tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2574249320444588722024-02-07T02:38:11.404-08:00I'd Rather Be Here NowPlease redirect to https://colleensinsky.com/
(link below)
I apologize!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-257424932044458872.post-11811411852037346122016-06-09T23:28:00.000-07:002016-06-09T23:39:58.240-07:00New blog address!Hi Readers,<br>
Here's the link for my <a href="https://colleensinsky.com/" target="_blank">new and improved blog</a>, hosted by WordPress.<br>
<br>
I promise that someday I will spend the time to figure out how to redirect you autimatically, but in the meantime, please update your bookmark and accept my apology.<br>
<br>
Thank you, and kalimera from Greece!<br>
<br>
-Colleen :)<br>
<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiil0JghsKPkhvtO3RUWlzW4iu318bafgvYu1Kwkz3XFJc7tjq1iOFtahjTZLZ9vlLhgJ9PAAruyzUy5VGqjwOUKdw9J1Je-TLrrgUcFALtPbIpEiIc_JeylKqeD5BieEm-_BjryqBxtYU/s640/blogger-image-1997354924.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiil0JghsKPkhvtO3RUWlzW4iu318bafgvYu1Kwkz3XFJc7tjq1iOFtahjTZLZ9vlLhgJ9PAAruyzUy5VGqjwOUKdw9J1Je-TLrrgUcFALtPbIpEiIc_JeylKqeD5BieEm-_BjryqBxtYU/s640/blogger-image-1997354924.jpg"></a></div><br>
<br>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-257424932044458872.post-54476116590462644522016-04-12T21:44:00.000-07:002016-09-07T11:11:42.547-07:00Loneliness<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By Colleen Sinsky</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<script type="text/javascript">
window.location = "https://colleensinsky.com/2016/04/13/loneliness/";
</script>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sometimes, after a goodbye or a big decision to leave town again, I'm stopped by a cold feeling in my gut. The first few times it happened, I didn't know what it was. I didn't have a word for that empty ache that wrenched my stomach into an icy question mark.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Instead of examining that emotion, I'd subconsciously reach for the instant dopamine rush in my iPhone. I hid that strange, raw, empty feeling with notifications and texts that gave me the illusion of connection.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sometimes, I think that my brain insulates itself from pain by skimming over those feelings that I'm more comfortable avoiding.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One recent sunny afternoon I said goodbye to a close friend who I won't see until I return sometime in late summer. I'll be a different person by then, and he probably will be too. I knew that we were saying a bigger goodbye than we let on in the moment, but I didn't let myself fully realize that until the door was safely shut behind him and I was alone.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Alone. That's what that cold, vacuous feeling is. Lonely. Lonesome. Alone. Solo. Lonely.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I slumped on the basement couch and let this newly named feeling wash over me. I didn't reach for my iPhone. I just sat there in the lonesome and wondered again why I do this to myself.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There's a fulfilling rush in vagabonding as I have been for the past 20 months, but there are also these crushing moments of lonesomeness. The world I know keeps spinning along happily without me, and each time I step off, I feel myself getting further away from it's cozy gravity.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm noticing crows feet starting to gather at the corner of my eyes, friends pairing off into beautiful partnerships, pursuing masters degrees, and leaning a bit more intentionally into their communities and families.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Instead, I'm glancing at these new wrinkles in dozens of different mirrors, in different countries, alone, and mailing in my regrets to friends' weddings that I'll be abroad for. I can't lean into a community of friends when I've elected to be a vagabond. I'm hanging onto the outer rung of every crew I'm ever part of, and choosing to spin away from any romantic relationship that threatens to pull me into the fold.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's lonely out here, I've realized, now that I have a word for it. Sometimes that loneliness is a heavy, cold cloud that pushes you down into the basement couch and forces you to question why you're always unpacking and repacking and saying goodbye.</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLjV0qB_KFVCcG3C3W2Hy22BCFI4P-akvf-RxQVabDrkplUraQfReMGKeUfP8vWm-zwVbNjVajwqT_z7peRoZb51ILsuHCWOyNVglGUu66lk4Mi3Gnd3H4Z9p8S3gs333ooZjfr1UJw3Q/s640/blogger-image-796546255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLjV0qB_KFVCcG3C3W2Hy22BCFI4P-akvf-RxQVabDrkplUraQfReMGKeUfP8vWm-zwVbNjVajwqT_z7peRoZb51ILsuHCWOyNVglGUu66lk4Mi3Gnd3H4Z9p8S3gs333ooZjfr1UJw3Q/s640/blogger-image-796546255.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Logically, I know that I'm growing in these moments of being alone. I make friends and forge new connections easily, and I've learned more about myself and the world than I imagined possible two years ago. I've blown away by all of the amazing people I've met out here, and how much each of them has given me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Logically, I know that I've got an amazingly supportive, loving, and hilarious family. Distance has got nothing on us Sinskys/McCarthys. And I'm lucky to have close friends who hug my stressed out bones, call me out when I deserve it, and assure me that I'm not ever as far away as I think I am.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Logically, I know that a solid romantic partnership will happen when I've put my own work in, and am good and ready to share my awesomeness with another great human. I joke about it, but I've never actually been worried about 'dying alone.'</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When I left my Portland life initially nearly two years ago, I <a href="http://colleensinsky.blogspot.com/2014/09/uprooting-aiming-south.html" target="_blank">blogged</a> about how I resonated with the great sage Winnie the Pooh, who supposedly said "How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard." Ugh. That sentiment still so true for me. Though I've got a one-way ticket booked to Athens at the end of the month, so I'm definitely continuing on this vagabonding lifestyle a bit longer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Leaving, whether I'm leaving Alaska, Lesvos, San Diego, or Portland, really never gets any easier. There are too many wonderful people to say goodbye to everywhere I go.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-257424932044458872.post-20021230808840320532016-03-29T00:28:00.001-07:002016-09-07T11:13:02.980-07:00Taking Trauma Home<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Colleen Sinsky</span></div>
<script type="text/javascript">
window.location = "https://colleensinsky.com/2016/03/29/taking-trauma-home/t";
</script>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">I showed up on Lesvos a little cocky maybe. I’d done crisis social work for years, seen plenty of dead bodies doing trauma intervention on accident scenes, and generally spent my adult career sitting in the trenches with members of my community who were marginalized by homelessness. I hadn't thought of the emotional impact that being in the refugee crisis would have on me.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m realizing though, that continual witnessing of this trauma, even when processed in a healthy, supported way, doesn’t necessarily build an emotional suit of armor to let you keep doing the work unaffected. Instead, there’s a compounding effect, as my awareness of injustices increases. My heart breaks a little more with each cup of coffee or tea I distribute, and each donated hat I give to a cold person- whether on Lesvos or in Old Town Portland. Each sad story I hear, or infected wound I wash, or wool blanket I pass out, chips away at my optimistic world view. In the moment, I’m strong, I’m smiling, and entertaining the kids. The moment isn’t about me and my emotions. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But when I let myself reflect alone afterwards, it’s hard not to continually come back to the realization of “the world fucking sucks.” On my good days, I can justify, rationalize, forget, distract, convince myself otherwise. I can see the good in individuals. I can operate out of hope and continue to function as an effective helper and storyteller. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But then some afternoons are like today, when I’m blindsided by a black wall of despair while eating lunch in a grocery store. I was sitting alone, near two men also eating lunch. One was severely disabled and in an electric wheelchair. The other lovingly and patiently helped him eat. It took a long time, but I heard kind words and laughter, and smiled to myself at the bond they obviously shared.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then, a lightning bolt of memory came out of nowhere to sharply illuminate a moment from the beaches of Lesvos that I’d apparently buried. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s hard to think about. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s hard to write about.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We’d just brought a full raft safely to shore, and had passed the babies and small kids to dry land, steadied men and women as they waded up the rocky shore, and helped toss backpacks to their relieved owners up on the beach. The last two on the raft were young men, probably my age, sitting and waiting for help off. The younger of the two, we realized, was paraplegic. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The volunteer operation moved unbelievably efficiently to build a makeshift ramp on the crowded beach. Four languages were being shouted overhead, parents were crying and praying thanks on the beach, the black raft lurched around slowly in the waves, and kids stared at their busy new surroundings, tugging their lifejackets off. The two men waited patiently on the raft as other passengers and volunteers crowded around to help the paralyzed man to shore. Within minutes, a ramp made of the wooden wreckage from another boat tied on top of lifejackets linked the raft to dry land, and several men carried him to the beach.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Everything happened so fast. I don’t even remember what I did, though I’m sure I was involved in the scene. I remember it as if I were a disjointed head floating around the beach, noticing details, but not really taking in the logical timing. I must have gone from the raft to helping parents get their kids into dry clothes, because that’s what I always did, but it all blurs together now. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I didn’t even watch to see how that man got from the beach to a camp. That wasn’t my job in the scene. I didn’t even stop moving to wonder at his bravery, or at his companion’s dedication. Were they brothers? Where had they come from? What unimaginable terror could drive someone to leave their home, their family, their wheelchair behind, in a desperate effort to find a better, safer life? I didn’t have any of these thoughts that day- I just went on to the next task at hand, because that’s what you have to do in order to function. But today, on a mundane Monday a few months later, I suddenly remember his pursed lips, and sunken, whiskery cheeks. I remember seeing more determination and grit than I’ll ever have, as he entered the European Union for the first time, carried by fellow refugees and volunteers from around the world.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you’re a volunteer, or have worked in social service, you know this feeling. You probably have hundreds of faces that flicker unbidden across your consciousness. Shadow memories of places and faces and stories that invade a pleasant brunch or leave you weeping silently behind your sunglasses at a stoplight.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I hear the voice of the pregnant Syrian woman, who came up to me in a chaotic scene of dozens of just-arrived refugees to quietly whisper “Help. I think I lost my baby. I’ve been bleeding for days.” And in that moment, you don’t think about how shitty the world is to allow this, you just get her and her family into your car and get them to the field medic station, and then dive back into the chaos on the beach. If you pause to think, you’ll be overwhelmed.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But then months later, at a bar back home, a friend asks you how Lesvos was, and you accidentally slip out of character from your usual canned response because all you can hear is that Syrian woman’s voice, and all you can tell your friend is how shitty the world is to allow this. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And reading the news about the deteriorating crisis kills you a little bit because those statistics have smiles you know, stories you’ve heard, and hands you’ve held. You’ve opened up your heart to feel the unimaginable impact of war and terror on humans, and you can’t go back to being the blissful person you were before this. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I don’t think you ever really leave Lesvos, or Idomeni, or Zaatari. I don’t think you can ever unsee urban poverty in the backyard of your own city once you’ve looked at it with a vulnerable and open heart. I think that that’s okay. Let what you’ve seen become part of who you are. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dean Brackley, an inspiring Jesuit who I’m fortunate to have gotten to meet in war-torn El Salvador before his death, says this. “</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">let us teach solidarity, walking with the victims, serving and loving. I offer this for you to consider – downward mobility.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.9305; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-top: 9pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And I would say in this enterprise there is a great deal of hope.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.9305; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-top: 9pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Have the courage to lose control.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.9305; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-top: 9pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Have the courage to feel useless.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.9305; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-top: 9pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Have the courage to listen.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.9305; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-top: 9pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Have the courage to receive.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.9305; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-top: 9pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Have the courage to let your heart be broken.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.9305; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-top: 9pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Have the courage to feel.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.9305; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-top: 9pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Have the courage to fall in love.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.9305; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-top: 9pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Have the courage to get ruined for life.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.9305; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-top: 9pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Have the courage to make a friend.”</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.9305; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-top: 9pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ve got a seldom-seen tattoo on my thigh of the words “Ruined For Life.” The thirteen letters are each in the handwriting of a different close friend, community member, or other person who somehow influenced me in being able to embark on this life that feels more authentic. It’s a reminder that I’m not “ruined” in the popular sense of the word, but rather a “ruined” version of the person I was before I ever had a conversation with someone experiencing homelessness, or peeked behind the curtain of what the media tells us about Islam. For the past several years, it’s been a physical reminder of my aspirations to be counter-cultural, to examine my role in the world, and to act against injustices where I can. I have so much to learn, but am fortunate to know so many people who I can learn from, and who inspire me to try to be as “ruined” as I can be.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.9305; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-top: 9pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So while I’m seeing a therapist, and reading and journaling about the effects of secondary trauma on helpers like myself, I’m also okay with embodying some of that emotional burden. I don’t think that I would be an effective service provider if I didn’t emotionally engage, and it would be impossible to not carry some of that home with me. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.9305; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-top: 9pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m going to keep on loving and working and taking care of myself. I’ll keep writing about it, in the hope that this resonates with someone, and I’ll keep engaging where I can be effective in providing direct service and in storytelling- whatever that looks like.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The world is pretty shitty and unjust, and I don’t know what else I can do besides keep on.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgep72LGWEikOYSp2PNOt1n1baNpzyCmUfVVgtoRTztspgBoBaZcZhv-8qOuHHiN6hYakmhyXSzsKPR5czANOkBNtVWidsStXwoPy8vGXoLaKIwdjF4QLaBEeR91Ne16niMK5ha1dP3yLc/s1600/IMG_2615.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgep72LGWEikOYSp2PNOt1n1baNpzyCmUfVVgtoRTztspgBoBaZcZhv-8qOuHHiN6hYakmhyXSzsKPR5czANOkBNtVWidsStXwoPy8vGXoLaKIwdjF4QLaBEeR91Ne16niMK5ha1dP3yLc/s400/IMG_2615.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(And sometimes cute dogs give you kisses by the river and everything is fine.)</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-257424932044458872.post-19472695648370492742016-03-03T12:51:00.000-08:002016-09-07T11:14:04.909-07:00Returning to Lesvos<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
It's recently been confirmed that I’m going back to Lesvos. I will be there from mid-April to June as a volunteer coordinator for the Norwegian group <a data-mce-href="http://drapenihavet.no/en/" href="http://drapenihavet.no/en/" target="_blank">“A Drop In The Ocean”</a>- the same organization who I spent last November-December volunteering with. Though it's largely fallen out of mainstream news, the refugee situation in Greece has gotten considerably worse since I was there a few months ago.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<script type="text/javascript">
window.location = "https://colleensinsky.com/2016/03/03/returning-to-lesvos/";
</script>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
I’ll be on Lesvos working with "the Drops" coordinating, training, and supporting our volunteers 24/7. I’m so grateful that I happened to run into their coordinator at the time, back on that first day I showed up to Lesvos alone and without a plan. This time, I’ll be a liaison between “the Drops” and other organizations, local authorities, and the Norwegian directors back in Oslo. I’ll be doing the same work as before with refugees on the beaches, and in the overcrowded camps, but now that I have the background and more time to spend, I’ll be facilitating shorter term volunteers as well. </div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit3xBXIebbfONsPESu6ynhVbWs1XIfUAvqWazI_dZqGHIMcGAFIlpddg-Ns1-I53JqcZszOsF125PC6YVuQpSV99ugHZGxMe7vvuBeFuAMhtDLDadCMUuCXIBV7daVRviwkflqh07ZSr4/s1600/IMG_3273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit3xBXIebbfONsPESu6ynhVbWs1XIfUAvqWazI_dZqGHIMcGAFIlpddg-Ns1-I53JqcZszOsF125PC6YVuQpSV99ugHZGxMe7vvuBeFuAMhtDLDadCMUuCXIBV7daVRviwkflqh07ZSr4/s400/IMG_3273.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
I'll be <a href="https://www.youcaring.com/colleen-sinsky-532031" target="_blank">crowdfunding</a> to support some of my travel expenses and to have a flexible source of funding that I can use to buy supplies directly for refugees from Greek locals. I'm working on setting up a site to sell some photography so that you can support me by buying some art too! More on that soon.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
I’ll also be identifying project needs for the American group, <a data-mce-href="http://www.seaofsolidarity.org/" href="http://www.seaofsolidarity.org/" target="_blank">“Sea of Solidarity”</a> founded by my friend and fellow Drop volunteer, Adam Rosser, a DC-based immigration attorney. His organization is fantastic in that it very directly supports ongoing volunteer efforts in areas of acute need. “SOS” responds with amazing flexibility- funneling money donated in the US directly through volunteers who can respond swiftly to emerging needs on the ground. For example, filling a need for food in camp by arranging for a daily delivery of oranges from a local Greek farmer. (If you would like to make a donation to a US-based 501(c)(3) for tax purposes, please visit them.)<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
As a freelancer, and for both of these organizations, I’ll continue to share photographs and stories of the reality on the ground. In life, I’ll always be primarily a direct service provider, but I’ve recognized the growing importance of digital storytelling as a tool for social justice. I’ve realized that I have the combination of access to, and interest in these social justice causes (whether refugees or Portland’s homeless community), an eye for photography, and a conscientious voice for storytelling. Taking the time to “zoom out” to the larger story is growing increasingly important to me, especially as a way to combat the feeling of helplessness when I’m overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the crisis I’m working in, and the awful way the mainstream media is twisting the story. My last piece here on the blog was geared towards new volunteers called <a data-mce-href="http://colleensinsky.blogspot.com/2015/12/an-emotional-guide-to-lesvos.html" href="http://colleensinsky.blogspot.com/2015/12/an-emotional-guide-to-lesvos.html" target="_blank">"An Emotional Guide to Lesvos"</a> has been incorporated into new volunteer training and viewed several thousand times. Last time I was on Lesvos, I shared a few stories from working on the ground that essentially went viral. I would like to continue to produce that type of intentional, impactful writing.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_jdguPzjE2Kk2_UAAMPyApfB8O3gSy3QVYaIDaoSlUBVQiEqxG59mbRH_RoKWJ1ykiZUPic7yvWwqp5dMC3bZu40xLOeeODq0_6jr2WClk0s2vbxv6UIo3SyelNxIcU5EmA0Fkrfd9ns/s1600/IMG_1567.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_jdguPzjE2Kk2_UAAMPyApfB8O3gSy3QVYaIDaoSlUBVQiEqxG59mbRH_RoKWJ1ykiZUPic7yvWwqp5dMC3bZu40xLOeeODq0_6jr2WClk0s2vbxv6UIo3SyelNxIcU5EmA0Fkrfd9ns/s320/IMG_1567.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
Leaving home (again) for such a long time is tough. I’m missing my little sister Emily’s high school graduation and some close friends’ weddings. I’m involved in some really inspiring anti-poverty, social justice organizations here in Portland, and I’m an idiot for leaving. My financial future, career, and opportunity for security are all up in the air. Sometimes I wish that I’d never gotten involved in the refugee crisis, and that I didn’t have so many faces and stories to flesh out each violent article I read. But I went. Now, for better or worse, I’m emotionally in it. The political situation is deteriorating, humanitarian aid is woefully inadequate, and the number of desperate arriving refugees is only increasing. Greece needs the support of the international community, and volunteers who are able to bring in direct funding from outside. I don’t mean to overdramatize my small role, but I know that there is a huge, unmet need for humanitarian assistance, and I can show up.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
I'm wading through intense emotions about all of this. Guilt for not being here for my friends and family. Fear of going into a crisis zone on a one-way ticket. The frustration and desolation that comes with feeling so closely allied with the individuals trapped in a complicated and violent crisis. Self-doubt, if I'm making the right choice and can really have enough of an impact to merit asking for financial help. Self-doubt also around my skills as a writer, organizer, photographer, advocate, medic, peer support, traveler, etc. Motivation, to dive back into the gritty work and feel the purposeful connection that keeps me going through long nights and emotionally wrenching scenes.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
Despite some lagging doubt, I know logically that I'm in a good place to have a positive ripple effect in this overwhelming crisis. I’m in a place where I’ve got the social work experience, emergency medical training, volunteer coordinating experience, political and situational awareness, photography gear, and a desire to be in the middle of it. I’m single, I’m not on a lease, and I have the time to spend on this.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
