Travels with Wenjing

Need a Drink

2011-10-29T21:50:00.002-05:00

Self Portrait in Vallromanes

2011-07-27T14:57:00.003-05:00

I've abandoned photography for a while. My camera collected dust, and it made me sad. I'm leaving on a trip in two days. I hope to be more productive.

Lord Wenjingdemort

2011-07-18T07:49:00.001-05:00

Spanish food has been quite tasty

2011-07-17T17:13:00.000-05:00

bueno

2011-07-08T10:34:00.002-05:00

Hace mucho calor.

Fui a Francia hace dos semanas.

No voy a ir a universidad este año.

He perdido mi "memory card reader."

Tengo tres semana mas con los niños.

No tengo idee que voy a hacer este otoño.

Estoy cansada siempre.

Ya esta para ahora.

Spanish Roadtrip, American Style

2011-05-30T09:07:00.003-05:00

I just got back from a ten-day roadtrip encircling most of Spain. Right before, I got pretty stressed about possibly getting chickenpox, and it was my birthday on top, among other issues of constant worry, so this turned out to be one of those trips where photography took a backseat and I needed it more for my sanity than anything. We headed north from Barcelona, visiting the Dali museum, through Andorra, passing southern France to hit the Atlantic, across and over to the western most of Spain, dipped down into Portugal, hopped by Madrid and Valencia then back home.

San Sebastien.

Quite possibly my favorite photo from the whole trip.

La Coruna

Salamanca.

It was so beautiful it didn't even matter that we didn't know where we were going half the time.

Sunset at the end of the world. Finisterre, Spain.

La Mola

2011-05-11T08:49:00.002-05:00

Chris came to visit for a week. We went hiking.

It's been three months.

2011-05-07T16:39:00.003-05:00

This happened today,

Something about squats and artists/performers who live in them. Everyone was in circus costume. There was a brief sit-in in the middle of a major intersection.

Then we moved to the plaza and they had a show for everyone!

Less Serious Photos, More Fun!

2011-04-26T02:23:00.004-05:00

I went a little nuts with the cropping.

Graffiti nation, no joke.

Roquetas beach.

Alhambra from Albaycin.

Somewhere in Andalucia, apparently where many spaghetti westerns were filmed.

Semana Santa Spanish Style - Granada

2011-04-25T05:00:00.007-05:00

I was warned of the similarities, yet it still took conscious effort to not recoil in absolute terror and race back to the house and demand to be taken back to barcelona. So another thing that racism stole from religion. But instead of just a cryptic symbol of bent lines, this seems to be equally disturbing even in a religious setting. Without any contextual background, it's still not a crowd I'd want to party with or even want to be within the vicinity of. Maybe that's the point, I guess. Another religious matter that flies high above my level of understanding, color me humbled(that can't be the right word...).

Can Masdeu

2011-04-07T12:00:00.003-05:00

Today I went to visit one of the more famous squats here in Barcelona, Can Masdeu. Squat culture here is considerably larger than that of US. People live in old abandoned buildings without paying rent or being the official owners. Can Masdeu is in the countryside just north of BCN. After a ten-minute walk up the hill with a view of the flourishing valley, you'll find the old mansion located in the middle of some beautiful mountains...

oh and it was abandoned for 53 years because it used to be a leper hospital.

I live near the woods

2011-04-04T08:46:00.004-05:00

I took the little one on a picnic last week. Sant Cugat is on the edge of the woods, and a ten minute walk from my house will take you to this tree.

Pi d'en Xandri is the name of the tree. Quite the landmark of Sant Cugat. It was struck by lightning a few years ago so now the sticks keep it standing.

Beach near Tarragona

2011-04-02T13:00:00.003-05:00

Unlike the ocean, seas don't have tides. No stepping over piles of dry seaweed here!

I went to France for a weekend and this was all I got

2011-03-29T11:49:00.003-05:00

...because I was too busy relaxin'.

No post-saturation at all. Totally French.

So I met some people who live on a boat...

2011-03-21T04:30:00.003-05:00

and they have friends who play experimental jazz.

Dinner!

2011-03-19T17:20:00.002-05:00

Sometimes I have Opinions

2011-03-18T09:50:00.001-05:00

I've never been one to follow the news, even having studied journalism. So when I was told about the channel here that shows news in English everyday, I wasn't especially thrilled. Internet news I'd do sometime, but TV + news was just about the opposite of what I did back home. Then somewhere between having an abundance of time and not much to do, I turned on the television and ate my breakfast like a proper American.

They show dead people on TV here. Did you know that? In all my years in the states, I don't recall ever seeing a body on TV, much less a whole room of corpses. I was beside myself, as this was definitely breaking the journalistic standards I was taught. I didn't pay much attention in school, but I learned at least this much. Did they just show a man bleeding to death in the street? Perhaps a slip-up of the cameraman. Given the current conditions of the world, there was not a shortage of these footages to prove that it wasn't. Reporters were front line alongside the rebels in Libya, recording the battle while being shot at. 5,000 are dead in Japan, and you see a room full of unidentified bodies. Maybe this is a bit gruesome, and by some standards perhaps unnecessary. We don't need to see draped stretchers to know there are dead bodies under the rubbles. We know.

