Return to Nature!

Now don't get me wrong, I have always been a city girl. I love the tall buildings, the eclectic neighborhoods, the crazy people, and the fast paced nature of it all. I'm not a country girl, and I know I would never want to live in a small town.

That being said, I love being outdoors. Oregon spoils you a bit in this regard, you're never very far from the ocean, the mountains, or the forest. Living in Corvallis, if I ever wanted to go to the ocean to clear my head I would hop in my car and 45 minutes later I was there. If I wanted to hike there were spots in town and right outside that I could get to in half an hour. D.C. is a little different, mainly because I am car-less.

My confines these last few months have been limited to the reach of the D.C. metro station, so other than some urban forest exploring in Rock Creek Park I really haven't spent much time near anything other than concrete.

That's why I was so thankful when a friend suggested we head out of town about 2 hours south to Shenandoah National Park. The drive down was pretty, dotted with small Virginia towns, apple stands, and Civil War sign posts. While I will always believe there is no better place for summer than the PNW, I have to give fall to Virginia. The colors of the trees were gorgeous yellows, reds, and oranges made all the better by the clear skies and sunshine!

I didn't realize the effect that my limited access was having on me until I got out of town. Hiking through the trees, and up waterfalls put me at instant ease. It was a beautiful day, and am definitely thankful for the time spent out of town... and friends with cars!

Here's some pics of the adventure!

Finding Center; a long awaited return!

Hello again! I have decided that my blogging hiatus has lasted long enough and it's time to make my return.... with a blog revamp to boot!

It has been a long 4&1/2 month journey from the point in which I found out I would be moving to D.C. and now, and I have to admit the road has been a bit bumpy. I feel as though my life has been placed inside a snow globe, shaken and flipped for months on end as I bounced around inside waiting for the pieces to land.

Finally, finally though the disruptions have seemed to slow and my dizziness has subsided enough to allow me a moment on my feet. An attempt to record the last two months would be both exhausting and somewhat futile, so I will skip that and merely attempt to begin from where I am now; at my new internship, in my new apartment (which I move into in about a week and a half), with new experiences.

The last few months were not the easiest of times, in fact they were probably some of the hardest. Many many times I was on the verge of throwing in the towel and heading home, but something always pulled me back and told me I had to keep trying. The week before I moved out to D.C. my grandmother told me "It's not going to be easy, you're not going to be happy all the time, but you have to stick it out... you have to give it a chance." So a chance is what I will give.

 Moving across the country has proven to be about a million times harder than I expected it to be. Fortunately enough, I have wonderful friends and family who have supported me through the toughest of it. A simple thank you here does not begin to do justice for the support I have received from everyone, but it's a start.

 What I have realized is, that amidst all this change I had lost sight of who I was. I was unhappy and letting my circumstances dictate my outlook. This can only happen for so long though and, as always, the light at the end of the tunnel appears, giving you the chance to resume the work of discovering yourself.

So once again, I toast to new beginnings. I have adopted a new perspective on this town and on my adventure, and am anxious to see what the next few months will bring.