I am planning on just buying a one-way ticket, because depending on funding, I would like to leave the possibility open of going to continue working in Turkey or elsewhere when my EU tourist visa expires. There’s a disturbingly huge need for support and raised awareness across a large part of the world right now, and I’m willing to stay involved in the crisis wherever I’m needed, as long as I can. I would also like to be a more committed source of information from the ground for Americans and Europeans.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
Ugh. Sometimes words fail me. In my car this morning, one of NPR's top stories was on the deteriorating conditions for refugees in Greece as more borders close and refugees continue to arrive on the beaches. I don't have any great insights or ideas. I'm just sad about it all. Sad and overwhelmed, but looking forward to being back in the place where I can process those feelings by doing physical work to mitigate, in a small way, the unjust conditions. </div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
Here's a great article from the <a href="http://www.wsj.com/article_email/new-migrant-crisis-flares-in-greece-1456956214-lMyQjAxMTE2MjA2MzgwODM3Wj" target="_blank">Wall Street Journal</a> on what's happening now. (Tip: Don't read the comments. Ever.)</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb8gxDu1E3eb9OofiTcunorGT19RiRdpu5zYgkHm4V85Dd3uEbbBubskPTxUFOn5GfMWbAxMExpdJsex-9sMY23D-djzA-SW5J4F3Z2wMoQ-5mbun-QFE7QQdMA3zDUzvqt0qr98ii6gk/s1600/12745558_10100628440881304_607345454996389994_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb8gxDu1E3eb9OofiTcunorGT19RiRdpu5zYgkHm4V85Dd3uEbbBubskPTxUFOn5GfMWbAxMExpdJsex-9sMY23D-djzA-SW5J4F3Z2wMoQ-5mbun-QFE7QQdMA3zDUzvqt0qr98ii6gk/s320/12745558_10100628440881304_607345454996389994_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
Oh, and because this IS a personal blog, I'll give a quick update on what I've been up to in Portland. Working at <a href="http://streetroots.org/" target="_blank">Street Roots</a>, an awesome social justice focused weekly newspaper I've long been a fan of. Doing photography and writing for the <a href="https://welcomehomecoalition.org/" target="_blank">Welcome Home Coalition</a> to humanize the issue of affordable housing for Oregonians. I've been coaching after school tennis with the <a href="https://www.usta.com/" target="_blank">USTA</a>, which is super fun. I've also continued to manage the reservation system for the <a href="http://www.talkeetnahostel.com/" target="_blank">Talkeetna Hostel</a> in Alaska, and help with the transition to the new manager who will take over for me this season. I've been doing dog sitting gigs, driving gigs, and working on setting up a site for a photography portfolio, and generally learning about and practicing photography. I'm working on migrating this blog to a Wordpress hosted site and learning more than I thought I ever would about digital media from YouTube. It's been a great time to reconnect with friends, and this community where I've felt so rooted and supported for such a long time. As always, it's hard to leave Portland. I'll also have two weeks in April to hang out with my family before I leave for Greece. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-257424932044458872.post-45601556075734501502016-03-03T11:37:00.002-08:002016-09-07T11:15:35.279-07:00Traveling Light<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="line-height: 1.38;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By Colleen Sinsky</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 1.38;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">*Edit: link updated to the correct Mountain Hardware bag I travel with. 45L, not 60L.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here's an uncharacteristically *travel bloggy* post from me. I wrote this on request from a number of folks who've asked how I travel with just a carry on. </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Two years ago, my chronically overpacking self would never have believed I would someday be able to spend three and a half months between Santorini beaches, Muslim countries, cold mountainous regions, refugee camps on Lesvos, and the occasional fancy Spanish dinner- out of the same carry-on sized bag. It’s totally possible, but does take a bit of planning to get there comfortably.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<script type="text/javascript">
window.location = "https://colleensinsky.com/2016/02/29/traveling-light/";
</script>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I’m not an expert traveler by any means, but I’ve been on enough of a diversity of trips to have developed a philosophy and corresponding packing list that work for me. These tips on traveling light are based partly on my backcountry travel experience, a desire to only ever have a carry-on bag, and my tendency to visit a variety of climates on a single trip. I’ve learned by trial and error, and am constantly researching and making improvements, so feel free to share your tips in the comments! </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"></b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4bYD5kac83TBPPxLUEWrQOtqJFJZIKrcNyWpLCk9vkb3kAVVZgBRM8XLk0F0PlfCzLy15xCqfpq-m5CEkbnSuUm9lA8ON3cY4biZmO0m7-rlzH8ZSHza8QN7l5ky-QviJQHXYQWhzmiY/s640/blogger-image-1542574610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4bYD5kac83TBPPxLUEWrQOtqJFJZIKrcNyWpLCk9vkb3kAVVZgBRM8XLk0F0PlfCzLy15xCqfpq-m5CEkbnSuUm9lA8ON3cY4biZmO0m7-rlzH8ZSHza8QN7l5ky-QviJQHXYQWhzmiY/s640/blogger-image-1542574610.jpg" /></a></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><span style="line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>1. People manage to live in the places you are traveling to.</b></span></span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Even if they speak a different language, they probably have similar hygiene needs to you. You can almost always buy what you need abroad- especially in the large city that you fly into. Seeking out a local grocery store to buy a big bottle of 2 in 1 shampoo/conditioner and a tube of toothpaste has become a fun tradition in my travel routine.</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>2. </b></span><span style="line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Don’t worry so much about how you look.</b> </span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Easier said than done, right? Especially if you’re heavily documenting the whole trip on social media. Most of my trips look like one long day, where I switched between the same two shirts. But that’s not what I’m noticing when I look back at pictures. Embrace the fact that you might not have the perfect shoes or purse for every event. Do you really notice what others are wearing that much? It’s freeing really. After spending time living out of a small backpack, you might find yourself craving simplified choices once you return to your overwhelming closet back home.</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 48px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 48px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpNOVH2c31Yosg355K3K-XoaK5WaxHqKvbFHb-ik7JucVTpJy56jHbcna-nuEH7_e5Q5EeJF12hyphenhyphenCosw1kyfmnw92lWUb6L7Jylwiyz8bVtBM_n0ff_jSw74Is6_7qQprwQry1Ig9cAIg/s640/blogger-image-1396260197.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpNOVH2c31Yosg355K3K-XoaK5WaxHqKvbFHb-ik7JucVTpJy56jHbcna-nuEH7_e5Q5EeJF12hyphenhyphenCosw1kyfmnw92lWUb6L7Jylwiyz8bVtBM_n0ff_jSw74Is6_7qQprwQry1Ig9cAIg/s640/blogger-image-1396260197.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 48px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 48px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 48px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3. The more you own, the more it owns you. </span></b></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is true in travel and in life. If you own something that you're going to spend your whole trip worrying about, don't bring it! Really, whether it's a laptop, DSLR camera, latest iPhone- leave it safely at home. I travel </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>expecting</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that my electronics will be lost/stolen, and plan ahead accordingly. I only buy refurbished or used electronic gear, and so while I do take care of my stuff, my trip wouldn’t be ruined if my backed-up $180 early model, used iPad got stolen. Same for my camera. I love that thing to death, but I intentionally bought a model that I could afford to replace if needed, rather than be convinced into a fancier, more expensive model. I think it’s also worth noting here to invest in protective cases for your electronics. My iPhone and iPad have been around the world with me and are both in <a href="https://www.lifeproof.com/" target="_blank">LifeProof</a> cases, so I really don’t have to worry about damaging them (and I've taken some cool underwater photos!) I also bring a folding <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Universal-Foldable-Bluetooth-Keyboard-44652RD/dp/B00DWMPMFG" target="_blank">bluetooth keyboard</a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> so that I can type onto my iPad.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXk83oUHl8BMe2F3v0LpBr2NiiRADofl4Czh-mTS2MkAwlInBEVwUp2i1WDhkhcDIBRbx3IWs-_aJiqqgledarC-TqQntE0ZKJZPOmdAqGXr9qEc-xJjQ2vofZ-bxzLTTDgrGXVRXclco/s640/blogger-image-838507381.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXk83oUHl8BMe2F3v0LpBr2NiiRADofl4Czh-mTS2MkAwlInBEVwUp2i1WDhkhcDIBRbx3IWs-_aJiqqgledarC-TqQntE0ZKJZPOmdAqGXr9qEc-xJjQ2vofZ-bxzLTTDgrGXVRXclco/s640/blogger-image-838507381.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(This setup is how I produce all blog posts when I'm traveling.)</span></div>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I recently upgraded to a nice, interchangeable lens camera. To me, it’s become worth enduring the added stress to try my hand at exploring photography, but don’t automatically be convinced that you NEED to own a DSLR camera to document your trip. Smartphones take great photos, and it’s a wonderful thing to not have to worry about. With that said, as an entry-level photographer who's into light travel and a tight budget, I love my mirrorless <a href="http://www.sony.com/electronics/interchangeable-lens-cameras/ilce-5000-kit" target="_blank">Sony A5000</a>. Among other features, the built-in wifi is nice so that I can transfer photos to my iPhone and to edit in Instagram and PhotoShop mobile wirelessly. </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGWK0TBAlkCjWYYPGmao6LQo7NXT5P0d2v5t7Uaw_dYb8r8v8u_bBUjm5fgiR7P3OS8sqDjC_1zeafGQfpfPRd5Hk7Mk-JTiCVQ9nqTslmjgwRq1x8S6W7l7euMfxftLiHcJNn58vuRm0/s640/blogger-image--439278878.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGWK0TBAlkCjWYYPGmao6LQo7NXT5P0d2v5t7Uaw_dYb8r8v8u_bBUjm5fgiR7P3OS8sqDjC_1zeafGQfpfPRd5Hk7Mk-JTiCVQ9nqTslmjgwRq1x8S6W7l7euMfxftLiHcJNn58vuRm0/s640/blogger-image--439278878.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">4. </span><span style="line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Be smart. Prepare for the worst.</span></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This means planning ahead. Bring photocopies of your passport, a few passport-sized headshots, hide a stash of USD somewhere in your bag, <a href="https://step.state.gov/step/" target="_blank">register with the US state department</a>, buy travel insurance, do your research, keep your bag in sight or preferably on your person, spread out your valuables & cash, learn from locals, have a plan for when you lose your wallet. My wallet has been lost/stolen twice while on long-term trips, and neither time was it a very big deal. Why? Because I kept a backup credit card that I could use to access cash in a separate place, didn’t keep a lot of cash on me in the first place, and was able to make arrangements to electronically transfer money to nearby friends who could withdraw cash for me. When I had to go to a hospital in Nepal for a kidney infection, it also wasn’t a huge deal because I’d already researched where the nearest hospital was, and I was confident in my evacuation insurance if it came to it. I think that it’s worth spending time prepping for worst case scenarios so that you can worry less while you’re actually on your trip. I've spent months abroad alone in developing countries, and have never experienced the slightest travel hiccup- which I think is due largely to my pre-trip prep.</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMNrWaOcgxjyPAnwo8IEGtfVO95bwcZpTrWYAtQ9BGJtBKkUqohRUaK71bjhqJeSOFiRxRC7qzr2dv1ZQCECmQrsTPFnr-m8jQLvAVMtPD9042qSutO_HvxpbTcIcJqAARKyMIyl95MiA/s640/blogger-image--231608922.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMNrWaOcgxjyPAnwo8IEGtfVO95bwcZpTrWYAtQ9BGJtBKkUqohRUaK71bjhqJeSOFiRxRC7qzr2dv1ZQCECmQrsTPFnr-m8jQLvAVMtPD9042qSutO_HvxpbTcIcJqAARKyMIyl95MiA/s640/blogger-image--231608922.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">5. Bring a UV water purifier.</span></b></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Unless I’m traveling only in so-called “developed” countries, this is the top of my packing list. I prefer the <a href="http://www.camelbak.com/en/Sports-Recreation/Purification/Intro.aspx" target="_blank">CamelBack UV filter</a></span><span style="text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which, like the <a href="http://www.steripen.com/" target="_blank">SteriPen</a> takes about 90 seconds to kill contaminants in a liter of water. At $75, you might initially balk at the price, but know that after 4 liters/day of drinking water & brushing your teeth, it’ll pay for itself in roughly 15-18 days of travel, plus you’ll be saving that many water bottles from being added to landfills. I usually travel with a duct-tape wrapped Nalgene, where I do the actual purifying (and, inside a sock, it can be used as a hot water bottle to warm up your bed or sleeping bag), and will buy a plastic bottle that I can refill with my purified water. UV filters can be used in the backcountry in the US as well, and are a great addition to your zombie apocalypse/earthquake preparedness kit (paired with a portable solar charger). Mine goes for about 4 days without a charge, and has the added bonus of ensuring hilarity when you have to explain through sign language what bizarro witchcraft you’re doing with your illuminated water in the corner of the Tibetan tea house. </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGLCYjOQ158XqmW1442dhOk4V8ixSgQ0JgWRSncdDJzOjzG89LX5S14xfzLvs2AuGoK23YJ7568kmk1JpMgyvaCibfdUCgugBveHy33F6gRqfriSoHzJgHdVsDEGn89_yGE2llriZltFA/s640/blogger-image--344753060.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGLCYjOQ158XqmW1442dhOk4V8ixSgQ0JgWRSncdDJzOjzG89LX5S14xfzLvs2AuGoK23YJ7568kmk1JpMgyvaCibfdUCgugBveHy33F6gRqfriSoHzJgHdVsDEGn89_yGE2llriZltFA/s640/blogger-image--344753060.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You can buy a proprietary mesh filter, or just filter through a t-shirt if your water source is less than ideal. You know not to drink the tap water in certain places, but also beware of ice in drinks, smoothies, and of being served food on improperly dried dishes. Even so, travelers diarrhea is inevitable. Be cautious, but not paranoid. Don’t be like my sister who ate unrefrigerated “train” chicken in Thailand and ended up REALLY sick, but also don’t let the fear of being sick keep you from trying local food. Bring anti-diarrheal meds (I bring a generic OTC as well as the Rx only Lomotil...just in case). When you do get sick, remember to stay well hydrated, including rehydration salts or a Gatorade type beverage as well. Ask for help if you need it. I always bring an antibiotic regimen with me as well.</span></span></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuaJHjJSTC_2MQ1AoGFFZDsq-6usuyEQBCFnJH_GoVkismFDV0W4Wg8O23gG09SpmFwj0I7y0rFIydEW5P4vxP9LvuwW5REkl2MZ_Mv1OOpHpQu43ISdiV2GjzKW0IzenEQ9O7NENVSRY/s640/blogger-image-932155495.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuaJHjJSTC_2MQ1AoGFFZDsq-6usuyEQBCFnJH_GoVkismFDV0W4Wg8O23gG09SpmFwj0I7y0rFIydEW5P4vxP9LvuwW5REkl2MZ_Mv1OOpHpQu43ISdiV2GjzKW0IzenEQ9O7NENVSRY/s640/blogger-image-932155495.jpg" /></a></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Mysterious Morroccan mountain berries- did not get sick.)</span><br />
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirjs6GI2IsLi1qR9mrpb5IIdJMI8zj8jP7NFS7yYz1inWbBaPYI65jGGMwlV1HqgTN4jTv3pHL82Y9UoIOqLiV9LmGlfHbsCoxyt9-zhRinMKRR6B_fkJHEyGJynUxLCuIT7urEKzqZ84/s640/blogger-image-153004936.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirjs6GI2IsLi1qR9mrpb5IIdJMI8zj8jP7NFS7yYz1inWbBaPYI65jGGMwlV1HqgTN4jTv3pHL82Y9UoIOqLiV9LmGlfHbsCoxyt9-zhRinMKRR6B_fkJHEyGJynUxLCuIT7urEKzqZ84/s640/blogger-image-153004936.jpg" /></a></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Greek wine- always on tap)</span></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJpgY2RQ8MMGm252CoM14Ra7NGiT2YAdtweiJo4ajCeOvdvFVK4Av5Pn3lK34aYtJSsS4WD8egFRBNt89oU7QcVvTfTY0lzcbyn0AgEaEM_BlSacPn3T63Dg5MIX_geDzh3zLzVDLMXcM/s640/blogger-image-1122831332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJpgY2RQ8MMGm252CoM14Ra7NGiT2YAdtweiJo4ajCeOvdvFVK4Av5Pn3lK34aYtJSsS4WD8egFRBNt89oU7QcVvTfTY0lzcbyn0AgEaEM_BlSacPn3T63Dg5MIX_geDzh3zLzVDLMXcM/s640/blogger-image-1122831332.jpg" /></a></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Roasted guinea pig, or "cuy" in the mountains of Ecuador is tastier than you'd expect.)</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7M8I4Ud5hauwV-VW6DC1TBt_yVnaxnVOLFCSxTeiqMskmZDDcDK5TLYUeyleAySPpKskv7lksYf1wKz6ruO4085nqXuWHS6NNnILsJElM_tb-mO5LvQuBw9UO2YaDxN_Mj78zt7Vg6_Q/s640/blogger-image--528692053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7M8I4Ud5hauwV-VW6DC1TBt_yVnaxnVOLFCSxTeiqMskmZDDcDK5TLYUeyleAySPpKskv7lksYf1wKz6ruO4085nqXuWHS6NNnILsJElM_tb-mO5LvQuBw9UO2YaDxN_Mj78zt7Vg6_Q/s640/blogger-image--528692053.jpg" /></a></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(And sometimes, food is just calories in.)</span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">5. Bring a paperback.</span></b></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One you’re not too attached to, and can trade out at a hostel book library when you’re done with. I like to have a digital subscription to The Economist, which I read on my iPad, as well as a few other downloaded books, but it’s nice to just have a paperback fun read. I also always have a journal, and a few pre-downloaded movies or documentaries on my iPad. Note: if you’re traveling with someone, a headphone splitter is an awesome thing to have. When I traveled through Morocco with a boyfriend, we loved being able to listen to podcasts together on long bus rides. I’m all for this kind of escapism entertainment on a long trip, just be sure that you’re isolating yourself occasionally for the right reasons (like diarrhea), and not hiding from experiences and exposures you should be having. Maybe it’s time to challenge yourself by leaving your camera in your room and forcing yourself to journal about what you see, rather than taking a picture of it.</span></span></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnL_pW1pD5PMHfplvyP0xtYWPFECq8l4WA3c1b1j2kXPLsaGn6OQcfkexTPi5O5lVlOHqgcXYnd9MB6taxQxAQfRPqw9eQ5g6aCdGK7gbwYyqXD6oncQSIY47fwA0hc0jlc9acqtghleg/s640/blogger-image-1882026617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnL_pW1pD5PMHfplvyP0xtYWPFECq8l4WA3c1b1j2kXPLsaGn6OQcfkexTPi5O5lVlOHqgcXYnd9MB6taxQxAQfRPqw9eQ5g6aCdGK7gbwYyqXD6oncQSIY47fwA0hc0jlc9acqtghleg/s640/blogger-image-1882026617.jpg" /></a></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Pondering the map on the Manaslu Circuit Trek in Nepal)</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp-hfGXuPYMM49IQLZNYBjbEo5ZIGS1oLmWj33zVnsk56hGdGF1Gf57G_VNWH25VJgtiHu9CUNd1BfRiB1xbfKSNCSM950z73WEzxUzyPP4ilCaaonlOD7lorJJvHk7u6VbcPUCCYOmXE/s640/blogger-image-1274305433.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp-hfGXuPYMM49IQLZNYBjbEo5ZIGS1oLmWj33zVnsk56hGdGF1Gf57G_VNWH25VJgtiHu9CUNd1BfRiB1xbfKSNCSM950z73WEzxUzyPP4ilCaaonlOD7lorJJvHk7u6VbcPUCCYOmXE/s640/blogger-image-1274305433.jpg" /></a></span></b></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">6. Creature Comforts</span></b></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Even when packing light, there are a few things that I don’t skip on. One is a mini bluetooth speaker, like <a href="http://www.beaconaudio.com/products/the-phoenix-2" target="_blank">this</a>.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (It’s way cheaper on Amazon if you actually decide to buy that one) For an impromptu dance party, using a white noise app to drown out loud ambient noise when I’m trying to sleep, or just listening to a podcast while I do my physical therapy & workout routine in the evening, it’s awesome. Just be conscientious of not drowning out the sounds you should be experiencing, or of being that obnoxious person blasting their music. I also like to bring a scented candle (in a tin, not glass), or at least buying a cheap pack of candles upon arrival. Your bag might get searched at airport security, but they’ll let you and your candle through. The hotel manager may not love it, but if you’re careful and don’t burn the place down, they’ll never know, and you’ll have some delightfully cozy ambiance. I also bring my electric toothbrush. Don’t laugh. Dental hygiene is important! Maybe your thing is a deck of cards, your watercolors, or your favorite perfume. Whatever. If it’s small and brings you joy, pack it.</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhymtM2Aumb13pJsO0IzE-FuQNuQUGFLRcPcLWYsLw4c7vdQ3uFh6zAVxqxf6uT2YfXKaIgSHutXRCxmQSwLdAZDnU6EprtfcQCnLl_tB-r51Cr_js2pqkRChyphenhyphenR55YVcLLe4945H1g_2Wc/s640/blogger-image--491548873.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhymtM2Aumb13pJsO0IzE-FuQNuQUGFLRcPcLWYsLw4c7vdQ3uFh6zAVxqxf6uT2YfXKaIgSHutXRCxmQSwLdAZDnU6EprtfcQCnLl_tB-r51Cr_js2pqkRChyphenhyphenR55YVcLLe4945H1g_2Wc/s640/blogger-image--491548873.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">7. Research Ahead</span></b></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One of my best trips was to Ecuador, when I bought a last minute ticket on miles and spent almost NO time researching before I left. But, (and this is the part that doesn’t make it on Facebook), I feel like I had to make up for my lack of preparation once I was there. In Quito, I had to spend several hours holed up in a restaurant, flipping through my Lonely Planet and scrolling through my iPhone, trying to decide which city to go to next, rather than exploring the vibrant city. It was fine, of course, but in hindsight, I’d have benefitted from a better balance of spontaneity and planning- even if that planning meant just having skimmed through the Lonely Planet ahead of time. </span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJbE-G10pgGoWgEJdkEonQLDWgY0MUVJcPaoG3hNwUU1i2PmV4peo50idAcVxNJrBhCWqFGL1yijWjJwnOMEEozVOZdywC3Y_Cc9osM7JTLJup1fRDNPKyVkZjQC37qwwSEkQGRFkrVhk/s640/blogger-image--1515261506.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJbE-G10pgGoWgEJdkEonQLDWgY0MUVJcPaoG3hNwUU1i2PmV4peo50idAcVxNJrBhCWqFGL1yijWjJwnOMEEozVOZdywC3Y_Cc9osM7JTLJup1fRDNPKyVkZjQC37qwwSEkQGRFkrVhk/s640/blogger-image--1515261506.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(This is the scene that was waiting for me once I ventured outside in Quito.)</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In contrast, when I went to Cambodia, I’d had months of prep time and had read a few books about the history of the country, and departed home armed with knowledge of the Khmer Rouge massacres, the historical, spiritual, and artistic significance of Angkor Wat, and a bit of the Khmer language. I’d read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Responsible-Travel-Cambodia-Pujita-Nanette/dp/0975395114" target="_blank">this great book</a> about being an ethical tourist in Cambodia</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and we were able to seek out the businesses that empowered local communities. I feel like I get so much more out of travel when I have the background to be able to appreciate what I’m seeing, and have put in the work to be as ethical and conscientious as a privileged American tourist can be. </span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I’m also a proponent of learning as much of the local language as possible. This can be overwhelming, especially if you’re country-hopping, but the few hours spent on YouTube and taking notes will pay off in a richer experience for you, and more positive experience for your hosts. Some phrases I like to learn, after greetings of course are “Excuse me, do you speak English? My name is Colleen, I am from California, USA. What is your name? Thank you. This food is delicious. Where is …...? How much? That is beautiful. I love your country. Can I take a picture?” People will generally also love to teach you how to say things, if you ask nicely. In Nepal, I found a local my age who I paid to give me daily Nepali lessons over chai, and I ended up having a valuable experience learning about Nepali culture in addition to the language.