I spent almost two months exploring the Caribbean coast of Colombia, including hiking inside Parque Tayrona twice. We had only planned on going once, but we didn’t realize that it would take multiple days to really enjoy the full beauty of this Colombian gem. Our hostel told us it was only a day trip to the main beach, Cabo San Juan.It took about 3 hours walking through the forest to get there, and unfortunately, my friend was lugging this cooler (below) the entire time. Hey, we didn’t know it was an all day hike! The main complaint from other travelers that only spent one day in Tayrona is that it is overcrowded and not worth the hype. And it is, IF you only visit Cabo San Juan. There’s the 3 hour hike that we took, but there are also boats to Cabo San Juan in Parque Tayrona that leave from Santa Marta and Taganga every day. Of course, people with a short amount of time will choose to go there! (And the beach is still stunning in a crowded, but beautiful sort of way.) If you want to avoid the crowds in Parque Tayrona…
What to Pack and Budget for in TayronaThe trick to packing for Tayrona is packing light for the hike but with enough supplies so you don’t have to pay for overpriced water and food inside the park.
Why go to Playa Brava in Parque Tayrona?Because it’s more of a hike and the waves are too strong for boats to dock, it makes Playa Brava fairly remote. It’s too long of a trek for those with only one day and too difficult for families or people who aren’t in fair physical shape.
If you need more evidence of why you need to go to Playa Brava, just take a look at these photos: After finishing a one-week intensive Spanish course in Medellin, Colombia, I headed to volunteer at a hostel and bar in the center of a tiny town outside of Cali in the region called Valle de Cauca in Colombia. As I stepped off the bus into the center of the town of Buga, I knew my Spanish skills would be challenged way past “hola” and “gracias”. I walked down the bustling avenue filled with booths selling religious tokens and souvenirs towards the hostel and bar. (I would later learn that Buga was a popular location for religious tourists coming to see a legendary cross.) I finally reached the entrance to my new workplace and rang the buzzer. I felt my stomach drop as someone answered in muffled, unrecognizable Spanish and I couldn’t find the words to answer. I managed to state my name and “neuva voluntaria” (or new volunteer) and was buzzed into the building. I checked into the bar and was met by Anna, one of the many bartenders I would work with over the next month. Anna spoke absolutely no English and so we communicated slowly with my butchered version of Spanish. I tried asking for the manager that I had been emailing with (a German who spoke/wrote English), but was told that he had left the country. Eventually a French woman, another volunteer named Madeline, emerged from the hostel room and served as my translator. I came to learn that the manager had left for the United States, nobody but Madeline could speak English and Spanish, and that the hostel rarely had guests so most of my work would be at the bar with local customers who typically did not speak any English. After hearing me slaughter every Spanish word and phrase possible for five minutes, Madeline told me that I probably didn’t have enough Spanish to work there. However, I was determined and told her that’s why I was in Colombia – to learn Spanish so I would at least try. She eyed me doubtfully, wished me luck, and offered her assistance if I really needed it. It was difficult. I picked up food and drink lingo quickly, but if customers had more in-depth questions I would have to ask for help. I spent all my spare time studying my notes from my class in Medellin. I also tried to engage the local workers of the bar in conversation, but could rarely talk about more than myself and my family (Soy de estados unidos. Tengo un hermano, una madre, y un padre...). I’d like to say that I left Buga with a higher level of Spanish, but that was not the case. I think that my actual level (amount of vocabulary and grammar) didn’t change much at all. (I might have learned a few more restaurant specific words and phrases.) However, my confidence level changed drastically in Buga because speaking in Spanish became a necessity. I had to communicate with my limited grasp of the language whether I wanted to or not. While I didn’t necessarily learn more from my time in Buga, I did recognize what I needed to get to the level of Spanish I wanted. Personally, I realized that I needed a classroom environment to learn the grammar and structure of the language. Others I met have learned solely through traveling and immersing themselves in the language. Others have used apps like Duolingo. Others have just read books, watched movies, or listened to music or podcasts. I found I had to try out all the different options until I found the ones that fit me for where I was in my language development