I did it.

I actually did it.

I've been saying for a long time, "Oh, I wish I could be vegan, but...cheese is so good...yogurt goes well with everything...but I love scrambled eggs..."

Sure, I've been vegetarian for over a year now, and that's something that I also said I never thought I could completely do. Pretty much because of bacon.

God seems to have a way of showing me that I can do what I say I can't. 

I read this book called Green Illusions: The Dirty Secrets of Clean Energy and the Future of Environmentalism (Our Sustainable Future) in June 2015 that started my life as a vegetarian. I had never read before that animal agriculture (the raising of animals to eat and to use their products) produces MORE greenhouse gases than the ENTIRE transportation industry.

That's trains, buses, cars, segways, airplanes...combined. Globally.


Click image to check it out!

Green Illusions encouraged eating no or less meat to better the environment.

So I decided to put my mouth where my words were. I'm very passionate about being a good steward of God's beautiful creation. So, I stopped eating meat that day.

And yes, I've had some cheat days, and days where I went to people's houses and they cooked meat without knowing I was a vegetarian, so I ate it. I'm not that legalistic. And I know it tastes good, don't get me wrong.

But with my knowledge now of what it does to the environment, I'm choosing God's creation over my appetite. And...it tastes good.

Fast-forward to November 2016. I decided to watch a documentary instead of a film one Sunday, and turned on Cowspiracy (available on Netflix). That did it. No going back.

I hadn't realized that all dairy cows, and all dairy cow's babies, turn into hamburger. No exceptions.

And that the raising of cows accounts for 1 soccer field-worth of the rainforest being cut down. EVERY SECOND.

That blows my mind. That is 1 whole soccer field-worth of the most diverse organisms that God has created being killed every second. How can I stand by and say that that doesn't matter to me? As a believer in the Bible and what it says about our role as stewards of the Earth, I can't stand by.

"You can't be an environmentalist and eat animal products. Period."

That's what one guy said on Cowspiracy. And it hit me hard.

That did it. I started researching ways to eat vegan. I started sharing with my friends so they would understand my food choices. I started reading labels. Man, the dairy industry has tip-toed their way into absolutely every part of our lives. You don't realize it until you go vegan. So, I started buying plant-based milk (thank you, Alpro, for providing almond, rice, coconut, hazelnut, oat, and soy milk to Turkey!).

@faithful_nomad

I started looking up vegan recipes, and figuring out ways to change some of my favorites to vegan-friendly. And, I've learned that eating vegan is actually really tasty. It's also better for my body, according to another documentary, Forks over Knives (also available on Netflix).


Click image to watch on Amazon.

Yes, it can be hard sometimes. Living in a world that is so consumed by animal agriculture can feel very stifling. It makes me realize how little these companies care about our health, and how much they care about their wallet. But, it is do-able.

I'm going to be posting a series of blog posts with my favorite recipes that I have found.

Vegan Eats {Breakfast} 
Vegan Drinks {Starbucks}
Make Your Veggie Broth, and Eat it Too
The Best Vegan Cookies EVAH!

I'm a really simple cook, I don't like complicated at all. So these recipes I have found are bare-minimum, easy peasy. I hope that you will try them, vegan you or non-vegan you. And that you will realize that by choosing to eat without animal products, you are indeed caring for the Earth and everyone that lives on it.

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies. @faithful_nomad

Cheers.

- K

Seeking to Know HIM

Sometimes, I feel as though I have been in a relationship with GOD for so long, that I couldn't possibly learn something brand-new about HIM.

Wrong.

Very, very wrong.

GOD has used this book to open up my eyes about something very deep in our relationship that needs to change.

                                               
                                                  Read on Kindle:

                   


Here's the thing:

I need to be seeking GOD with the goal of getting to know HIM more. Period. 

So many of my prayers in the recent past have started like this:

Dear God, Please open up your Word to me today. Show me how it applies to me. Tell me what I should do in order to glorify YOU with my life. 

Do you notice how many "me"s there are in that prayer? Before, I thought that I was totally on the right track. I want to glorify God with my life, right?

The problem: I've been wanting to read my Bible and learn more about God in order to know what to do in my life.

What I should be doing: Delving deep into learning more about GOD and HIS character simply to know HIM more. That is the greatest thing I can ever do in life: Get to know my GOD better. Spend time with HIM, over coffee or while lying awake at night, while talking to friends or listening to a sermon.

HE created the world. HE created me. HE has created more then I will ever know actually exists.

