photography from europe

the world is just awesome

hostels

hallway+ cat

I got the internship!! fuck yeah

I started volunteering at the HI (Hostel International) in DC; yesterday was my first day. I never realized how much I miss hostels until yesterday. I love the imperfections of hostels, evidence of groups of strangers living together. The kitchen was a hunk of junk, lots of suspicious cooking utensils and stains, industrial sized appliances and supplies of spices. I worked with three other new volunteers, all of whom were just like me--they missed being a traveler and being around travelers. People that understand me and people that I can understand. It was refreshing to feel normal-- to talk about my travels without seeing people's interest float away or feeling like an asshole. I miss traveler's stories. And god, do I miss travelers! There is something different about this community of people-- they're such kind explorers. I believe it's because they've experienced so many different kinds of cultures, because their minds are so open, and because they are urban survivalists. We love hot showers and full stomachs more than anything, and we appreciate them more than anyone else. Everyone is far away with home, and last night there were about thirty of us at one long makeshift table, eating cheap pasta and it was like a family. We introduced ourselves to each other; there were so many Aussies but a decent amount of Koreans, a Brit, a couple Americans, an Italian, a German and a Kiwi.

I volunteer for that experience and because I know how it feels to be on the road. It is draining and it can be tough and sometimes the only thing you want is people to feed you and to smile at you. That's basically what I do. I make food and hope it turns out good and then I hand it out and say "Hey there, welcome to the states! Tell me some stories." And travelers love telling stories, especially over free food. I miss hearing accents, and I miss that cultural exchange. I learned last night that Aussies refer to slices of pizza as "bits" as in.. "there's a couple bits of pizza here, want a bit?" How fantastic is that???