We must have been sitting on our knees, heads hunched over with hands on our heads, for at least an hour straight. Just feet away from me, some of my classmates were crying. But aside from their whimpers, the hallway was completely silent. What was most discomforting was the look on our teachers’ faces as we looked to them for answers — their expressions spelled nothing but uncertainty about what was to happen next.

That’s when my deathly fear of tornadoes began.

If the clouds started to look even slightly treacherous, you could find me sitting on the living room floor, staring up at the weatherman and listening attentively. If there were severe thunderstorm or tornado watches and warnings in place, you could bet that I knew whether our county was in the storm’s path. Call me crazy, but I would even follow my dad to the front yard and stare up at the clouds for any signs of rotation, just like all Midwesterners do. By doing all of these things, I felt like I somehow had more control over the situation. If I knew the exact county, city and street intersection where the tornado was crossing, I could properly prepare for the worst.

Then I grew up. I began to realize that there was no such thing as control when it comes to natural disasters. You have to roll with what is thrown at you, whether it’s as minor as a rain shower or as severe as an EF5 tornado. I had just never imagined that I would be caught in the middle of such a dangerous tornadic storm system, as I was last year in Tuscaloosa with 90,000 others.

It’s been one year now since April 27, 2011.

But it still seems like just yesterday that I huddled in the halls of an on-campus building with other students, that I clung to my computer and phone as lifelines and my only sources of information, that I frighteningly read the warnings stating the system was moving through downtown Tuscaloosa…and that I saw the tornado with my own eyes. Has it really already been a year since what seemed like the entire student body made the trek to 15th Street to find that the tornado had completely leveled the apartments and businesses there? Since the residents in Alberta City stepped out of their closets and bathrooms to see their homes had been blown away entirely?

Yesterday, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox (above) revealed a 14th historical marker at the city’s Government Plaza. These markers recount the history of Tuscaloosa, and the newest marker was added in memory of the tornado victims and the heroism of local survivors. The marker reads: “How we fought back, how we refused to quit and how we united will ensure that we never forget our victims, our survivors and our heroes.”

I extend my deepest condolences to the families and friends who are remembering their loved ones today. And I extend my deepest gratitude to all those who are still hard at work, rebuilding Tuscaloosa and the other devastated cities, as well as caring for the victims who still do not have a place to call home. Progress is being made, and we are all moving forward together.

That’s what warms my heart more than anything.

—

Photo credits (top to bottom): HeatherBradleyPhotography via photo pin cc | Niccolò Ubalducci Photographer via photo pin cc | USACEpublicaffairs via photo pin cc | Niccolò Ubalducci Photographer via photo pin cc

Tlaquepaque reminded me of Guanajuato, where I studied abroad during college, in so many ways. The major similarities came from Tlaquepaque’s appearance: the architectural features and colorful buildings, along with the small plazas and restaurant patios, created the colonial atmosphere I felt every day in Guanajuato.

At the center of Tlaquepaque is the Jardin Hidalgo, named for the Father of Mexican Independence, Miguel Hidalgo. Two gorgeous cathedrals, El Santuario de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad y La Parroquia de San Pedro tower over the town, and as we walked through the streets that Sunday, beautiful songs of praise lifted up to the clear blue sky. A popular attraction for visitors to Tlaquepaque is El Parian, a collection of eighteen restaurants and bars that are located around a central courtyard where mariachi bands play.

But what intrigued Richard and I most was the Museo del Premio Regional de la Ceramica. We were told that the ceramic art on display at this museum is the best of the best — and it’s true. Established in 1954, the museum was created to preserve and promote indigenous handcrafts of Jalisco, the state where Guadalajara is located. Ceramic pieces and other handcrafts from various parts of Mexico are displayed, but the art focus is primarily on works from Jaliscan cities like Tonalá, Santa Cruz de las Huertas, El Rosario, Tlaquepaque, Zalatitlán and Tateposco.

The handiwork required for each work of art in the museum is mind-blowing. Of the art that most caught my eye were the miniature ceramics sets. The miniature set that stood out from the rest was a bullring full of spectators watching a bullfight in the center. The bullring’s diameter could not have been wider than three inches — can you imagine how it would have been like to create such a piece of art? It was fantastic to have seen such memorable ceramics pieces during our trip to Guadalajara.

Before we knew it, March 31 — race day — had arrived. It had rained the night before the race, so when I woke up to an overcast sky, I was afraid we were going to be a wet, soggy (and colorful) mess after completing the 5K. Luckily, we were able to finish the “Happiest 5K on the Planet” without one drop of rain falling.

In Atlanta, 10,000 people ran in The Color Run at Piedmont Park. The following weekend, a second run was held for Atlanta runners at the Motor Speedway in Hampton, Ga. It’s safe to say that this was an extremely popular race, especially for teens. The color dust was an awesome idea, and it made the race incredibly entertaining. However, there was one downside — because the color lanes were so narrow here in Atlanta, we had to stop and walk through each of them. Many of the runners wanted to have as much color thrown on them as possible, and they would take their time as they passed through the color lanes. The Color Run is not a timed event though, so this was to be expected.

