Summer 2016

What an amazing summer this has been! It all started with the marriage of my beautiful cousin and her one true love. This was the event that set the rest all into motion. Just days after the ceremony, I was whisked away to a small Mexican island off the shore of Cancun. The island is called Isla Mujeres and there I met an abundance of spiritual brothers and sisters that, with their happiness and zeal for God and for life, changed my perspective on my own life. I would like to thank the Pate family (again) for including me on that trip. Ah! What an experience! My 10 days in Isla Mujeres ended too quickly as from there I traveled back to the States to meet my mom and stepfather in Dallas and watch my stepbrother graduate from his university. Congrats G!! Only hours later, we left for Maui, which filled my heart with nostalgic memories of my childhood. For 10 years, I had spent every winter in Maui, and finally, as a young adult, there I was again. After my invigorating experience in Mexico, my excited outlook on the future meshed inspiringly with the nostalgic beach setting. That trip, too, came to a quick end... Only to return home to boring Ol' Oklahoma for four days and pack for my next adventure--ITALY! I had never been so emotional leaving the country before. Suddenly, the hard realization that I would be on my own in this venture made me even doubt my decision to go. I cried! But this was my DREAM! Ever since my first trip to Europe as a little girl, I knew in my heart I would return on my own one day and live as a local. The opportunity to study my favorite subject, Art History, in my favorite country, Italia, was literally a dream come true. The four weeks I spent there went by too fast. I was sad to leave, but my next destination proved to be worth the departure. I arrived in Arnhem, Netherlands one rainy summer day, sad and depressed from leaving my dreamland of Florence. My mood quickly changed to optimistic when I began making friends with locals and spending time with the lovely Holwerda family (thank you Lauren for everything! You are amazing!). I left Europe for good on July 4th, just in time for our 2016 Regional Convention which was so beautiful and touching! The following Friday, I met up with my beautiful cousin Jayden and tagged along with her family road-trip to Sante Fe, New Mexico. We made some new friends from the local congregation who made us laugh and forced us out of our comfort zone while hiking Tent Rocks. In Riudoso, New Mexico, we were reminded of the healing powers of nature and how sometimes, getting lost out in the mountains during a rainstorm can actually be a lot of fun. I returned home, refusing to unpack, and prepared for my next trip: St. Petersburg, Florida. There I spent time with my lovely father and his wife and their two naked cats. I also learned a little Bosnian and Bulgarian and how make it very clear to your High Tea waiter that you do not belong at High Tea. Leaving Florida was harder than I expected. I found myself uncharacteristically missing home... Stability... My own bed and my dog, even. This was a weird feeling for me. I remember a get together at my home in May, just after coming home from Maui, and saying these words to some friends: "I could easily move to another country. I don't have any attachments that would keep me from leaving." As I boarded my flight to Nicaragua just yesterday, I began to realize how wrong I truly was with that statement. I miss my home! My family! My friends! My mom and her cooking! Thinking of my loved ones made my heart swell with sentiment and actually made me regret taking this next adventure. I highly recommend NOT thinking these things when boarding a flight to a third-world country. It just makes adapting to the lack of modern luxuries (hot water, comfortable bed, air-conditioning, language barriers) that much harder! I am writing this on the second day of my week here in Nicaragua and thankfully my attitude is already shifting back to the initial excitement I felt while booking the trip. Like every trip I find myself on, I'm so happy I am here and so ready for the adventure. So, here's to more experiences ahead! And to always exploring! Ciao (:

SUNSETS, SPAGHETTI, SANTORINI

SANTORINI!! One of the most beautiful places in the world. Oh my goddess (it's a Greek thing, you wouldn't understand... Actually it's not a thing at all but let's just pretend.) I never want to leave! Every corner exposes a unique glimmer of the town's personality. The streets are narrow, washed white, and filled with wide-eyed tourists. There is something about this island that makes you feel otherworldly, yet incredibly at home. 

Flowers cover miles of the town. Every home casually sports a personal botanical garden framing each window. 

Donkeys and mules were used to rebuild the city after an enormous volcano eruption of the early settlements on the island. Today, these animals are used to transport willing tourist up and down the steeping cliffs.

The sights in Santorini are continuously breathtaking. Here is the view from a local linen shop, overlooking the ruins of an Ancient Greek castle. 

Famous for it's white-washed walls and blue dome cathedrals, I donned my own ode to the traditional Grecian white and blue combo with this little sundress from Anthropology. I thought the bright colors would look great against the cool tones of the town. 

