Hey guys!
My name is Abbey Guy, and I’m a heartland nomad for Spring 2012!!
Here’s some basic info about me:
Age: 20
Hometown: Hillsboro, Oregon
If I was a crayon… I’d be magenta.
Why North Korea?: I have been interested in China’s communism and lack of freedom since I was about 8 years old. When I heard about how much worse North Korea is than China, I immediately wanted to help. I got connected to LiNK through some friends in my school’s chapter, and decided to be a nomad after being involved for less than 3 months.
Favorite animal: whales, elephants, and DINOSAURS, of course.
Favorite toothpaste: I use Aquafresh, but I also like Vanilla Crest.
Favorite type of soup: TOMATO. With all the leftovers from the fridge in it.
Random facts: I’m a sauce fanatic; sometimes, I eat ketchup plain.
I carry my water bottle everywhere. He has a Facebook cuz he’s in most of my pictures: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000787614067
The first alarm went off too early. I knew it wasn’t time. A bit annoyed I tried to roll over and get back to sleep for what I knew to be at least an hour before the real alarm would sound. The alarm that would shout out to me, remind me, this is the last day. This is the final day. The alarm signaling more than for me to roll over and acknowledge the dawn of a new day; signaling an end of an era. Literally, whispering those words outloud… “The end of an era.” But this is just the beginning of the end. It’s no really over until it’s over, until we’ve shed every loaded tear, laughed again and again at the accounts of this craziness, and until we’ve said the things buried and hidden deep within.
Forcing myself out of bed, grabbing my toothbrush and heading to the bathroom, up the stairs and down the hall, I kept replaying the first moments in the office, the first screenings, the glorious memories flooding back in waves. This is it. This is the last day. No going back. This is the end of an era, things will be so different when we all depart after next Sunday. It’s good, I try to tell myself, knowing that and the opposite to be true simultaneously. Leah and Brenda, my Regional Managers, have left an indeliable mark not only on me, but on LiNK, on this movement. This has been their era. This has been their brilliance. And It’s glorious! It’s good. We are all stronger now. We all carry them with us in our own ways. But man! How do you move forward? The new RM’s will be amazing, will advance this cause, will begin their era of glory! I have no doubt in it! And that is good! That is great! And at the same time, I’m sad about change. While I know it’s good, so good, I feel the small whole forming in my heart. The space reserved for LG and Bren. The space, while it may grow smaller, or even be filled in, will always be a mark. Their mark. On my heart as reminder of what can’t even be described. Brenda… Leah… I love you both from my whole heart.
The choking feeling in my throat stops the thoughts, the emotions, and I lean forward to release the toothpaste and finish brushing my teeth. Packed my bag, check. Dressed, check. Quick look around Bridget’s house, check. Writing down my thoughts for Bridget. Girl, you are awesome! Never could have gotten through this without your constant companionship this week. I love you B! So glad we successfully had our date! Watching Lizzie brave it (sometimes irresponsibly) in Rome is JUST what I needed! Literally, filling me with goodness. Thanks!
Now on the road, now putting pavement behind us and bringing us closer to the moment. Presenting before hundreds of high schoolers, the last chance to pour out whatever has been on reserve. Looking deep within, searching my whole heart, these kids better be prepared! I will definitely drop KNOWLEDGE! I will definitely drop TRUTH! PASSION! ACTION! This is it! No going back! This is the end of my era.
But as I said, this is the beginnng of the end, and every end is simply an opportunity to start afresh. “This is the goal: to keep reinventing myself.” The quote that started my journey, and now the best way to see it come to a close. This is not bad. This is GREAT! We are about to witness the advancement, the evolution of a movement that’s bringing freedom. A freedom beyond. A freedom to love. To all of you that have participated in paving this road, building this movement, you shall not be forgotten. But at every turn we march forth as your sacrifices and your efforts have already and shall forevermore inspire us to carry the torch and keep fighting. Know that your legacy shall stretch forth and your names shall be written alongside others responsible for liberating our brothers and sisters in the North. We walk along the path that you’ve laid in love, in grace, in strength, and wth joy. You’re passing the torch and we have seized it!