Be sure to check out The Color Run’s website to see if the tour is stopping by a city near you! We had a great time at the race, and I personally plan to run it next year if it returns to Atlanta. Will you be registering for the race in your city?

So what’s next for me? The Peachtree Road Race, my first 10K. I’ll post updates periodically, as usual. Stay tuned!

The view from La Antigua for almuerzo

I haven’t had the chance to visit Europe yet, but I’ve always wanted to dine at a restaurant overlooking a plaza. Mexico definitely doesn’t  come close to Europe, but I had the chance to do just that while we were visiting Guadalajara!

There are four main plazas in the historic center of Guadalajara, and they are arranged around the Cathedral in the shape of a cross. Plaza Guadalajara is just west of the Cathedral and has a circular fountain in the center. There is an outdoor restaurant, as well as several food vendors, in addition to a commercial center underneath the plaza that offers goods for sale including fruit, beverages and even jewelry. The ongoing chatter from passersby and high-pitched screams from children make the plaza an incredibly lively place, and as you can guess, it’s a great place to people-watch.

Dining at La Antigua, a restaurant you can find inside one of the buildings in the plaza, offered the best way for us to watch the activities in the plaza from afar. La Antigua sits on an upper level floor of the building, and several tables in the dining room offer balcony views of the plaza. We chose to sit at one of those tables and thoroughly enjoyed our lunch. I ordered the flautas, which were just as delicious as I expected they would be.

The meal itself wasn’t as amazing as the others we shared while in Guadalajara, but the atmosphere came out on top in comparison to the other restaurants. La Antigua was the perfect place for us to have almuerzo and relax after spending a tiresome morning exploring Tlaquepaque. The drinks (I had a fantastic sangria) were cool and refreshing, and the sound of the running water from the plaza’s fountain was soothing.

Oh, and how could I forget to mention — it was also quite romantic! We had a wonderful time.

Chilaquiles con huevos estrellados

If you’ve never had chilaquiles, I would highly suggest them. Never heard of this dish? Check this description out:

Typically, corn tortillas cut in quarters and lightly fried are the basis of the dish. Green or red salsa or mole is poured over the crisp tortilla triangles, called totopos. The mixture is simmered until the tortilla starts softening. Eggs and pulled chicken are sometimes added to the mix. The dish is topped with cheese and/or sour cream (crema), and it is served with refried beans.

When our server set our plates in front of us, I dug right into my chilaquiles without hesitating. They were just divine! By the time I finished, I couldn’t have taken a bite of anything else (and boy, was I disappointed about that). Our desayuno at La Chata was certainly my favorite meal we enjoyed while in Guadalajara.

I’m a huge advocate for learning foreign languages and exploring the world. (If you’ve met me, you know that to be true.) Thanks to my friend Tatiana, I’ve been introduced to Stacie Berdan’s book “Go Global!” and The New York Times article referenced below, which have both added more fuel to my desire for learning about languages and cultures.

In her blog post, Interested in a  Global Career? Consider PR Stacie Berdan writes:

Working in another country can expand your horizons professionally and personally in ways you might never have considered. Overseas achievements can enhance your reputation and set you apart from your peers. Doors will open for you, because companies need more people who can apply international experience to local business challenges. Knowledge and understanding of foreign cultures, regulations, economies, consumers and work habits are now crucial for corporate survival—and they can be your ticket to the fast track…Having global experience continues to move from “nice” to “must-have” as a driver for career success.

While working in another country accelerates your global knowledge and experience, using your foreign language proficiency to give a client an extra advantage will enhance your reputation as well. I recently had the opportunity to work with a team member to translate a press release and media alert into Spanish, and then pitch it to the local Spanish language media. We were happy to secure coverage with the local Telemundo affiliate and help the client reach a new audience segment.

What’s more, studies show that learning another language  can make you smarter, helping to improve cognitive skills that aren’t even related to language and  shielding against dementia in old age. According to a piece from The New York Times, Why Bilinguals are Smarter:

The collective evidence from a number of such studies suggests that the bilingual experience improves the brain’s so-called executive function — a command system that directs the attention processes that we use for planning, solving problems and performing various other mentally demanding tasks. These processes include ignoring distractions to stay focused, switching attention willfully from one thing to another and holding information in mind — like remembering a sequence of directions while driving.

So, why not tap into that opportunity if you have the chance? Though I studied Spanish for eight years and continue to use it actively now, I’m still working to learn yet another language. A large part of pubic relations requires us to follow a life of ongoing learning, and taking a stab at a new language is always worth a try. It’ll open doors for your clients, and it’ll open doors for you.

Are you bilingual? How has it impacted your career?

For more — Rhetoric and Rosetta Stone: Learning Language in the Digital Era (Platform Magazine, “Public Relations Out Loud”)

(photo credit: chalo84 via photopin cc)

Anyway, I hope you have a lovely weekend. Make sure you take the time to look at these good reads:

Ladies, get out of your own way.

