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Metamorphosis: The Website and I

Posted by on Sunday, March 25, 2012 · 24 Comments 

Lisa in her first shoot!

Lisa in her first Magazine shoot!

“Just when the caterpillar thought her world was over,

she became a butterfly.”

I have always felt connected to science, transformation, and especially to the process by which fuzzy caterpillars become butterflies. Butterflies and their metamorphosis were even the focus of my Bat Mitzvah speech at the age of thirteen. I just did not realize it would take me three more decades to fill my own wings!

Change has been good to me. I have been evolving from having a fixed mindset to a more growth-based model, and from a heavy, single girl unsure of what to do next, to a sassy skinny married one who is a traveler, teacher, blogger, now appearing in a major women’s magazine!

Lisa getting Styled with Kristina Van Dyk

Styled with Kristina Van Dyk

Not only have I changed; now our blog has undergone a shift. We have joined our two web sites and left both Weebly and Blogger for the widely used WordPress. I hope you enjoy our new and improved site. Please send us your comments as we continue to finalize all the parts and pieces.

This transformation requires support. I must personally thank many of my friends, family members and mentors and would like to publicly recognize our website Advisory Council, including: Kit Herring of The Backpacker’s Handbook, Dave Thompson, Dave’s Travel Corner, and Dr. JessieVoigts and Ed Forteau from Wandering Educators. Also the technical wizard on our team, Ateeq Khan. Without them we would not be ready for this next step!

I also want to thank First for Women Magazine for including me in their story and the capable team that prepared me for my first Magazine photo shoot!

How fun!

My First for Women Magazine Photo Shoot Team:

Photographers: Amy and Stuart

Stylist: Krystina Van Dyk  (Banana Republic Gemma Wrap Dress, Laura Elizabeth Jewelry )

Hair : Stefanie Cuesta for Fiore Beauty

Make-up: Phoebe Ogan for Fiore Beauty

Hair Color: Mark LaRocco at the Beauty Collection

Thank you for joining us on our travels and for your enthusiastic support of our blogging journey!

First for Women Magazine

Please comment below and enjoy these related articles

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Traveling with Pets: America’s Newest Phenomenon‏
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About

Lisa Niver Rajna, M.A. Ed. is an accomplished travel agent, blogger, speaker, science teacher and member of the Traveler’s Century Club, a unique travel club limited to travelers who have visited one hundred or more countries. Lisa Niver Rajna was recently on National Television as a science teacher on the show Career Day. She is a 2012 nominee for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching. She traveled across six continents with Club Med, Princess Cruises, Renaissance Cruises and Royal Caribbean International. Look for her underwater as a PADI divemaster, in the science lab, or on the road traveling to an exotic location. She writes for National Geographic, the Huffingon Post, Jewish Journal and Technorati. In 2008-2009, Lisa and George Rajna spent eleven months wandering Southeast Asia from Indonesia to Mongolia where they fell in love, got engaged, and now as a married couple are writing a book about their journey. On July 1, 2012, the couple left for Indonesia for another year sabbatical in Asia. Read about the first seven months in Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar and India on “Our Trip!”

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Comments
24 Responses to “Metamorphosis: The Website and I”
  1. wandering educators says:
    March 25, 2012 at 6:42 pm

    brava, lisa – on your new looks, and your hard work and perseverance! looking forward to more from this new site! :)

    Reply
  2. mia says:
    March 25, 2012 at 11:58 pm

    Lisa, You rock on so many levels! I’m so impressed!

    Reply
  3. cormoraunt says:
    March 26, 2012 at 4:13 am

    Congrats, Lisa! You are such an inspiration in so many ways!

    Reply
  4. Stacey Zolt Hara says:
    March 26, 2012 at 4:20 am

    So proud of you Lisa — an enormous accomplishment and yet another reason you’re a great role model for your students.

    Reply
    • admin says:
      March 26, 2012 at 7:37 am

      Stacey, Thank you so much! I really appreciate your comments!!
      I cannot wait to write up our interview and share your books with more students around the globe! Lisa

      Reply
  5. Rainer says:
    March 26, 2012 at 9:28 pm

    Lisa – I’m very impressed with the before and after shots . . . especially the AFTER! Also think the website looks great. Keep up the great work . . .

    Reply
    • admin says:
      March 26, 2012 at 9:55 pm

      Rainer,
      Thanks so much for reading and commenting! That is a big compliment from you–your site is incredible!! Cant wait to see where both our adventures take us next!! Enjoy the big apple! Lisa

      Reply
  6. Carl Law says:
    March 27, 2012 at 2:56 pm

    Lisa,
    What an amazing transformation! It goes to show that eating well+exercise+determination =successful weight loss.

    Reply
    • admin says:
      March 27, 2012 at 3:10 pm

      Carl, Thanks so much!! I agree you have to eat well, exercise and BE DETERMINED!!! Hope to see you soon! Lisa

      Reply
  7. Julie says:
    March 28, 2012 at 12:10 pm

    WOW!!!

    You look GREAT what a fantastic article!!!!

    You ROCK!

    Reply
    • admin says:
      March 28, 2012 at 2:02 pm

      Julie, Thank you so much for all your support on my weight loss journey. You really made a difference! Thanks! Lisa

      Reply
  8. Havi Wolfson Hall says:
    April 18, 2012 at 8:07 pm

    Wow Lisa!!! You are incredible!!! I love following your journey!!! :-)

    Looks like you are living and loving the life you both have created too! Take care, Havi,

    Reply
  9. Abbie says:
    May 2, 2012 at 8:37 pm

    Congrats on the mag and the new website design!

    Reply
  10. Tisha Marina says:
    May 5, 2012 at 11:40 pm

    Congrats Lisa! Your story should be heard world wide. You are an inspiration and deserve the very best. Enjoy your travels and journeys. Much love

    Reply
  11. Paul says:
    February 19, 2013 at 9:07 pm

    Great work on the website transformation. I never saw the old one, but it’s only been 3 weeks since my blog underwent a complete revamp and it takes a lot of work and dedication. Keep up the good work :)
    Paul recently posted..The Real Downton Abbey: Highclere CastleMy Profile

    Reply
  12. Gloria says:
    March 26, 2013 at 4:52 am

    Great looking. I am just in the process of learning WordPress. Currently my site is on Intuit but WordPress gets much better reviews. Now I am looking for some sort of reference guide (yes, a real old-fashioned book that I can hold in my hands) to learn all the intricacies of the program.

    Reply
  13. Amy says:
    June 4, 2012 at 9:09 am

    Smashing beauty! Beautifully dictated story and you can feel your soul glowing!

    Reply
  14. Lisa Niver Rajna says:
    June 4, 2012 at 9:12 am

    Amy, Thank you so much for your comment! I cannot wait to catch up before we leave for Indonesia! Lisa

    Reply
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