For we the great!
And we are the mighty!
This is our moment
LET US ARISE!
—Kyla
I wish I had written more here to keep you all updated on the craziest, most wonderful experience! Touring is unlike anything else. Especially touring as a non-profit. We are not just partying and spreading fun like it’s free. We have rough days, llittle sleep, not so nutritious foods, and just random moments that make this kind of journey so utterly indescribable. But at least if I had been a bit more faithful you could have gotten a sense of what this whole thing is like.
Each day there is a choice. I can wake up and do a job or I can wake up and unleash passion and knowledge. It’s not always easy to make the right choice, because of sheer exhaustion. But in the end defs not here for me. Defs not here for a job. I’m here because I was chosen. I was privileged enough to speak on behalf of a people so far and so distant and yet so utterly soaked into my heart. I can hardly contain my thankfulness sometimes that I would be selected to join this revolution, to share in this reliance, to act in this movement. And then to think that I can’t give it all becuase I’m tired. That would be simply stupid.
So regardless of what the night or the day holds I speak. I shout it out. I am on the offensive rising up an army of young activists to bring about the one things we all are hoping for. Not just liberty in North Korea. It is a beyond even that . This is about freedom to the very core. Not just financial, physical, or something tangible. This is freedom in the heart. I fight every day for a North Korea, for a world, full of people that can embrace the freedom whispered to them from before time. Freedom to be themselves, to be without worry or fear of judgement, freedom to love. Even if we bring a citizen from North Korea to a free land, they may not really feel free to be themselves. But spreading love, spreading grace, and mercy this shall truly liberate us all. Liberate us to accept others, to love others, to love ourselves and be confident in who we are and who others were created to be. Through the fight, through the battle we see our truest self emerge and we realize the sameness in us all. In those moments, as we stand alongside others, a passion unites and binds that cannot be severed. For as we fight for love we become free. Free to accept ourselves, free to accept others. This is love; without conditions, without exclusion. This is freedom. The truest path to freedom is a road paved in love.
—Kyla
We speak for those silenced. Those trafficked and repatriated, those victims of the violence. We’ve lived our lives til’ now, free as we can be, nw we use that freedom to see North Koreans freed.
You see, we’re not much different. Us, you and I. We all bleed the same blood, we all live until we die. We rely upon each other to make our voices heard. Refugees rely upon us for the freedom they deserve.
Hello Internet World! Dylan here with a few tips on how to save money when traveling.
1. Don’t Eat Out All The Time: This is probably the easiest way to save money on the road. You think you’d be able to fight the temptation, but it isn’t so easy when you’ve got a limited chance to eat somewhere in a city you’ve never been. I know it’s always tempting for me to not eat at The Chicago Diner (Meat free since 83’) when I’m in Chitown. But, I avoided it this time! And probably saved myself about 30 bucks.
2. Make Your Own Food: Number two directly helps number one. Stop buy a grocery store and pick up some necessities. By making your own little nomad meals, you can easily save five bucks a meal by not eating out. Think peanut butter and jelly, granola, cracker sandwiches, apples, and chips. It might get old, but it’s better than paying for all those meals!
3. Forage: This one is actually pretty fun. There are some collective orchards that let you grab apples for free as long as you shake them off the tree and don’t pick them. Same with oranges, berries, and grapes. Do the research, get free fruit! We still have apples from Iowa.
4. Keep Leftovers: A lot of screenings will offer food. The staples for free screening food are pizza, fruit plates, cheese plates, vegetable plates, chips and salsa. Usually the organizer might throw these things away. If you think they might get rid of the food wastefully, extend an offer to take the food on the road and feed some hungry nomads.
5. Dumpster Dive: This is not for the faint of heart…..or easily grossed out. Dumpster diving can be hard work. But, when you return to the van with a box full of free food, you’ll know it’s all worth it.