I've come to think this way being accustomed to the sanitized news of U.S. We've become so advanced that we can afford to live in a separate reality. We'll eat chicken breasts but we don't want to even see the rest of the chicken(topic for another day). Tell us the number of casualties, but don't you dare show us a body. We know the world in theory, but in reality we're getting further away with every wall that's put up to soften the truth. Anyone will acknowledge that humans are not numbers, but what does that really mean? It's easy to say that five were killed in a clash with the army, but attach faces to these five and the pictures change. The numbers are suddenly real human beings with lives like yours and mine. Vietnam was the first televised war in the States, and the country erupted in one of the largest protest movements in history. It's not that we don't know what it means to die, but sometimes it takes more than a number for it to really register. How much respect are we really showing the dead if all that they've become are forgotten digits?

It's not that I'm eager to see more deaths on TV, but perhaps a bit less censoring will do us all some good. Not only have we been isolated from some basic realities of life, but the rest of the world barely exists for Americans. For a country of such high economic status, our international knowledge is abysmal. I was never avoiding the news. I was only avoiding the self-absorbed crap that America thrives on. I can only hope that one day the country will stop reporting on every burglary in the neighborhood and start paying more attention to the world outside our white picket fence.

Out My Window

2011-03-15T04:45:00.003-05:00

It's raining all week, like the sky is crying for all the people dying. I've been thinking of this song.

Parc Güell

2011-03-14T04:24:00.005-05:00

I have to be honest and say that the last one was actually taken by my friend Alfie. I think it's actually the only photo in this entire blog that wasn't mine. (I'll tell him you liked it Claire).

Found One More

2011-03-11T11:10:00.001-06:00

My Town - Sant Cugat del Valles

2011-03-10T08:39:00.002-06:00

So for the past few weeks, I've been seeing silverfish around the house. The strange thing is that it's always been just one, and frozen in motion, too. I open the bathroom door, there's one resting on the floor. I go take my jacket, there's one by the hook. I go to the basement, there's one on the stairs. The very same one, perhaps? It's starting to remind me of that gnome that turns out to be in the background of all your photos. You know the one.

Beaches and Sitges

2011-03-08T12:43:00.003-06:00

My dearest Canon - I cannot believe I left you for three weeks. Oh how I missed you and the way you make me feel like I am whole. You are capable of producing so much color that flickr can't even handle it(and thus flattens them below). I will never leave you again.

It was CarniVAL week(aka Mardi Gras in the States)! I went with some friends to a parade in the nearby town Sitges(gay central of Spain apparently). We got there during the kids parade in the afternoon, then had a picnic on the beach joining the hundreds of other adults all waiting for the sun to go down(and the real party to start). Somewhere between drinking and personally not liking taking photos in big crowds with loads going on(detrimental to my journalistic career, I know)(probably the latter), these are all I got. I mean, sometimes it's just like, I just wanna chill.

Monday was holiday. I spent all afternoon on the beach. Oh Barcelona, I'm falling for you.

Walk in the Mountain

2011-03-05T09:51:00.004-06:00

Photo quality has been sub-par(especially here, not sure what happened). I know. Still trying to figure out the new Lumix. Will stop being lazy soon and start use my real camera.

On a different note, Television > God

Colonia Güell - Santa Coloma de Cervelló

2011-02-27T14:41:00.004-06:00

Another mini-excursion to a nearby village.

Colonia Güell is a small colony built around a textile factory in the late 19th century. Eusebi Güell, the businessman who initiated the project, commissioned Antoni Gaudi to design and build parts of the colony, the most famous piece being the Crypt(which was sadly closed). This will probably be revisited on a day when its open. A few quick photos for now...

This photo feels awkward to me. I liked it a lot, so I framed it.

A small abandoned castle nearby, a.k.a. local youth playground.

I went to bed at 4 in the morning on quite a grungy couch last night. Too tired to write anything more descriptive than a wikipedia replica. Sleep now.

Wealth Gap...in yo face!

2011-02-22T09:06:00.002-06:00

It's been Two Weeks

2011-02-20T12:37:00.006-06:00

Today I went swimming at the local pool with a new friend Cristina. I never swim, but I try to say yes to all and any invites these days. Swimming caps are compulsary! But the self-consciousness fades fast once you see that everyone else looks like alien eggheads too.

Kids whine a lot.

Extended family birthday lunch at the mountain house. Hablenespanolmuyrapidoaqui! Pero esta muy bien para mis oregas ingles. I had my first full(broken) conversation in Spanish with someone I don't know! Yo aprendo! Tomorrow I have a meeting again with Ani's friend whom I'm doing language exchange with. Then one more week and I think I can start lessons in Barcelona(unless I puke on the train and decide my body will never adjust and will always get sick after riding).

Spanish is hard. No. Let me re-phrase that. Learning a new language is hard.

This week I had a dream that I flew back to the states after two months in Europe. I was so happy to see everyone, but immediately after it hit me what I had done and I thought shit, why the fuck did I just come back?
Then I woke up and realized I was still here. And was happy.

Arenys de Mar

2011-02-14T13:24:00.004-06:00

Day trip to the beach!

