SNOW DAY − 雪の日

On Monday it snowed the most it has in a few years here in the Tokyo area...and it was MAGICAL!!!

In the morning, it was cold and just beginning to snow, which allowed everyone to get to school safely with no delay. During 2nd period...things really started to pick up and the students (and myself included) could hardly focus on work when it was so beautiful outside. The snow kept going and going...so much so that right when school ended at 3:25pm, the VP made an announcement on the loudspeaker that there would be no cleaning time, no club practices, and all students and teacher should go home ASAP. Alison and I always take the bus home from school, so we walked out to the bus stop as usual..but we saw a huge line of students standing there. They told us the bus was delayed 30 minutes already...so we decided to WALK. Yep, in the snow. We walked 30 minutes to the nearest train station which may sound like a bummer, but for two Californian girl it only added even more amazingness to an already spectacular day!!

conclusion : snow is beautiful. magical. wonderful. and fun (ok, and a little cold) 

These pics are from the street right outside my apartment. I walk this road every day home, so it was so surreal seeing it in this state!!!

Tuesday morning I woke up and felt like a kid on Christmas day. I was so excited to see what the snow would look like so I got ready for work and ran outside! I decided to walk across the street to the little lake that runs along the road and right when I stepped through the bushes...I was speechless. It was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen. truly. pure magic. 

The view from my apartment stairs!! 

Wow...what a snow day!!! I thank God for giving me this experience. Truly breathtaking (in more ways than one lol) and something i'll never forget. 

4YEARS.

In January 2014, I packed up my bags and flew to Gulu, Uganda to intern with Krochet Kids.
I lived there for 3 months
It changed my life. 

My eyes were opened to a new reality and I've never been able to look at the world the same. While I was living in Gulu...I didn't post much on social media or my blog. I did occasionally, but there were so many scenes, faces, moments that I couldn't justify posting publicly about. Life in Gulu was so real, so raw, so unexpected and mesmerizing that posting idealized photos of my time there felt so...wrong.

I think that's the interesting thing about photography...because anyone can have a good camera. Anyone can travel to unique destinations and push a button to snap a shot. But what makes it photography, what makes someone a photographer, is the depth behind it all. The story that lies within. The process, the vision, the post-processing, the sharing, and ultimately... the humanity in it all. The red dirt roads of Northern Uganda taught me that...and 4 years later these sharp memories are still teaching me that. 

Every so often, here in Japan, the neighbors near our school burn their trash. The smell wafts down the street and up to swirl around our school buildings and the moment that smell hits my nose...i'm taken back to Gulu. Back to the compound we worked at. Back to those red dirt roads. Those shoe-less kids. The taste of white rice and black beans. The feel of the hot African sun on my cheeks. The wind through my hair as I rode a boda (motorcycle taxi). The chaos of the market in town. The sweetness of the tea we drank at lunch. The laughter of the women and children there. Oh...Gulu...what a beautiful, simple, timeless place.

Here are a few simple snaps from my time there... 

This last photo was taken on the day I left Gulu. My heart aches knowing it was 4 years ago that I saw all these beautiful faces of the women I worked with...but my heart also swells with hope knowing I'll one day see them again. 

xoxo. 

BACK AT IT

I am now back in Japan and back in the swing of things!! Life as a teacher here is busy and full... in the best way possible! Here's a bit of what i've been up to this month so far... 

2018 marks the year of the DOG here in Japan...so as you could imagine, there are dog things E V E R Y W H E R E. And I mean..dog towels, dog candy, dog pens, dog stickers, dog bags, dog characters...and this extremely adorable and accurate DOG CROISSANT!!! How brilliant, right!?? 

The first activity I wanted to do with my communication classes and with English Club was to have students choose their WORD OF THE YEAR. My sister, as well as my bestie Liana, reminded me of this activity and I thought it would be a perfect thing to use in the class. I first chose my word as an example and wrote it on a paper with the definition...

BELIEVE: verb. except that something is true, especially without proof.

I was a little worried the students would have a hard time thinking of word for this activity...but it was silly of me to doubt them because they came up with some incredible words!! A few of my favorites : MAXIMUM, FRESH, ACCEPTANCE, INNOVATIVE, and BEST. I had them write the English definition and a few sentences on why they chose their word. It turned out to be a great activity!! 

On Jan 14th, my good friend Liane, invited me to the annual "DONDONYAKI" festival near her house. This is a rare festival that usually only happens in the countryside and you will so realize why. Everyone gathers their new years decorations to make a huge fire and then ignite said fire to roast mochi over!! It is crazyyyyy and so cool seeing everyone carry things huge bamboo sticks with mochi at the end. It's always freezing out there...but it always feel so blessed to experience something like that! 

Construction at Tokyo station finally finished and it is lookin BEAUTIFUL!! I headed there this past weekend to meet up with my good friend Ayaka and her bf to have dinner. We met near Tokyo station so I made sure to stop by and snap a few shots. Also...the weather has been cold but not too bad (i'm saying this as I sit in my cozy heated apartment under my heated kotatsu lol) and I have to admit that the one good thing about winter is - the clothes. I've learned to love wearing boots and coats because they totally add a layer of fun to my wardrobe! 

