Only a moment left at the internet place, but so much to say! This week has been fantastic and I am so thankful for my experiences. Last night I enjoyed an incredible Thanksgiving dinner with friends...so much food!!! Two Peruvian friends went to a lot of trouble to create a semi-authentic Thanksgiving. We feasted on sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, cornbread (gf!), grilled veggies, turkey, gravy and even cranberry sauce! We topped everything off with apple pie, peach cobbler and a pumpkin pie. SO INCREDIBLE! I am still full! I certainly wish I could spend the day with my friends and family in the states, but this experience was one I will never forget and I am so thankful for my new friends here in Lima.
Once again, the time has passed incredibly fast. I cannot believe I have only one week left in Lima before I head to Cuzco for two weeks of adventuring. Tonight my friend Isabel and I will take an overnight bus to Trujillo, a city on the northern coast of Peru. Looking forward to a great weekend!
I want everyone to know how thankful I am for your support, love, friendship and incredible words of advice. My life would not be complete without you and everyday I am thankful for the experiences we've shared and your invaluable role in my life. I love you and I am so grateful for the relationships we share!
¡Vaya bien!
Friday, November 27, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
The pursuit of happiness
Lately things have been a bit rough. I'm not exactly sure how to describe what I'm feeling, but I have been in a bit of a slump. I'm missing my friends in Buenos Aires. Living with a family is good, but it's so hard to feel like everyone is talking around me or to me but I have no idea what they are saying. Lately I've also felt like my learning has plateaued and my English my actually be getting worse. YIKES. In addition I really miss preparing my own food...especially since my FAVORITE holiday is rapidly approaching and I will not be spending it with my family or friends this year. Finally, there is also something generally a bit gloomy about Lima...I think the cloudy and short days are causing seasonal affective disorder :)
Anyways, the point of all this is that I've been in a funk. Sometimes that happens and I'm learning to accept it, and then figure out how the heck to get rid of it! I'm trying to be more proactive about finding things to improve my outlook on Lima and my life here. I finally pulled my sleepy bum out of bed yesterday morning and went for a run before school. It was short and slow, but it was great to just get outside and move. I'm also spending more time with some of the other ladies at school and girlfriends are great treatment for de-funktifying. Last night I was laying in bed, unable to sleep and I started remembering all the things that make me happy. I thought of my incredible teammates and friends at Cal and all of our crazy and weird experiences. I thought of my incredible family and how thankful I am for our relationships. I remembered some of my strangest injuries and all the times I have ended up in the Emergency Room for various reasons. I thought about my sisters and our many many many years of adventuring. I remembered my wild and crazy running extravaganzas. My first marathon when I was relatively certain I could not finish and some incredible woman gave me sour cream and onion pringles at mile 16 and the crunchy salty goodness propelled me to the next aid station and eventually to another runner with whom I laughed all the way to the finish. Both my relay teams were incredible and gave me enough laughs, songs and moons to last a lifetime (van 2, pod 2 forever!). I thought about the last six miles of my ultramarathon when I had to verbally remind myself to breathe, move my feet and just keep going...and how much I wanted a bloody mary at the finish. I thought about Anmol and how much fun we've had together...discovering new foods, new places and new ways to shorten the incredible distance between the east and west coast and how excited I am to live in the same zip code. I listened to Taylor Swift and thought about how much I laughed at summer camp and how I'll never hear a TS song without remembering Lizzi, Sarah W, Megan and Hannah. I thought about a lot of things!!!
After several minutes of reminiscing I found myself smiling and even laughing as I laid in my bed (under my pink and purple Hannah Montana blankets). Sometimes life is funky, but I am so thankful for all the memories I have to remind me that even when things seem rough, I have SO SO SO much to be thankful for. Thank you thank you thank you to all the people who've helped create my wrinkle lines from laughing so much. I love you all and I can't wait to see you soon. In the mean time, I'm in Lima, learning to make the most of it. LOVE YOU ALL!