WHO is HE? I want to know. And HE is so huge, so complex, so amazing, that even if I spend every minute of every day learning about HIM, I will still not know HIM completely.

And that is exciting.

A side-effect of getting to know GOD more is that I will learn more about who I am. I will start to see why HE created me. How much HE loves me. And that is beautiful.

Have you read this book by Grace Thornton? Let me know what you think and how it has impacted your life. I have read her blog for years and have been so excited to see her share about what GOD has taught her with us through her writing.

When You Give a Nomad 3 Days in Copenhagen...

she spends every minute having fun, Scandinavian-style!

My photo that turned out like a postcard pic.

A few weeks ago, I had my first trip to Denmark, and it was definitely a different feel from other European cities I have visited. I was blessed to travel with some awesome friends, and we made many life-long memories.

There were several aspects of our trip that made it a delight, and I would definitely recommend each of these to anyone traveling to Copenhagen.

#1 - Stay at Urban House or a hostel. 
Because there were 3 of us traveling together, it wasn't quite cost-effective for us to get an Airbnb apartment this time around. So, we looked at hostels and settled on Urban House.

Pros: Close to the train station and tons of other sights, like the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek and the National Museum. Has a communal kitchen and dining room, which really cut costs on this trip as we were able to prepare breakfast at the hostel each morning and made dinner several times in the kitchen. Staying at a hostel also helps with finding out about local tours and for meeting other travelers.

Cons: Urban House is right at the Red Light District, so there is a very active night life. Each night it was extremely noisy outside of our window, so a light sleeper may find this a big problem. For only a few nights in the city, it was okay for us, but was a bit annoying.

#2 - Take a free walking tour.
We took the SANDEMANs Free Walking Tour, and our guide was Martin, a local Dane. This tour was 3 hours and loooots of walking, but it was well worth it. Afterwards, we had a much greater understanding and appreciation of Danish history and the many aspects of the city. I feel like I really saw Copenhagen because of this tour.

The house of the Crown Prince and his family. Seen on the SANDEMANs free walking tour.

#3 - Visit the National Museum.
I can now say that I have hidden behind a Rune stone, seen the skeleton of a now-extinct huge cow/moose, and learned that Vikings didn't have horns on their helmets - all because of our visit to the National Museum. There was a free highlights tour that we took, and it was extremely educational and the guide told many great stories.

Me and a Rune Stone! 

#4 - Get out of the city and see Kronborg Castle!
This was definitely the highlight of the trip for me. I am a huge Shakespeare fan, and this castle is the setting for Shakespeare's Hamlet. It did not disappoint, with amazing views of the sea and Sweden, beautiful ramparts, a MOAT, and a cute little village near it to boot. We took the free tour of the underground section of the castle, and it was cool to see the statue of Holger Danske that sits sleeping beneath the fortress. Such a great sight. 
Tip: If you are traveling by train from Copenhagen, go ahead and get a 24-hour unlimited ticket for all zones - it is cheaper than buying individual tickets there and back, and we planned our trip so that we could use the unlimited ticket again the next morning to go to the airport. 

Breath-taking view from atop Kronborg Castle!

My first trip to Scandinavia was quite the adventure, and I look forward to wherever I travel next in that beautiful region.

After my trip, it was exciting to get to scratch another country off the map, albeit a very tiny one :)

You open your mailbox...

...and *bam*, you spot something handwritten, something that's not a junk ad from the local fast food joint, or a bill reminding you of how much you spent on gas this month. It's a postcard! Snail mail is one of my favorite ways to stay in touch with friends, and let's just admit it, we all love to get personal notes in the mail. Like, we little-kid-hearing-icecream-truck love it.



So, I want to make your day by sending a postcard your way! I got this idea from The Bro'd Trip, who send postcards to each of their followers (cool guys, right?).  My postcards might be from any city I'm staying in or traveling through, and it is sure to be handwritten and full of some happy encouragement and sunshine. You in?

Here's how:

1. Follow my blog by email right over there on the right side ->
2. Send me a message through the "Contact me!" form with your address in the message section.
3. Check your mailbox each day! It may take a while, but you will get your snail mail, promise :)

No limits on where you live in the world - I will gladly send to any country! Plus, by following my blog by email, you will get more happy articles delivered into your inbox too, making your Faithful Nomad reading even easier.

The Day I Became a Street Musician

It's called "busking." Did you know that? I didn't. That day, I wasn't sure what to call what I was about to go do.

I stood in my room before a mirror, my hat and sunglasses on, sun lotion applied, and my violin case strapped to my back.

