Our Journey blog

 

June 16, 2015 - Post Production and Nepal

 

I apologize for the lack of communication as these past few months have been a wild ride. For those of you that have enjoyed our NoManic Monday videos, we're taking a bit of a sabbatical to focus on post production which continues to move full steam ahead.  All of our footage (with the exception of Israel) has been logged and transcribed, and we've moved on to writing the script.  We've also had a couple different production companies express interest in helping us sell our story, which would be a dream come true!  Either way, we're confident that this film will soon find it's way to a theatre near you.

 

As you must know, Nepal has recently suffered through a couple very catastrophic earthquakes.  Many are still left living in tents, and with monsoon season quickly approaching, their fears now include the spread of disease.  When we were in Nepal, we had the honor of staying with the Unatti Foundation, a group home for orphaned or underprivileged girls.  I can say without a doubt my time spent there gave me a newfound appreciation for life, and also showed me our power as humans to make a difference in the world.  These girls are intelligent, creative, caring, and full of light.  After the earthquakes, they continue to personally feed thousands in their neighborhood, clean the streets, and are currently building a house for a family in need.  Please keep Nepal in your thoughts, and if you can, consider helping the Unatti Foundation in their important work (or any other worthy organization).  

Click here to read a People magazine article featuring the Unatti Foundation's post earthquake humanitarian work!

 

December 2, 2014 - Back in the States

 

Now that we're back in the States and we've officially concluded filming for this project, I've had a lot of time to reflect on this journey, and it fills me with complete awe and humilty.  Thanks to our donors, we were able to send Erin to Israel for the final 2 weeks of production, which not only helped with the physical work of filming, but also the emotional challenge that came along with leaving.  After living with the family for 3 months, we became a team, and it was so hard to say goodbye!  But at the same time, it's nice to be home where I don't have to follow people, and live with a camera hanging around my neck.  So now it's on to post production, and I'm both excited and extremely overwhelmed at the thought.  With hundreds of hours of footage to sort through, I'll just have to take it one day, and one clip at a time.  I continue to be grateful for all of our beautiful supporters, and blessed for the crazy, raw, challenging, and incredible adventure that this film has been.  CHEERS!

 

September 12, 2014 - Update From Israel

 

Since we last spoke, a lot has happened!  In our attempt to raise funds for post production costs, as well as the travel expenses to send our crew to Israel, we launched a second kickstarter campaign that turned out to be a lot harder than the first.  Although we didn't raise the money we needed, we continue to have an incredible outpour of donations through our website.  We are so honored by the support, and we're confident that we'll have all the money we need to finish this film and make it great!  

 

During their 38th month of nonstop travel, the Nomadic Family was in Greece when Kobi, the father, started feeling sick (it had been getting worse over the past few weeks) and wanted to seek medical help in Israel.  Without hesitation, they bought tickets home, and within 48 hours, were welcomed into Ben Gurion Airport (Tel Aviv) by Kobi's entire family.  Thankfully, Kobi's health turned out to be fine, but in terms of the documentary, we had to figure out a way to drop everything and rush halfway across the world to film the family's assimilation during their crucial first months back home.  As if that wasn't enough of a stir, a Gaza-Israel conflict was escalating like wildfire, causing us to question our safety if and when we had enough money to head out.  It wasn't until I received a drastically cheaper standby ticket from one of our donors that I decided I had to go ASAP, with or without a crew.   

 

I've been here for almost 2 months, living with the family in their quiet home in the mountains of Northern Israel.  Despite the war, life here is relatively calm.  There's minimal traffic (although the family insists that traffic occurs when there's more than 4 cars on the road), and an overall simpler way of life. Every meal is cooked at home, and eaten together at the table, with no electronics or tv on in the background.  The kids have started school, and everyday brings more comfort and ease into life within 4 walls.  Thankfully the war has been quiet as of late, but I did hear two missile sirens, and they are hauntingly scary.  When you hear them, you're supposed to run to the nearest bomb shelter (some people have to run outside, or down flights of stairs to get to their shelter, luckily ours is also one of the bedrooms), and you have 15 seconds until the missile lands.  It hasn't been so bad for us, considering there are parts of Israel that get multiple sirens everyday.  Everyone I speak to feels the same way about this war, they are saddened by the deaths on both sides, and just want it to stop. 

