tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80183113417010443332024-03-16T14:52:33.866-04:00Novel AdventurersSupriya Savkoorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10854983392374596718noreply@blogger.comBlogger69713tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8018311341701044333.post-9726979041600933382013-07-12T07:00:00.000-04:002013-07-12T10:40:20.554-04:00Till We Meet Again<br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Dear Readers,</span>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Today marks the last
day of this blog, at least for now. We have circled the globe with all of you
so many times, that it’s nearly impossible to say goodbye. And so we won’t. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Blogging has been one
of the best rides this group of writers has been on, combining all of our
favorite interests in one fun package. And yet we always meant for it to be a
jumping off point to the wider writing world beyond. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">As each of us puts
the finishing touches on our novels in progress, hopefully getting them
published and fulfilling our dreams of writing books you’ll enjoy, we want to
take this opportunity to thank you, our generous readers and contributors, for
all of the wonderful support, feedback, and inspiration you’ve provided us over
these past few years. If we never write another word, you’ve already made us
feel most successful and, forgive the pun, on top of the world. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">We hope you’ll stay
connected, both here and through our individual e-mail addresses, web sites,
and sundry social networks. We provide our contact details in each of our bios
on this blog. (Scroll down, at right.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">And you never know. We
may surprise you with other collaborations down the road.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Until then, best
wishes from all of the Novel Adventurers!</span> </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWk7cO2r005ZAvbLKcYOOpfjktJhukcfr2u7w0s5Gh8EAf5CjRqdqBenHdXaU_VY7XYFDvmtVAFyfXtG4IKviIzttsi6SD4_qqLg2xTfOknBp5i3Oktn4EoOdbtZaLj0RUTFJzu7XP8njk/s1600/ANABenois_Curtain_of_Starinij_Teatr_1907a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWk7cO2r005ZAvbLKcYOOpfjktJhukcfr2u7w0s5Gh8EAf5CjRqdqBenHdXaU_VY7XYFDvmtVAFyfXtG4IKviIzttsi6SD4_qqLg2xTfOknBp5i3Oktn4EoOdbtZaLj0RUTFJzu7XP8njk/s400/ANABenois_Curtain_of_Starinij_Teatr_1907a.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="right">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Credit: Serge Lachinov</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">(PD-US)</span></div>
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Heidi Noroozyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03351899620446316075noreply@blogger.com79tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8018311341701044333.post-38868338860952714752013-07-11T07:00:00.000-04:002013-07-23T01:35:10.078-04:00Vacation Pictures: Patricia, Edith, Leslie<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Arial'; font-size: 10pt;">Florence</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial'; font-size: 10pt;">By Patricia Winton</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM4JhVcQ8ah3iFooYWk-HAEB1Zo3Uaw913mu2fFlL9ef2V8OUzVRiaPnUUoXOpMHgkxwVT8dCQQNyc8-9UVF-qizWLXT6FwRw9w7Rs9aET9vjZF69Zq07tYYgdazb40_hTTOS_rK-47FY/s1600/Last+Supper+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM4JhVcQ8ah3iFooYWk-HAEB1Zo3Uaw913mu2fFlL9ef2V8OUzVRiaPnUUoXOpMHgkxwVT8dCQQNyc8-9UVF-qizWLXT6FwRw9w7Rs9aET9vjZF69Zq07tYYgdazb40_hTTOS_rK-47FY/s400/Last+Supper+collage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial'; font-size: 10pt;">I’ve just returned from a visit to Florence, a city I know well. Some of the things I revisit from time to time are the more than a dozen murals of </span><span style="font-family: 'Arial'; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic;">The Last Supper</span><span style="font-family: 'Arial'; font-size: 10pt;"> to be found there. The one above (</span><span style="font-family: 'Arial'; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic;">top</span><span style="font-family: 'Arial'; font-size: 10pt;">), by Andrea del Sarto, has been called the most beautiful painting in the world. Unlike in most others, including Leonardo da Vinci’s, here Judas sits at the right hand of Jesus instead of across the table. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial'; font-size: 10pt;">As I continue to look at these murals, I’ve become obsessed with the tablecloths. In the del Sarto one, the cloth hangs in soft folds in a natural manner. </span><span style="font-family: 'Arial'; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic;">Left</span><span style="font-family: 'Arial'; font-size: 10pt;"> (Mateo Rosselli) The cloth has been ironed with all the folds pointing out—an ironing impossibility. </span><span style="font-family: 'Arial'; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic;">Center </span><span style="font-family: 'Arial'; font-size: 10pt;">(Domenico Ghirlandaio—Ognisanti) Elaborate embroidery graces both ends of the tablecloth. </span><span style="font-family: 'Arial'; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic;">Right</span><span style="font-family: 'Arial'; font-size: 10pt;"> (Andrea del Castagno) Here the slightly patterned tablecloth hangs rigid and narrow with no folds or pleats and provides an ample view of the diners’ feet.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial'; font-size: 10pt;"><i>My current work in progress gives a nod to </i>The Last Suppers<i> of Florence. You can keep up with my progress on my website</i> <a href="http://www.patriciawinton.com/" target="_blank">www.PatriciaWinton.com</a> <i>or on my blog at</i> <a href="http://italianintrigues.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Italian Intrigues</a> </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Ralighvallen, Central
