Recharged
I am usually beat after the semester, and this last was no exception. With 6 classes, student government, and all the work to get the postcard project together, I was ready to hit a wall by May. I still can’t believe I managed all A’s save for one class. The hard work was worth it as my financial aid package was generously padded. I will be returning for the next school year with my tuition fully covered.
In India, I focused on one thing, the postcard exchange, and achieved what I set out to do. (They’re all translated too! I’ll throw some up here soon.) In the rest of my time, I read voraciously, watched local politics unfold and socialized.
At Sanjukta Vikas Sanstha, the farmers were amazed at how much I read. When I went back down the second time, Lendup asked me if I had finished my book. “Yes,” I told him, “and I bought another one.” He laughed in amused disbelief.
Multi-tasking is fine, but the level I need to sustain it at in New York gets to be too much at times. I am getting better at it (thanks David Allen and your critics!). I achieved my goals in Darjeeling and recharged after a hectic semester. The next chapter in my summer adventure starts soon. I’m on my way to Ethiopia. Excited? Hells yea!



Hi Ida,
I’ve been a casual reader of your blog for about a month or so. I think I found it through random-link-clicking on lightstalkers at some point, or something along the lines of random button pushing.
I think you do good work, and perhaps we don’t have much in common besides being interested in photography. I just wanted to say that I admire your ability to coordinate many things at once, taking pictures for yourself and establishing relationships with organizations. I feel disillusioned with humanitarian photography myself, but I think you manage to present your case with sincerity most of the time.
Too often these ventures seem like megalomaniacal self-indulgence, and not compassion for humanity, but your blog interests me, so I’ll keep visiting.
Good luck on your adventures, I hope every day feels fresh and boundless.
William