The U.S. & Canada (Online 2020)
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Locations: The U.S. (New York, California and Georgia) & Canada (Toronto)
The stories of the sky are infinite. The clouds fold all of the realities of the world within it, while the wind carries all the mysteries that ever was, beyond it.
The sky is the here and the now and the there and then. But, when was the first-ever lightning strike? Are the echoes of the thunder a warning cry, a cry of celebration, or both? What lies beyond the sky and then beyond that? Questions that will probably remain forever unanswered.
Yet, what is striking is that the reflection of the skies' vastness lies in the reflections of the water beneath it. Menacing waves emerge when it is angry, small ripples when it is tranquil, and a frozen masterpiece when in a winter's slumber.
The last glimmer of the day's sun gets swallowed into the abyss of the sea, extending awe of a stillness into all directions, all at once... [a digital journal entry from doctoral fieldwork, April 2020].
A picturesque sunrise rise late summer in New York
A peaceful sunset in Georgia on a late autumn morning
Working with international students and migrants in Canada and the U.S., both in person pre-pandemic and online during the COVID-19 Pandemic, a common theme that emerged was references to how nature connected to their larger life experiences.
Some of these stories included reference to flying in the sky for the first time to reach their new destination; associating rain with tears of happiness and sadness; religious and cultural symbolism of water among other elements; and the recharging power of being close to water after a long day of study or work in a new geography.
During the pandemic, participants would share digital ethnographic experiences such as safely meditating by a lake; journaling in a nearby forest; and using 'photo-voice' and video-voice' to blend a unique interplay between digital technology, nature and felt experiences.
A Gazebo in Long Branch Park, Toronto - Where the sky ends and the water begins, lies a reality in and of itself
A sunset at Lakeshore, Toronto
Many of the poetic experiences of young people in new geographies will be featured in my future publications, pieces I cannot wait to share with the world!
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