Having grown up in San Francisco, I moved out  to Washington, DC to study Business at Georgetown University.   After three and a half years studying  in DC and six months in Spain & England, I graduated with a degree in Finance, along with a minor in English and significant coursework in Spanish.  Being a very competitive, very nervous student, I quickly accepted a job my senior year with Credit Suisse First Boston, a Wall St. Investment Bank, in their two year financial analyst program.  Though financially very lucrative and a great job on paper, spiritually it was sapping me.  Working late into the night, I often envisioned my life twenty years later – financially successful, but deeply disappointing because I allowed life to pass instead of grabbing it by the reins.  Nevertheless, I completed my two years in the Health Care Group and subsequently transferred down to Melbourne, Australia, to work with CSFB Australia. Though the pay was even better and the hours less, the hole within continued to expand.  As the life that society deemed I should lead continued to grow,  the one I dreamed of was slowly slipping away.  Money was not the ultimate answer – this I  realized – but if not that, what?  Then, in late 2001, several personal events and the 9/11 tragedy cleared my slate and my mind, and I realized what was to come next –  travel.
                           Everest Base Camp, Tibet

26 months, 4, continents, 26 countries...1 spirit.  A new world opened up to me, exposing humanity, often at its most bare-boned, as it shined through the daily  clouds of difficulty that plague an impoverished life.  Much of journey took me through third world countries in Asia and Africa.  There, the people have very little by way of material possessions, by our standards at least, but have such a profound appreciation and understanding of life.  Perhaps the day to day struggles root them in the reality of the temporal nature of all of us.  Perhaps warmth, compassion, and a friendly smile are the only assets these people have.  Words fail to describe the beauty of these people, their energy, their goodwill towards total strangers – they possess a spirit that flourishes amidst poverty, a spirit that transcends borders.   From Burma to Mozambique, from Laos to Lesotho, this spirit wooed me, danced with me, charmed me, and changed me.

In many of my pictures and my African Slideshow in particular, I have tried to capture that strong spirit that shines through the everyday struggles of a citizen of the third world.  Some of my other shots attempt to convey the incredible beauty of those worlds that seem so foreign, so far away, yet are right next door in this day and age...if one looks hard enough.

 If you've enjoyed my photos, if they have struck an emotional cord, if you have an inkling of inspiration, or a thirst for more, please visit the links below.  I have had the privilege of meeting both of these women.  In addition to their amazing and humbling photography, they both have a compassionate, vivacious outlook on life and a deep understanding of our inherent humanity.
                                                                                     Stunt Flying–New Zealand

           www.alexiaberry.com – A friend of mine, who I met in Myanmar, Alexia is a professional photographer by trade and an avid traveler. 
           Her love for photography and for discovering foreign, remote cultures results in some truly stunning portraits.  And, if you live in the
           Boston area, you might be able to hire her to photograph your wedding or your kids.

           www.lisakristine.com – I briefly met Lisa, a professional photographer and printmaker, at the North Beach Festival in San Francisco. 
           Her photos from around the world are breathtaking.  Her humble nature, dedication to her work, and insight into indigenous peoples
           shine through in her photos.

           www.andephotos.com – I attended a presentation by Karen Ande on African orphans of HIV/AIDS.  She is Not only an amazing
           photographer, but she is also an inspirational example of courage and dedication on the behalf of those less fortunate.

So what's next for me?  First – South America for a few months.  After that, who knows.  To quote the movie Zoolander, "Do I know what I am doing today? No. But I'm here,  and I am gonna give it my best shot."

UPDATE:

A few months in South America turned into another epic adventure, as I completed my dream of traveling to all seven continents, including the distant southern frontier of Antarctica.  The spirit of the developing world lives in South America, in the small villages of Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, and beyond.   However, unlike my time in Asia and Africa, I was able to communicate with the locals in South America, which furthered enriched my experience.  From participating in a soccer tournament in Pampamarca, Peru – and being treated like more like David Beckham than some random backpacker with no foot-eye coordination – to a insightful conversation with a young boy who hikes 2 hours to & from school daily, I experienced more of the magic of the developing world.

And then there was Antarctica – simply stunning and stunningly simple –  one of the last great frontiers in our world.  It is simply mind-blowing how the simple elements of hydrogen and oxygen can combine to form  a stunning composition of water, clouds, and ice that  tantalizes one's spirit and awes one's soul.  It is one of those places that neither words nor pictures, not even video, can begin to capture it accurately – you must see it to understand it in all its wonder.

 Costumas– S.Shetland Islands, Antarctica

After another 6 months on the road, exploring the last 2 continents, South America and Antarctica, I have come back to San Francisco and hung up my backpack, at least for the time being.  A bit of family tragedy – the passing of my dear Aunt Rosemarie – brought me back a few months earlier than intended, yet without hesitation and without regret.  I was privileged to spend time with her and to help her and my family in the waning weeks of her life – time I would not trade for anything.  Her spirit and her courage as she faced the losing end of a three year battle with ovarian cancer were quite simply remarkable.   Love and laughter reigned supreme over the outrageous pain and discomfort that racked her body – her giving nature and jovial spirit triumphed until the end, until her last breath that sunny morning in early February.  It may seem farfetched to many, but I knew it was over before I was told, something I felt while working out in the early morning hours in a gym miles away told me everything I needed to know. 

It became clear after Rosemarie's death that heading back out onto the dusty road, backpack slung over my shoulder, was not in the cards.  Instead, it was time to settle down, to figure out what I want to do with the next few years of my life, how I want to live those years, and then get to it.  My years of travel have instilled inside me a desire to use my talents to affect change on an international level.  As such I am currently pursuing career opportunities in international development.  Do I know what I am going to do today?  Heck no.  But I'm still here, and I am most assuredly going to give it my best shot!

"People are capable at any time in their lives of doing what they dream of."
                                                                                                       – Paulo Coehlo, The Alchemist

" A thousand mile journey begins with one step."                 
                                                                                                      – Lao Tze, Founder of Taoist Religion