In the far-off rainy lands of opportunity, I hope.
1.29.2010
1.27.2010
1.26.2010
1.25.2010
Couch Surfing, or, How I Got Away from America and into the Heart of Living Abroad
Upon asking my photo professor what his wife did, he replied “she’s a lady of leisure...and she does my Photoshop work” and the idea has stuck with me. When you dream of what career to get into, few truly aspire and succeed to be an international lady of leisure. Just like Fred’s wife, the female students of Barcelona could be as well, at least in a temporary sense. All there was in Barcelona was leisure, since even the classes we took were cultural and interesting but not challenging academically.
The challenge was finding meaningful things to occupy my time and so I turned to the city of Barcelona, intent upon making it my hobby. Catalan and all. So ordered my café amb lait and struggled to get by alone in Catalan cafés, all while writing and taking photographs. Perhaps not even very good ones, for I prefer to shoot in daylight and outside and I know that’s lazy and I should know all about artificial lighting and all that to be a “real” photographer. But there are lovely pictures that I quite like, at least 8 of them from these four months, so maybe chances are that someone else might like a different 8 and then we’re on to something.
I also travelled. That is what students in Europe do. But I Couch Surfed to meet locals, a lifestyle choice I've since continued upon my return to the States. You stay with locals for free, go out with them and their friends, learn about the culture. And people think it’s weird and creepy that I like to sleep on strange couches in foreign countries and only talk to people who live there and maybe barely speak English at all. Maybe it is...I certainly appreciate that staying in a tiny studio flat outside of Rome with a large and lovable Italian man named Guiseppe may not be “comfortable” by normal standards. But when he began making dinner with his mother’s tomato preserves, her homemade olive oil, and secret meatball recipe, the old comfort was replaced by a new sense of being truly welcomed into this man’s home and life, if just for one night. In Couch Surfing, I have made Europe my hobby as well. Documenting photographically all the way, I have met and talked with locals from every city I have visited, often staying with them in their homes for days. The craziest things have happened. The stories are incredible and several are unbelievable. Beautiful and moving kindnesses, large and small, have been rained down upon me these 3 months and for that I am so grateful.
I am Katie Warren. I take pictures (some of which are beautiful). I write (occasionally). I Couch Surf (and put your stinky hostel to shame).
It is weeks later, holed up in the never-ending New England winter filled with new banality that the photos will come back to serve as a reminder of wilder times. They show that there is no reason not to flee to Europe alone on a blind and desperate mission to find some pulse of life.
Regardless of the writing, my camera has become an extension of my body now, a familiar appendage that has survived riots, breaking and entering, and couch surfing across the continent. The pictures serve as memory and perhaps little else, but they (and I) remain (which is a minor miracle, considering). Here are some of my CS hosts.
The challenge was finding meaningful things to occupy my time and so I turned to the city of Barcelona, intent upon making it my hobby. Catalan and all. So ordered my café amb lait and struggled to get by alone in Catalan cafés, all while writing and taking photographs. Perhaps not even very good ones, for I prefer to shoot in daylight and outside and I know that’s lazy and I should know all about artificial lighting and all that to be a “real” photographer. But there are lovely pictures that I quite like, at least 8 of them from these four months, so maybe chances are that someone else might like a different 8 and then we’re on to something.
I also travelled. That is what students in Europe do. But I Couch Surfed to meet locals, a lifestyle choice I've since continued upon my return to the States. You stay with locals for free, go out with them and their friends, learn about the culture. And people think it’s weird and creepy that I like to sleep on strange couches in foreign countries and only talk to people who live there and maybe barely speak English at all. Maybe it is...I certainly appreciate that staying in a tiny studio flat outside of Rome with a large and lovable Italian man named Guiseppe may not be “comfortable” by normal standards. But when he began making dinner with his mother’s tomato preserves, her homemade olive oil, and secret meatball recipe, the old comfort was replaced by a new sense of being truly welcomed into this man’s home and life, if just for one night. In Couch Surfing, I have made Europe my hobby as well. Documenting photographically all the way, I have met and talked with locals from every city I have visited, often staying with them in their homes for days. The craziest things have happened. The stories are incredible and several are unbelievable. Beautiful and moving kindnesses, large and small, have been rained down upon me these 3 months and for that I am so grateful.
