A phone camera photo diary: Moab, Utah

Just two weeks ago I was privileged to go to the land of Moab, Utah. I was out in the desert for a total of five days. Moab is an attraction for people who maybe climbers, mountain bikers and/or even tourists. There are amazing rock formations that offer routes for climbers, slick rock for the daring mountain bikers and Arches National Park for those wanting to see one of the amazing sights that America has to offer. With in this dry, arid and hot deserted land of rock, sand and shrubs lies amazing adventures waiting to be discovered.

Excerpts from my former blog site: Insights into the sojourner mind, when it all started.

Excerpts from my former blog site: Insights into the sojourner mind, when it all started.

Note to self*

I am always moving; from one adventure to the next, from one high to another. It is only at these places of transitions that I feel the low. My mind has been so busy keeping up with all the excitement, all the sights, all the people; that I forget where my heart is. It‘s at these times that I ask, where is home? Who am I? Today I woke up in a bed not my own, tonight I shall sleep on another one. Where is home? Where is stability?

"Clearly I am a passerby but I’ll find a place to stay
Dear Pacific Day won’t you take me away"-Owl City

My life is a journey; I am a sojourner and time is my highway.The memories of my past: all my adventures, people I’ve met, things I’ve experienced - them make me joyful yet nostalgic. …I realize that I cannot have those first times ever again. Time eventually brought change. I look back but do not stay there. I’m ready to see what is ahead. My heart searches for something. I can’t quite put my finger on it but yet I know exactly what it is.I have filled out some pages in my book already, but I’ve turned the page and a new blank page awaits to be filled.
My life is a journey; I am a sojourner and time is my highway…

It’s the little things, the “first times” that make the experience and brings about the memories to enjoy for later in life.

Feeling alive all over again,
As deep as the sky, under my skin
Like being in love, she says
For the first time- "First Time" Lifehouse

I’m a new soul - I came to this strange world;

Hoping I could learn a bit bout how to give and take.
But since I came here, Felt the joy and the fear;

Finding myself making every possible mistake

la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la…

“New Soul” -Yael Naim

Summer's begun

Despite the fact that schoolwork ended for me two weeks ago, it feels like summer has only just begun. The past two weeks have kept me on my toes busy with packing, moving, graduation, weddings, friends and family. It wasn't untill this morning when I went for a run in the woods that I realized that - Summer was upon me.
Let me fill you in on what has happened in the past two weeks:
My parents came and visited. It was my mom's first time to come to the United States, my father's last visit was five years ago.

We took them to see the wonderful sights of our midwest area, (mainly and only) Chicago.

And of course, good ol' Bethel College had to be the main attraction.


My brother graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. I am very proud of him; his hard work has paid off!

My brother also got married the week after his graduation. This wedding also served as a reunion for family and friends from our side of the family.
My brother's groomsmen consisted of his dormmates from highschool, his visitors came from the local city of South Bend, to as far as Perth, Australia. With all these people comming in, there were airport pickups, hotel stays, and guest entertainment to be planned and done. I played the part of host, bridesmaid, sister, and daughter as I attended to the different parties present. On top of this, I was also the college kid moving out of her dorm and packing everything into storage for the summer. Nevertheless, the wedding went according to plan and was overall - PERFECT. The bride and groom were happily married and the guests, well satisfied with their visits, returned safely home.

As for me....I stuck around to clean up the house, bade my parents farewell in Chicago, and helped the newlyweds pack their things for their new apartment. I then took the bare essentials I needed to spend the rest of the week at a friend's house where I had one plan in mind: sleep, eat and recouperate.




So this brings me to today, I woke up to the sight of my friend making these beautiful cupcakes that deemed 'Pinterest' worthy.

I went for a run which took me to the woods located behind the house. I was met with both solitude and excitment, Nature has a way of doing that. I find that my time in the woods has only heightened the anticipation of all that awaits me this summer.

One of the creatures I ran into out in the woods: a water snake! don't ask me what kind it was. It made me run faster, back home. 

My dream

I always thought that I wanted to change the world, but in all honesty, I desire to experience the world. After all, “you must know your world in order to reach your world”- as my high school social studies teacher once said. I don’t want to just know a section of the world. I want to know the global aspect. 
Within this one world exist many other worlds in the form of cultures, societies and geographies. I understand that you can settle into one community and have that become your world. But once you have a taste of another world, you cannot help but wonder about what else is out there. Something magical accompanies the thoughts of traveling to far off distant places, and experiencing the adventures that may come. It is my dream to travel the world, to experience the freedom of a wanderer, to experience life as a sojourner. 

(picture not mine)