Anyways, the point of all this is that I've been in a funk. Sometimes that happens and I'm learning to accept it, and then figure out how the heck to get rid of it! I'm trying to be more proactive about finding things to improve my outlook on Lima and my life here. I finally pulled my sleepy bum out of bed yesterday morning and went for a run before school. It was short and slow, but it was great to just get outside and move. I'm also spending more time with some of the other ladies at school and girlfriends are great treatment for de-funktifying. Last night I was laying in bed, unable to sleep and I started remembering all the things that make me happy. I thought of my incredible teammates and friends at Cal and all of our crazy and weird experiences. I thought of my incredible family and how thankful I am for our relationships. I remembered some of my strangest injuries and all the times I have ended up in the Emergency Room for various reasons. I thought about my sisters and our many many many years of adventuring. I remembered my wild and crazy running extravaganzas. My first marathon when I was relatively certain I could not finish and some incredible woman gave me sour cream and onion pringles at mile 16 and the crunchy salty goodness propelled me to the next aid station and eventually to another runner with whom I laughed all the way to the finish. Both my relay teams were incredible and gave me enough laughs, songs and moons to last a lifetime (van 2, pod 2 forever!). I thought about the last six miles of my ultramarathon when I had to verbally remind myself to breathe, move my feet and just keep going...and how much I wanted a bloody mary at the finish. I thought about Anmol and how much fun we've had together...discovering new foods, new places and new ways to shorten the incredible distance between the east and west coast and how excited I am to live in the same zip code. I listened to Taylor Swift and thought about how much I laughed at summer camp and how I'll never hear a TS song without remembering Lizzi, Sarah W, Megan and Hannah. I thought about a lot of things!!!
After several minutes of reminiscing I found myself smiling and even laughing as I laid in my bed (under my pink and purple Hannah Montana blankets). Sometimes life is funky, but I am so thankful for all the memories I have to remind me that even when things seem rough, I have SO SO SO much to be thankful for. Thank you thank you thank you to all the people who've helped create my wrinkle lines from laughing so much. I love you all and I can't wait to see you soon. In the mean time, I'm in Lima, learning to make the most of it. LOVE YOU ALL!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Getting my feet wet
I've been in Perú for ten days. So far it's been totally different than I expected. I don't really know how to describe the city of Lima, or more specifically Miraflores, where I am living. It's very urban and it feels really disjointed. Bs As was urban, but it also felt welcoming and inviting. Lima does not invoke those feelings. I don't exactly know how to describe it...it's just different. It's also cold...who knew? Apparently the Humboldt Current comes up from Antarctica and creates a cloudy/humid/coldish climate. It's certainly not winter, but most days are overcast and around 65 Fahrenheit. There is a lot of poverty here and there are many children begging or juggling or dancing in the streets. I've been told that families will actually rent out there children to street vendors and they receive a cut of the profits in return. Very sad.
School is going well and I'm amazed with how much I've learned. I still have loads and loads to learn, but I can finally carry on basic conversations with a bit of ease. It's strange how it felt like I wasn't making any progress and then one day I realized I was speaking and it wasn't a total disaster. It feels great to make progress. I also started learning to surf last week. An adventure for sure :) I like it, but it's much more difficult than I imagined. The standing up isn't so hard...the paddling and wave battling is hard. Today was my third day and much better than my first two times. I love being in the ocean and sitting on my surfboard as the sun sets over the Pacific is pretty sweet.
I'm living with a host family and they are fantastic. There is the grandma (Olinda-70ish), her daughter (Rosana-50ish), Rosanna's son (Renzo-25ish), and Olinda's granddaughter (Daniella-12). A full house. They are friendly and welcoming and generally really wonderful. The only problem I've encountered is the food. Oy. We eat so so so much rice. Most nights we have a giant plate of white rice with a giant side of either mashed or fried potatoes. Yikes. Some nights it's rice and quinoa. So many carbs. I want to ask my host fam for some beans or veggies or something, but I feel very rude and don't want to be insensitive. A tough situation for sure. This morning I had some type of quinoa gelatinous soup for breakfast. I love quinoa, but this was the consistency of throw up. No bueno. I'm really at a loss because they watch me eat and love to hear me say nice things about the food...but it is not easy! Sometimes we have delicious veggies or fruits, it's just too rare of an occurrence. This country has so many incredible incredible incredible fruits, and yet I eat so much rice and potatoes. I have had the opportunity to try many new fruits on my own. I'm obsessed with granidillas, maracuyas, chirymoras, guanabanas, pipinos, mamays and there are so many more to try! I will try to take some photos and post them soon.