I guess this could look disgusting if you don't like seafood.

Calçotada

2011-02-09T13:31:00.007-06:00

I must be progressing. During my 18 hour trip, flight and layovers included, I had my first ever full conversation with an airplane neighbor. And it turns out she likes to travel too! And is from France! And now lives in Miami! And studied in Sweden! And is now trying to move to Brazil! And has a real job with Evian! So she just gets transferred worldwide while having a real job with a real salary and doesn't have to watch kids to survive!

... my time will come...

I'm not complaining though. My family has been really nice and welcoming(and they're not forcing me with a gun to write this either(and this neither)). After surviving through the "freeze" of Houston, which delayed my flight, I finally got to Barcelona and was immediately taken to a traditional Catalan picnic(in an effin mansion in the mountains!). I was offered a lot of beer, onions, and sausages. The weather was incredible.

Si!

2011-02-04T21:24:00.000-06:00

Yo tambien!

My photo got in the Times!

2010-11-28T18:42:00.002-06:00

CLICK

PART TWO

2010-09-30T14:51:00.003-05:00

I manage to catch some Z's on the bus, and arrive in the Monticello bus station to a farmer in dirty Carrhart overalls and sun bleached hair. He's about 40, stands almost 6 ft with a protruding belly, and speaks with a soft effeminate voice. When I walked up to him with my suitcase, expecting a warm welcome and a handshake, the man just stood there with his hands in his pocket, smiling and looking at me. I reach my hand out to shake his anyway to avoid more awkwardness. Ok, a little strange. But I did all my research before coming here and everything checked out. His reference even said that they were welcoming and made her feel at home. So I reserve my judgment till later.

We get in his car, and I smell the familiar scent of hay mixed with dirt mixed with body odor. Not my favorite, but at least he is the farmer he claimed to be. Loading my bags, I'm reminded of the summer I spent volunteering in France, hopping from one organic farm to the next. In light of this strange quiet man, I start to miss the people I stayed with. Working a few hours a day in the perfect July weather, we always ended the day with delicious food and wine. I remembered their kindness and the nights we spent sharing stories about each others' lives, but this is no time to reminisce.

It takes about 30 minutes to get to his farm, and the whole ride was equally uncomfortable. I made a few attempts at starting conversations and getting past the surface talks before just giving up. I can carry a conversation and even start one when needed, but this is just too much. Fine, let's just sit in silence.

On top of the uneasy introduction, I realize halfway there that I've lost any cellphone reception. Was I scared? Maybe a little. But mostly I can sense that the situation is more awkward than creepy, as is the man. Through bits and pieces, I learn that this farmer used to be a free-roaming traveler as well who spent years "bumming around" Europe, where he met his wife.

I used to hold travelers in the highest esteem. To my young impressionable self, the world was split between those who lived monotonously inside cubicles and those who lived exciting lives trekking the world. At age 13, I knew I wanted to be the latter. Of course with age I also learned about the others who lived fine lives outside of cubicles, who worked in restaurants, libraries, schools, and even farms. My childhood dream always followed me though. It wasn't until I went to Iceland, where I worked at a hostel and got to meet many travelers, that I realized my presumptions of travelers was far from the truth. Some people, I'd come to learn, see a world as a place to conquer, a checklist to complete. They travel to climb the tallest mountains, to dive in the deepest seas, to step on every continent… Maybe adolescent rebellion really got to me, but I was never interested in seeing all the landmarks. What appealed to me most about traveling was the experience of living somewhere else among the locals, sleeping when they do, eating what they eat, working among their people. I wanted to really experience the culture. That is why I went to a small village in Iceland for four months, and also why I came to work on a farm in upstate NY. Neither of these are your typical vacation plans, but that's the point! I wanted something different, something I couldn't learn from a book and have someone tell me how to feel about it before I was even there, something refreshing from my robotically comfortable city life routine.

PART ONE

2010-09-03T11:07:00.001-05:00

I land in JFK. It feels cold because the pilot's been blasting AC into the cabin since we took off this morning. Once again I failed to make conversation with the people sitting next to me. I've probably watched too many movies, but I often have high hopes going into airplanes or buses of meeting some incredibly interesting person sitting next to me and gaining a new perspective in life during the much too often unpleasant trip. This time was with a lady with a neon pink Ipod and celebrity magazines to my left, and an older man to my right with voice like Morgan Freeman. He perhaps could've shined some light of wisdom my way. And I'd be lying if I said it was because I didn't want the lady to give me the awkward "why aren't you talking to me" glare, because I sure as hell didn't think she'd have anything insightful to say. But I ended up not saying anything; I'm just too shy sometimes.

I pick up my small suitcase from the conveyor belt, and the first thing I do is take out my pocket knife from the front zipper and slip it into my pocket. It's not like I'd know how to handle one in a real situation anyway, but I like to do it anyway. It's the closest thing to a safety blanket or teddy bear when I'm out on my own. I just don't hold it to sleep.

The step-by-step instructions of how to get to Monticello is written in my notebook, but I have a pretty good memory so I'm not looking up and down from my hands to the signs like a tourist. I hate that. Last time I got lost in New York, I was so wary of seeming lost that I just kept walking really fast until I recognized something.