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">8. Lady People Only</span></b></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I’m not going to delve into the whole philosophy of solo gal travel, other than to say “heck yeah!” People will try to scare you, because your fearlessness scares them. Don’t give in. The world isn’t nearly as dangerous as ‘they’ want us to believe. Trust your gut, follow the lead of locals, find allies, and don’t be hard on yourself if you feel best and safest springing on a decent hotel room, locking your door, and reading yourself to sleep, rather than forcing yourself to explore the night scene. Inform yourself, be aware and confident, and do what you’re comfortable with. Be “married” if you want to, by wearing a fake wedding ring and lying when forward guys ask, but I’ve learned that that usually won’t deter macho dudes anyways. “So what you have a husband? He’s in America. This is Ecuador! You’re free!” (I couldn’t help but feel defensive on behalf of my imaginary husband back home.) Read travel blogs by other solo gal travelers and embrace it.</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.24px; text-indent: 48px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Master a hairstyle that hides a few days without a shower. Mine is the side </span><a href="http://missysue.com/2014/10/french-braid-into-messy-bun/" style="line-height: 20.24px; text-indent: 48px; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">frenchbraid swept into a bun</a><span style="line-height: 20.24px; text-indent: 48px; white-space: pre-wrap;">- which takes about three minutes once you get the hang of frenchbraiding your own hair. Add some local swoopy earrings, and you're set! S</span><span style="line-height: 20.24px; text-indent: 48px; white-space: pre-wrap;">implify your makeup routine. I opt for </span><a href="http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod2450061" style="line-height: 20.24px; text-indent: 48px; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">tinted sunscreen</a> (repackaged into a smaller container)<span style="line-height: 20.24px; text-indent: 48px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> + a brushful of </span><a href="http://www.bareescentuals.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-BareEscentuals-Site/default/Home-Show?brandId=BM&cm_mmc=google-semsearch-_-Brand_Other_CoreBrand_BM_Exact-_-bareMinerals_Alone_Exact-_-bare%20minerals&gclid=Cj0KEQiA0sq2BRDRt6Scrqj71vQBEiQAg5bj00oWaoP25z5fmNx6h7MAM7dXnrSmQ8W3jYvNLl0-lGAaAlM-8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds" style="line-height: 20.24px; text-indent: 48px; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">Bare Minerals</a><span style="line-height: 20.24px; text-indent: 48px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> + mascara. Actually, that's become my daily routine since returning from travel too!</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.24px; text-indent: 48px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh84wXk95fVCIK0KkZYwp6bK5fET1HPCKsu64UYO4gGwzUcYIP6idBFiHo1I2lPpQPvNrYvPOlY2J1Vc3h7L_zHOa89waOmSYxDghjKkJ7IcZ0brBjoHSJonu3jJsGT_ZYYkUIahBRhilg/s640/blogger-image-961397950.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh84wXk95fVCIK0KkZYwp6bK5fET1HPCKsu64UYO4gGwzUcYIP6idBFiHo1I2lPpQPvNrYvPOlY2J1Vc3h7L_zHOa89waOmSYxDghjKkJ7IcZ0brBjoHSJonu3jJsGT_ZYYkUIahBRhilg/s640/blogger-image-961397950.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="line-height: 20.24px; text-indent: 48px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you’re switching to a new method of birth control, talk to your doctor, and allow several months for your body to adjust before travel. I’ve heard a horror story or two of disastrous complications there. Tampons can be hard to find. I got sick of dealing with my period, so went from 3-month birth control, and then to an IUD, and now I don’t have to deal with it at all while traveling. But as a result, I don’t have a whole lot of helpful advice about dealing with your period on the road. Friends say great things about using a <a href="http://divacup.com/" target="_blank">DivaCup</a>, but I imagine that keeping it clean while backpacking would be tough. Maybe I’m wrong. Reviews and various communities online will have more information than I do. I’m a fan of the <a href="http://www.cabelas.com/product/Go-Girl/1195855.uts?productVariantId=2920600&srccode=cii_17588969&cpncode=40-158658470-2&WT.tsrc=CSE&WT.mc_id=GoogleProductAds&WT.z_mc_id1=03186575&rid=20" target="_blank">“Go-Girl”</a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> which I affectionately call "my purple penis.” I think that it has more limited application than advertisements would claim. If you’re on a long river trip, in a harness for a long time, or otherwise in a place where you can’t just pop a squat, it’s great, and you can pee standing up alongside the road like the best of them. But unless you’re in one of those situations, just pop the squat. On that note, once I got used to them, I began to actually </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">prefer</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> squat toilets to our Western ones. I always carry baby wipes with me (and dudes should too!)</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8pduedzhErZyOKh7tvF7G_6i3HiapYztVN1Zvq96Y5xjQ1vS7T7CpjYstLbSPuQFp5PXTVu157-Wm8jYfGSXVn6AR9DQjBkMP2yQuP8PszGrriA2Ias0-ZYMZzCQ3g_FgkATI827hzQ/s640/blogger-image--1817251335.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8pduedzhErZyOKh7tvF7G_6i3HiapYztVN1Zvq96Y5xjQ1vS7T7CpjYstLbSPuQFp5PXTVu157-Wm8jYfGSXVn6AR9DQjBkMP2yQuP8PszGrriA2Ias0-ZYMZzCQ3g_FgkATI827hzQ/s640/blogger-image--1817251335.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NKFr-BN_iXEgNiWksxPeeHi0uudXMAi9n7Ub0J9a3WjcuY6sWO7D9i3gwRJA7QMlqKQl8LQGRylk3s397zxXWVDtbv1ppteEnjZoNmaQ1YCsP02wI9pfEJBdl73AcJDlAs-VLUMVJes/s640/blogger-image--1520201157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NKFr-BN_iXEgNiWksxPeeHi0uudXMAi9n7Ub0J9a3WjcuY6sWO7D9i3gwRJA7QMlqKQl8LQGRylk3s397zxXWVDtbv1ppteEnjZoNmaQ1YCsP02wI9pfEJBdl73AcJDlAs-VLUMVJes/s640/blogger-image--1520201157.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Image stolen from <a href="http://iwasanexpatwife.com/2010/07/16/squatting-in-singapore/" target="_blank">here</a>, because I never think to take pictures of this type of important thing. Honestly, now that I'm used to using these squat toilets, I choose them over Western toilets when given the choice.)</span></div>
</div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I found a bra I love and I’ll never wear anything else. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> This started out as my “travel” bra, but I’ve since been converted and now solely wear this <a href="http://www.titlenine.com/product/329708.do?cvosrc=cse.google.329708%20PUR%20%202&cvosrc=ppc.google.&cvo_campaign=NB_PLA_Bras_GOOG&cvo_crid=86499144073&Matchtype=&code=PLAG_T9&mkwid=srDcS2flR|pcrid|86499144073|pkw||pmt||pdv|c|&gclid=Cj0KEQiA0sq2BRDRt6Scrqj71vQBEiQAg5bj03Jwu0tlPnKupCiGqIHIzwQNWhPBiFnAdxu5g6IA-FAaAt4z8P8HAQ" target="_blank">Patagonia bra</a>. I bring two for long trips. Why are bras so expensive? It’s not fair.</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Leave your razor at home. Or don’t. </span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">9. Laundry</span></b></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I always bring at least one container of <a href="https://www.drbronner.com/DBMS/category/LIQUIDSOAP.html" target="_blank">Dr. Bronners multi-use soap</a>. It’s great for washing clothes in the sink, or yourself, or your Chacos, or anything else. That, plus a solid length of <a href="http://www.rei.com/product/799630/pmi-3mm-utility-cord-package-of-50-ft" target="_blank">parachute cord</a>,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> plus a carabiner to make a clothesline, and you’re set! (The biner/p-cord setup can have a variety of applications, including keeping food off the floor of the rat-infested stone shack you’re sleeping in at 16,000 feet). </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuqRGdzg0dkrkCHBXzKjIqx6uK0YAJiuvif5_oIUnkLBy5ZQZQsMzzknMn7RyU_QJjVzu1oZTV4P0dNPW_j2Eh471B9UqQz5Sm5RSEJyj_hkyEhtsRp_5e0su5JxMJaLgZyvS9I5bnhXw/s640/blogger-image-18219796.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuqRGdzg0dkrkCHBXzKjIqx6uK0YAJiuvif5_oIUnkLBy5ZQZQsMzzknMn7RyU_QJjVzu1oZTV4P0dNPW_j2Eh471B9UqQz5Sm5RSEJyj_hkyEhtsRp_5e0su5JxMJaLgZyvS9I5bnhXw/s640/blogger-image-18219796.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I’ve found laundry readily available everywhere I’ve traveled, whether I've had to spend a few hours near the laundromat, or a pay-per-kilo drop off and pick up deal. It’s a good thing we don’t have that service as readily available and inexpensive here in the US, or I’d never do my own laundry.</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I plan on doing laundry about once every 7-10 days and pack accordingly. I wash undergarments in the sink in between. I’m generally pretty desperate and stinky by the time it's laundry day. Sorry I'm not sorry.</span></span></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">10. Don’t Overpack</span></b></span></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In order to travel for a long time with minimal stuff comfortably, some clothing staples are important. For me, it’s <a href="http://www.rei.com/product/898885/topo-athletic-w-mt-trail-running-shoes-womens?cm_mmc=cse_PLA_GOOG-_-8988850011&CAWELAID=120217890002258946&lsft=cm_mmc:cse_PLA_GOOG" target="_blank">these trail runner shoes</a> (lighter than hiking boots, sturdier than tennis shoes, cuter- in my opinion- than the average outdoorsy shoe) </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> <a href="http://www.chacos.com/US/en/womens-sandals/" target="_blank">Chaco type sandals</a>, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.patagonia.com/us/product/womens-kamala-convertible-skirt?p=58667-1" target="_blank">a long skirt</a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, a few basic colored v-neck t-shirts, a decent cardigan, lightweight hiking pants (bonus points if convertable to capris), long wool underwear (mine double as black leggings), a basic wool thin <a href="http://www.backcountry.com/patagonia-capilene-midweight-zip-neck-top-womens?CMP_SKU=PAT00ZL&MER=0406&skid=PAT00ZL-BK-L&CMP_ID=PLA_GOc001&mv_pc=r101&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=PLA&mr:trackingCode=ED005B12-F31F-E511-80F1-005056944E17&mr:referralID=NA&mr:device=c&mr:adType=plaonline&mr:ad=89620505797&mr:keyword=&mr:match=&mr:tid=pla-150984103237&mr:ploc=9032937&mr:iloc=&mr:store=&mr:filter=150984103237&gclid=Cj0KEQiA0sq2BRDRt6Scrqj71vQBEiQAg5bj014zXCIEpxvh5k-qe3sBAkSh0PmRlpq0xw-S3fUZmZYaAosr8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds" target="_blank">zippered jacket</a>, collared shirt (for dudes), a <a href="http://www.mountainhardwear.com/search?q=jacket&mid=paidsearch&nid=RLSA%7CBranded%7CProducts%7CJackets%7CUS&oid=MHW_NewBrand_Jackets_MiscBrands&did=mountain%20hardwear%20shells&eid=Google+Adwords+US&s_kwcid=AL!3937!3!45735698611!b!!g!!mountain%20hardwear%20shells&gclid=Cj0KEQiA0sq2BRDRt6Scrqj71vQBEiQAg5bj04lx57Sw2lMlk4dKoYFfnxZ5BVa13LkKdTqGfotm_0gaAmV48P8HAQ&ef_id=VtEHzAAABEyUN4xO:20160229013452:s#q=jacket&prefn1=productClass&prefn2=technologyInitiative&prefv1=Jackets&prefv2=Waterproof" target="_blank">shell</a> (aka raincoat. aim for a GoreTex-like material), jeans (some lightweight advocates would say to skip this, but I couldn’t go without), thin wool socks, a beanie-style hat, black workout capris (for sleeping or working out), maybe shorts, a <a href="http://www.prana.com/shayla-dress.html?color=Raisin&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cse&utm_term=54972&gclid=Cj0KEQiA0sq2BRDRt6Scrqj71vQBEiQAg5bj0yXg9gPOAsTaR8JrPV12N51M8bo0zuMXTZlWDCxfU7saAj4E8P8HAQ" target="_blank">versatile dress</a> like this, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">maybe a fleece jacket, tank top in a basic color, and </span><span style="line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">a <a href="http://www.mountainhardwear.com/ghost-whisperer-collection/#prefn1=productClass&prefv1=Jackets" target="_blank">lightweight down jacket</a> (plus a pillowcase stolen from the plane=pillow! Note that the one I linked to is REALLY expensive. I got mine half off, but probably would have endured the full price in hindsight. Looking back at my photos, I'm wearing it in nearly every trip I've done in the past few years.)</span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> It’s fun to buy a local scarf or shawl type thing. I usually bring rain pants, a watch, and a few pairs of sunglasses. I also like to have a <a href="http://www.cascadedesigns.com/msr/faq/camp-towels" target="_blank">travel towel</a>, a combo lock, </span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and not one, but two <a href="http://www.rei.com/product/892054/petzl-zipka-headlamp?cm_mmc=cse_PLA_GOOG-_-8920540002&CAWELAID=120217890000802949&lsft=cm_mmc:cse_PLA_GOOG" target="_blank">headlamps</a> .</span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Naturally if you’re doing an expedition of some kind, or will be doing something off the grid, you’d have major adjustments and additions. Keep in mind though, that rentals are often available, wherever you go. </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigqPwYk3y_Rrx0kSG097HfQEre9TKhrB_rwW9r52vpGF_esZl-HEAyO8OMp1ZSemZqPZB5iJ6zY7xCK2Kix42gqgROvyaJO_g_uOSaH3Y1ds8_TVe1slDGmqqHQpw-VSoqa8Q6A9ramtc/s640/blogger-image--1996353311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigqPwYk3y_Rrx0kSG097HfQEre9TKhrB_rwW9r52vpGF_esZl-HEAyO8OMp1ZSemZqPZB5iJ6zY7xCK2Kix42gqgROvyaJO_g_uOSaH3Y1ds8_TVe1slDGmqqHQpw-VSoqa8Q6A9ramtc/s640/blogger-image--1996353311.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I use this <a href="http://www.mountainhardwear.com/expedition-duffel-small-OS5415.html?cgid=equipment-luggageDuffels&dwvar_OS5415_variationColor=010#mid=paidsearch&nid=RLSA%7CBranded%7CProducts%7CEquipment%7CUS&oid=MHW_NewBrand_Duffles&did=mountain+hardwear+duffel&eid=Google%2BAdwords%2BUS&s_kwcid=AL!3937!3!47046965851!e!!g!!mountain+hardwear+duffel&gclid=CjwKEAiAjfq2BRDpmdHmssaW5xsSJABToP4l53USVllA5rGhzZ9G64LjK-3VFmYMZsm8hby4RfLJFBoCBEDw_wcB&ef_id=VtEHzAAABEyUN4xO%3A20160308211031%3As&start=0" target="_blank">Mountain Hardware duffel</a> in small (45 liters). </span><span style="line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s stealthy black. It’s nearly waterproof. It’s been strapped to yaks, camels, tossed into tiny planes and the back of dusty pickups, and it's always kept my gear safe. I take advantage of the internal compression strap inside to really squash my gear in, and use the mesh side pockets for my little stuff. I managed to get mine for half off at the MH employee store, but even with the steep $140 price tag, I’d actually call this a good investment. </span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To organize, and pseudo-vacuum seal my clothes, I use <a href="http://www.rei.com/product/883364/sea-to-summit-lightweight-dry-sack-20-liters" target="_blank">dry bags</a> picked up at the REI used gear sale. (Separated by tops/bottoms/underwear/laundry). I also always have my <a href="http://www.rei.com/search.html?q=REI+flash+18&r=brand%3Arei%3Bcategory%3Abackpacks&ir=brand%3Arei%3Bcategory%3Abackpacks&page=1&gclid=Cj0KEQiA0sq2BRDRt6Scrqj71vQBEiQAg5bj05wY1fiVZlvaT-z07touViNiKrchrD2uug0INth0MIAaAuNc8P8HAQ&s_kwcid=s1l05iiSq_dc%7Cpcrid%7C71499994205%7Cpkw%7Crei+flash+pack+18%7Cpmt%7Ce%7Cgoogle%7Cmain%7CB" target="_blank">REI 18L flashpack</a>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaGkcWWMuCUnOAgbSmMsHNFF7ECq0vK8qKYN7yjxyg3ElJYBmOT724XYJoZ0DSk_M4KIdtAr7VUNWQ4w3OrTSKEj9YlgsN_CMBrsnZwNlnuzytEj1UCLa58XA3SePh_g8WCI7QGlW7FDc/s640/blogger-image--869321619.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaGkcWWMuCUnOAgbSmMsHNFF7ECq0vK8qKYN7yjxyg3ElJYBmOT724XYJoZ0DSk_M4KIdtAr7VUNWQ4w3OrTSKEj9YlgsN_CMBrsnZwNlnuzytEj1UCLa58XA3SePh_g8WCI7QGlW7FDc/s640/blogger-image--869321619.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Usually I start the trip with this rolled up inside my backpack, but will inevitably expand to fill this as well. It’s nice to have a separate pack for day hikes, and this one isn’t much of a volume or financial commitment. Mine has gone on so many adventures that the purple has faded to a dirty lavender, but it’s still running strong. I usually keep a few plastic grocery bags in the internal pocket, in case it starts raining, so that I'm able to protect my camera or other gear.</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ZowWwUhZtxktbLP7Ri0FMfn0Zi2psJQVz486kiG6EG74FW9_fsgjCRcftpO9DL4EvwcN6kern5_Hz-ozE_ss3k4s_Rr43B_ScrHtJBxjvf8285bNP-0vKzzWa-IA3NdUUre0ZQu4NK4/s640/blogger-image--187707077.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ZowWwUhZtxktbLP7Ri0FMfn0Zi2psJQVz486kiG6EG74FW9_fsgjCRcftpO9DL4EvwcN6kern5_Hz-ozE_ss3k4s_Rr43B_ScrHtJBxjvf8285bNP-0vKzzWa-IA3NdUUre0ZQu4NK4/s640/blogger-image--187707077.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Flashpack rolled up for storage, sunglasses for size comparison.)</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYkOffNgaaRg97lXMPv4xRRgMhReZF1l4iR_RMwTmsY2767__nxzFT7eYYK-dRzg6R6_7036ixrZt1-PJSb4WYDNgqrzMa3plOHsTCrnxVsmLR4l-4VwBtr7gcrrmIR0FRqPbZ0oWDnCw/s640/blogger-image--610498960.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYkOffNgaaRg97lXMPv4xRRgMhReZF1l4iR_RMwTmsY2767__nxzFT7eYYK-dRzg6R6_7036ixrZt1-PJSb4WYDNgqrzMa3plOHsTCrnxVsmLR4l-4VwBtr7gcrrmIR0FRqPbZ0oWDnCw/s640/blogger-image--610498960.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Bonus points if your purse matches your comforter.)</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">
</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For walking around cities, and for travel days, I like a zippered over-the-shoulder purse that’s made out of a material that allows me to roll it up and pack it when I’m not using it. I got mine for $2 at a thrift store and surreptitiously clip a figure-8 biner between the main zipper and the shoulder strap to act as a small deterrent for pickpockets. I also like having an external pocket or two for a water bottle and for the trash I pick up. For toiletries, I like this <a href="http://www.rei.com/product/103998/the-north-face-bc-travel-canister?cm_mmc=cse_PLA_GOOG-_-1039980001&CAWELAID=120217890002283673&lsft=" target="_blank">North Face bag</a>. </span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I also bought a small, premade first aid kit and modified to my preferences.</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Whew. Overwhelmed yet? I am. This might all seem totally unattainable. If so, know that it took me YEARS, and a lot of trial and error, and a lot of failed trips to the REI used gear store before I feel like I got a system that works for me. I'm fortunate that Portland has a great used gear store, <a href="https://nextadventure.net/community/" target="_blank">Next Adventure</a>, and I am able to take advantage of friends' connections and my own access to pro deals. People have been traveling for thousands of years before GoreTex was developed, and people continually manage to survive without DWR-coated down. Having the latest and greatest gear is nice, but don't let access to that stop you from exploring. If you don't want to invest in this gear, or don't care about traveling as light as I like to, that's awesome too! There's no right way to do anything.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_VROt9Nz7rcVIqHrm9XGyL3X_8fgmACUiAmi9TVenA_Ni8Iuo3omUdIIGw1qukkBmFF1B-LriWxwRxaEQXHl8-ZJFcT-hGN3YhXNTGxXmPgAl6P6jqiXCwhTULNYAXN9KgcsW_w1yMiI/s640/blogger-image-339404968.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_VROt9Nz7rcVIqHrm9XGyL3X_8fgmACUiAmi9TVenA_Ni8Iuo3omUdIIGw1qukkBmFF1B-LriWxwRxaEQXHl8-ZJFcT-hGN3YhXNTGxXmPgAl6P6jqiXCwhTULNYAXN9KgcsW_w1yMiI/s640/blogger-image-339404968.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Happy traveling! Comment or email me if you have further suggestions or questions.</span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-257424932044458872.post-2992768248969255042015-12-28T12:35:00.001-08:002016-09-07T11:09:55.433-07:00An Emotional Guide to Lesvos<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">By Colleen Sinsky</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<script type="text/javascript">
window.location = "https://colleensinsky.com/2015/12/28/an-emotional-guide-to-lesvos/";
</script>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Welcome volunteers, thank you for being here. Whatever
your motivations are, whatever your skill set, whatever your time commitment
is- welcome. You are needed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmaJpUNJyhOqTJgRQhk3gvzxEyselG9ySa8H-hbhI7-FRkiMprfLt2i4iQ_A875oDUfSfwJ7i2NK8TdLHM5PybNdzdyoGks1qrSPl37Y-j6UFwgV9FPb4Hc1IQSv5XI2_z6PrZAsPKak/s1600/IMG_1730.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmaJpUNJyhOqTJgRQhk3gvzxEyselG9ySa8H-hbhI7-FRkiMprfLt2i4iQ_A875oDUfSfwJ7i2NK8TdLHM5PybNdzdyoGks1qrSPl37Y-j6UFwgV9FPb4Hc1IQSv5XI2_z6PrZAsPKak/s200/IMG_1730.PNG" width="200"></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;">Before arriving here, emotionally engaging in
the crisis was optional. You could read an article about the Syrian war, glance
at a photo of a baby crying on a Greek beach, and then continue scrolling
through the newsfeed and disengage from it. Here on Lesvos though, you're fully
in it.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 14.5667px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;">You'll see throngs of just-arrived refugees walk
past the café where you came to decompress and call home. You'll see so many
life jackets strewn around that they will lose their significance and you will
stop noticing them. You'll spend the day working alongside amazing people and
fighting back tears as you come face to face with the human victims of an
inhuman war. The beautiful sea will look more ominous. Dinner conversation with other volunteers will center around
border closures and Turkish politics. When you get into bed you'll question why
you are the one in a hotel room rather than in a muddy refugee camp. And at
night you'll dream about overcrowded rafts landing in your hometown. </span><span style="background: white;">You might start to question the rosy worldview
you were able to maintain before this. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 14.5667px;">You might be jarred by feelings of frustration at a world that allows the people in front of you to be so desperate for the things that you already have. You might feel helpless, angry, overwhelmed, lonely, guilty, or lost. Maybe you'll realize that there is so much more going on here than you simply "helping," but that it's difficult to put it into words.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="line-height: 14.5667px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;">Your emotional defenses might go up. Your brain
might try to protect itself from seeing the tragic </span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTJP9ChLdLO30g53PefAh3Yqh1vcnOyTgif4oJv5sFRt-DC4am9hgY3PWcwBQ353OS2DxIU_WMXSmBqK60TwGGmXTIEz9bisr2bo_YFAao76ENy_wUPZYtftnq1-QkFW42AUXU5dvGuT4/s1600/IMG_1564.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTJP9ChLdLO30g53PefAh3Yqh1vcnOyTgif4oJv5sFRt-DC4am9hgY3PWcwBQ353OS2DxIU_WMXSmBqK60TwGGmXTIEz9bisr2bo_YFAao76ENy_wUPZYtftnq1-QkFW42AUXU5dvGuT4/s320/IMG_1564.JPG" width="320"></a></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;">reality in front of you by
justifying and rationalizing. Insulating yourself does serve the purpose of
allowing you to get through the day as a functional helper. But I think that
the most important thing that you can do here for yourself and for the
individuals you are serving is to consciously let your defenses down, and let
yourself feel all of those overwhelming emotions. Come here to learn, come here
to break down barriers and conquer fears through conversations. Come here to
let your heart be broken.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 14.5667px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;">Do the work, whether it's giving medical aid,
sorting socks, or serving tea, with a heart that is humble enough to learn and
vulnerable enough to evolve. Ask questions. Listen. Smile even though you want
to cry at the injustice of it all – do that later. Try not to get so absorbed
in busyness or in taking photos that you aren't able to be fully present to
whoever is in front of you. Take a deep breath and realign yourself in between
interactions because each person deserves your best. During stressful, crowded
moments, it’s possible to fall into the trap of losing your ability to be
empathetic to individuals, and to see the refugees as numbers or a nuisance. If
you feel yourself doing this, take a step back and check in with yourself or a
fellow volunteer. The way that you interact with people is as important as the
assistance you are providing. If you’re feeling overwhelmed and frustrated,
that will come across to the people you’re there to help, and you’ll have
become part of the uncaring, stressed out government operations. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 14.5667px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 14.5667px;">Respect privacy, make eye contact, be calm and polite, and don't be afraid to laugh. Refugees have told me that we are the first smiles they have seen in a long time, so when appropriate, it's important to share happiness- especially with children. Take the time to inform yourself so that you can be an accurate source of relevant information. Learn some Arabic and Farsi phrases, and find translators in the crowd to help you. Introduce yourself and proactively offer assistance. When you can, give refugees options. "Blue or black socks?" "Apple or orange?" "Choose one toy from this box." It sounds insignificant, but presenting people with options is an important way to restore some feelings of control and human dignity.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 14.5667px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;">Recognize that refugees may have come from
experiences where being defensive and pushy has been necessary to stay alive.