Okay, my bill at the internet cafe is adding up fast so I must go. I miss you all so much and hope you are enjoying fall and all of the beautiful changes happening! I love hearing from everyone so please stay in touch. Te amo mucho!!!
School is going well and I'm amazed with how much I've learned. I still have loads and loads to learn, but I can finally carry on basic conversations with a bit of ease. It's strange how it felt like I wasn't making any progress and then one day I realized I was speaking and it wasn't a total disaster. It feels great to make progress. I also started learning to surf last week. An adventure for sure :) I like it, but it's much more difficult than I imagined. The standing up isn't so hard...the paddling and wave battling is hard. Today was my third day and much better than my first two times. I love being in the ocean and sitting on my surfboard as the sun sets over the Pacific is pretty sweet.
I'm living with a host family and they are fantastic. There is the grandma (Olinda-70ish), her daughter (Rosana-50ish), Rosanna's son (Renzo-25ish), and Olinda's granddaughter (Daniella-12). A full house. They are friendly and welcoming and generally really wonderful. The only problem I've encountered is the food. Oy. We eat so so so much rice. Most nights we have a giant plate of white rice with a giant side of either mashed or fried potatoes. Yikes. Some nights it's rice and quinoa. So many carbs. I want to ask my host fam for some beans or veggies or something, but I feel very rude and don't want to be insensitive. A tough situation for sure. This morning I had some type of quinoa gelatinous soup for breakfast. I love quinoa, but this was the consistency of throw up. No bueno. I'm really at a loss because they watch me eat and love to hear me say nice things about the food...but it is not easy! Sometimes we have delicious veggies or fruits, it's just too rare of an occurrence. This country has so many incredible incredible incredible fruits, and yet I eat so much rice and potatoes. I have had the opportunity to try many new fruits on my own. I'm obsessed with granidillas, maracuyas, chirymoras, guanabanas, pipinos, mamays and there are so many more to try! I will try to take some photos and post them soon.
Okay, my bill at the internet cafe is adding up fast so I must go. I miss you all so much and hope you are enjoying fall and all of the beautiful changes happening! I love hearing from everyone so please stay in touch. Te amo mucho!!!
Monday, November 9, 2009
A love letter to Argentina
Dear Argentina,
I don't have words to thank you for my experiences during the past six weeks. I cannot believe our time together came and went so quickly. Every day I was surprised by your incredible gifts. Thank you for the unbelievable things I saw...los Cataratas de Iguazu, El Parque Nacional de las Glaciares, los penguinos y las ballenas en Peninsula Valdez, y los calles, edificios y estadios de futbol en la ciudad de Buenos Aires. Thank you for gently introducing me to the incredible foods and beverages of Argentina. Another thank you for the many many dietecas that continually supplied me with a million gluten free indulgences! The pasta, the gnocchi, the chipas, the galletitas, the chocolate covered rice cakes filled with dulce de leche...YUM. Thank you for the incredible staff at ECELA, Bs As and their patience with me as I slowly and painfully stumbled though broken Spanglish with what must be a terrible accent. Most importantly, thank you for my friends...for Cat, Jimmy, Teddy, Willem, Jenny, Suzana, Martjn, Emily, Mark and so many others. Without them my experience would not have been nearly as enjoyable, memorable or powerful. Thank you for the time we spent together and the relationships I know will last for many years.
Before arriving I knew little of your incredible sights, food and people. Though I only lived a moment in your unbelievable country, I felt welcome (except when playing futbol) and at home. Muchas muchas gracias por un experienca incredible. Yo aprendí mucho, pero sé que tengo mucho más que aprender en el futuro.
In the infamous words of Andrew Lloyd Webber (and Madonna)...
Don't cry for me Argentina
The truth is I never left you
All through my wild days
My mad existence
I kept my promise
Don't keep your distance
Have I said to much?
