Team Barrow

CSULABarrowTeamOnBeach
Originally uploaded by Faria.

The Fab Five out on the Arctic beach for a late-night stroll. All of us are now proud bearers of certificates proclaiming our satisfactory completion of a firearms course in Bear Defense.
Yup! I was trained to shoot a 12-gauge shotgun in case of a polar bear attack out on the tundra. Of course it would be so much easier to just hire a Bear Guard!

Top of the World!

Chukchi Sea, Barrow AK
Originally uploaded by Faria.

My summer job at CSULA had led to Barrow, Alaska : the northernmost town in America. I'm only here for 11 days, but one of those days was my birthday - July 12. What a great way to ring in my 26th year of existence!
I spend my days (no nights because the sun never sets this time of year) out in the tundra installing equipment for ecological measurements. The tundra is desolate but oddly beautiful. It's a 180 degree experience coming from LA.
Gotta scan the horizon for polar bears!

Serendipity - Veterans Mural

Veterans Mural
Originally uploaded by Faria.

As Luis & I made the trek to UCLA to kickoff his IPAM summer program, we accidentally missed the Wilshire-Westwood bus stop and landed up at the Veteran's Hospital instead. It was a moment of serendipity as we discovered a colorful mural underneath a bridge. The ceiling has a delightful painting of old-style aircraft whizzing over your head, and the walls are covered with colorful seals and a special dedication to the Veterans.