journey. This has changed depending on my current level. After Buga, I required classes to develop my general speaking and comprehension while right now I need a conversation partner to continue developing my speaking level. Are you learning a new language? What works best for you?I traveled for 37 days in Costa Rica. It's definitely not enough time to give an intensive opinion of the country and its people as a whole. However, I thought that this week I'd share the lows and highs of my personal experience traveling through Costa Rica. LowsTraditionally, I like to start with lows because things can only get better from there. ;) I only have two complaints about my time in Costa Rica: 1. Bugs - I have always been a magnet for mosquitos. However, Costa Rica provided the generous opportunity to have my body eaten alive by lots of other insects that I didn't even know existed! Google: Chiggers. And then just know that it feels like there's ants in your pants. Fire ants. For two weeks. #tmi If you decide to go to Costa Rica, stock up on your insect repellent and remedies. 2. Prices - Compared to other places I've backpacked, I found Costa Rica to be on the more expensive side (in terms of accommodation prices and activities). I'd prefer to come back to Costa Rica on another family vacation or other cheap vacation, book a house, and have a larger budget for all the adventure activities and national parks. I think it is possible to do Costa Rica on a budget, but the activities and places that I wanted to see were pricey. The Corcovado National Park on the Osa Peninsula costs at least $100 which includes a guide (mandatory). Unfortunately on this trip, $100 is my budget for at least a week. HighsCosta Rica offered some incredible traveling highs that I expected, and some that were welcomed surprises! 1. Natural Paradise: Costa Rica has some of the best sandy beaches I've seen along my travels. If you're lucky enough, a local will take you to a remote beach and you'll feel like you've reached paradise. 2. Wildlife: Below is a photo of an adorable sloth from the Jaguar Rescue Center* in Puerto Viejo. While I would obviously see a lot of wildlife at an animal rescue center, I saw plenty of sloths and monkeys and toucans just flying about during my bicycle rides through the towns and villages where I stayed. One time I was crossing a bridge and saw two kayakers in the river pulled over to the side. I stopped to see why they had stalled and saw that they had found a sloth that had climbed down the tree and was reaching down to the river for a drink! I don't regret not grabbing a photo because I fully enjoyed that moment. *After watching Blackfish a few years ago, I've really tried to limit my visits to zoos or any other place where animals are forced to be there for our enjoyment. Going to the rescue center seemed like a compromise since these animals were hurt and are being rehabilitated and my entrance fee goes to support those efforts. I also try to discourage other travelers from paying to ride or pet animals. Here's Why You Shouldn't Ride Elephants in Thailand (or any where else for that matter). Now back to Costa Rica... 3. Costa Ricans' appreciation for nature: I don't know how to adequately describe it, but I got this feeling that for a country that's still not on the same scale as more developed nations, there was still a respect and cleanliness to different natural areas than more developing countries. I also met people like those working at Osa Interactive Gardens on the Osa Peninsula. Projects like theirs are working hard to preserve the plants, animals, insects, and, in this case, butterflies, after destruction from local and international deforestation works. 4. Tropical Fruits: Below was my favorite type of passion fruit, the grenadine. You break the skin and then slurp out the juicy, sweet insides. It's heavenly on a hot, Costa Rican day. Besides 100 different types of passion fruits, I had tons of mangos and papayas and other fruits that I had never seen or heard of before. And since avocados are technically a fruit, you can be darn sure I also had plenty of those! What happened next?After Costa Rica, I headed to a week of transiting through Panama with pit stops in Bocas del Toro and Panama City. Bocas is definitely feeling the effects of tourism (in some not so positive ways), but different tours will take you out to the secluded islands. Panama City always gets positive and negative reviews from other travelers that I meet, but I will say the Canal is one of the coolest things I've seen. It's just so HUGE! At the end of May I landed in Medellin, Colombia. I dreamed of Medellin and spending a few months there since fall 2015, after watching a certain Netflix series that featured the panoramic views of the landscape surrounding the City of Eternal Spring. During my first week I studied Spanish in Medellin before heading to a town called Buga to do another work exchange at a hostel/brewery. More on that soon!