There's nothing more
I can think of to say to you
But all you have to do
Is look at me to know
That every word is true
I don't have words to thank you for my experiences during the past six weeks. I cannot believe our time together came and went so quickly. Every day I was surprised by your incredible gifts. Thank you for the unbelievable things I saw...los Cataratas de Iguazu, El Parque Nacional de las Glaciares, los penguinos y las ballenas en Peninsula Valdez, y los calles, edificios y estadios de futbol en la ciudad de Buenos Aires. Thank you for gently introducing me to the incredible foods and beverages of Argentina. Another thank you for the many many dietecas that continually supplied me with a million gluten free indulgences! The pasta, the gnocchi, the chipas, the galletitas, the chocolate covered rice cakes filled with dulce de leche...YUM. Thank you for the incredible staff at ECELA, Bs As and their patience with me as I slowly and painfully stumbled though broken Spanglish with what must be a terrible accent. Most importantly, thank you for my friends...for Cat, Jimmy, Teddy, Willem, Jenny, Suzana, Martjn, Emily, Mark and so many others. Without them my experience would not have been nearly as enjoyable, memorable or powerful. Thank you for the time we spent together and the relationships I know will last for many years.
Before arriving I knew little of your incredible sights, food and people. Though I only lived a moment in your unbelievable country, I felt welcome (except when playing futbol) and at home. Muchas muchas gracias por un experienca incredible. Yo aprendí mucho, pero sé que tengo mucho más que aprender en el futuro.
In the infamous words of Andrew Lloyd Webber (and Madonna)...
Don't cry for me Argentina
The truth is I never left you
All through my wild days
My mad existence
I kept my promise
Don't keep your distance
Have I said to much?
There's nothing more
I can think of to say to you
But all you have to do
Is look at me to know
That every word is true
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Do you remember when...
These are the first lines of one of my favorite songs. The song reminds me of so many things...an awesome road trip to Cal with Kimmer, the incredible fall of 2003, singing...and lots of other fun things. Before going to Puerto Pírimides I purchased two disposable cameras with 27 photos each. As I clicked away I couldn't help but remember the days of 35mm film and how I either agonized over whether a shot was ¨worth it¨, or I snapped away and then agonized when I had to print 250 photos of the Washington, DC zoo. Now, with the convenience of digital I snap away endlessly, download them to my computer, share them with friends and family, but rarely print them. Anyway, with only 54 shots to work with I was back in photo conservation mode. It was actually fun because I really looked around, I waited for what I hoped would be a good pic, and mostly I tried to be satisfied with memories instead of a zillion photos. Plus, everyone gasps at the sight of a disposable camera and eventually someone asks why I don't have a digital. This is a great segway to the ¨maybe you could email me some of your pics¨conversation :) Anyway, there were many moments I wished I could click away, but I am also exited to print these pics and see what I`ve got. I will eventually get another digital, but for now things are good. I even have two pics left for tomorrow!
My two days in Peninsula Valdéz/Puerto Pírimides were great, but different than I expected. The peninsula is an UNESCO World Heritage Site and world famous for the Southern Right Whale, Magellan Penguins and numerous other types of wildlife. Have you ever seen a penguin, a sea lion and a sheep all on the same beach? Today, I did. Awesome, but weird. I had hoped to kayak, trek and maybe snorkel, but none of these worked out. The weather was terrible yesterday and the wind kept most of the boats in the harbor. I went on a boat to see the whales (so huge, so beautiful), but after only 50 minutes we had to come in because of the weather. Snorkeling and kayaking were canceled for the same reasons. I ended up hiking up to an overlook yesterday afternoon and it was fantastic. I was a long ways away, but from the hillside I was able to sit and watch the sea for several hours. I saw all kinds of beautiful birds, clouds and WHALES. It was really windy so sometimes I may have confused a wave with the top of a whale, but in my mind they were all whales. Eventually a park ranger spotted me and came to ask if everything was ok. He was very nice and even lent me his binoculars. THEN, I truly saw the whales. I saw them spout water high into the air, I saw spyhopping, and then I even saw a few jump into the air! So incredible. It's hard to imagine the amount of power it takes to propel such an immense animal into the air like that. Holy moley. Eventually made it back to my hostel for a nap, dinner and bed. Woke up early today and walked to the beach to watch the sea again. I am so inspired by the ocean. It blows my mind every time I see or hear it. The power of the ocean, the number of creatures that live within in, the unpredictability. It all blows me away. Later I ran into one of the guides from the whale watching boat and he invited me for a maté with his family. Maté is a kind of tea that every Argentinian drinks all day long. It's sipped out of a gourd through a shared metal straw. Might be a bit unsanitary, but it's an honor to be invited. After maté I made my way onto the bus for a tour of the peninsula. A long drive, but was able to see llamas, ostrich, sea lions, penguins, elephant seas and an armadillo. Also, tons and tons of sheep. It's so interesting how many animals live together on the peninsula without bothering each other. I would have preferred to tour in a private car, but without a few friends, renting is much too expensive. I'm glad I went, but if I return I may do things a bit differently.
