It is hard to believe Orientation for new MIA and MPA students is one week away.  Enjoy some more of the photos submitted by incoming students.

Tori Fahey, incoming MIA student.

Cairo, Egypt

This was the beginning of a journey that took me 12,000kms, through ten countries, across a continent over the course of the first four months of 2011. When I look at this photo I can relive the elation and anticipation that I felt as I embarked on a journey that would open my eyes to many new people, places and ideas.

Just outside of Livingstone, Zambia

During my trip across Africa, a few of my friends rode a bit too close to an elephant at the side of the road. Sometimes adventure can present unexpected risks and you have to be ready to react.

Antelope Wells, New Mexico

This photo was taken this summer at the end of a bike trip from Canada to the Mexican border, self-supported, off-road, along the continental divide. During the voyage, I encountered long stretches of snow, narrowly averted hypothermia, crossed flooded rivers, climbed many mountain passes, ran out of food and water during a heat wave in the desert. It was strange combination of magic and misery and, by far, my proudest achievement. There are some things that are better to have done than to do. As you can see, I’m happy to be finished.

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Alex Lee – MIA

I prefer to let photos speak for themselves, so descriptions are very brief.  All photos are from 2011.

Graffiti archaeology – Taken on Lafayette Street near Grand.  Layered graffiti from multiple artists on and around the same street-side door.

Blossoms – Taken at a festival celebrating Asian culture in Washington, DC.  Hanging decorations add to the already-bright atmosphere at the lotus gardens.

Sword dancers – Taken at the same festival in DC.  Traditional Korean dance form mimicking swordplay.

We are close to winding down the incoming student photos series.  Thank you to all of those that have helped to add life to the blog over the summer!

Christian Loubeau – MIA-Economic and Political Development.

The first photo was taken in the White Desert in Egypt during the summer of 2010.  I was in the desert for an overnight camping trip and we were checking out white rock formations that resembled people and animals.  My friend took this photo of me at dusk next to a formation known as Chicken Mountain.

This photo was taken in Caracas, Venezuela when I lived there in the fall of 2007.  President Chavez spoke at this rally a few hours after the photo was taken.  At the time President Chavez was rallying his supporters to back a referendum that would, among many items, abolish presidential term limits.  I like the dignified look of hope on the woman’s face while the man stands tall contemplating what lies ahead.  There were several points of contention regarding the referendum and I think the overcast skies speak to the stormy path that lies ahead.  Although the referendum was at one point expected to pass rather easily, it was defeated about a month after this picture was taken.

This photo was taken on the Great Wall of China during the summer of 2010.  My friend and I squeezed this quick trip in on our last night in Beijing.  I didn’t have much time to visit the wall as I had to catch a flight later that night yet we managed to find a moment to clown around.  This part of the wall was on a steep incline so I was able to lean forward without any support.

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Hello, my name is Marisol Alarcón, an incoming MDP. I’m from Ecuador/Chile and had the great opportunity to work in slums from different countries in Latin America. Apart from the overwhelming poverty, I have also seen beautiful, contrasting sights and met amazing and strong people. These pictures are just a glimpse of what I have seen these past years.

Family Canaan: This family represents the many families living in Canaan, the camp city 5 miles up north from Port-au-Prince. Their smiles and bright eyes were always surprising.

13 de Julio: This boy lives in the slum 13 de Julio, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He is playing naturally surrounded by trash and houses made with waste materials.  The dirt on his skin is his regular condition, not the result of one day on the play ground like it would be for most of us. This place is only minutes away from downtown Buenos Aires, one of the largest metropolitan cities in the region.

Favela Padroiera: This girl is washing the dishes after our lunch together.  She lives in the Slum Padroeira, on the outside of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The photo shows the incredible overcrowding of the favelas and the hard living conditions the families must face.

More incoming student photos today . . .

Stephanie Chang, incoming MIA Student

La Bodeguita Del Medio, Havana, Cuba – A bartender makes our mojitos, Hemmingway’s preferred drink, at this exact bar he famously frequented while living in Cuba, La Bodeguita Del Medio.  A portrait of Hemminway is on the wall behind the bartender.  This picture was taken this past March, when I was on a Spring Break trip to Cancun and we spontaneously decided to take a detour and see what Cuba actually looks like.

Blue Mountains, Sydney, Australia – This is the view from the top of The Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains of Sydney, Australia.  The Three Sisters are a set of three large rock formations.  You can’t see the rocks in this photo, but they are just to the right of me.  The hike trail involves 900 steps, leading to a river at the bottom.  The view is definitely worth the climb!

Santa Monica Pier, California – This is my favorite destination to run to when I jog around my neighborhood.  Santa Monica Pier is usually packed with tourists, but the walk and bike paths are pretty serene in the mornings.  I’ve had the luxury of traveling a lot in the past years, and for my last summer before I move to New York, I’ve tried to spend as much time as I can relishing unique aspects I love about living in Los Angeles.

Once I move to NYC I will most sorely miss the warm ocean breezes and and the ability to run freely outside in sunny weather!

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Holly Sue Hatfield, an incoming MPA-DP student.

Lindon, UT:  I work for the Princess Festival – an event that started as a fundraiser for the charity I work for, but has since become its own private business.  This is a picture from this year’s King’s Daddy-Daughter Grand Ball that we held in Lindon, UT.  The girl up front is a new princess character we created, Princess Mila, and she’s doing a storytelling  for the girls.  Between the two Kings on the stage you’ll see His Excellency Elkanah Odembo, Ambassador of Kenya to the US.  Yes, the Ambassador comes to our princess parties, and yes, we make him sit on the stage.  <grin>  The Princess Festival only has two employees, but has over 350 volunteers that put on the annual event, including a cast of over 60 fairy-tale characters, both classic and new.

Lindon, UT:  I’m the youngest of 8 kids, and I have 44 nieces and nephews; 36 of them are under the age of ten and 38 of the grandkids are girls  (ergo the creation of the Princess Festival).  It’s utter insanity.  When family gets together, though, there’s one thing we can count on – my 63 year-old dad giving his full attention to the kids.  Here he is playing volleyball with a bunch of 5 year-old girls who have no idea what volleyball is or how it is played – so they’re all standing there cluelessly.  But if you look closely, you’ll see the best part of the picture: dad’s casually wearing a headband with cat ears.  Nobody knows why.

Somewhere around Nakuru, Kenya

I’m kind of afraid of birds.  So at this rest-stop park in Kenya, my dad dared me to try and touch one of these crazy big birds.  You can see me in the red dress trying to sneak up on them; I never even get close (ha ha).  I’m sure the Kenyans in the park were as intrigued with the muzungu girl tiptoeing around as I was with the creepy birds.