The Cost of Adventure

©Art by Zoé De Las Cases. Colored by Crystaline.

In two weeks, we will pack up our suitcases, fly two solid days, and land in Kathmandu, Nepal. This is our fifth tour and I find myself wondering what I will miss over the next two years.  I will miss weddings, funerals, birthdays, holidays, births, and deaths. My friends and I will pass into new stages of life as we reach new milestones. I worry that the distance alone means that I am not the friend or family member that I should be. I worry that when I come back the differences in our life might be too different.

Many years ago, I met the National Geographic photographer, Sam Abell. He told me the story of how his wife got cancer. They had traveled their whole life but when his wife got sick he felt he had little support due to his lifestyle choices. He told me that his brother who was a school teacher had a better quality of life then he had. I have to remind myself that this was likely a very difficult time for him but I have kept hold of his words and strive to upkeep the relationships I hold dear.

I diligently track holidays and my close friends birthdays. I send Christmas cards and try to be good about calling those I love. But occasionally, I get that niggling fear that it's just not the same as being in the same space with the people that you love.

I love my life. I love this feeling of adventure. The unknown spreading out before me with infinite possibilities. I like the challenge of learning to find grocery stores and restaurants that I will ultimately count as "my" special spots in each country. I will take thousands of pictures and meet people with stories that will broaden the way I see the world. I will seek out new relationships with people I don't know. They will become my family away from home. They will see me through the hard bits of life and the joys that are inevitably in front of me.

I will change. And so will the people I love. And I hope that the time that we've had and the time we continue to make for each other is enough. I am so grateful for the friends and family who have seen me through every stage of my life.

May you all have a wonderful holiday season and know that where ever you may be in life or the world, you are loved.

A Few of Our Favorite Things: Rwanda

Well it's officially over. A few weeks ago a truck pulled away with 4200 lbs of stuff. And today our shipment went off with the final 450 lbs. that will meet us in D.C. Another tour wrapped.

This week I've spent some time thinking about Rwanda and all the things I will miss about living here. This is the first post where I was able to make my career work. The first post where Dom and I had amazing work life balance. We are leave some amazing memories and incredible friendships in our wake.

I always feel like it is my responsibility to any future FS couple or visitors to Rwanda to create our "must-do activities". So here you go.

1. Gorilla Trekking. This was truly one of the most amazing things that we have ever done. You can see my previous post for more details. Seriously people. Put this on your bucket list! It's worth every penny.

2. Nyungwe Forest Lodge wins a the best lodge we stayed at in Rwanda and maybe anywhere. It is located in the middle of a gorgeous tea planation and a short drive away from the canopy walk and waterfall hike. Go here and enjoy!

3. Imbabazi- We never expected to walk into the middle of an English garden in the middle of Rwanda. And yet here it was! A former orphanage run by an extraordinary woman named Ros Carr (read her book!), this farm is simply breathtaking and it'll give you an interesting history lesson. One Sunday a month they do a tea with intore dancers. Really spectacular!

4. Brachetto- This is without a doubt our favorite restaurant in Kigali. We spent many an evening here so Dom could get his pasta and Crystal could have the chocolate mouse.

5. Diner en Blanc Kigali- By far our favorite "Kigali" event. Preparing for it by shopping in the used clothing market is almost as fun as going!

6. Inzora- We coffee lovers must have a favorite coffee shop and this is it. It's also the location of one of the only book stores in Kigali.

7. Bbrood- Carb lovers unite! I've lived in many cities where it's difficult to get good bread. We hit up this place once a week for their delicious multgrain loaf.

8. Nyamirambo Women's Center- By far my favorite place to purchase crafts in Kigali. The quality is just superb. They also do neighborhood tours! All their programs support women's education/training in the Nyamirambo neighborhood.

9. Akagera- A nice mini safari with elephants, giraffes, and as of this week---lions!

10. Rwanda Clothing Company- Want some custom made clothing? This is the place! Amazing quality and fabric choice.

Farewell Rwanda! Thanks for the ride!

Minimalist Makeup

I have a confession to make. I've become an all natural, juice loving, granola hippie. And it's all minimalism's fault. What started out as a journey for simplicity has turned into all natural products and incense. I hope you all are ready for this.

I recently read Crazy, Sexy Diet by Kris Carr. I was stunned to learn that most women use 12 beauty products daily and each of those products have 168 ingredients. No premarket safety testing is required for the industrial chemicals that go into personal care products or the chemical industry as a whole. According to the Office of Cosmetics and Colors at the federal Food and Drug Administration, “…a cosmetic manufacturer may use almost any raw material as a cosmetic ingredient and market the product without an approval from FDA.”  (FDA 2012) The FDA does no systematic reviews of safety, instead authorizing the cosmetics industry to self-police ingredient safety through its Cosmetics Ingredient Review panel. 

