Immersing myself in Ecuador

The journey.

christelpeters — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 19:20:00 GMT

This journal entry is not about a recent destination I've visited. It's more about the journey that brought me here. I hope that it can inspire someone or at least help all of those people who do not understand my decision to do this a little more understanding.

About a year ago I was at a point in my life that felt so stagnant I thought I might drown in the stillness of it. What did I have to complain about? I had a great, stable job. It afforded me a life of travel and I accomplished the goal of paying off my debt and being able to save money. As much as I have always hated my career I actually liked my job. I had a boyfriend. I had amazing friends and family. I lived in one of the most unique places on Earth. I had my health. I was so stable that I was afraid of the unseen force that would inevitably knock me down.

I was in a constant state of feeling unappreciative of everything I had. My boyfriend tried but nothing he did could fill the void of wanting that "perfect" partner. Do they exist? I hear that they do and it is my romanticism and faith that keeps me from settling for something that doesn't quite make the grade. My mind consistently planned the next escape, the next adventure, the next vacation. I wanted a change.

I had an apartment with art on the walls and a refrigerator filled with food. A big screen tv and my Xbox. A vehicle that was paid off. This hadn't happened in YEARS.

And yet, I felt so alone. So unhappy. I could not go a day without thinking "what the hell am I doing here????". It is the easiest thing to tell someone in that situation to just change it. Sure. But change to WHAT? I had no idea what could make me happy. Shouldn't I just stay where I have a sure paycheck and a man in my life? Is being poor and alone better than having money and having a significant other but yet still feel alone every day? I now have the answer…

Yes. On a budget and no man wins. To have money and the ideal partner in life would be amazing. I just choose not to wait in one place and hope that it may happen. If you want something in life, you have to be aggressive and go for it. It may seem like things just come easily to some people. Maybe it does. But do they appreciate it? No one is going to read your mind and know what you want if you don't express it or act on it.

I made the decision to quit it all and travel. It was the hugest burden lifted from my soul. I immediately looked forward to life again. I may not have a husband and children to mark my place in the world but I hope that by traveling I can leave a different kind of mark.

Getting through the panic of organizing the logistics of this lifestyle is definitely worth it. Not everyone is in my position and can do exactly what I did. However, I urge anyone who is not happy to MAKE A CHANGE. People are forever telling me how "brave" I am for traveling alone. I think it was a survival instinct for me. The courageous part of this whole venture was the very beginning when I decided to actually do it. I had a choice. Stay cowardly in a life that was so unfullfilling or be brave and do the inconceivable.

I am sitting here in a very comfortable bed in a hostel in Quito, Ecuador. Every once in a while I miss certain aspects of my old life but never enough to be homesick. In fact, thinking about returning gives me heart palpitations and actually caused a week of panic attacks a few weeks ago. I have met some of the best people in the world on my short journey so far. Yes, there are times when I feel lonely. Right now, for instance. I get through it by knowing that tomorrow when I travel to my next adventure I will meet more people who help fill any "void" there may be in my heart. I don't know where my life will lead but I am now in a place where I am excited to see the finale.

Be brave my friends. If I can do it. You can do it. I'll help in any way I can.

I hope this finds you all safe, warm, happy, and healthy.

Stuck in the City - Cuenca, Ecuador

christelpeters — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 07:09:00 GMT

I have not written about my experience in Cuenca for a few weeks. One reason is I wanted to distance myself from it and not write a horrible review just because I was in a funk for the last 10 days of my stay there. Another is because once I left, I was in party mode for 2 weeks and did not do anything that required mind power.

I happened to be in Cuenca during one of the busiest travel times of the year. Bus schedules were going to be booked completely or not working at all. Hostels were completely booked up. It was best to remain in the city until after the holiday and then I could travel back to the coast. I had been dreaming of warm weather and the beach after 3 weeks of chilly weather and rain. I decided to stay in a hostel in Cuenca and enjoy the city life for 10 days without school.