 

I'm not married, and I don't have children, so it's been eye opening to intimately witness both the good and bad sides of family life, especially when you're living an "alternative" lifestyle.  Yet even as I write the word "alternative", I'm not really sure it carries any weight.  After traveling to multiple countries, and living with people of all different social and economic backgrounds, there has been one constant: we all just want to be happy.  The details of your life may label you as "alternative", but deep down, we are all the same.

 

- Angela        

 

February 22, 2014 - Footage and Inspiration

 

On our first interview with the kids, I asked them if they’ve found any similarities in all of the countries they’ve been to, and the eldest daughter, Dahnya, said “smiles and kindness”. That’s a pretty profound statement coming from an 11-year-old girl. I’m not gonna lie, I may have teared up a bit at the beauty and the depth of those three simple words. But when I think a little more about what she said, it’s actually not that surprising. Without the fears that we accumulate like scars throughout the years, without any pre conceived expectations or a media bias, in the fresh, untainted thoughts of the most open minded young girl I’ve ever met, it actually makes perfect sense.

 

This isn’t a family that stays at the finest resorts, and has limited their travels to the “safe” side of the road. They’ve lived alongside locals in the jungles of Ecuador, and were taken in by a local they just met in a part of Colombia sprinkled with prostitutes and drug dealers. They like to jump right in. And no matter what country you’re in, when you’re there, in the middle of life without the politics and the layers, when it’s stripped down into it’s simplest form, that’s exactly what’s left. The smiles and the kindness.

 

As I spend countless hours everyday transcribing interviews and logging footage, it’s little gems like this that keep me going. At times it doesn’t even feel like work, it’s more like a therapy session, or a seminar on what it’s like to follow your dreams. Of course their story is not all fun and games. It’s still a challenge, filled with sadness, fighting and pain. They still have fears, but they won’t let them get in the way of their greater goal. And more often than not, I find myself laughing out loud at the antics of this crazy family.

 

I’ve finished transcribing all of the interviews, and I’m currently logging the footage from India. Once I’m finished with the footage, that’s where the real fun comes in, organizing it into categories, and piecing together the story. It’s long and tedious, but I’m having a great time doing it. I’m hoping that by april I’ll have a very rough cut of the entire thing, minus them returning home, which we’ll shoot in September. In the meantime, it’s easy to stay focused and inspired by this project. I’m following my dream by documenting a family living theirs. For me, right now, there’s nothing better.

 

Thanks for coming along.

 

-Angela

 

November 18, 2013 - Phase 2

 

Being home has been an odd mix of comfort and discomfort, relaxation and stress, blind faith and doubt, and excited hellos and sad goodbyes.  It took about 6 days to start sleeping in more than 2 hour increments, which actually worked to my benefit- I had many extra hours to work on post!  Of course a major highlight is being in the comforts of home, where I can have whatever I want whenever I want it, where the electricity never falters, and the water comes out strong and steaming hot.  But at the same time, I can’t help but look at all of my belongings as unnecessary and overkill.  I guess it’s only human to think this way after seeing the things that we’ve seen.  One thing I can say for sure is that I don’t actually miss being on the trip.  Sure, I miss the family, and it seems like everything reminds me of them, but I watch the footage everyday, so I feel like I’m still there!  

 

The whole thing, from inception, to fundraising, to trekking, seems like a dream.  Whenever I talk to people on my crew, or the nomadic family, we still can’t believe we got it done.  It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and freaked out at this next phase.  I actually fear that those 8 hour days on the trek will pale in comparison to the mountain of work that I have ahead of me in post production.  Not possible, right?  We’ll see.  All I know is, I traded in a very comfortable life to follow my dream.  While it may sound romantic, it also includes a bit of couch surfing, storage spaces, and a world of uncertainty.  And I wouldn’t change a thing!  Luckily I saved myself a modest cushion for when I got home, knowing that I’d want to focus solely on this project while my thoughts, feelings, and memories are at their freshest.  

