Please support me!

On Saturday, April 16th, I will join others from the Washington, DC area for the National 5k Walk to End Violence Against Women. Globally, up to six out of every ten women will experience physical and/or sexual violence in her lifetime. This figure is too frightening to ignore.

I'm walking in memory of women like Jayna Murray. And Hena Akhter. And the countless women around the world who have been killed, harmed or suffer in silence on a daily basis.

I've set a modest fundraising goal that I would very much like to meet and then exceed. Please consider making a donation, no matter the size. You can do that my visiting my FirstGiving page. All donations are secure and the funds are sent directly to the US National Committee for UNIFEM.

If you are in the area, you can still sign up to join me and walk for this worthwhile cause! Register here.

Revelry Review: Nothing to Envy

I recently finished the book Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick. I picked this one up because #20 on my 30 Before 30 list was to read a book on each of the following places: China, North Korea, Iran and Africa (on all of it or on any specific country). I realized that even after having obtained a MA in International Affairs, I still had gaps in knowledge about certain parts of the world and I wanted to do something about it. I saw this book recommended in several places, so I knew this would be the one I read on North Korea.

Demick follows the lives of six North Korean defectors. She uses these stories to portray what life has been like in North Korea under a repressive regime. Starvation, black outs and fear of being sent to labor camps for any infraction permeate daily life. Propaganda in support of the regime knows no bounds. This review of the book gives a great summary. I particularly like the remark that Demick "does not tell, she shows." Most of the defectors ended up in South Korea (either directly or by way of China). The comparison between what modern day life is like in the two countries is heartbreaking.

I confess to having been largely ignorant of the situation in North Korea before reading this book, other than having read Somewhere Inside by Laura and Lisa Ling, which is what initially sparked my interest in learning more. Nothing to Envy was both intriguing and horrifying. I gasped out loud at certain sections. I highly recommend it since it is written in an easy to read and interesting manner but packs in a ton of information.

30 Before 30 Update: Zumba

One of the items on my 30 Before 30 list was to try out Zumba. It is offered at my gym and I've been wanting to give it a try for years now. Many of you are probably already familiar with it, but for those that aren't, I will just say that it is basically Latin dance aerobics, with high impact and fast-paced moves that are based on salsa, merengue, hip-hop, etc. You can watch a few videos of Zumba here and here .

Last Thursday I finally psyched myself up enough to give it a go. I'd like to thank my 30 Before 30 List (and my boyfriend) for convincing me to let go of the fear and do some of the things that I'd been putting off for ages. Turns out a lot of people LOVE Zumba. There was a line of people waiting to enter that winded halfway around the gym. The room was warm--very, very warm--and very crowded. The teacher entered and immediately began playing some reggaeton-type music. When she started dancing, it looked like the world's best hip-hop dancer fused with a Latin dancer and then put on fast forward. For the first half hour, I was mostly trying to keep up and not get run over by the people around me. Once I got the hang of it, it was a lot of fun!

Upsides of Zumba: It was quick and high impact, so I was definitely sweating and burning some calories. Unlike many other group classes, it was a lot of fun and didn't feel like I was in a workout class. The music really keeps you going. Some of the women in my class said that some songs have defined moves, so if you learn those, it will make future classes easier. If you are one of those people that likes to work out with mostly women, this may be the class for you. There wasn't a single guy in the class of 40-50 students. And lastly, you could probably use some of these moves out on the town.

A few downsides: It can be difficult to see what the teacher is doing. The dances move so fast that by the time I got one down, we were already on to the next one. The fact that it is high impact can be hard on your joints (my ankle, knee and back have been hurting since Thursday).

If you are thinking of trying Zumba: Wear supportive sneakers, take a water bottle and a towel, and stand where you can get a good view of the teacher's feet. Do not try to hang out in the back because you won't see the moves and won't get in a workout. Most importantly, be able to laugh at yourself. A lot.

Have you tried Zumba? What did you think of it?