Don't think that people are being "manipulative" - instead, recognize
that they are resilient survivors who have had to learn how to get their needs
met. The stories you hear from Lesvos are often full of baby hugs and heartfelt
story sharing, but please remember that the gruff, standoffish man has a trauma
history and is as deserving of your compassionate attention as anyone else.
Remember that these are brave, passionate, loving, fearful individuals.
Everything you do for them should reflect this.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; line-height: 14.5667px;">Please be a responsible volunteer. Research the issues and geography ahead of time, learn what organizations are currently operating here, and read accounts from volunteers on the ground. Take direction from people who have </span>been here longer, and try to work within established practices. They may not be perfect, but be conscious of the many people- locals, grassroots projects, and large scale non-governmental organizations- have been working hard in overwhelming situations with limited resources. As a short-term volunteer, your job is to set your ego aside and support the long-term efforts; even if that means making sandwiches, keeping watch, and sorting donations. You’ll have a much richer experience, and your impact much greater if you can set aside a vision of yourself as a hero, rescuing children from the sea.</span></div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 14.5667px;"><br /></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtlGVmVJw6dHmuI8jy2PZa774tiGTct-A7oHaSr4VPAD3gp39Ar4MOoRHBwFsURXyDHN4zB8eNoFL5_AW400MPt7NNLMt-JQTJ2vfmWD1L2b8-gAWPDjVicg4Ym1spn-lJWIh_UlnOmpA/s1600/IMG_1602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtlGVmVJw6dHmuI8jy2PZa774tiGTct-A7oHaSr4VPAD3gp39Ar4MOoRHBwFsURXyDHN4zB8eNoFL5_AW400MPt7NNLMt-JQTJ2vfmWD1L2b8-gAWPDjVicg4Ym1spn-lJWIh_UlnOmpA/s200/IMG_1602.JPG" width="200"></span></a><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white; font-family: inherit;">It's important to accept your own smallness.
Remember the parable of 't<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/56782.Loren_Eiseley" target="_blank">he starfish throwe</a>r', in which a boy, on a shore of
thousands of beached, dying starfish is tossing some back to sea and points out
to a pessimistic passerby that while he can't save the whole beach, that each small
act does in fact make a huge difference to the individual starfish being
saved. Your small contributions have an enormous impact on each individual
that you assist. Embrace the fact that while you may not be doing large scale
things right now, that you can do small things with great love (said Mother
Theresa). And when a passionate community takes on enough of these small,
starfish-saving acts of love, the tide on oppression will change. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 14.5667px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;">Even after working 12+ hours a day, you still
might feel helpless, given the scale of the crisis. You might be kept awake by
the haunting face of a cold little girl you helped, wondering where she is and
if you could have done more. The trauma that the refugees are experiencing is,
in a way, contagious, and you'll likely carry some of what you hear and see
here for the rest of your life. An Afghani man I met in Moria camp my last
night on Lesvos reminded me that it's important to be sensitive to others'
pain. Even if it hurts, without the ability to be empathetic, we would miss out
on a key part of being human. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 14.5667px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;">Notice your feelings. Ask yourself why you are
having a certain reaction. Engage with what's going on for you- don't push it
away. Remember that every emotional response you have is valid, and that you are having a normal reaction to an abnormal experience. Take some
time to put intentional thought into what you do at home to decompress. Do you
run? Call a friend? Journal? Cook? Read? Look at the stars? It's important to
figure out how to incorporate those self-care things you do for yourself at
home into your volunteer experience. Talk to other volunteers who may be
experiencing a reaction similar to yours. Whenever possible, organize a small
group dinner or coffee gathering- digesting what you are going through
informally with peers is hugely helpful to integrating this intense experience
you are having. It's important not just to remember that you aren't alone, but
also to perhaps hear someone else give voice to a reaction that you have had.
Be aware of the very real danger of inexperienced volunteers developing
lingering unhealthy emotions as a result of the trauma that they've been
exposed to. If you are experiencing difficulty sleeping, anxiety, irritation,
hopelessness, a change in eating patterns or exhaustion, you may be
experiencing '<a href="http://www.humanitarian-psy.org/compassion-fatigue/" target="_blank">compassion fatigue</a>' which is the same thing as '<a href="http://www.nctsn.org/resources/topics/secondary-traumatic-stress" target="_blank">secondary traumatic stress</a>.' It's possible that these feelings can
become <a href="http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/index.shtml" target="_blank">Post Traumatic Stress Disorder</a>. Please consult a professional if
your negative feelings persist or worsen.(Link at the end.)</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span>
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaBikGsiRkecdLlFT89SyawPRlh9BIyWpQgHZEii9eOJLBUzaWBWhv7mgAErH0Yac9c8c2lCEKjcxW57wZSfYhWbHOv8xWSQgwYsLxKqG6l0jp30DLNskDYJneNxtl20N2C4lUhCcU0kc/s1600/IMG_3173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaBikGsiRkecdLlFT89SyawPRlh9BIyWpQgHZEii9eOJLBUzaWBWhv7mgAErH0Yac9c8c2lCEKjcxW57wZSfYhWbHOv8xWSQgwYsLxKqG6l0jp30DLNskDYJneNxtl20N2C4lUhCcU0kc/s200/IMG_3173.JPG" width="200"></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;">Keep yourself safe. Take breaks, and step out if
a situation feels unsafe or beyond your ability. </span></span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">You can only give so much of yourself. Recognize
that if you've chosen to come here, it's likely that you have a
"helper" personality and could burn yourself out with your own
enthusiasm. Reserve some of that energy </span></span>for yourself, and to share with fellow volunteers. Be kind and respectful to Greek locals and authorities and to fellow volunteers. Assume goodwill, avoid casting judgement, and please reach out to talk. It's likely that all of the other volunteers you meet have been working hard and biting back tears all day as well. Even if you don’t know a fellow volunteer very well, don’t be afraid of offering a genuine “How are YOU doing?” Actively creating that space to talk about what you’re experience can build strong relationships, and help process and integrate what you both are experiencing. You're in a unique, passionate, multicultural community, so engage, and learn from it.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaBikGsiRkecdLlFT89SyawPRlh9BIyWpQgHZEii9eOJLBUzaWBWhv7mgAErH0Yac9c8c2lCEKjcxW57wZSfYhWbHOv8xWSQgwYsLxKqG6l0jp30DLNskDYJneNxtl20N2C4lUhCcU0kc/s1600/IMG_3173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;"></span><span style="background: white;"></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;">Once back at home, it might feel alienating to
try to talk to friends and family about what you've experienced here. Even if
they love and support you and the refugees 100%, you have been in such a huge,
traumatic, and completely foreign environment, it's going to be difficult to
feel understood. Be gentle with them, say what you need, and accept their love
and concern for you.</span></span><br /><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white; font-family: inherit;">And loved ones back home reading this: Listen!
Ask open-ended questions. Read the news so that you know what to ask about.
Look at your loved one's pictures. Be supportive and empathetic, even if you
don't totally understand it. Keep listening, and create a space between you
where it's always safe to talk about the volunteer experience. Ask what your
loved one needs to feel supported. Get engaged yourself in the refugee crisis.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 14.5667px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">If a stranger, or someone in your life, is
unsympathetic or hostile, don't take it personally. You've had the opportunity
to see behind the curtain that the mass media paints for us. If you are ready
to engage with someone who doesn't 'get it' please do so from a calm, informed,
and respectful place. If you're not in a good place to challenge someone's
opinion, then respectfully decline to engage. In the same way that no refugee
'owes' you their story and opinion, you don't have an obligation to be the
great defender of the crisis. Though, if you are able to be an informed, respectful,
advocate back home, that is great!</span> In all of this, b<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">e aware of your own privilege, and let the things you
become aware of here influence how you interact with people. Be a humble
advocate. Don't make the story be about you. Give the refugees a voice.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">It's easy to be overwhelmed by the combination
of war in the news and the individual tragedies in front of you. To </span></span>be optimistic sometimes seems absurd, and it flies in the face of what sensationalist mass media wants us to believe, but we must be optimistic. We have to be able to see that traumatized children can still play, and remember that thousands of volunteers have come here, with the support of friends and family, from around the world. We have to be able to enjoy a beautiful sunrise, see the love and hope a young Syrian couples shares, and appreciate the Greek grandmothers who rock scared refugee babies to sleep. We have to recognize that we are part of community of people who are as bothered by this injustice as you are<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.95px;">. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.95px;"><br /></span></span>
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcvDjLHEzfZ5M3hjkKfO7MElySPuySWMrZDkVkLVZ03Gz4maXxvJvvYeJqeOkYUYe20oDQpk_yKbiqRB3M4YHQueHY2JeggLebylV_SvnGLnk_HrG8K9KuBRBDoYS1BlUO-rthOUUEhBM/s1600/IMG_3239.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcvDjLHEzfZ5M3hjkKfO7MElySPuySWMrZDkVkLVZ03Gz4maXxvJvvYeJqeOkYUYe20oDQpk_yKbiqRB3M4YHQueHY2JeggLebylV_SvnGLnk_HrG8K9KuBRBDoYS1BlUO-rthOUUEhBM/s200/IMG_3239.JPG" width="200"></span></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white; font-family: inherit;">When you get back home, don't fall back asleep.
The transition back to daily life can be difficult if you disengage. Instead,
allow what you've seen here to change you, and continue to seek out ways at
home to advocate and to remain involved. Keep in touch with the people you met
while volunteering. Having borne witness to this amount of tragedy should break
your heart and break you out of the comfortable worldview you've had before
this. Some have described that in hindsight, their life feels like it is
divided between “pre-Lesvos and post-Lesvos.” Some are unhappy back at home, in
what feels like a shallow life, until they book a return ticket. It is
difficult to ever fully “leave” the island. The crisis hasn’t ended because
you’re back at home, and Lesvos is not the only place where tragedy is
happening, so continue to support the refugees, and to foster better
understanding in your own community. Be proud of your contribution to humanity
during such a dark time, and be grateful that you were able to be here.
Wherever you are, be the reason that others can be optimistic about humanity.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="color: #222222; line-height: 14.5667px;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Further Resources:</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 14.5667px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 14.5667px;">International network of counselors and psychologists are available for Skype support for volunteers on Lesvos (and other islands). This is provided by each therapist as a free service for volunteers in Lesvos who are feeling overwhelmed or just needing to talk. Please </span><a href="mailto:VolunteerCounsellingLesvos@gmail.com" style="line-height: 14.5667px;" target="_blank">contact</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 14.5667px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 14.5667px;"><a href="mailto:VolunteerCounsellingLesvos@gmail.com">VolunteerCounsellingLesvos@gmail.com</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 14.5667px;"> with your language preference.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 14.5667px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 14.5667px;">"<a href="http://traumastewardship.com/the-book/inside-the-book/" target="_blank">Trauma Stewardship:</a> An Everyday Guide To Caring For Self While Caring For Others<span style="color: #222222;">" by Laura van Dernoot </span>Lipsky is a really fantastic book that has helped me a lot in my social work career and in volunteering.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.5667px;">"</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">This book is written for anyone who is doing work with an intention to make the world more sustainable and hopeful—all in all, a better place—and who, through this work, is exposed to the hardship, pain, crisis, trauma, or suffering of other living beings or the planet itself. It is for those who notice that they are not the same people they once were, or are being told by their families, friends, colleagues, or pets that something is different about them."</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white; font-family: inherit;">Guardian article on <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2015/nov/23/guardian-research-suggests-mental-health-crisis-among-aid-workers" target="_blank">"Mental Health Crisis Among Aid Workers"</a> with practical suggestions for self care.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white; font-family: inherit;">If you have questions, concerns, suggestions, or just want to reach out, my <a href="mailto:ColleenSinsky@gmail.com" target="_blank">email</a> is <a href="mailto:ColleenSinsky@gmail.com">ColleenSinsky@gmail.com</a></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white; font-family: inherit;">I've done social work with the homeless population of Portland, Oregon for four years and have been done on-scene trauma intervention alongside emergency response. I have an interest in mitigating secondary trauma among advocates through building community and sharing information. After spending a month volunteering on Lesvos with <a href="http://drapenihavet.no/en/" target="_blank">A Drop In The Ocean</a>, I became concerned with the effect that the work was having on volunteers. I hope that this article, and my being vulnerable about my experience in my other writing will help give words to what the helpers are going through. Here's a link to another article I wrote on my volunteer experience on Lesvos "<a href="http://news.streetroots.org/2015/12/10/hope-heartbreak-syrian-refugee-crisis-through-eyes-volunteer" target="_blank">Hope and Heartbreak</a>." Thank you for reading, and thank you to Chris Murray, Remy Abdoul Troubadour, and Siri Mette Vollmo for your help and suggestions on this piece.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">-Colleen</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2N78JRhc2jj0ZrK4YbtiznQPBp5LMRQBdaD0dlHFKV1wXAw2MUlhkMYUS-M1jrtBjW04KOB1QVN43oZ46d1KWq3_AR62G_pfLqUhxToRNOYAV3fYv55yUxoeVcfoXBvaUypCugOPuH54/s1600/IMG_3152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2N78JRhc2jj0ZrK4YbtiznQPBp5LMRQBdaD0dlHFKV1wXAw2MUlhkMYUS-M1jrtBjW04KOB1QVN43oZ46d1KWq3_AR62G_pfLqUhxToRNOYAV3fYv55yUxoeVcfoXBvaUypCugOPuH54/s640/IMG_3152.JPG" width="640"></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-257424932044458872.post-73032215322565106272015-12-06T11:00:00.001-08:002016-09-07T10:58:43.708-07:00Five Stories from Lesvos<div>
<script type="text/javascript">
window.location = "https://colleensinsky.com/2015/12/06/five-stories-from-lesvos/";
</script>
By Colleen Sinsky</div><div><br></div><div>Here are five stories from Lesvos that will never be on the news. I wrote them each to share on Facebook in order to document my month of volunteering here and to advocate for a more compassionate refugee resettlement program in the US by humanizing the victims I've met here. I've been surprised by the overwhelming response to each of these vignettes, so here are they are, collected for you. Thank you for reading!</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcQgn7FB64qNBVx3Nor6mXgwsXaQKSSNgBCw9T81AdeKeoQXSDnIPaaxwfSNEI7-YhROCVVV6LIcfNwCAW5V84VRrNB7mSGe9NyDccrLeO0YpxOEQkAhn-3HGxXx9OgXsnzvqfic6CRUE/s640/blogger-image--896536888.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcQgn7FB64qNBVx3Nor6mXgwsXaQKSSNgBCw9T81AdeKeoQXSDnIPaaxwfSNEI7-YhROCVVV6LIcfNwCAW5V84VRrNB7mSGe9NyDccrLeO0YpxOEQkAhn-3HGxXx9OgXsnzvqfic6CRUE/s640/blogger-image--896536888.jpg"></a></div></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"If you have come to help me, you are wasting your time. If you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together."</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">-Lilla Watson</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div>------------------------------------------------</div><div><b><i>ONE.</i></b></div><div>One night in late November, the Greek Coast Guard got a call that a refugee boat was hours overdue because family members back in Turkey hadn't heard from their loved ones on board. After searching the dark sea for hours, the Coast Guard found the raft and brought everyone on board to the nearest land- a tiny fishing village-where a café was turned into a makeshift Emergency Room. There, doctors and volunteers managed to save everyone, despite many suffering from hypothermia and shock, including a nine month old baby with Downs Syndrome. Throughout the rescue, the refugees were frantically telling the aid workers that there was someone else lost at sea- they had to continue searching. </div><div>...</div><div>When the engine of the raft had died halfway across the Aegean, and the overcrowded raft began to fill with water, the families on board panicked. The last of their possessions were tossed overboard, but they continued to drift and slowly sink on the dark sea. From the edge of the raft, a tall, broad-shouldered man from Iraq spoke up. His wife and children had been killed by the rockets that destroyed his home. He was alone in the world. To give the sinking raft more time, he would jump overboard, hoping that without his weight, the others on board would have a chance of rescue. </div><div><br></div><div>I don't know how long he floated, or what that frigid, lonesome night in the Aegean was like. I imagine that he looked up at the stars and thought about his wife and children, and how he would soon meet them again. I imagine that they would be proud of him.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, the Spanish lifeguards had heard the story and quickly mobilized jet skis, heading off into the darkness to find him. Every once in a while the lifeguards would cut the engines, scan the choppy water with flashlights, and call his name. Eventually their light fell onto the man's waterlogged orange life vest, and the lifeguards raced his unconscious body back to the café on shore. Doctors and volunteers had few resources, but spent two hours administering oxygen and trying to warm him up. The doctors said that he teetered on the brink of life and death and would not have survived another five minutes in the water. But he did survive. He eventually sat up to ask about the raft and to thank his rescuers in every language he knew. I don't know his name or where he hopes to go, but I know that he texts his rescuers updates and gratitude daily. I hope he finds a place he can someday call home again.