I was nervous.

I tried talking myself out of it a thousand times. But what if nobody wants to hear your music? What if you actually get on their nerves? What if you aren't any good? 

But then, my heart would fight back. You've wanted to do this for so long. Why not do it? Everyone will just walk by, if they don't like the song they will just keep walking! It's not like you are making them listen. Besides, people probably won't even remember you. It will be a moment that means way more to you than to anyone else. 

For the past year or so, I had had this crazy dream to stand on a sidewalk and be a street musician, my case propped open and everything. I have played violin since I was 5 years old, and currently I have a violin with me abroad that a friend gave me when she moved. It comes out every once in a while, just for me to play in my room and warm up on a few songs. But lately, the old nudge to get out and play had been creeping back into my mind. It's sad to just sit in my room and play for myself; why wasn't I sharing my music with others? What if I did something more with it?

I've enjoyed my own share of street music. One fond memory I have is from Charleston a few years back with my family. We sat in an open-air restaurant, eating our seafood, and across the street stood a young college guy playing his saxophone. It was the most beautiful thing ever, and it made our meal so much more relaxing and enjoyable as we sat back and listened to him play. After enjoying so much of his music, we walked over after our meal to drop a few bucks in his case. Come to find out, he was a music student who decided that if he needed to spend a few hours practicing each day, he might as well make some money while doing it. The fact was, we got the better end of the deal. When he shared his music with us that day, it was a beautiful gift that I will never forget. 

I almost didn't walk out of my apartment door that day with my violin on my back. My fears almost got the better of me. As I shuffled out of my apartment, I told myself, You know what, you look kind of cool and hipster with the violin on your back. If you don't end up playing, at least you will look chic while walking along the boardwalk. 

I walked to the local sahil and all of a sudden was overcome by the crowds. It was a Sunday afternoon. In April. The sun was shining, and literally every person who had a soul inside of them was out on that boardwalk. My fears started welling up, and I couldn't understand why I was so scared.

So I walked.

And walked.

There were so many people and so many boats, and so many people on the boats, and so many fishermen....I felt like I was trying to get myself to skydive I was so frightened. But I wanted to play so badly. My fingers itched. So I kept walking. Eventually, I walked past the most crowded areas and parks and found a place where there weren't any boats docked, and it was just plain boardwalk.

So I sat down. I stared at the water. I told myself that it would be a good start to slowly unpack my violin. I did, while getting a few strange looks.

And I started playing. I was wearing my hat and sunglasses, which made it easier for me to not even look at the people walking by, but to just focus on my playing. And I got more brave...and more loud...and the music became more beautiful. More full of soul.

My first lira came from a little girl. She was about 5 years old. She walked up to me mid-song, holding out her coin in her hand. I stopped, took it, thanked her, sat it in my lap, and kept on playing. After that first coin, they somehow just kept falling. One lady even put a 10 lira bill in my case.

But money can't compare to how I felt.

I had conquered a fear. I had fulfilled a dream. 

The lies in my head that said people wouldn't like my music, they were so wrong. I had a lady clap. Some people video-taped me. One person stopped and sat nearby, chatting with me later after I finished. My music not only brought sunshine to my heart; it brought sunshine to theirs as well.

Don't let you fears tell you that you can't do something. Don't let anything stop you from fulfilling a dream.

All those roadblocks that you see are only ant hills in reality; step on over them and live. 

A Weekend in Cologne

A few weeks ago, I packed my backpack and jumped on a plane to Cologne, Germany, to visit a few of my friends who have recently moved there.

This was my first trip to Germany, and it was so much fun! Here are a few of my favorite things that we did over the 4-day weekend. Each item is linked to the website for that activity/place.

Have you been to Cologne? Did you also enjoy these things, or did you try other activities/museums? Comment below and let me know :)

#1 - Free Walking Tour in Cologne

Instead of just wandering around on our own in the city, my friends and I joined a "Can You Handle It?" free walking tour, which took us on a 2 hour walk around Cologne. This was one of our best decisions! Our guide showed up exactly on time and led our group on a beautiful walk past churches, Roman ruins, World War II memorials, the famous cathedral, breweries, and more. On free walking tours, you are asked to give a tip to your guide (around $5/5 euro equivalent per person is a good minimum to tip). It was definitely worth it!