 

I am prepared for stress, pressure, late nights, and plenty of doubt.  That’s the part that makes me human.  But I’ve also never felt more satisfied.  I can put all of my energy towards a project that I believe in with all my heart.  I have chosen to do something that I love, and that fulfills a very big need in me to tell stories, and hopefully inspire.  That’s the part that makes me free.  And of all your support?  Let’s call that the icing on top.  Thank you for believing in us.    

 

-Angela

 

October 31, 2013 - Homeward Bound

 

We entered India exhausted, per usual.  It doesn’t matter how long the flight, traveling has a special way of draining all your energy.  After hearing so many stories and warnings, we really didn’t know what to expect from Mumbai.  Amazingly enough, we only spent one night there, and it fell on a goddess celebration on the streets, where we ate, danced, and enjoyed a fireworks show.  At first I thought we had impeccable timing, until I found out that they have so many gods and goddesses, they have festivals all the time, sometimes multiple every month. But nonetheless, India welcomed us with beautiful, vibrantly colored open arms, and we couldn’t have been more grateful. 

 

We arrived in Goa, a coastal state famous for its beautiful beaches, where Kobi (The Nomadic Family dad) found us a great duplex minutes from the beach.  The family lived on the top floor, and the bottom unit was available for the crew.  We couldn’t have asked for a better scenario for shooting.  As soon as we heard someone raising their voice, we’d run upstairs with the camera.  It doesn’t get more convenient than that!   

 

Here, the kids started going to a democratic school started by expats (short for ex-patriots, people who have left their motherland to live in another country), where they are joined by kids from all over the world.  The amount of languages they hear on a daily basis is incredible!  Meanwhile, The Nomadic Family parents found a great house for them to spend the next 6 months in until the end of the school year.  For now, they’re enjoying having a schedule and being settled down.    

 

As for Noah and I, we are enjoying the weather, the food, sunsets on the beach, and not having to hike 8 hours a day.  It’s funny, although we’ve been in Goa for over 2 weeks, we couldn’t tell you where anything touristic is (besides the beach).  Our main shooting takes place at home, the kid’s school, shopping at the market, and the hospital.   

 

The difference in the two parts of this trip have been monumental!  And while our filming is coming to a close for now, I have an even more daunting task ahead of me: sorting through over 200 hours of footage (over 300 if I count the family’s personal footage) and making a cohesive story out of it.  If you need me, I'll be in my cave.  PEACE!

 

 

October 17, 2013- Leaving Nepal

 

Due to work induced complications, we had to say goodbye to our producer, Erin Lim.  Since then, our Gopro POV falling shots have significantly decreased.  Goodbyes are always difficult, especially abroad.  Luckily we said goodbye with a steak dinner.  Steak always cushions the blow.

     

 

Our return to Kathmandu was an odd mix of resting, recovery, and non-stop work.  We had the pleasure of spending three days at the Indian Embassy to get our visas for India.  One of the few things that are the same, no matter where you are in the world: all embassies suck. Pretty deep, I know.  Then Noah got hit with a fever, and bronchitis.  Luckily we were at our second home, the Stupa House, so he had a safe zone to recover in.  So I spent my time helping take care of him, while still filming the family.  On the plus side, we found a Kathmandu film festival, Film Southasia, for documentaries only, and I got to watch a few that not only kept me inspired, but gave me great ideas for my own work.  

 

 

A major highlight of this whole experience has been going to visit the Unatti Foundation in Bhaktapur.  It’s a girl’s home for under privileged Nepalese girls who would otherwise be working and/or living on the streets.  We were initially going to visit with the Nomadic Family, and possibly volunteer for a while, but after the stress and the pressure from the hike, the children were begging for stability and they actually want to go to school (imagine that!), so the best decision for the family was to head to India, where they found a school to put the kids in for the remainder of their travels.  While we waited for our Indian visas to be ready, the crew took some time off to visit the Unatti Foundation.      