</div><div><br></div><div>It's true that not all refugees are women and orphans. It's true that they come from a culture that I know little about. And it's true that it's easier to think in broad generalizations and to let fear overshadow our responsibility towards other humans. But I would rather live in a country with that man who willingly sacrificed his life, than be part of one that would exclude him. </div><div><br></div><div>Thanks to Joakim B Olsen and Maria Kamal, fellow volunteers at A Drop In The Ocean, (http://drapenihavet.no/en/) who spent a long night saving lives and told me their story. </div><div><br></div><div>Also to the lifeguards of Proactiva </div><div>http://en.proactivaopenarms.org/</div><div><br></div><div>And doctors of IsraAid http://www.israaid.co.il/</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8S2vUJthX6hdvYXEqHjyx7mW9uEV3fzJklRsBF9X0lNz9D-CpWa1hKr3h-wrpuOBLJfdMErapzdSFyXt4ZfeIOxfir9qS7Q5Z7SXcs3t5lk0aYRExeIm2Utxdn6nPIz042_YWugUb2QI/s640/blogger-image-1690004827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8S2vUJthX6hdvYXEqHjyx7mW9uEV3fzJklRsBF9X0lNz9D-CpWa1hKr3h-wrpuOBLJfdMErapzdSFyXt4ZfeIOxfir9qS7Q5Z7SXcs3t5lk0aYRExeIm2Utxdn6nPIz042_YWugUb2QI/s640/blogger-image-1690004827.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">------------------------------------------------</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i>TWO.</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">It was eerie to walk amid these towering piles of discarded life vests. I'm now used to seeing the vests along beaches, but in the central landfill- where all of the gathered vests are brought from around the island- I was struck by the sheer magnitude of this crisis, and by this physical evidence of the collective trauma endured along the journey. I couldn't stop comparing this massive pile on Lesvos to the tens of thousands of shoes taken from the Jews murdered in the Holocaust because they were not able to flee the Nazi regime. I thought that the purpose of displaying those shoes in various Holocaust memorial museums around the world was to shame and remind the world of the terror our ignorance once caused. If it is only through hindsight that we let ourselves be horrified by atrocities of this scale, then we are doomed to repeat history again and again.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhorRWOFxoJ2adnyNSCCqoah1ttW8HIKr6WjKEPKQuYKo3BNd7jJDoL4Zh4yOannmg3PZK8pZXcBjC_Dc5eiHm120cLMopDsXiytThizwgxCq4BpmIwbuhYO3s8xhzKC4z8fcqJAmiXcl0/s640/blogger-image-748598315.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhorRWOFxoJ2adnyNSCCqoah1ttW8HIKr6WjKEPKQuYKo3BNd7jJDoL4Zh4yOannmg3PZK8pZXcBjC_Dc5eiHm120cLMopDsXiytThizwgxCq4BpmIwbuhYO3s8xhzKC4z8fcqJAmiXcl0/s640/blogger-image-748598315.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">More than a piece of trash, each vest represents a life story. Of bombs destroying neighborhoods and random police raids, and children going to bed afraid. Of the agonizing decision to pack and leave the only home you've ever known because a war zone isn't a home, and to become a placeless family at the mercy of an unmerciful world. Of forcing your children to keep walking through the night and to lie silently so that you won't be discovered. Of beatings at the border and remembering the favorite food you'll never have again. Of seeing that much open water for the very first time, and then the tiny raft that the smuggler you paid is now forcing you to get on. And you know that 60 people is too many for a boat this size, and you know that each life vest you paid €150 for is fake, and you know how many people have drowned ahead of you on this crossing, but you sit in the boat anyways and hold your beautiful, scared children close. You avoid eye contact with the others because seeing your fear and desperation reflected in them would be more than you could handle. So you stare straight ahead, while your brain prays for "Europe. Europe. Europe. Europe." so that there's not space to wonder if your wandering nightmare will ever end. Because when your home is a pile of rubble, and there is nowhere but forward, you tell yourself that this life vest means hope and not death.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgroSV211RnySrByYMfoD1pkP5LNilqVNF804DTnQLHjAfH9B3MFoW3qhHjnmCScwo48KOfTkH5-tUyQ-wghTGFqrT9-Qk0SvlNyM84vAJic5CcUVwaUypEGwsmO5qh-4rD6fzDxoDAvUg/s640/blogger-image--2133932379.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgroSV211RnySrByYMfoD1pkP5LNilqVNF804DTnQLHjAfH9B3MFoW3qhHjnmCScwo48KOfTkH5-tUyQ-wghTGFqrT9-Qk0SvlNyM84vAJic5CcUVwaUypEGwsmO5qh-4rD6fzDxoDAvUg/s640/blogger-image--2133932379.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhDX29yzd3WpBSR6jsyCaKswTzluKezXSXUs8YHyCZ95G74EtBXMGl3Vg7-iOgwUvztVCG1LAbchdk50gKqESehcoF8Yr4RVA5pt5lycElLM8dmqjv1g7Iu2zJjL4j4Vtql0TStTFIVAA/s640/blogger-image--1731216330.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhDX29yzd3WpBSR6jsyCaKswTzluKezXSXUs8YHyCZ95G74EtBXMGl3Vg7-iOgwUvztVCG1LAbchdk50gKqESehcoF8Yr4RVA5pt5lycElLM8dmqjv1g7Iu2zJjL4j4Vtql0TStTFIVAA/s640/blogger-image--1731216330.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">"What you have to understand, is that no one puts their children on a boat unless the water is safer than the land."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">-From "Home" by Warsan Shire</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">------------------------------------------------</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i>THREE.</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiDEj7hpOqju0VZDVKLGQ_LbS1hckqbkXR_s7CvVE66TNKnD13XQb066OvHFSy6ydUJK1uYQoIRRIrJ-oBveTf3nn0DkrVr5jxM-pt3lbVRF9_sBxn4EUELiCti9HQhKQyMwO09G0C6AY/s640/blogger-image--666011627.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiDEj7hpOqju0VZDVKLGQ_LbS1hckqbkXR_s7CvVE66TNKnD13XQb066OvHFSy6ydUJK1uYQoIRRIrJ-oBveTf3nn0DkrVr5jxM-pt3lbVRF9_sBxn4EUELiCti9HQhKQyMwO09G0C6AY/s640/blogger-image--666011627.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The engine of the small wooden boat that 'Sara' and her family were on gave up halfway across the Aegean Sea this morning. They were adrift towards a dangerous coastline until a local fisherman managed to tow them to a rocky beach where we, and a team of Greek lifeguards were waiting. We formed a human chain to dry land and passed the babies and kids to safety. Everyone was shaken but fine. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I cannot imagine the anguish of risking the ocean in an overcrowded boat with your children. I cannot imagine the horror that they are escaping. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Sara is blind in one eye from shrapnel from a rocket hitting their neighborhood in Syria, but you would never guess it from how well she looks after her younger sisters, how ready she is to play a game, and how quickly she figured out my iPhone camera. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Her family has one suitcase between them, and nothing left of their home. This is whose future will be made hopeless by closed borders.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2MrbMYnvP0iswAJFRE6R2O8YYXIwJ6wD7xyLy0hI-qYGq1dz_ivKkbLXozsa-u9XfaibQDlDYN5ldFBGG-f3bCq4eaju9H2yo-11zfHTg2ceZgi5-ybQ1V4jL1IDkW-EG6MwAmx_hIac/s640/blogger-image--1056352812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2MrbMYnvP0iswAJFRE6R2O8YYXIwJ6wD7xyLy0hI-qYGq1dz_ivKkbLXozsa-u9XfaibQDlDYN5ldFBGG-f3bCq4eaju9H2yo-11zfHTg2ceZgi5-ybQ1V4jL1IDkW-EG6MwAmx_hIac/s640/blogger-image--1056352812.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">------------------------------------------------</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i>FOUR.</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Today, during a quiet, chilly morning spent cleaning a Lesvos beach, I found a soggy pink backpack rocking in the waves. I dragged it up the shore and knelt down beside it to search for a passport I could try to reunite with its owner. I pulled out small pink Levis, a sweatshirt with a rainbow owl, frilly yellow socks, a purple hairbrush and messy collection of hair ties. No passport or anything identifiable, but a young girl's entire life possessions carefully folded, carried, and then lost.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">What was she thinking as she chose which clothes to pack? Was she optimistic, imagining herself as the American girls she'd seen on TV? Was she terrified, as bombs shattered the neighborhood outside? Were her parents shouting from down the hall, "Hurry, it's time to leave."? Did she say a final tearful goodbye to her favorite stuffed animal who wouldn't fit?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I don't know the fate of the pink backpack's owner. I found it beside a young Syrian boy's passport, so they may have washed up together from a raft that sank in the night. It may have been tossed overboard when an overcrowded raft began to fill with water. I wish I knew where she is now—I think. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">There is too much tragedy here for it to be newsworthy anymore, but these stories deserve to be told.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPLHZkb_DJ3MoDEISmA7TziKGEj1YZgPxezIDYXKVflMeUCLQzAsP5UVt4LnkH8AbI1MzIIR0GA3qf7vQ8s6wJJg87JfUlZU8kSmbk2aGd1316l3qlmk_Wmi2wT7b0rSkPpJjTiSd7woI/s640/blogger-image-364137416.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPLHZkb_DJ3MoDEISmA7TziKGEj1YZgPxezIDYXKVflMeUCLQzAsP5UVt4LnkH8AbI1MzIIR0GA3qf7vQ8s6wJJg87JfUlZU8kSmbk2aGd1316l3qlmk_Wmi2wT7b0rSkPpJjTiSd7woI/s640/blogger-image-364137416.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">------------------------------------------------</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i>FIVE.</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">"Hamid" and I met walking past the glow of a campfire on 'Afghan Hill' in a squalid, overcrowded refugee camp in southern Lesvos last night. We were born just 22 days apart into wildly different worlds- USA and Afghanistan. He is a former elementary school English teacher and UN volunteer who just arrived on a raft from Turkey, seeking a safe place to call home.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Here is the essence of the insights that Hamid shared in the raw conversation that ensued.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">"I've seen so many things that make me question if life should have happened. People who have lost their entire families and had to leave with nothing. Would it be better if life had never happened, rather than this misery? I used to think yes, but I am trying to be optimistic. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I know that the mass media lies everywhere, but for 27 years I saw them telling us that the US and Europe don't care about us, the poor people. But I realize, here on Lesvos, that that's not true at all. Can you believe that last night at 3am I saw two female volunteers like you actually walking around to ask if people were okay? Really! They actually came here from their countries, just for us, and were awake all night just to see that refugees here were warm enough. I still can't believe it. I thought that no one cared, that no one got along, but here it's different. Yeah, this camp isn't very nice, and it's very cold, but I've never experienced multiculturalism and volunteers like this. For the first time, I am really optimistic. Maybe our governments do not get along, but here we do get along. This place makes me happy. It makes me optimistic for my future and for the world, because it's happening here. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I can see so much beauty in the world, and it's important, because without that, and without optimism, that's not life anymore. I was talking to a volunteer doctor here yesterday, and she was also very sensitive and emotional like you, and we decided the truth. That it's good to be a sensitive person, and to feel others' pain, because if you don't, then you are missing out on a key part of being human. You're not really living how humans are supposed to live. You're supposed to care for each other no matter how different they are. And that is what's happening here."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKy9IrDpC1QiCW51cJK2kpHhbZ4fhiu0-VrW0rUPLFwgyplyiTUowA9zLltqjHoJwX1rF641QZ9vQ1DFd9IKF1kq5YlFo_Gn7_uJio2zz2hlRRTE-4lzjiBjop3BKuhQ1KEZmirnXtsY4/s640/blogger-image-324326961.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKy9IrDpC1QiCW51cJK2kpHhbZ4fhiu0-VrW0rUPLFwgyplyiTUowA9zLltqjHoJwX1rF641QZ9vQ1DFd9IKF1kq5YlFo_Gn7_uJio2zz2hlRRTE-4lzjiBjop3BKuhQ1KEZmirnXtsY4/s640/blogger-image-324326961.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Thank you Hamid, I needed that lesson in optimism as a send off from this beautiful, heartbreaking island. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And thank you volunteers and other allies for being a beacon of compassion in an otherwise dark time.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">------------------------------------------------</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8lJjLJFfWSNFoPP-tNxSVjYAGgtCTM6oWngpvMmcskTvJLikGH9UwkXQBAQpzrwDfL2dMP7v__t5zd_D6GY8MlPbSSd9NQciflL8oOtn9qh3wfclyM5OtM7A5wM5GgPqxYl13E260_kQ/s640/blogger-image--1842079786.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8lJjLJFfWSNFoPP-tNxSVjYAGgtCTM6oWngpvMmcskTvJLikGH9UwkXQBAQpzrwDfL2dMP7v__t5zd_D6GY8MlPbSSd9NQciflL8oOtn9qh3wfclyM5OtM7A5wM5GgPqxYl13E260_kQ/s640/blogger-image--1842079786.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wvCT72uKmpFsRDv22RkOCMm5GiXS1NyguhapLfYquCiP2qSQuMRJMRzYltCdrorCQYdAm2PnaalyrDiwm4DY9lHnM90JAQ6tIUjW268DEPWt9SJiN_EOOTs0WSk2ih-_lQw6G9QfRl4/s640/blogger-image-1262180637.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wvCT72uKmpFsRDv22RkOCMm5GiXS1NyguhapLfYquCiP2qSQuMRJMRzYltCdrorCQYdAm2PnaalyrDiwm4DY9lHnM90JAQ6tIUjW268DEPWt9SJiN_EOOTs0WSk2ih-_lQw6G9QfRl4/s640/blogger-image-1262180637.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbmgHbMyzNd_nDuePxyN-Aaf0oKFd2Q5PDccmiNniJsRyh6rzy6WsUpya3chZ3rTXFjrp8_0h5_FHXIbrI9SUkmM_zQknVWZiGrXC53_GWFsn_GTawNWIdCl_s3oKmFvCHzxGgllq5rWU/s640/blogger-image-1807727023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbmgHbMyzNd_nDuePxyN-Aaf0oKFd2Q5PDccmiNniJsRyh6rzy6WsUpya3chZ3rTXFjrp8_0h5_FHXIbrI9SUkmM_zQknVWZiGrXC53_GWFsn_GTawNWIdCl_s3oKmFvCHzxGgllq5rWU/s640/blogger-image-1807727023.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCvmWsQld2ymTUlpn2JCRRroP4P-qe5-C8TrPGO0AMQsJ92Rg5mooJT2kJcRRgadhdYpDZZMYMVhcEFqXoyv9ZsKCFZiSPr6rDO41uqUou1e0GK0uNy78TRrOF4hSg9MiBXuTWizJyxg4/s640/blogger-image-1262076829.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCvmWsQld2ymTUlpn2JCRRroP4P-qe5-C8TrPGO0AMQsJ92Rg5mooJT2kJcRRgadhdYpDZZMYMVhcEFqXoyv9ZsKCFZiSPr6rDO41uqUou1e0GK0uNy78TRrOF4hSg9MiBXuTWizJyxg4/s640/blogger-image-1262076829.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj276WEINTo0-3WvvNkUEl58vsuYaCcK9na3Zl6pR-6hhvUO07zxpL_uAvln0B2DcM0A9BlqTsMhS5IT7ogNKrzmYfOBazRC_TfdJdHr_KZcvmUmAz2Zk9ikU5IGIJfqzuwDhyLtpiDZGg/s640/blogger-image--2146073004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj276WEINTo0-3WvvNkUEl58vsuYaCcK9na3Zl6pR-6hhvUO07zxpL_uAvln0B2DcM0A9BlqTsMhS5IT7ogNKrzmYfOBazRC_TfdJdHr_KZcvmUmAz2Zk9ikU5IGIJfqzuwDhyLtpiDZGg/s640/blogger-image--2146073004.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhshARsABx-Irw43ZZ6kG__A9nNw9x5DuNrkuWUt0tkfh7mmXKpWenAxQ2kCkAawxdRm5rS8k581gKwA6I_A-wUy4yc286U0dQF84WItc_BViT3i19kELgWEI8qzY1WImz5JRVQBYj2LKA/s640/blogger-image-1744094316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhshARsABx-Irw43ZZ6kG__A9nNw9x5DuNrkuWUt0tkfh7mmXKpWenAxQ2kCkAawxdRm5rS8k581gKwA6I_A-wUy4yc286U0dQF84WItc_BViT3i19kELgWEI8qzY1WImz5JRVQBYj2LKA/s640/blogger-image-1744094316.jpg"></font></a></div></div></div></div><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><br></div></div><br></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-257424932044458872.post-77154959464005278312015-11-22T12:29:00.001-08:002016-09-07T11:17:41.653-07:00Conquering Fear on Lesvos<p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">For the first week of volunteering on Lesvos I didn't take out my camera or write a post. I was busy working. I felt uncomfortable with the aggressive throngs of photographers crowding the beaches and outnumbering volunteers. I wrongly assumed that there was an over abundance of coverage here.</span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPdkKdeKhYS3ZjwXk-MnzBsid3-lXlgx3hKepDCV5Wd5nerSEDl0SYK37uiAholl6v_Nqe2C-RVvzjnv2fkfaDsZCxDH2TtiJnMdiT-CbPoA_MZlK5ziKzmDwY1xwgLZkXiBiaaVqFplc/s640/blogger-image-956765522.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPdkKdeKhYS3ZjwXk-MnzBsid3-lXlgx3hKepDCV5Wd5nerSEDl0SYK37uiAholl6v_Nqe2C-RVvzjnv2fkfaDsZCxDH2TtiJnMdiT-CbPoA_MZlK5ziKzmDwY1xwgLZkXiBiaaVqFplc/s640/blogger-image-956765522.jpg"></a></div><br><p></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Then the Paris attacks happened and all of a sudden, the mainstream news I had been following shifted its tone. Suddenly, it seemed, the US was terrified of the very people that I was helping off rafts in Greece. Suddenly, governors were jumping on the bandwagon of bigotry and proudly proclaiming to their constituents that Syrian refugees would not be allowed into their states. I can't describe what an emotional blow that was- to feel like my country was abandoning the very families who I had been working hard to protect and welcome. I've felt isolated, and betrayed on behalf of the refugees. It's impossible to feel the anti-Muslim sentiment the media tells me to feel when I spend all day talking to and shaking hands with the people who I'm supposed to fear. The headlines I read break my heart in ways worse than seeing sobbing mothers on the beach, or the hope that I know will be short-lived in men's eyes. The refugees think that they are escaping oppression, but there is no end to the horrible journey that they are on.</span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFfzjzye9UTJZKABnqWprsWCAaIFiXZIwWM1YuY4pQ_ZAb0zxI0-LWCzs0us7kqtGZOHjxxV4ERDKt4lI-6eIMbP44yJJc46L3n2eBTToClh1iOvJAXDftmJVeXah-ZCfazVUiQBloKGI/s640/blogger-image--573541910.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFfzjzye9UTJZKABnqWprsWCAaIFiXZIwWM1YuY4pQ_ZAb0zxI0-LWCzs0us7kqtGZOHjxxV4ERDKt4lI-6eIMbP44yJJc46L3n2eBTToClh1iOvJAXDftmJVeXah-ZCfazVUiQBloKGI/s640/blogger-image--573541910.jpg"></a>
<script type="text/javascript">
window.location = "https://colleensinsky.com/2015/11/22/conquering-fear-on-lesvos/";
</script>
