Under the Iron Curtain

My family lives in China. It's this weird thing that is completely normal to us. 

I've spent the past howevermanydays (no idea how long I've been gone) being lazy. After working all summer and going non-stop, I don't feel bad at all for watching an entire season of Lie to Me and Modern Family. It's been wonderful to just chill with the family, ride mopeds around the neighborhood, go shopping in downtown Shanghai, watch movies, wear my pj's all day, and not think about anything. 

Now, I'm in the Korean airport with my momma on our way to Cambodia for a week. I haven't been able to get on any form of social media thanks to China being all communist and whatnot. I'm not going to lie though...it was so nice. To go off the grid completely for a while. I never realize how desperately I need those breaks sometimes. 

Another chapter

I have returned from my chapter in DC and am sitting in my apartment for a brief 24 hour stint in Utah before I head out to China.

It was so weird waking up today in my own room instead of a dorm room and seeing mountains outside my window instead of buildings. It was wonderful being back in my own bed, but I miss having Georgetown a block away and going for morning runs past the White House. But, I guess this summer will be another great chapter to look back on and DC will be another place I get to miss.

It taught me so much.

"Someway, baby, it's part of me, apart from me"

Last night I was up close and personal with Justin Vernon and his band, Bon Iver. It may have been one of the greatest moments of my life and hands down the best concert I've ever been to. His music just resonates with me in a way almost nothing else does, and live...well it's unexplainable. The entire audience was transfixed and hanging on every note. With a band of about 9 people, Bon Iver created an experience that reached into your soul, shook it around, and made you feel things you've never felt before.

Words just cannot describe it. 

Listen to the concert recording on NPR...I have been doing so all day. 

p.s.-at the end of the concert I fought to get one of the set lists, and succeeded! It's one of my favorite souvenirs I'll bring home from D.C. 

Intern Love

I work with 45 other interns. Somehow, we ended up with the greatest group I could have ever asked for. It is the most diverse, quirky, funny, eclectic, and driven group of individuals imaginable. And lucky for us, we are all best friends. I'm going to miss these people so much.

Photos from recent gatherings. Also, a few from the most intense kayaking trip I've ever been on. It included caving, waterfalls, tutorials, and kayaking back in the dark. 

It continues

It's winding down. Time here in DC is tick tick ticking away. So, it's go-time. Time to buckle down and take in everything I can, while still completing projects for work and writing papers for school.

This past week I've been keeping busy over here on the East Coast, with birthdays, conferences, parties, and events.

Dear Alex turned 24, so naturally we celebrated at Cheesecake Factory

 Andrew and I had food babies afterwards 

 It was a ridiculous night

 The jokes just kept comin

 We got to spend Monday at work in a nice corporate building for an event. Ah, the differences between non-profit and for-profit.

 We couldn't get enough

And celebrated after

 And said goodbye to Yoseph

 Some friends of mine have this rooftop pool, in which I watched the sunset tonight over DC

And this is the biggest pizza of our lives

And that is life at this moment. 

Photobooth

Whether it's with intern friends or family, photo booths are always worth the few dollars. 

My Natural State

I grew up in a small town. A town with a confederate soldier in the square. A town with my favorite Thai restaurant. It's a place where roadkill and fireflies line the roads. Where trees overtake everything, bales of hay dot the fields, and Walton Blvd is the main drag. And it's a place with some of the kindest people you'll ever meet. Oh how I've missed those southern accents.

This past weekend I got to go back for a few days for the first time in two years. And I remembered why Arkansas still holds a huge chunk of my heart. The Ozarks will forever remain one of the most beautiful places in my eyes. And the people, well, there's just no one like 'em.

So here's a few glimpses at my small-town, redneck roots:

Yes, I'm in the marching band. No, I'm not embarrassed. 

One of my favorite places

 The day we all left for college

river rats

Back then and now, Harry Potter with this girl. Of course. 

And I got to see these two. Here we are years back.

 And here we are in China. 

And here we are now, in Branson. 

I also got to see this boy. The picture is old, but I forgot to get a new one. 

The Natural State.