Welcome!
Hi everyone! My name is Latifat. I’m a proud Bay Area native and a Senior Fellow for the University of California San Francisco BCHO Center for Nature and Health (CNH). As you likely have already come to know, CNH is a pioneering organization that takes nature seriously.
Along with being a Fellow, I’m also a practicing physician, an artist, and...an explorer. Yes, it is my dream to be a National Geographic Explorer. I mean, how romantic would it be to be the person who guides people to the most remote corners of the globe, the furthest reaches of the mind, and deepest crevices of history “on urgent missions of discovery.” It’s all very exotic and adventurous, right?!
But, I have a day-job. Most people have day-jobs and aren’t spending the majority of their time on expedition thought the lush Amazonian jungles, the breathtaking Forest of Knives in Madagascar, or the ice sheets of Antarctica. Most Americans don’t have an opportunity to enjoy our own wondrous national parks!
But I can still be an explorer and I think you (if you have the inclination to) can be to.
Nature, adventure, extraordinary people and experiences are everywhere for everyone in every capacity to enjoy and benefit from. Awe, that transcendental sense of wonder commonly experienced in nature isn’t at all limited to grand open pristine spaces and wilderness areas far away from everyday access. I believe that everyone can experience that “whoa—what I’m seeing/ feeling/ hearing/ tasting right now is blowing my mind” sensation where ever we are.
That’s my goal with this blog.
I’m super excited and honored to have been given this tiny corner of the internet explore with you as we go on local urgent missions of discovery. In the process, we’ll get outside and move, get fresh air and sunshine (or rain, I like rain), clear our minds, and be ready for the subtle and spectacular surprises Nature gifts us. Research has shown that being in nature has real, quantifiable physical and mental health benefits.
(Photos by Latifat Apatira)
Fun, adventure and health seems like a great deal.
So again, welcome! Let’s go exploring!
