Backpacking

January 2014

On January 7th, my cousin Ismail and I left Casablanca to backpack the northern region of Morocco to see Tangier, Tetouan, Chefchaouen, and help me research food insecurity around the country.

 Ismail and I before heading north. 

On the very cold train to Tangier.

Mint tea and msemmen

Camels on the beach

Mediterranean Sea 

Left my mark at the beach in Tangier... which got retweeted by the official Husker twitter account, resulting in 37 retweets and 142 favorites from Huskers around the world!

In my element at the beach!

Catch of the day.

Cave of Hercules

Atlantic Ocean
This was during a time when very large waves (8 meters-26 feet) were hitting the coast.
These were the biggest seen in 17 years.

Holding the world on my shoulders like Atlas.
What.. was I going to miss the chance to make a mythology joke in Hercules Cave?

Bisara, North African split pea soup. 

Fnideq

We walked from Fnideq to Ceuta, about 3 miles.

Ceuta is a Spanish territory. My cousin didn't have the right visa, so we walked 3 miles back to Fnideq.

We took a bus from Fnideq to Tetuan and a taxi from Tetuan to Chefchaoen.

We got out of the taxi and hiked up the hill in the dark. 

This is where we ended up pitching the tent. 

View of our camping spot 3 miles outside of Chefchaouen.

On our walk into Chefchaouen, we found this cactus which we ate the fruit of. It was delicious, but I could have done without the needle in my tongue!

After what seemed like days, we finally made it to city limits!

Zwina [beautiful]

Oops.

 After days of hiking, I was getting tired and moving slowly.

 My cousin joked that I "would never pray at there, because it is in the middle of the hill and far away".

Ironically, we ended up hiking on a path to the place 'I would never pray at'.

 This is the panoramic view from the hill of Chefchaouen.

Near Chefchaouen is the wonderful Akchour 

Crystal clear waters of Akchour

Scary hiking trails..

Iconic blue doors of Chefchaouen.

 From Chefchaouen, we took a bus back to Tetouan.

While waiting for the bus back to Casablanca, I learned some Arabic with a side of  Moroccan mint tea. 

After packing all this excitement and adventure into 6 days, we ran out of money and headed back to Casablanca on a night bus. We arrived in Casablanca at 7 am on the 14th. Exhausting, but totally worth it.

My stats as of January 2014:

4% of the world visited

Estimated mileage: 62602

been to:

• 5 continents
• 11 countries
• 11 states

The great state of Chicago

June-July 2013

Last summer, I had the chance to live in Chicago for two months through the Chicago Center. The website summarizes the program much better than I can: "Chicago Center equips college students and other participants to learn from diverse urban communities through innovative programs, seminars and internships." Each class period, we visited a different neighborhood of Chicago.

I grew up in rural Nebraska, so going from a population of 800 to 2.7 million is a bit of a culture shock. Little did I know going into this experience that Chicago would change my life and become one of my favorite places in the world. It is so hard to put words to this experience, so I am going to rely a lot on pictures and Facebook posts from my time in Chicago. 

First view of the city!

"I set foot in this city, and just walking down the street, it was like roots, like the motherland. I knew I belonged here" -Oprah Winfrey

Made it to Chicagoland! Unpacking now. SO excited for all the adventures that await me and these next two months. Also very excited to eat Chicago style pizza tonight for dinner!

-Facebook post from June 5th

My new neighborhood!
Walking through my new neighborhood makes me feel like I'm in Hey Arnold.
I keep thinking I'll hear "Hey, football head!"
-Facebook post from June 5th

Funny thing is, a friend visited a few weeks later and said the exact same thing.

About to conquer the CTA. Bring it on.

-Facebook post from June 7th

Little did I know I would regret the last statement. Don't taunt the CTA. You WILL lose. For example, you can wait at a very visible bus stop, and it will drive on past. You will just miss the bus by a few second and wait an eternity for the next one to show up, and then three come. You will get delayed on the L. You will text the CTA bus tracker more than you text everyone else you talk to combined. You will spend half your life riding the CTA and the other half waiting for it. It will take longer for the bus to arrive than it will to actually walk/run to your destination. You actually contemplate walking/running the mile away. You actually walk/run the mile away (Of course this was much more feasible in the warmer weather). All of this is real. I wish I was making this up.