I've never been that outdoorsy. Within the course of one work exchange in Colombia, this changed completely. While most of the work included cooking and cleaning for the guests at this semi-mountain lodge, the other part of the experience was hiking. A lot. I should have guessed that hiking would be the norm considering that it took almost an hour to trek uphill to the lodge from the "main" dirt road. Later on during my stay I would splurge on the $3 horse ride to the lodge and even the HORSE acted like he didn't want to take the chance on that last stretch of hill to the lodge. I did quite a few treks through the mountains outside of Ibague, Colombia. However, this is the story of one of the more intense hikes I did at the lodge. The warning signs of a tough hike...The night before the first intense hike, our supervisor, Truman, asked us if we wanted to accompany them on a hike. The catch being we would have to leave by 6 AM. We were told that we were scoping out the location for a local TV travel special that would highlight the stunning natural landscape of the area. Not being a morning person, I was slightly delirious and still quite sleepy as we prepared our bags and got ready the next morning. However, I remember becoming apprehensive as the following conversations unfolded... Situation #1 Truman: Make sure you have boots. Me: Okay, will it be really wet? Truman: Maybe, but we are going through the jungle. Making the path. **as he packs away his machete.** Situation #2 Truman: Bring an extra set of clothes in a plastic bag. Me: Why? Truman: Because maybe you will get wet and bloody, I mean, MUDDY. Me: *nervously laughing* Situation #3 Me to Truman's wife, Annie: So are you coming on the hike? Annie: **smirks** No. Definitely not. Once we were all packed, we started the two kilometer hike to the main road to meet the rest of our hiking team. We're Going To That Waterfall -->
Taking the Back RoadAfter some debate of whether to walk or take motorbikes/jeeps up to the furthest point, we ended up all piling into a local's jeep that we bartered for a price. The journey basically was like a real life Indiana Jones ride complete with pot holes, skinny road ways, splashing through running streams, and gaining enough momentum to scale rocky hills. It looked at lot like this: Some other photos of the drive up - Fernando, the Farmer, to the Rescue!
Finally Arriving at the Waterfall
At the end of the dayAfter eight unexpected hours of hiking, we finally made the trip back to the lodge. We never got bloody, but definitely muddy and utterly exhausted.
However, after going through my photos for this post I was reminded of how rare of an experience we had for most travelers and of the absolutely breathtaking greenery of Colombia. I'm so ready to go back! A few weeks ago, prior to all this hiking, my travel friend and I were at our first workaway (the name of our work exchange website) together in Colombia. It was at a community called Amanecer. On the first day our host, Mashuri, took us on a tour of the vast property. Amanecer comprises a hostel/hotel building, a few individual houses, a gigantic kitchen, and a dining/lobby area. It was gorgeous. I'm trying to learn more Spanish day by day, but I'm definitely still not fluent. Unfortunately for me, Mashuri only spoke Spanish and so while I understood bits and pieces of the tour my friend (a native-born Spanish speaker) asked me later that evening what I understood of the tour. I explained that I understood the layout of the property and some of the general ideas and projects that Mashuri has for the community. The only question I really had was about this older, Danish woman that was staying at the hotel. Mashuri had said she was there for some kind of spiritual reason. What did that mean? This was the most important question I could have asked. It turns out that Amanecer in and of itself was a community that's part of a global spiritual/religious sect. While I had thought the Danish woman was there for a spiritual retreat of some kind, we had actually entered an entire community devoted to spiritually retreating. We found the whole situation hilarious to say the least. To be fair, Subud, the name of this international community, is technically a "spiritual movement." You can read more about it here, but the general principal is that you can be whatever religion you want - Muslim, Christian, Jewish, whatever! And let's be honest, it's more fun to say you've accidentally found yourself at a "religious sect" than a "community that's part of an international spiritual movement". Well, maybe they're both fun to say. There were some strange things though. The first one being the name of the host, Mashuri. Doesn't sound very Colombian/Spanish does it? Apparently, when you enter the community you are given (or allowed to choose) a new name and he picked Mashuri. The Danish woman was given Aisha. There's also a weekly "meeting" of some sort. As explained to us by Aisha (who spoke English and could be compared to Eleanor Abernathy from the Simpsons), it was a practice of separating men and women into different rooms for a period of time. During that time, as explained by her, you were supposed to empty your mind of everything - thoughts, worries, dreams, everything. Sound like meditation to you? I was told it was NOT meditation. NOT. Once your mind is clear, it allows for whichever god/spirit you follow to take control of your body. Aisha explained to us that while she grew up Christian/Catholic, she was speaking in tongues one minute and dancing to another religion the next. I'm not sure if Aisha