Suriname Nature Reserve</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">By
Edith McClintock</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHAZlNKYARYab1Dp6snao3Gww_Ukhq_5nuEd5fS_Estm8zPpzbSyruRENf_g4_I6SWl6Uw9wPbSqrUIdbGCgXNYp3InJRo_j9lq32KTS0f3YfCQS73l43PmWZ2PVBD6EG9u5tH0nIhI9E/s1600/IMG_0002_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHAZlNKYARYab1Dp6snao3Gww_Ukhq_5nuEd5fS_Estm8zPpzbSyruRENf_g4_I6SWl6Uw9wPbSqrUIdbGCgXNYp3InJRo_j9lq32KTS0f3YfCQS73l43PmWZ2PVBD6EG9u5tH0nIhI9E/s400/IMG_0002_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">It
is the setting I loved most in my first mystery—the rainforest, the wildlife,
and a place called Raleighvallen (Raleigh Falls) in the Central Suriname Nature
Reserve.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">I
think my protagonist, Emma, expresses it best:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“Even
with all the frustrations, I fell completely and irretrievably in love with the
rainforest that week — the deep rich smells of dirt and decay and teeming,
thriving life; the warm soft light of the rocky moss-covered paths hidden
beneath layers of climbing and tumbling lianas and roots; soaring tree trunks
wrapped in colorful bromeliads, orchids, moss, and lichens; and the canopy of
leaves of every conceivable size and shape. Each day was a new adventure, new
wildlife (some good, some terrifying) and ever changing forest, from the sunlit
traveling palm groves to the dense, swampy marshes near the river; to the
rocky, open forests with the towering trees the spider monkeys loved.” —<i>Monkey
Love and Murder</i> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Living
in Raleighvallen was hot, itchy, and scary, but also spectacularly beautiful. Something
I’m grateful to have experienced. You can experience it too, minus the
mosquitos and deadly snakes. Pick up <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Monkey-Love-Murder-Edith-McClintock/dp/1432826387/ref=sr_1_cc_2?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1349701167&sr=1-2-catcorr&keywords=monkey+love+and+murder" target="_blank">Monkey Love and Murder</a> and enjoy a rainforest
adventure from your couch. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Y</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">ou can also follow my future travels on my blog <a href="http://awanderingtale.com/" target="_blank">A Wandering Tale</a></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">or visit my </span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;"><i><a href="http://edithmcclintock.com/" target="_blank">author website</a>.</i> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">By Leslie Hsu Oh </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_5MbXIZuH03s5D7TjH0RKPzPIRI24HuVoJJ09uDxWLZJV07q1AuB48OwvsGVm0UEfD8WJiyMCV69FZp6YApzPF475XbGLUOwetiTCfkxa3dx7tq32J_Tt1ZQRUJyWUcI89IgIpgBSr3U/s1600/IMG_0493.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_5MbXIZuH03s5D7TjH0RKPzPIRI24HuVoJJ09uDxWLZJV07q1AuB48OwvsGVm0UEfD8WJiyMCV69FZp6YApzPF475XbGLUOwetiTCfkxa3dx7tq32J_Tt1ZQRUJyWUcI89IgIpgBSr3U/s400/IMG_0493.JPG" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">I grew up rafting, hiking, spelunking, and
riding on horseback through nearly all the national parks in the United States
and Canada. On the forgiving banks of Lake McDonald in </span><a href="http://www.nps.gov/glac" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Glacier</a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">, I mourned the death of my mother
and brother a few days after I turned 21. At the foot of </span><a href="http://www.nps.gov/dena" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Denali</a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">, beneath the gentle fall of snow, my
husband got down on one knee and proposed. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">When my mother died, she asked my father to
take me to Alaska and finish visiting all the parks. My father never made it to
Alaska but my husband tried his best to complete her wish. While he drove me to
<a href="http://www.nps.gov/kefj">Kenai Fjords</a> and Denali many times in the
seven years that we lived in Alaska, the other parks were much more difficult
to visit due to logistics and finances. A few months before we had to leave
Alaska, we captured this shot of the four of us, outfitted in crampons
(including the two-year-old), traversing a crevice in <a href="http://www.nps.gov/wrst">Wrangell-St. Elias</a>. I hang this photo in my
living room because it encourages me to pursue my dreams no matter how hard it
might seem and how many people tell you it’s impossible.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Whenever I feel overwhelmed by my life, like
I’m being blown off course or things aren’t going my way, I find strength from
the </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">photograph of my daughter in </span><a href="http://www.nps.gov/cany" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Canyonlands</a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">.