</div>(Just arrived safely on the beach of Lesvos)<br><p></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I wish that I could be optimistic. I wish that I could propose a solution. I wish that these people weren't forced from their homes in the first place. But each time another overcrowded raft makes its way to shore and terrified refugees pile off of it and into our arms, the terrible reality hits me again and I remember that we are collectively in the same slowly sinking raft. Whether in Damascus, Beirut, New York, Paris, Portland, or Lesvos, our futures are bound together. We have the same desire to live in peace, the same enemy, and the same desire to hold our children close and give them every good thing. Extremists, whether Donald Trump or ISIS/DAESH, will tear the world apart. Both sides use fear and xenophobia to turn people against each other and incite hatred and violence. Both bombs and hateful Twitter posts tear at the seams of the already delicate fabric holding the world together.</span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7n_Z7Gdale3nRvD7iZg82tK6M3qlzQKuDJfctFGQy1I1tVZihoa8YsdNGGY89DimrH7Tkh-c3-DthyphenhyphenZV78LTqp9y2WoJS5Jp7-I11HOd86-J0IFDkSfLxTmBgWIu_61DJtmX7n9zYg3Y/s640/blogger-image-2129558938.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7n_Z7Gdale3nRvD7iZg82tK6M3qlzQKuDJfctFGQy1I1tVZihoa8YsdNGGY89DimrH7Tkh-c3-DthyphenhyphenZV78LTqp9y2WoJS5Jp7-I11HOd86-J0IFDkSfLxTmBgWIu_61DJtmX7n9zYg3Y/s640/blogger-image-2129558938.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">(Photo credit goes to this little lady's older sister. Taken just after their raft was rescued. Story below.)</div><p></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">For me, volunteering on the beach here in Lesvos is no heroic rescue mission. Those stories do happen every day, and I'm privileged to work alongside the people who do so. For me, it feels important to just be in a position where I can share a genuine smile, a hi-five while yelling "welcome" in Arabic, drive a tired family to the nearest refugee camp, or help an overwhelmed mother by entertaining her frightened toddler. At a time when the world is fractured by mistrust and fear, maybe it's these shared moments that are the most heroic. The beauty of that kind of heroism is that you don't have to be on Lesvos to do it.</span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_dvt_2HzDcOyjHn6ul_8teTVoo_qTE25QrayUGGgGmqtGHQCZCqbQc0XLn5mQnBtC1U_4kFQsiV9RxoBHSFRFD0Jqn0WhXkcrNxvz97DljFZdTGFgoPPzzEakTZAjR1-OVScfIlD8zHQ/s640/blogger-image-1176293383.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_dvt_2HzDcOyjHn6ul_8teTVoo_qTE25QrayUGGgGmqtGHQCZCqbQc0XLn5mQnBtC1U_4kFQsiV9RxoBHSFRFD0Jqn0WhXkcrNxvz97DljFZdTGFgoPPzzEakTZAjR1-OVScfIlD8zHQ/s640/blogger-image-1176293383.jpg"></a></div>(Sunset over the apocalyptic-looking beached refugee boats. Most arrive in rafts, some pay extra to take boats like this, which are theoretically safer.)<br><p></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">This post is about you, and the people passing through Lesvos, not about me. But if you don't already know me, I'm a 27 year old American woman who did social work for a long time before uprooting and seeing where else in the world I could fit in. California, Oregon, and Alaska are home. I came to Lesvos in early November after a 2-month backpacking trip through the Mediterranean with my boyfriend, Scott. After hearing the stories of tragedy on the media, I couldn't leave this part of the world without doing something, so I changed my flight to come to Athens instead of back home. Once here, I joined up with a fantastic Norwegian volunteer organization, A Drop In The Ocean, whose mission is to make refugees' journey safer from the shores of Lesvos. In addition to welcoming arriving boats to the beaches, we provide emergency medical assistance, dry clothes, transportation, and manage storage centers for incoming donations and keep a daily lookout for boats in distress. I plan to be here for a month, and am absolutely NOT a reporter! :) I'm trained as a Wilderness First Responder, and have done trauma intervention and worked with families in crisis and poverty, and can sort incoming donations like a monster.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGlBBGVpKvb8cO6p-jZ1fELUu3OcaWPXljasUj04TVVdjilbidzpuFVcI6ZSssjvVxzzwJ14P0BLuSLtUna71-DEKGTyCilmP8n_CS371q3qEmC0Nz3pAXCJMj9lsKDbUoabwbSUbXwA0/s640/blogger-image-1607406891.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGlBBGVpKvb8cO6p-jZ1fELUu3OcaWPXljasUj04TVVdjilbidzpuFVcI6ZSssjvVxzzwJ14P0BLuSLtUna71-DEKGTyCilmP8n_CS371q3qEmC0Nz3pAXCJMj9lsKDbUoabwbSUbXwA0/s640/blogger-image-1607406891.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">My poor little rental car has been through a lot! This evening we brought a load of blankets, baby food and kids clothing from the beaches up north to the ferry port on the south side of the island where 250 people are stuck waiting for better weather.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitp3Y6iXRNrwTou-fEyapo3OFNlB_iMxEnc3EBYCNKt1zbz8Sm6tW0ev1lYqhpEoOHRUHa5XAPzq-8-449uY5isZ2452jVMo0WJSBu_1lmxm1cn_S-h8OHx-yE7pCAslPX7gx7X0K36Q0/s640/blogger-image--836303302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitp3Y6iXRNrwTou-fEyapo3OFNlB_iMxEnc3EBYCNKt1zbz8Sm6tW0ev1lYqhpEoOHRUHa5XAPzq-8-449uY5isZ2452jVMo0WJSBu_1lmxm1cn_S-h8OHx-yE7pCAslPX7gx7X0K36Q0/s640/blogger-image--836303302.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">So gosh-darned official!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjusTKDXFJ1i25w8QJHrIBtzA3qUKS2PodSZuOxf-CQxWkpyfRaJf7Rz9ytRNWi4xkVNY03mtbPcAEIv_v0Vj-HfxUl2RF-qHRfm0t6QzJ9cx70bNVt4SAuTS6NwXTjtEzxF6O1VWER-Co/s640/blogger-image--32799318.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjusTKDXFJ1i25w8QJHrIBtzA3qUKS2PodSZuOxf-CQxWkpyfRaJf7Rz9ytRNWi4xkVNY03mtbPcAEIv_v0Vj-HfxUl2RF-qHRfm0t6QzJ9cx70bNVt4SAuTS6NwXTjtEzxF6O1VWER-Co/s640/blogger-image--32799318.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Some people, when they land, are immediately like "Oh My GOD a blonde! I really am in Europe! Must take a cheesy photo immediately."</div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIRGnRj-tQBEbzxjAzB82PCPc_HcsPqNEy34B_gZrmpZBBo_cu6EE0-lDMGiGL42aE8NyMKVOgBUSyAJaE4v18XpsD7hjiE8yqgWbO8-sRMeoH5cTAXXZrZ7x6TmFA7bMy1FkoxPjAR8U/s640/blogger-image--1008928348.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIRGnRj-tQBEbzxjAzB82PCPc_HcsPqNEy34B_gZrmpZBBo_cu6EE0-lDMGiGL42aE8NyMKVOgBUSyAJaE4v18XpsD7hjiE8yqgWbO8-sRMeoH5cTAXXZrZ7x6TmFA7bMy1FkoxPjAR8U/s640/blogger-image--1008928348.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">This line for non-Syrian refugees to register until recently was seven days long. That's right. Seven DAYS.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXYSLtcepAJWvCDwcDxUYkQfn2mU9WAKLsBCUiRee4eM9x1DIV5jTL_m5tZcQqxY_Lq_fXOWuFtvrAViI9OssDDh5R88L6p7TX35xN5q0wjyEB1rML77oj5IqBuM8u5_S09GLyUBHueAw/s640/blogger-image--1984184855.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXYSLtcepAJWvCDwcDxUYkQfn2mU9WAKLsBCUiRee4eM9x1DIV5jTL_m5tZcQqxY_Lq_fXOWuFtvrAViI9OssDDh5R88L6p7TX35xN5q0wjyEB1rML77oj5IqBuM8u5_S09GLyUBHueAw/s640/blogger-image--1984184855.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Overflow camp for non-Syrians called "Moria" aka Mordor.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYlD02jWzK6Q0aTtsL6YhdwtUjlhAB2T7jN9Jm_s6cav6VQ_pJxyStFstrla0zh67H1XYY-eUtupzRoYhsDeaKcasIM3tL_SbjaY6-gSyyB1vZXbpN3F5HUNg4Vp9mn-u2wQAWof7E5iE/s640/blogger-image--86699351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYlD02jWzK6Q0aTtsL6YhdwtUjlhAB2T7jN9Jm_s6cav6VQ_pJxyStFstrla0zh67H1XYY-eUtupzRoYhsDeaKcasIM3tL_SbjaY6-gSyyB1vZXbpN3F5HUNg4Vp9mn-u2wQAWof7E5iE/s640/blogger-image--86699351.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">One of the most painful experiences is to watch helplessly as a boat of refugees drifts to the open ocean when their engine dies. I believe everyone we watched this particular afternoon was rescued. These are the Greek lifeguards.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtP7VOoJ5wuOeJJTc-m1JM0dV3cVwIS3NB5X4P2W9-_7SqtF3KGnO4sSC1aTx6WTdpj433GRp9WLBD4Hwr9gk_EbFhpMJDXEhOsdZJSLNEW0XKTT32chQKgxoH0tXiFj9jeFz3pWff7zM/s640/blogger-image-601158003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtP7VOoJ5wuOeJJTc-m1JM0dV3cVwIS3NB5X4P2W9-_7SqtF3KGnO4sSC1aTx6WTdpj433GRp9WLBD4Hwr9gk_EbFhpMJDXEhOsdZJSLNEW0XKTT32chQKgxoH0tXiFj9jeFz3pWff7zM/s640/blogger-image-601158003.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The engine of the small wooden boat that "Sara" and her family were on gave up halfway across the Aegean a few days ago. They were adrift towards a dangerous coastline until a local fisherman managed to tow them to a rocky beach where we, and a team of Portuguese lifeguards were waiting. We formed a human chain to dry land and passed the babies and kids to safety. Everyone was shaken but fine. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I cannot imagine the anguish of risking the ocean in an overcrowded boat with your children. I cannot imagine the horror that they are escaping. Sara is blind in one eye from shrapnel from a rocket hitting their neighborhood in Syria, but you would never guess it from how well she looks after her younger sisters, how ready she is to play a game, and how quickly she figured out my iPhone camera. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Her family has one suitcase between them, and nothing left of their home. Sara is whose future will be made hopeless by closed borders.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><br></div><br></div><br></div><br></div><br></div><br><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-257424932044458872.post-43480542666537562532015-10-21T08:26:00.001-07:002016-09-07T11:18:55.391-07:00Istanbul- Where East Meets West<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Istanbul wasn't on our original trip itinerary, which only included flying into Athens, Greece, and out of Casa Blanca, Morocco a month and a half later. I booked our big transatlantic flights using miles as our Alaska season was winding down last month, and we planned to fill in the blanks in overland travel as we went along. I don't know if it makes me an awful travel blogger or a good traveler that I just spent a month getting from Alaska to Turkey without thinking to blog until now. Whoops. I'll go back someday and write about Athens, Crete, and Santorini, but now I'm fast-forwarding to Istanbul (not Constantinople. Get it?).<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIJ-unfvEtbRNIkMnpDen6CdbyR-TkM9o4Bnxpc7D-f6E1VN7J2mxDUq9Tr8MeRWAQKM6GLP2VWDcYIteLxIEIegmDAu1Twg6WBw43DOBEBaQ3W0WfumpeZqqThqgJBXWdftTo_wTSbmk/s640/blogger-image-1381984742.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIJ-unfvEtbRNIkMnpDen6CdbyR-TkM9o4Bnxpc7D-f6E1VN7J2mxDUq9Tr8MeRWAQKM6GLP2VWDcYIteLxIEIegmDAu1Twg6WBw43DOBEBaQ3W0WfumpeZqqThqgJBXWdftTo_wTSbmk/s640/blogger-image-1381984742.jpg"></a></div></span><br>
<script type="text/javascript">
window.location = "https://colleensinsky.com/2015/10/21/istanbul-where-east-meets-west/";
</script>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">One of our last nights on the island of Santorini, Greece, I was looking at a world map and half-jokingly asked "What about Turkey next instead of another Greek island?" </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I've had a latent desire to visit Turkey and see landmarks like the Hagia Sophia since doing a report on the country in 7th grade. More memorable than doing my report though, was the fact that it happened to coincide with a trip that my dad took me on to Washington DC that included a gawking stop at Embassy Row- a street in DC lined with high-security mansions, heavily-tinted SUVs, and an array of international flags. It was late in the evening, but we stopped to take a picture in front of the Turkish Embassy anyways. (How could that photo-op not earn an A on my report?) While on the front steps, an electronic security system blinked to life and asked me what I was doing there. Somehow the combination of my non-threatening 7th grade dorkiness, and the Turkish Ambassador's goodwill (boredom?) got us invited in for a private, after-hours tour of the embassy by the Ambassador himself. My interest in Turkey was ignited somewhere in the bowels of that embassy, listening to the smiling Ambassador describe his home through a thick Turkish accent.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihic5HIjBuoHocNNxgZ87tjqAF2C7Ybl9W6w0ggN3vZZ2UP2efuZCKYaV3XxQ9blVaimttDsnB2s-hO8s0VQPMiRhHSF4iSE-kAE-Q54vXxTIigHqIqDKr3hsaAEDzd6vylHjddZtxjzU/s640/blogger-image-1192347226.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihic5HIjBuoHocNNxgZ87tjqAF2C7Ybl9W6w0ggN3vZZ2UP2efuZCKYaV3XxQ9blVaimttDsnB2s-hO8s0VQPMiRhHSF4iSE-kAE-Q54vXxTIigHqIqDKr3hsaAEDzd6vylHjddZtxjzU/s640/blogger-image-1192347226.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Fast-forward sixteen years later and I'm on an Aegean Air flight from Santorini desending into the metropolis of Istanbul, population 22 million. I was first struck by the dozens of "minarets" pointed skyward along the horizon. Not unlike church steeples, but more dramatic, more numerous, and topped with that exotic crescent and moon rather than a familiar cross. Turkey's population is 99% Muslim. It was my first time in a Muslim country- albeit a very progressive, "Westernized" one. Especially in Istanbul, local women often don't wear headscarves. The burkas and hajjibs I saw were generally worn by Muslim tourists to the area. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOJqwssH-4Itd2EL6njaiMljp43zmoayBJmEOhzuCGLWgqC2UE3zqYaEEDIA70IaJKCl-Hp-H6XwUasH6nd0VVfom91yGCybiHafEsDwDWJLz64bmaioekN_711AthNwmK3SrtIvIQ5mY/s640/blogger-image--149394128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOJqwssH-4Itd2EL6njaiMljp43zmoayBJmEOhzuCGLWgqC2UE3zqYaEEDIA70IaJKCl-Hp-H6XwUasH6nd0VVfom91yGCybiHafEsDwDWJLz64bmaioekN_711AthNwmK3SrtIvIQ5mY/s640/blogger-image--149394128.jpg"></a></div></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">An hour after we booked the Istanbul flight, The Economist published an article along the lines of: "Will Turkey Descend Into A Bloodbath?" I try not to let fear rule me, but I did have moments of panic and questioning about whether it was the right political time to be American tourists in a politically unstable country. We knew about the tragic bombing in Ankara last week, which killed dozens of peaceful activists, and since then there had been clashes between protesters and police in Istanbul, and even two thwarted terrorism attempts in Istanbul in the days before we arrived. Keeping a close eye on the news, and US State Department warnings, we decided to go anyways, but to "not be idiots." We registered with the US State Department, kept several hundred Euros on hand, and avoided large gatherings, buses, metros, and Taksim Square- where political gatherings were most likely. Long, anticlimactic story short- our experience was perfectly fine and safe. Zero issues. There was an obviously heavy, but unobtrusive police presence. The Counter-Terrorism division of police did conduct an early morning raid in our district and arrested 50 with suspected ties to ISIS- including a basement child training camp. In addition, a high-profile British journalist and PhD candidate working on women's media access in Iraq died under very suspicious circumstances in the Istanbul airport on Saturday. We only learned about those events from following the news though- it's not like people were on street corners chatting to tourists about them, and daily life doesn't grind to a halt with an increased terrorism threat. Anyways, Turkey is a beautiful and multifaceted country full of friendly people, and a rich history.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNtNWFkSCVxOc2tiELq1S7qlNGIzcsZ3htwyCWzwntN5QBK-SlvXgyNSmeDcHot2AmPT5cgxp8pdhZazowbvsrmUfAWUkIxw-lrrERqPQNssWY_7CNb36Rph1usCFV2f7X9xx8-rsJvws/s640/blogger-image-454077710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNtNWFkSCVxOc2tiELq1S7qlNGIzcsZ3htwyCWzwntN5QBK-SlvXgyNSmeDcHot2AmPT5cgxp8pdhZazowbvsrmUfAWUkIxw-lrrERqPQNssWY_7CNb36Rph1usCFV2f7X9xx8-rsJvws/s640/blogger-image-454077710.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">The Turkey that I experienced is best personified in the burka-clad woman pushing a stroller and chatting on her iPhone, or the businessman pausing on his walk to work to crouch down and shake his keys with a playful stray kitten. It's the kebab chef or ice-cream maker who beam with tangible pride and genuinely hope that you enjoy what you ordered. It's taxi drivers being dicks- like taxi drivers in every country. Turkey is the young bartender who spoke no English but still sat down happily with us to teach us smoke-blowing tricks on a hookah, or the centuries-old carved marble statues throughout a quiet, shady park. It's the overwhelming, quiet majesty of the architectural masterpiece, the Hagia Sophia, and the graceful symmetry of the Blue Mosque. It's ubiquitous hordes of Chinese tourists, hawking restauranteurs, and the sensory overload of the crowded Spice Market. It's strong, muddy Turkish coffee in the morning, and sweet apple tea after dinner. Turkey is dragging Scott behind me while I haggle over silver jewelry and old calligraphied maps in the Grand Bazaar. It's the strangely relaxing experience of a steamy Turkish Bath in a stone "hamam" built in the 6th century. It's sticky, flaky baklava and a rainbow display of Turkish Delights. It's the modern young Turks who are driven, educated, and, like Ataturk, the progressive reformer of the 20th century, will lead Turkey into a peaceful and prosperous future.<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNm-fSgCq6fji_WMV0CKkQTxeu3QUeoj05sZjSCD9aMWOupl3qAjR9mUIwnalwdL2bf9JKuX-1AOY_DeMIaBNvlbqJgJjb1Sr6A3Hv1gMeLz1Lf7uwWV-pN-slvCStMmCO58CMJPlc-C8/s640/blogger-image-1675338203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNm-fSgCq6fji_WMV0CKkQTxeu3QUeoj05sZjSCD9aMWOupl3qAjR9mUIwnalwdL2bf9JKuX-1AOY_DeMIaBNvlbqJgJjb1Sr6A3Hv1gMeLz1Lf7uwWV-pN-slvCStMmCO58CMJPlc-C8/s640/blogger-image-1675338203.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha0H5f26gINP1dl2N5-NztpohQY8We16RW3MHwSlFNuW3Kchd-qvtci7is14VtViuGYHVCNryItl59JXgBpelWfKRr8YhU2fe-52rNWe9wrJQqrBI5jaRcf3c1CT83IkR38sNjYPvyheg/s640/blogger-image--2125252137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha0H5f26gINP1dl2N5-NztpohQY8We16RW3MHwSlFNuW3Kchd-qvtci7is14VtViuGYHVCNryItl59JXgBpelWfKRr8YhU2fe-52rNWe9wrJQqrBI5jaRcf3c1CT83IkR38sNjYPvyheg/s640/blogger-image--2125252137.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9dD5ZlHVwhw5xPNHaPkGWkKBjN3RP83hRM9PfLKxsANZuP7hRIa6BVWWT21eoCUlyiSnY_kxuTJQ7w3Jr2cEXdAr6A5sQlL4V5jC-5sbvWw1Z7fqRQduHvEsvuIoDre3-ekGUcGxa188/s640/blogger-image-1388035136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9dD5ZlHVwhw5xPNHaPkGWkKBjN3RP83hRM9PfLKxsANZuP7hRIa6BVWWT21eoCUlyiSnY_kxuTJQ7w3Jr2cEXdAr6A5sQlL4V5jC-5sbvWw1Z7fqRQduHvEsvuIoDre3-ekGUcGxa188/s640/blogger-image-1388035136.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgleuvsplXd888q64k-OtGBamtP3pbVWL8m4jzfgK4voYYLvYtnlTKPXqXwUAi_2vMJ3uEv-YtI3AEIH0gKRQftr_jcLx1lVPvBiPB45FsjphFKAP3UjaTjehtuChhd_G15V8n43CO0c5c/s640/blogger-image-71096986.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgleuvsplXd888q64k-OtGBamtP3pbVWL8m4jzfgK4voYYLvYtnlTKPXqXwUAi_2vMJ3uEv-YtI3AEIH0gKRQftr_jcLx1lVPvBiPB45FsjphFKAP3UjaTjehtuChhd_G15V8n43CO0c5c/s640/blogger-image-71096986.jpg"></a></span><div class="separator" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiW6LNozDAqDZ6gatXw2KnbsOMmDmPFdf04UmqInD-n9HH6TEQHJx_Qcdg7pRdVk1zeFxHKUl2miAu65aRUlPREmuz0mnoX_vF4iGa6sv-e0-gyO5N1GfQWWmGI9Mw661onDzIXv3gKT8/s640/blogger-image-292466988.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiW6LNozDAqDZ6gatXw2KnbsOMmDmPFdf04UmqInD-n9HH6TEQHJx_Qcdg7pRdVk1zeFxHKUl2miAu65aRUlPREmuz0mnoX_vF4iGa6sv-e0-gyO5N1GfQWWmGI9Mw661onDzIXv3gKT8/s640/blogger-image-292466988.jpg"></a></div><br></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQ0MWAALKweoP5j1WkPa7Y1ITk7cOhfOntk1tillQ1seLjyhLV8_5inXB1mYJrKouJuspeCtjkg4xZz7Zf_Qudy-_aGZtrQjDlsExb-OUQ6cE6dnitPmfDDoMiStCgErky6iTLCzEGn4/s640/blogger-image-712912205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQ0MWAALKweoP5j1WkPa7Y1ITk7cOhfOntk1tillQ1seLjyhLV8_5inXB1mYJrKouJuspeCtjkg4xZz7Zf_Qudy-_aGZtrQjDlsExb-OUQ6cE6dnitPmfDDoMiStCgErky6iTLCzEGn4/s640/blogger-image-712912205.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">(making Turkish coffee over hot coals in a street stall.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyrdf2K-l1D1C4hWh-nGe1hRKJbG_XU8Ip4QYBwJRyo1dS9Ssju8_PnCsHxL3_4j0RVbYP_UR8uoA6Dld-V00IVxgfvJSmE5EbEx4XM2GkZOIG_gxwExmavckT9SBC8LgpnXOBw5cF_iE/s640/blogger-image--747621084.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyrdf2K-l1D1C4hWh-nGe1hRKJbG_XU8Ip4QYBwJRyo1dS9Ssju8_PnCsHxL3_4j0RVbYP_UR8uoA6Dld-V00IVxgfvJSmE5EbEx4XM2GkZOIG_gxwExmavckT9SBC8LgpnXOBw5cF_iE/s640/blogger-image--747621084.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">(Completely awestruck by the interior of the Hagia Sophia. Now a museum, note the Islamic calligraphy next to the iconography of the Virgin Mary that illustrate the building's complicated past.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4jzu3ml2_tNeQ9-ix9mtAmq_7BUx40lv1XXM0-id5238QGgVHHPq-PuDOyVVFIRmxKFwzkQcGGtN98ycaVHEZqtxHy-l3aEQsXijz7H2r29Cx1N6jJ8pYBJfzt2XGLe7aqXMR_FAefKo/s640/blogger-image--732375660.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4jzu3ml2_tNeQ9-ix9mtAmq_7BUx40lv1XXM0-id5238QGgVHHPq-PuDOyVVFIRmxKFwzkQcGGtN98ycaVHEZqtxHy-l3aEQsXijz7H2r29Cx1N6jJ8pYBJfzt2XGLe7aqXMR_FAefKo/s640/blogger-image--732375660.