"When in doubt or in a state of confusion, follow the direction that creates the most freeing feeling within. Let go of the illusion of the shackles that bind you and be free…"
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(Source: ecstaticallyinspired, via ecstaticallyinspired)
"By leaving our safety net, we have thrown our souls upon the wind, exposing ourselves to all of the fears and dangers that we sought to protect each other from, and in doing so, we have made ourselves available to experience things that… border on the magical."
Supporters and candidates from participating political parties campaign for the upcoming elections in Equatorial Guinea.
Wanderlust - A Love Affair with Travel
Some say it stems from restlessness, the inability to stay in one place. Others argue that it comes from an insatiable hunger to learn and experience as much as possible.
I’m not sure what the source is for my wanderlust, or if it is the same for every trip I take. All I know is that I have been bitten by the travel bug if, in fact, one exists, and I have zero intention of resisting the urge it gives me to explore.
The only treatment I am interested in is travel and travel often.
I grew up in a homogenous, suburban town in Louisville, Kentucky. Pleasantville is how I describe it. Within this town, or bubble, everyone knows everyone, the majority of people look the same, and you live a happy life with little cause to worry.
It’s certainly not a bad way to live. In its simplicity, it provides a beautiful design that would satisfy most individuals. But I came to learn at a young age that I’m not like most individuals.
What most people find confusing, I find enlightening; what most people find strange, I find compelling and what most people find terrifying, I find exhilarating.
Fear of the unknown is not foreign to me, but it is also not an inhibitor. It entices me. Encourages me to take a step closer to the edge.
All I need is someone telling me not to do something – that I couldn’t, shouldn’t, wouldn’t do it – and before you know it, I’m jumping off the cliff, pushing on the gas peddle or boarding the plane to a country I know little about.
It’s like bait. A tempting, delicious, risky piece of bait hanging right in front of my nose, demanding my attention.
Ignoring it is not an option. Denying it would mean starvation, deprivation of my main source of energy and happiness – passion for life.
So at the age of 18, I bought a camera, took the bait and ran.
I escaped my bubble and explored the mountainous region of Limpopo Province, South Africa where I taught children how to use eco-friendly laptops and walked in the path of lions. I went to Dubai to go off-roading in the Saharan desert and discuss the importance of civic engagement when combating the Millennium Development Goals.
I spent two months in London researching unreported stories in neglected parts of the world for an award-winning production company and spent my weekends traveling to abandoned castles and historic European towns.
After two years in college, several thousand dollars in scholarships, and three trips abroad, I was addicted. I wanted, I needed, more.
So I flew to Chile and ziplined across the Andes, drank endless amounts of wine and learned about the media in Latin America. After that, I sped off to Turkey to visit the Hagia Sophia, cross the Bosphorous Strait and promote a strengthened relationship between NGOs and the media at an international student conference.
My final year, I spent five months learning about various social movements in Argentina and taught female victims of domestic violence photography as a form of therapy.
By graduation, I knew that no stationary job would satisfy me. It would only lead to boredom and insanity. Without any job prospects, I picked a city in the U.S. that was close enough to home but would support my cravings, and moved.
For two years, I have lived in D.C., and for two years, I have continued searching for a new, exciting path that would take me overseas. My love affair with travel and experiencing different places and cultures has only strengthened with time.
I am ready for the next adventure.
Jim James, lead singer from My Morning Jacket, performs an amazing show at the 9:30 Club in Washington, DC, encouraging his audience to awaken their senses.
Searching to Create an Outlet
As a passionate advocate for human rights, particularly women’s rights, I have been searching for a way to create an outlet - a chance to think, feel speak without inhibition - for individuals who are excluded from society. I thought that by granting them access to the outside world, they could play a more active role in our online community and help find solutions to global issues. I believe that it is critical for such individuals to participate in the global discourse on major issues because they are typically most affected and most knowledgeable about what is needed to survive and overcome.
I traveled to the foothills of Limpopo Province, South Africa to help teach children and teachers how to incorporate laptops into their daily lesson plans; I produced untold stories from individuals like the sibling of a cancer patient and a family whose father was doing another tour in Afghanistan; and I lived in Buenos Aires, Argentina for five months and taught female victims of domestic violence photography as a form of therapy and self-expression.
Now, I am living in Washington, DC, looking to continue my work to promote social awareness and combat human rights issues. For the last two years, I have searched for communities and organizations that would grant me the opportunity to connect with individuals around the world without having to travel. From student loans to ridiculously high living rates, I didn’t have the funds to pay it myself, and I lost the appeal of my usual benefactors when I graduated and was no longer a student. I came across a few that seemed promising, but it wasn’t until I discovered World Pulse a few months ago that I truly felt like I had found what I have been looking for all this time.
I’m so happy to be part of a community that supports citizen journalism development with women around the world. It is wonderful to tell others’ stories when they do not have the resources to do it themselves, but it is even better to help others tell their stories and share it with the world. I am excited to see where it takes me and who I connect with!
New Media Helps Us Break Boundaries and Promote Awareness
Advancements in technology have granted us the opportunity to transcend cultural and social boundaries and connect with individuals across the globe. New media has created a public forum for discussion about major global issues that people who were once excluded from society can participate in.
Read more here: http://worldpulse.com/node/68140
Victims of Domestic Violence in Argentina Using Photography to Tell Their Story
(Source: youtube.com)
New Website is Up!
For anyone who is interested, I published my new website today http://courtneymichellemiller.org!
If you’re interested in photography, video, social issues, human rights, travel or connecting with individuals around the globe, you should definitely check it out!
Thanks!
I have had the privilege of covering several events at the United Nations, including the 67th UNGA and the passing of the Chairmanship of G77 to Fiji’s PM Bainimarama.
"What’s your next step? I don’t know for sure, because for everyone it’s different, but I bet it involves choosing something that already lights you up. Something you already think is beautiful or lasting and meaningful. Pick something you aren’t just able to do; instead, pick something you feel like you were made to do and then do lots of that…God made us to be good at a few things and bad at a couple others. He made us to love some things and not like others. Most of all, He made us to dream. We were meant to dream a lot. We’re not just a cosmic biology experiment that ended up working. We’re part of God’s much bigger plan for the whole world…Heaven’s been leaning over the rails ever since you got here, waiting to see what you’ll do with your life."
- Bobb Goff, Love Does