 

 

From the moment we arrived, we were welcomed with so much love and kindness, the girls are incredible.  I don’t know what was more unbelievable, how loving and positive they are, despite the trauma they experienced early in their lives, or the fact that they were all so smart and educated, some of them spoke better english than we did.  I was talking to one of them about books we’ve read, and she loves the same books I do!  They welcomed us to live in their house which was clean and beautiful, and eat their food which was delicious and plentiful.  We spent our time playing games, singing, dancing, going to art and music class, the kids gave us an informative tour of the sights and history of Bhaktapur, and we ended our stay with Noah’s karate class on the roof.  Every second was unforgettable.  We hope to raise awareness for this organization, we will edit a mini-doc about our experiences there to be a special feature on our dvd, and we hope to return again soon.    

 

 

Leaving Nepal was bittersweet.  We were excited for the adventures awaiting us in India, but leaving the Stupa House, our home base since day 1, was very difficult.  It didn’t help that they gave us parting gifts (a beautifully made t-shirt with “The Nomadic Family Project” logo on the front, and the “Stupa House” logo on the back), and prepared a feast fit for a king.  Complete with 2 cakes for dessert!  I say it every time I travel, the people of this world are more beautiful and more kind than you can ever imagine.  Sure, there are jerks everywhere you go.  The important thing is to turn off the news.  When you go out and mold your reality based on real life experiences, your life is a much more beautiful place.  For now, we are settled in Goa, India, minutes from the beach, with a house, a motorbike, and the kids in school full time.  Time is flying by, and our countdown home has begun, but for now, life is good!   

 

 

September 28, 2013 - Whoa. Whoa. WHOA! It’s been 12 days since we connected with you and so much has happened! We stopped at Kobi aka “Big Poppa” getting sick and our group taking a day off for him to rest. Then on day six Erin got sick. Both Erin and Kobi paved the trail with tears that day. It was another six hour day of hiking that was only supposed to be three hours. WE ARE NOT KIDDING ABOUT THE TEARS. There were separate times when Kobi and Erin broke down not knowing how they were going to make it but they did, step-by-step.

 

We’ve also not been able to fill you in on some of our “hostel” hostel owners. Man, some of those ladies that run hostels on the Annpurna trek can be tough. We totally get it as most of these places are run by the women with support by their family but there were days we got the stink eye and we’re still not completely sure why. Let’s just say one of the owners took two hours to make our dinner. We got the hint for sure.

 

Have we talked about the squat toilets and doing your business on the road (literally?) Yeah, that’s a thing. There are no rest stops on the trek so if you can’t hold it until the next town, find a spot and squat. Either way, you're squatting so hopefully you've stretched out those quads and glutes!!

 

Then there were the horses. By day 10 the kids had trekked enough and Kobi and Gabi were on the hunt for another mode of transportation for the kids to get to and/or through the pass. Every evening up until day 10 felt like the Nomadic parents were definitely contemplating stopping the trek and turning around. There were always two questions: “Who are we doing this for?” “Are the kids really enjoying this?” The kids almost got motorcycle rides to the villages going up to the pass but in the city of Manang, Kobi and Gabi were able to find a horse man (his name was Karma. Of course!) to get us a calvary. By the time we left Manang were a group of 22 which included the horses. It was quite a show. Don’t worry, plenty of embarrassing videos of the film crew (well, at least Noah and Erin) trying to get their tired bodies up and over the top of the horses. You will enjoy those outtakes for sure! 

 

We also had porter issues. We needed to release one when we got close to the pass (which was the thought at the beginning of the trek) because it adds up very quickly. We had already known which porter we wanted to let go but that turned into a bit of drama as well. It was shady business at first but then Gabi turned it around with her positive spirit. We hope that the porter we let go left us with a happy disposition. It was really tough for all of us to see one of our porters go but it was a necessity. 

 

Other stresses, not for us but talking to other trekkers were lack of any banks or ATM’s while on the trek. We met an Australian couple in Manang that had to spend about a week in town because the wife got sick and had to rest. They only had $100 to get them through the pass and they still had a few days until they could get there. We all agreed that might have been one of the worst case scenarios we had encountered. We hope they made it!!

 

Everyday was a challenge for all of us but we were also able to meet some really cool people along the way. One in particular was Chris from Arizona (the only American we met on the trek! C’mon Americans, go travel and represent!) Chris was actually biking the Annapurna circuit on his own. We bumped into him twice while hiking. Once on day six and another time on day nine. He’s had the longest running bike blog (13 years!) How did he do that when there were virtually NO blogs 13 years ago. Easy, he wrote his own code. You can follow him and his awesome site at DrunkCyclist.com. Yeah he likes booze and LOVES to bike but he also has a program through his cycling community which brings books to kids via their bikes. So Chris does good too! It’s a win/win in our book!