6. Free Hotel Toiletries: So this is a little something I picked up on this tour. We have been staying at quite a few hotels, and because of it I haven’t really had to buy any shampoo, lotion, body wash or conditioner. I just grab the ones they have in the bathroom. Also, the maids or front desk will hook you up with some too. Most of the time these are promotional products for hygiene companies. Meaning: free advertisement for the companies, no charge for the hotels. So don’t feel bad picking up some free cleaning products.
7. Reuseable Water Bottles: The body thrives on water. No need to keep buying energy drinks, pop, or even plastic water bottles. A reuseable waterbottle can cost as little as eight bucks and be used hundreds of times. We actually got some free promotional water bottles from Columbia College’s Multicultural Affairs office. Free swag=hydrated nomads.
8. Pulling The “Non-Profit Card”: Don’t get greedy, but this one works. It especially helps on those days when your money is running low. Basically you tell a restaurant what you’re up to with LiNK and ask them if they’d be willing to help a sista or brotha out with some free food. I’ve heard/seen this work at Chipotle, Moe’s, and Five Guys. I heard that KFC has to give free food to anyone who asks. So, try it out. You’re only on the road once (or twice, or seven times). Give it a chance!
9. Eat Local: street food, co-ops, and farmer’s markets: If you are able to get local foods, they are usually cheaper. The food doesn’t have to travel very far so transportation costs are cut tremendously and voila! Delicious and cheap goods. Farmer’s markets are especially nice because you can meet the people who are providing you with food. I’ve also been able to eat entire meals in free samples at these things. Farmer’s Markets rock for the “non-profit card”, I’ve been able to get TONS of free food at different farmers market. See if farmers have anything that will go bad and offer to volunteer and help clean up. We rub their backs, they rub ours!
Happy Traveling!
Doesn’t this look like someone’s house? I imagined this being Jake from Tulsa’s house. But turns out it isn’t anyone’s house! haha. We were in Minneapolis and had some free time. I find this hard to believe, but both Dylan and Stephen had never had the privilege of going to Ikea! You can’t believe it either can you? Sad life until Friday. I HAD to expose them to this glory! And I got a pic of them enjoying and soaking up Ikea. It’s like being home, except that tons of peeps are walking through your living room or bedroom. lol. Then we hit the caf! DANG! Swedish meatballs, macaroni and cheese, and mashed potatos! DELICIOUS! IKEA FOR DA WIN!
—Kyla
Hello internet world!
Dylan here (Ubaldo to be exact). This is my first “<3Land” blog post and I’d like to thank LiNK for the opportunity to hop on tour again. LiNK will always hold a place in my heart and I am humbled to know that I will always have a part to play in this whole thing.
So you wanna know about me, huh? Maybe not. Well too bad, I’m here for the introduction.
I was born in a Chicago suburb called Elgin, IL. I moved a bit as a youngster and after going throughout Illinois and Missouri I ended up in Frederick, MD. I spent a lot of my formative years indulging myself in art and music. I started playing in punk bands since the beginning of middle school up until about a year ago. I have been making art since I was a kid and that eventually evolved into me becoming a graphic designer and filmmaker while I was in community college. I was encouraged to write poetry since I was a child, but I have been spitting rhyme in a hip-hop context very heavily the past two years. I’ve seen my work come to fruition as I started playing shows over the summer and most recently released my first mixtape.
I suppose I was always interested in global issues and volunteering, but when I was exposed to the human rights crisis in North Korea I gained a specific affinity for what LiNK was doing. They were going where others weren’t and I knew I wanted to be part of it in whatever way I could.
I was fresh out of college, just off a U.S. tour with my band when I started working for LiNK in Fall of 2010. I immediately felt at home with the LiNK family. Some people I could really connect with, you know? I suppose that’s what’s drew me back to be an intern in the Fall and then hop on last minute for this tour.
I’m so hyped to be on the road again. Kyla, Steve and I have been trying to bring something new to the table. We want to offer creative presentations and really encourage people to get involved.
