Mental Post-Its

Thoughts, Notes, and General Mental Mayhem

Category Archives: Travel


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I’m going to India! Would you be willing to help?

ThinkstockPhotos-470167860

Darjeeling, India

I’m so excited to be heading to India for the first time this July with two friends to learn and explore. My friend who is leading the team is the founder of an organization that assists at-risk girls in India to pursue their education through university level with “life scholarships,” which provide housing, tuition, clothing, medical care, life training, tutoring, service opportunities, stability and care while in school. The funding is mostly accomplished through her tea shop in Downtown Atlanta, which is how I met her.

Unfortunately, some women and girls in India are still persecuted for being female, especially in rural areas like Darjeeling. And for some of these girls in the program, good alternatives would be hard to find. They have already faced incomprehensible challenges in their young lives such as: families who couldn’t provide for them, being orphaned for being a girl, and the threat of being trafficked or forced into prostitution, among others. So, I’m excited to meet the scholars in this program who are excelling in their education, and have promising futures that might not otherwise be available to them. They will create a better India. In a country of 1.2 billion people, the education disparity between girls and boys, especially after age 14, is still far too high. Programs like this one are helping to fill the void. For more information on girls’ education in India, please see the “women’s education” section on this page.

Additionally, many of you are aware of my passion for abolishing modern-day slavery. According to the 2014 Global Slavery Index, India has more slaves than any other country in the world, around 14 million. Therefore, I am very interested to see the climate which fosters this reality, and hopefully meet other organizations who are on the front lines of fighting this atrocity in its various forms.

And, of course, there will be many bright spots in this trip. India is a unique and beautiful country with a long and interesting history. I’m really excited to see the culture and vibrancy of these remarkable people.

It’s going to be an incredible trip, and I’d love to have you partner with me.

Here are some of the things we’ll be doing:

  • Staying with the 11 scholars at their center and spending time with them, helping however we can and learning their individual stories.
  • Exploring the cities of Kolkata and Darjeeling, and possibly Mumbai.
  • Visiting the tea plantation in Darjeeling where my friend sources her tea.
  • Connecting with other local orgs that are fighting various forms human and labor trafficking.
  • Having a ton of fun along the way!

If any additional money is raised beyond my needs or goal, I plan to give it as a donation to this incredible organization. And if you’d like to make a donation to them directly, I’m happy to connect you.

**Unfortunately, donations made for this trip are not tax-deductible. I realize that may impact your ability to give, and I still deeply appreciate any consideration. Also, please know that Indiegogo Life, where my campaign is housed, charges no fees for its service, therefore all donations will go directly to me outside of your standard credit card fees which are typically around 3%.**


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Staycation Suggestions

I-85 oldOne thing I love being is a tourist in my own city.  I see no reason to stay in my own neighborhood when there is so much to explore, especially in a big area like Atlanta.

And today at lunch, my friend mentioned that she and her family were doing a staycation this summer instead of a big, expensive trip. Great idea, especially if you have a large family. I threw some ideas out to her, and decided maybe some of these were also unfamiliar to others as well so I thought I’d commit them here.

Though some of these ideas are specific to Atlanta, many of these work for other places as well. But your best tools are to always be creative and curious. 😉

