Organic Oxford

The picture to the left was taken at Yokna Bottoms Farm, North Mississippi's first Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). It is located eight miles south of Oxford, Miss.

Organic Oxford is a blog that Dani Ligato and I are working on for our new media class. It's in the beginning stages, but eventually it will be rich with content about organic and sustainable living options in and around the Oxford, Miss. area. The goal of this project is to raise awareness of organic living options and educate community members about its benefits. Stay tuned for updates about our exciting farm travels! Check out the blog here: Organic Oxford.

Literature review of travel journalism research

INTRO
The concept of travel writing has been around since man was able to record his journeys. As our ancestors ventured to faraway lands, it was only natural they record the details of their exotic expeditions. Even the writings of Daniel Defoe, "The Father of Journalism," were influenced by travel. But what exactly is travel journalism?
TRAVEL JOURNALISM DEFINED
Travel journalism is an extremely broad genre, and therefore many literary works may fall into this category. Travel journalism may serve to inform, educate, or entertain, and as more and more people are traveling, this profession is booming.
METHODS OF TRAVEL JOURNALISM
Although this profession is a difficult one to break into, it is possible to do so. Wendy Hoke has this advice for emerging travel writers: stay on top of trends; get your work published in smaller publications before you submit to larger magazines; remember that freelancing is a business and you do have deadlines; inquire about specific info from experts in the field; and establish strong relationships with editors.
ETHICS OF TRAVEL JOURNALISM
As with any type of journalism, the practice of travel writing has the potential to evoke many ethical questions and concerns. The North American Travel Journalist Association encourages the upholding of these six ethical standards: truth, honesty, fairness, accuracy, integrity, and professional conduct.
RISKS OF TRAVEL JOURNALISM
The profession of journalism is inherently risky in and of itself, and travel and adventure journalism pose even more risks. The News Security Group, which was set up in 2000, stresses that "safety is paramount, dangerous assignments are voluntary, and unwarranted risks in pursuit of a story is unacceptable.
CONCLUSION
Martin Hintz says, "Despite the bugs inherent in international travel writing, the rush, the adventure, and the thrill of chasing the story keep us all coming back. Sure, this line of work has its rewards. Making friends around the world is probably the most important, because the writer is out there interviewing really interesting people. In addition, travel writing is truly creatively multi-faceted, a genre that includes writing about the arts, business, environmental issues, and politics.

Full Moon Kirtan

One of the greatest things about being a travel writer is that sometimes you venture no farther than your front door to find a truly interesting story. Last night, this was the case for me as I attended a Full Moon Kirtan yoga session near my house.

For the past few months I have been practicing yoga at Southern Star Yoga, a studio only a couple minutes away from my Oxford home. Although I still consider myself a beginner, the classes I’ve taken so far have been extremely beneficial for my mind, soul, and body. Most of the classes offered at Southern Star fall under the category of Raja yoga, a form of yoga that uses meditation to bring the mind and emotions into balance.

Kirtan yoga, the yoga of love, is a bit different from Raja. It involves the chanting of Hindu Sanskrit to evoke emotion, joy, and insight into one’s spirituality. Every now and then, the yogis at Southern Star offer different classes, workshops, or special events, and I received an email earlier last week detailing this two-hour Full Moon Kirtan session. No experience necessary, the email read—all one needed to bring was an open heart and mind, and vegetarian dish to share for a potluck. This was right up my alley.

I walked into the studio yesterday evening a few minutes before 6 p.m., with my fresh veggie lasagna in tow, having no idea what to expect. I was one of the first to arrive. The room was dimly lit, and yoga blankets and mats were arranged in a semi-circle around Stevi Self, a co-owner of the studio, and a man clad in white linen seated behind a large Sitar, a Hindustani classical stringed instrument.

Participants continued to arrive, and soon the chanting began.

The first chant was “Ganesha Sharanam,” and we recited the line “Ganesha Sharanam Sharanam Ganesha” over and over in musical harmony. Our handout offered up info about each chant and explained that, “Ganesha is known as the remover of obstacles and is invoked at the beginning of any endeavor. He also bestows wisdom and knowledge.” This chant came first so that any obstacles among the group could be removed to allow for a successful Kirtan session.