I'm currently at a quaint but clean hostel back in Puerto Madryn. Tomorrow I go to Bs As for my final night before heading to Lima. The photos I posted on my blog are courtesy of Anmol's old iphone. While I originally thought the iphone was a cool but overrated device, I have to admit that it has been awesome in Argentina. Many places have wifi and with the iphone I can connect without a computer. Also, my friend at school unlocked it so I was able to use it as a regular phone here. Finally, with the loss of my camera I used the iphone camera to catch some pics and then realized I could email them to my blog. SO COOL. Way to go apple!
This week has passed so quickly and I am so thankful for the experience and the incredible people I have met along the way. I don't feel ready to leave Argentina, but I cannot wait to see Peru.
My two days in Peninsula Valdéz/Puerto Pírimides were great, but different than I expected. The peninsula is an UNESCO World Heritage Site and world famous for the Southern Right Whale, Magellan Penguins and numerous other types of wildlife. Have you ever seen a penguin, a sea lion and a sheep all on the same beach? Today, I did. Awesome, but weird. I had hoped to kayak, trek and maybe snorkel, but none of these worked out. The weather was terrible yesterday and the wind kept most of the boats in the harbor. I went on a boat to see the whales (so huge, so beautiful), but after only 50 minutes we had to come in because of the weather. Snorkeling and kayaking were canceled for the same reasons. I ended up hiking up to an overlook yesterday afternoon and it was fantastic. I was a long ways away, but from the hillside I was able to sit and watch the sea for several hours. I saw all kinds of beautiful birds, clouds and WHALES. It was really windy so sometimes I may have confused a wave with the top of a whale, but in my mind they were all whales. Eventually a park ranger spotted me and came to ask if everything was ok. He was very nice and even lent me his binoculars. THEN, I truly saw the whales. I saw them spout water high into the air, I saw spyhopping, and then I even saw a few jump into the air! So incredible. It's hard to imagine the amount of power it takes to propel such an immense animal into the air like that. Holy moley. Eventually made it back to my hostel for a nap, dinner and bed. Woke up early today and walked to the beach to watch the sea again. I am so inspired by the ocean. It blows my mind every time I see or hear it. The power of the ocean, the number of creatures that live within in, the unpredictability. It all blows me away. Later I ran into one of the guides from the whale watching boat and he invited me for a maté with his family. Maté is a kind of tea that every Argentinian drinks all day long. It's sipped out of a gourd through a shared metal straw. Might be a bit unsanitary, but it's an honor to be invited. After maté I made my way onto the bus for a tour of the peninsula. A long drive, but was able to see llamas, ostrich, sea lions, penguins, elephant seas and an armadillo. Also, tons and tons of sheep. It's so interesting how many animals live together on the peninsula without bothering each other. I would have preferred to tour in a private car, but without a few friends, renting is much too expensive. I'm glad I went, but if I return I may do things a bit differently.
I'm currently at a quaint but clean hostel back in Puerto Madryn. Tomorrow I go to Bs As for my final night before heading to Lima. The photos I posted on my blog are courtesy of Anmol's old iphone. While I originally thought the iphone was a cool but overrated device, I have to admit that it has been awesome in Argentina. Many places have wifi and with the iphone I can connect without a computer. Also, my friend at school unlocked it so I was able to use it as a regular phone here. Finally, with the loss of my camera I used the iphone camera to catch some pics and then realized I could email them to my blog. SO COOL. Way to go apple!
This week has passed so quickly and I am so thankful for the experience and the incredible people I have met along the way. I don't feel ready to leave Argentina, but I cannot wait to see Peru.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
El Mar
Last night, after four great days in El Calafate & El Chalten, I flew to Puerto Madryn on the east coast of Argentina. Funny to go from the blistering cold of the mountains to the ocean. Stayed in town last night and today will take a bus to the national reserve called Peninsula Valdez. Planning to stay in the only small down on the peninsula and hopefully spend the next two days hiking, kayaking and spending some time watching my whale friends. Should be awesome!