I think this tour is turning out to be the one that really defines LiNK, and I’m glad to be a part of it.
Much Love,
Dylan
P.S.
Check out my other stuff!
www.jivetofu.com
www.jivetofu.tumblr.com
www.diligence.bandcamp.com
www.vimeo.com/jivetofu
So much has happened to us in the past two weeks that it is extremely difficult to figure out where to begin. Two weeks ago three Nomads arrived to Arlington and only 2 Nomads continued the journey. We were down one man, but our spirits were so up! We came out here to break records, spread our passion all over the Heartland and whether we are two or three we will overcome! We hit Oklahama and Kansas which was a true treat! I wish we could shout out all the lovely people that served us and chilled with us and consoled us as we continued one man down. You know who you are, and hopefully you know how priceless you’ve made our journey thus far! We love you OK and KS!
Last Tuesday, Chaos, also known as Dylan hit the streets! Yup! I couldn’t believe it either! Dylan the Legend from Baltimore, joined us on the road! He came upon us like a dove and has shaken us like a storm! He has been the glue keeping us strong and pulling us closer together! Our screenings have been lacking a bit, but now that Dylan is here, we can only really go up! And that is fully what we intend to do! There has already been some pretty awesome moments since he joined our team! Some notable ones are below. Keep reading!
Thursday we ate about a million Chinese eggrolls. Creighton University had provided tea, cookies, and eggrolls for our screening. Since the amount of food needed was slightly overestimated Dylan, Stephen, and I became the beneficiaries of a TON of eggrolls! And yup! We did eat, and eat, and eat those eggrolls!
As if the eggrolls weren’t enough, I discovered the guys went freegan for the night, and found some lovely cheese, bread, and breadsticks. All free! You can use your imagination to figure out how they scored 20 bucks worth of cheese for free. :)
Last night! MEGA SHOUT OUT TO AMANDA!!! Not only did she completely spoil us she nearly corrupted us! “hey guys! let’s got to an apple orchard!” Mind you it was night. Just kidding! It didn’t quite happen like that, but still super sketch and super priceless in fun! We were gorging ourselves (like we needed it, with all the cookies, eggrolls and cheese we’ve consumed) on Indian buffet when someone at our table mentioned an apple orchard up the highway where peopel can go and get free apples. DID SOMEONE SAY FREE?! These three Nomads are IN ACTION! So we hear that you can go, even at night, and shake the apples off the trees and keep the good ones. So after dinner that is exactly what we do. We pile into our van with the lovely Amanda and head out into pitch-black-nothingness that is Decorah. Fields supposedly surround us, but we can hardly see 20ft ahead of us, even with the high beams. We go up and down, and even take a few creepy dirt roads that lead us into forests. CREEEEEPPPPYYYY!! OMG! At one point I was certain that our van would be consumed by zomies emerging out of the corn fields/forest area around us! Our van was slippin on gravel down the slope that curved around into oblivion!
Finally I got the van back on the right track and we arrived to another sketch road that literally wrapped through the forest and to a clearing where behind a fence, lay the orchard. A FENCE!? Dang this really was going to be an adventure! But alas, Stephen unlatched the gate, after Dylan had jumped it and Amanda was half over. Our headlights cast an eerie light off the trees, making them seemingly glow in the dark. We carefully stepped through the effervescent orchard straining to locate apples on high branches which could be shaken down. We had our dying cellphones pointed up at the trees and also scanning the ground beneath as our feet nimbly squished rotten apple after rotten apple. Finally we hit JACKPOT! We found a tree that had many clusters of bright red apples just asking to be picked! Stephen climbed up, then Dylan, and Amanda and I all taking our turns shaking the tree and watching the branches unleash the bounty! We all scrambled around with just our screen lights trying to find the apples bouncing and rolling all over the ground, getting lost among the previously felled apples. We filled an entire bag with red apples and took the first bites of refreshing, juicy sweetness! G-L-O-R-Y!