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAYY3hHR6X94qnQQkq5cVA9jkbUWCy-WMtW6Mg_HBIGkAhLpk-Zvax9Ip0E79N9buuL7Iq-_p2_Nec2EmLqo-RcT-_7rSEHevDXoTIQ29BZU0DD0wwqXsDPHQKQ_mfl93ZQhXI9KpfxpY/s640/blogger-image--721173440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAYY3hHR6X94qnQQkq5cVA9jkbUWCy-WMtW6Mg_HBIGkAhLpk-Zvax9Ip0E79N9buuL7Iq-_p2_Nec2EmLqo-RcT-_7rSEHevDXoTIQ29BZU0DD0wwqXsDPHQKQ_mfl93ZQhXI9KpfxpY/s640/blogger-image--721173440.jpg"></a></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br></div></div></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Last night we got as dressed up as the "carry-on only" rule allows and went to a performance of "whirling dervishes" a historically outlawed, mystic sect of Sufism practice. The "dervishes" performed their traditional "Mevlevi Sema Ceremony" under a stone dome built in 1470. I remember learning about this sect in high school and college, but seeing the praticioners leap out of the textbook and only the dance floor was amazing. Like so many sights, food, and people I've gotten to experience on this trip, I'm left speechless by the real-life experience of so many things I've read about.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaLTPzzUkc2CR8toaFLVH_z8YWjsoe0aaCPVPIuWvD5SR3r017BwX0PiXcGUtGy94sZKWa9dpM41qC9yKTXWsz6Dp9F84hQI89vlpB7myD9x5mYoRbutnPys4tPI8irlvKgcZq146gFoY/s640/blogger-image-293778106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaLTPzzUkc2CR8toaFLVH_z8YWjsoe0aaCPVPIuWvD5SR3r017BwX0PiXcGUtGy94sZKWa9dpM41qC9yKTXWsz6Dp9F84hQI89vlpB7myD9x5mYoRbutnPys4tPI8irlvKgcZq146gFoY/s640/blogger-image-293778106.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">(New tricks with hookah smoke.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8vYeCxvuUFEhUEfJ9zGaeEFXdcVi3aNsijck0Esx2UZgzGStjOaWqVJpV55p3zXp4ExBD64gqBOwHWFT09ek91oiIOCaZlp5Ul5g-zcqhYp8DLimPY_YDBwvJtM4tVNttEXZfWf6NR8A/s640/blogger-image--875154532.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8vYeCxvuUFEhUEfJ9zGaeEFXdcVi3aNsijck0Esx2UZgzGStjOaWqVJpV55p3zXp4ExBD64gqBOwHWFT09ek91oiIOCaZlp5Ul5g-zcqhYp8DLimPY_YDBwvJtM4tVNttEXZfWf6NR8A/s640/blogger-image--875154532.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">(The Spice Market)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGHp5CoDoSKwsmLkb7UsG5-z233zBmQKWXvxuB7wr4rYKz4YXcKcatt2hQY3WcRZG8Xk1zRzGbi6UIq9lalpHrhRJmfZeCMrxF7WPy9w-493PoBznosgdlKWN8HL9QFIEe9I-EjAXEE9o/s640/blogger-image-1608664306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGHp5CoDoSKwsmLkb7UsG5-z233zBmQKWXvxuB7wr4rYKz4YXcKcatt2hQY3WcRZG8Xk1zRzGbi6UIq9lalpHrhRJmfZeCMrxF7WPy9w-493PoBznosgdlKWN8HL9QFIEe9I-EjAXEE9o/s640/blogger-image-1608664306.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">(One of many stray cats in Istanbul.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN5A65ORTo3YkOFF4kInE5ZI0sEc2RSnp6g9PXly-NpzkFdJ12RZjSJnkG0uYGJ_JgfO-ZSjvOrqzj1gDMReB-AOr2J_IdU4aJYnPFsut95qW6AowfkBIMHuGYo8tAdpAo9zKfvsH9qSQ/s640/blogger-image-472664239.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN5A65ORTo3YkOFF4kInE5ZI0sEc2RSnp6g9PXly-NpzkFdJ12RZjSJnkG0uYGJ_JgfO-ZSjvOrqzj1gDMReB-AOr2J_IdU4aJYnPFsut95qW6AowfkBIMHuGYo8tAdpAo9zKfvsH9qSQ/s640/blogger-image-472664239.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">(Otherworldly Basilica Cistern underneath Istanbul. Ghost coy swim between the columns and moisture drips from the ceiling. Look familiar from James Bond?)</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2sjg_9LGIFltg2sQp_7FbyrkyxIEOeE4REyOyGdpMDeNn5fv03ylAtKYSNG8CYEOBIGxO0OPw4g4-PwMeqvOIo4KaLv80lLIIPLhNrKekLvn6ABgzX1IFh8IvthA1Bmyf92eIReAOU3E/s640/blogger-image-1733008517.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2sjg_9LGIFltg2sQp_7FbyrkyxIEOeE4REyOyGdpMDeNn5fv03ylAtKYSNG8CYEOBIGxO0OPw4g4-PwMeqvOIo4KaLv80lLIIPLhNrKekLvn6ABgzX1IFh8IvthA1Bmyf92eIReAOU3E/s640/blogger-image-1733008517.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">(Beautiful chandeliers hanging above tourists in the Hagia Sophia.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTdgF0a8zD3tQaZ5IiHZcZ1GR25cXzrjMI-ViXtHYer2T3zpA4GuywcKLHGsLktvutfNrC7vagDK-oBc5xhpp-bfb7qMU8TwsGxv9AibbP0lrwiYJo4-wVgafa1eJup9yVuLxr-iqJppA/s640/blogger-image--1898136687.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTdgF0a8zD3tQaZ5IiHZcZ1GR25cXzrjMI-ViXtHYer2T3zpA4GuywcKLHGsLktvutfNrC7vagDK-oBc5xhpp-bfb7qMU8TwsGxv9AibbP0lrwiYJo4-wVgafa1eJup9yVuLxr-iqJppA/s640/blogger-image--1898136687.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">(Scott, post Turkish Bath. Exfoliated and bruised.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLqb-JEnrIbgbeDc-tEYuDr7YvS6opeZRchvdGIke4Ss7DEtp7Wxgx0XfgA34_aQoIz-nwUSti2qWnrIrQVmurPOUmnG7lBEGlwvZNa4lMyz1XMIU7B-XfR_dyxfHa6vlJukoTG9QvwBw/s640/blogger-image--1594274699.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLqb-JEnrIbgbeDc-tEYuDr7YvS6opeZRchvdGIke4Ss7DEtp7Wxgx0XfgA34_aQoIz-nwUSti2qWnrIrQVmurPOUmnG7lBEGlwvZNa4lMyz1XMIU7B-XfR_dyxfHa6vlJukoTG9QvwBw/s640/blogger-image--1594274699.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">(A room in the opulent Topkapi Palace- home to sultans between 1453 and 1853.)</div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_NqnhZSOeTd7l0nxBSKaFXf1PVmtd6cNmfwO60ojq5h638ExQPxs4uzrJb-8nFh4MSHkATfTOg18zwwHSZCuad9Fbucy7ESQhmewYUa0MAQ6VgFjGqynilOGHsl8eaz9-piEKd4qEgbI/s640/blogger-image-661221008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_NqnhZSOeTd7l0nxBSKaFXf1PVmtd6cNmfwO60ojq5h638ExQPxs4uzrJb-8nFh4MSHkATfTOg18zwwHSZCuad9Fbucy7ESQhmewYUa0MAQ6VgFjGqynilOGHsl8eaz9-piEKd4qEgbI/s640/blogger-image-661221008.jpg"></a></div></div></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-257424932044458872.post-41795551470960398002015-08-25T00:23:00.003-07:002016-09-07T11:21:06.361-07:00The Travelers vs The Princesses - Insights from a Hostel Manager<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ve gotten to learn a lot about traveling while managing a <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g31136-d1203834-Reviews-Talkeetna_Alaska_Hostel_International-Talkeetna_Alaska.html" target="_blank">hostel</a> in a tiny but touristy town in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<script type="text/javascript">
window.location = "https://colleensinsky.com/2015/08/25/the-travelers-vs-the-princesses-insights-from-a-hostel-manager/";
</script>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRI5oDpXWlHZniFHTGAtdhy7BRaWT9wSDgxGkecrAoLCnvseYnAnkkKpByCBxONIPViCuX1VHyi1Gh0EAkdnRnIIxyQVNb6omkbs2VUgvn_G01g8KlHgDxPkcie36MIxOkLFau0O5iBaA/s640/blogger-image--905843587.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRI5oDpXWlHZniFHTGAtdhy7BRaWT9wSDgxGkecrAoLCnvseYnAnkkKpByCBxONIPViCuX1VHyi1Gh0EAkdnRnIIxyQVNb6omkbs2VUgvn_G01g8KlHgDxPkcie36MIxOkLFau0O5iBaA/s320/blogger-image--905843587.jpg" width="320"></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/Talkeetna-Alaska-proudly-keeps-it-weird-6146319.php" target="_blank">Talkeetna</a> I watch cruise ship passengers as they are escorted along the optional “overland” portion of their Alaska Dream Cruise. These are perfectly nice folks from all over the US doing a dream vacation. Most are retired. Most have saved for this Princess Cruise (or really any cruise company with the exception of <a href="http://www.un-cruise.com/" target="_blank">Un-Cruise</a>) for a long time, and are finally doing this huge trip they’ve spent years plotting. They’ve seen the brochures with breaching humpbacks, salmon-snatching grizzlies, and calving glaciers. They come armed with several thousand dollars worth of camera equipment, brand new GoreTex rain jackets, and sensible water-resistant white New Balance. Their cousin saw a family of moose from the bus during </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>their</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Alaska vacation and since hearing that story, the "Princesses" have envisioned the roads of Alaska lined with Disney-esque moose, bear, and caribou.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6666669845581px; line-height: 20.2399997711182px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 1.38;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img src="https://www.princess.com/images/learn/cruise-destinations/alaska.jpg" height="200" width="320"> </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Photo from Princess Cruises)</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 1.38;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Every cruise brochure, and everything that they’ve heard about Alaska has painted an expectation that they will never experience entirely. Their experience of this amazing place occurs through a contrived scavenger-hunt. Photo of Denali: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>check</u></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Buying a knockoff </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ulu </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">knife: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>check</u></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Eat local salmon: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>check</u></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Brunch in the Crown Grill on the 15th deck:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> <u>check</u></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Photo of a pod of orcas silhouetted by dramatic peaks and glaciers: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>crap</u></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. "Did not see a single whale on our daytrip to Kenai Fjords National Park. It was okay, I mean, fjords and puffins and otters and icebergs are great and all, but we just really wanted to see a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">whale</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that day, you know? We’ve saved up for this trip/watched so many documentaries/talked to so many friends who’ve seen a whale, and we just really were hoping to get a picture of one."</span></div>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3kweYyH3Yoxbo-0N6TffMuMEyouGIFj_ztmfoV80g0TwdosPQU4UV7AXlfBJFeE30BlyKBrn2H769nT8lT3csyvjUcKzffTreyCstmor78LWLXpjw_gwm1_0C0Hqgm6RYPxe3XCt7Pzw/s640/blogger-image--179854895.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3kweYyH3Yoxbo-0N6TffMuMEyouGIFj_ztmfoV80g0TwdosPQU4UV7AXlfBJFeE30BlyKBrn2H769nT8lT3csyvjUcKzffTreyCstmor78LWLXpjw_gwm1_0C0Hqgm6RYPxe3XCt7Pzw/s640/blogger-image--179854895.jpg"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(I got lucky on my second trip to Kenai Fjords NP and we got to watch a few humpbacks breaching continuously.)</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjezHnFOGM-rA3WVQrfnUOW5RRrR_scRChoFRL3uE2LAhaISb3DnwgGskoBhQHLaM34lmwqys_dDdYrt7KoFW51FAJ6Db2zH_8HgumwH9hzm4aafGqMKjUXnFw1yQiqh_wrIVab4eipZcw/s640/blogger-image-894461808.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjezHnFOGM-rA3WVQrfnUOW5RRrR_scRChoFRL3uE2LAhaISb3DnwgGskoBhQHLaM34lmwqys_dDdYrt7KoFW51FAJ6Db2zH_8HgumwH9hzm4aafGqMKjUXnFw1yQiqh_wrIVab4eipZcw/s320/blogger-image-894461808.jpg" width="240"></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Cold, wet, tired and happy.)</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi22fLX1MOTWovXWNA9TDorydT5rAzY_tCnL2_LTO8GIqFeR8UM_Vj-LNa8_Y5F2ncSOizf5KJINiloV9mnSoG2Wg0kxQPyZlCJWEB9gwpMndDFWFPgHEuZlV4roMFyJT0kbtQJosXJEhM/s640/blogger-image--1378566808.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi22fLX1MOTWovXWNA9TDorydT5rAzY_tCnL2_LTO8GIqFeR8UM_Vj-LNa8_Y5F2ncSOizf5KJINiloV9mnSoG2Wg0kxQPyZlCJWEB9gwpMndDFWFPgHEuZlV4roMFyJT0kbtQJosXJEhM/s640/blogger-image--1378566808.jpg"></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Friends Tim & Julie getting married in a lovely Alaskan ceremony in Denali last weekend.)</span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Princesses' expectations are high and their agenda is businesslike. They wander around town like cattle, told to look in certain directions, to see certain things, and to be at the stop in time for the 6:20 shuttle back to the safety of the five-star lodge. The Princesses are all nice people- a retired nurse from rural Illinois who’s excitedly texting photos to her grandkids of her big trip on her new iPhone that they’ve taught her how to use. When I chat with them they're full of genuine "good for you adventuring like this- do it now while you're young!" And I want to yell at them and at the whole world to just introduce some more adventure into your life and stop building up this one giant trip to be such a momentous, stressful production!</span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-16c8dc33-6338-7536-7d52-2b35773140d2"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span id="docs-internal-guid-16c8dc33-6338-7536-7d52-2b35773140d2"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9msQ71d5ZO-upDUbI8k2P2VxsKQRlXd3aIg0gIZD8J-w5JgTqIE_R4Iq-kUXO5HF3TPvCw7R8Zi8E5rT9PQdrV2jMF4hch-T0LbCGW6AngShwHhMkLiZe8F206Q5yAu90Navs-4lWyLY/s640/blogger-image-409665928.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9msQ71d5ZO-upDUbI8k2P2VxsKQRlXd3aIg0gIZD8J-w5JgTqIE_R4Iq-kUXO5HF3TPvCw7R8Zi8E5rT9PQdrV2jMF4hch-T0LbCGW6AngShwHhMkLiZe8F206Q5yAu90Navs-4lWyLY/s640/blogger-image-409665928.jpg"></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span id="docs-internal-guid-16c8dc33-6338-7536-7d52-2b35773140d2">(Pulling into our home beach under a brewing thunderstorm.)</span></div>
<div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-16c8dc33-6338-7536-7d52-2b35773140d2"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span id="docs-internal-guid-16c8dc33-6338-7536-7d52-2b35773140d2"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr4oSNTi46sczCTyWAm7i2RBZB5uMn3xRNeql9NDInhBkpvaOQGbLVvdvCyUkr7ttTpiFbB4rxPeVbJ2wgswGwsJCulwXuwXhdySKuAYSPzu-FgzNWN2RMVfSLDKt_nNjraN92pyOQg2A/s640/blogger-image-258256690.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr4oSNTi46sczCTyWAm7i2RBZB5uMn3xRNeql9NDInhBkpvaOQGbLVvdvCyUkr7ttTpiFbB4rxPeVbJ2wgswGwsJCulwXuwXhdySKuAYSPzu-FgzNWN2RMVfSLDKt_nNjraN92pyOQg2A/s640/blogger-image-258256690.jpg"></a></span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-16c8dc33-6338-7536-7d52-2b35773140d2">(Scott cleaning our just-caught salmon by headlamp on the first night I've seen stars since May.)</span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfJbVrwhaldHjnrZtJ3QrrHe125eSFhn0LFpEIWYJG7mMrCnoAF6wjq4MmDOQHahmKmgulSZp5zY-t_dC9RBLmgXBDaS60SPYRhBqeSlO6-RkMsFDapb2Ur5Qnc6MLFlx6fUZrBlVOcNo/s640/blogger-image-1304301755.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfJbVrwhaldHjnrZtJ3QrrHe125eSFhn0LFpEIWYJG7mMrCnoAF6wjq4MmDOQHahmKmgulSZp5zY-t_dC9RBLmgXBDaS60SPYRhBqeSlO6-RkMsFDapb2Ur5Qnc6MLFlx6fUZrBlVOcNo/s640/blogger-image-1304301755.jpg"></a></div>
(Very fresh salmon at a potluck dinner at the hostel.)<br />
<div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I understand that sense of disappointment, and I’m bummed for travelers when their trip doesn’t coincide with a single day that's clear enough to ever see Denali. I think it’s great that visitors want to take home a bit of Alaska with them in the form of a souvenir, and to commemorate their trip with photos. I’m starting to see a difference between two types of visitors though. That kind I described above- the tourists, or what we call Princesses, are skimming across Alaska with a camera lens insulating them from reality. In contrast, there’s the set of visitors that I generally get at my little hostel; the Travelers. (I’m <a href="http://traveltips.usatoday.com/differences-between-tourist-traveller-103756.html" target="_blank">plagiarising</a> the definition between the two of them.) The Travelers come solo, in a group of friends, as a couple. Like the Princesses, they’ve saved for this trip and are excited to be here. They’re still taking photos and going on the touristy day trips. The difference though is a kind of open-minded, friendly curiosity and humility that Travelers have. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzLsiZg2ZJFLaxJQ2Ks55I_xl0FV2CHsFEDavx6Zh2HeQ9s4qHkP40B_0S2OZ2mBt8TiJBIx6IzqmGbbbbljF6u5GvF-Cksqdh4mHmsAwaJehYovO4GtnFvX26Yi5E5l_6eokm3dn7aKQ/s640/blogger-image-211663971.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzLsiZg2ZJFLaxJQ2Ks55I_xl0FV2CHsFEDavx6Zh2HeQ9s4qHkP40B_0S2OZ2mBt8TiJBIx6IzqmGbbbbljF6u5GvF-Cksqdh4mHmsAwaJehYovO4GtnFvX26Yi5E5l_6eokm3dn7aKQ/s640/blogger-image-211663971.jpg"></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Post-work fishing trip.)</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx8qMasZcAKL493GAJzJO0PFoH8IAlkJcmmtOaGyGl7zQi2Yl_ThK7CSLqN0j2fxaozlNPAYjfCpisLAXkeTBNYDXjYgxH6nYRTTaVAztCHwpy-oxfLDeuwxiepkuGrW8fx-L5_ijd1Ew/s640/blogger-image-1735358153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx8qMasZcAKL493GAJzJO0PFoH8IAlkJcmmtOaGyGl7zQi2Yl_ThK7CSLqN0j2fxaozlNPAYjfCpisLAXkeTBNYDXjYgxH6nYRTTaVAztCHwpy-oxfLDeuwxiepkuGrW8fx-L5_ijd1Ew/s640/blogger-image-1735358153.jpg"></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Katherine found some retired Iditarod pups to dog-sit.)</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLrbvwuokrCRk1oW1FEpdeJf5fOwKuTAty9lzmZmlJnorf3wOSC6of7vXhS6waOSLFlJwadFinSKKuosFIga1NGqm3l0TUBW__do4Z1cp0oTl7BqVqCJrYQOduF6wRZ6Q-ZtQBI6Kl49M/s640/blogger-image-605430690.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLrbvwuokrCRk1oW1FEpdeJf5fOwKuTAty9lzmZmlJnorf3wOSC6of7vXhS6waOSLFlJwadFinSKKuosFIga1NGqm3l0TUBW__do4Z1cp0oTl7BqVqCJrYQOduF6wRZ6Q-ZtQBI6Kl49M/s640/blogger-image-605430690.jpg"></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Katie Mays in Denali NP!)</span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwsVXs41VVOIxtRvgp5jxACRMU7z4cE_9fTIS8YvVGPsH_Ru9-CR9zgBfWlhHHciS9-KYj_EBjruNwGKwzHRNCd1y0ShCir8oEMlhKe527oH_qwnaXa8hj4MGuS5-YOWZDspabPy6nmf4/s640/blogger-image-684437305.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwsVXs41VVOIxtRvgp5jxACRMU7z4cE_9fTIS8YvVGPsH_Ru9-CR9zgBfWlhHHciS9-KYj_EBjruNwGKwzHRNCd1y0ShCir8oEMlhKe527oH_qwnaXa8hj4MGuS5-YOWZDspabPy6nmf4/s640/blogger-image-684437305.jpg"></a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">($4 margaritas made with GLACIER ICE!)</span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Travelers take the time to sit on the porch over coffee with me and hear about the Denali climbing season and the salmon runs. They try to travel with an agenda loose enough to say "yes" to spontaneous invitations to the beach bonfire under the northern lights, or the last-minute spot on a sunny rafting trip. They chat with park rangers and bus boys, browse bookstores and sit on the beach to watch sunset over the Alaska Range. Travelers stay up too late drinking local IPAs and singing karaoke at The Fairview, and eat peanut butter and jellies for lunch. They aren’t always the people who can afford a few hundred for a flightseeing glacier trip, but they make up for it by going through the world forging new friendships, gaining an insight from a conversation with a local bus driver, and an awe for the wildness of this place. They've realized that they don't have to buy into the lie that the tourism industry sells us about travel having to be an expensive, luxurious experience. </span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3jJhOUhwkP93JtXGbdaT9Z7RQ2D74pYiMqO7wmIs0gKvRBNLLqfcyvgOLieb2ZMU4TZuaJoPC6bBG6-KsRe_AVvXQ4Ay-MbZJiwPQjMFqhTuTnzxjXtg32GoBM5hsAfqOg-R58xoES0E/s640/blogger-image--1411401636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3jJhOUhwkP93JtXGbdaT9Z7RQ2D74pYiMqO7wmIs0gKvRBNLLqfcyvgOLieb2ZMU4TZuaJoPC6bBG6-KsRe_AVvXQ4Ay-MbZJiwPQjMFqhTuTnzxjXtg32GoBM5hsAfqOg-R58xoES0E/s640/blogger-image--1411401636.jpg"></a></div>
</div>
<div>
(Girls' trip up to Denali!)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheswXUU99ATo9xTvusN2pLJaYVCj1YL_QgDW5EbolmYW5Qlim1Omc84BhcZEROfJyC3moWiePaEYjvUs63EllMQ0YbBAuzU8gjxNNYj7D0FYd-9oUPIHyNaV-TB-Nu09dZikx-Gorkbg0/s640/blogger-image-1608194816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheswXUU99ATo9xTvusN2pLJaYVCj1YL_QgDW5EbolmYW5Qlim1Omc84BhcZEROfJyC3moWiePaEYjvUs63EllMQ0YbBAuzU8gjxNNYj7D0FYd-9oUPIHyNaV-TB-Nu09dZikx-Gorkbg0/s640/blogger-image-1608194816.jpg"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFGeW6-9oIBZbTqAP0ylhsMOI_Uo-4oGQb_ppNJNbpY5dobKUj3oy9wD1hEHqLcktItpX9PyJ0iFdyMvC5E3vZpFdi4nVHHSLnmmuANUF7aGBn94Kn_cvmP7yImgGYM2wiVx7ehF5Dd-E/s640/blogger-image-592765261.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFGeW6-9oIBZbTqAP0ylhsMOI_Uo-4oGQb_ppNJNbpY5dobKUj3oy9wD1hEHqLcktItpX9PyJ0iFdyMvC5E3vZpFdi4nVHHSLnmmuANUF7aGBn94Kn_cvmP7yImgGYM2wiVx7ehF5Dd-E/s640/blogger-image-592765261.jpg"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
