ksenija savic photography

We are ordinary people with EXTRAORDINARY dreams. ~ Abe NIxon ✌{via @lovepeaceunity } (twitter)

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wednesday's whimsy : ethiopian girl

Wednesday, 6.9.10

personal, adopt more, dream BIG project

i have quite a lot on my mind,
today in particular,,, & let's not even begin with all that is on my plate.

yet, there is this little nagging inner 'voice' that keeps telling me 'i need to blog'.
not because today is Wednesday,
so technically time for a "wednesday's whimsy",,,
but because blogging helps
re-energize my thoughts,
re-inspire my creativity
& release whatever it is that has been 'weighing' in my path.

so, i knew it was time to introduce you to the beautyFULL inside & out woman who is...

Aster :

i feel that the introduction of Aster is the perfect way to begin one of many posts about my recent travels to Africa to document an adoption.

as you can clearly see Aster is beautiful. i don't think you need to even speak to her to know the immense beauty she effortlessly radiates.
Aster worked at the Addis Ababa Guesthouse, where we stayed during our travels in Ethiopia.
she worked there during the day & attended school at night.
despite the language barrier, Aster & i were able to communicate quite well --
i don't think there was a day that i was there that she didn't make me laugh out loud.

Aster helped me with my Amharic (the Semitic language spoken in North Central Ethiopia)
& always answered all my questions with the biggest smile.
the first time i met her she walked up to me & said "you work too much" ,,,
i couldn't help but laugh inside thinking 'wow. this coming from someone who has known me just from observation, merely a day.'
note to self at that moment -- something's gotta change.

one morning, as i was helping Aster make my bed, i asked her how school was the night before & what she was studying.
she told me she was in "grade 10" ,,, and that "she was a country girl. must work during the day, and school at night."
i smiled & told her i thought that was wonderful & i was so proud of her.
...and just like that, it was one of those moments that just stamps your heart permanently.

later that evening we were all asking each other how old we were. i found out Aster is 28.
i was even more proud of her & the dedicated woman that she is.

on the last day that we were in Ethiopia, we were sitting outside enjoying the bit of sunshine that had decided to greet us that day.
Aster asked to braid my hair & i looked at her, thought about it for a second & said, "sure?!" not really knowing what to expect.

as she pulled, tightened & braided, wetting my hair in between, we talked, we laughed & laughed some more.

"today, you Ethiopian girl," she said to me. i smiled & said, "to be so lucky. i am very honored."

there was something that transpired as the braids completed that i know i can never properly express in words. it was a perfect way to end my Ethiopian journey & the perfect reminder of how one single person can affect another.

you never know how.
you never know when.
all you have to do is

be

you

always.

i traveled the long 28 hour journey back home with my braids.
not only did i not want to take them out, i also knew that i had to document them.
i needed to remember exactly how i was feeling when i returned 'home'....

because i knew

that there would be a day

like today

where i could easily let my 'mind' get in the way
& forget what really matters.

L O V E ,

thank you's

...& the strength and realness that is an

'Ethiopian girl'.

to say that my experience in Ethiopia was life-changing is an understatement.
you will begin to understand why more & more as i continue to blog.

Aster was a big part of this & for that, i am forever grateful.

dearest Aster,,, the definition of a brilliant, brave, proud & radiant Ethiopian girl,
my 'thank you' to you is immeasurable. i hope you know an ounce of how greatly you touched my heart.

