Adventurous Life Newsletter - Inviting You to Find Inspiration in Odd Corners (November/December 2005)

When I started building a 1200-square-foot addition (after a refreshing spate of demolition) on what was left of the old house my partner and I had just bought, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. And that was probably a good thing. Luckily, the first (and until recently, the only) contractor to do any work on the house -- a mason we hired to install the foundation, thus providing at least a hope of starting square and level -- was a man whose underlying philosophy toward mistakes formed a solid base for my own upcoming experience.

He had brought along an assistant one day to finish up a section of wall before a week of rain hit, and when it came time to inspect the work, we realized that this wall was about 2" out of level. His good-natured response to this situation (which entailed several hours of arm-numbing grinding to remedy) was, "I don't mind fixing my mistakes. Heck, I've been making them all my life."

The past two years have placed me -- energetic, impatient, and in love with fresh pastures -- squarely in the realm of facing my own human tendency toward imperfection. From struggling through the writing and editing of my book (a project I never thought I would finish) to finding that house-building projects I thought were accomplished were, in fact, far from over, I've thought back on that mason's words many a time.

I recently started a master's degree program in curriculum development and instructional technology and was struck by an article I read about Japanese classrooms. The author described the fact that teachers in Japanese classrooms call upon students who have made mistakes in an exercise to illuminate their thinking for the rest of the class. The entire process of examining mistaken thinking is seen as a valuable learning tool -- unlike American classrooms, where we seem to harbor a competitive fear of being suspected of flaws.

I don't know enough about the Japanese culture or educational system to judge the nuanced accuracy of the author's interpretation, but the idea that mistakes (at least in America) are often seen as something to be ashamed of or hidden struck me as crippling. Especially given the fact that research has shown time and again that the best learning takes place after mistakes have been made.

All of this, of course, wraps back around to travel for me -- if I can't make mistakes in my own backyard and everyday life, then how can I expect to extend myself while traveling? To ask stupid questions of native inhabitants, to pantomime my need for a bathroom, to be different and foolish and have that be not only okay, but a good thing?

What's your philosophy toward mistakes? This month, try making a few. Push your envelope. Risk looking ridiculous. See how it feels, get used to it, and then take that on the road.

GoNOMAD.com, an alternative travel web site based in South Deerfield, MA, has been offering grants to help travel writers foster their craft. The project started when Senior Travel Editor Kent E. St. John, of Cottekill, NY, a voracious traveler himself, decided to fund a year's worth of grants to deserving writers who will use the funds to help pay for their trips.

Each quarter of 2005, the editorial team at GoNOMAD is reviewing applications in the form of a one-page synopsis of where the author wants to go and what kind of a story they want to write. Writers are asked to provide a one-page list of their published travel stories, or links to stories posted on the web. The most promising of these synopses will be culled down to one lucky winner every three months, with four recipients in 2005 receiving the $500 cash award each.

"We hope to see many submissions from talented people who need this little bit of help to make their travel dreams come true," said St. John. GoNOMAD.com will have the first right to publish the destination guides, and submissions are not limited to traditional travel writing. "We are open to publishing photo or video galleries or guides done as podcasts," said GoNOMAD Editor/Owner Max Hartshorne, one of the four judges for the awards.

You can submit your one-page proposal to GoNOMAD.com, P.O. Box 4, South Deerfield, MA 01373 Email: travelawards at gonomad.com, or fax 413-665-5006. (No phone calls please.) Contest rules and writing guidelines can be found on their web site.

Deadline for the Third Travel award is November 15, 2005. The grant will be awarded on December 15, 2005.

Imagine Yourself...in a Museum

The International Museum of Women and the Imagining Ourselves Global Team invite young women in their twenties and thirties from every corner of the globe to submit their stories and art in answer to the question: "What Defines Your Generation of Women?"

The Online Exhibit utilizes dynamic design and the web's global reach to impact a world wide audience. Stories and art will be featured in an interactive online gallery and are accompanied by opportunities for how young women can take action and make a difference for themselves, their communities, and the world.

Join a growing group of thousands of women from over 105 countries, including Ukrainian Olympic Gold Medallist Oksana Baiul; bestselling novelist Zadie Smith; author Karenna Gore Schiff (daughter of former U.S. Vice President Al Gore); Queen Rania of Jordan; and many more!

Deadline for submissions is November 20, 2005. Visit www.imow.org for more information and to join the conversation.

