31 Day Reset Challenge Day 25

Find a Community to Support Your Goals

My new community is my family, my top three, M., WUSF and the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ). My family always supports me in what I do as long as it’s benefitting me in a positive and healthy way. They help me rationalize my thoughts and give me a real world perspective on my goals versus the dreamy perspective I have sometimes I have. My top three (my best friends) also uplift me and encourage me which is wonderful to have. Now as far as the journalism side goes….M., my friends at WUSF and NABJ GO HARD IN THE PAINT! Seriously, as fellow journalists they want to see me succeed and if I even say, “Oh I was thinking of taking a different route into broadcasting instead of print” they will start emailing me job opportunities, fellowship opportunities….EVERYTHING. M. is especially supportive of all that I do and always encourages me and pushes me to reach my full potential. He gives me that kick in the butt that I need…isn’t that what a community is supposed to do?

Go Hard, Excellence, No Excuses and Travel Challenge: Day 14--What Did You Learn from Traveling Abroad?

I'm home from Philadelphia and I am pooped!

My apologies for not updating at all this week! We had eight hour + days on deadline, then no WIFI in the hotel room ($10 per day) and even though I could go to the lobby to use the internet, it was FREEZING down there! I suffered through it once and that was enough for me.


The NABJ Student Project was amazing though. I'm incredibly grateful to them for showcasing my reporting abilities and helping me network.

I'll admit that it was extremely stressful and draining at times, but I would do it again in a heartbeat.

The city of Philadelphia in itself was wonderful. My experience was the typical "star-struck small town girl sees a big city" reaction. It's funny because I've traveled to big cities across the pond, but had yet to go to a big city in my home country! Maybe that's why I had stars in my eyes.

Anyway, here are a few pictures of my time in Philly! Also, make sure to read the articles I wrote for NABJ!

Philadelphia!

Arch St

The view from my hotel

Jade, Ariele, Ashley and I on our last day with NABJ

Ashley, Jade and I at the Student Choice Awards

My roommate Ariele and I

The mentors and mentees! (L to R Demorris, me, Michael, Ashley, Jade, Michael and Delano)

The students! Jade, myself, Michael and Ashley. Great times!

Our motto for the 2011 convention: GO HARD, EXCELLENCE, NO EXCUSES!

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Now onto day 14 of the travel challenge! What have I learned from traveling abroad?

Keep an open mind to everything.

Could I have done this close-minded? No!

When I travel, I am a blank book waiting to be filled with new words, different languages and beautiful pictures. I want to take in as much as I can when I travel and the only way to do that is to keep an open mind to EVERYTHING. Whether it's religion, politics or something that I don't necessarily agree with, I keep an open mind to everything when I travel because it ultimately makes me a better person.

Travel Challenge: Day 13--Favorite Travel Quote AND I'm In the City of Brotherly Love!

Before we get to where I am or why I'm here, I have to share with you my ULTIMATE favorite travel quote. Well, it's not really a quote but more of an excerpt from the fabulous book I'm reading (there will be a review of it soon!) A Year in the World by Frances Mayes.


"When travelling you have the delectable possibility of not understanding a word of what is said to you. Language becomes simply a musical background for watching bicycles zoom along a canal calling for nothing from you. Even better if you speak the language you catch nuances and make more contact with people. Travel releases spontaneity. You become a godlike creature full of choice free to visit the stately pleasure domes make love in the morning sketch a bell tower read a history of Byzantium stare for one hour at the face of Leonardo da Vinci’s Madonna dei fusi. You open as in childhood and – for a time – receive this world. There’s the visceral aspect too – the huntress who is free. Free to go Free to return home bringing memories to lay on the hearth." 


Beautiful.
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In other news, I'm in Philadelphia! I've liked what I've seen so far too. I'm here for a journalism convention with the National Association of Black Journalists Student Multimedia Project (what a mouthful!) and while they are keeping me busy, I'm loving every minute of it.