I really had no idea. I had been buying products stateside and shipping them in mass to whatever country I live in because I believed that the U.S. safety standards were higher. But then I used EWG Skindeep cosmetics database to check my products and learned that almost every product I used was between 5-6 (moderately toxic). Even scarier, I learned that cosmetic companies are not required to list all of their ingredients on the bottle so it's possible there were other chemical ingredients that I'd never even know about.  There was almost zero correlation between the price of the product I was using and it's safety. In fact, many of the more expensive products I used were MORE toxic. 

It was depressing. I'd spent years hunting down the perfect products and had quite a few that I really liked. But I've slowly gotten rid of everything that was 4 or above and eventually I hope to use products between 0-2.


Here are a few of my favorite (all natural) new things:

Vegan, Gluten Free Lipstick from Red Apple Lipstick. Currently using Naughty, Ralleye Balm, and Paris. I also love their lip exfoliant that isn't pictured here. I sort of hate the websites branding but they have great lipstick. 

I can't get enough of the RMS "Un" Cover-Up (EWG Score 1) and have been using it daily . Just a bit under the eyes an on any blemishes and off I go. It's amazing! I also like the 100% Pure Brand foundation (EWG Score 1) but I just don't use much with the amazing-ness of RMS. I only use this when I'm going out or for a work meeting. Or if I have more blemishes then normal. 

Oldies but Goodies (A few of my old products made the cut!):

The products that made the cut were my 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented in Black Tea (EWG Score 2), The Body Shop Shimmer Cube eye shadow, and the Naked Urban Decay Basics palette (EWG Score 2). 

Probably the funniest part of all of this is that while I am minimizing, I actually bought a whole pile of new beauty products. I don't really know what to think about that. But you win some, you loose some. 

Well that's all for now! Do you guys have any all natural product favorites? I'd love to know about them! 

A Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Adventure

 Dom and I have been talking about going gorilla trekking since we first arrived in Rwanda. This weekend we did it, and it was so much cooler than I thought it would be. I've seen dozens of photos of our friends trekking, and I knew you got close to the gorillas. But the truth is I had no idea how close we'd be.

We will be getting even closer!

We visited the Sabyinyo group led by the oldest living male gorilla, Guhonda.  Our trek was very easy, and it only took us about 45 minutes to reach the family. The gorillas decided to come down the mountain for the weekend holiday or maybe because they were so excited to see us! It was pouring rain for most of the trek up, but we piled on a few extra fleece layers under our rain jackets and slogged through the mud. The weather gods smiled down on us because the rain let up and we got some amazing photos during the hour we were allowed to spend with the gorilla group.

So in each group there is one male leader. The females align themselves with the big boss. And it is the his job to keep the group safe from outsiders. The other males in the group are supposed to stay away from the females even though they are fully mature and have natural urges. The first gorilla we saw was the third in command of the Sabyinyo group. Our guide kept calling him the prime minister and explained that he had a ear injury from a few days before.  The prime minister got the royal smackdown from Guhonda for doing the "jiggy jiggy" with one of the females in the group and was doing his best to avoid the big boss. He spent most of his time eating, but suddenly he got up. Our guide said, "He's going to charge, don't move and take a photo."  Yeah right! If I am going to get charged by a gorilla then I am not going to document it for the world to see. He stopped right before he got to us since no one moved. Then he brushed passed me to move onto better feeding grounds. I've officially been touched by a silverback!

We continued along and got to see several mothers and babies. And Big Ben, a balding trouble maker, kept stirring up the mothers. He couldn't help but make problems, apparently none of the ladies will pay him any attention due to his balding head. Poor Big Ben!

Then just as we were going around the bend Gahonda showed up right smack dab in the middle of our group. He is forty-two and the largest gorilla I've ever seen. He brushed back a few people in our group and then turned back towards us on a very skinny path. You can catch a glimpse of him pushing past Dom and heading on his way. Did I mention that we were really, really close to him?

Guhonda 

Yep. This is about s close as you can get to a gorilla! 

Can you tell that we think this is awesome?!

Our final stop was to see the most adorable one-month-old baby gorilla. Seriously, look at that face.  Too ridiculously cute.

Socks outside of Pants = Safari fashion

We originally went to see the gorillas because it seemed like something you should do if you live in Rwanda. It is one of the most amazing things we have done to date. Put it on your bucket list people! I promise that you will be amazed. Your dollars go to support tourism and conservation in Rwanda. Get more info here!

The Randazzos' European Christmas Adventure

This year, Dom and I threw caution to the wind and decided to use one of our home leave tickets to go to Rome, Prague, and Barcelona. We attended a friends wedding in Rome and then traveled with the couple to Prague for Christmas, and Barcelona for new years. Our friends must think we're good company if they are willing to bring us along on their honeymoon!




Here are a few of our favorite things from our travels. Per usual, most our choices revolve around food and art!