I was happy with my hostel. Right on the river that ran by so strongly it blocked out the city noise and gave me the illusion of falling asleep in nature. Within very easy walking distance to anything I needed in the city. Delicious breakfast in the morning. Hot water and wifi. Extremely clean. http://www.villanovacuenca.com/

I was able to go to one museum while I was there. The best part, it's free!! It's done very well. My favorite exhibit was the shrunken heads. It was a very rainy day so it was perfect for being indoors and immersing myself in history. Museo del Banco Central. There is also land behind the museum that houses the ruins of an Incan village. The Spaniards took most of the rock and used it to build their modern city when they conquered but the museum has made the grounds to replicate what was once there. There are even llamas wandering about. I went back on a day that the sun was out and strolled along. It reminded me of being in Central Park in NYC, smack dab in the middle of the city but surrounded by nature and tranquility.

This was the extent of my outings. Everything else was closed. The city was also empty of people. Streets that used to take me 5 minutes to be able to cross were walkable. I resented everyone who had ditched me and the city for the coast. I ate Columbian food one night and spoke with the owner in my halting espanol. Came away pretty proud of myself. The next night was Austrian food and I loved it. Those were my highlights. All I could think about was getting back to the beach…

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151467487351900.530427.602156899&type=1&l=68512b822c

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151468985301900.530589.602156899&type=1&l=b3dc4375c9

Moral of the story: if you do not like the city try not to get stuck there during a holiday. With no conveniences available and walking becomes a game of dodge the water balloons it is best to book early and be somewhere that you would not feel "stuck".

Hope this finds all who read it to be Healthy, Safe, Happy and Warm!!!!

Roller Coaster times in Banos, Ecuador.

christelpeters — Tue, 5 Feb 2013 18:05:00 GMT

It has been an interesting week. Last Sunday I went with my host family (Liz and her children Luigi and Analei) on a short road trip. We followed a route known as the Ruta de las Cascadas ( the route of the waterfalls). Tourists usually rent a bicycle and bike down this road from the mountain terrain of Banos down to the jungle atmosphere of Puyo. On the way you see many waterfalls as well as many adventure experiences. Some people elect to jump off a bridge bungee style. Others opt for the cable car across a canyon over a river to view waterfalls up close. We chose to stop at an infamous waterfall called Pailon. This massively powerful waterfall is reached by a hike through jungle terrain with steps carved into the hillside. The climate changes on the way down and becomes humid. You can pay $1.50 to walk up to the waterfall and then back down and across a rope hung bridge for another view. We walked to a scenic point but did not go all the way to the top of the waterfall. To get there you must crawl through a very narrow tunnel and you are soaked by the time you get back. Unfortunately I didn't think to carry my waterproof camera and Liz is claustrophobic. Next time I will be more prepared and I will go to the top!!

I settled in for another week of learning spanish. Spoiled is an understatement. My bed made for me everyday. Breakfast and lunch waiting for me when I woke up and returned home from school. I still felt discouraged about my spanish. It is a roller coaster of sentiment when immersing yourself in another language. I would feel so giddy and proud when I was able to get my point across and understand someone in a restaurant or store. Then inevitably I would find myself unable to understand a thing a person was saying and would come away so confused and ashamed. It's embarrassing and ego-bruising.

I decided that 2 weeks in Banos would be my cut off and then I would head to a city. We planned my trip to Cuenca and I looked forward to my new school and new family in a more urban setting.

Fate intervened that week and 2 girls that I had met the day before I left Montanita at my school there came to Banos with 2 other friends of theirs. I got to hang out with them for a couple of nights. It was fun to have people to go out with that were travelers like me and understand how hard it is to do this. Life is a vacation at the moment but my head is so easily exhausted from attempting to translate constantly that I feel drained and too tired to venture out much. Speaking English for a while made me feel like cheating but it felt so wonderful. I read a blog by another traveler who seemed to be writing my story. http://sotcblog.com/2013/02/01/lost-in-the-barrier-of-language-life-as-a-monoglot-in-colombia/ She spoke about how lonely it can be even when surrounded by so many people because of the language barrier. I keep waiting for the day when it just all makes sense to me. 1 month of training and I feel like I should be a rock star spanish-speaking gringo but that is pretty ridiculous. Yet, not ONCE have I ever thought of throwing in the towel and giving up. I AM GOING TO CONQUER THIS.

I decided to have my last full day in Banos be an adventure tour day. GeoTours was recommended to me. http://www.geotoursbanios.com/index_ingles.html I chose to do rafting in the morning and canyoning in the afternoon. I had no idea what I was signing up for but I figured, why not??

