Time for the yearly update to the blog. Can you believe it has been one whole year back in Lexington, KY!? This has been such a big year for my professional development as a designer, manager, and team member. Working events is not for the faint of heart, but the thrill of the live performance is what keeps us all coming back. My day-to-day tasks have turned into all the design work for 3 venues. This has included everything from business cards, booklets, playbills, web images, signs, billboards, window graphics, and about everything in between. I have learned there are tons of different types of paper to make business cards with and memorized the different materials of window clings. It is really cool to have a job where I get to see so much physical work. Having the booklets in your hand and seeing your drawings plastered on the walls is so rewarding and keeps me wanting to do more.
Has it been easy moving back to the USA? Nope. I never quite understood reverse culture shock until this year. The number of things I miss from Spain makes it really hard. I have days where I wake up desperate to get one more couscous from the Moroccan restaurant next door only to realize that it is now 4,000 miles away. There are many friends I miss spending my days and weekends with and don't get me started on how much I miss being able to read on the bus or metro. Speaking English full-time is a lot easier, but I do miss the challenge and the pride I felt when I had to speak Spanish. I think the thing I miss the most is being surrounded by the incredible teachers and children at school. I always had a new desire to learn when I was photographing classrooms.
In Kentucky, I have many so many new amazing friends. I am riding horses more than ever in my adult life. It is really nice to actually be able to be present at family events. I have a greenhouse and I spend most of my weekends gardening outside. So there have been lots of positives. Alberto Jose (my dog from Spain) is so happy to have a yard to run in and car rides to go on.
It has been a year I am sure I'll remember forever. Getting to photograph some of my favorite bands and seeing my artwork all over town is things I'll tell my kids about. I am so grateful for all the opportunities this year, and I can't wait to see what the future holds.
Here's to the future and where ever it ends up taking us!
