Shed a Little Light

More cryptic messages from Lil D today. Things are things and for now they are worked out. If you guessed it had something to do with the Boyfriend, then you guessed correctly. I can't or won't go in to details just now and maybe never will. I will say that I have an AMAZING sister who was willing to drop everything to come out here and rescue me and take me home if I needed it. That kind of love blows me away. To know she would do that made me feel better when I was feeling so low. My family have been great this weekend and it's their love and support through the good and the bad that make me miss them that much more. Boyfriend and I haven't been having awful arguments, we aren't mad at each other, we are super in love and are each other's best friends but when you are from different countries sometimes even all of that doesn't feel like enough to ensure that you will end up with the happily ever after you know you want and you know you deserve.

I'll Explain Later

I.O.U. One Galaxy

stars are out tonight
and you're the brightest one shining in my sky.
it's like every wish I ever made came true.
the day I woke up lying next to you.

will you be my best friend
if I offer you my heart?
'cause it's already yours.
we could hang out every night
and watch the sun go down.
as long as we could watch it rise again.

gave me a valentine.
it's these little things that stand the test of time.
I've saved the tickets from the shows that we've been to.
and a thousand other memories of you.

will you be my best friend
if I offer you my heart?
'cause it's already yours.

gave you this i.o.u. today.
it said good for one galaxy.
once I build my rocket to the stars.
we'll fly away just you and me.

You still owe me

In All Rwanda's Glory

Coincidentally, yesterday began the 15 year anniversary of the genocide in Rwanda. The war lasted 100 days and I think approximately 800,000 people were killed while the world did nothing. I fear the world is making the same mistake now in Darfur. We said after the Holocaust "Never Again" and yet we allow these atrocities to happen. Check out http://savedarfur.org/content?splash=yes to see how you can help. Check out Hotel Rwanda or Shooting Dogs, both movies that address what happened in Rwanda. Let us never forget what happened there and let us not turn a blind eye on what is happening presently. Here is my own experience with that great continent, Africa:

Have I mentioned how lucky my life has been on here yet? If not, let me take this moment to say my life has been incredibly lucky and incredibly blessed so far. I have a great boyfriend, an awesome sister, wonderful and loving parents, and I have had amazing experiences because I have had several opportunities to travel abroad.

Right after I graduated from high school the travel group took a trip to Kenya. There was some nervousness on everyone’s part because we were going right after September 11 and the whole world seemed a bit screwy. It was an adventure the whole 5 days we were there, starting with the plane ride. Nae and I sat next to this older Kenyan woman and when Nae didn’t finish everything from her dinner the lady kindly asked if she could have it. I would never ask a stranger for their half-eaten meal but she must have been stoked on the airplane food. She then started asking us about what we were doing in Kenya and invited us to come to her family’s house. It was near where all the flamingos are, Lake Nakuru. Unfortunately, we weren’t headed in that direction so we had to decline. On landing, Glen was taken away by airport security with all of our passports. We were a little sketched out, but turns out they just processed them all at once for us rather than do one at a time to save us time. Our driver picked us up and said we could either go to a hotel and rest or go to see this orphaned animal facility. It is one of my biggest regrets that the group voted to get some rest. They reasoned we would see plenty of animals on the safari, which was totally true, but when I go back to Kenya, I will be going to the facility. After a rest it was time for lunch. We were driven to the Carnivore restaurant (http://www.africansafariair.com/carnivorerestaurant.html).Here we got to sample hartabeast, zebra, and alligator along with other types of animals we would be seeing shortly on the Masai Mara. Servers brought out each type of meat on a huge skewer, announced what it was, and then cut you a few pieces of if you were down to try it. There were a couple of monkeys jumping around the patio roof as we ate, too.

After lunch we drove to the smaller airport in Nairobi. Each person and their bags had to be weighed. It was pretty disconcerting to look out on the air field and see the bodies of more than a few burnt out planes scattered around. I think we were all secretly freaking out that our flight could end up like these ones on the ground we were seeing. We got up in the air not very long later and hit some big clouds and had a pretty bumpy ride. I remember keeping a death grip on A’s hand. As we got close to the landing strip, I started to see what I thought were big boulders on the ground. As we came in though I could see what they really were: elephants!