Sant'Eustachio Il Cafe (Rome)- The most amazing coffee place in the world. No seriously. After our fourth trip to the coffee shop, I told Dom that he would be looking for his second wife if the barista proposed marriage. The coffee was that good! Here's a fun little post about this place in the New York Times.

Le Mani Pasta (Rome)- This place came highly recommended by a local. And we were not disappointed, even after having to wait for a while to get in on a Tuesday night. The clam appetiser is to die for. This place is such authentic Rome. Go there!

Bellevue (Prague)- Bellevue was such an amazing meal! We were blown away! Add it to your list.

St. Agnes of Bohemia (Prague)- This convent turned art museum is such a beautiful space. I left with romantic visions of St. Agnes who left royal life and an arranged marriage to serve in the convent. It was a collection of some of the most beautiful religious artifacts that I've ever seen probably because it revolved around women. Add this to your next Prague visit!

Field Restaurant (Prague)- I cannot say that Prague was the place to eat, but this place was the exception to the rule. It was fantastic. Do not miss the Espresso mousse with brown butter and smoked almonds. I am pretty sure I was all cracked out for the rest of the night at this meal. Simply incredible!

Sagrada Familia (Barcelona)- The Sagrada Familia church is to date the most beautiful and awe inspiring man-made place that I have ever been to. The foresight of Gaudi in building the church is simply astounding. As is his careful attention to light, sound, and replicating nature. Photos and videos simple cannot do justice to this astounding space.  It is a must see on any visitor's list in Barcelona.

Canete (Barcelona)- This tapas restaurant was one of the best meals of the trip. We sat at the bar which allows you to see the chefs in action. We asked our waiter to choose 3-4 dishes per person that we simply could not miss. It was a foodie adventure as we had no idea what was coming next. Our favorite was the beef filet with foie gras.

Picasso Museum (Barcelona)- This is a museum that should not be missed if you are in Barcelona. My disclaimer is that I have read too much about him being a horrible person to be really enthused. But I felt like I should go and see this museum and you cannot deny the creative genius. So whether you love him or hate him, you should check it out.

The End of Project 333 and the Beginning of the Capsule Wardrobe

Well today marks the end of my first round of Project 333. That's three months with only thirty-three items in my closet. I struggled with committing to this project. But I found that once I committed it made my life easier. I no longer stand in front on my closet wondering what I should wear. Minimizing my choices has maximized my time.

For my next round, I decided to mix it up a bit a do a Capsule Wardrobe that has some pretty nifty wardrobe planning worksheets. There are some minor differences between the capsule wardrobe and Project 333, but they are similar ideas. When choosing my clothes last time, I don't think I was aware of the types of things that I wore most often. Casual tops, sundresses, etc. Instead, I choose things that I liked and ended up with a few too many dressy tops and a few to few pants and functional items.  I'm excited to use the capsule wardrobe planner worksheets as I remix my closet for the next three months.

This minimalist adventure has taken me on a journey. It's allowed me to start to hone my style and think about my fashion choices from an ethical viewpoint.

I am coming around to the idea of slow fashion and conscious consumerism. Perhaps this is a normal progression as I often work with people in other countries and spend time thinking about the inequality in the world. But I never considered the fact that clothing in my closet  is an active choice, and I am promoting unethical treatment with my consumerism.

I am also a pragmatic so I know that it will be quite difficult for me to stop purchasing unsustainable items entirely. But I hope to strike a balance between ethical considerations, budget, and access as I live overseas.  I decided to make a few guidelines for myself as I make purchases this year.

• I will not purchase any more new, unsustainably made items from fast fashion stores. This week I removed all my favorite shopping apps and promotional emails. Goodbye Rue La La! Goodbye Hautelook! Goodbye Express!

• I will try to replace items I need with used items first. 

• I will repair/reuse items that I already own.

• I will pay more attention to tags and purchase more natural fabrics (cotton, silk, linen,etc.). I found that the older items in my closet were mostly natural fabrics and endured time better. I will also make efforts to purchase more U.S. made items. That's just simple patriotism.   

• If I have to buy a new item, I will purchase a sustainably made brand.

 If every American spent an extra $3.33 on U.S. made products it would create almost 10,000 new jobs. 

I truly don't know if this is a fad or a change I will carry through my lifetime. But I hope that I will continue to ask questions about the things I buy and the lives that my actions can affect. 

The Fall of Fashion and the Return of Self Satifaction

When I started exploring the idea of minimizing my closet, Dom got me this pretty little book loaded with beautiful illustrations and food for thought.

After I read it. I downloaded, “Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion” by Elizabeth L. Cline. I have been spent the last few weeks pouring over its pages and broadening my knowledge on something I knew nothing about.

I assumed by the title that I’d be reading about sweatshops and poor working conditions. But I also received a history lesson on the luxury fashion industry, the rise of American consumerism, and a behind the scenes look at how shops run their business.

