The Last Couple Days

Im going home soon. Like REALLY soon. 2 days! It's bizarre. I guess all along I never thought this time would come or that when it did it would feel like a long time has passed, but now being at the end it seemed to have been so short, and fast. I guess that is how it always is. I have been thinking a lot, that reflection that only happens at the end of something. I can't ignore the overwhelming sense of how f#%$ing lucky I am. I have so much to be grateful for, and a lot of people to be grateful to. People back home, and people I have met along the way, who without thinking would offer their homes, time, food, and friends.

What is next? well I have spent 8 months trying to figure that out, and right now I guess I don't exactly know. Most of the time I feel okay with that and even excited by it. I know things I want to do, books I want to read, meals I want to cook, clothes I want to wear, but I dont know "what I want to be" but somehow that seems kind of beside the point. Hopefully that will take care of itself if I focus on being the kind of person I want to be. For a while I thought I had to have some goal or job to define me but now it seems okay to define myself and work hard doing what I want to do and let the rest just happen.

I can't wait to see everyone and eat and talk and laugh with you. Thank you for reading this. I have been suprised and a bit embarrased by your responses. You all mean a lot to me and I hope that someday I can make you see how grafteful I am to have such amazing family and friends.

WATCH OUT!!!!

I'm in Buenos Aires, so naturally in true homo form I have been singing Evita, namely "Watch Out Buenos Aires!". Again I am fitting right in.

Since my last post I have been back to Rio then to Sao Paulo and then on my last long bus ride direct to Buenos Aires.

Sao Paulo, SA's largest city, was good. I didnt stay too long and I am not sure if I would want to. After a while it becomes a bit chlostrophobic and dreary. what I liked about it was that amid all the ugliness you would stumble upon some pretty amazing spots, like a beautiful park, or an old train station, or a market with amazing brazilian fruits and dishes and  desserts.

But now I feel like I am in the Jewel of them all. Buenos Aires. Stunning. It's a close tie with Rio for the most beautiful city. I really love it here, and feel like I could stay for a long time (as it seems many travelers do) It is a bit like New York meets a european city but still has that Latin feel that is so vibrant.

I have 4 days left and plan to make the most of them.

See you all very soon!

Eating too much in Brazil´s old capital

I have spent the last 4 days in Salvador Brazil, mostly accompanied by my terrific hosts the Peixoto´s (thank you Julie!). I have been spoiled from the start and the last four days has been a constant parade of great food, beautiful sights and warm friendly Baihanos (people from the region). I can´t say enough good things about them. Mila and Katia and Fernando and Mila´s kids and their friends and aunts and grandparents and on and on have all welcomed me like only Brazilians can.

Salvador is beautiful. Situated on the point of a huge bay it was an old port city protected by large forts and marinas. The old part of the city is really spectacular, it is what you see if you look up Salvador online. Of course not all of Salvador looks this way, like most places there are many poorer areas and the nouveau rich parts with dozens of new buildings being constructed at once.

Among the colorful skyscrapers you will see a handful that pop out and are distinguished from the rest, these are the buildings designed by the Peixoto´s (my hosts). They are playful and exciting and really fun to look at. It makes you mad that so many buildings are so bland and unimaginative when you see what some creativity and ingenuity can do.

I am coming to the end of my travels (I can hear my mom saying "hooray!"). I am so accustomed to this lifestyle at this point I think it is goin to be very strange to start a routine and be in one place. But I am also looking forward to that. What I don´t want to loose is the sense of adventure I have had while traveling. Feeling that every day is an opportunity to discover something new. Like the work of the Peixoto´s I want to bring excitement and joy in what is often dull and ordinary. That sounded like a cheesy graduation card or something. But I actually mean it, as cliche as it may be. As you might be able to tell, the end of my trip has been very reflective.