Since the weather is hot and the sun is almost inescapable, I opted for a loose side braid, pinning my hair away from my face. 

The cool sea breeze kept me from sweating my face away, but I quickly understood why many Greek women decide to trot around town in little more than bikini tops and cut offs. 

The fruit in the places we have visited has been phenomenal. I found this gem of a fruit stand off the side of a cliff! It's casual. 

A must try in Santorini: local watermelon. It's uniquely delicious, with uncharacteristically large seeds for it's breed.

For dinner: omg. Omg. Best food ever. Almost. Maybe. Idk. But guys OMG it was so good. Recommended to us by our tour guide, we ate at a restaurant called Sunset. From our table not only did we have a breathtaking view of the upcoming finale show of the day's setting sun, but also very noticeable portraits of celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey with her arms around the restaurant's owner. The owner and a companion of his happened to be sitting down for their own dinner at the table just behind us. As we ate, a young, beautiful European couple was brought to them for some sort of introduction. As they exchanged (greek) words, I heard the young couple mention Istanbul (I assume they were answering the "where are you from?" question), and the owner's face lit up. These four strangers hit it off immediately. They spoke cheerfully for quite some time, until the young couple finally returned to their seats to enjoy their meal. This moment struck me. It was incredibly beautiful to watch two pairs of strangers collide into this sort of mutual enjoyment. What a beautiful entertainment to see human beings discovering what a small world it truly is. 

Later on in the day, I, too, experienced this sort of "small world" Europa myself. But I'll get to that later (:

BUT OK FOOD 

I am usually a vegetarian, but I can't pass down a fresh plate of sea food. At Sunset, I ordered down a bowl of traditional Greek salad and a large plate of steamed muscles in white wine sauce. Sooo good. And such a picturesque meal. 

The best muscles I've ever had!

Not pictured is the amazing spaghetti my mom ordered. Jayden, who "tried" half the bowl, says she will always remember it as the best spaghetti she has ever put in her mouth. I have never seen this girl be more enthusiastic over a meal. She says that she must return to have another bowl, so we have added Sunset in Santorini, Greece to our travel bucket list (which we might hopefully accomplish sometime next year).

Talk about fresh! These octopi greeted us on our way to our restaurant... 

After dinner we caught a glimpse at one of Santorini's famous sunsets. There is not much I can say here than that these photos don't justice to the moment. Watching nature's nightly performance was spiritually uplifting. In Santorini, you will feel at peace just by watching something as normal as the sun setting for the evening. 

This lady was so enlightened by the sunset, she enthusiastically screamed her joy in Japanese, smile wide in her face.

She ended each chant with an English song of "I LOVE YOU!" And moved into a ballet-esque pose with her hands above her head. Despite the laughs she received, she repeated this multiple times. Tourists, amiright?

We ended our evening not long after sunset. As we were walking back to the port, we ran across a peculiar little pedicure spa with tanks of flesh eating fish (!!), so it was obviously something that Jayden and I wanted to try. We go in. For 10€ for 15 minutes each, we get a full-foot exfoliation treatment by little fishies. At first it was terrifying, but after the initial 30 seconds of shock, the sensation felt like minuscule vibrations, and eventually, I even felt relaxed. For a moment, I even considered plunging in for a full body treatment (which they offer). Will someone open one of these spas back home?

Anyway, while we were in here two girls that almost eerily resemble Jayden and I, one blonde, one brunette, sit down for their first treatment, too. They put their feet in, completely unfazed by the monsters eating their skin. We start talking to these brave girls, and upon realizing their obviously American accents, we ask them where they're from. "Oh, we're students at the University of Oklahoma," one of them says. "We're sisters, and we're traveling abroad." 

It was such a small moment, but it felt great to meet someone from home, so far away from where home really is. 

There is just something about Santorini that makes you simultaneously feel so away from the world, yet powerfully connected to your roots. 

I love you, Santorini. 

Good Morning from Ephesus

 Yesterday, my family and I had the privilege to experience something unlike anything else. We visited the ancient city ruins of Ephesus. We walked the same steps of revolutionary Christians, like that of the Apostle Paul.

Immediately upon arrival, we were all taken away. The ruins were in incredible condition. I could so easily imagine myself in this ancient metropolis that I was lost by taking in the view.

The goddess Nike poses for ancient Ephesians.