We located a green apple tree and tried again! We all were determined to claim the best apples off this tree. So Stephen climbed up and the three of us were positioned below the tree ready to grab and catch the falling apples that would result from Stephen shaking the tree. My back was pounded by green apples, they bounced everywhere! But alas, we were able to fill another bag of the deliciously sour, yet sweet crisp of green apples.
Quite the craziness! For future Nomads or visitors to Decorah, hit up Amanda and get you some apples! Especially at night, in the cold, down creepy roads!! You won’t be disappointed!
—Kyla
We had an amazing week! Every group we presented with added their own touch, made their unique contribution, and made us feel so inspired and privileged to be on the road. Garza brought us to our first high school on tour! Ya’ll were so great! Then we hit ACC: Northridge, which proved that Austin was as cool as peeps around Texas had said. It was our largest screening to date, attracting many interested and curious students. It was great to hang out with them. The following day we had a crazy adventure bringing Cynthia, a former MidSouth Nomad, to Baylor University in Waco. The community of Baylor was so full of love and kindness that we hardly wanted to part ways. So many people stayed behind to meet about becoming Nomads, joining the chapter that is starting; we left so encouraged. After a day off chillin with some awesome ladies, ya’ll know who you are, we finally hit up UT Austin. This was definitely a screening I was highly anticipating! I know I gave Sam a hard time but he was so wonderful to spend the day with and get to know. Sam you are LEGIT! UT Austin definitely pulled off a successful screening which made me wonder if our week could get any better! Each screening really uplifted us, encouraged our hearts, and proved that Texas can bring it!
Yesterday we left Austin, anxious to get to College Station and see if A&M would continue our high streak. I had great expectations because Jade had put in so much work to make the screening successful and I was excited just to celebrate with her and honor her hard work. We got to College Station early but had to catch up on work so we weren’t able to meet up much earlier than the actual screening time. But we finally got to Zachry and began to set up and get arranged. I stood outside the auditorium with Stephen and we greated people as they entered. So many people were filing in that Stephen and I had lost count!
We were set to get started! I was introduced and got up on stage to get A&M pumped for what we were about to expose them too. They were so attentive and eager participants that it bringing energy and passion was easy! I felt so alive up on that stage sharing about why North Korea means so much to me and why I am here to inspire them all. Hiding rolled. Everyone was engaged. Man! We counted 120 attendees! Could things get any better? Adrian went up to discuss the Reliance after Stephen had briefly introduced it. Then we answered questions, wrapped up the screening shouting out 1Love and inviting peeps to join the Reliance.
Our merchandise table was OVERWHELMED! Swarming with passionate individuals ready to pledge and engage in the solution! We could hardly contain ourselves! So many people were pledging, talking to us about how to get involved, whispering of a chapter, interested in Nomading it in the Spring, and pumped about our Action Kits! A&M ROCKED IT!!!!!! By the end of a crazy night as we sat down to dinner to unwind with the 1Love crew we couldn’t help put to have smiles pasted to our faces! Our time at A&M is what makes being a Nomad so bloody wonderful and amazing! Stephen, Adrian and I are all very passionate and care so much about North Korea, but to see these complete strangers get as pumped and active for this issue was truly humbling!
We all go to hang out after the screening and dinner at Jade’s apartment and just continue to share our lives and experiences and hilarious stories! Even though we had just met them hours earlier it was as if we had been old friends. Everyone made us feel so welcomed, so included, and so cared for that we could have stayed up all night. But alas! We had to sleep! Although our morning was filled with delicious pancakes and fruit from Jordan and Michael’s house. LEGIT! A&M definitely pulled out all the stops to make us Nomads understand why this is the Heartland. So full of love, generosity, and genuine deep care!
A&M I love you! Each person definitely blew our minds with the amount of love and care that they showed not only to North Korea and to LiNK but in us too. There will always be a special place in my heart for you! AGGIES FOR LIFE!!!!!
—Kyla
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