In the book, the author meets Sarah Kate Beaumont who decides to start making all of her clothing and documenting her progress on a blog. This idea sent me back to my childhood. I come from a long line of women creators whose chosen medium was sewing. One of my only memories of my granny was learning to make a little-cross-stitched box. It was hunter green with a white lid and a little pink flower on the lid.  My mom patiently sat with me while I made my first dress on the sewing machine at fifteen---it was a light purple floral cotton sundress. And on one of my last trips home, my Aunt Dessie taught me to crochet.

I can remember the exact details of the items I created. I can't remember my favorite items of clothing from the last ten years. I haven’t done any sewing in years. But the lack of inspiration in my closet and the clothing in my price point could lead me to dust off the sewing machine in the back of my closet.

From 1810-1910, the Arts and Crafts movement flourished right after the industrial revolution. The Arts and Crafts style started as a search for aesthetic design and decoration and as a reaction against machine production.  Owen Wilson, one of the fathers of the movement, declared, “Ornament must be secondary to the thing decorated.” Form follows function.

I wonder whether we have an “Arts & Crafts Movement” in our future?  The quality of products continues to lesson, and the availability of cheap products broadens. How much more satisfaction would we feel if we created our style instead of wearing latest fad from H&M?

For most of my life, I’ve considered fashion a preferred form of self-expression. But when I turn a discerning eye on my closet, the items there seem to be almost identical. My self-identified expression has been taken over by cheaply made replicas of eras gone by and trends that move at the speed of light. There is very little creativity in what I see hanging there.

I am thirty-two years old and yet I vividly recall the texture of the yarn, the feel of the needle as I pushed it through the plastic squares, and the satisfaction I felt in creating something both functional and beautiful when I was just seven or eight years old. The memory alone is enough to really make really reconsider my choices.

The Holidays and the Minimalist Suitcase

Happy New Year! Dom and I just spent two weeks visiting Rome, Prague, and Barcelona. We went to Rome to see our good friends Leah and Collins get married. Since we were in Europe already, we figured we might as well squeeze in a few other places. What an amazing adventure!

During the trip planning, Dom and I realized that checking a bag on the multiple legs of the airfare would cost us 35 euros per leg per bag. Considering that the flights were pretty inexpensive, we didn't want to pay the extra cash in luggage fees. Unwittingly, we'd created the perfect storm to try out our "minimizing" in the real world. The challenge: 14 days, three countries, and winter clothing in a carry-on bag weighing no more that 10 kg (22 lbs). We were both surprised to find out that packing with limitations isn't as hard as we thought it would be. Since we didn't have bags to wait on at each stop, we had extra time for sightseeing!

My tiny suitcase! 

Here my short packing list:
6 sweaters
1 Pair of Jeans
1 Pair of Black Pants
1 Black Skirt
1 Little Black Dress
1 pair of cuddle duds (best purchase of the trip!)
5 pairs of socks
8 pairs underwear
2 bras
1 pair tall brown boots
1 pair short grey boots
1 scarf
1 pair of gloves
1 heavy jacket
Curling Iron
Straightener
Makeup
1 Quart Size bag of toiletries
Travel Meds
Jewelry
Hair Accessories

I also loved using a packing cube by Eagle Creek to minimize my sweaters and keep my suitcase tidy!

Dom was successful in his packing as well!

We stayed at different Air BnB apartments along the way and made sure that they had washing machines so we could do laundry. Having the weight constraint kept us from buying souvenirs along the way, which means we'll have less junk to minimize later on in our home.

Since our final flight didn't have a fee or weight restriction for checking in a bag, we rewarded our good behavior with a few Spanish goodies that we can't get in Rwanda. Something tells me that we will be traveling lighter in the future!

To our wine loving friends we highly recommend Spanish Rioja, Tempranillo, Cava, and Rose Cava.

I'll be sure to share more of our European adventures via video as soon as I can.  Check out Leah's blog for more on our traveling adventures!

Halfway Through My First Round of Project 333

I am just a few weeks away from the half way point of my 333 Project. If you remember I was feeling a little anxious about whether or not I could actually pull my clothes loving self out of the routine of having so many clothes and working with limited options.

I think the most surprising thing about this experiment is the fact that I have magically cleared about fifteen minutes in my morning schedule. No really. I didn't believe it myself but I realized that the minutes were ticking away as I stared into the depths of my closet trying to figure out what to wear. I love that my mornings are more relaxed and I realize that limiting my choices has helped my quality of life.

I am also slowly honing my personal style. I thought I'd share a few of my favorite wardrobe items to celebrate the halfway mark of the project.

Everlane:

I love Everlane's transparent pricing and high quality product. I own two of their V Cotton T (pictured above left) and their Cotton Lawn shirt (pictured above right) is one of the go to shirts in my closet.  I also loved their campaign over the last couple of years to encourage thoughtful consumerism. They shut down their website on Black Friday for the last two years. This year they left it open but dedicated all sales to the building of a rec center for their employees working at factories overseas. I am thrilled with the quality of the product, the effortlessness of the look, and the ideology behind the brand. It's a win, win, win! 

