the seasoned traveler

On my 5 hour flight from San Juan to Dallas, I was able to review my new design book, Nomad by Sibella Court, from cover to cover. Sibella's first book, Etcetera, inspired the design of my driftwood headboard (that Evan and I just recently finished. I'll post all about the process when I get back and can take some really good photos!). This recent book is a vivid journey of design from distinct places around the world. I especially loved her depiction of India - a trip I've made and hope to make again, and one that represents the memories of Sibella's mother (a famed textile artist who passed away in Rajasthan).

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Last night, my mom was reading her new Travel & Leisure magazine and found a little insert for a new publication called Afar. Finally, a magazine that focuses on what the locals consider interesting - festivals, side trips, local secrets... sounds pretty interesting. It definitely got me inspired for travel (but honestly, that desire never leaves. I'm always thinking about traveling haha. Of course whats the one thing that keeps most of us from actually acting on it? Money.)

My favorite type of trip is one that allows me to engage in nature and discover the unique curiosities of the country I'm visiting. As a scientist, I'm particularly drawn to nature and things with worn, weathered looks. I love finding objects that have history - personal, geological..any type of history. One particular thing I like to collect are coins. Coins are so interesting and unique to a country - and also a tangible element of what that country considers valuable.

So it was actually pretty fun to find such items in my own room - a small collection from a novice traveler. But it certainly could appear seasoned, no?

Canvas Travel Bag: Forever21
Silk Scarf: Mangalore, India
Leather shoes: Mangalore, India
Fossil: Found by me outside Tyler, Texas
Quartz & Amethyst rocks: Arkansas
Leather & Handmade Paper journal
Eelskin wallet: vintage from Dad
Coins: Australian

this wonderful season

I'm so thankful to be home for Christmas.

There are so many childhood memories and traditions that I associate with the Christmas season, many of which my family still displays every year..... the Christmas cookie plate that Cameron and I made back in day care, the dated holiday calender with the little mouse that moves over to a numbered pouch to count down to Christmas... and the annual ornament giving. My parents have always given Cameron and I a unique ornament every Christmas, which we then display on our tree here at home. My mom's ultimate goal with the idea was to provide Cameron and I with individual memories of each Christmas we had as a child that we could then take with us for our own trees with our own families.

Our tree has always been artifical. My dad and I are both allergic to real trees. How unfortunate, right? Evan likes to joke that I'm "allergic to Christmas". But honestly, I have never felt like I've missed out on any part of tree decorating (like picking out a real tree and debating about what type of tree to get). It's nice to have the same one each year, actually! When I was younger, we used to set up our tree in between the two couches in our living room, so that it became the centerpiece. I would sit at the edge of the couch and stare at all the beautiful ornaments and pretty twinkling lights. Then I would go to bed dreaming of Christmas!

But of course one of my favorite aspects of Christmas in Texas is all the beautiful colors of the trees. The leaves are hanging on for a tiny bit longer, so the oranges, reds and browns are still vibrant when I get here. I love to walk around through our woods and watch the wildlife move through - the deer, rabbits, squirrels, birds... all are so visible in the winter.

Evan and I weren't able to decorate our house in Rincon. We both were leaving so early, we didn't think we would get to enjoy any Christmas atmosphere that we created in Puerto Rico. I'm sure this will change for next year, as I hope we can set up a small tree and a few decorations (especially since the Christmas season in PR begins in October and lasts through January). I think part of it was just that it didn't quite feel like Christmas when I was still walking around in shorts and a breezy top.

This year I made Evan's Christmas card. I love crafting, and I wanted to make him something unique and personal. A cute little mountain range, complete with trees, snowcaps, a moose and a blue lake, then a little forest tree decorated for Christmas. All made with thick 28lb. colored paper. I used scissors to cut out the different shapes and then just regular stick glue to keep them in place. Lastly, I decorated the tree with tiny dots of Elmer's glue sprinkled with silver glitter. I outlined the tree to make it stand out a little better. My message to Evan is on the back :)

Do you have any special traditions similar to mine?

As I learn more about the Puerto Ricans traditions, I will have to share stories about those!

