Facing fears

Hello everyone!!! It is about 11 p.m. on May 28, my first day in Ireland!!! It has been crazy so far (in a good way!) and I am taken back by all the beauty in this country.

So, last night was my first time on a plane and it was such an unreal experience and while in the air, I decided to jot a little paragraph down to try and describe what I was seeing and how I was feeling:

I am typing this from my window seat on the plane. I couldn't resist documenting the breath taking beauty, which I am fixated on. I should be getting some rest, but I can't take my eyes away from outside this window. There is a sea of clouds flowing below me. In the distance, the sun if getting ready to rise. I thought I would be terrified of this view, because I am deathly afraid of heights, but I am so calm. This is the most peaceful scene I have ever seen. Next time you're on a plane, grab the window seat and listen to 'Because' by The Beatles, it's amazing. Even now, more light is breaking through over the horizon, giving a crystal clear look at the fluffy sea at my feet.

*visual

The nerves are setting in.

So, it is about 2 a.m. now and I am so beyond restless. It's crazy to think I leave today!

Anyway, I couldn't contain my excitement so here are some tips about traveling I will share with you through my video blog.

Enjoy!

*Make a list

Storytelling is key

Obviously, over the next couple of weeks, I will be sharing countless stories and adventures through my blog. Luckily, blogging is a big part of both of my classes, which gives me the opportunity to strengthen my writing a great deal.

In class the other day, we were given a prompt to explain the similarities between both of the classes. While writing my response, I thought it would be nice to share how a writing class and a multimedia class mesh so well together.

The classes are similar because of the strong emphasis on the story. In Travel Writing, we have been writing short stories about ourselves, each other, nature, home, etc. Each topic to be covered inspired a story within us.
In Multimedia Storytelling (does the name give it away?), the story is very much important. We are learning how to use various types of media to tell stories about ourselves, our travels, and even about the people we meet along the way.

Another important aspect is visualization. For Writing, Laurie has been teaching us how to use sensory words and verbs to help bring our writing to life and allow our readers to "see" what we are describing.
In Storytelling, the use of media allows us to add another element. In addition to our words, we can show our reader pictures of what we are describing, or we can make videos in order to capture certain moments that would best fit video.

While the two classes may seem quite different to the untrained eye, those of us enrolled in both are enjoying the benefits of two classes that compliment each other quite well.

New experiences

A huge factor of my trip is having new experiences. I have never been on a plane, I have never left the country, and so on. Over the course of the next few weeks, I will have my fair share of firsts and I am looking forward to them very much.

Today, I tried something new. I video blogged (vlog). This was a very different experience and quite an uncomfortable one. I am not too keen on being in front of the camera so actually having to watch and edit this was out of my comfort zone.

However, I wanted to start practicing vlogging because I think it has the opportunity to enhance my written blog and add a whole other element to my stories and experiences. 

I will not delay any further. Here is my first vlog! 

P.S. Don't mind the awkward!

*Reflection

Travel Writing Tips 5.

This chapter of O'Neil's book focused on fact checking and research, which are two very important steps in any type of writing.

Here are some tips on how to fact check and research!

1. Get organized!
This should be a no-brainer, but it is very important. If you're not organized, your research will get misplaced somewhere along the way, causing major headaches. O'Neil suggests that if you are doing research online, make sure you have folders on your computer clearly labeled so you can easily go back and find information for your research.

2. Check your facts!
Also, common sense. And, this doesn't just go for travel writing, this is all types of writing. It is important to check facts because you don't want to publish something that isn't 100% accurate. O'Neil uses the example that if you are using a translated travel brochure, the likelihood of error if greater due only to the fact that it was translated. A good rule of thumb to ensure you facts are indeed factual, is to get two sources to verify them.