Travel Writing Q&A

Q: I am an English major with a minor in writing and my goal is to become a travel writer for Conde Nast as well as write my own travel memoirs one day. I just finished reading the book "A Woman's Europe" and while I loved all of the stories, yours was my favorite....[I] am...going to Australia to study during the upcoming fall semester, [and] while I am no longer a "child," I have never really been on my own. I know that if i want to travel, I will eventually have to be brave enough to do things on my own, I am just not sure I am ready yet....If you have any suggestions about how I can break into the writing business...that would be great.

A: Thank you so much for your e-mail -- it made my day! I'm glad that "Vagabond Love" spoke to your own itinerant spirit.

Your trip to Australia sounds like a wonderful opportunity to become more comfortable walking the line between safety and exploration. I know for myself that traveling abroad during high school and college within the "safe" confines of school trips and study abroad programs was part of what allowed me to begin taking my own solo journeys. My advice? While in Australia...

Read the rest of this Q&A on my web site.


	Welcome to this month's edition of Adventurous Life!
I welcome your thoughts, feedback & suggestions for stories. Please don't hesitate to contact me or swing by www.judywolf.com to see what's new. Pass this newsletter along to a friend!			In this issue: What's Your Take on Mistakes? Top 5 Ideas to Inspire You This Month Last Chance for a GoNOMAD Grant! Imagine Yourself...in a Museum Travel Writing Q&A Everyday Adventures

What's Your Take on Mistakes? When I started building a 1200-square-foot addition (after a refreshing spate of demolition) on what was left of the old house my partner and I had just bought, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. And that was probably a good thing. Luckily, the first (and until recently, the only) contractor to do any work on the house -- a mason we hired to install the foundation, thus providing at least a hope of starting square and level -- was a man whose underlying philosophy toward mistakes formed a solid base for my own upcoming experience. He had brought along an assistant one day to finish up a section of wall before a week of rain hit, and when it came time to inspect the work, we realized that this wall was about 2" out of level. His good-natured response to this situation (which entailed several hours of arm-numbing grinding to remedy) was, "I don't mind fixing my mistakes. Heck, I've been making them all my life." The past two years have placed me -- energetic, impatient, and in love with fresh pastures -- squarely in the realm of facing my own human tendency toward imperfection. From struggling through the writing and editing of my book (a project I never thought I would finish) to finding that house-building projects I thought were accomplished were, in fact, far from over, I've thought back on that mason's words many a time. I recently started a master's degree program in curriculum development and instructional technology and was struck by an article I read about Japanese classrooms. The author described the fact that teachers in Japanese classrooms call upon students who have made mistakes in an exercise to illuminate their thinking for the rest of the class. The entire process of examining mistaken thinking is seen as a valuable learning tool -- unlike American classrooms, where we seem to harbor a competitive fear of being suspected of flaws. I don't know enough about the Japanese culture or educational system to judge the nuanced accuracy of the author's interpretation, but the idea that mistakes (at least in America) are often seen as something to be ashamed of or hidden struck me as crippling. Especially given the fact that research has shown time and again that the best learning takes place after mistakes have been made. All of this, of course, wraps back around to travel for me -- if I can't make mistakes in my own backyard and everyday life, then how can I expect to extend myself while traveling? To ask stupid questions of native inhabitants, to pantomime my need for a bathroom, to be different and foolish and have that be not only okay, but a good thing? What's your philosophy toward mistakes? This month, try making a few. Push your envelope. Risk looking ridiculous. See how it feels, get used to it, and then take that on the road. Last Chance for a GoNOMAD Grant! Deadline is Nov 15 GoNOMAD.com, an alternative travel web site based in South Deerfield, MA, has been offering grants to help travel writers foster their craft. The project started when Senior Travel Editor Kent E. St. John, of Cottekill, NY, a voracious traveler himself, decided to fund a year's worth of grants to deserving writers who will use the funds to help pay for their trips. Each quarter of 2005, the editorial team at GoNOMAD is reviewing applications in the form of a one-page synopsis of where the author wants to go and what kind of a story they want to write. Writers are asked to provide a one-page list of their published travel stories, or links to stories posted on the web. The most promising of these synopses will be culled down to one lucky winner every three months, with four recipients in 2005 receiving the $500 cash award each. "We hope to see many submissions from talented people who need this little bit of help to make their travel dreams come true," said St. John. GoNOMAD.com will have the first right to publish the destination guides, and submissions are not limited to traditional travel writing. "We are open to publishing photo or video galleries or guides done as podcasts," said GoNOMAD Editor/Owner Max Hartshorne, one of the four judges for the awards. You can submit your one-page proposal to GoNOMAD.com, P.O. Box 4, South Deerfield, MA 01373 Email: travelawards at gonomad.com, or fax 413-665-5006. (No phone calls please.) Contest rules and writing guidelines can be found on their web site. Deadline for the Third Travel award is November 15, 2005. The grant will be awarded on December 15, 2005. Imagine Yourself...in a Museum The International Museum of Women and the Imagining Ourselves Global Team invite young women in their twenties and thirties from every corner of the globe to submit their stories and art in answer to the question: "What Defines Your Generation of Women?" The Online Exhibit utilizes dynamic design and the web's global reach to impact a world wide audience. Stories and art will be featured in an interactive online gallery and are accompanied by opportunities for how young women can take action and make a difference for themselves, their communities, and the world. Join a growing group of thousands of women from over 105 countries, including Ukrainian Olympic Gold Medallist Oksana Baiul; bestselling novelist Zadie Smith; author Karenna Gore Schiff (daughter of former U.S. Vice President Al Gore); Queen Rania of Jordan; and many more! Deadline for submissions is November 20, 2005. Visit www.imow.org for more information and to join the conversation. Travel Writing Q&A Q: I am an English major with a minor in writing and my goal is to become a travel writer for Conde Nast as well as write my own travel memoirs one day. I just finished reading the book "A Woman's Europe" and while I loved all of the stories, yours was my favorite....[I] am...going to Australia to study during the upcoming fall semester, [and] while I am no longer a "child," I have never really been on my own. I know that if i want to travel, I will eventually have to be brave enough to do things on my own, I am just not sure I am ready yet....If you have any suggestions about how I can break into the writing business...that would be great. A: Thank you so much for your e-mail -- it made my day! I'm glad that "Vagabond Love" spoke to your own itinerant spirit. Your trip to Australia sounds like a wonderful opportunity to become more comfortable walking the line between safety and exploration. I know for myself that traveling abroad during high school and college within the "safe" confines of school trips and study abroad programs was part of what allowed me to begin taking my own solo journeys. My advice? While in Australia... Read the rest of this Q&A on my web site.				"...the large-scale solution to the large scale-problem...serves mostly to distract people from the small, private problems that they may, in fact, have the power to solve." *-Wendell Barry*

