remembering the past...sept 11th

This was my 1st experience being in NYC on September 11th and it was a powerful one.

The day started off less than wonderful with a consistent rain that soon escalated to a full blown storm once me, nicole and angie left the house to begin our day of community service.

City Year decided that since September 11th was deemed that national service day it would be appropriate for this to be our first day of actual service.

My group met in long island city,queens and volunteered our time at a rehabilitation house for incarcerated women who have recently been let out of jail.

The vast majority of these women have given birth to children while in jail and need some extra support and stability to get back on their feet dealing with life behind the other side of the bars.

Our group painted the entire interior of a house where 10 families reside from a un charming violet to a plain non exciting off white.

Although i would have definitely choose a more exciting, charming color i can honestly say i am very proud of the work we did that day. At first i felt as if we were being somewhat invasive to these peoples home, i mean 19 young yippy adults in your attempting to re-renivate my kitchen would scary me a little too.

Some of the looks of the residents were of weariness, uneasiness as they passed on guard. But soon i think they began let go of some of the serious looks as they began to realize that we are there to try and help them

beautify their living spaces

My shoes, jeans, hair got dirty beyond belief but to reflect that this is someones house and lifestyle that we are helping and improving, made my

paint spots temporarily disappear into proud spots of honor.

i am glad i got to be apart of that service and am genuinely excited to see what city year dishes up in these next 10 months!

APARTMENT pictures are soon to come!! be on the look out :)

ALOHA & ONE LOVE

remembering her legacy 8 years on...

aaliyah harton was such a talented artist whos life was cut tragicly short. I will always remember bumpin her music as a young girl and jamin out with my dad on the nummerous car rides we took together, the destination being not as imporant as the time we were spending together. i miss you aaliyah you were definately more than a women,

RIP 8/25/01

Aaliyah Harton

LOS ANGELES---> NEW YORK!

this past week i can easily say (without a doubt) has probably been the defintion of change of lifestyle/pace/self.

i safely arrived in NYC on saturday morning with my new friend/roommate Jen by my side.

We safely conqured the journey on how to get from JFK -->the upper west side with 3 HUGE suitcases, 1 duffel bag and 2 weekend bags.

let me say we were a sight in itself!! The mixture of sweat, humitidy, fatigue were factors that made me want to give up and just take a rest in those "oh so comfortable" airport seats but the combonation of excitment, adventure, and a comfy bed overcame that urge to rest.

I HIGHLY recommend Hostelling International for anyone who is staying in New York for a couple days and wants to save a couple bucks. I became a member of the organization for only $30 dollars for a entire year and got not one but TWO coupons for a buy one night get one free!! also they offer travellers insurance, free phone cards and free tours of the city! whats more for a traveller to ask for>!

since we couldnt check in till 4pm, i decided to check in the 'extra baggage' and have my first morning out in the big apple! Mind you that this is directly after a 6 hour red eye flight with minimal sleep and more importantly no shower. Its safe to say that no guys were gonna

holla at this time :)

We decided to do the typical tourist sights and headed to time square. LIGHTS, PEOPLE, SUBWAYS, BUSY, BUSY, HUSTLE BUSSLE!! time square no matter what time of the day is full of action. very overwhelming. After we got our barrings we found two seats and just sat in silence to take in the fact that we are in fact living in this crazy city for the next 10 months.

&in the places you go, you'll see the places where your from.

GOOD NEWS TODAY!!

i am 85% sure that i have a place to call "home" once i arrive in NYC next week!

although its not exactly what i hoped for, beggers

have no right to be choosers. Me and two roommates will be living in a 1bedroom, 850 sq. foot apartment in rego park/forest hills, Queens, which according to wikipidea is a middle class area primarily jewish neighborhood in central queens.

i am so excited& relieved& ready to roll out!

once i get to New york i will try to update this blog regularly of my adventures in the big apple.

wish me luck!

return to balance.

"the feeling is to open the door and run into this beautiful world where everything seems to have a place. In my young mind, contemplating physically

doing this, the moment is so strong. I am mesmerized by believing that this place will take care of me, teach me to be free and happy...

Moving in our environments and our minds to create a world balanced by challenge,respect, and responsibility that freedom always demands."

My road trip to Yosemite a month a go left such a impression on my mind that i still think of it to this

day. Yosemite has such natural beauty it was almost overwhelming attempting to take it all in within a mere two days.My experience there was as if life stood still in the present time and just told me

"breathe ana, slow down and take it in". I was amazed at how calm and peaceful the Yosemite locals where admists the "nature hungry" tourists who engulf the valley on a daily basis. Everyone seemed as if they were content with life as it is and moving in a positive direction to inner peace. As soon as i

returned to Long Beach the sense of urgency, the rush of having to be anywhere but here returned. Living in a city is similar to living in a fish tank three times too small for the amount of fishes it contains. The fish feel the pressure and anxiety of their environment to always be on the go. On the go to somewhere better, bigger more extravagant but in reality they are swimming in circles.

This is how i feel sometimes living in LA, the urgency to always be on to bigger and better things except i lack the knowledge of where i am going. Learning to do nothing seems non productive, but it is only when we allow ourselves to slow down, stop and look & listen, that we begin to understand that were part of something that is way beyond us...

Road Trippin: PART 1

I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move. ~Robert Louis Stevenson

Recently came back from Yosemite-San Fran-Big SUR Road trip with my brother,Nicholas and two cousins, Raynel and Maya. Flew into San Franciscio and united for two days over clam chowder bowls, delicious cucumber,lemon and orange infused water at indian resturants,cable car adventures, interesting personalities on the public transit as well as creating lots and lots of memories with the four of us!

San Francisco definately is a place overflowing with charisma! From the small parts of the city that we got to see, its without a doubt that this city has a little something for everyone! Chinatown with the great bargins and knick knacks( picked up a imitation katana sword for $5!) fisherman wharf where the tourist hussle is in full swing, Haight-Ashbury st. seems as if it hasnt changed much from the 1960s and also little bits the little personality of Tenderloin or the TL where suprisingly our hotel was located!

All in all i would love to come back to San Fran and explore more, eat more, live more, and just get a taste of the SF lifestyle!