In 2012 I took the opportunity to meet up with my friend Chris on the last leg of his 40 day trek around the western side of the United States. We spent  10 days traveling over 650 miles exploring 4 different National Parks. From using ice axes in the heights of the Grand Tetons to the depths of desert heat in the Grand Canyon, we backpacked over 50 miles. It was a life defining adventure that would help propel my desire to travel. We got to see some iconic American landmarks and towering heights, meeting friends along the way. 

Documenting Island Life

The Bahamas are enjoyed by many, vacationing to enjoy it's crystal clear waters and sandy beaches . My trip involved getting to know the local culture and it's people, documenting their way of life. San Salvador Island hadn't been very commercialized and had actually once been heavily utilized by the US Military. In fact the Gerace Research Center where I stayed was the old military base itself. 

Kenny the wood carver, was a master at manipulating wood he'd find in the bush. He would carve these figurines to sell to tourist and students at the Gerace Research Center. He'd start with a chainsaw and work his way down to more detail oriented tools to shape turtles, birds, dolphins, and fish of the local reef. He was quite the character and loved to share his work with others. Neighbors would gather as he worked to share stories and laugh about what had happened the night before at the local's bar next door.  

I was privileged enough to travel with a small group of college students to Nairobi, Kenya. We partnered with an organization based out of California to teach in two separate schools in the Kibera Slums. It was an amazing opportunity for us to pour hope and love into the lives of the children there and their families. Our group was quite touched by the generosity shown to us as we even did home visits through a local church. It was something I'll never forget and will take with me always.