Christians in ancient Ephesus were harshly persecuted. This became ever more evident to me as I could not walk five steps without passing a sculpture of a Pagan god. Paganism was so prominent in the town that Christians were subjected to live in hiding for the majority of their lives. 

 

This sacrifice that early followers of Christ made for their faith calls for my own self reflection--how much do I sacrifice for my faith? Paul, after being stoned nearly to death was sent away for his own protection. Despite all this, he still wanted to return to the city. That would scare me to death! What a minority these people were, and how persecuted they were just for their religious beliefs. 

Even the library features breathtaking sculpture and detail.

A view from below

Though not their spoken language, the Ephesians wrote with the Greek alphabet.

The library

Overall, the trip was fascinating, and extremely educational. I have never felt more connected to my faith! For more information on the history Ephesus, I refer you to this website.  

Returning home, all smiles (:

Istanbul Day One

Day one in Istanbul was absolutely fabulous. Turkey is a country with about 90% identifying as muslim. With plans to visit a few of the ancient city's religious sites, I dressed modestly in a long, black maxi from Anthropology. Around my purse, I carried a scarf, which was required in some sites we visited. 

I don't remember everything I learned in Istanbul, but I will always remember the people we met, and the overall feeling of the city. Istanbul is such a beautiful mix of Middle Eastern tradition combined with European ideals. It is the best of both worlds. 

I am here, Istanbul

My family and I arrived to Istanbul around 5 o'clock in the afternoon yesterday. We were immediately greeted by our kind driver Sayit, and several boisterous outdoor speakers calling us to evening prayer. As we loaded our luggage into the back of Sayit's van, I had a brief premonition of becoming the next inspiration for Taken 3, but it all ended up just fine, as we arrived safe and sound at The Ritz Carlton Istanbul only 40 minutes later.
Dirty and nauseously jet-lagged, the family decided dinner was a good idea. We ate at a restaurant here in the hotel. In typical Ritz fashion, it was a fabulous meal, in fact the most fabulous meal I had enjoyed in quite sometime. I happily spent my first evening in Istanbul chowing down on fresh bread, dipped in coarse salt and extra virgin olive oil, a fresh mixed green salad, an array of traditional Turkish hummuses, and curried vegetables and rice. A girl can only take so many smoothies, after some time, you must delight yourself to the real foodie pleasures in life.
Regressing to bed was more challenging than I had imagined. Jet lag is very real. I fell asleep around 11 PM here ( 3 PM central time), and woke up about 2 AM (6 PM CT). After an hour of unproductive tossing and turning in my bed, which I must say was extremely comfortable, I decided I might as well wake up for good. So, I reached for my Nikes and headed to the gym at 3 in the morning. I am already breaking new grounds here in Istanbul. I think that just shows how monumental this trip is preparing to be.
Now, it is 8:30 in the morning, and I am still the only one awake from my party. Single, I am drinking coffee and munching on a croissant and fruit awaiting the day's promising beginning. Though alone, I find myself relaxed and at ease. It is trips like these that remind me of the beauty found in simpler things. Like admiring a view from breakfast, though it is of mostly construction of a football stadium, there behind it a mosque with gold pointed pillars peeks at me. I am in love with this slow easiness and am inspired to find this feeling again come tomorrow morning, 8:30.

Packing... A Necessary Evil

Well, I'm off to dinner. I'm going to this hip new place called "Turkey & Greece". I guess it's a play on words..? I'm just worried the long commute won't be worth it. This better be some good dinner... 

Jokes, jokes... 

In all seriousness, though, the time has come to leave this country and vacation abroad. As excited as I am, I also harbor extreme anxiety. Why? Because with traveling comes PACKING. 

I hate packing. So much. I've been on a million trips but have never seemed to master the skill. 

Until now. 

With the help of the Internet and lots of caffeine, I will conquer my packing faux paux once and for all. 

Things I consider when I begin to pack:

-will I have enough clothes?

-will I be fashionable enough?

-what if eat too many macaroons while I'm there and these skinny jeans stop fitting?

-should I bring my fat jeans instead?

-agh but my fat jeans aren't designer and aren't near as cute! 

-I'll just bring both.

-will I work out while I'm there? 

-if so, how often? 

-will there be laundry services? 

-but, honestly, will you even utilize laundry services? 

-I'll just bring an outfit for everyday just in case

-will I paint my nails?

-how many colors will I need?

-how many pairs of shoes should I bring? 

-should I bring the shoes that I never wear incase I might wear them there??

-should I bring my ball gown? 

-you never know. 

-how much makeup should I bring? 

