Fundamentally Different, Fundamentally The Same

My mother has created the perfect response to an imperfect question; when asked if her daughter returned from her gap year more “__________” (insert mature, worldly, grounded, etc.) or simply just “different,” she avoids a direct answer. Instead, she opts for an anecdote. I will…

20 May, 2019

On Control (or lack thereof)

Our brains are pattern recognition machines, fine tuned to process our surrounding stimuli and create predictions and respond appropriately. When we are given stimuli A and B, we are inclined to respond with action C, as opposed to any other letter. We are constantly intaking,…

17 March, 2019

Portraits of Home

It occurs to me that sometimes conventional language isn’t sufficient. I find, increasingly each day, that words alone cannot describe the complexities of my life here in Cuenca. This realization actually has more to do with the absence of words than their presence.   Photography…

14 November, 2018

"Poco a Poco"

Poco a poco, little by little, bit by bit. “Poco a poco” has been my favorite phrase recently. It is so simple in both English and Spanish, but I find that is the answer to most of the questions I’m asked right now: *How are…

03 October, 2018

On Wandering

The experiences that teach us the most are often those found through wandering. This is true in the classroom; tangential lessons sparked by the genuine curiosity of the students are some of the most memorable of my educational career. This is true in art; the…

22 August, 2018