My morning was great. The guides took the 6 us to the river and after a safety talk we got on our raft and went down the river for about an hour. We hit class 3+ and 4 rapids and it was exhilarating for a beginner. I absolutely loved it. I never experienced any fear during the whole trip. Our guide was calm and fun and knew the river well. This company also has a safety kayaker with each group. At one point one of the girls in the group popped out of the raft but we got her back in the raft in no time. I was sad when the trip was over. We watched other groups coming down the last rapids and it was a tangled mass of rafts with no safety kayakers. If you want to do something for the first time I highly suggest doing it the safest way, it makes it so much more enjoyable and you more apt to want to do it again! We were brought to a local restaurant and fed traditional food and then it was back to town.

I had the other tour at 2pm so I ran home, changed into dry clothes and headed straight back for the canyoning adventure. Another set of guides took us to another location up in the mountains. Our driver was a sweet older gentlemen who picked some flowers for me. We changed into our gear and headed up to where we would be repelling down waterfalls into a canyon. The walk up just about killed me but I made it and I'm so glad I did. After another safety lesson and quick instruction on what to do they basically just make you repel down a mountain!! I had no fear at all!! Probably because my guides were like Spiderman and made it look so simple and were so relaxed and fun. The longest repel was 30 meters down a waterfall. At the end you slide on your behind (they are guiding you with the rope) down a natural water slide. Best day ever.

On the return to Banos we were taken to another restaurant and served sandwiches and hot drinks. Once you do something like that in a group you all feel connected. We sat and talked and decided to meet up for drinks later.

After a day like that and wearing 2 different sets of stinky wetsuits all you really want to do is shower in hot water and relax and look at the pictures to prove what a bad-ass you were that day. Unfortunately I had to pack and even more unfortunately that was the day we had no hot water. The water was not just cool, it was freezing cold but I had to shower. That woke me up though and I packed and met up with my new friends later that night. I had such a great time I was almost wanting to stay in Banos. That's how it always is though. I just get comfortable and want to stay but I know I need to move on and learn more and see whatever I can while I am here in this amazing country.

The next morning I woke early to leave for the bus station in Ambato. My host mommy had to go there anyways for a conference and that is where I could get a direct bus to Cuenca. I basically did not have to do a thing. Once in Ambato they brought me directly to the ticket counter. I bought my ticket and waited for the bus in their car. When the bus arrived Liz got on the bus and actually picked my seat for me and gave me my tenth lecture on what to do with my bags and how to stay safe before she left. Earlier she had given me her sister's cell # (her sister owns the spanish school in Cuenca that I am going to) and I was supposed to call her when I was 30 minutes away for my host family to come and pick me up at my bus. The bus ride was the same route that I had taken there so I leaned my seat back and slept for about 2 hours. Around 3 hours into the 7 hour trip there was an awful exploding sound and everyone screamed. We kept driving for another 30 minutes without any difficulty. Then we stopped in the middle of nowhere at this remote service station and the bus was dead. The next 2 hours was a very confusing time. People getting off the bus and demanding their money back. Walking away to I didn't know where. Other people sitting around hoping the bus would be fixed. This whole time I had no cell service. The driver was able to use a land line to call requesting another bus but from what I understood that was going to be another 3 hours away. I decided that the next bus that came around I would try to get on and wherever I ended up as long as I had cell service and their was a hostel to sleep at I would be fine. Fate intervened again and a bus to Cuenca appeared. I pushed my way in the crowd of people and shamelessly flirted with my eyes with the driver and they let me on. I even got to ride up front with them and they insisted I stretch my legs on the dashboard. Best view on the bus!! It is the start of Carneval in Ecuador and the culture is to celebrate by throwing water at each other. The driver and his money handler would open the windows and dump water on all the cute girls walking on the road. They told me they only did it to the cute ones. I arrived in Cuenca 2 hours late and very tired but overall pleased with myself for using my charms (and a little wit) to make it there.

My host dad and his daughter found me at the station and we headed to his friend's house to eat a massive pizza while their children ran around and I spoke in very broken spanish to my new host mom and her friend. Once in my new home I showered and got on the computer. I had forgotten about the Super Bowl and tuned in on my computer just in time for the power outage at the Super Dome. I fell asleep after the game and woke up feeling much better about life but very sore from my adventures 2 days ago. Muscles I haven't used in a while are screaming right now!!