speaks for all of Subud, but this seemed like a core element to her. Another tradition is fasting during Ramadan (and the feasting afterwards). I'm definitely not saying that a Muslim fasting during Ramadan is strange, it just adds another fascinating layer to this already complicated sect/community. The Characters of AmanecerMashuri: I've already mentioned that he was our host and main point of contact at the workaway. He has one of the kindest hearts and a huge passion for the community of Amanecer. He's up against a lot of bureaucracy from the community to move forward with his ideas and plans for the property, but he keeps pushing forward. He was awesome. Aisha: Since she's already been mentioned, Aisha added one of the more colorful elements to our experience at Amanecer. While she is Danish, she has traveled around the world and can speak Spanish and English as well. She LOVES animals. She was horrified when she learned that I'm not a huge fan of cats. I'm glad I said something though because if you said you even tolerated them she was stuffing your arms and lap with whatever cat she could find. But she loved ALL animals and if you had slaved away at making a gourmet meal, she was asking for a portion to feed to the animals. No. Ruben: Ruben is a kind man who rents a house at Amanecer. While he had a tough past, now he tries to help out by taking in a lot of the cats and dogs that are abandoned in the area. My friend, Juan, and Ruben became great friends in the few weeks we were there spending the nights chatting away. Ruben could also speak a little English, so we helped each other with learning the other's language whenever we could. Gloria and Jorge: They were a couple that was also renting a room at Amanecer. We were neighbors and there's a little and a lot to say about them. Gloria was a fairly normal woman. Jorge though was always walking around carrying a bottle of Aguardiente, an anise-flavored liquor in Colombia. By the end of the night, that bottle was typically empty. Most nights there was a lot of music, loud talking, and then yelling before Jorge's solo party would get shut down. Unfortunately they were asked to leave right around when our time was up. The volunteers: Besides us, we also met a Dutch girl and two other American girls that volunteered at the same time. All of us are fairly normal travelers (as normal as travelers can be). We all commiserated and laughed at the situation we had found ourselves in by accident. My Experience at AmanecerThe work was fairly easy-going at Amanecer, meaning if there was work we would do it and if not we were free to do whatever. The first few days we mostly cooked and cleaned the hotel. The cast of characters added extra entertainment to the daily tasks. Unfortunately after the first few days, I caught a really bad cold and was bedridden for 3 days straight. While I was sick, Juan was really able to find his place and niche in the odd community (work wise solely). When I started to feel better, it was still hard to find the motivation to get plugged in. This feeling of disconnection wasn't something new to Amanecer, but an overall theme over the past few months of travel. Constant ups and downs of not knowing if this path is still for me, why I can't just stay put, and added financial stress as my savings dwindles and I have no idea of where I want to be/do next. However, I'm constantly reminded by others, and myself, that this is a season that I have chosen, that I have waited years to travel the world and now I am doing it. It's normal to get weary on the road and even if I plan to the minute what I will do after my travels, there's no guarantee that it will happen. All I can do now is enjoy the places and situations that I'm in and move forward from there. So...Let's Paint Europe!
Always Start SomethingMy time at Amanecer was full of ups and downs, emotionally and physically. In the end, after Europe had been painted and our bags packed, I really appreciated this little sect/community. The area was stunning and after being in cities for my first month in Colombia, it was refreshing to be back in nature. The "characters" in this small story of my journey were heart-warming and provided plenty of inside jokes and laughs.
And painting Europe proved a lot of things... (1) who knew I could paint??? (2) it always helps to have someone to encourage you by your side (3) In the grand scheme of things, the painting is nothing but it provided motivation to start moving forward again. It was a good reminder to start doing something, anything when I feel stuck. If there was an award for the world’s slowest walker, it would probably go to me. When I was little my dad used to call me “pokie”, as in short for “slow poke”. Every now and then I’ll start to think that I’ve outgrown the nickname. But then a friend will complain that I’m walking at a glacial pace. Or I’ll get passed by a senior citizen…with a walker…right at the moment that I thought I was actually walking fast! Now imagine hiking with me. I would guess it’s a bit of a chore. I mean, I enjoy myself. I love looking around, taking pictures, and walking at a comfortable pace. One time on a hike with some friends they let the slowest person (me) set the pace on the way up. On the way down, half the group excused themselves to run back to the car. So when my friend and I decided to go on a mild hike in Salento, Colombia I was ecstatic but apprehensive for my friend’s sake. Two Hikes to do in the Salento AreaWe ended up extending our original two-night stay to three nights after some hiking recommendations from our AirBnB host.