I've been busy back at school just getting things in order and planning to wrap things up for the school year. In Japan, graduation is in March and the new school year beings in April...so things are winding down. The pic on the left is the view from the English office on the 3rd floor...and the photo on the right is my morning commute view every single day - glamorous!! haha 

I had to participate in the senior farewell video and, of course, embarrass myself along with other teachers while acting out a famous scene from a Japanese comedian (ブルゾンちえみ), haha! Also... how incredible are is this practice paper from one of my students?? Japanese kids have the most beautiful penmanship. 

A big part of my job here in Japan is to be a member of Kashiwa International Relations Association (KIRA) and this was from our New Year's party. This is specifically the Torrance committee, all amazing people who organize the sister-city exchange program between Torrance and Kashiwa.  Most of them will be traveling to Torrance in Feb to visit for a week!! I am blessed to work along side this great, friendly bunch! 

And last but not least...a few snaps from last weeks Nomikai (drinking party) with all of the 2nd year teachers. We went to this incredible Japanese restaurant where 95% of the food was inedible to me (seafood..blahh) but the atmosphere was 100% FUN!! We were served a beautiful array of dishes and also the tiniest cup of green tea to top off the meal (left photo). I loved chatting with my coworkers in a more relaxed environment! It was a great way to start the new year. 

welp...that's just a bit of what's been happening since i've been back! I gotta stay...life is good! 

CHRISTMAS MORNING

A few snaps from our California Christmas morning :) 

I love my parents. 

My brother lives a few blocks away from my parent's house so they often walk over. Camden got a super awesome mustang from "santa" and drove it over first thing in the morning. It was so cute to see him steadily roll down the street shouting proudly, "look! I got a car!" Also gotta love the matching pajamas my mom always gives the kids...and an extra special thing was being there for Tayah's first Christmas.

Hunter is super into basketball now...and got about a hundred NBA cards and couldn't put them down! 

My parents always make an amazing breakfast casserole and my aunt always sends us the BEST croissants to cook up with our meal.  Christmas morning breakfast is forsure the coziest, comfiest, most yummy meal all year!!

Eden loves peanut butter...so for her Christmas present, my mom gave her a jar of peanut butter and a special spoon to eat it with hahahaa. 

Hi little Tayah bug! 

Cam's car happened to match uncle Darin's car so of course, they had to take a pic together! 

I love my siblings so much. They're all my best friends and it's so fun to spend time all together. I love talking to Jen about shopping and high end fashion, Russ about silly youtube videos and food, my sissy about all our friends and kiddos, Ant about worship music and sermons, and D about athletes and street wear. I am truly blessed to have grown up with my siblings to always look up to!!

And to end with these cuties- my nieces!! Eden, Tayah, and Lenya. How cute are they!??? 

Praise God for sending His son, Jesus, born in a manger on Christmas day! I love this season, I love my family, and I love the story of Christ!! Hallelujah!!

THE GRAND CANYON // B&W

The best way to begin the new year = SOMEWHERE IN NATURE WITH GOOD FRIENDS.
simple as that.

Sometimes photos are so timeless and epic that they just need to be in B&W. These Grand Canyon pics were exactly that - timeless and epic. 

I spent NYE at an airbnb in Flagstaff, AZ with my college roomie Abbie and her husband Jake. We ate pizza for dinner, went in the jacuzzi just before midnight (it was 30 degrees outside), and watched the ball drop on youtube. It was the perfect ending to 2017. Special shout out to Abbie and Jake for letting me 3rd wheel with them the entire trip haha..no one else i'd rather do that with!!!

This was my second time to the canyon...and it was even more epic than I remember. 

Love them!!

A very legit camera man. 

I coulda stayed here...right here...staring out at God's grandeur forever. 

TWO VERY SPECIAL SHOUT OUTS: 1) Jake, who drove the entire trip. That's 7hours to Phoenix, 3 hours to Flagstaff, 2 hour into th canyon, and 8 hours back to LA. He's the real MVP! 2) Abbie's awesome dad who let us borrow his car for the trip. It was the perfect roadtrip car!! 

We ended our time in the canyon at the very furthest spot on the south rim, Hermit's rest. I remembered there was a Bible verse at the top and wanted to go see it again. Sure enough, there was Psalm 68:4 declaring God's truth over the canyon. AMEN!!!!

On our way back to CA we stopped for In&Out on (glory hallelujah). We spent the 8 hours home snacking on cheeze-its, m&ms, granola bars, and fruit while listening to Disney classics and NSYNC...COME ON, HOW GOOD IS THAT??

Seeing the Grand Canyon with Abbie and Jake was perfection. And starting off the new year feeling so small in the presence of such a massive, glorious, beautiful sight was exactly what my heart and soul needed. The Grand Canyon really puts you in your place...and reminds you of what an incredible creator we have!!