A couple of cars came to pick us up and we immediately went for a drive. My Godfather, Mom, A, and I ended up in a car together and off we went. We saw ostriches and zebra and gazelles of every different sort and then we came upon a pride of lions just relaxing in the afternoon heat. I remember being a little nervous about how close we were able to get to them. That day we also checked out the elephants, again very very closely, and they had some babies in the herd with them. As we went to check out three giraffes, a storm came over. The sky turned this incredible dark blue color and the grass was so golden. The giraffes looked beautiful up against those two colors and it’s a moment I don’t think I’ll ever forget.

We then headed over to our camp. We were let out of the cars and then down in to a little row boat that was pulled across the Mara River. A guide walked us in to the camp and it was then that it started raining. A and I shared a tent and it was like no tent I had ever seen before. It had 2 regular beds in it, a wood floor, and a separate room that had a flush toilet, sink, and shower. At night if you wanted to go to dinner or head over to the bar you simply stuck your lantern outside the door and then waited for a guide to come get you. Our guides were not guys to mess around with, either; they were real Masaii warriors and they stood guard outside all night long with nothing more than a stick!

In the morning someone would come to your tent and you’d be awoke with “Jambo, good morning ladies” and then you’d get a tray of coffee, tea or hot chocolate and some cookies to get you warmed up for your morning drive. Nae said she had heard noises in the middle of the night (and so had we, lion calls can be heard for miles away) and when she looked out of her tent there was a herd of elephants headed down to the pond in front of our tents and one had stopped and looked like it was leaning against our tent! After quickly drinking the tea and throwing on some clothes, we’d get in to the cars when it was still a bit dark out and get going. Most mornings we saw lions eating something. One morning we came across a pride out in the open and they had a bunch of babies in the group. We watched them play for ages and it was the cutest thing ever. When a male came in to the group, the babies jumped on him and tried to play with him. Another morning we came across two independent (i.e. were probably juveniles who hadn't taken over a pride over their own yet)lions who were on an old hippo kill. The smell was nauseating but it was awesome to see them eating and their faces all covered in blood.

We saw all of the big five animals (lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino, and leopard). The only animal I didn’t see was the cheetah, which was disappointing, but while the rest of the group saw it me, Mom, Nae, Glen and his 3 kids took a hot air balloon trip over the Mara. It was an incredible feeling to be up there floating quietly. We saw lots of alligators and hippos along the water and it was funny to see a giraffe watch us coming and not process its fear and go running until we were nearly passed it. We landed where ever our bottle of gas ran out, which happened to be very close to the Tanzanian border and also very close to one of the only remaining Wide (not White, that’s a misconception/mispronunciation) Rhinos in that part of the park. We had a great breakfast outdoors and then drove back to camp.

After the morning drive on most days, everyone then went back to camp to have a proper breakfast. The breakfasts were held outside and the chefs there must have had some French pastry training. They had the best chocolate filled croissants in the world. Often we’d be joined by a warthog who would wonder between the tables looking for food. The warthog fell in love with Glen and would be by him as much as possible. After breakfast was another drive for a few hours, before another outdoor lunch, and then a few hours off through the heat of the day to sleep and relax while most of the animals were doing the same. One of the days we forfeited our afternoon drive so that we could leave right after lunch and go to the local Masaii village. We were greeted by all the little kids singing a song for us. When we entered the village, all of the women were dressed up and singing, as well. Then the young Masaii warriors came out and showed us their prowess by having a jumping competition. My Dad got in their with them and it looked like he got 6 inches off the ground compared to them being able to jump four feet just straight up with out a running start or anything. We were then showed in to someone’s house to see what they were like. It was a tiny, dung hut with two rooms and a fire going so it was very smokey inside, too. Everyone had all of their crafts set up and we bought heaps of figurines and bracelets and arrows and these really ornate necklaces. I wish I could’ve bought it all. The craftsmanship is amazing. Every person’s bracelets were different because they used beads to symbolize their age, family, and marital status, I believe.