Betam ameseginalehugm!!!

ksen

12 COMMENTS

hope, love, & rainbows

Thursday, 5.6.10

personal, adopt more

first,,,
i just wanted to let you know i will be out of office until Monday, May 17th, 2010 with no email or telephone access.
i will tend to all emails & calls as soon as i return. thank you SO kindly for your patience!
for any pressing matters, please feel free to contact my wonderFULL office assistant, Angela.
to email her, simply click HERE!

it was just about a year ago when i was asked to do a podcast for Voices of Detroit
& met Kimberly Leclercq who was in process of adopting her second child.
SO much has happened since then & as i write these words,
i am still in shock that in about 24 hours i will be landing in Ethiopia !!!
i cannot even begin to wrap my head around what is in store,,,

however, as i am about to embark on this long-anticipated journey,
i can't help but smile at all the sweet ways the Universe guides you,
even with all the challenges.

it is truly bittersweet...
but the kind that you actually appreciate the bitter after so you can really taste the SA-WEEEET.

ironically enough, these past two Sundays at Kensington they have had an amazing series called CHOSEN.
if i tried to explain to you how these services have touched my heart,
it would be like trying to explain to you the chemistry & essence of the moon & the stars. virtually impossible,,,
however that won't stop me from sharing some precious bits that will hopefully pull on your heart strings
in the most inspiring, magical way.

with that said,,,
i . highly . encourage .
wonderFULL . YOU !

to take a moment,
or two,
or three,
or ten,,,

and to experience the two videos below.
there are no words to describe the feeling you will have after watching them, except for your own.

The Dancer from Kensington on Vimeo.

Kenya 2010 from Kensington on Vimeo.

if you would like to see more videos created by the brilliant team at Kensington, just click here.

be sure to check out nochild.org for more information!!! one of the best parts of the message last Sunday was that as we were all about to leave, he said to us to be sure not to leave & feel bad, or hard on ourselves for not doing anything or 'enough'... but to instead try to do 'something' --

as i see it, whatever that 'something' is to you will be 'someTHING' life changing to someone else.

how amazing is that?

to see more posts connected with the trip & ADOPT MORE click here!

as for me,,, my simple wish & hope is to be able to bring some love to all that i encounter & hopefully together we can make rainbows,,,
even without any sprinkles.

with love, heart & great gratitude,

ksen

6 COMMENTS

wednesday's.whimsy:printspassionpurpose3

Thursday, 3.11.10

commercial, personal, adopt more

as promised from the original post "prints.passion.purpose", below is part III of III !

i stumbled across this quote which i deemed quite appropriate as a preface to this post :

"Each friend represents a world in us,
a world possibly not born until they arrive,
and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born."
~Anais Nin.

through my recent work travels for the ah!mazing up & coming company, Ciao Andiamo a new world & friendship was most definitely born...

oh Italy,,, you make my heart. sing. without even doing a thing :

my future home... everyone is welcome

naturally lovely :

'continental' breakfast one morning at an awesome hotel in Positano. pure Italian goodness :

somewhere in here, i left a small piece of my heart... will have to go back one day to leave a bit more

this is Margherita & her cat Pufi. yes, Pufi.

Pufi also happens to be 20 years old!!! we had the BEST time with her in her quaint & cute ceramic shop in Positano :

somehow someone stole my bike & brought it to Rome. don't ask me how?! i am just glad i found it.

one of my favorite pics from the trip and of Jon Pollock, the owner & mastermind behind Ciao Andiamo!

if you think this looks good,,, you don't even know how good it looks in your belly!!!

the sky in front of me as the sun set on the Amalfi coast (can you feel the LOVE & LIGHT?!):

the water in front of me as the sun set on the Amalfi coast

'dal mi' cocco' restaurant in Perugia = great food, good times, even better memories! always :

pink tux? L O V E! win-win, fo sho

parallel intersection :

oh Jonny! i *heart* these portraits of him. i feel they really depict the essence of the amazing, passionate & fun-loving person Jon is :

taken in Rome on my last night of the Ciao Andiamo adventure...

of course, the promotion for ADOPT MORE is still haaaap.pen.ning!....

***however, if you would like to connect to the gallery immediately, simply CLICK HERE!***

please keep in mind that the passcode is case sensitive!

happy "wednesday's whimsy" to YOU.

ksen

6 COMMENTS

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