For my 40</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">, my dear friend Keilah Frickson, found matching
bracelets, each with an aphorism that spoke to us at the moment. This photo reminds
me of mine: “Storms just make you stronger.” Stay tuned at </span><a href="http://www.lesliehsuoh.com/" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">www.lesliehsuoh.com</a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Cjh8yQ3vUH0gbkHMlX6UnG2YeXvG9OMjqy1P9TE_o_-BRz6ZgjTM1RwmZW0q6RTGyGT9iGTStxxDkGhRo6EUxcdsQuIcEpMaMArIpHM0PfUKbYXanqM78ckTHIu6ypDIibTkI9pyZZE/s1600/8x12_3363Post%25401024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Cjh8yQ3vUH0gbkHMlX6UnG2YeXvG9OMjqy1P9TE_o_-BRz6ZgjTM1RwmZW0q6RTGyGT9iGTStxxDkGhRo6EUxcdsQuIcEpMaMArIpHM0PfUKbYXanqM78ckTHIu6ypDIibTkI9pyZZE/s640/8x12_3363Post%25401024.jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Canyonlands National Park</td></tr>
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Patricia Wintonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05095600674659292509noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8018311341701044333.post-19810799878638829252013-07-10T07:00:00.000-04:002013-07-11T11:49:35.771-04:00Travels with Beth, Alli, and Supriya<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><strong>Under
the Surface<o:p></o:p></strong></span><br />
<strong>
</strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">By
Beth Green</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4VaA3P87h3RFYB6GOee2n7V50k8m4L4XcGDAWL6OlLJhxojNtWdR0KHAsw1Zp9wDqHCBkfwLKkealK2D6pU81u-KKEf4ud1-vdKeDG6eipMBqKDjKIrCu9AqXZ6MGsUp5oCEm4ZvHvIpJ/s1600/Beths+VacationPhoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4VaA3P87h3RFYB6GOee2n7V50k8m4L4XcGDAWL6OlLJhxojNtWdR0KHAsw1Zp9wDqHCBkfwLKkealK2D6pU81u-KKEf4ud1-vdKeDG6eipMBqKDjKIrCu9AqXZ6MGsUp5oCEm4ZvHvIpJ/s320/Beths+VacationPhoto.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sliding under the
water on a scuba dive is like a vacation within a vacation for me. The rumble
of boats’ engines and the slapping of waves against hulls is replaced by the
calming, even sound of your own breath. There’s no space for worrying about the
land-bound when you’re on a dive. <i>Will your flight leave on time? Did you
apply enough sunscreen? Where did you put your credit card after the bar last
night? </i>The surface world is only a few yards above your head--but its mundane
problems can wait until the end of the dive. The world narrows, focuses, until
the only thing of import is what’s in front of your mask. Here, a colony of
brightly colored fish circle the crevices of their anemone home, suspicious of
the curious scuba diver, who hovers, amazed by the play of sunlight on the
surrounding bright green sea grass. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><em>Photo taken by Beth
Green at Balicasag Island, Bohol, Philippines. Contact Beth on Twitter
@bethverde or via her website </em><a href="http://bethgreenwrites.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><em>bethgreenwrites.com</em></span></a><em>.<o:p></o:p></em></span><br />
<em>
</em><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><strong>Life’s
Journeys<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<strong>
</strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">By
Alli Sinclair<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk3nQH7qoJca5fpSLwT99lOJ9RM_RkNN1EIIHqTN6STiwDIqROHbSBOEQYmqpqsyCYaRxE6iAoFiItn21dA6NApj4c4-4_QD8ctgcN9NNaox2KffezYfXD21ritQ3SOZKxjXDEzqCt-xev/s1600/collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk3nQH7qoJca5fpSLwT99lOJ9RM_RkNN1EIIHqTN6STiwDIqROHbSBOEQYmqpqsyCYaRxE6iAoFiItn21dA6NApj4c4-4_QD8ctgcN9NNaox2KffezYfXD21ritQ3SOZKxjXDEzqCt-xev/s320/collage.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My journey with Novel Adventurers is not unlike the other
journeys I’ve taken in life. I did lots of research, set out with a rough plan,
and allowed myself to go with the flow and, most importantly, meet and learn