				Top 5 Ideas to Inspire You This Month Join a chorus and sing your heart out Learn to play drums (West African, Caribbean, whatever you like), then go to the country of its origin and take a workshop Take a dance class -- what intrigues you? African? Jazz? Swing? Ballet? Ballroom? Tap? Try it! Rent a villa on the Mediterranean coast (or in Central America, or in Scandinavia, or...) with a couple of friends Start a book reading and discussion group
				"A man has made at least a start on discovering the meaning of human life when he plants shade trees under which he knows full well he will never sit." *-D. Eldon Trueblood*

				Everyday Adventures #298 Turn the sheets around on your bed. Sleep with your head at the opposite side. Switch places with your spouse. Sleep in a different room. See if these changes cause you to dream more vividly. Keep a journal next to your bed and write down your dreams as soon as you awake. Create a personal book of adventures by capturing your dreams. This everyday adventure is from "A New Adventure Every Day: 541 Simple Ways to Live with Pizzazz" by David Silberkleit, excerpted with the author's permission.


		About the author: Judy Wolf is a world traveler, freelance writer, speaker, and whitewater kayak instructor. She's taken many long solo journeys around the world, traveling by foot, bus, jeep, camel, truck, boat, train, plane, elephant, and bicycle to over 30 countries on five continents. Her work has appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies, including Far From Home: Father Daughter Travel Adventures, A Woman's Europe, and The Risks of Sunbathing Topless. She's currently working on a book about her most recent adventures…that is, when she's not plunging off waterfalls or entertaining the dog. Learn more at www.judywolf.com.

Please feel free to forward this newsletter to anyone you feel might find it of interest. If you cut and paste content, please make sure you include all attribution, copyright, and contact information. Thanks! To subscribe to or unsubscribe from Adventurous Life, go to www.judywolf.com/newsletter To contact Judy Wolf: http://www.judywolf.com or e-mail now (or snail mail to 3786 Dawes Ave, Clinton NY 13323). Copyright © 2005 Judy Wolf