I look forward to sharing with all of you when I get back and hearing everything I have missed in the past 8 months. Love You, and hope you have an adventure today.

the boy from Ipanema

So I can´t get that song out of my head. And I look really awesome singing it walking down the boardwalk in Ipanema in Rio de Janeiro. I arrived here about 5 days ago, straight from Iguazu. And I am living like a brazilian aristocrat staying with my friend Stephanie Kane from UCLA. Life has been so difficult here, we have to go to the beach all day and walk around and get served delicious brazilian food. I really have it tough.
Rio is SO beautiful, the natural setting is stunning. These large rocks jut out all throughout the city, (picture half-dome but black with rainforest around it) and the beaches are beautiful, pearly blue with white sand and the BEST people watching!
Brazil has treated me well. And my friend Stephanie is really spoiling me. But as I come to the end of my trip I find myself getting very excited for home. I miss all of you and wish you were here to share this with me.

Cataratas de Iguazú (some things just sound better in spanish)

well 40 hours of bus rides later and im in Argentina, on the boarder with Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay at one of the natural wonders of the world, Iguazu Falls. I realize I'm kind of ruining a lot of natural wonders for myself, first glaciers, then volcanoes, and salt flats and now waterfalls, I just can't imagine anything compares.

I walked around the park for a long time and at first I was searching for that moment when the enormity of the falls would just overwhelm me and all of life's questions would become clear and I would know who I was in the world... well I found it doesn't quite work that way. Having seen some amazing impressive sights in my trip I keep finding the moments of wonder and amazement kind of sneak up on me, and they can happen just as easily in a congested city. But it is pretty funny to look around and see other people looking for that same feeling. I finally did have my "aha" moment when I was close enough to the falls to feel the spray. I was both awed by the power and inspired by it to put all of my energy into living. that sounds weird, even to me, and maybe that isn't the best way to say it, but I was just inspired to be...BOLD! that's it, bold.

I really loved Argentina. I went to Mendoza and Cordobá, similar looking cities, it is very reminiscent of Texas or the West (except with mountains!). The people are generally nice and the country just has a good feel to it. I look forward to spending some more time here at the end of my trip.

Tomorrow I am off to Rio de Janeiro! I am very excited. There I will meet Stephanie whom I went to UCLA with. She is from Rio, but moved to the USA when she was 14ish. I will spend a bit more than a week there, then go north to Salvador to stay with friends of Julie's (friend of my Mom's). Apart from being almost broke, the end of my trip is going to be the cherry on the cake of a wonderful adventure.

Happy Birthday DAD! Love You!

Mike and Caren...

...f'ing rock (do kids read this? is it just you mom? prob best to censor just in case). It is really nice to hang out with buddies, feels like a somewhat normal life. I have just been lounging around my hostel eating completos (hot dogs with avocado) and hanging out with Mike and Caren and a few other friends I have in Santiago. It is cold here (not for anyone who knows real cold) but it doesn't stop our reveling.

Ima stay here a bit longer than I thought, but then off to Argentina and then Brazil!!!!!!!!!!

Love you guys! Miss everyone. 

Back to the Land of the Empanada

After a stunning 3 day trip through southern Bolivia, I landed back in Chile, and rushed down to Santiago. Feels a bit like coming home. That might be just because I am back in a country with paved roads and toilet seats and friendliness, but either way its good to be back. BUT I quickly found out that I am not out of the woods yet, as about 30 minutes into being in Santiago, my small backpack was stolen. Its getting a bit old. And It's more tiring than anything. What was the hardest to loose was the 100 small cheap things i use everyday, the camera and alpaca sweater were also a bit tough. BUT one thing I have learned on this trip in a big way is acceptance. Traveling alone you got to keep it together, so when things go wrong you have almost no choice but to let it go. you can yell as much as you want at the lady who runs the internet cafe where your backpack was stolen, but A. she wont understand you and B. she doesn't care. SO life goes on, and i still have my passport, and I am not hurt. No more pictures though, sorry, because I know everyone was riveted by my incredible photography! Luckily I downloaded everything up to Colombia, so no Bolivia, or anything from here on out. But again, letting go.

I really am having a great time. and the salt flats really were incredible. so...google it!