave...and the mystery began.  Before we left the house they blindfolded me, then put me in the car and we started driving.  Happy had way too much fun videotaping me while I was blindfolded.  And apparently there were lots (more than usual, at least) of people staring at us as Hannah led me by the hand from the car.

The surprise was revealed as I took off my blindfold and all of my OSPAC family and the Straws were sitting at a table at a new restaurant on the beach!  For the next three hours we ate food, sang, danced, and they gave me kisses and gifts.  It was an awesome night and one of the most memorable birthdays of my life for sure. :)

 Leanne and I on the beach (I am still blindfolded!)

 Mama Clementine giving me a gift

 Arricain and Joseph giving a very exuberant hug!

 Mama Jeanine et moi

Pastor Jacob dancing!