30 Before 30 Update: Facial

It took me about a month to compile my 30 Before 30 list. I simply couldn't decide what would make this year particularly stellar AND was actually doable. However, "get a facial" was the first thing I added because it had been on my to-do list for quite some time. When my sister surprised me with one on my birthday, it seemed meant to be.

I had a 60 minute facial at the Aveda Institute here in Washington, DC. Full disclosure: my sister works for Aveda. And I love their products. However, I will still give you my honest opinion of the experience, starting with this: If you go, keep in mind that this is a school and the person doing your facial is a student. This is what makes it very cost-effective. If you go in expecting the same type of experience that you would get at a high-end spa, you will be disappointed. So go in with an open mind, relax and be grateful for all of the money you are saving!

You enter through the retail space, which is both good and bad: it provides a less spa-like experience but is a good opportunity to eye all the products and make a wishlist for later! I was taken upstairs to the waiting room for the treatment area. You could smell the Aveda products in the air! I filled out a form about my skin, allergies, spa experience history and what I wanted to get out of my treatment.

My esthetician brought me back to a curtained-off area where she would be doing my facial. She had me change and then came in with three different essential oils that she had picked based on the form I filled out: vanilla, peppermint and tangerine. She hit the nail on the head since I am allergic to a ton of flowers. I loved them all, but I went with peppermint. She spent the next hour massaging my upper body and feet, and giving me several face mask treatments, steam, extractions, etc. She ended by giving me a short back massage. Everything had a hint of the yummy peppermint-y smell. At each stage, she explained exactly what she was doing and described each product that she was putting on my face. She was so fantastic that there is no way I would have known that she was a student. I was totally relaxed and my skin felt amazing. The only downside is that because there are not actual rooms and only curtains, I could hear conversations going on in the other rooms and in the hallway. At the end, she brought me water, her teacher checked in on my experience and she took me down to the retail space to show me what she used on my face, while repeatedly telling me that purchasing the products was optional. I appreciated that a lot, even if I did buy a whole bunch of them!

If you go: the Washington, DC Aveda Institute is located at 713 7th St, NW in Chinatown. Their number is (202) 824-1624. A 60 minute facial is $50.

30 Before 30

It's official--only 365 days until I turn the big 3-0! For now, turning 29 today is shocking enough. I figure the only way to gracefully hit 30 is to accomplish some things, big and small, along the way. And so I give you.....

My 30 Before 30 List

1. Try out art journaling

2. Get a facial (I've only ever had one in my life!)

3. Take a Zumba class

4. Meditate for 30 days in a row and blog about the experience

5. Visit Annapolis, MD. I live so close and I've never been.

6. Learn to cook food from a different culture

7. Adopt an animal from either Poplar Springs or Farm Sanctuary. Maybe go visit my adoptee!

8. Travel to a state I've never visited before

9. Travel to a country I've never visited before

10. Go to a Phillies home game at Citizens Bank Park

11. Bake a pie from scratch

12. Take a tour of the US Capitol Building (lived here 11 years and never officially toured it!)

13. Go camping

14. Learn about different types of sea vegetables

15. Volunteer my time for a great cause

16. Bake whoopie pies from scratch

17. Pay off one of my credit cards

18. Create 1, 3 and 5 year goals (personal, professional and financial)

19. Get a full astrology reading

20. Read one book on each of the following places: China, Africa, North Korea, Iran

21. Tour a winery

22. Work up to being able to run a 5k.

23. Get to know Washington, DC better. I spend 95% of my time in Northern VA, Foggy Bottom, Farragut West and DuPont Circle. So much more to explore!

24. Perform a random act of kindness.

25. Go on a picnic.

26. Learn to read a crochet pattern.

27. Lose 50 pounds.

28. Host a New Year's Day brunch (I'd like to make this a tradition!)

29. Go apple picking

30. Spend my 30th birthday somewhere fabulous surrounded by the people I love!