As we all know (or maybe don’t) there are (or were) 192 countries in this wonderful world.  Whatever the number, there are tons of countries out there, yet many of us remained narrowly focused on our own lives, going from home to work, to home again.  We have communities, yes, and how do those communities form?  What makes a home, even for people from out of town (most of us in DC) and from outside the States?

Bipin Badhe has asked all these questions and more as he formed the idea behind The 192 | DC Project.  This series  features pictures taken by people who have lived in each of these 192 countries.  Shown in batches of 25 countries at a time, Bipin is showing the first phase at Sova now–the next phase of 25 more countries will be added soon.  The pictures and captions ask Bipin’s question, “What do we begin to see when we are residents but not citizens, visitors but not travelers, at home but abroad?”

When taking the time to walk around Sova’s upstairs with a warm handmade latte or delicious Delirium Tremens (what an amazing happy hour they have) looking at the pictures, I was struck that they were beautiful for their subject matter but also for the fact that none were professional.  Bipin kept the entries to pictures taken for personal use, chronicling favorite places, friends, or things from home abroad.  There is sugar from Turkey, a festival from Brazil, children from Mexico, and on and on.  It’s like a window into an expat’s life overseas, a respite from the sometimes blah DC day-to-day.  Take a step back and look at life from a new perspective.

Stop by to see the exhibit any time, and come hear the photographers speak during the 192 | DC Participants’ Talk on Tuesday, October 25th, upstairs at Sova from 7-9pm.