Monica (my host mom) drove me to school after breakfast with her mother. She had to take this crazy route around to the school and kept giving me directions back home in very rapid Spanish. I understood enough to know how to get to the general area but after school I got to the corner and couldn't find the house. My poor host brother had to ride his bike in the rain and come get me. So embarrassing. After lunch I practiced the route again and now I know where to go.

I will write more about Cuenca when I have been here longer and have more to share about it. Just wanted my friends and family to know I am safe and well. Please leave me comments if you want to know more (I'm sure I left a lot of details out but I feel like I keep blathering on and know one is really interested in all this…) or if you want me to go and have an experience in and write about it later, let me know and I'll see if I'm up to the challenge!!

I hope this finds everyone healthy, happy, safe and warm!

Links to my pics on FaceBook:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151421925856900.528289.602156899&type=1&l=c34baa9834

and

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151460064646900.529802.602156899&type=1&l=5eae6b6463

Finding the way in Banos, Ecuador.

christelpeters — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 10:55:00 GMT

I have spent the last week in a new and totally different environment from Montanita. Banos is like an island. Standing in the middle of town you can turn 360 degrees and see only mountains on all sides. Lush green surrounds the town and the scenery is so magnificent I feel as though I am on a very elaborate movie set. Everything is larger than life and seems to be so far away; yet anything you need or want to see is within a 30 minute stroll. I've replaced the oppressive heat of the sun and refreshing ocean breeze with the gentle warmth of that same sun and fresh mountain air that revitalizes me. I'm torn. I absolutely love the water and the lifestyle of being at the beach but I've felt so clean and refreshed here.

I have officially fallen in love with Ecuador. I know I haven't experienced any other country on this voyage yet but I will have difficulty when it's time to leave. I have also realized that if I were to settle and try to have a "real life" here it would not be living the way I am now. I am catered to constantly. I have not had to cook or clean for myself in 4 weeks. Even my bed is made for me. I am paying for all of this of course, if I were to have my own place and have to work for money it would be an entirely different perspective of life in South America. Until then though, I am going to just go with it and love the life that I have afforded myself for now.

I left Montanita on a Sunday morning at 4:45 am via bus. The bus brought me to Guayaquil and to the major transit station there. I was supposed to buy a direct ticket to Banos but for some reason the ticket window for Banos was closed (of course). I gave in and let one of the men who peddle to help lost foreigners find their way for a tip assist me in finding a window that would issue me a ticket. The route I was assigned was not a direct one but it left right away, no sitting around in the bus station for hours waiting. I tipped the man and got myself situated in a window seat with my pillows and light blanket. I slept for most of the trip. At every stop vendors selling food and drink would get on the bus and try to sell their goods. As we left the city the people's clothing changed drastically from Aeropostle to the clothing of the indigenous people of that area. The landscape also changed from the brown low hills of the coast to the high winding mountains.

10 hours into my trip I had a moment of anxiety. I had read that there was a scam with the buses where they would make you switch buses suddenly and the other bus would take you somewhere else or make you pay again for a route you had already paid for. We were one stop away from Banos in the city of Ambato and they suddenly said anyone going to Banos had to get off and get on another bus heading there. Fortunately a group of guys that had traveled the whole way with me from Guayaquil were just as suspicious and voiced all the questions I had. We all got our luggage and transferred to the bus and ended up in Banos without problem.

I was exhausted, felt dirty and very hungry. I walked to the school where I was to start lessons the following Monday morning. Unfortunately they were not expecting me until 7:00pm and I arrived at 4:30pm. No one was there and I was too tired to try and find a phone and contact anyone. There is a hostal a few doors down and I procured a room for the night. Big bed. HOT water for a shower. WiFi. TV. Quiet and clean. For $10. They even had a travel shampoo for me to use. The next morning the lovely lady who owns the place would not let me leave until I had guzzled down the fresh tomato juice she had just made. I was a new woman when I arrived at the school that morning.

The Banos Spanish Center (http://www.spanishcenterschool.com) is run by a lovely woman named Liz. Her home stay program is in her home and she shares breakfast and lunch with us in the house. She forces the Spanish to come out of me and I have slowly lost the paralysis that my brain was suffering from before. I still understand WAY more than I can communicate. Everyone assures me that this is normal and I will soon be able to hold a conversation with fluent speakers about more than the weather, my name, and where I'm from. I hope so. I am not surrounded by English speaking people here and therefore it is absolutely necessary to use my Spanish constantly. I have no comfort zone to fall into and while it is mentally fatiguing I can actually feel my comprehension and ability to speak become stronger with the practice.