Monticello is about two hours north of New York City. I'm going to Monticello because a farmer is picking me up at that bus station and driving me to his farm for a two months internship. I graduated about a year ago and haven't been "on track" since. Last summer I took a 6-week trip to Europe. Came back in late August and finally had my post-graduation freakout/depression/reality check. It hit me that my whole life had been planned up to that point. Moving from China to the States, one school after another, this whole time I'd been under the illusion that naturally something would come up for me after graduation. And when it didn't, I didn't know what to do. I studied photojournalism, but after three years I wasn't even sure if I wanted to do that anymore. Lost somewhere between not wanting a career yet and unable to find a real job, I started working at Starbucks in October. Yeah, that really helped me find direction.

What started out as a brilliant year ended on a terrible note. I was barely making rent serving coffee to ambitious college kids, nowhere close to finding a real job, and to top it all off, my boyfriend split up with me. I wanted to leave town, to escape it all. And so I did. My impulse took me to Iceland in the coldest month of the year. But that story's for another time.

August is almost over now and I'm now in the massive underground web of the concrete jungle (Jay-Z reference, only appropriate). I take a train to the subway, and I'm supposed to take line E to Port Authority, which will give me a bus to Monticello. Except when I get on line E, I don't see Port Authority as a stop. Of course I should've known that it's at 42nd Street … yeah, never take directions from a New Yorker about New York. Luckily I looked up just before the train's doors closed and jumped out at the Port Authority sign.

The New York public transit system is really quite impressive. I must've traveled quite some miles from the airport to the bus station without ever having to be actually outside. I could've even made it to Monticello that way! Except I walked outside for a moment at the station. But I only made it to the stop light before I turned around. I decided that I'd rather go hide amongst the travelers inside than disappear in a crowd of bustling New Yorkers on 41st Street. Everything in this city reminds me of some ephemeral scene from a movie. Everyone I see is a stereotype of New York … the businessman dozing off in the subway, the young mother with jeans too tight, the homeless man eating fast food from the garbage … and everyone's got the same apathetic face. It's all been filmed and photographed to the teeth and again that I can no longer tell if it was sad and beautiful to begin with, or it just feels that way because my memory tells me so.

I used to love NYC. I was one of those kids who dreamed of making it in the big apple. Of course it'd be rough at first. Constantly broke and barely surviving the winters, but I'd make it through. I was going to be that tough girl artist who followed her dream and made it in the City. My major in college was perfect for it too. I knew a lot of photographers who went to New York and succeeded. But then somewhere along the way, I stopped wanting it. Perhaps I got scared of not making it, or perhaps I just didn't think it was worth the fight anymore. I started to crave the countryside instead, and that's why I'm headed straight out of the city to a farm up north.

Sometimes It Works, Sometimes It Doesn't

2010-08-29T23:00:00.005-05:00

Creativity doesn't really flow well in sweltering heat, which is what I'm in now, not the pictured cabin above, which I was in two days ago. A proper update will follow at some point about my misfortunes in Claryville, NY (hopefully including an epic road trip ending).

Port Aransas

2010-08-08T17:18:00.007-05:00

The farthest I've managed to go since I've gotten home was on this one night trip to Port Aransas/Corpus Christi. I didn't get in, but I did get to enjoy a fantastic view of the starry sky with minimal light pollution. My peaceful slumber was cut short by the heat of the sun and the construction noise nearby that found its way into my dreams. Oh to be on the road again, I shall be soon.

A New One

2010-06-23T16:07:00.000-05:00

Go Away I Need to Watch This Game

2010-06-12T04:26:00.001-05:00

I should put up a new sign at the hostel:

Guests can only check in during halftime.

Éttu Skít.

2010-06-07T13:24:00.002-05:00

Playing with farm kids...

Muahaha

2010-05-29T17:34:00.002-05:00

I'm running away from work for a week, or two, or something.

Wish I hadn't forgotten my towel, the most important piece in the world while traveling!

BOOM

2010-05-24T12:57:00.002-05:00

Today is the day I used a shotgun and fired a 50 gram.

Don't Walk Where the Ground is Steaming

2010-05-19T09:28:00.003-05:00

Because you might just fall into a reserve of boiling water!

Finally took a long weekend, spent the few days between Reykjavik and Hveragerði. It was nice to get out of the ash, and the weather was gorgeous.

Took about an hour to get to this spot where the hot stream meets the cold stream. Remember laying in the cold crisp water of the Austin Greenbelt, basking in the hot Texas summer sun? Now imagine the opposite! Don't let the photo fool you, the water was probably near 110F, and we definitely jumped out of the river into sweaters and jackets.

We crossed the mountain and followed the river on the way back. Next time I'll think twice before going hiking with a) people who have much longer legs or b) people who naturally walk ridiculously fast. I'll also think twice before stepping on stones to cross a river. Just because your two friends made it, doesn't mean you will!

I spent Monday (yea it was my BIRTHDAY you ungrateful forgetful fiends!) relaxing with grandma Magga in Hveragerði, helping her with her plants, eating too much, you know the usual. I think I also reached the first highlight point in all my hitchhiking when one of the drivers dropped me off right when the ash cloud started. I looked around and saw no cars either direction. Luckily the first car picked me up. Hitchhiking here is like crazy easy. It's going to be weird going back home where I can't use hitchhiking as a weekly reliable form of transportation.