In Love with Old San Juan

My last couple days spent in Puerto Rico were with our Tia & Tio in San Juan. I love visiting San Juan because the old city is absolutely beautiful. It's full of history, art, culture... I could just get lost wandering the brick streets and be absolutely content amongst all the lovely houses with the interior courtyards. I always describe it as a cleaner version of the French Quarter.

Evan and I joined our Aunt and we walked through Old San Juan, in and out of several small shops and boutiques. It's great to experience it with a native Puerto Rican, because you hear all the little secrets and myths about the old city. We were mostly interested in the architecture, the history and the beautiful lush old trees, happily growing in between the houses and streets. We took several pictures (like at the Pigeon park, where you can feed hundreds of birds, and on the steps of the smallest house in San Juan). I'll have to upload more when Evan gets to Texas with his camera.

We went out to a fancy dinner for our last night together in Puerto Rico - since we are not spending Christmas in the same state. Evan is going home to Florida to visit his mom, but will later be traveling to Texas to spend some time with my family too. I do look forward to that day when we can travel to both destinations together.. My mother recently told me that my biological clock is ticking... I'm 23.

haha! One day..


If you want to visit Old San Juan, give yourself a couple days at least. There is so much to see, you can't do it all in a day. If you're feeling lavish, try to stay in one of the apartments in the old city. You won't regret it. Plus, who doesn't want an interior courtyard and vintage setting? I told Evan that I think I've found the location of my B&B upon retirement from science. 

Now I am back in Texas and I couldn't be more thrilled. I am so thankful that I have this opportunity to travel back home and spend time with family. It's a long distance (a 5 hour flight) and a large change in temperature and climate, but 5 months without seeing family is rough. I love the cold weather every once and a while. Three weeks is a perfect amount of time to enjoy the cold temps, the frosty mornings and the cloudy days. I'm not complaining about living on an island, but I certainly miss seasons.

I sure hope that one day I can own a little house back here.. perhaps in the hill country.. But this place is home, no matter where I go or where I end up living for the majority of my life. Texas will always mean family. I'm thankful for every moment I get to spend here.


Happy Holidays to those back in Puerto Rico! I know we started celebrating Christmas early (umm.. after Halloween?) and I know I'll be celebrating Christmas with you all once I return in January!

crafty inspiration

Whew, I better up my A game haha. This guy's driftwood art is beautiful!!

I'll be getting busy with some crafting over Christmas break. Creating some feather earrings, vintage lace pieces... incorporating some nature. I have an old Indian rice sack I'll be turning into a little messenger bag. Lots of inspiration from Sibella Court. 

Did I mention that Evan and I purchased a desktop? I now have Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.

Stoked to start designing a better webpage and all around consistency for my upcoming designs.

(of course, amongst classes and research so this will obviously take me several months)

And guess what? Some of my stuff may soon be featured in boutiques around San Juan!

a native encounter

We always let Sophie run around the backyard at her own leisure. Evan trained her to know her own boundaries when he watched her last Thanksgiving break while I traveled to Texas. So, now she understands where she has free range and where she cannot go (that doesn't mean that she occasionally will forget and wander past our house though. so we must always be vigilant just in case).

One day last week, Evan and I were outside studying for our finals when we heard Sophie start barking like crazy. Then we heard this loud banging against our chain-link fence in the backyard - like something that hitting the fence. It turned out to be a very pissed off Green iguana. Luckily, it was on the other side of the fence than Sophie, but that didn't deter her from alerting us of the intruder.

The sound we heard was the iguana whipping its tail against the fence to try to ward off Sophie. That is their defense mechanism and I hear it really hurts - those tails are long, spiny and powerful! These guys are actually pretty aggressive too.

This is the second time we have seen those huge iguanas in our backyard. I love that we are so close to wild nature on the island. Especially since our house backs up to the woody hill - there could be all sorts of things hiding in there!!

Snapped this pic through the fence

There are two types of iguanas on the island. The Green Iguana (the one we see around our house) and the Cuban Iguana - which are the ones found on the research island. It's actually an interesting ecological situation - the Cuban Iguanas got here somehow and now they are ONLY found on the research island in Parguera (so I see them several times a week!). The story is that they were hunted pretty extensively by the locals so now they are protected on the island.