 

There are more stories to tell, but we also don’t want to give too much away because it's all captured on film for the doc. Believe us when we say there is no shortage of drama, crying, laughing, extreme jeep and van rides on the edges of cliffs and over rocky terrain but more importantly footage of lots of love and hugging through it all. 

 

 

Over and out for now readers. Please remember to like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter!

 

 

Namaste,

Erin, Angela and Noah

 

 

September 16, 2013 - HELLO and apologies for the radio silence. We haven't had any WiFi or internet readily available since we took off for our trek on September 11. We'll catch you up now! So first of all our 6 hour van ride turned into 7. There were 13 of us crammed into an old Toyota van with little to no leg room. Angela fell fast asleep while Noah feared for his life every minute of the ride. Erin was lucky enough to ride bitch the entire 7 hours and was suprisedly not afraid for her life during the drive. There are no rules of the road over here so you can basically pass anyone at anytime. Honking is just a means to let people know you're passing them so you better listen up. We stopped twice on the drive, once for a quick roadside lunch of Dal Bhat (we've been eating tons of Dal Bhat) and then for gas. Once we got to our first destination, The Nomadic Family, our porters and the three of us piled into a 4x4 Jeep which took us over the rugged terrain of the first part of the Annapurna circuit to our first "tea house" or hostel. The jeep ride was beyond an adventure. Some of us were able to ride in the main part of the jeep while the rest of us were in the cargo part of the jeep sitting on benches and holding onto metal bars for dear life. (Don't worry, we have video!) Think of it as the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland but for 2 1/2 hours without seatbelts or a huge snake.  When we finally got to the first tea house (2 1/2 hour ride) we settled into our rooms, ate dinner and passed out. Day 2 of the trek wasn't bad, just all of us trying to get used to hiking for 5+ hours and taking in the beautiful views of the Himalayas. At the end of day 2 we ended up in a beautiful and very sweet village called Tal. It's situated on a river and the backdrop is a handfull of waterfalls. All of us fell in love with the town and would have stayed longer if we could.  Day 3 seemed to be more of the same in terms of hiking but we found ourselves crossing over a waterfall that was pretty powerful and most of us had to take our boots off to get through the water and not fall over the edge. (Again, don't worry, plenty of footage!) Day 3 is a blur although the kids found new friends to hang out with so that was a nice distraction for them so there were limited breakdowns that day. When I say new friends, they were trekkers from Israel, most likely in their 20's and could easily speak the kids native tongue so that's why they were so enamored. Not to mention that the Israli's knew The Nomadic Family from their website and were excited to meet them. Side note, there are tons of Israli hikers on the trek right now as it's their holiday time and many of them are on break from University. It's kind of a trip. I think the only other trekkers we've met were from Australia and China otherwise all Israli all of the time.

 

Day 4 was the most challenging so far. We started climbing up stairs and stairs and more stairs. It was probably a straight hour of all uphill climbing. You can't get mad at the hike though as the landscape is mesmerizing. We probably hiked the longest on day 4 but were able to get on the old circuit which brings you through some amazing villages and vegetation that was aweinspiring. We must have hiked for 6 - 7 hours and now can feel it in our bodies. Good thing Erin brought the Tiger Balm! Day 5 has been our little bump in the road. Kobi, the father and our El Capitan woke up with a fever so we decided to take today off for him to get back on his feet. All of us are a bit thankful for the break. Most of us have done some laundry, took naps, filled out the rest of the postcards for our Kickstarter supporters and most of all, have been resting our bodies. Tomorrow will be interesting as we're starting to gain more altitude at a quicker pace and it's getting colder. We're seeing more and more snow peaked mountain tops in the last couple of days! 

 

We know you're all waiting for visuals on this trek but because of the WiFi situation (little to none) and also because we have to pay for internet time, we're limited on what we can and can't do. Not to worry though, we will find a way once we get back to our second home at Stupa House in Kathmandu. In the meantime, don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter! Danyabad (Thank you in Nepalese!)