Sneak peek of the next installment in Wenjing's travels:

2010-05-17T15:45:00.002-05:00

Without facebook, will I exist?

Enough with the Ash Cloud Photos already...I know

2010-05-12T15:59:00.003-05:00

But it's eating us alive!

Anyhow, always look on the bright side of life.
(Just watched Life of Brian again. Have I mentioned that I've had time to catch up on a lot of my pop culture holes?)

Second air tour; second time to almost hurl out of plane

2010-05-11T13:42:00.003-05:00

I wondered for minutes where the glacier had gone before realizing it was all under ash.

A lot more like the movies this time. I would've taken more pictures but I was too busy trying not to puke on myself.

I wrote Something and it got Published

2010-05-09T07:48:00.003-05:00

I wrote an opinion piece and the Reykjavik Grapevine published it in their May issue! It's no big deal, just an opinion piece, but I don't think I've ever written anything for publication. So still pretty sweet for me.

Check it: http://www.grapevine.is/Home/

It's only in print, not on web, so you have to read the PDF pages to see it. Towards the end of the issue, you'll find the piece called Iceland Knows How to Chill.

Summertime

2010-05-04T15:43:00.002-05:00

I felt warm for the second time today since arriving in Iceland. My inner balance was thrown off, similar to how I felt when I looked outside at 10:30pm and it was still bright.

Oh my fuck it's almost May.

2010-04-30T17:17:00.001-05:00

Moving chickens

2010-04-29T15:29:00.002-05:00

It's been nicely gross outside. You know the kind that makes you want to stay cooped up inside all day clean and warm or go find the wettest and grossest mud pit and wrestle with your best friend. I've been wanting to do both, mostly the latter though.

So much to do when there's nothing to do

2010-04-26T10:34:00.003-05:00

When volcanic ash has been a-blowin all week and we're stuck inside with nothing to do, we cut up sheep fat and make slátur! Sheep blood and fat pudding of some sort, mmm.

But then I got bored and went to Reykjavik. Five unplanned days in town turned out wonderfully. Yacht trip, vegan pizza and avatar, epic walk to light house, playing guitar with drunk celtic musicians at guinness pub, drinking with hannah, art museum, swimming, techno dance show!, skipping(a new term I learned to mean dumpster diving, European?), food not bombs, garden digging at the only legalized squat in Iceland, and then finally passing out during Life of Brian. I wish every unplanned day of my life turned out like this.

Some photos from the show Friday night. It's quite terrifying being in an aggressive dance pit when you're about everyone's elbow-height. I swear someone grabbed my neck to push in front of me. But no one spilled beer on my camera! I'm a lucky lucky girl.

Berndsen.

I think Bloodgroup was this band's name. They did a great cover of Heartbeats by the Knife.

And then it was the ULTRA MEGA TECHNOBANDID STEFAN. Ha, they were fun.

Got back to Vik last night, and it's been snowing all day. They say in Iceland that if the first day of summer is frozen together with winter(there's no spring here apparently), then it'll be a great summer. It doesn't look so promising right now though. Flights are still a mess in Europe, so the only person in the hostel now is a jolly old Scottish man who came by the ferry. And poor guy is stuck inside all day because it's been a-snowin and the wind's a-blowin. Not much work for me either, which is excellent for now because I've got loads of unfinished projects I need to work on.

I will now leave you with this.

Overnight

2010-04-18T12:36:00.003-05:00

Ashy, then sunny, then snowy. what?

That's also the mountain I climbed last week, all the way to the top!

Drove to hell and back

2010-04-17T10:20:00.005-05:00

Tagged along with a Reuters photographer who stayed at the hostel last night to the center of ash dispersion this morning. The journalist bit of me took over the shouldn't-be-breathing-in-volcanic-ash me.

When hot lava flow hits icy glacier, an explosion of lava rocks occurs, thus forming volcanic ash, which is just tiny particles of lava in the air. The glacier melts so fast that the region's temperature drops significantly.

Approaching the edge of deathcloud, at Skogarfoss.

On the other side of deathcloud. The drive was epic. It got colder and colder and darker and darker. Felt like we were driving into icy icy hell.

Even further into deathcloud. This was 11am. We parked for five minutes and our windshield was covered in lines of black ash.

Save us sunlight!

So don't tell my parents I went in, they're probably freaking out enough as it is. I wore my breathing mask the whole time, promise! But come on, I studied photojournalism, how could I have said no?!

Smells like ash has arrived

2010-04-16T15:28:00.001-05:00

Ashes to ashes

2010-04-16T08:49:00.003-05:00

Perhaps I've been a bit too bitter. I do apologize for any snarky comments. The principal subject of my discontent is completely unrelated to my work and company at the hostel, both of which I've thoroughly enjoyed for the past few weeks.

On a different note, ash is about to arrive. Not entirely sure what's going to happen, but my lady just picked up breathing masks and I just covered the kitchen counter with pots of water.

The sky and my hostel now.

