Connecting through Creation: Why I am an Artist

Have you ever had an "a-ha" moment when you realized, "Yes, this is why I do what I do!"?  I recently had that feeling in my journey as an artist, and I want to share it with you.  Read on to learn my newly discovered purpose as an artist and how you are essential to it.

Reading time: 8 minutes

Nepal VI: Why I Almost Left

Waiting... and waiting... and waiting.  It became far too close for comfort.  Frequent breakdowns into tears, waking up shaking with anxiety, trying to cope with the deep discomfort that is the unknown.

Read on to learn why I almost left Nepal - and how I ultimately got to stay.

Reading time: 6 minutes

Nepal V: Vipassana

 Back in January, I took the plunge into one of the most extreme "rights of passage" in the meditation world: a Goenka Vipassana course.  10 days of waking up at 4 am, meditating 11 hours per day, living in complete silence, not allowed to do anything except meditate, eat, and sleep.  No phones.  No books.  No writing/drawing.  No communication, even eye contact.  No distractions.  Just ten days with your mind.  

It was by far one of the most difficult things I have ever done.  

Read on to see what it was like to do a meditation bootcamp in the depths of winter in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Reading time: 12 minutes

Supporting through ART: Black Lives Matter

"But what can I do?"

In the recent uproar regarding the Black Lives Matter movement, I couldn't help but feel confused and lost about how I could best support what I believe in.  I live in Nepal - 8,000 miles away from my home in the US.  But I knew I had to do something.  So, I turned to my sketchpad.  And I figured out how I could support: through art.

Reading time: 1 minute

Nepal IV: Solo Trek!

Nothing compares to the empowerment of accomplishing something that you had always dreamed of, especially when you do so on your own.  I am so proud to say that I completed a trek through the mountains of Nepal, solo.  Read on to learn more about my experience trekking the Panchase region of the Himalayas.

Reading time: 16 minutes

Nepal III: Quarantine Abroad

The world has gotten pretty crazy recently.  The effects of the coronavirus pandemic have stretched across the globe, and Nepal is certainly no exception.  Read on to learn how my experience has been, living in Nepal during one of the most extreme international events of our generation.

Reading time: 5 minutes

Nepal II: Trekking in the Himalayas - Poon Hill & Mardi Himal

My first trek in the Himalayas was one of the most challenging, transformative, and rewarding experiences of my life.  It included my first time seeing snow, a moonlit hike to a 4,200 m (14,000') peak culminating in a simultaneous sunrise and moonset over the mountains, being the coldest I've ever been, and walking 83 kilometers (52 miles) over 8 days.  All in the depth of winter.  In the Himalayas.  In Nepal.  It is kind of surreal to write about it - all the more reason why I am so excited to bring you along with me by sharing the adventure here!  Pack a LOT of warm layers, and let's go!!

Reading time: 18 minutes