  • Get on email lists like Atlanta’s CVB. People always wonder how I know about so many events and places around town, but there’s really no secret: I’m on a lot of lists. AtlantaOnTheCheap is a great way to stay informed on offers and events (CitiesOnTheCheap for national deals). And Goldstar is another one I really like for interesting, discounted tickets.
  • 25 Free Things to Do and See in Atlanta
  • Here’s a great local must list put together by the city: http://www.atlanta.net/50fun/index.asp.
  • The best places to go see movies during the summer are the Starlight Six Drive-In and the Fox. Seriously fun and different. And might I add, cheaper than most movie theaters.
  • Speaking of theater, locate and patron your community spaces. I love The Strand in Marietta.
  • I love the ScoutMob website and app for awesome deals on restaurants and stores. Plus, there’s no money required upfront. This helps you discover new places near you or in your city. Along those lines, Roaming Hunger will help you find food trucks. And I love Yelp for reading customer reviews.
  • Eat and buy local. Stay clear of chain restaurants and stores. You’ll have a more unique experience and support your neighbors. And for those expensive restaurants you’ve been wanting to try but can’t afford, try stopping by for wine tastings, Happy Hour, dessert only and events that might be cheaper than a full meal.
  • Stone Mountain Park is a good option for outdoor lovers, and kids love the evening laser show. And so is the Chattahoochee Nature Center, Piedmont Park and Atlanta Botanical Garden. There are also some nearby hiking/walking trails. Or if you prefer to be outside and sit still, try a Braves game (Atlanta or Gwinnett). If you’re a music lover, a number of free outdoor concerts are also held at various sites around town.
  • Head to the farmers market instead of the grocery store. My personal fav is the Marietta Square Farmers Market.
  • I’m also a fan of museums and exhibits. Some of the places I love to visit and revisit are The High and Fernbank. I must confess, I still need to get to the Jimmy Carter Center and Margaret Mitchell House. I’m putting them on my summer “to do” list.
  • Take a drive. We have so many neat neighborhoods in Atlanta, and when I have time, I really enjoy just driving around and taking a look at them for myself. Who knows what you may discover along the way!
  • Day or overnight trips are an awesome way to both stay and go. Around Atlanta, we have some cool destinations like Rome, Athens, Dahlonega, Helen, Blue Ridge, Calloway Gardens, Serenbe or even Chattanooga.
  • NEW: Affordable Summer Activities in Atlanta by About Atlanta (July 3, 2013)

So, here are just a few suggestions from me to you. But I feel like I’m forgetting some important items. What did I miss?


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“Seized the Day” in NYC

My best friend from college, Heather, and I haven’t taken a trip together in years, so this past week we went to NYC to see Newsies and have some girl time. Below is a little about what we did and a few photos. It’s so hard to summarize a great trip, so just trust me–fun was had!

THURSDAY:
–Arrival at Newark: I recommend flying in here for the ease of using all trains to get to the City
–Anything Goes (with Joel Gray!): Plans changed for this evening because Heather’s plane was cancelled. Unfortunately, par for the course since she always seems to have some sort of travel disaster. So I killed time at the theatre! Anything Goes is old school Broadway, so it was fun getting to see a classic.
FRIDAY:
–Chelsea Market for lunch: too many great shops and restaurants to describe! I even saw the market where Rachel Ray shops.
–The High Line Park: Our friend, April, who lives there took us to this really cool park/greenspace which has been converted from an old elevated railroad track.
–Shopping and Walking: The weather was beautiful so we continued outside with a couple of stores, mostly window shopping and enjoying being in NYC.
–Coffee Bean Pitstop: My favorite West Coast coffee chain now has three NYC locations, so I dragged Heather there a couple of times.
–Dinner at Bocca di Bacco: Delicious Italian cuisine and great decor. Too bad we weren’t super hungry!
–Peter and the Starcatchers: Brilliant, inventive staging! Really fun show.
SATURDAY:
–Hell’s Kitchen Flea Market: Found a couple of great jewelry buys and had a blast just looking at everything.
–Hester Street Fair: Lunch was hard to choose amongst all the great vendors, but we settled on a Mexican grilled cheese sandwich with cabbage slaw from Little Muenster. Yum!
–Walk Brooklyn Bridge: Heather’s never taken this walk, so we made it over there. Beautiful day for it!
–Dinner at Pier 9: Delicious seafood! We had more of an appetite this night, and I was sooooo glad.
–Newsies: The culmination of the trip, and so worth the wait! It was awesome, and we were giddy as schoolgirls!
SUNDAY:
–Left for Newark: All good things eventually end.


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Emergence Journey 2010

Hey, everyone!

This year’s trip will take place from Thursday, October 21 to Monday, October 25. We sincerely hope you will think and pray about this opportunity. We would love to have you be a part of this amazing experience. Please sign up by Friday, September 10. And please feel free to ask me or Mark if you …have any questions!

