ITS LIVE!

www.andamanrising.org

is

now

LIVE!

go visit!




here's the official press release:

For immediate release---
UNC-Chapel Hill journalism students debut multimedia documentary
website, http://www.AndamanRising.org.

UNC-Chapel Hill's School of Journalism & Mass Communication
announces the release of http://www.AndamanRising.org, a
collection of 15 student-produced multimedia stories about life
in southern Thailand after the 2004 Asian tsunami.

The site's debut follows a month-long foreign reporting
assignment in which 14 journalism students traveled to the
province of Phang-nga, Thailand to explore some of the most
intimate corners of Thai society.

Based out of a village next to the Andaman Sea, students used
photos, audio, video, graphics and design to craft cultural
snapshots of a region that has risen above tragedy. Working with
a team of Thai translators, they documented the story of a
teenage cross-dresser in a traditional Muslim community, the
narrative of an illegal immigrant family from Myanmar, and the
spiritual transformation of a young monk.

We welcome you to view these stories and more at
http://www.AndamanRising.org.

the summer of cake

Last Friday was my final day as a News & Observer intern. Every time someone leaves, they (not sure who) get a cake to say goodbye and everyone collects around it in the newsroom. This time, we were surrounded by the images and smirks about John Edwards' affair and possible "love child" while consuming way too much sugar and being encouraged by seasoned staffers to keep our heads up in nosediving industry.

Newspapers aren't doing so great. As a result, there's been a lot of cake this summer, probably at every daily print newsroom in the country. They'll come around... the industry is changing, and changing rapidly. I like to think of the Internet as a child star, like Mylie Cyrus or Lindsay Lohan... someone who grew up too fast and then wasn't mature enough to handle the newly aquired attention and power. Someone needs to put a leash on the Internet. I know in a country that promotes freedom of speech and freedom of the press like none other that may seem a bit conservative, but its the perfect example of unrestrained freedom and the damaging power it has. The Internet has brought a lot of good, but an equal amount of bad because of the freakish growth over the last decade.

Tirade over. Here are some of the last pictures from my summer as a newspaper photographer.

--

I spent a lot of time on tax-free weekend. Lots of colors, superstores, tired moms, whiny kids.





Duke Power's president during a break in a public hearing regarding a new bill that people seem to be unhappy about.


Old man shoes!


Campbell University starts their football team back up after a 50+ year hiatus... almost the entire team is made up of redshirt freshmen.

hot zone

As a (mostly) native North Carolinian, I felt validated by an LA native today when she said that Raleigh is "pretty sweet, actually." We were talking about things to do, nightlife, etc, and I said I liked Chapel Hill better. And she stood in Raleigh's defense. Awww.

I'm currently reading Kevin Sites' book In the Hot Zone. Though I've maybe felt like this once or twice, it reminds me of a few journalists I know who live life like this. I find myself wondering if this is the life I'm headed for. Am I okay with this? Instinct tells me "yes," rationality tells me, "you need to think it over." Good thing school is tying me down for another year. But it's a thread stretched thin.

**

"There is a duality at work here that is hard for me to comprehend. I am enticed by the geographic disjuncture of my journey, the shock of sensory overload, the new smells, structures and lives that wash over me on these drives. Simultaneously, I am lulled by the comfort of it all; the fact that there is too much to understand. Instead of a reporter, for this moment, I am a dog with my head out the window, the rush of air creating a comforting buzz that silences the need to know more--at least for now.

"In every new p lace, this drive is where the journey begins. During this drive, my inability to speak the local language doesn't matter; it is about smiles and pleasantries done in charades. On this drive, there is no negotiation over prices, no cold sweat over the time I have to shoot, write, edit and transmit a half-dozen new stories. There are no technical concerns, no hunger or sleep deprivation--for a moment, even the alternating sense of alienation and loneliness disappear."

-Kevin Sites, In the Hot Zone, pp 200

jetlag and global climate change

i have no idea what time it is ever. my body is so confused. i never really feel tired but then i lie down and sleep for absurd amounts of time. 12 hours+. jetlag is a beast.

and its wild how i went from baking heat to the chilly summer winds in less than 48 hours.

i'm in seattle with my two buds, jessa and abby. yes, abby. we all look like sisters, people always ask if we're related and then flip out when they find out there's two abbys.

