A Whole New Adventure

What once was a study abroad blog is now my travel blog where I document my new life experiences in new cities.

[penamerican]

"I don't write to bring about progress. I write to open up people's eyes to certain realities."

— Ishmael Beah, born on this day in 1980

[forbes]

“Ultimately we know deeply that the other side of every fear is freedom.”

— Marilyn Ferguson Don’t allow your fears to stop you. (via forbes)

[gayvoice]

Seeing straight people say “we made it through Reagan!” Is making me go fucking insane and I want to cry

[mcdyke-deactivated20171112]

“In 1981 with the emergence of the AIDS epidemic also came the emergence of the Christian Right, who which Reagen ushered into power and disgustingly seized the moment as a sign of God’s abhorrence for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Reagan, who saw the first signs of the AIDS epidemic in 1981, his first year in office, . said “maybe the Lord brought down the plague because illicit sex is against the Ten Commandments.”

AIDS research was chronically under-funded. When doctors at the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health asked for more funding for their work on AIDS, they were routinely denied it. Between June 1981 and May 1982 the CDC spent less than $1 million on AIDS and $9 million on Legionnaire’s Disease. At that point more than 1,000 of the 2,000 reported AIDS cases resulted in death; there were fewer than 50 deaths from Legionnaire’s Disease. This drastic lack of funding would continue through the Reagan years

In 1986, Reagan ordered Surgeon General C. Everett Koop to prepare a major government report on AIDS. Critics attacked Reagan for ordering the report on the same day he submitted requests to reduce the AIDS budget, according to the Globe. Koop’s report called for mandatory sex education for children as early as elementary school, but Reagan’s education secretary, William Bennett, and his undersecretary of education, Gary Bauer, strenuously opposed those efforts, calling for abstinence-oriented education.

But Reagan still remained silent to the public

Finally near the end of 1986 Reagan requested $85 million for AIDS research, but Congress horrified at the low number bumped that figure up to $244 million only to have Reagan then unsuccessfully try to rescind $50 million of that figure, according to the Boston Globe, he ultimately agreed to Congress’ figure. In 1987, Reagan proposed cutting the research budget for AIDS down to $214 million. Congress again responded dramatically against Reagen by raising it to about $400 million.

It would not be until 1987 when pushed that Reagan would publicly speak about the AIDS epidemic in a major policy address. By the end of that year, 59,572 AIDS cases had been reported and 27,909 of those women and men had died. He and his administration did almost nothing during the first seven years of the epidemic. AIDS research was chronically underfunded. Community education and prevention programs were routinely denied federal funding and would have been even more so if Regan had had his way. Only when pushed did Reagan offer any assistance.”

source

[beardednegro]

Previously, I’d only seen the first two panels and assumed it was the complete comic.

This version is much better.

[fatpussygoddess]

Agreed!

[faerieannabelle]

Van Gogh at MoMA 🎨

[guardian]

For 30 years, photographer Edward Curtis straddled the line between an earnest attempt to chronicle the lives of First Nation tribes and a helpless urge to romanticize them.

“I want (the pictures) to make them live forever,” the photographer said.

Today, some of his 40,000 photos will stand alongside contemporary photos of Native American life on display at the Portland Art Museum in Portland, Oregon. 

[buzzfeednews]

[dearmyblank]

J,

The future is uncertain. I can’t promise that we’ll be together forever and neither can you. All I know is that I need you in the same way I need oxygen to survive.

In a world of pollution, you’re a breath of fresh air

A rose in a field of daisies

The sunshine in the dark.

And I’m here for now. I’m here.

K 

[inkskinned]

okay maybe this is just me but like when you’re deep inside of a good book but forced to put it down for a bit does the outside world seem weird and soft and like you find yourself thinking in the author’s voice and even after you’re done with the book there’s like this “book hangover” where you’re still in the writer’s world and seeing the characters and hearing the narrator and stuff feels… different ….

[difficult]

I think part of the reason people take photos because they’re afraid that moment will never happen again.

(via difficult)

[beyonce]

[beyonce]

[insightsabroad]

5 Travel Fears to Get Over

[jennasworldwideaventures]

Traveling the world and exploring varied cultures is a dream that everyone, to some degree, craves to fulfill. In my own country and during my journeys across the world, I have come across people who, after a brief conversation, could not resist from saying, “Oh! I wish I could live your life." I It makes me think about what stops people from fulfilling their dreams, which, in this case is the dream of being a traveler.

1. Fear of the unknown - This is perhaps the biggest fear that people face. We are brought up in an environment, where, anything that you can’t see should not be trusted. We have our lives clearly defined — a settled job, a house, a car and a family. Being a traveler would require you to move out of your arm chair and walk into the unknown. A traveler may have to come across unknown circumstances, cultures, countries, cuisines and languages

A wakeup call: Mariellen Ward of BreatheDreamGo started when only a handful of people in this world could relate to who a traveler is. She works for empowering women to travel solo and safely at #WeGoSolo

Continue reading

[jennasworldwideaventures]

Dad is in DC for the weekend!

SO INCREDIBLY HAPPY. MY DAD IS MY BEST FRIEND.

[jennasworldwideaventures]

After a tip from a wonderful friend, I spent my Sunday at the Eastern Markets. I had no idea how close it was to work, and saw it is only one metro stop away from it. Thus, it made getting there very easy. 

I arrived in the muggy haze, unsure of what to expect. Lining the streets were tents filled with people of all ages and pets of all kinds. It seemed like you could find or buy anything at the Markets! Need fresh strawberries, a fedora and new earrings? Well, you could get them all from the same vendor if your heart desired. A lot of the jewelry was similar from tent to tent, but the other accessories like wallets, scarves, hats, dresses and shirts varied. A lot of it was from local stores or hand-made from the vendor themselves. It was unreal some of the things people could design! One cool thing I saw at a vintage tent was a woman selling old pieces of luggage but refurnished with paint and stickers and pictures. I was obsessed with them, but did not think it would be a wise investment since I already have a lot of luggage with me.

I saw pieces of art that blew my mind. Like a painting of the DC skyline made completely with thread. It was incredible (and too expensive for me). I saw cute, cliche signs that made me smile. Some of the African tribal sculptures were so intricate and in such detail, I couldn't help but wonder how long it would take to make.

And finally, last but not least, the food. Oh, the food! It was all freshly grown and for sale. I tried all sorts of peaches, apple slices, mustards, etc. They had an inside part, too, that sold fresh meats. It was very cool and made me think of the markets in Barcelona I went to. I tried a freshly made chocolate donut with marshmallow in the middle, and chocolate frosting and Coco Crispies on top. It was amazing and held me over until an hour or so later, when I had the gelato in the picture above. Pitango is one of the most famous gelato places in the area, and I am glad I got the chance to try it. My dad is coming down this weekend and I would love to take him there.

I have some photos of the Eastern Market I will be sure to try and upload soon! They're general area shots, nothing too fancy. But, they will give you an idea of what the area looks like.

[jennasworldwideaventures]

Pride 2013 in Washington DC

[jennasworldwideaventures]

Photoset four from my day at the Newseum. By far, this was the exhibit that got to me the most. I cried the entire time. No copyright infringement intended.