Traveling is incredible because it can be whatever I want it to be. Sunday I made incredible new friends from around the world and we spent 18 hours laughing and talking together. Monday I went to El Chalten and spent the entire day hiking alone in the mountains. Such different days, but both so fantastic. I wonder what will happen next?
I'm still a bit heartbroken over the loss of my camera, but I'm trying to move on. Hopefully the person who has it now really really really needed it. Oy. Have been debating whether to buy a new one and still haven't come to a conclusion. For now I'm going to start with a few disposables and go from there. Any suggestions?
Hope the start of November is brisk, full of colorful leaves and all around fall-like. Miss you and hope to speak soon!
Sarah, the Sea, the Whales...such a good combination.
Traveling is incredible because it can be whatever I want it to be. Sunday I made incredible new friends from around the world and we spent 18 hours laughing and talking together. Monday I went to El Chalten and spent the entire day hiking alone in the mountains. Such different days, but both so fantastic. I wonder what will happen next?
I'm still a bit heartbroken over the loss of my camera, but I'm trying to move on. Hopefully the person who has it now really really really needed it. Oy. Have been debating whether to buy a new one and still haven't come to a conclusion. For now I'm going to start with a few disposables and go from there. Any suggestions?
Hope the start of November is brisk, full of colorful leaves and all around fall-like. Miss you and hope to speak soon!
Sarah, the Sea, the Whales...such a good combination.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Another great day
No internet time left. Great day hiking and just submitted Yale Nursing app. Very productive day!
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Being Thankful
Today was an incredible day. Incredible probably isn't a strong enough word, but I am too tired to decide on something better. I got up early this morning to go to Parque Nacional Los Glaciares. Met Emily (London, UK), Mark (Perth, Aus), Suzana and Martin (Amsterdam, Holland) on the bus and together we enjoyed a fabulous adventure. We took a boat across Lake Argentina, the largest lake in the country. On the other side we hiked in the forest, laced up our crampons, and began an unbelievable ice trek on the glacier. OUTRAGEOUS. We walked for hours and saw rivers and streams running through the glacier. We saw the only living organism on the glacier (a crazy insect that produces antifreeze). We saw pools so blue they looked fake. We went through an ice cave!!! WHOA. So awesome. Eventually we hiked back and enjoyed a hot beverage and a few minutes of relaxation. Eventually we crossed the lake and went to the viewing area in front of the glaciers. The weather was perfect and we had sun all day. We were so fortunate to even see a large chunk fall of the face of the glacier and crash into the lake. So crazy. We got back to El Calafate around 8pm and went to an awesome restaurant for dinner. I had an unbelievably good stew that was inside a delicious pumpkin. Maybe my new favorite food :)
Can't beleive the day is over. Tomorrow I'm headed to El Chalten for another day of hiking in the Fitz Roy Range. Looking forward to more awesomeness. Sadly, my camera went missing yesterday. Not sure if it fell out of my pocket or was stolen, but it is such a big bummer. So sad. Over 600 photos. Thankfully my friend Cat told me to back some of them up last week and I have a few on a friend's computer in Buenos Aires. Today my new friends took lots and I can make copies. Sucky, but things could be much much worse. I am so thankful for such a great day and for the awesome people I met today. Who knows, maybe my camera will magically return. Keep your fingers crossed for me!
Must rest my tired body. Buen noche!
Can't beleive the day is over. Tomorrow I'm headed to El Chalten for another day of hiking in the Fitz Roy Range. Looking forward to more awesomeness. Sadly, my camera went missing yesterday. Not sure if it fell out of my pocket or was stolen, but it is such a big bummer. So sad. Over 600 photos. Thankfully my friend Cat told me to back some of them up last week and I have a few on a friend's computer in Buenos Aires. Today my new friends took lots and I can make copies. Sucky, but things could be much much worse. I am so thankful for such a great day and for the awesome people I met today. Who knows, maybe my camera will magically return. Keep your fingers crossed for me!
Must rest my tired body. Buen noche!
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