[Dis]Contentment

This afternoon, I'm missing some beautiful brown children. My two weeks in India were both the most challenging and the most joyous weeks of my entire life. While eating enough curry to last a lifetime and showering with cold water and a bucket placed me way outside of my comfort zone, simply loving those kids filled me with an indescribable joy. Since coming home, I have...

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Fun Fact: I'm a Hypochondriac

June 4, 2012 started with an awful revelation: one of our team members was sick. This was my worst nightmare. [I'm not even exaggerating. Not one little bit.] In case you didn't catch it from the title of the post, I'm kind of headcase when it comes to illness. I hear that someone somewhere has head lice? My scalp is suddenly itchy. Someone somewhere has a fever? I've got the chills. The guy...

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Painting, Praying, and Playing: A Sunday in India

I was so caught up with my spaghetti dinner in my last post that I forgot to mention that after we left the orphanage, we went to a local paint shop to purchase a few gallons of paint. We had learned from John that the girls' dorms hadn't been painted in over 5 years. They were in serious need of a new coat of paint! We ordered three [very bright] colors: pink, teal, and green. Time, we were...

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Hanging On For Dear Life

When driving through the streets of Coimbatore, it can be very tempting to hang your hands out the window. Doing so, however, puts you at risk for ending the day with one less hand than you started with. As I mentioned briefly in yesterday's post, traffic in India is crazy. I have never seen anything like it. It makes Times Square seem like a peaceful country road. Saturday June 2 began with a ride...

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Traveling to the Other Side of the World

I remember the day I decided to go India. I remember the day I attended the interest meeting. I remember the day I paid the deposit to go.  And the day I got my passport.  I remember the day that I found out my trip was completely paid for. I remember the day that my countdown reached 100 days.  Then 50 days.  30 days.  7 days.  And finally, 24 hours.  For...

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Erin Goes to India: Trying to Find the Words

It has been a week. A week since I packed my bags for the last time. A week since I held their hands, since I hugged and kissed them goodbye. A week since I sat in the back of that 12 passenger van, unable to take my eyes off the sights all around me. A week since I sat in that airport and swore that I would not eat Indian food again for a very long time. A week since I peered out the window of that...

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Saturday Adventures with Anna: Vanderbilt Mansion

Meet Anna: a 14-year-old photographer, fashionista, and creative spirit. She also just happens to be my sister. :) Anna and I live in a beautiful part of New York and there are tons of places to explore and discover. With all these fun places within driving distance, Saturdays are officially our local adventure days. Yesterday was our first of the summer. Where We Went: Vanderbilt Mansion and...

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Dear Friends: Ready for an Adventure?

I'm Erin. I just turned 20 a few weeks ago. I'm now officially in my 20s [read: OLD]. On my 20th birthday, I realized that the next decade or so of life is sure to be jam packed FULL of crazy new adventures. And I want YOU to be a part of them. That's where Sincerely, Erin comes in. I hope that as I experience new things, big and small, you'll join me on this journey. Think of this blog as a...

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