Portofino Shirt from Express

I have three versions of this shirt in my closet. I particularly like the long sleeve shirt because you can roll it to make it three quarter length. It is dressy enough for work but can easily be more casual when pared with jeans.

Well that's it for now! I can't wait to see what I think after I wrap my first three month session and do the planning for the next one. :)

Do We Have Giving All Wrong?

I grew up in the family that flew their holiday flag loudly and proudly. Or rather, my mom raised it and my father either acquiesced grumpily or threw himself whole heartedly into the parts of the experience he liked (like making bacon on Christmas morning and reading the Christmas story prior to presents) and then got grumpy again.

We had some pretty incredible times and all seven of us have fantastic stories of the holidays. Ironically, none of those stories revolve around the gifts we were given. Instead we laugh about how we'd receive those gifts from Santa, The Tooth Fairy, The Domestic Fairy, or The Lingerie Fairy. I love thinking about us taking turns in the gift wrapping room and trying to come up with the funniest fairy or unicorn or wretched dwarf to send gifts from. While I love Christmas, I think I loved the act of preparing for it more than anything else.

I know that the holidays can be a stressful time for parents and often was stressful for mine as they tried to get all seven of their children the presents they wanted for Christmas. I wonder if all the stress and sacrifice is worth it? Especially as an adult I can barely remember the gifts I received.

My favorite gift from my childhood was a violin my grandmother sent me. I took lessons for a few years and then fell off the wagon but there was something about opening that gift that has stuck with me when all the others no matter how nice have drifted off down memory lane never to be heard of again. I find it interesting that the gift I most remember was really the experience more than a gift.

So when I stumbled across this article, it made me wonder if we have the holidays all wrong. Are we teaching our children that presents are more important than anything else? Not that I have any children to teach but I do have a whole load of nieces, nephews, brothers, and sisters.

For the last couple of years Dom and I had tried unsuccessfully to get our siblings and my parents to fill out the paperwork so we could send savings bonds to the kids. Apparently, you need parental permission to do so. The process was cumbersome and bulky and it just never really worked out. This article inspired me to do something different when filling out my nieces birthday card. I sent a note to her parents as well. It read like this:

Dear Ian and Priscella,

I hope all is well in beautiful Colorado and your family is happy and well. Dom and I have decided that we really wanted to stop giving presents or physical stuff as gifts to our nieces and nephews. We’ve both come to learn that the greatest treasures in our lives are experiences. 

We hope that by sending this money to you, you can help direct it to the right channels. Perhaps this can help send Jael to summer camp, swimming lessons, or something she is interested in during the year. Maybe it should go into her college fund or the family vacation fund. We think that you know her best and can make sure that she has a wonderful experience with this birthday gift.

We can’t wait to hear about the ways it’s being used and all the things that Jael is discovering as her world expands.

We love you guys and wish we were closer! Hope to see you on our return stateside!

Hugs,

Crystal & Dom

I will have to keep you posted on how it is received as things take awhile to get from here back stateside. I wonder if anyone out there has tried to give the gift of experience versus stuff? What did you find?

A Clotheshorse Tries to Minimize

I've always been obsessed with clothes and shoes. My mother called me Amelda Marcus from an early age due to the ridiculous amount of footwear in my closet. I've come to realize that clothing is my status symbol. Some people want a fancy car or a house with a three car garage, but my daydreams are all Sex And The City and Jimmy Choo shoes. In all fairness, my practical side is heavy handed with the fashion diva in my head so it's not like I am spending absurd amounts of money on these things.

When I started minimizing, I also started analyzing what is truly important in life. And I am slowly coming around to the realization that my infatuation with clothing has something to do with my vision of myself. Clothing is a means for me to feel like I can be whoever I am dressing to be.

Work Powerhouse: Blazer, button up, scarf, and perfect manicure. 

Hostess with the Mostest: Sundress, heels, cute apron while serving up something delicious.

Photographer: Black on black on black. 

A power outfit sometimes gives me confidence that I might not of had on my own. Am I simply playing dress up like I did when I was a girl? Is this obsession just another tier of my unhealthy struggle with perfectionism? What happens if I remove this element from my life? Does something more important come into focus?

As I was asking myself important questions about how I measured my own worth, Dom had me read this book.  Among other things, I learned about the 333 Project. In this minimalism exercise, you choose 33 items to wear over 3 months. You box everything else up in your closet. Repeat this on a seasonal basis.

The idea kept niggling at me and wouldn't leave me alone. It was particularly powerful one night as I reflected on my photo shoots from the previous week where I documented the lives of Rwandan mothers and realized how grateful I should be for all I have. In that moment, I felt that I wanted to focus more intently on the truly important things in my life instead of being caught up in my own frivolity. It was time to put my money where my mouth was.