Waterfalls and Coffee… or not.Our first hike of the trip was to Cascada Santa Rita which is about a six-kilometer excursion roundtrip through the ever beautiful scenery of the region. An extra added bonus is all the horse and cow poop along the way. Horse poop aside, it’s a fairly easy hike and the entrance fee is only 3,000 COP (about $1). The journey starts at the bridge in Boquia. From there head into the hills, past the restaurants and small river parks, and you’ll follow the trail all the way there. There’s one house that you pass (where you pay the fee) and then the last “landmark” is a guy selling drinks and snacks at a smaller hut just before the waterfall. This guy becomes a lifesaver after the waterfall. If you’re looking for an easy hike in Salento, this is it. The views on the way there made the icy water at the waterfall worth the journey. Unfortunately, due to our late start, we didn’t have time to tour the coffee farms. If you’re in the area, there’s a separate hike nearby in Boquia that’s available. Making Our Way (Slowly) Through Valle del CocoraThe main event in Salento is the hike through the Valle de Cocora. Most people do what we did – take a willy (Jeep) from Salento to the entrance of the park. These are located in the center of town and should cost around 3,600 COP one way per person (they start leaving early in the morning and then whenever they have a full car of eight people after that). Then we hiked the trail to Acaime, backtracked a bit to take a different trail to La Montaña, and then took the main road right through the middle of the cocoras back to the entrance of the park. From Acaime there are trails that go further into the park. We saw plenty of more adventurous hikers making their way with backpacks in tow to spend the night either camping or staying in fincas (farms) along the way. For the far less adventurous, there are horses for rent starting around 40,000 COP (about $13). The highlights of Acaime include the 100’s of bird species (especially hummingbirds) and unique trees and plants only visible at that altitude and climate. After Acaime, we headed back down a little bit to find the path to La Montaña. It’s not completely clear which path is it, so make sure to ask at Acaime for clear instructions. The path up to the viewpoint of La Montaña is fairly steep but the hard work pays off when you end up with views like this: From La Montaña, you head down the main road and through the Valle de Cocoras. This is probably one of the most unique hikes I’ve ever done in the last two years. The scenery is pure magic, but I’ll let the pictures do the talking. Touring the Colombian town of SalentoSalento was the most touristic part of Colombia that we had traveled to so far. Even more so than Medellin, one of the larger cities in the country. We haven’t gone north along the coast yet, which is where we heard it’s a little harder to avoid the heavy tourism that the beaches bring.
The town of Salento is maybe worth a day or afternoon to walk through. It’s perfect if you are looking for some Colombian souvenirs as there’s a wide selection and lots of competition (so maybe the opportunity to get a better price!). It’s also a good place to find some other food options. I definitely recommend Luciernaga for a happy hour beer and pizza because sometimes you need a break from rice and beans. We happened to be in Salento on Colombian’s independence day – 20 July. It was crowded and festive and decked out in Colombian flags.
In some ways I've arrived at the perfect time. The busy season just ended and the rainy season is just beginning, meaning the temperature has dropped making the afternoon torrential downpours worth it. This post is a little look into my life here the last few weeks. My work exchange commitmentMondays through Thursdays, I spent 3-4 hours in the morning assisting with a local venture called Osa Natural. Osa Natural was started by an American couple, Alison and Josh. The products are all based with coconut oil, natural, and organic. I love their lavender and mint soaps and natural insect repellant. I'm like mosquito candy and pouring DEET all over my body every day doesn't seem healthy. On Fridays, I have mornings and afternoons free because I spend the evening at Martina's, a local bar in the area of Matapalo. There Alison, Josh, and I juggle selling their products to travelers and locals while watching their two adorable children. It's a fascinating dynamic to observe the ticos and ticas (slang for local Costa Ricans) mix with the gringo transplants that have come here from the U.S. and other parts of the world. There's also some pretty bomb ice cream that I may have splurged for. In my spare timeIn the afternoons, I often borrow my roommate, Josh's, bicycle (not to be confused with Josh, the owner of Osa Natural) and bike to the small town of Puerto Jimenez. There's only one main road with shops, restaurants, and a church. It's been the perfect place to unwind and lazily explore. Other times I just lounge in our house or yard journaling and watching all the different kinds of birds and butterflies that pass through. Or I just smother my new novio, Murphy, with a ton of loving. Last weekend roommate Josh let me tag along with his friends, Karen and Jen, for a visit to Matapalo. Matapalo is the perfect combination of jungle and ocean along the Osa Peninsula. We saw monkeys swinging from the branches, lizards, multicolored butterflies, all kinds of parrots, and a SEA TURTLE. You can guess which one was my favorite. On top of the wildlife, I saw some of the most stunning beaches. Proof: Unfortunately, due to budget reasons I won't be able to visit Corcovado National Park (besides the steep park entrance fee, you also need to pay for a guide), but I feel thoroughly satisfied with Matapalo as a replacement. I may have not seen huge jungle cats or sloths, but I did see wildlife in Costa Rica that I haven't yet seen in all my travels. Where to next?Sadly, I'm leaving the Osa this week to head to the Caribbean side of the country. I'll be in a town just outside of Puerto Viejo doing a work exchange with a family that owns a bakery. Stay tuned for pictures and stories!
