Flower pickers

It has become a tradition for me to go every November to see the flower fields in Cholula, my home town. In Mexico, we have the festivity Día de Muertos, the day when we remember our loved ones who has passed away and celebrate death as a friend who is part of everyones life. 

In this festivity we use a lot this flower called Cempasúchil, witch are in different and bright colors. Their smell is strong and nostalgic. 

As I visited this flower fields with my friend Irene. We walked pass a man who told us that the next day would be the day to pick the flowers to sell them in the market. I couldn't loose the opportunity to document it.

The next day I woke up early and went to the flower fields, to find the men and his family starting early the job of piking the flowers that would take the entire day. It was a cloudy and hot day. At first they invited me to pick up flowers with them, and before I grabbed my camera and started taking photos, I started to pick up the flowers they where cutting. Two of them where cutting the roots, while the other ones where gathering the flowers in heaps. 

The family was joyful and happy with their family business. The head father told me a short story about the history of his family having this flower field for generations and planting different kind of flowers. I talked with the daughter about her study plans. She was a really smart girl and felt really enthusiastic about studying political science by the next year. 

As I started to feel more unnoticed and comfortable I took my camera out and asked permission to take them photos. They felt so comfortable with me walking around with my camera, I felt part of their family, part of their everyday life, even thought I didn't knew almost anything about them. I didn't knew their fears, their worries, their dreams. I was part of their life just for one day, and suddenly I felt special and honored. 

The weather was changing every hour. It could feel really hot and suddenly the sky would fall down in water, refreshing their bodies and moods. The weather could change but they would continue working. They had a duty to accomplish. 

After some hours of shooting photos, picking flowers, having small conversations and an proposition from the mother to meet again his son and get married, I went home with a strong smell of flowers all over my clothes and a smile on my face. I didn't saw again the family, but the memories from that day remind on the photos. 

Sometimes I get amazed by the stories and lives you can find in strangers.

Edinburgh

I decided to edit this photo series in black and white, because this is the way I see this city. I love photos in black and white, it adds elegance and interest in a photo.
Many of this photos doesn't have a good composition. I took most of them while I was walking, while I was in movement. These photos are mostly things that I saw for an instant. Some other are photos of places that represented a special place while I was there.

Big windows, charity shops, indian restaurants, windy days, students walking, gray buildings, men in scottish kilts, scottish accents, people from all over the world, coffee shops, black tea, artist. I loved Edinburgh.

 Words from the bathroom wall

An adventurous life

Recently, with the new year coming, the dreams and resolutions growing fresh and plenty in our heads, I wanted to share here my thoughts and my own dreams for this year.

For the last month, my life which I felt it was a big mess, has turned into a routine full of excitement. Yeah, at first I was confused too. So, I got a job as a waitress in a coffee house where its really busy and full of people almost all the time. This is actually my first job as a waitress and my first days were chaotic. Let me tell you the people who work on busy restaurants deserves a lot of respect!. So many stress and talent to make things good and fast. And well, this is not something I was prepared to, but I have been improving more and more. 

I'm planing to save every sent that I gain working, to go on a trip by my own to Southeast Asia. But for now, I have to live the time that not a lot of people like to have, the waiting part. I have to save all this money so I can have a 6 months or more trip.
 I use to hate try to be patient, I always wanted things fast, but now I feel different. My brother was recently lucky enough to have a trip paid by his work to go to France and England. I told my mom how happy I felt he had an opportunity like this, since he hasn't traveled as much as he wanted. She told me "He is having his own adventures now, you had your's too". My immediate thought was  "I am still having my adventures!". Not because someone its not traveling means that you can't have adventures. Life its an adventure itself. 

I searched for the first time a job, I had for the first time a job interview, I am learning and moving my feelings everyday being a waitress, I dream things and fight for them, I appreciate little things in life, I live adventures everyday, because there are everywhere. You just have to be aware and appreciate things, enjoy them.
An adventure can be try something new for the first time, dare to talk someone you like, be angry when you deserve to be angry, smile and enjoy the sunshine when you feel down, dance to the new song you just discovered, feel tired and proud for your hard work, laugh at your terrible accent in a new language you are learning.
Of course I'm so looking forward to have the adventures I dream of when I will travel to Southeast Asia next year, but in the meanwhile I want to appreciate my life in every phase.

I have 3 resolutions for this new year:
1) To be brave
2) Work hard
3) Live life fully

For an awesome 2014.

Clara.