 

    

 

September 9, 2013 - Namaste Nomadic Family Project supporters. It's Monday, September 9 for us in Nepal and we're gearing up to start the Anapurna Trek with The Nomadic Family. We've been able to explore Kathmandu with the family and on our own trying to become familiar with our surroundings. We're not sure how long we'll be on the trek but we will be returning to our second home at the Stupa House at the end of the hike. They have been kind enough to hold the items we can't bring on our trek. Very sweet. 

 

We have our sherpas or porters as we've heard them called here. We needed to hire three as they are only able to carry a maximum of 40lbs each for us during the trek. We have been told these men hike with 40lbs on their backs in bare feet and as light as a feather running up the mountains. Can't wait to witness that as the rest of us will be huffing and puffing along the way. We will be starting early in the day (around 6AM) and hike until noon or early afternoon so we can get rooms at the tea houses and rest for the afternoon and retire early to bed. We are excited to shoot in the early morning and hopefully capture the sun coming up while we hike. Great lighting! 

 

Erin may or may not make the entire trek. She is leaving early to get back to the states but is excited to be able to be a part of most of the hike. Our volunteer work will most likely happen at the Unatti Foundation after the trek when the rest of us return from the hike and we might also head out for a three day white water rafting trip for even more adventure and great filmmaking!

 

As we found out last night Kathmandu is always full of excitement. A small scare happened after the Nepalese soccer team lost to team Afghanistan. Erin, Angela, Gabi and Noah were sitting in the hostel's restaurant and we all heard some glass smash against the building accross the street. Then we heard a big thud....almost like gun fire so we all hit the floor since we were next to the windows. The fast thinking managers and locals that were hanging out in the restaurant shut the lights off in the restaurant and we all ran into the interior stairwell just to be safe. The kids came down as well and hid with us. They were a little scared but we were in good hands with our Nepalese friends. Turns out it was a drunk soccer fan that was most likely disgusted by the unfortunate loss of the Nepalese to Afghanistan but none the less, scared the crap out of us for a few minutes. Nothing like getting the heart pumping right before heading to bed! 

 

Thanks for keeping up with us and as always please like our Facebook page and also remember to follow us on Twitter @NomadFamProject! We'll do our best to post along the trek depending on the WiFi situation. 

 

Peace and blessings from Kathmandu.

 

 

 

September 7, 2013 - WOW! It's been an amazing 96 hours to say the least. Director Angela Tabora, Director of Photography Noah Cooper and Producer Erin Lim have hit the ground running since they left LAX for Nepal on Wednesday, September 4 and haven't looked back. From LAX in which Noah and Erin narrowly missed getting on the initial flight to Narita, Japan to the five hour layover in Malaysia spending a fortune on drinks at the only bar open in the airport (since it was 5:30 in the morning) the three of us have been full force to Kathmandu without a blink.

 

Arriving in Nepal was not as hard as we thought. The immigration line was funky but after that, smooth sailing. We even had all 10 bags arrive in one piece. A MIRACLE! After getting the bags and heading outside to find our ride we were lovingly greeted by the entire Nomadic Family. It was music to our ears when we heard the voice of son Oorazi yelling Angela's name as soon as we exited the airport. 

 

We were able to get all 10 bags and ourselves into the car our hostel provided us and set off for our "Second Home" that the owner/manager of Stupa House lovingly calls it. The streets of Khatmandu are unpaved and chaotic. Barely any light signals, families travelling on scooter or motorbikes as their main mode of transportation, dogs roaming the streets looking for food scraps and food vendors scattered along streets selling snacks or fruit to passersby. This taste of a third world country was a bit of a culture shock to Noah and Erin but Angela seemed to transition easier as she's the seasoned veteran of world travel in the group. 

 

After getting to use a shower after 30 hours of travel and a bit of rest, The Nomadic Family and The Nomadic Family Project set foot outside to get their barings on the streets surrounding their second home in Kathmandu. It's already been a lot to take in and we're excited to be able to share this with all of you who have been amazing support. Please keep up with us here and on our Facebook page! Talk to you soon!

 

Namaste

 

 

 

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