Until next week... pura vida! A few weeks ago, I spent some time visiting a friend in Barcelona. On a whim, I decided that I wanted to take a solo trip to Valencia. With no other reason than because my parents have a Valencia orange tree in their backyard. Those oranges are incredibly sweet and delicious! There are plenty of trains and buses that head to Valencia every day. But I thought that if I could find a cheap rental car then that would be even more of an experience. And I did! I found a rental that was cheaper than taking the bus or train from a third party car rental website. Some tips for renting a car in Spain…
Why should you read the fine print?The prime reason is so you don’t miss any contractual liabilities. Something they teach even children these days. The second most important reason is so you don’t look like an idiot when you arrive at the rental place and they start confirming information with you like this: Agent: According to the fine print, your rental is only good for 200 km per day, so a total of 400 km for your two-day rental. Me: Well my destination, Valencia, is 400 km away so that’ll be almost double the limit going roundtrip. That’s without the day trips I was planning. How much is it if I go over? Agent: With just going to and from Valencia (no day trips), at least over 100 €. 100 € extra was definitely not in my budget, especially when the rental itself was only 30 € for the two days. With the help of my friend, we did a quick brainstorm session of other cities I could visit and decided that Tarragona (less than 100 km away) would fit the bill. A glorious drive through the Spanish countrysideI had the most scenic drive through the hills and vineyards of Catalonia. I took the National Roads in order to avoid the heavily priced toll roads. While I spent a little more on fuel and time (still within my mileage constraints though!), it was well worth the scenery. On the drive, I thought about how worried my friend had been about me driving in Spain. Not to worry, I told him! I had grown up driving in very aggressive driving cities and states. Never had I been in an accident and I have had my license for longer than a lot of Spanish people my age. Everything would be fine! And I was until I arrived at my destination. Park wherever you like… or notMy AirBnB host had messaged me to park near the beach or near the department store in the city for free parking. Those were both quite far from the apartment, so I thought I’d park in a parking garage close to the apartment to unload my things quickly and then park again in the free zone. I entered the garage and reversed into a spot between two pillars. I thought I had done a fine job, but needed to straighten out a little. As I started to pull forward, two guys started yelling and motioning for me to stop. They kept pointing at my passenger side door…and the pillar next to it.I got out of my car, walked to the other side, and found the passenger side door wedged up against the pillar. There was no way for me to move the car forward or backward without continuing with my car running alongside the pillar. Eventually, I reversed and was able to create a small space between the car and pillar. Shaken, I called my Spanish friend dramatically crying about what I had just foolishly done. I had NEVER been in any sort of accident in 13 years of driving. In unlucky year 13, something was bound to happen. I had a million questions running through my mind.