This is the University of Chicago library in the Divergent trailer.

Troy and I with the U of C mascot, Phoenix

Michael Jackson's house in Gary, Indiana

"Exhausted from a busy day starting with seeing Rev. Jesse Jackson speak at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition headquarters, to sitting in on a Bronzeville 'block meeting', to an extensive tour of the South Side. The South Side boasts the largest African American population in the nation. While in the South Side, I saw the homes of Jesse Jackson, Muhammad Ali, Michael Jackson (we hopped over to Indiana for about 30 minutes), Emmett Till and a few state senators. I also saw the grave of Olympic legend Jesse Owens. Tomorrow the bibliophile in me will enjoy the Printers Row Lit Fest and the Blues Festival after that. Whew." 

-Facebook post from June 8th

Clearly, I was meant to be in Chicago

The beautiful Chicago dog

Buckingham Fountain
I am amazed at how I keep falling in love with this beautiful city. I went on a 12 mile bike ride to Buckingham Fountain tonight and got to watch a very orange sun set over the city and then see all of the skyscrapers turn on their lights. I had a wonderful view of the lake and skyscrapers the entire time. I love this magical place.
-Facebook post from June 17th

While in Chicago, I spent many evenings either biking the beautiful lakefront of Lake Michigan or learning martial arts at Thousand Waves. They had a promotion going where you could take a free month of lessons. You bet I signed up! Learn martial arts

The gang from left to right: Olivia, Whitney, Rachael, Jasmine, Loic, Clint

Yep, this pretty much sums it up. "I adore Chicago. It is the pulse of America" -Sarah Bernhardt
Running to the bus stop as your bus pulls up. It's the small victories.
-Facebook post from July 3rd
Got the ultimate compliment today. Native Chicagoans were impressed with my knowledge of Chicago.
You know that's right.
-Facebook post from July 6th

Cloud Gate, better known as The Bean

 My favorite place in Chicago, Lake Michigan. I lived half a mile from this wonderland.

 Chicago River at sunset
"You feel like an ant contemplating Chicago" -Robert Fulghum

 North Avenue Beach

The Taste of Chicago brought Fun. to Chicago for a free concert! 

 Captain America mural! 

 Among the things to see while in Chicago, a Cubs game is a must.

 Sitting right over the dugout!

"Every player should be accorded the privilege of at least one season with the Chicago Cubs. That's baseball as it should be played - in God's own sunshine. And that's really living." - Alvin Dark

 View from the top of the Hancock Building

Four fire trucks just drove by within 2 minutes. I think Chicago is burning down again.

-Facebook post from July 8th

(Side note: this is from the Chicago Fire set, our house was not really on fire)

 The house I lived in over the summer (which also happened to be a few blocks from Obama's house.. we're Hyde Park homies) was selected to be a filming location for the show Chicago Fire. We had not heard of the show before they came to look at the house, but I gladly watched the season premiere to see my building.
  Visit a movie/tv set- Chicago Fire

I worked at a hospital and on my last day I got a new track bag, 
flowers and a card signed from everyone in the office!

 Papa Scott, Lane and I after the 25th Annual LATE Ride. 

The LATE (Long After Twilight Ends) Ride is a 25 mile ride through Chicago starting at 1 am.
I covered 37 miles of Chicago in a little under 4 hours. Oh the things I saw.. a fake Stanley Cup, a rickshaw, many tandem bicycles, 2 ducks, a mouse, a coyote and the beauty of Chicago. Love love love!
-Facebook post from June 30th

Hoping to make it back for the ride this year!

While in Chicago, I spent many evenings either biking the beautiful lakefront of Lake Michigan or learning martial arts at Thousand Waves. They had a promotion going where you could take a free month of lessons. You bet I signed up! Learn martial arts

Bottom line: go to Chicago if you get the chance!
Disclaimer: You will fall in love with the city and never want to leave. Until winter comes and
Chi-beria/ Chi-laska is too cold to handle. You've been warned. =]

My stats as of August 2013:

• 4% of the world visited
• Estimated mileage: 62000
• been to:
• 5 continents
• 11 countries
• 11 states