"how do you tell each other apart?!"
"do you go by different names?"
"are you abby 1 and abby 2?"
"don't you get confused?"

silly, silly.

anyhow, seattle is one of my favorite cities and is always a nice escape from hard and fast journalism to art and expression. i planned on shooting a lot here, but after shooting 5000+ pictures in thailand, i'm a bit shutter weary. hey man, its vacation.

as such, i've decided that on future vacations, i'm limiting myself to ONE camera and ONE lens (maybe one teeny tiny extra lens for EMERGENCIES) and that it must be film. i love film. i miss film. and we just moved to a sweet new house in which i have a darkroom that hasn't been utilized yet. what i really need to do is get a good camera phone and use that for back up. haha. what a joke. but really.

so starting with the next vacation, it will be a toss up between:
polaroid
hogla
nikon 35mm

all three hold special places in my heart.

as does seattle. i'm scheming about how i can live here one day, even if for a short time.

such a good summer this has been.

last hours

i leave for the airport in 6 hours. time has flown. days fade into one another, yet are distinctive in the colors and faces and experiences that fill them. i was in such turmoil about coming on this trip and now today, my last here, i'm so glad i did and so thankful for the opportunity.

the sun rose on my back as i faced the andaman on the rocks for the last time. i love the sea here, but north carolina's shores and mountains will always be dearest to me. there's a deeper affection for them.

kate and zach have been taking pictures too, so here's some with me in them, to prove i was here.

the secret to happiness is to hold monkeys.


i'm so jane goodall. forget journalism... i think this career path looks good.



one of our sea kayaking guides, old as the sea.


these feet have seen quite a lot of miles on this trip. they look pretty beat up close.


i can't believe i'm here/i can't believe i'm leaving. this is pat's oldest daughter, mariko with me. she's cool. we were both homeschooled. yay homeschooling.

a note about homeschooling: why does everyone think homeschool kids turn out like freaks? there are so many normal ones. people [ahem, kate, zach, jessie, lindsay, etc etc haha] act surprised when they learn i was homeschooled and then immediately say, "but you're so... normal!"

surprise!

i can't escape the monkeys...

today was good.

really good.

i held a monkey.

after all this time seeing them from afar and thinking they were funny and sort of wanting to touch them but sort of being afraid of getting rabies or my camera stolen, i got to hold the sweetest little baby monkeys with diapers today.

other things i did today:
-visited the venice of thailand... an island community built entirely on stilts
-went sea kayaking
-did spelunking (really i just wanted to say spelunking...i don't think it was legit, though it was inside a cave)
-climbed a mountain
-got wet and dirty and loved it

no pictures yet, but coming soon. i had to clear up some space on my very full hard drive by moving my whole project onto an external device and deleting it from my laptop. scary. but no worries, all is safe.

tonight is my last night here! unbelievable. kate and zach and i watched temple of doom the other night... or tried to. we only made it about 15 mintues. editing is rough.

but my story is DONE and the site will be finished tonight. as i type, the room around me is buzzing with the labors of brilliant people creating a beautiful project. i'm proud to be part of it.




our team, before we started scattering. one of the coaches left a few days ago, i leave tomorrow, everyone else leaves the day after. its been a great month. so glad i came.

andaman rising

our site (which will be done in one week) is andamanrising.org. if you go there now, nothing will happen, but behind the scenes, our incredible design team is laying out and building the best project site i've ever seen. i'm so excited.


in other news, we eat these every day. i still don't really know the name in english, but in thai they are called ngok. try to say that five times fast. i'll miss it when we leave, although i've heard you can get them at asian markets for $10 an ounce. i'll get my fill here.


me laughing at zach after he lost his shirt and had to eat at a restaurant without it. they don't have the same "no shoes, no shirt, no service" policy usa beaches do. we like to call him the naked castaway. documentary coming soon.