As I pulled things from my closet, I was surprised how much resistance I felt. I was nervous. Dare I say afraid? I found myself in front of my closet having a series of mental arguments with myself with an angel on one shoulder and the devil wears Prada on the other.

Clothes do not the woman make. 

But everyone is used to seeing you dressed nicely. What will people think?

It's not like you won't be dressed nicely. You'll wear nice things, just less of them.

You'll look stupid. 

No one will even notice----why do you think they would?

You can do anything for three months.

Why are you even putting yourself through this?

What's the big deal? Are you so shallow that you cannot do without a few articles of clothing?

Push, pull, push, pull.

I eventually  overcame all the voices in my head, but I still feel a bit uneasy about the project. Enter this blog post for the sheer sake of accountability.

Project 333
I narrowed my closet to 33 items of clothing and footwear. This did not include additional accessories. I minimized my accessories to 10 earrings, 1 ring, 2 bracelets, and 9 necklaces (all the true minimalists out there will find this atrocious but consider this my baby steps in the right direction). This also does not include my workout clothes, underthings, or a small selection of 12 items that I wear only on photo shoots out to the field as my shoot clothing gets pretty beat up in the long term.

I am not sure what I expect to come out of this exercise. I figure I will either be surprised by what you can do with very little and be sold on the idea in the long term or completely hate the entire process. I hope that this continues my journey of really focusing on the things that matter in life regardless of how it turns out. Our lives are so short, and we have so much more than most people in the world. I hope we all take the time to enjoy it.

Trying Out Minimalism for Ourselves

As many of you read in my last post Dom and I are exploring the idea of minimizing the things in our lives that take up space.  We realized that it's not only stuff that takes up our time. It's also things like cable and the internet. Every evening things seemed to be panning out the same way. Dinner, work out, veg out on bad AFN television or mindless internet surfing.

So we decided to put this minimalism thing to the test.

Trying Out Minimalism Our Way

1. Get rid of the stuff we simply aren't using. We spent last weekend going through every room in the house (still haven't made it to the storage room). I also am trying the Oprah hanger trick  for the next thirty days to see what I am using on a regular basis. In 30 days we have to revisit the items we decided to keep---have we used them? Are they adding to our life?

2. We are limited the amount of time we spend on the internet and on television each day. No more than one hour of internet after 6:00 p.m. per day. No more than an hour of television each day.

3. For every new item we purchase, we have to get rid of two old things.

4. We started a list of all the things we want to do and are proactively moving forward.


I've learned a few things at the end of our first week. Minimizing actually feels good especially when you realize that many of the items you are keeping are for sentimental reasons. I kept asking myself if the person who gave me the item ever thought of it again? And yet here I was keeping it because of my love for the person who gave it to me not because I truly loved it or used it. I think I need to transfer that love into creating a more meaningful relationships with that person or people. Keeping their gifts around me doesn't do a thing for our relationship. If I am thinking about them then I should call them, visit them, send them a card. I should build on the relationship.

It also feels good to give things to people who need them and will use them. We are spoiled by the massive shipment of stuff we are allowed to bring abroad. But many of our friends are making do with what they were able to bring from home in a suitcase. I have a guest room set up for "shopping" and I'll donate the rest to one of the many places doing good in Rwanda.

It's lots of fun to do things instead of watching tv. This weekend we went to a jazz event, jewelry and craft show, had friends over for dessert and drinks, and ran off to Lake Muhazi with some friends for lunch and boating on Sunday. I didn't miss CSI at all!

I have a feeling this whole experience is headed somewhere but we're still figuring it out where it's going. All I know is that I feel good about it. This week we've gotten several shipments of things we ordered prior to the whole minimalist epiphany. We both laughed because none of them seemed important or worth the money we spent. Time to figure out if I can return it all and to decide what to do next weekend!

Do We Need This Stuff?

I just realized that I might be addicted to stuff. You’d never know because my home storage space is strategically set up to look tidy. Not to mention the ample space in my four bedrooms/4.5 bath deluxe FS digs.  It’s not like I need to be on hoarders, but I do have a meaningful relationship with the buy it now button on Amazon.

I spent several hours doing some minimalist reading and I realized that I have a lot of stuff. I feel like living in a beautiful space with beautiful things somehow makes me more worthy. Worthy of what? I have no idea.

I assume this has something to do with my childhood and the fact that I didn’t grow up having a lot. I am sure there is some type psychoanalysis that would show I am compensating because I equate stuff with happiness. The whole idea is pretty ridiculous.