Back in BarcelonaI got lucky. I’m lucky because when I returned the car, the attendant marked off my inspection with a big fat OK. Meaning, she didn’t see the scratches and I wouldn’t be liable for any damages. YAAAAAAY!!!!! My friend takes credit for distracting her in conversation. I think she might have thought the marks we made when we checked out the car were the scratches from my parking incident. It doesn’t matter. I’m keeping that piece of paper in a bank vault ready to release it in case the rental company comes back claiming damages. A nd I’m thankful that my friend was there to calm me down on the phone in the moment, that my AirBnB host was able to successfully move my car without any more scratches, and that I had great coverage with my Chase Sapphire credit card (they were going to cover the entire damages no matter whose fault it was). In the end, I had some of the best experiences of my time in Spain traveling solo through Tarragona and the villages of Siruana, Prades, and Montblanc. A few other things…If you are renting a car in Spain or anywhere outside the US make sure to double check some of the following:
Well, I'm back! And gone again... I touched down on US soil in mid-December, right before the holidays. Then I completed a whirlwind tour of visits to Texas, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, and California. Then a quick pop over to Barcelona for Easter. Because... por que no? And now I'm living that pura vida life in Costa Rica for a few weeks!
I find out more about my work exchange tomorrow. For now, I've been doing some reflecting on my trip back to the States. It was A LOT. Below is a list of things that stuck out the most about my trip home, whether that's about the places and people I visited or American culture in general. 1. Y'all ask the same questions.These were the top 3 questions I was asked: 1. How was your trip? 2. What was your favorite country? 3. What are you going to do next? Now, there's nothing wrong with these questions. But isn't odd that almost every single person (even people I met casually with friends at a bar) asked these same questions??? I could try and do a deep psychoanalysis of our culture and dig into why these were the most common questions. But I'm not. I will say that it's intriguing how fascinated people were with what I was going to do next. For some reason we've been programmed to ask what's next even when none of us can predict the future. When someone get's engaged, we ask when the wedding is. When someone gets married, we ask when they plan on having kids. When someone has one kid, we ask when the next one is. I'm just as guilty as anyone of asking these questions. And again, they're not wrong! But what traveling has taught me is that sometimes you can plan out every single minute of your itinerary and still have nothing go as planned. So you just have to enjoy what has happened and the moments you have right now. I wish we could ask more questions and conversations about what we are enjoying (or not enjoying!) about our lives right now. Blah blah blah...so what are you doing next? Up until about a month ago, I had absolutely no idea I'd be in Costa Rica. So when people were asking me what I was doing next, I had no answer! I could tell how perplexing that was for some people (just ask my dad). However for this season of life, no plans seems to be the name of the game. It's definitely unsettling sometimes, but for now I'm trying to enjoy learning how to follow a balance of head and heart decisions...often in the moment. 2. We are SO FRIENDLY.The first initial reverse culture shock I had was just going to meet a friend for some beers and wings. Normal, right? We met at Downtown Disney at the House of Blues, ordered our food and drinks, and continued to catch up on the last year. Our food arrived and a few minutes later the waitress came to check on us. Fine. Then we had another bite of food and a sip of beer. And the waitress came back to check on us. Then another swig and chomp. And the waitress was back to check on us AGAIN. This happened at least THREE TIMES. And this is NORMAL. This is not normal in most countries! In fact, in most countries it feels like you have to flag down your server to get any service. In the US, it can feel like the servers are applying to be your new best friend while also forgetting your order of nachos (fact: you will NOT be my new best friend if you forget my nachos). It's not just at restaurants, it's everywhere! Every Trader Joe's cashier wants to know about my weekend and every person I pass greets me like we're about to start an in-depth conversation after a simple, "hey! how are ya?". Coming back to the States for me was like living with headphones on playing white noise for the last 14 months and then suddenly blasting on Nickelback. And you can understand all the words! After traveling for awhile in places where I didn't know the language, I'd grown accustomed to not understanding what was happening around me or not being able to speak to most local people. I've become an expert at miming, learning basic vocabulary, and pointing to get what I want or need. What I forgot how to do was make basic chit chat or even answer simple questions like, "how are those wings?" 3. Some of us have access to some of the best food in the world (and some of us don't).Some of the most common questions that I got outside the States revolved around our food and weight. Mostly "What do Americans eat?" and "Why are you all so fat?" I had the privilege of growing up as a middle class Southern Californian in an area with great food diversity. The picture above is just from my first week at home and includes food from Mexico, Korea, Hawaii, Spain, Cuba, and "America". So what do Americans eat? We eat a lot of different things depending on your region, your community, your ethnic background, your family, your upbringing, and your income. Along with a whole lot of other factors! The media shows Americans eating a lot of hamburgers. I would like to believe that's not the case. So why are Americans fat? That's a whole issue I'm not going to dive into here, but the answer I usually give is that it's a lot more complicated then because we eat McDonald's everyday. It might be because of an unhealthy diet, huge portion sizes, not enough exercise, or a whole slew of other things. The only challenge I offer people asking this question is maybe the people you see on TV eating McDonald's everyday don't have another more affordable option near to them. Maybe the question comes down to "I have $3. Do I spend it on a $3 Happy Meal for my kid or spend $2 on a bus ticket to the nearest supermarket with fresh food and the last $1 on... what?" 4. Y'all are living the best lives.I loved seeing friends and family. It was definitely the high of returning home. It's one thing to read your posts on social media of new schooling, jobs, moves, partners, and BABIES. Oh, but to hold those babies was something so special.