After the afternoon drive it was time to go back and shower and get ready for dinner. Dinners were amazing, too. The food was so rich and they made the best soups in the world there. After that, there was a huge bonfire you could sit out at. Sometimes it was quiet and some nights the warriors would come around for a song. Then it was off to bed early to get up at 5 the next morning to do it all over again.

It was an incredible trip and I feel like I have Africa in my blood now. All I want to do is go back and I think about it all the time. Any movie or documentary or book I can get on Africa I jump at. It is a place like nowhere else in the world. I hope it stays as wild and as full of wildlife as it is today for along time so that I can take my children there someday. I have already convinced Boyfriend that that is where we need to go for our honeymoon if we get married. I told our travel group that and they said, “Just get married there, we want to come, too!” and at New Year’s when everyone went around the group to say where their favorite trip ever had been to, at least 75% of the group said Kenya, it is just that great of a place.

I.O.U. One Galaxy continued

I had to add before the night was over...I made Mexican rice and it turned out sooooo well! Boyfriend isn't even here with our burritos yet and I'm already full from eating my rice. I've never been able to get my rice right before, but I'd say this is about as close as I'm ever going to get to my Mexican nanny's recipe! I have a huge pot of rice and Boyfriend is bringing me a pack of tortillas from the restaurant....Can you guess what I will be eating exclusively for at least the next 24 hours?? :) Now all I have to do is buy some beans and cook them up in my crock pot and I'll have my own cheap and delicious Mexican meal.

I.O.U. One Galaxy

The posts are slowing down. There are some things going on right now that I'm not sure I should write about, it's been an ongoing thing for the past couple of weeks and it will be going on for a while longer (could be months before an outcome is reached). I am not sure whether I will post the blog I wrote about it or not. My life is a waiting game....awaiting the answer to this decision, awaiting a job or at least an interview. It's kind of a blah time right now. It's still an adventure though because I just don't know how it is all going to end up. Ugh. Whoa is me, I know, how boring to read. You (who you are, if anyone, I don't know) come here to read about love and adventure and all that good stuff I promise in the heading and instead end up with this pity party. Oh well, everyone has them sometimes.

In happier news, Boyfriend is supposed to be coming over tonight with a delivery from that Mexican food place I wrote a review of in the last post! CAN NOT WAIT! Also, my parents sent an Easter package that includes those much needed bras, aforementioned in the great birthday bra debacle post from earlier, and candy! It might even get here today so that Boyfriend can bring it over when he comes tonight. That would be so much win for one day! It is also sunny out today and I was finally able to do laundry again after a week and a half of humid, overcast, or rainy days (man, I hate not having a drier)- hooray for clean underwear! Haha! So I guess they aren't big exciting things that are making me happy today, but they are really awesome little things that make the day brighter when I reflect on them and not on "the deciding" Anyway, tomorrow or later tonight I'll post about my trip to Africa and that'll put us back on track to what this blog is all about.