-what if my tan fades? 

-I'll bring two shades of foundation just in case. 

These questions plague every worried, indecisive, fashion-conscious traveler. Worry no more, for the blonde smoothie is to the rescue. Here is my intructional guide for packing for the perfect summer vacation. And there are pictures.

Luggage

Purchase a sturdy yet light weight piece of luggage. Make sure it's large enough to carry two weeks worth of clothes, but weighing as little as possible. This is because most airlines have set a strict 50 pound limit for each piece of luggage from their passengers. Keep this weight limit in mind so we can eliminate unnessary clothing items as we go through the process. 

LBDs and more

NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING, beats an easy, breezy (covergirl) summer dress in the middle of hot July temperatures. Pack these like you are in a competition to be in the new wave of flower children, with every intention of winning. Dresses don't have to be hippie attire, though. The right one is chic, simple and completes an outfit almost instantly. Prints = less accessories. Black/neutrals = in need of eye catching details. Think delicate, layered jewelry. It will transform an everyday LBD into something eye catching and unique. Add your own style to everything you do. 

Pictured above is a floral print dress purchased from Antropology, a blue rhomper by Josie, a white cotton dress purchased at On a Whim Tulsa, and a black loose fitting maxi purchased from Anthropology. 

Neutrals 

Focus on neutrals as much as possible. For me, this means black. I love black. Black is the best color in the world. But for others, this might mean cream, white, tan, gray, or any of those other boring colors you can think of. Neutrals mix with everything and can easily be worn with other items. 

Bottoms

I'm bringing four pairs of shorts and several skirts. I didn't count. But there's a lot. I read that printed shorts aren't very trendy overseas, so I only brought one pair. Two pair of cutoffs for casual pool days, and two rolled trouser style pairs. 

Statement Pieces

Bring them. Without them, your wardrobe is boring. But beware of bringing the unworn items you have hiding in the back of your closet. If you don't wear them at home, chances are you won't wear them abroad. Even though this pieces are funky and eye catching, you want to feel as comfortable and confident in them as possible. You're already in a foreign country, so why make matters worse by bringing items you feel funny wearing?

But if you do wear them normally, bring them. Just do.

Footwear 

What I have below is a horrible quality iPhone picture of the shoes I am bringing on this cruise. You will notice that all but one pair are practical. And even my unpractical heals (which are five inches btw) are wedges and have ankle straps. Sandals and sneakers are what I will be wearing during the day, as they're the most comfortable to your around in. I'll naturally break out the heals at night. As much as I love stilettos, walking around the hills of Santorini is not the time to show off my latest pair of Choo's.

Swimsuits

I'm bringing two bikini swimsuits that are mix and match. This way it's like I'm actually bring four swimsuits! Just another way to stretch your outfits while still packing less. 

Pictured above are two bikinis by Victoria's Secret. 

Makeup

This is the hardest part for me. I have so much makeup. I took a picture of my makeup counter to give you am idea of all I have to chose from. 

It's chaos. But I managed to pick through it and choose only my vacation essentials. 

This Smashbox toner gives you a summer glow without trying. Wear it with or without foundation. I can't live without it. 

Chanel Vitalumiêre Aqua with SPF 15

Chanel face finishing powder 

Bobbi Brown bronzing pallet. Doubles as eyeshadow. Gives an instant, tan glow. 

I honestly don't know what brand this is. It's some Italian brand I purchased in a Duty Free shop on my way to Africa last year. Moral of the story is it also gives a really nice finishing glow to your face, shoulders, legs and whatever else needs it. 

Naked brand eyeshadow pallet 

Bobbi Brown blush and Bare Minerals blush brush

YouNique waterproof mascara. On a hot summer day, sweat is inevitable. For that reason, I'm opting for waterproof mascara and this brand is great! Shout out to my friend Christina for giving me this awesome beauty gem!

And last but not least- Brushes, eyeliner, concealer, tweezers, etc. 

Jewelry and Accessories

There's no need to bring your whole collection, but do bring a few statement pieces that will help dress up your outfits. Details are what makes you unique!

Somehow I made everything fit ??

I'm not sure how I did it. Maybe it was rolling my clothes instead of normal folding. (Rolling clothes, btw, not only saves space, but reduces wrinkles.) but, I made everything for into my bag. Now all that is left is to wake up tomorrow morning and NOT have that feeling that I'm missing something really obvious and important. I'll hope for the best. Safe travels everyone! 

What are your traveling/packing methods? Comment below!