Spanx’s business has soared. Read about the woman behind it all.

Are you a woman in PR? Take this advice from 15 women about how to find success and happiness in our industry.

“…it’s just not possible to opt out of the political game at work and still win in your career.” A must-read.

We’ve been wrestling with social media measurement for awhile. Here are some good pointers.

Information overload – we all suffer from it. Learn how to manage it.

On why company volunteer programs should be a factor in your job search.

Social media surprises in 2011 and plans for 2012. Eight experts weigh in.

(photo credit: Storm Crypt via photopin cc)

When visiting New York City, you get the feeling that the city is infinitely more alive at night than it is during the day. That same feeling exists in Guadalajara.

As night fell, countless people – tapatíos and tourists alike – gathered in el Centro Histórico to enjoy the cool, refreshing air and take in the sights. Artesanos set up stations along sidewalks to sell their handmade purses, blouses and miniature statues, while yet other merchants called to passersby to taste their street fare. Laughing crowds formed circles around the silly payasos putting on entertaining shows, and the yells of children sounded from all corners of the plaza as they chased after new glow-in-the-dark toys their parents purchased from street vendors. And with all their lights aglow, buildings like el Teatro Degollado (above) and el Hospicio Cabañas made our eyes twinkle as we passed by. Guadalajara is a gorgeous city at any part of the day, but I tell you, it is strikingly beautiful at night.

We ventured through the four central plazas, each of which had a different atmosphere. While La Plaza de la Liberación seemed to be the most reserved, La Plaza Guadalajara was the most upbeat. Music blared from the speakers as a group of local guys performed for the crowd. Their show warranted plenty of “oohs” and even more “ahhs,” not to mention several skipped heartbeats.

Why skipped heartbeats? Well, they performed incredible (and dangerous) flips and stunts, and if even the tiniest thing went wrong, they would have had a horrible accident on their hands. But of course, that didn’t happen. They were well-rehearsed, and the leader of the group performed a daredevil side flip over 11 people from the crowd. Crazy, right? Take a look at this video to see it for yourself:

Would you have volunteered to be part of the performance? What’s the most interesting street show you’ve seen while traveling?

And it’s true. Tapatíos are very proud of their birria, which is a brothy meat stew often served for special occasions. The stew is usually cooked with lamb or goat, which is slow cooked and unbelievably tender, easily falling off the bone. Served with limes, onions and corn tortillas, birria is a must-have if you visit the state of Jalisco.

On our first night in Guadalajara, we walked to la Birrieria Las 9 Esquinas for dinner with our hearts set on trying the birria. Tucked into a small neighborhood south of el Centro Historico, la Birrieria stands among brightly colored buildings that encircle a small plaza with a fountain. We decided to sit outside on the patio, as the gurgling of the fountain paired with the perfect evening temperature made for a very relaxing atmosphere. This short paragraph from la Birrieria’s website provides an immaculate description of how our dinner experience was set up:

Upon arriving to this restaurant, famous for its delicious birria of goat and barbecued lamb that is slow cooked in agave leaves, you are welcomed by the Family, who kindly accompany you to your table. There, while you wait on Dona Lupita to prepare your food, you’ll won’t be able to resist trying the salsa and onions with tortilla chips. And if you’re in luck, you’ll also be able to enjoy the music from the musicians in the plaza.

Before we knew it, the birria de chivo had arrived at our table.

Of course, the presentation was complete with the limes, onions, corn tortillas and several salsas for us to taste. It was simply delicious. And as promised, the meat was so juicy and tender that it seemed to melt in our mouths.

Overall, our experience at la Birrieria Las 9 Esquinas was fantastic. The service was great, the food was without match and our meals were very affordable. But I have to say that my favorite part of all was being able to dine out as the local residents do — and with the local residents.

So, if you ever travel to Guadalajara, don’t miss out on the birria! Be sure to grab lunch or dinner at la Birrieria Las 9 Esquinas. Your stomach will thank you.

As the sun rises -- La Catedral Basílica de la Asunción de María Santísima

Simply put, the trip to Guadalajara was fantastic — and long awaited, too, considering I’ve been aching to return to Mexico since my study abroad program in Guanajuato ended in 2009. The city of Guadalajara is beautiful, full of history and has delicious food (as you can guess). I was thrilled to be immersed in the Mexican culture once again, speaking Spanish at every waking moment. Although we were limited on time to spend in Guadalajara, we made the most of it. In addition to seeing the historic sights and museums in the city of Guadalajara, we made a visit to an outlying city called Tlaquepaque, which is known for its impressive ceramics and pottery pieces.

As the sun rises -- El Teatro Degollado

I have plenty of reviews of museums and restaurants to share in the upcoming weeks, along with anecdotes from our other experiences there. To see more from our visit before I begin sharing the new posts, check out my Google+ album here!