3. Don't use cliches as facts.
It is very important that you accurately portray the people and places of a country. However, cliches and stereotypes that have been around for years can hinder the ability to do that. When you are in a foreign country, you want to represent the people you come across in a very factual manor. So, O'Neil said that one cliche often read about Asian countries is that they are shrouded in mystery and secrecy and the population values ancestry more than money. This has become a cliche and not accurate of every single country or city in Asia. It is important to avoid using cliches and finding new ways to describe our experiences abroad.

Be passionate.

If there is one thing I have learned over the past week, it is that I need to be passionate in both my writing and multimedia story telling. Passion is the driving force that will allow me to strive for greatness in my work. 

Passion has already been a theme throughout my blog posts.

"The world is a book; he who stays at home reads only one page."
-St. Augustine

This quote resonates with me, and I can't help but to use it as a model for work. If the world is a book, I want to read every single page of it so I can help the man sitting at home realize what he is missing. I need to consider this man, too. He lacks the passion behind traveling, because if he was passionate, he would be seeing the world. I think travelers are not only driven by adventure and vacation, but by a passion to see the world and experience new things.

The traditions that have been upheld in Jessup throughout the years only shows the dedication by the people who live there to keep their culture alive for future generations.

I attribute my passion to having the pleasure of growing up in a community so steeped in tradition and culture that their town is dedicated to an Italian saint. Jessup is just one example of how an entire community shows great passion about their heritage and holding celebrations that mirror those over in Italy. Growing up near Jessup, I was exposed to the want to connect with my heritage on a much deeper level, driving me to travel, especially to Ireland.

The trees in the woods danced in the wind, their leaves trying to break free of the branches. 

If you look at nature long enough, and really start to appreciate it, you can see a different type of force behind it. This day in particular, I watched the wind blow trees to and fro. But it wasn't just wind, as I have put it above, the leaves wanted to break free! The wind caused this beautifully artistic thing to happen and instead of just seeing wind, I saw a dance. In this dance, I saw passionate leaves trying desperately to break free and see the world around them. They wanted life outside of the tree. And if we are being honest, aren't we all leaves?

I feel my foot accelerating toward a Great Perhaps.

We are all seeking a Great Perhaps, and my favorite author taught me that at the ripe age of 15. There is something so romantic about finding your purpose in life. Part of that journey is to take risks and try on different hats along the way. Eventually, you will find yourself on the right path, heading toward your G.P. So, how does this fit in? Because the thing driving you, even if you don't know it at the time, is passion. We are all just trying to find our way and we do that by pursuing things we care about or make wonderful contributions to. This journey may be long and could lead us to countless foreign countries, but no one ever said that was a bad thing.

SO,
What's the big takeaway? Be passionate. It doesn't matter if you want to be a writer or an accountant, you still need the drive necessary to be great in your field. And enjoy the journey along the way.

Travel Writing Tips 4

So, in Chapter 5, O'Neil talked about voice and tone in writing. Every writer has a writing voice uniquely theirs, much like their speaking voice. Therefore, it is important to polish up your voice and tone, especially when writing about travels.

What are some things O'Neil suggests?

1. "Put yourself in the reader's place."
This isn't something I have ever really put into consideration before, but it is very useful. When you are writing, if you are able to step back and ask yourself, "is my reader with me? Will this make sense to them?" you are making sure your audience will get your article.

2. Try to write the story as if you were telling it verbally.
In this sense, you are developing your voice to reflect your speaking. You also have the opportunity to be visual. O'Neil suggests that we still need to paint a picture, so to speak, but do it in a way that the reader can actually hear you telling the story. This helps you further develop your voice and really gives you the opportunity to make your writing sound as clear and present as if you were speaking it.

3. "Stretch your imagination."
This is not a concept I usually associate with he concept of the story, not the way in which you write it. Here, O'Neil suggests that you use metaphors and similes, but not cliche ones. She challenges us to come up with our metaphors in order to spice up our voices. She even tell us to "think....(not outside the box) off the map." When we, as writers, are able to develop our own strong voices, it will be easier to get a reader to relate to us and our stories.