In the Foreign Service, Dom and I are allotted 250 lbs each of UAB (Unaccompanied Air Baggage). That’s the stuff that shows up within the first couple weeks at post and tides us over until our HHE arrives. We are allowed to bring up a whopping 7,200 lbs in our HHE (Household Effects). This doesn’t include the 2,500 lbs of consumables we were allotted at this post or the fact that most of our furniture is provided by the Embassy.  We’ve never moved our entire weight allotment. But I have to questions if I really need to be moving over 10,000 lbs of stuff all over the world on a regular basis?

I had this epiphany once before on January 12, 2010. The night of the earthquake in Haiti, Dom and I were allowed to go back to our homes for fifteen minutes to gather whatever belongings we might need. We were told that it was likely that our homes would be looted in the night. I remember standing in the entryway trying to figure out what was important enough to take, the one thing in that house that was irreplaceable to me was Dom. We left with laptops, camera gear, paperwork, pillows, and a duffle with a change of clothes and a few toiletries. Nothing else really mattered.

Four years later I am reminded that the stuff that I have chosen to fill my life up doesn’t bring happiness. I’m not saying that I am not happy. But my greatest happiness comes from relationships, photography, and adventure. The real question is what could I be doing with all the time and money that I’ve been investing in stuff? What about you? What could you be doing if you traded in your stuff for experiences?

Adventures in Cape Town

It's been almost a year since Dom and I arrived in Kigali, Rwanda. We decided it was well past time for a break. So, we put our vacation fund to use and ran away to Cape Town.

Check out our video reel for fun highlights and don't miss our Top 10 list from Cape Town and the Cape Winelands.


Adventures in Cape Town from Crystaline Randazzo on Vimeo.

Table Mountain
Before arriving, someone told me that Cape Town is like Colorado meeting the California coast. I felt so at home in the slightly arid climate. Our ride to the top of Table Mountain was one of the most breathtaking things we experienced. We spent the following two hours wandering around the edge and communing with nature.

The Potluck Club 
It should come as no surprise that much of our trip revolved around food. When we discovered that we couldn't get a reservation at The Test Kitchen, South Africa's best restaurant, we decided to try out their sister restaurant. It's located at the top of the Old Biscuit Mill with amazing views of Table Mountain and Table Bay. I'm still dreaming about their pork belly, Korean fried chicken, and popcorn ice cream.

Sailing Around the VA Waterfront
A client of mine who is South African recommended that we take a sunset sailboat tour around table mountain. I admit I had my doubts when I saw the throngs of tourists and boat options at the Waterfront. But I am so glad that we did it! Even the sailboat captain was taking photos; he said that the winter solstice always brings the best sunsets. What better way to celebrate the beginning of our vacation then a champagne toast?!

The Cape Point Drive
We originally blocked off two days for the drive but found it was totally do-able in one. Each beach seemed more beautiful than the last and we promised ourselves that we would have to come back and enjoy them in the summer. It was pretty cool to be at the most south western tip of Africa and to hang out with a few penguins. Maybe next time we'll get to go in whale watching season!

Spice Route Wine Farm/ Vrende en Lust
There are so many wineries that it's quite difficult to choose! Spice Route was an amazing estate with wine tasting, fine art glass blowing, chocolate factory, coffee shop, brewery, and restaurant. It was our first stop on the tour and the wine/chocolate pairing knocked our socks off! Vrende en Lust came highly recommended by multiple parties and now we know why. We loved every bottle we tasted. Fun fact: I was able to bring home 10 bottles of wine, 3 pieces of ceramics, and 2 pieces of glass art. I have mad packing skills.

Franschhoek
We stayed two nights in Franschoek and two nights in Stellenbosch. When we go back, I think we will stay put in Franshhoek. It was such a charming town! Downtown was full of art galleries, restaurants, and boutiques. Surprisingly, the Cape winelands is really easy to drive. And there's a trolley if you don't want to bother with a DD.

La Petite Dauphine
This bed and breakfast was absolutely fabulous! All the portraits you saw in the video were shot there. Little cabins are nestled in between fields of grapes and olives. Breakfast and dinner were absolutely delicious! My favorite part were the four pups that ran around and the rooster, Heinrich, who kept an eye on us during meals from his perch on top of the piano.

Indochine Restaurant
We stumbled up this place at lunch and couldn't get a seating. So we came back for dinner and we are so glad that we did. We did the tasting menu and every course was divine! Make sure to book in advance!

Photo Session with Christine Meintjes
As Dom and I are celebrating five years of marriage this year, I was determined to get some professional photos done on our trip. After many hours of research I came across Christine's website and I just had to have her. We had such a great time hanging out with her and it was fun to just relax and be ourselves. I am so glad we have photos to help us remember this time in our life and our vacation to Cape Town.

If anyone is planning a trip to Cape Town, I am happy to share a more extensive list of sites!

The Law of Divine Compensation

I recently finished reading a book that changed my perspective on how I look at my work, my preconceived notions about money, and my fear of success. I realized that in many ways that I blamed the FS lifestlye for what I saw as a lack of success. I also realized that I am so terrified of failing that I'd rather hide behind that excuse then risk failure. And so with trembly knees I decided to change my attitude.