Brown Cuban Iguana from the research island

Something I love about Puerto Rico : sitting outside at all times of the day and hearing/seeing different animals. The night sound is dominated by the native Coqui frog and it's chirping (puts you to sleep once you are used to it!). The morning is full of birds - owls, a peacock, hawks, doves, and these beautiful yellow chested birds that like to pull out the palm stalks for their nests. How about that for being close to nature on the most densely populated island?

end of the semester!

Hurray! Finals are done and the first semester of my Ph.D. has come to a close! All I can think about is heading home to Texas for Christmas. I am SO excited. I think this is the most excited I have ever been - it's also the longest duration I've gone without seeing my family. (So thankful I didn't move to Australia for my Ph.D.)

I have one last week here in Puerto Rico. I work today, tomorrow and Monday to get a little extra money (still not done Christmas shopping). Evan and I have to finish landscaping and I have to finish painting the three remaining rooms in the house. Lastly, we have to make our driftwood headboard. We've been so busy this semester that our fun little projects had to be dragged out for several months!!

Then it's onto San Juan for a couple days of shopping, exploring and crafting. After that, I head home on a 5 hour flight to Dallas and then a 2 hour car ride home!! *sigh* so close!!

This is what Christmas feels like here:

and the Christmas season started after Halloween and will last till the second week of January. no joke!

But I'm ready for something more like this:

(my home!!) Even though I doubt this will happen again. I can hope!

*so thrilled to see them soon*

a much needed vacation

It's finals week here in UPR. I took one exam this morning - Physical Oceanography - after studying about 5 days straight for it. I'm pretty happy with the outcome :) I think the studying paid off. Thank goodness..

this was part of those 5 days...

So now I have one more exam on Thursday and then  *bam* my first semester of my Ph.D. is concluded. That was pretty darn fast, eh? And then I have a week to get things together, work around the house, make a little more money, do some last bits of Christmas shopping in PR, help with some crafting up in San Juan and then head out to Texas!! I couldn't be more thrilled to get home. I miss the family, I miss the dogs, I miss the good food and warm company and cool weather. I'll be in heaven for 3 weeks :)) (But honestly, I'm not complaining ... I live on a tropical island for the majority of the year. send your hate mail this way, I know. But hey, even islanders miss some comforts of the States!! I'm a Germinating Puerto Rican, remember?)

 

This cute little dog loves living in PR. She doesn't know we have a 5 hour flight to Dallas and another 2 hours to drive home after that. Sorry, pup :(   It's a good thing her medications (she's doing way better, by the way) made her a little chunky because she's going to need that extra fat for the cold weather in northeast Texas. hah.

*and I'm definitely listening to Christmas music right now*

paparazzi

I have to post this to brag about Evan, because he never brags about himself (which is a great quality in a man, might I add.) The photographers from the Rincon Surf Report were out one day early in the morning when Evan headed out to Domes surf spot in Rincon. 

I watch him surf every now and then - usually he is up at 5AM to head out (which is a little too early for my tastes). But I've never been able to get a good picture of him surfing, for lack of a good camera with a huge lens haha. 

He's explained the surf dynamic of other countries to me before. He travels all over Central America to surf. He usually goes to Panama during Christmas time and will stay there, by himself, and just surf all day. Sometimes he'll stay as long as a month. Pretty sick hobby, eh?

He's talked about how you can't just jump into the water and head out for the waves when there are tons of local people already out there. He said it's all about respect for their priority. No matter where you go, you have to remember that you're invading their surf. Thus, if you want to catch some waves before the locals take over, get out in the water early. That way, you can snag some great sets, and then share the spot once it starts to get crowded. 

Evan's gained a lot of respect in the countries he's visited, for that reason. He doesn't cut people off in the water (yes, it's like driving haha you have to be polite! and yes the local surfers remember you), he lets the locals take the good waves, and he's not the typical obnoxious American out there trying to show off.  

Maybe it's because he looks like the late pro surfer, Andy Irons? You decide:

And I'm not the first person to notice this.. try the surf population of Bocas del Toro, Panama? 

Yes, instead of studying I am daydreaming and surfing the web here.