Chanting continued with “Om Namo Shivaya.” This chant was “Salutation to Shiva,” the destroyer of the Hindu Trinity. It was important in destroying each of our egos. Next came “Baba Hanuman,” a chant of devotion, followed by “Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudeva,” “Babanam Kevalum,” and we commenced our chanting with the recitation of “Gayatri Mantra.”

When the musical celebration came to an end, I felt extremely light and happy. During every chant, I imagined different people or aspects of my life that applied to the meaning behind the chant. This helped in keeping my mind present during the session—which can prove quite challenging for me sometimes.

Our Kirtan session worked up quite the appetite among our group, so we promptly hit up the vegetarian buffet of quiche, tofu pasta, pimento cheese sandwiches, cookies, black bean hummus, lasagna, and much more. It was delicious. I walked out of the studio with a happy belly, happy heart, and a new and exciting experience under my belt.

For their next Kirtan session, Stevi hopes to marry the event with a Full Moon drum circle that is hosted every month by the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) group in Oxford. I am very much looking forward to it!

Life on the Ocoee River

For the past two summers, I've had the privilege of working as a photographer for the Nantahala Outdoor Center on the Ocoee River. The NOC is a world-renown outfitter that specializes, among many other things, in whitewater rafting. Click here to view a slideshow of some of my rafting adventures!

Carl Hoffman feels lonely and isolated while traveling the most overcrowded conveyances known to man

In his 2010 novel The Lunatic Express, Carl Hoffman details his five-month journey traveling the world “via its most dangerous buses, boats, trains, and planes.” His desire to embark on such a risky expedition stemmed from the realization that most travel writing focuses on tourism and omits the largest sector of travel: travel as a necessity. Hoffman is an award-winning travel writer, as well as a husband and father. However, at the time of his departure, his home life has begun to unravel.

“For twenty years I had been a stable husband and father, and then I’d snapped. My life suddenly didn’t seem to fit anymore. I was middle-aged with a wife and three children whom I loved but hadn’t been living with for almost a year. A long journey seemed the best solution. The classic move was to leave the world for the exotic to be born anew.”

At first, it seems extremely selfish that Hoffman has decided to put his life on the line to take part in a seemingly careless journey because his life doesn’t seem to “fit” anymore. After all, when you are a father, shouldn’t your first priority be your children? Of course, it’s easy as an outsider to make these judgments. As his story continues, however, one begins to appreciate Hoffman, and maybe even feel emotionally connected to him.

As a travel writer, Hoffman does an extraordinary job of respecting the different cultures in which he is submerged, and in turn he is embraced time and time again by these foreign peoples. “And the more I shed my American reserves, phobias, disgusts, the more they embraced me. In the weeks ahead I would do whatever my fellow travelers and hosts did. If they drank the tap water of Mumbai and Kolkata and Bangladesh, so would I. If they bought tea from street-corner vendors, so would I. If they ate with their fingers, even if I was given utensils, I ate with my fingers.”

On the various overcrowded buses, ferries, trains, planes, etc. Hoffman is constantly shoulder-to-shoulder and hip-to-hip with other human beings. He quickly notices the deep connection that most of the people in other cultures have with one another, and this makes him feel more alone and isolated than ever before—especially from his family.

“He looked at me; people were always fascinated that I was traveling alone, without family; it was inconceivable to them. They lived with multiple generations, slept crowded into beds and on floors in tiny apartments or houses, and they would do so their entire lives…I envied that, even as it repelled me—the idea was a central conflict in my life. I had a family, after all, and five of us had lived in a one-bathroom, three-bedroom house—but somehow I’d ended up in my own little apartment. I’d always found crowds compelling, I always liked feeling part of something, so why was I always running?”

Pics from San Antonio

Art and music in the King William District on "First Friday"

















Riley and I in front of the Alamo

















Prickly Pear Margaritas at the top of the Tower of the Americas

















Boat tour on the famous Riverwalk






















Roller coaster at Six Flags

My Latest Read

The Lunatic Express--by, Carl Hoffman
Click here to purchase your own copy from Amazon.com