I am Katie Warren. I take pictures (some of which are beautiful). I write (occasionally). I Couch Surf (and put your stinky hostel to shame).
It is weeks later, holed up in the never-ending New England winter filled with new banality that the photos will come back to serve as a reminder of wilder times. They show that there is no reason not to flee to Europe alone on a blind and desperate mission to find some pulse of life.
Regardless of the writing, my camera has become an extension of my body now, a familiar appendage that has survived riots, breaking and entering, and couch surfing across the continent. The pictures serve as memory and perhaps little else, but they (and I) remain (which is a minor miracle, considering). Here are some of my CS hosts.
Beatles RockBand with Riccardo in Florence
Guiseppe took us to see the famous Pinnochio's of Roma!
Cool spot Enrique took us to
Enrique drove us all over the city to see beautiful night views for photos
The Italians' fridge in Granada
And they sent us to meet their gypsy friends at sunset
New friends on the beach in Málaga
Who took us to an abandoned mansion...nice pool, yeah?
Taking in the view with our new friends
Friends in Madrid playing international card games
Silly at the party
Firat! Great CS host in Istanbul
Part of the crew in Istanbul at a party
A photographer CS host took us to this beautiful neighborhood to shoot
New best friends in Istanbul
Rooftop club in Istanbul
Firat told us to "listen to the sound of the Bosphorus" to understand the grey city. He was right.
I am so fortunate.
And because it is raining
And because it is raining I am decorating by turning our entire boudoir area into an inspiration board, since life is too short not to look at pretty pictures while you sit on the john.
Ironically also my ex's name. Oh dear.
Here are some pictures that are quiet and nice, because that is the kind of day it is.
W
First Saturday
W2
Trying to be healthy and failing half-an-apple worth
W3
Interior, exterior, the barrier
Slither
So I was doing my morning roundup of reading fashion blogs and photography blogs (not a guilty pleasure, it's inspiration immersion! not silly at all!), when I came across the new Alexander McQueen ad shot by the ever-fantastic Nick Knight.
First of all, THE SHOES. The armadillos. Walking death trap personified. Which are, any person remotely into fashion or Lady Gaga (I like both) will admit, are the greatest thing since sliced bread. And we want nothing to do with them. Don't get me wrong, they're a breathtaking shoe! But I quiver in fear at the thought of what's going on with poor Raquel Zimmerman's feet inside them. So I content myself to admire from afar.
Second of all, the python-skin body suit. Now THAT I could wear. Put one on order for me? Raquel looks rather comfortable (or about to pass out from lack of food...time for the next celery stick, yes?) with all these snakes, rather like the time Mike and I shared a bottle of wine and I got to know my friend's snake named 8-Ball for a night. Very interesting, since I found that I liked it! I'll pass on the pet-getting for this one though!
1.24.2010
Breaking/Entering
So my photographer buddy and I ventured down to Beacon to an abandoned factory tucked along the banks of the Fishkill Creek with the intention of poking around inside to get some cool interior shots. Sadly the place had been newly boarded up in the last month and the skaters haven't forced their way back in yet, so neither could we. It was cool though, especially in the late afternoon light. I hadn't seen my friend (who calls me Muppet, for a variety of reasons) for 9 months either, so we were able to catch up as we avoided being caught trespassing. Not too hard...the place was in the middle of nowhere! Next time we're bringing tools.
Getting faded
Factory on the Fishkill
Glass sunset
Hamster tube
Berto, the man himself
1.23.2010
Movers, Shakers
Due to the ridiculousness of moving back to a place I haven't lived in 9 months, I've been a tad remiss in my photo posting. Here are some more shots from Montreal last weekend, and I'm going on a covert photo mission today with a photographer buddy of mine. Thus, new photos to follow. Hoping the nooks and crannies of the Hudson Valley have some crazy to offer me.
Canadians enjoy watching hockey
Burial
Michael, not having it
Streetduskshadows
Old Canadian guy holding down the goal
It is FAR too cold for this dog! Not happy.
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