Next Stop, Literally Anywhere!

Hello lovelies. Spring is supposed to be settling, but in true disappointing North Carolina fashion, it is once again cold and rainy outside. Good for you, I guess, because cold and rainy inspires me to blog.

I think I am going stir crazy. Summer is coming up quick (though the weather doesn't seem to have gotten that memo yet), which for most of my life has meant that I would be traveling. This summer though, is uncertain. I think I'm going to be here for most of it and then possibly moving, and I want to spend the rest of my time in North Carolina enjoying it, but I also can't shake the desire to go anywhere. Anywhere but where I am right now.

Maybe bold and bright Amsterdam...
  Or driving down the Atlantic Ocean Road in Norway...
  Or the Kawachi Wisteria Gardens in Japan...
  Or Disneyland...or maybe a return trip to the Harry Potter theme park...
But I don't need to go so far, I think. Even some of the local sights sound like a nice respite from the lil ol' Triangle. I don't even mind going on my own.
  This awesomely futuristic sculpture in Charlotte...
  Or Slide Rock once it's a little bit warmer...
  Maybe a few days in the Blue Ridge Mountains with Fleet Foxes as my background music...
  Or just some good ol' beach time (and history time - Kitty Hawk is out here!) on the Outer Banks...
I want to go anywhere and everywhere and take a thousand pictures with my obviously-not-expensive point-and-click camera and do things that make me happy.

Recipe: Spinach, Avocado, Chicken Alfredo

Last week, I was having a week. Somehow I think I managed to strike that elusive work-life balance nearly perfectly and was feeling great! Among other things, that meant I did some proper cooking, including the following recipe adapted from various places (mainly because I am still too lazy to actually make my own Alfredo sauce).
Spinach, Avocado, and Chicken Alfredo Pasta
Servings: 2
1 avocado
2 cups spinach (I used frozen)
1/2 cup milk
3 cups alfredo sauce of your choice (about half a bottle)
lime juice
3-4 pieces of boneless chicken breast/thigh
cayenne pepper(or other spicening agent)
salt and pepper
pasta of your choice
garlic powder
grated romano cheese

Blend the spinach, milk, lime juice to taste, cayenne pepper to taste, half of the avocado, and the alfredo sauce together. Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces. Boil water and salt and add pasta. Boil, stirring occasionally until al dente. Add oil, garlic powder, cayenne, salt and pepper to taste and chicken to slightly-high-sided skillet on medium heat. Cook until chicken is almost done. Add sauce to the pan and bring sauce to a boil. Drain pasta. Serve in bowl with the rest of the avocado (sliced) and cheese on top! Enjoy (and trust me, you will enjoy)!

GO!

Today, I was on a panel as part of a conference. The topic was "global experiences in healthcare" and focused on informing students (via our experiences) on some of the challenges and misconceptions of international health work and travel as well as providing advice on how to get the most out of their trips. We also tried to encourage students going abroad or starting new work in other countries to get out of the mind set of "I'm going to change the world and the lives of the community I go to," because that's not really how it works. Often, how it works is that you learn more and do less than you thought you would, but perhaps that is for the better, because just as much as we need hard workers out there is developing and rural and urban areas around the world, we need improved cultural awareness, ties of friendship and love, and mutual respect to make any of the change we are all focused on happen.