3 things I learned in Morocco about being a kinder person

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Last year around this time, I was wrapping up three years in a country in the northwestern tip of Africa, known for a few different things, depending on who you talk to; for some, beautiful beaches; for others, world-renowned cuisine; for others, gorgeous home decor; and for others, questionable safety. When it came down to it, I went to Morocco for one reason: I was overwhelmed by the sense that not to go would be to reject some crucial part of my life purpose.

I didn’t know it last year at this time, but it would be my final few months living in a country that changed me and taught me more than I could ever could have anticipated going into it in September 2012. When I boarded the plane Los Angeles- Dusseldorf, Dusseldorf- Marrakech, I knew it would be an awesome adventure and an incredible challenge, but I could not know exactly how either would unravel. Almost four years later, I can look back and name some of the things I learned there, the larger pieces that I took away with me. Continue reading “3 things I learned in Morocco about being a kinder person”

Paleo chocolate pudding with coconut whipped cream

This is one of those desserts that seems just too good to be true. How could a banana, an avocado, and cocoa powder give birth to something so chocolatey and decadent? Topped with coconut whipped cream (dairy-free) and eaten by the spoonful, this pudding will satisfy any post-dinner sugar-craving you have, without actually eating any sugar. Continue reading “Paleo chocolate pudding with coconut whipped cream”

The created, the Creator, and creativity

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Over the past few years, I’ve had times where I felt stuck. I was stuck in cold, damp February but ready for summer. Or I was stuck in my apartment with the flu, but ready to go on a weekend trip with friends. Or I was stuck in menial tasks instead of work I felt really passionate about. So I looked around and saw that I was living in an exotic, inspiring, artistically charged place (Morocco) and I had no excuse to feel bored. So I learned to respond to those emotions with one thing: creation. Continue reading “The created, the Creator, and creativity”