Rachel's Spot

i have this thing about feeling trapped. once i've lived in one place - a certain city, a certain apartment, a certain neighborhood - i need to move around. i have been in the twin cities for 3+ years and resisted that itch to flee. i am trying to finish school, settle in and build more of a family foundation here. i have been very successful planting roots here (and now can't see us leaving! hopefully the job market won't pull me too far away, but that's a few years off).

so (even tho i'm moving in a week) i feel a bit like the walls are closing in. i also am feeling that overwhelmed single mom feeling. i'm exhausted, sort of creatively blocked, living by a list (becuz my school/work/life stress is causing major short-term memory loss). so.... it's time to travel and study, study and travel.

$1500 for 3 to 6 day trips
$5000 for one week or longer

the application is due on jan 13th

i want to apply for a Jerome Travel & Study Grant . The grant states: The Travel and Study Grant Program awards grants to emerging creative artists (writers of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and spoken word; film and video artists; and choreographers). Funds support periods of travel for the purpose of study, exploration, and growth.

My friend Theresa got one to study graf and aerosol art in New Zealand. That was an amazing experience for her.

I don't know where to go. I don't know what to do. Any ideas? Suggestions?

I've thought of this -

Video Volunteers

but they want filmmakers for 2 - 4 months and i can't leave tiana for that long.

i've also thought about The Workshops. trips shooting photography and video in Oaxaca, Rio, Paris, Crete.... and delve into one of these "adventure" trips, packing my PhD critique in my back pocket. it might be a refreshing and fruitful thing to do.

i would like to link with an organization or a school. any ideas? thoughts? suggestions???