Emergence Dates 2010:
– Session 1 Training – Saturday, September 18 from 9 am till noon
– Session 2 Training – Wednesday, September 22 from 7-10 pm
– Session 3 Training – Saturday, September 25 from 9 am till noon
– Session 4 Training – Saturday, October 2 from 9 am till noon
– Session 5 Training – Saturday, October 16 from 9 am till noon
– Bonus session – Wednesday, October 20 from 7-10 pm (Team meets for prayer and final details.)

Trip dates – October 21-25

Please note:

1. The training is fun, informative and intense. You will have homework before and after each session. For the trip, the entire five days will be utilized so please make sure you don’t schedule anything else those days.

2. These trips are open to anyone wanting to participate, either at North Atlanta or outside it, single or married. If you know of anyone wanting to participate in this trip, you are welcome to pass this along to them. We only ask that you communicate two things. The first is that anyone who goes must be willing to be led by God’s Holy Spirit. The second is that the person must be willing to “act as Jesus” to those they come in contact with on the trip. These two things are vital to maintain the integity, mission and purpose of this trip. Anyone willing to adhere to these things may participate on the Emergence Journey!

3. This is the only trip we have planned for 2010. However, if you can not make either of these trips and can gather a few friends for a fall trip, we will absolutely consider another one.

You can find previous newsletters, a training summary and an FAQ sheet at http://www.createemergence.org. Please let us know if you have any questions or need more information.

We hope that you will prayerfully consider joining the Journey!
Kristi and Mark (and Daron from Texas)

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What is the Emergence Journey?
The Emergence Journey is unconventional in that it starts with no destination or persons in mind; therefore no “preplanning” is necessary. All of the preparation comes in team-building and self-awareness exercises. This trip evolves during the journey rather than starting at the destination. The opportunities and relationships that are often overlooked or passed up when schedules are set and destinations are planned are fully experienced here, allowing you to free your mind to the possibilities at hand. A random act of kindness and open heart are the only requirements. We allow the Holy Spirit to fill in the details. Additionally, we operate from loose guidelines to allow the trip to shift as needed. For instance, we travel back roads rather than interstates when possible and avoid eating at chain restaurants, making it easier to meet local people. We also build a Safety Net of Prayer, a list of people who are praying for us every hour that we are on the road. And finally, we avoid turning on the radio and using our cell phones if possible, utilizing time rather than killing it.

http://www.createemergence.org


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Emergence Journey 2009 Newsletter – IT’S HERE!

Here’s just a taste of this year’s newsletter….

WHEN IT RAINS…

Emergence Journey 2009

Relationships are like rain. Sometimes they shower you with affection. Sometimes they are a bit scattered. Sometimes they are unexpected. Sometimes they result in rainbows. But no matter the length or the significance, they are an intrinsic part of life. It can really come down to a matter of perspective and circumstance. Relationships can be what you make of them. To quote Roger Miller, “Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet.” The Emergence Journey team (Patrick Gosnell, Wes Ryan and Kristi Porter) was reminded that relationships, like rain, have the power to refresh, grow, even give life.

 

What is the Emergence Journey?

The Emergence Journey is unconventional in that it starts with no destination or persons in mind; therefore no “preplanning” is necessary. All of the preparation comes in team building and self-awareness exercises. This trip evolves during the journey rather than starting at the destination. The opportunities and relationships that are often overlooked or passed up when schedules are set and destinations are planned are fully experienced here, allowing you to free your mind to the possibilities at hand. A random act of kindness and open heart are the only requirements. We allow the Holy Spirit to fill in the details. Additionally, we operate from loose guidelines to allow the trip to shift as needed. For instance, we travel back roads rather than interstates when possible and avoid eating at chain restaurants, making it easier to meet local people. We also have people pray for us every working hour that we are on the road. And we avoid the radio to utilize time rather than killing it.

 

To read the whole newsletter, visit www.createemergence.org and visit The Journey.

Photos: www.flickr.com/photos/kporter9876/sets/72157621976493846

Video: www.vimeo.com/6414603