One of my favorite parts: Our guide showed us an old building which was covered in statues and engravings of important men. Evidently, the guy heading up the construction wasn't very nice to the workers. They got back at him in an eternal way; if you look above the statue of him, standing nice and pompous, you will see a man pulling down his pants and mooning the viewer. Lesson: Be nice to people immortalizing you in sculpture.  

#2 - The Chocolate Museum

A chocolate model of the cathedral

As I researched what to do in Cologne, the Chocolate Museum popped up and I was so excited! I love chocolate, and I also love learning how things are made and how they work (the scientist in me was overjoyed). This museum, situated right on the Rhine river, is ultra-interactive and walks you through the whole process of chocolate-making, from how the beans are harvested to a mini-factory that was making chocolate bars as we watched. I learned a lot about the ethical issues surrounding chocolate and how different companies are working to create free-trade chocolate. I got to see a large dug-out boat that was used for transporting cacao beans from the small farmers to the processors, as well as watch a video of natives creating one of these boats. We all stopped in our tracks as we watched chocolate being stirred in a machine in the factory - it was so mesmerizing! This museum is the perfect mix of history and science. We even got to taste some chocolate while we were there, and the attached chocolate store has a huge variety to choose from for taking home and enjoying (or eating out on the deck while watching the river boats slip by, as I did). My tastebuds will always remember this trip!

#3 - Observation Deck

One evening, just as the sun was about to start setting, we got in line to go up to the Observation Deck across the river from the Cathedral. For only 2.50 euro (because we talked to the people in line behind us and formed a group *wink wink* for the discount), we went up an elevator about 28 stories and came out on a huge deck. My favorite pictures from my trip to Cologne came from this view! We were laughing our heads off as we crammed in against the glass and took selfie upon selfie with the Cathedral in the background. As the sun set, it was a glorious view.

#4 - Die Wohngemeinschaft Hostel

This was my first time staying in a hostel, and it was one of the best experiences ever! I stayed in the "ballet" room, a 6 girl dorm room, complete with a full-wall mirror, ballet barre, pointe shoes, and light pink walls and curtains. My roommates were amazing, and we were fast friends by the end of the trip. We loved having breakfast together in the hostel living room (the hostel offers a 5 euro breakfast buffet), and we hung out in that same living room until the wee hours of the morning one night, swapping tales of travel and adventure over free coffee/tea that is available 24/7. What an amazing place! None of us wanted to leave - this hostel is almost better than "home away from home."

#5 - Melaten-Friedhof Cemetery

Cemeteries are fascinating places, giving you a glimpse into history. This cemetery was gorgeous, with monuments and wooded walks that reminded me of a certain scene in The Phantom of the Opera. We spent at least an hour walking down countless paths, peering at tombstones and reading about the families that have lived in Cologne over the years. This is right by the park (#6) as well as just a short walk from the hostel (#4).

#6 - Aachener Weiher Park

I love being outside, and I literally walked up to a tree and hugged it in this park because I was so happy! The park is huge, stretching over 3 different blocks, and includes a large pond with ducks, hills and wooded paths, workout equipment as well as balancing exercises (one of which I fell off of and have lovely bruises as a souvenir lol), and lots of trees and flowers. Many people were running, and I wished that I had packed my running clothes on this trip. If you are staying in the hostel, this is so close that you could fit in morning jogs very easily. Would be a lovely place for picnics as well.

#7 - Habibi Cafe

Habibi means something like "sweetie" in Arabic. My friends treated me my first night in Cologne to this wonderful Middle Eastern restaurant. The falafels were amazing and I loved sipping on the free ginger tea! It was completely packed with both Germans and foreigners, which is a very good sign that its a tasty place. This restaurant doesn't just have great food - it also has a great atmosphere. The walls and ceiling are covered in fun, colorful pictures, and laughter fills the air constantly.

#8 - Museum Ludwig

I am an absolutely huge fan of Surrealism - ever since my Art Appreciation teacher taught us about Dali, I have been fascinated with looking at his and Joan Miro's pictures and really seeing the depth and meaning to these works of art. While in Cologne, I looked up museums and saw that the Museum Ludwig was close to the center of things and housed a wide range of modern art. I loved walking through its galleries, looking at Picassos, a huge Dali (pictured above), and a gorgeous Jackson Pollock that made my heart sing. This museum also has a beautiful gallery from which you can do some fun people-watching.


Over the course of 4 days, I was able to spend quality time with my friends while really enjoying this German city. These places and activities really made my trip quite an adventure. So if you make it to Cologne, these 8 things are musts for having a wonderful time. Know of any more? Comment below!

