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Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others,
even to the dull and ignorant; they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble,
it’s a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself.
Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
(Max Ehrmann, Desiderata, Copyright 1952)
Bald Porcupine Island
I turned 21 this past Tuesday! Yay! This is my first birthday away from home (how blessed am I that I got to spend the previous twenty with my family?) and it really didn’t feel like a birthday until a friend encouraged me to have a party. But first, my housemate Fletcher took me out kayaking. Because I shared a kayak with him (he’s a wilderness guide guy so he’s very skilled at this sort of stuff), he did most of the paddling and I could focus on taking pictures. The trip was so special and beautiful. We left the bay area and looped around Bald Porcupine Island (pictured above). Bald Porcupine Island is a nesting ground for Bald eagles, but its name actually came about because there’s a rocky spot in the middle with no trees.
Fletcher, my awesome housemate
We shared the water with the Margaret Todd…
Margaret Todd
After kayaking, I thought I’d invite four or five friends over and we’d sit and eat chocolate all night and maybe go to the playground (sounds great right?). I didn’t think there would be that many who would want to celebrate the birth of me, but ten or so people showed up, including my housemates (that’s like another ten), and we had a great time. And then the next day at school I saw sooo many other people I would’ve wanted to invite, had I known their last names to send them an e-mail on the school server. This week has really made me think of how many friends I’ve already made and how I really, really, really love the people here. It’s such a small school but the people are SO incredible! Everyone I’ve met is just so real. And, I think if I had to put a number on it, I’d say 50% of my friends are from other countries. And THEY ARE SO COOL. Here’s a picture of the night as it winded down.
Spreading out on the floor with lots of desserts!
The little baby is Nina. Her and her mommy Kate live with me 
.
I made chocolate frosting, and my friends brought things to dip in it!
Of course I had to get one group shot..
Then… we went to the playground.
Getting High. Hah.
Everyone at home, I love and miss you and I put up more pictures at frostt.myphotoalbum.com if you want to go check out those!
Pictures taken around campus!
“I will write peace on your wings and you will fly all over the world. This is our cry, this is our prayer: peace in the world.” – Sadako Sasaki (佐々木 禎子)
Sadako Sasaki was two years old when the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. Less than ten years later she was diagnosed with leukemia. There’s a Japanese saying that when one folds 1,000 cranes, they could make a wish that would come true. She only folded 644 before dying, but her friends finished the 1,000 and buried them with her.
Blueberries are to Maine as the Empire State Building is to New York. Yes, really. Everywhere I go–blueberries!! Maine has blueberry scents, blueberry ice cream (and lobster ice cream), blueberry stuffed animals, blueberry pancakes, blueberry maple syrup, blueberry children’s books, blueberry calendars–seriously, anything and everything can be found in blueberry theme! When I found this picture, I couldn’t think of anything more fitting to introduce this town called Bar Harbor. PS if you can click on a picture, it means it’s not mine, and it will take you to where I found it!
Bar Harbor
Before leaving earlier this week, my sister (whom I miss TERRIBLY) remarked too casually to be interpreted as anything less than broken hearted, “Julia. I can’t believe you are moving to a deserted island.” Although the island is technically called Mount Desert Island, she had only heard “desert island,” and I can only imagine what she pictured in her mind. At the time, I took her hand and said, “yep, one person’s heaven is another’s hell.” It’s true. This town isn’t for everyone. We live on an island off the coast of the most northern state in the Continental US. I can walk from one end of town to the other. The stores are all geared towards tourists, so it’s almost impossible to find actual necessities (like a towel!). A store is considered “crowded” when there are more than two people. But my God, is it beautiful.
Hiking Barefoot
Yesterday, I went with a group of kids to Sand Beach. Although some went swimming, I didn’t. Not everyone had bathing suits, but it didn’t matter. A few just went in their underwear. I stood on the shore, fully dressed, not wanting to go in the water because of the temperature, but slightly wishing I was brazen enough to take off all my clothes and just run free around the beach and in the water (we’ll see—maybe before I graduate and after all the tourists leave!). Here is a picture of two of my friends identifying sea weed. On the left is Marketa from the Czech Republic. On the right is Jo from Sweden. I wish I could rotate this for you but my internet is too slow to upload it again.
Walking down the beach. Left to right, Lindsay (America), Diana (Brazil), Lenka (Czech), Marketa (Czech), Andrea (El Salvador), Jo (Sweden), and two guys I can’t remember.
While exploring the beach, we found a hiking trail. Because it was a spur of the moment decision and no one wanted to run back and get our shoes, all of us ended up going barefoot. 1/5th of the world goes barefoot on a daily basis in weather conditions much less pleasant than Maine in the summer. A few times when the ground looked rocky ahead, or my feet started to hurt, I asked if Lenka wanted to turn around. (Lenka and I got far behind the other girls because we were taking pictures). Lenka, in broken English, said “If the other girls can do it, so can we. It’s also good for your feet.” So we pushed on, barefoot, through the woods. Walking barefoot through the woods is a completely different experience. The twenty minute journey turned into forty minutes as we stepped carefully around the sharpest rocks and sticks. As we walked, I compared our pace and my awareness of the ground to a few days ago when I walked across the sandbar to Bar Island. I had shoes on then, and I trotted through the woods with barely a second glance at where I stepped! This time though, ah, every step had to be carefully planned. There are some kids who do not wear shoes around campus. I see the appeal now. It’s not just freeing your feet, it grounds you. Try it. When I got home, I looked it up to see if it is indeed healthier to go barefoot. Here’s a post in New York Magazine that talks about the benefits of walking barefoot.
This was the view from the top!
Here’s us!
Other things to never forget:
- How I randomly sat down to dinner with students from St. Lucia, Western Sahara, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Ecuador. Yes, seriously. All at one table. A few were even interested in health and community development. Ah! This is AFTER spending an hour at lunch with friends from the Czech Republic, Sweden, and Mexico talking about the different languages, how and when to say I love you, and public affection in different countries. I am learning so much!
- The Bar Island Swim- a boat took participants (students, faculty and staff) out to the island to jump and swim back to school. Six boats waited in the water to pick people up as they got too tired and cold (imagine 50 degree water). Some made it though. I sat on the shore with a bunch of other students.
- Meeting a student from Swaziland who has heard of Bulembu. Talking to him for hours about Swaziland, orphanages, and sustainable villages.
- I will leave you with this.