I suffered my first bout of illness this week. Most miserable and lonely night ever. Woke from a nap and felt feverish and ill. I took an antibiotic and some tylenol but suffered an allergic reaction to the antibiotic and my fever became so high and unbearable I could barely move. I piled the bed with comforters from the closet and suffered rigors so strong that the blankets kept shaking off the bed. So horrible. Hours of this left me so exhausted I could not even get up and tell my house mother Liz that I needed some attention. Luckily, the fever broke in the middle of the night and I passed out until the morning. I was able to go to school but 4 hours of lessons left me so tired I came home and wasted yet another day in bed. I feel like I wasted 2 days and decided to extend my stay in Banos another week so that I can take advantage of all of the adventure opportunities here. Jungle tours, volcano tours, massage and spas, weekend markets and indigenous food are too exciting to pass up.

On Thursday night I experienced my first earthquake. Strong enough to shake the house but nothing was damaged. Liz ran downstairs and turned on the radio to make sure the volcano wasn't erupting. She told us to go back to bed and if we needed to evacuate we would be leaving with her and her family. Yikes.

Last night I made a trip to the famous hot spring pools. Las piscinas are filled with the murky yellow water that is not dirty but made up of minerals and is mixed with the cold water of the adjacent cascading waterfall. I chose a horrible time to go. I was told that the water is changed at 6pm and people like to go then. I was also told to go at 5am and beat the crowds but being alone and not knowing the process I wanted to go and watch what other people do. For $3 you are admitted and can change in the changing rooms provided and your items are kept in lockers with an attendant. The one pool that is regulated to a comfortable temperature was filled with about 50 people. Not exactly relaxing but I enjoyed sitting there and trying to understand everyone's conversations around me. A nice man and his young son spoke with me very slowly and were encouraging with my attempt at conversation. Other people starting smiling and listening to my faulty wording but they weren't malicious about it, I felt as though they were rooting for me. After a while my brain was on overload from the heat of the pool and the constant translation that has to occur in my head to hold a baby sized conversation and I returned home.

Well, this is one long blog and I haven't even done any of the normal touristy adventure tours yet!! I suppose next week will be an update on those experiences. I hope this finds everyone happy, healthy, safe and warm!!!

Here is a link to my pics on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151412781411900.527423.602156899&type=1&l=606dfc5079

To sleep or not to sleep!!

christelpeters — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 13:45:00 GMT

Montanita, Ecuador. I can never remember which city it is that never sleeps. New York or Las Vegas? No matter what, this small town on the coast of Ecuador could put them to shame. EVERY NIGHT of the week there are people out until after the sun rises having fun doing all kinds of sinful activities. This is definitely the place to come for anyone who wants a laid back vibe with never-ending partying. It's also an inexpensive place to indulge in your wilder side. A whole street off the beach is referred to as Cocktail Alley. The bars play music so loud you can dance in the street to it while pretending to be able to salsa dance. I chose to stay outside of town, at "the point" to avoid the late-night volume and noise. I'm all about having a good time but my most important experience for me here is my Spanish learning. Although I apparently think I am quite fluent when I've had more than a few cocktails...

My favorite time is my leisurely stroll to school in the morning. Around 8:00 am there are usually only the scattering of people around. Those coming home after a long night of festivities or those passed out on the beach after those festivities got the better of them. Also, people like me, who like to wake up early and enjoy the calm of walking barefooted in the sand with the tide stretched so far out the beach looks a mile wider. I let the ocean breeze wake me and find a spot to plop and write in my journal or just watch the waves and the crabs that scuttle in and out of there little holes in the sand. It's peaceful. So relaxing.

By 1:00 pm when I am out of school the walk on the beach is much different. I play a continuous game of dodge ball from all of the people playing soccer or paddle ball. The tide can be up almost to the edge of town. Vendors hawk all different kinds of goods, honking horns and ringing bells and whistling loudly to get your attention. The beach is flooded with lounge chairs and bright umbrellas.

Town is much different in the daylight. Even more vendors are selling goods on the street leaving room for one car at a time to pass. Most people are quietly getting over the night before and enjoying their first meal of the day, either in the cool of a restaurant with wifi or on the street from a food cart.