from others along the way. <br /><br /><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My writing, too, has travelled a few interesting roads since starting this blog. I’ve now signed with a wonderful literary agent and I’m working on a New Adult romantic adventure and an adult series that weaves present-day stories with historical. <em>Luna Tango </em>is my first book in this series and hopefully it won’t be too long before you see it on the shelves! </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You can find me here: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AlliSinclairAuthor" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">https://www.facebook.com/AlliSinclairAuthor</span></a><br />with the latest updates of the wonderful journey called life!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thank you all for joining me on my travels, and I look
forward to hearing about yours!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><strong>The
Big Picture<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<strong>
</strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">By
Supriya Savkoor<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBNM_nSk1apWrw1_mAUNIEgSxTHs8LPelikxZ5Jn4v9bBbyFIcpQrAwVNGeY9XMYAkELu83ECEOtfvwRt7zk2qmVkmcI2OJDQK83ZmhnSsVMYnynw2ZSpG3UEpPly7RtlEv08CC9Nv48Xr/s1600/vacation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBNM_nSk1apWrw1_mAUNIEgSxTHs8LPelikxZ5Jn4v9bBbyFIcpQrAwVNGeY9XMYAkELu83ECEOtfvwRt7zk2qmVkmcI2OJDQK83ZmhnSsVMYnynw2ZSpG3UEpPly7RtlEv08CC9Nv48Xr/s200/vacation.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Over the past three years of blogging at Novel Adventurers, I’ve had the thrill of circling the world many times over, experiencing vicarious adventures through our fascinating co-bloggers and guest contributors as well as sifting through my own travel memories.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">We have covered much ground in this space. Hands down, my favorite topic has been all the overlap in cultures and customs. In particular, I’ve had the opportunity here to follow the many diverse paths that East Indian culture has traveled over the millennia. Through this lens, global communities that I previously knew little about—Cambodia, Fiji, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Iran, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, and Ethiopia, to name just a few—now feel as familiar to me as India itself and taught me how small our world really is. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEr29jiXC2u9X2NeIkKtH3qu0vWYVgIf9V5nEig-QluQG5m2Q-LpDjYKcczGEhtkq1QmEqKlosvrVTvsLX6sOBnctjDIqESx-Yx7zJ_FOm_ATGq9OV7oeYjlETXqqZVeJMOR9c5g31oEKE/s1600/around+the+world.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEr29jiXC2u9X2NeIkKtH3qu0vWYVgIf9V5nEig-QluQG5m2Q-LpDjYKcczGEhtkq1QmEqKlosvrVTvsLX6sOBnctjDIqESx-Yx7zJ_FOm_ATGq9OV7oeYjlETXqqZVeJMOR9c5g31oEKE/s320/around+the+world.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Case
in point: the woman featured prominently in the photo collage at left is
Kamla Persad-Bissessar, the first elected female prime minister of Trinidad and
Tobago. She is the seventh prime minister of this tiny Caribbean country, and
the second, after Basdeo Panday, of ethnic Indian descent. In 1889, her great
grandfather left India and became a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">girmitiya</i>,
a term that describes the many Indian slaves taken to former British colonies
and eventually settling there after gaining their freedom. Persad-Bissessar <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>took her oath of office on the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bhagavad Gita,</i> one of Hinduism’s most
sacred texts, although she says, “I have no specific church as such. I am of
both the Hindu and Baptist faiths.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Stories
such as these, however far away in time or distance, are a part of my cultural heritage and travels.
I hope they help inspire your own.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
Supriyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06517702822500748969noreply@blogger.com2