Wenjing is

2010-04-14T16:23:00.000-05:00

furiously knitting.

mmmwwwwaaaarrrrrrr

2010-04-12T11:05:00.002-05:00

Dear Reykjavik downtown,
You can't impress me, I'm from Austin! Just because I stayed out til 5 doesn't mean it's soooo much crazier. Downtown is downtown is downtown.

Sincerely,
Wenjing who is not impressed

I've been knitting all day, can't really think straight right now. The baby sweater looks like it's made for an alien baby with a tiny head and spaghetti arms but an enormous belly. I hope my niece won't be able to fit into it. Next project: doll.

My lady took me to her uncle's farm Saturday night and we returned Sunday evening.

Little Addi playing like farm kids do.

My first encounter with a huldufolk rock. No one's allowed to climb it.

Then I went fishing for the first time. Terrible weather though, no fish.

I was just sitting there knitting my niece a sweater...

2010-04-09T07:27:00.005-05:00

...and I get a text message from Aesa and she says, oh if the last spot doesn't get taken, you can have it.

Free spot in the jeep tour to the volcano eruption in an hour? I guess I'll take it.

I love working in the tourism industry.

Time flies

2010-04-06T10:27:00.002-05:00

Easter Break just ended; the equivolent of Spring Break here. Jingwen came and stayed with me for a week. We went on a mini two day trip Friday and visited Skaftafell National Park and the Glacier Lagoon, along with two hitchhikers from South Hampton.

Been feeling kind of down today. Saw the Collateral Murder video early in the morning, Jingwen left, I feel overworked and sleep deprived, the latter being mostly my own fault. I can't seem to figure myself out these days. I think I'm feeling lonely, but when I'm with people I just want to leave.

Svid - Sheep Head

2010-04-03T18:33:00.002-05:00

First, boil sheep head. Second, torch the wool off. Third, grab top and bottom jaw bones and split open. Fourth, eat up!

Not weighted down no more

2010-03-30T10:52:00.004-05:00

I rode my bike to the golf course today and had a simple sandwich on a hill. The hill dips into the bottom of a cliff where streams flow down from the top like a mini-waterfall. Every few minutes there'd be a "splunk" from a fallen chunk of ice being melted by the stream. Hundreds of birds were singing and circling above me.

I've been listening to these adorable ladies I saw at a coffeehouse last week: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6a76XArRt8

Did I mention that my lady's grandpa flies a private airplane?

2010-03-27T13:36:00.004-05:00

This is what an active volcano looks like.

The top most house in the center of this picture is where my family lives, and the slightly bigger house next to it is the hostel I work in.

Ay ay ay

2010-03-26T10:11:00.002-05:00

Livin' the country life

2010-03-25T11:44:00.004-05:00

The storm finally ended yesterday and the sun even made an appearance.

Icelandic children attend one school until age 16, another until 20; then university after. My family's girls are 3 and 8. They go to the only school in Vik, which I found out last night only has between 60 to 70 students. Katla, the 8 year old, had a school play last night that I think the entire town went to. This isn't her in the photo, but she was a smurf as well in the play.

As usual, I was sitting in the back lost in Icelandic until I heard the familiar words blasting out the speakers, "oh, you touch my tra-la-a, yeah my ding ding dong..." and lo and behold, there were teenagers on stage dancing to good ole Gunther; girls dressed in "sexy teacher" outfit, and boys with half buttoned shirts and ties tied around their heads. I was still in shock when my lady told me that this was about what they thought happened during teachers' meetings. But that wasn't all. The curtains closed for a moment, then some Icelandic was said, then it opened again and the actual headmaster of the school, dressed in old jeans and spandex sleeveless shirt, also with tie around head, joined in the dance. Oh boy.

After the post-play-dessert-feast ended, my family drove up the hill we live by, and guess what we saw...

Eyjafjallajökull, our friendly little volcano next door. Katla, the bigger one that might get triggered any day now, is even closer. Shot with 24mm, not full frame. That's where I am.

Whale is a mammal is a mammal not a fish

2010-03-22T12:57:00.004-05:00

"MEDIUM RARE, MEDIUM RARE!!!"

Not planning ahead only works sometimes...

2010-03-20T14:30:00.003-05:00

Other times, you're stuck in town with most your friends working or gone. Luckily, Thor was here to house me again and take me to some shows. I finally got a new phone. Note to self for next time: plan ahead somewhat instead of keep inviting myself over to Thor's.

Went by Mosfell again to take a photo that's been on my mind all week. Turns out there's a street light in the way, so this was the best I could get.

Bless bless Mosfell!

2010-03-15T11:43:00.000-05:00

I left Mosfellsbaer Friday morning with my 50lbs. suitcase in hand and a vague plan in mind. Fortunately, I've made a nice friend who agreed to house me last minute, and even cook me a delicious vegan meal!

Woke up Saturday and was in the mood for more adventure; dragged on my suitcase and took the bus to Selfoss. Met up with friends and couch surfer and couch surfer's friends. Learned that small towns are like small towns everywhere, meaning: there's not much to do except get drunk. Sure why not. Unfortunately this is one of those times when I don't have any photos to show. Fortunately, I didn't have to worry about my camera getting punch spilt on all night.