Sunblock for us gringos is super important. Ecuador means Equator. So close to the sun this girl's white pasty skin can become lobster red and painful in less than an hour. I slather on the SPF 50 and I've still managed a slight red tinge to my now somewhat more bronzed skin. Afternoon is usually time for a nice nap, either on the beach or in my room with the fan blowing directly on me. What a horribly stressful life, huh??

Where I am staying there are two places that I like to go and find people to socialize with that are usually English speaking and up for getting acquainted. Across the road from my hostel is the Montanita Brewing Company. They make delicious fish tacos and some of the best sushi rolls I've ever had. They also have an assortment of alcoholic beverages to choose from and it's location is ideal. The bar sits directly on the beach and hosts many people on it's cushioned sofas and chairs. Sunset is perfect to watch from here while enjoying a cold brew. There is also the Casa de Sol, our neighbor. This hostel also boasts a small bar where people like to congregate after a day of surfing and such. Convenient for me!

The original plan to be in Montanita for one week at Mar Azul Spanish School extended into 2 weeks. I wanted a larger base of knowledge before really traveling by myself. So far I've been catered to by having a ride from the airport and Gaby setting up my lodging. On Saturday I am going to head to the town of Banos. Gaby has connections here to continue my spanish learning and they follow her curriculum. I'm excited to see more of Ecuador, slightly nervous to leave my new comfort zone, and hopeful that I will continue to forge my path in life on this awesome adventure!!! Keep following for more, I'll try to update more often.

Hope this finds everyone warm, safe, happy and healthy!

No Homesickness Yet!!

christelpeters — Sun, 6 Jan 2013 09:30:00 GMT

I am writing this journal entry just to let my friends and loved ones know that I am safe and well. I arrived in Guayaquil very early on Friday the 4th and then had a 2 hour cab ride to my little hotel in Montanita, Ecuador. I was given a delicious breakfast and they let me check into my room as soon as the housekeeper had finished making it ready for me. It is a very laid back atmosphere here as it is also a yoga retreat as well as a surf camp.

I wake in the morning and sit on the beach and write in my journal while surfers catch waves and crabs dance around the shore. I've ventured into the town although I can't wait to see what it is really like when all of the weekend holiday tourists and partiers aren't overcrowding it.

I start Spanish language school tomorrow morning. I can not wait to be able to speak and understand people. Sometimes not being able to communicate makes me shy away from experiencing culture and activities.

No touch of homesickness yet. I was able to watch American football last night with fellow cheese-heads. I use wifi to keep up to date on things. I have a bed and a shower and a toilet all to myself. Life is good at the moment!!

I will post pictures and more stories once I have more to show and tell. Right now I'm just relaxing and have yet to do anything really exciting or glamorous. My favorite kind of vacation :-)

Hope this finds all to be warm, happy, safe, and healthy!!

Leaving Alaska. The start of my new life!!

christelpeters — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 06:54:00 GMT

Today I will leave the unbelievable majesty that is the state of Alaska. I have never lived anywhere that I have felt fits me so well. I will definately keep this beautiful place in my heart as my true home. I am so excited to discover more of the world, starting in Ecuador next week and can't wait to come back and explore more of the state that remains unknown to me.

I leave here tonight on a flight to Michigan to visit with some of my family. After a week of family time I will start the life I have worked so hard to get to these last 14 years. Immerse myself in different cultures and become a better person for it. The world and the path of my life are so unknown and exciting right now, I can barely contain myself!! These cheeks hurt from so much smiling!

To those I am leaving for now, thank you for the love you have shown me. I wish more people in the world could have the opportunity to meet so many amazing people and feel the awesome fellowships that make life so wonderful. I have no idea what I've done to deserve so many rich friendships and relationships but I believe being open to life and adventure has made it all possible. These friends are not just fake "facebook" friends; if I were truly in need I believe I would have so much help I wouldn't know what to do with it if I asked. I'm the luckiest person in the world for this. It's hard to imagine that I will be meeting more people who fit this mold in the next years of my life. The world can be so scary and ugly but the majority of people I know and love are the opposite of that. We outweigh the bad and can overcome hardships if we can remain true to each other and ourselves.

Well, I had better start packing :-) I will try my best to keep this journal up as much as possible and will look back on all this with fond memories!

Adios for now Alaska, the home that is in my heart!