What's Up, Culture? Why Differences DO Matter in Life

"Wow, you really like our traditional desserts." My native friend watched as I ate a piece of baklava before our meeting began. 

"Yep, they are really good." I licked my lips, savoring each bite of yummy syrup and flaky dough.

"I can tell." And he motioned towards my stomach and chuckled.

I felt gut-punched.

What? For clarification, I am not fat. Not a bit. We laughed and walked off to join the meeting, but this comment sat heavily in my stomach a lot longer than the baklava did. I was so offended. 

Why had he been so rude to me? 

Or, had he actually been rude at all? 

Was I being too sensitive?

You live around people from different cultural backgrounds. If you are like me, you may even live completely inside of a culture other than your own (welcome, expat readers!). We hear a lot about cultural differences through the media, but many times we think that they are over-stated and don't really make a huge impact on our day-to-day relations.

Well, that's wrong.

They make a HUGE difference in both relationships, jobs, and every-day interactions.

Take my example. This isn't the first time that someone in this Central Asian/European culture had mentioned my weight. Sometimes, if I see someone after a long absence, the very first comment they make to me is based on a, sometimes imagined, change in weight. Either good or bad. "Wow, you've lost weight" or "You've gotten fatter." Now, when I first started living abroad, this really caught me off-guard. In American culture, weight is very taboo. If a guy tells his girlfriend that she is looking a bit chubbier, he can pretty much write off the whole relationship. We are quite sensitive when it comes to body image. However, that isn't the case in a lot of Central Asian cultures. People talk about weight and a host of other body topics quite freely, without the risk of offending each other. It's considered normal.

There are a heap of other situations where I have realized that culture makes a difference. In Western culture, we are very particular about our space and privacy. We don't like to "intrude" on others or be intruded on. Case in point: If I am going to have a friend sleep-over, we will plan this at least a week in advance. Friends don't normally ask to sleep over because they don't want to impose on hospitality; they will wait until invited. My guest will bring her stuff with her, and I will have made sure that her staying-over fits in with my other plans. HOWEVER, Central Asian culture is completely different! If I go to a friend's house for dinner, she will most likely insist that I spend the night. She will give me a pair of her pajamas to wear, and I'll just wear my other clothes again in the morning. I will most likely sleep on a fold-out couch, which is a must-have in every home here because guests are so frequent. In other situations, if I'm visiting a city in which I have a friend, it is a given that I will stay with her or her family. In this culture, it is completely accepted that I can ask to stay at others' houses without being accused of imposing on them. "Mi casa, tu casa" is a real thing, and it isn't spoken with a hint of bitterness; generosity is currency.

Phone conversations. Wow, can they be different. If I'm talking with a friend in America, I might ask her what she has been up to, because this leaves room for her to choose how much she shares; but I won't call her and say "What are you doing?" - this would seem really intrusive. When people call their friends and family here, they will literally ask "What are you doing?" In addition, they might have called them to ASK JUST THAT. For me, when people first started asking what I was doing, my knee-jerk reaction was to answer, "Why do you need to know?" or "What's it to you?". I felt that they were intruding on my privacy. This was a cultural clash, and one that I had to become aware of and adjust myself to.

So, what do we do in the face of these cultural clashes? We live in a multi-cultural world, and it is imperative that we are able to deal with these situations with consideration to ourselves and our friends.

#1 - We must realize that our culture is not necessarily right and their culture is not necessarily wrong; they are both just different.

#2 - Think about the situation or the exchange of words from their perspective. If you felt offended, do you think that they meant to offend you from their cultural perspective? Analyze how you should take the action or comment from their culture's lenses.

#3 - Take a deep breath and move on. Culture can be a great thing, but it can bring about misunderstandings. We don't want to let these situations cause rifts in our friendships; it's not worth it.

In the case of my "baklava" situation, I realized that from the cultural perspective, the comment made to me was in jest and wasn't meant to offend me at all. Although I personally felt offended, I knew that holding that bitterness would only spoil the friendship. In some cases, I would have felt it appropriate to let the person know that I was offended because of the cultural difference, but I didn't mention it in this situation. I took a deep breath and let it roll off my back.

Just because my culture says one thing doesn't mean that it's essentially right and other cultures are wrong. They are just different, and learning to live with these differences and taking them into consideration is important for building lasting relationships and having good communication.

Have you experienced a "clash" of cultures? How have you dealt with it? Did it help you perceive your friend's culture in a new light? Comment below! I really would love to hear about your experiences as we get better at living in this exciting, multi-cultural world.