Got to Vík by night time Sunday, and started work Monday morning. I don't know if I've mentioned already, but I finally left my crazy Icelandic host and found work down south at a hostel, which is where I am right now. Yesterday, I hiked up the nearby mountain with a German traveler from the hostel. It was embarrassing. He had hiked the Alps before, whereas I can't climb three flights of stairs without losing breath. Nevertheless, I made it!

And it was beautiful.

Vík, town of 300 inhabitants.
Fact: Right next to Vík is the Katla volcano which sits below the Mýrdalsjökull glacier. It is believed that a major eruption could cause a flash flood from the glacier which could wipe out the entire town of Vík. Katla is recorded to erupt every 40-60 years. The last recorded eruption was in 1918.

Yacht trip for two? Um...yes please!

2010-03-11T18:34:00.000-06:00

"Sundlaugin"

2010-03-10T16:33:00.000-06:00

means swimming pool in Icelandic. It's also the name of Sigur Ros' recording studio, which I finally visited today.

Turns out it's only a 10 minute walk away. Took me about an hour to find. The directions I got from various people involved "follow the river," "go around the school," "down the hill, then down another hill..." oh Icelanders.

The snow is finally starting to melt. It was a lovely day today.

How I feel most of the time

2010-03-09T13:32:00.000-06:00

Weekend trip to Vik

2010-03-08T06:36:00.000-06:00

Vik is on black sand beach. Yup yup.

Drinking with the traveling Austrailians and Koreans I met at the Nordur Vik hostel. I caught a ride with the Aussies back to Reykjavik on Sunday, and had our little adventure along the way.

Skogarfoss. The little black spot on the upper right is a person.

And then I was that person!

Ooooooo, the blue lagooooooon.

Then I popped their Taco Bell cherry. Yes, we have Taco Bell. I couldn't believe it either.

Icelandic horses - check!

2010-03-03T13:39:00.000-06:00

I got off work early today and decided to take a walk toward the mountains. I had the vague intentions of finding the Sigur Ros studio, horses, or just a path to the mountain. Well, I got one done!

Have I mentioned that Icelandic people are veeerry nice? Well, they are.

It's a love/hate relationship

2010-03-02T17:03:00.000-06:00

Snow finally stopped. Today was a drizzle kind of day.

I went to Reykjavik this morning to have coffee with a couch surfer at Cafe Babalu, possibly the cutest cafe I've been to. I think the decisive moment was when I walked to the back and saw the painting of two old men giving each other a kiss in front of a hobbit hole house.

I was having a great day until I had to walk the two kids home from daycare. Only a 5 minute walk, but had the teacher not come outside to help me, I would've had to forcibly carry home a screaming/crying/arms-swinging two year old while a four year old ran twenty feet ahead of me. The only thing that changed after her talk was the screaming/crying/arms-swinging part. My arm is still sore.
Spoiled is an understatement for the kids. Mental would be appropriate, though, for the father.

On the fifteenth day of the lunar new year

2010-02-28T13:36:00.000-06:00

After swimming, Jingwen and I decided to feast with what we had. Today's the fifteenth day of the lunar new year, which marks the end of the new year celebrations. Jingwen actually went and got the sweet glutinous rice balls, which is what's supposed to be eaten today. In addition to all the Chinese food we made, I also decided to fry up some Icelandic haggis(slátur) that I got at the market yesterday. Delicious!

Snjór

2010-02-27T16:13:00.000-06:00

We were planning to take a trip to a small harbor town today, the name of the town escapes me, as do most Icelandic, but miscalculated the bus by two hours. So instead, Emely, Jingwen and I went exploring downtown Reykjavik in the snow. They showed me some cool second hand shops and the flea market. I really still can't get myself to take my camera out in a crowd and take touristy photos, but I want it be known that I've tried Hakarl, also known as fermented shark, an Icelandic delicacy.
I will agree with Anthony Bourdain on this one. One of the worst things I've ever put in my mouth.

This storm isn't stopping and so won't the snow photos.

The reflections are from the bus window.

The unemployed, depressed, likes-to-sit-and-stare-into-space Polish man in my living room is...laughing? Drinking wine from the bottle and laughing at a movie by himself, oh boy.

It won't stop snowing so I'm stuck in Mosfell

2010-02-26T12:27:00.000-06:00

That's Orri and Solny on the left. And that's the bucket of beads that ended up on the floor later.

I was rushing to the post office today so I forgot to bring my camera, but on my way back, I heard a noise behind me, turned around and saw a horse tied up outside the pizza shop. Yep, a girl rode her horse to get some pizza.

Taken from my window; first snow since I'd arrived

2010-02-25T08:20:00.000-06:00

I've also figured out how to keep the image quality!

The only downside of traveling alone is that when I space out and walk in the middle of the street, no one's there to pull me off.

2010-02-21T14:25:00.000-06:00

Mosfellsbaer is the name of the town; Jingwen is the name of the other aupair

2010-02-20T09:49:00.000-06:00

2010-02-20T09:35:00.001-06:00

icelandicelandiceland.blogspot.com

Arriving in Keflavik. 7:30am.