Make It Last

Last night Boyfriend (that’s what I’m calling him now instead of S) and I met up with his friend Turk (cause he looks like the guy from Scrubs, Donald Faison, except white) and his wife Stylez (cause she’s got amazing style, that looks so effortless and so wow on her, she also makes handbags-I might ask her if I can put a link up to her stuff on here: http://rejenerate.blogspot.com/). They just moved in to the coolest house. It is three levels and the top level is Stylez’s work studio and from the windows there you can see all of Sydney and the Harbour Bridge. The view is breath taking. We caught up with them about their recent wedding, that unfortunately Boyfriend had to miss in order to come to California for Christmas and about what’s been going on since the last time we had seen them. Stylez is awesome because she’s not afraid to say, “Food, I need it now, and lots of it,” I obviously appreciate a girl that doesn’t just sit there eating celery while everyone else has a real meal. We decided on Mexican because I’m always down for it and Stylez and I were both in the mood for margaritas. Turk called around to all the Mexican food places we could find online, but they were all booked out. We were pretty disappointed until Boyfriend said he knew a little place we could go to. We ended up in King’s Cross at Guzman y Gomez, which was near where the show we were going to was anyway. Here’s a link to it (http://www.guzmanygomez.com/)(the picture is an example of their burritos, but the rice is something I made) because if you are ever in Sydney and in need of cheapish, fast Mexican food, this is the place I’d recommend! The place had real Mexican people working (I’ve never seen a Mexican in Australia before!) and it tasted like legit Mexican food, and although they didn’t have authentic Mexican style red rice, it was still good. We got margaritas even and you could tell there was alcohol in them; I think they’ve just gotten their liquor license so they are fairly liberal with their shots. Also, the guacamole was spot on, spicy with chunks of avocado and cilantro and tomato in it. Really good food, other than the minor rice gripe I have, the only thing I was like “What the funk?” about was that they use corn tortillas for their quesadillas. You can also get flan and those fruit juice drinks in a can by Goya. I think they also did rice bowls. The guy at the corner was super nice and really talkative. The Aussies had trouble understanding him, but it was nice to hear that accent again. I’m going to get Boyfriend to start either bringing me burritos for dinner on Friday nights from there or just bring me a few of their tortillas, because they taste authentic, not like the too thick, cardboardy things that are available here. Probably too much information, but on the drive home way later that night I was burping a lot and it all still tasted like awesome Mexican! Haha! So once again, if you are in Sydney and craving decent Mexican food, go to Guzman y Gomez. They also have locations at Bondi Junction, the CBD at the Australia Square food court on George St, and Newtown so look them up!
From there we walked over to the venue, it wasn’t very far, but the night was muggy so I was sweating away and felt so gross. We had a little hill to hike up, and it didn’t make me huff and puff or anything, but it did make me sweat a bit more and then we were at the venue. So I get in and I’m already sweaty and there’s no air conditioning and a million other people standing around so I kept sweating. I put my hair up and that helped, but then my bangs were falling apart from the humidity, and I thought I had started the night looking half-cute and by that time I felt like a gross beasty. We missed the first opening band, but came in just in time for the second. They were from Sydney and the lead singer was this chubby, obnoxious guy. Boyfriend said he looked like Meatloaf. His voice was all right: nice but generic, and he was all about posturing- constantly trying to clap to the beat of his own songs, doing all these “cool guy” moves with his hands and it really took away from his music. I think he’s been watching Saosin or Anthony Green videos too often and was just trying to copy them. Also, his cut off jean shorts were about 2 sizes too small so he had a full on muffin top and his gut hanging over- I thought that was something only girls did. Not in Sydney, not when you’re a cool guy! Stylez started not to feel well and went out and got some air. I desperately had to pee, but the venue had a lame design, where there was only a double door space between the stage and the bar to get through to the bathroom and it was packed at that end of the bar and people wanted to be next to that part of the stage so it was nearly impossible to get through everyone. Frustrating! Kris Roe (do you think his parents spelled his name that way? He was born in Indiana and they aren’t known to be really happening there. I bet he changed it from Chris so he could be “different”) the lead singer of the Ataris came out looking like Ben Folds. He played a lot of really old songs and it was just him and his guitar and that was pretty awesome. He then decided to “rock out” and got the Sydney band to come up and play some songs with him. The Meatloaf look-a-like was yelling over Kris’ singing in some spots and it kindof ruined it. We then walked in to the city and caught a cab back to Turk’s and Stylez’ place. From there, Boyfriend and I drove home (yay for no trains for once!) and we blasted the music the whole ride home and I sang and danced in my seat to keep Boyfriend awake and entertained while he drove. It was a really fun night!

Life Motto

This is the quote I want to live my life by and the quote I hope S wants to live his life by. I found it on this African blog I read. Anyway, I really, really like it.

If you have the chance to live an extraordinary life, you have to take it, whatever the cost. The alternative, which is to choose the mundane, is not life, in the real sense of the word... If you’ve got the chance, you’ve got to take it.