Social media can make travel seem like a magical fairy land escape. A place where you only meet the best people, see the grandest things in the world, and are content with life 10000% of the time. It's a lie. Of course, some of those things are true, some of the time. However I still meet horrible people, I still get lonely and have second thoughts, and I spend an unsurprising amount of time just waiting for things (buses, trains, planes, metro, people, the internet to work, etc etc etc). In the end, I'm doing something that I've been waiting and wanting to do for years. So many of you are doing things we only dreamed and talked about years ago having heart-to-hearts on our living room couches or on rickety stools at the local dive bar. Yes, I'm traveling. It's cool, but that's what I wanted to do. You're doing what YOU wanted to do! And I think that's pretty cool too. This week I celebrate one year of leaving the States and starting this strange journey.
This week I also grieve with my family at the loss of my youngest cousin who passed away unexpectedly last Thursday evening. She would have been 21 years old at the end of this month. When people ask me what I was most scared about (and possibly still am) before starting this journey, it was two things. The first was missing out on important events with family and friends. I’ve missed weddings of best friends, birthdays and anniversary parties, and new babies being brought into this world that I can’t wait to meet. Those were expected and planned for. I hoped that there wouldn’t be a funeral while I was gone, but life is full of unexpected events, sometimes tragedies like this. And this, this has been the hardest time to be away from family. However, part of traveling is making new friends and new families along the way. I have been lucky enough to be with a good friend in Barcelona. We spent the weekend with their family, who took amazing care of me during this rough time. While I wanted to be home with my family more than anything this weekend, it was comforting to be with a family as loving and caring as this one. The other fear I had before leaving was of myself. That I wouldn’t be able to do this. That I wasn’t smart enough, brave enough, or just plain good enough to last an extended period of time traveling solo. Ten years ago, my cousin had those same fears about going to university. The kicker? She was only TEN YEARS OLD. I had just entered university, and she had plenty of questions for me about the difficulty of college. She thought that school was hard already. How would she ever be able to make it to college to study her dream of architecture? I reassured her that school only gets progressively harder, and by the time she got to university she would be more than ready to pursue her dream. Two years ago was the last time I saw my cousin. I was on a business trip to Houston where she was attending the University of Houston and studying architecture. I beamed with pride as she showed me around her campus, labs, and all the projects she was working on. Secretly I remembered our conversation years ago and thought about what would have happened if she had let those fears stand in her way. I’ve thought a lot about my cousin’s fears this weekend and I thought about my own (now somewhat ridiculous in hindsight) fears. Fear can come in all shapes and sizes. It can stop us from talking to people around us, moving forward with a decision, and, worst of all, it can stop us from living the life we really want. That could have happened to my cousin. It could’ve happened to me. It could happen to you. When someone passes so young, you realize that we only have so much time to do what we love. I know I spend a majority of that time making excuses of why I can’t do those things. I’m tired of hearing excuses. I’m even more tired of making my own excuses. It was scary to leave my comfortable job, my home of nine years in Seattle, and it’s still scary trying to make decisions about where I want to go or what I want to do next! But just like my cousin kept plugging away at university, I keep going because traveling is what I have come to love. The unwelcome, but the necessary reminder from this week is that life is short and now is the time to love those around you and live the life you’re scared of living. Send that message to a friend who you lost contact with, call up that family member you were thinking about, apply for that new position you’re more passionate about, pick up and move to a new place, sign up for that marathon or gym membership, make that difficult decision to change something small, but DO SOMETHING. Do something today that scares you. Because after a year of stepping into my fears time and time again, that’s how I’ve made it this far and that’s how I’ll keep going. |