2010-02-19T17:46:00.000-06:00

I was happier here.

2010-01-16T16:36:00.005-06:00

I was here.

2009-12-08T19:24:00.002-06:00

I'm a Dumpster Diver

2009-05-13T12:06:00.004-05:00

I spent this semester working on this documentary on dumpster diving. It's the first time I've ever worked with film and final cut.

I forgot

2009-03-24T17:00:00.002-05:00

Female

2009-03-15T12:23:00.001-05:00

Human

2009-03-12T13:43:00.002-05:00

MOMA

2009-02-20T18:43:00.003-06:00

This is my vacation.

2009-01-05T23:24:00.002-06:00

I am in Montclair, New Jersey.

PHOTONYCPHOTONJPHOTOPHOTOPHOTO

vs.

ITSCOLDANDIMLAZYANDJUSTWANTTOWATCHTVWITHMYBESTFRIEND

New gear

2008-12-16T23:54:00.001-06:00

50D and 17-55F2.8 are on their way.

excited!!!

More of Sebastian

2008-12-14T21:05:00.000-06:00

Snap

2008-12-07T14:24:00.005-06:00

I went to shoot the 360 bridge for Orange Magazine and I snapped this while I was there. (I can't figure out how to get my photos to not look gray on here!)

And of course, the bridge.

Old Man Harry from the AP...

2008-12-03T16:15:00.003-06:00

made us all look silly with little plastic squares.

Brothers

2008-12-02T23:06:00.002-06:00

I'm really annoyed that a lot of the portraits I took for them were not in focus, and I feel really bad and almost want to reschedule a shoot with them. I don't know what happened. I think it's just the lens and it can't focus well in dim light, but I thought it was a nice lens! gah!

Birds

2008-12-01T22:18:00.003-06:00

I remember trying to get this photo years ago in my first photo class in high school, but I didn't understand underexposing at all so everything just turned out gray. I saw this the other day while in my car, and had to pause and take it.

My First BarMitzvah

2008-11-28T11:06:00.005-06:00

This was definitely a learning experience. And if I could do it again, I would change so many things.

Also, I'm backing out of the 5d and going with the 40d instead. I think it just makes more sense for me. Especially after shooting this event, I realized how useful a Live View feature could be for someone short like me. And the chances of me shooting sports is a bit greater than that of nature. Although both are very slim. I think I just mostly wanted a 5d because that seemed to be what most professional photographers I know shoots with, but after looking into it more, the 40d makes a lot more sense.

And now I can buy nicer lenses too!

Words can express too!

2008-11-25T18:44:00.002-06:00

I don't think I ever learned to take criticisms and rejections well and not personally. I know everyone talks about it, but it's still hard to sink in. I know I want to be one of those people who become experienced and wise and says, oh I heard so many no's before I heard one yes, but it's a lot more difficult than it sounds.

Poultry Farmer

2008-11-23T19:13:00.004-06:00

One of the perks, or rather needs, of being a photojournalist is being able to spend weeks shooting a guy who kills chickens, ducks, rabbits, pheasants, pigeons, geese, and wild hogs, while continuing to be a pescatarian.

Personal photography

2008-11-21T12:30:00.005-06:00

I recently rescued a beta fish that had been abandoned for three months in a back bathroom. Most the water in the tank had evaporated and left only scum for the poor fish to feed on. It miraculously survived the period. Now it can finally live a normal fish's life: to be taunted by neighboring cats.

No more 5d

2008-11-18T20:53:00.002-06:00

I emailed the guy, Julio, this morning about how I wanted to meet at Precision and get it cleaned before I buy it. He doesn't reply. So I just emailed him again and said that I lost his number and that he needs to call em. He replies and says, "I'm sorry I already sold it."

Words cannot describe how pissed off I am right now. And telling him that he's an asshole and hoping something real terrible upon him didn't make it any better. If only you can drop kick someone through the internet...

Well, I'm in the market again for a 5d. Anyone? Suggestions?

5D

2008-11-17T20:39:00.002-06:00

Caleb came with me to check out a Canon 5d that I might be buying from a guy on Craigslist. This picture was taken with the camera. Everything seemed fine except as you can tell, the sensor is kind of dirty. There's a little black spot towards the upper right hand corner that's really bothering me. I'm hoping it's just dust, not a scratch. The deal is almost too good to be true, and it's still sketching me out a little. But I'm hoping in a few years I'll be thinking of what a good deal I got and not how I lost $1500.

NASCO

2008-11-11T22:06:00.003-06:00

stands for North American Students of Cooperative Organization. 55 co-opers from Austin rented a bus and drove 25 hours to Ann Arbor, Michigan for their annual three-day workshop. Of course half the people from my house went only to party. I cannot express my frustrations toward them enough. I also cannot express my frustrations enough on the fact that my last point-and-shoot camera was robbed with my friend's backpack. This resulted in me not carrying my camera around all weekend in Michigan because I was dumb enough to not bring my lighter camera.

I didn't take any pictures of Autumn in Michigan, or snow. *smacks self in the head*

And this is the only decent picture I have from the weekend.

Official TX Democrats Election Night Party at the Driskill Hotel

2008-11-05T12:32:00.006-06:00