I don't really like rules but I gave myself one. Be grateful.  I was determined to take the time to be grateful for my life, my work, and the people around me.

I hadn't had any photography work coming in and multiple contracts that never came through for one reason or another. In the mean time, I began researching small nonprofits in Rwanda that fell into my portfolios of interest. These were women's issues, agriculture, and education. The organizations had primarily voluntary staffs and no operating budgets for marketing so I knew I wasn't taking away work from other photographers. If the work wasn't going to come to me then I was going to go to it.

"We experience who we really are, and what it is we're meant to do, in any moment when we pour our love into the universe."- The Law of Divine Compensation

After a quick trip to the U.S. I came back to Kigali ready to work on my new projects. And then the most amazing thing happened. Paid work just started showing up at my door. I made a conscious effort to follow my rule and multiple times during my shoots I reminded myself to cherish the moments. Then I'd get back home and have another quote inquiry in my inbox.

Who knows what the reasons are? Maybe it's because there is a lot of attention on Rwanda and the twentieth anniversary of the genocide. Maybe I've been here long enough that more people know me and pass my name around. Maybe I changed my attitude and the universe responded.

There have been many times that I have felt the lowest depths of failure as I try to navigate the foreign service and following my passion. But the highs that come along with them are not relished nearly as much as they should be. I live in Rwanda and I am getting to tell amazing stories through photography of another culture and connect with interesting people every day. I am grateful!

"You are internally programmed to rise to your highest creative possibility. Nothing you do can erase the yearning of your soul to achieve it, or the yearning of the universe to give it to you". 
-The Law of Divine Compensation

Abundance & Gratitude

I spent the entire month of November seeing Facebook updates as people did their 30 Days of Grateful. Or rather, they tried to do it but often had to have multiple "grateful" items when they forgot and skipped a day.  But I had to appreciate people taking a moment to say the universal prayer that applies with or without religion.  Thank you.

I started meditating on a regular basis a year ago. At that point in my life, I was stressed. ALL THE TIME. It was a combination of many things but mostly that I was trying really hard to control all aspects of my life, my business, and be perfect at everything. The more I explore mediation, the more that I learn that being reflective is often about being thankful for the good things in your life. I first started thinking about this when I ran across the 365 Grateful Project at the early phases of my journey.  I realized that my reactive nature often controlled my level of reflectiveness. Then I realized that being reactive is a choice. So I decided to choose to be less reactive, to breath when I felt stress, and to count my blessings. Sometimes I felt like I was in slow motion and would catch myself falling into old habits only to be caught by a deep breath. Is this even worth the energy I will expend? And slowly my life has gotten better. Or maybe it was good all along and I wasn't taking the time to notice. 

I have by no means mastered a zen lifestyle. Ask my husband- just last night I was panicking as we tried to drive on a muddy Rwandan road with water that had reached knee level. He powered through as we passed a capsized truck and got us home. Have I mentioned that I am grateful that he is slightly more adventurous than I am? Especially considering the FS lifestyle and all.

So I suppose my relationship with an abundant life is still at its beginning. But I've spent some time to figure out what brings more of it into my life. 

©Crystaline Randazzo Photo LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Family- My family consists of my husband and one black and white Zambian fuzzball. I'll put them at the top of any "grateful" list. I know that there have been times where I didn't put them on the top, but I also know that all that focus on other things didn't bring me the same amount of happiness.  

©Crystaline Randazzo Photo LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Meditation- Every morning before I sit behind the computer and get lost in the depths.

Passion- I am particularly lucky to love what I do. But as I am learning about my industry that loving what you do and making a living at it are two different things. I've spent a lot of time in self reflection and I am still learning what I want. Perhaps my 30's is where I narrow that down. 

Exercise-  Particularly swimming. Putting my head underwater and laps behind me puts me in a good headspace. Though- I will give a shout out to Insanity which I finished earlier this year. That was an exercise in my problem with task completion. 

Relationships-  The few and far between true blue friendships that get you through the sweet and the sour in life. I am learning to put more energy into the great ones and less into the ones that don't go anywhere. 

Food- Spending that time to make something truly delicious. Give yourself permission not to rush. This applies to both cooking and eating. 

Learning- I love learning new things. And with the glories of the interwebs and now MOOC's. I actually have to contain myself. 

©Crystaline Randazzo Photo LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Nature- Sometimes I think that nature is my own personal version of church. I get so much out of running away to cabin or a tent and soaking up the scenery. It is simple, blissful rejuvenation. 

Distance- Living far away from the people you love forces you to be practical about a lot of things you wouldn't normally be practical about. This ranges from everything from holidays to family drama. There really is something to be said about perspective.

I wonder what would happen if we just took a little bit more time to consider the great things in our lives. What makes your life more abundant?