(View of Denali from my Talkeetna backyard.)</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj336M_d2DSLK-0yx47X6oDpkF-T045x566dkSWAGy3XRo5KRiX3FpmAyeG8Nao7kfex_eMa4xCSdjnazGPiMsgUukF0yuyWyILBIDGT0x2cD-JCRcp9xAHpAhGH0tCLku_8ZxmAjvKWMc/s640/blogger-image-1255768288.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj336M_d2DSLK-0yx47X6oDpkF-T045x566dkSWAGy3XRo5KRiX3FpmAyeG8Nao7kfex_eMa4xCSdjnazGPiMsgUukF0yuyWyILBIDGT0x2cD-JCRcp9xAHpAhGH0tCLku_8ZxmAjvKWMc/s640/blogger-image-1255768288.jpg"></a></div>
(Domestic bliss living with my sister.)<br />
<br /></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Being rooted here has given me the opportunity to think critically about what type of visitor I am in the world. Do I hide behind my iPhone camera lens, digesting experiences as how they’ll appear as social media bits? Do I travel to foreign countries, and through life in general, with a manufactured set of expectations? Do I allow myself to wander humbly with an open heart and a willingness to reframe my goals and say </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yes</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to the universe? </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC2HJzYvYlNtU25zAMXdsAN6wFArI6enCcZpP9RvTJBv40BzhNS4BO8CgAujJoK9wlrrf80C2SV7fiN9oftkujL4jr8kiUqYKPWxZ3bSR24yvhvdraYg5A7k1ENnfzZU-3ion1zMF-V98/s640/blogger-image-1844737185.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC2HJzYvYlNtU25zAMXdsAN6wFArI6enCcZpP9RvTJBv40BzhNS4BO8CgAujJoK9wlrrf80C2SV7fiN9oftkujL4jr8kiUqYKPWxZ3bSR24yvhvdraYg5A7k1ENnfzZU-3ion1zMF-V98/s640/blogger-image-1844737185.jpg"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
(Scott was a beard model in a former life.)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh344SpECVAa9ToxKsAqmA_kg9KkynQbF1AC9XrrF7GAXd1jq3GbG3k_pYPxTJRSd3JVixCl4px6tpG9SH_6ut1X_W0c9FxND0jP_uMGPog8uchVePg3BSOMbIBpO89v99RY2qAJuaFfD8/s640/blogger-image--1525948106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh344SpECVAa9ToxKsAqmA_kg9KkynQbF1AC9XrrF7GAXd1jq3GbG3k_pYPxTJRSd3JVixCl4px6tpG9SH_6ut1X_W0c9FxND0jP_uMGPog8uchVePg3BSOMbIBpO89v99RY2qAJuaFfD8/s640/blogger-image--1525948106.jpg"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
(Salmon's view)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfWlFolbD-PTZMFqlFAVcZGJAbIIGtm2JWVIhw2t52s0Q5ltqWofQVSNU94NGY6mf48zuRToz0v2SB-xq7-4EoHXHqN6g3I5MDOlC-INERja5O0IelHQEGIAYiJYhVuGTck0zrpQ3U9nA/s640/blogger-image-1391152194.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfWlFolbD-PTZMFqlFAVcZGJAbIIGtm2JWVIhw2t52s0Q5ltqWofQVSNU94NGY6mf48zuRToz0v2SB-xq7-4EoHXHqN6g3I5MDOlC-INERja5O0IelHQEGIAYiJYhVuGTck0zrpQ3U9nA/s640/blogger-image-1391152194.jpg"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
(Roadside pullout on the Turnagain Arm between Anchorage and Seward)</div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In other news, I have no idea what I’m doing with my life, or where in the world I’ll be living starting Sept 18th. Alaska is awesome. My sister Katherine liked it so much that she quit her job at home after a vacation here, and now lives in the Guide Shack in my backyard and works for <a href="http://www.talkeetnariverguides.com/" target="_blank">the local rafting company</a>. Come visit me! I’ll probably come back to this hostel managing job in Talkeetna next season and we can philosophize together on the porch, go dancing at <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/Talkeetna-Alaska-proudly-keeps-it-weird-6146319.php" target="_blank">The Fairview</a> and wonder at the wilderness.</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeNm0_nvjD0a3oMU3UcGkr6S19gDQkcDOvyLZHaycKtO8tdELiwyv3sKmRik4IKUa0Noix56Z05d8PvWwZCOhnRgfYTfbYuqjs0wZEFqm7EF9mLp2SniusaMvQByHI-qnYwceUCk5qvpM/s640/blogger-image-128926121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeNm0_nvjD0a3oMU3UcGkr6S19gDQkcDOvyLZHaycKtO8tdELiwyv3sKmRik4IKUa0Noix56Z05d8PvWwZCOhnRgfYTfbYuqjs0wZEFqm7EF9mLp2SniusaMvQByHI-qnYwceUCk5qvpM/s640/blogger-image-128926121.jpg"></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
This is my new cozy bedroom in the Talkeetna Hostel, which I manage. This is big; selling my trusty old bed before heading out on this adventure was emotionally challenging. Owning a cozy and rather expensive mattress and box spring represented stability. Selling them on Craigslist was my way of accepting the unknown future that may not include a nice bed. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Turns out it has.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWpLf2dXTGzHH6AExHvBAE-rLr65q1RQRwszYcSIrpNcRxAMPHrYZ8e8JzlBm8dD0nM3GZvEgRZcFxHwghGegfj1ic9jndJcW0xekysoDqQirahswl193XlLyzkjbrR6W7IdqCA1psBUw/s640/blogger-image-1667541048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWpLf2dXTGzHH6AExHvBAE-rLr65q1RQRwszYcSIrpNcRxAMPHrYZ8e8JzlBm8dD0nM3GZvEgRZcFxHwghGegfj1ic9jndJcW0xekysoDqQirahswl193XlLyzkjbrR6W7IdqCA1psBUw/s640/blogger-image-1667541048.jpg"></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-257424932044458872.post-39881171762647715102015-04-22T20:21:00.001-07:002016-09-07T11:24:47.611-07:00Choose Your Own Adventure!<div>I’m currently at the most dramatic crossroad of my life. I realize that I am so ridiculously fortunate to have such amazing options in life, but that doesn’t minimize the stress of having to make major decisions! I wish that life was more like a “Choose Your Own Adventure” book, where you could go back and see where having taken the other options would have taken you. This whole linear nature of time is really cramping my style.</div><div><br></div><div>A wiser person than me once said “It’s easy to forget that one day we will look back on our life and say ‘I can’t imagine it could have gone any other way. Because how it went is now who I am.’”</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXE_CyXcyUf9g-vy9MeDlrco0x9aCMStA2gfo-Ev0QWqjFaQiO2jOkZVGqtzRoFAaY6EI9eabF279lAqsqiXa7LteOQLKEw76IRF8RGPR6zVdqvQyhFgpWlxju-haurBzW5WuYBfAcxfY/s640/blogger-image-1339608815.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXE_CyXcyUf9g-vy9MeDlrco0x9aCMStA2gfo-Ev0QWqjFaQiO2jOkZVGqtzRoFAaY6EI9eabF279lAqsqiXa7LteOQLKEw76IRF8RGPR6zVdqvQyhFgpWlxju-haurBzW5WuYBfAcxfY/s640/blogger-image-1339608815.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>So I’m trying to ‘sit with the tension’ and ‘be here now’ and all that jazz, while wondering who I will be on the other side of all of these options. I have exactly 4 days to decide if I’ll matriculate at Portland State’s MSW program this fall, or spend a year vagabonding before I take on a ton of debt. I have an MRI next week to determine if I’ll need a fairly substantial hip surgery, which would put me in a walker and out of commission for a while. And I’m waiting to hear whether I’ll be offered my absolute dream seasonal job with the American Alpine Institute, managing a hostel outside of Denali this summer. Three giant, looming things, and I’m not even sure which are mutually exclusive, and which I have control over. But it’s cool. I have like, four whole days.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQQDJILy9DIXb23lV1yP915WiHH53sVmxko2ycBWt6tKnts2VwsKTjWhPjeyWnkjP9rns1gaLWMKziR25I_dAzlmwzOM0U81r28ITVNiFfezVXbtUNNZMje256YUBZY80SfmFM6y_4R54/s640/blogger-image--253203331.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQQDJILy9DIXb23lV1yP915WiHH53sVmxko2ycBWt6tKnts2VwsKTjWhPjeyWnkjP9rns1gaLWMKziR25I_dAzlmwzOM0U81r28ITVNiFfezVXbtUNNZMje256YUBZY80SfmFM6y_4R54/s640/blogger-image--253203331.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">(Possibly the last photo taken of me before I hurt my hip. Whomp whomp.)</div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Right now whatever has been going on with my hip (torn labrum? impingement?) is a real bummer. I haven’t been able to do any of my usual healthy, de-stressing activities, and being limited to only walking a few flat blocks is tough. If you have fantastic ideas for getting cardio via upper-body workouts, hit me up! I’m getting really familiar with my physical therapist’s office, and with the gnawing nuisance of chronic pain, which is a totally new thing for me. Sorry, promise this post won’t just be me complaining about stuff.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgILyoV-Ghj3F4z33otFn8nxiP95ePi3hyphenhyphenCQEot_qTV50-CBDs1XsQn_THBpddsV0Y_NxeQHIg9KEkFqyaWALA5bqnCyodBTvBqJPK9kZ3X20oi91KTyXsYS8jw9vMeJlfNuJDt_7Gy94k/s640/blogger-image-1165000192.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgILyoV-Ghj3F4z33otFn8nxiP95ePi3hyphenhyphenCQEot_qTV50-CBDs1XsQn_THBpddsV0Y_NxeQHIg9KEkFqyaWALA5bqnCyodBTvBqJPK9kZ3X20oi91KTyXsYS8jw9vMeJlfNuJDt_7Gy94k/s640/blogger-image-1165000192.jpg"></a>
<script type="text/javascript">
window.location = "https://colleensinsky.com/2015/04/23/choose-your-own-adventure/";
</script>
</div>(Who needs a fully functioning hip when you can still enjoy picnics?)</div><div><br></div><div>I had an awesome birthday that reminded me of what an amazing community of friends I have here in Portland. A big group of lovely people showed up to Basecamp Brewery- my favorite spot. And we were all so good at being present that not a single photo was taken to document the lovely evening of beers on the patio at sunset. I’m 27 now! Late twenties! Wooo!</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjopY3VwI3YmVDPDRGr16QaN1zsW3-GGD7qKHuxyZkkL0ICRlmxjD7V9-3uTwlGdrlxSlFZUSJvT4ggw9_6WQVn_l976Jw8VXCidRE0vWOrZwLBsmGj_Uwq4h0YMQ_hQgk9s1CVFeaPNK0/s640/blogger-image--917563707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjopY3VwI3YmVDPDRGr16QaN1zsW3-GGD7qKHuxyZkkL0ICRlmxjD7V9-3uTwlGdrlxSlFZUSJvT4ggw9_6WQVn_l976Jw8VXCidRE0vWOrZwLBsmGj_Uwq4h0YMQ_hQgk9s1CVFeaPNK0/s640/blogger-image--917563707.jpg"></a></div>(Katie and I got fancy for the Community Warehouse!)</div></div><div><br></div><div>Being back at JOIN is rad, and feels so comfortable. I love that work and I am a total idiot for choosing to leave again. This whole “saying ‘yes’ to the universe” stuff is difficult business.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8vK9IRGJgDKeQEwfhdrhj4KtSmxaZCw3XytbT5RDxmCE93fZ7Ild24bhicGCogWRNZ8G6gkx__O-g5tHi2GbB5c3yp84GINmWZFEVtQmyRR0ggo7GdAIPeRhvVDaGL0EBFZQrOx1zn0k/s640/blogger-image-1464777614.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8vK9IRGJgDKeQEwfhdrhj4KtSmxaZCw3XytbT5RDxmCE93fZ7Ild24bhicGCogWRNZ8G6gkx__O-g5tHi2GbB5c3yp84GINmWZFEVtQmyRR0ggo7GdAIPeRhvVDaGL0EBFZQrOx1zn0k/s640/blogger-image-1464777614.jpg"></a></div></div><div>(I love these people.)</div><div><br></div><div>Here is the list of goals I wrote for myself before leaving Ecuador, for my upcoming time in Portland. I’m proud of how well I’ve actually been doing!</div><div><br></div><div>-Be really good at my JOIN job. </div><div>-Buy a decent camera & learn photography. Ask Adriel and Ben.</div><div>-Practice writing. Get published. Write the JOIN blog. Street Roots? My blog?</div><div>-Join a writers group. Free online courses?</div><div>-Work on myself.</div><div>-Do not many any new friends. [failing miserably]</div><div>-Learn how to cook.</div><div>-Go backpacking alone. Be more of a hermit.</div><div>-Try to get dog/house sitting gigs.</div><div>-Make a cool work/travel plan that is more thought out than what I have been doing.</div><div>-Practice Spanish.</div><div>-Consider paragliding pilot class.</div><div>-Do my Wilderness First Responder recert</div><div>-Read a lot. Read like a writer.</div><div>-Learn metric and celsius so I look like less of an idiot to everyone else in the world.</div><div>-Volunteer doing something totally new.</div><div>-Lead hikes with Inner City Outings.</div><div>-Learn map & compass navigation better.</div><div>-Get my nose repierced. </div><div>-Go see more live music.</div><div>-Don’t feel FOMO.</div><div>-Listen to more podcasts and NPR.</div><div>-Take more technology breaks and embrace airplane mode.</div><div>-Save a lot of money.</div><div>-See a physical therapist for knees.</div><div>-Journal more often.</div><div>-Encourage family to visit! Go visit home! Go visit Seattle!</div><div>-Value friendships.</div><div>-Live simply.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeG0mguDGYgdRTW8rVtkCPGjUmJpqScxK25uN6i3VEDL_5RiYWyu9iWw6Ik2nXGOCYsF-c9lmrBix9p_b5wH0ZefQWU3zvm4kqxWgtNYlfBJzV1KrtkuLqvrPd9ptsOk-RS2fj5JNtao8/s640/blogger-image--1476747687.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeG0mguDGYgdRTW8rVtkCPGjUmJpqScxK25uN6i3VEDL_5RiYWyu9iWw6Ik2nXGOCYsF-c9lmrBix9p_b5wH0ZefQWU3zvm4kqxWgtNYlfBJzV1KrtkuLqvrPd9ptsOk-RS2fj5JNtao8/s640/blogger-image--1476747687.jpg"></a></div>(Hey look at me valuing friendships and living simply.) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF_v5qONyOOu5YG8FxT6LpYjGSEY3e6034JOfuAoLq3cvWy1dKucb5dVmJMawffU9pGgI-yPmlPLDb4XF6pO1woIFq47IgGXq2IaZOIuTSpyoEQNfOJvXksZz-Ui2AvJpbVg3hUh8qR_Y/s640/blogger-image-228006422.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF_v5qONyOOu5YG8FxT6LpYjGSEY3e6034JOfuAoLq3cvWy1dKucb5dVmJMawffU9pGgI-yPmlPLDb4XF6pO1woIFq47IgGXq2IaZOIuTSpyoEQNfOJvXksZz-Ui2AvJpbVg3hUh8qR_Y/s640/blogger-image-228006422.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">(Good morning waterfalls!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuOjkzwtcJzAIDDKBXxkczQeU1zqp8Td1PaHzysgbxgjWnPc4WjgI0Zgiaz7ZTU-mfn1gCMtl0jGc6H-qrOflzsZttjFBYnMmk6is4yitdhULvR_kFH6CHOR5jHqF5JYEuTmn9vI5m-dA/s640/blogger-image-1888243880.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuOjkzwtcJzAIDDKBXxkczQeU1zqp8Td1PaHzysgbxgjWnPc4WjgI0Zgiaz7ZTU-mfn1gCMtl0jGc6H-qrOflzsZttjFBYnMmk6is4yitdhULvR_kFH6CHOR5jHqF5JYEuTmn9vI5m-dA/s640/blogger-image-1888243880.jpg"></a></div>(Really calmly enduring a broken wrist in my WFR recert.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMvG6Ros3dIOV9Iu9CiamYyac10w8E8h0zvaJrPlJRjNYUZGTQsiNQLNANfbLR16oy36NWvy1OHoiqwzD8xe8gUIjx6ekZkUQAoWx0HyE0VVM8MvnIdTXXo9j5T7zEHVzeD286yB5cqc/s640/blogger-image-1804787688.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMvG6Ros3dIOV9Iu9CiamYyac10w8E8h0zvaJrPlJRjNYUZGTQsiNQLNANfbLR16oy36NWvy1OHoiqwzD8xe8gUIjx6ekZkUQAoWx0HyE0VVM8MvnIdTXXo9j5T7zEHVzeD286yB5cqc/s640/blogger-image-1804787688.jpg"></a></div>(i have cute friends!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><br></div><br></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-257424932044458872.post-12453615020262323032015-02-20T22:51:00.000-08:002016-09-07T11:25:59.950-07:00Carnival in Ecuador!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Ban</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">os: adventure capital of Ecuador (that 'n' has a tilde, which I can't figure out). Anything adrenaline-inducing is available here. Whitewater kayaking & rafting, mountaineering, rock climbing, paragliding, canyoneering, off-roading... you get the idea. Naturally, spending some playtime in Banos was a big goal of mine. What I didn't realize though, was that my time in Banos corresponded with Carnival, the biggest festival of the year, and Banos is a major destination for Ecuadorians from around the country to celebrate.</span></span><br />
<div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<script type="text/javascript">
window.location = "https://colleensinsky.com/2015/02/21/carnival-in-ecuador/";
</script>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCMZ9yZ21OMjiYOlq18qh2PnhSj76Qo0SVt-Us1rEGhPm2wyghaisLKN3wnqkwzcNzFI2d9S8lT26Oi2kArRc2OFCW2SxfQ0fBHo8KvMq7yocj-KJW9SXxS6rsC9DA5Dal_8jpnNJkqGA/s640/blogger-image-1104957586.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCMZ9yZ21OMjiYOlq18qh2PnhSj76Qo0SVt-Us1rEGhPm2wyghaisLKN3wnqkwzcNzFI2d9S8lT26Oi2kArRc2OFCW2SxfQ0fBHo8KvMq7yocj-KJW9SXxS6rsC9DA5Dal_8jpnNJkqGA/s640/blogger-image-1104957586.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">(Very active Tungurahua volcano just outside of Banos)</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBe5GH3ooZp6htmsu5AQKjf9i3QKt2h39XQN89yiFZeYW9XSXeKXeQ_g8WRQprRzHFgsX7d_pD_iPn89a4T60AjrP1x7W5YcRgQ9TqlCJNSOiFqKnLo87bdNihQuGD2OneJfqeZKKEBOQ/s640/blogger-image-1273170706.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBe5GH3ooZp6htmsu5AQKjf9i3QKt2h39XQN89yiFZeYW9XSXeKXeQ_g8WRQprRzHFgsX7d_pD_iPn89a4T60AjrP1x7W5YcRgQ9TqlCJNSOiFqKnLo87bdNihQuGD2OneJfqeZKKEBOQ/s640/blogger-image-1273170706.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">While this made getting a room difficult, the atmosphere was incredible. When I wasn't canyoneering or zip-lining, I was with a crew of other backpackers soaking up the local festival. I mean that very literally. Ecuadorians of all ages celebrate by attacking each other with "cariocas" or spray foam.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0G-GZjDaE-IcIr0O4hAXSjmJ182EESvVwCHyO88AlfmWgNtIQUVyKjcEj4I7uOwB28GpYvljLuuJltrv9jRQ4WCbcM-BL023ok4-ZQLjVNHJ_RSEsbFFCdAeDrtJtu3KvN7O7ls5eX6o/s640/blogger-image-288169972.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0G-GZjDaE-IcIr0O4hAXSjmJ182EESvVwCHyO88AlfmWgNtIQUVyKjcEj4I7uOwB28GpYvljLuuJltrv9jRQ4WCbcM-BL023ok4-ZQLjVNHJ_RSEsbFFCdAeDrtJtu3KvN7O7ls5eX6o/s640/blogger-image-288169972.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<img src="https://www.andes.info.ec/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/2013-02-08-704.jpg?itok=EnKauIh5"><br />
Image stolen from <a href="http://www.andes.info.ec/es/actualidad/comercio-informal-hace-%E2%80%98carnaval%E2%80%99-ventas-esta-%C3%A9poca-guayaquil.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> The aerosol canisters are available at every store and street vendor, and range in size from a beer bottle to a fire extinguisher. To be seen holding one unofficially means that you are "in" the game, and a target for everyone else brandishing a carioca- though especially when it comes to gringos this rule is very loose, as we're fun targets no matter what. My Belgian friend, Val, and I initially bought our first round only "to defend ourselves" but that escalated immediately after we twisted the safety tabs off. The streets were lawless- everyone was covered in candy-scented foam. Innocent looking 4 year olds, bands of roving teenagers, indigenous women dressed in traditional clothes, other backpackers... everyone had a foam canister and laughed while attacking each other relentlessly. We ran between cars, screamed directions at each other (<i>"WATCH YOUR BACK THERE'S MORE OF THEM THAN US!!!!</i>"), trying to avoid the cars doing drive-bys. Eventually a group of us wiped the foam from our hair and retreated to higher ground to spray pedestrians from the safety of a bar balcony, beers in hand. Our group was Irish, British, Swiss (who, unsurprisingly, refrained from getting involved), Belgian, Ecuadorian, German, and me. Getting to decide from above who to foam taught me about the origins of power tripping. <i>"He's wearing Ed Hardy! Get him! Gringos!! Hippies!! Get them! Don't get that couple, they're too cute. She's got a fire extinguisher.. definitely get her!"</i> When someone had to dash out on the street for more ammo, they came back foamed. We vaguely mused that our flank was totally undefended if someone came upstairs through the bar, but I doubted anyone had the cajones to do it. I was totally wrong though, and we fully deserved the revenge attack when a few guys invaded the bar and cornered us on the balcony.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr4zHWOi_1MKJjRFKxnzyHhAfXdgrspyrTNYGOI0gENf9D9ju_4QfszV-eGdzFtsCDhJ_2qHmwXEKs7R4cS0_Ks8qPEYSgiE2FkwmInNYclWFJssR7tavUBiGcoluXG1Z7sikYicnEpRs/s640/blogger-image--974339250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr4zHWOi_1MKJjRFKxnzyHhAfXdgrspyrTNYGOI0gENf9D9ju_4QfszV-eGdzFtsCDhJ_2qHmwXEKs7R4cS0_Ks8qPEYSgiE2FkwmInNYclWFJssR7tavUBiGcoluXG1Z7sikYicnEpRs/s640/blogger-image--974339250.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgystHvY5MT8g7hXXDEGRRa8-D41LZXDIoeAQNIWy1b3XBakipKGvxA7fQ-qbQLHLk8WrTCUxCJuKr0GA_sqS0O3SmyE8PdJ4k9bc61DFRYgFRRukLmhn0yervaXKSKzhnIbSa4NQIgSck/s640/blogger-image--1104555908.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgystHvY5MT8g7hXXDEGRRa8-D41LZXDIoeAQNIWy1b3XBakipKGvxA7fQ-qbQLHLk8WrTCUxCJuKr0GA_sqS0O3SmyE8PdJ4k9bc61DFRYgFRRukLmhn0yervaXKSKzhnIbSa4NQIgSck/s640/blogger-image--1104555908.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6vbFz3weV8FQICIbT3Y5SYR0p3QD-oOPREeOxxpwX8-ROLnUsWoGEayUxThe2PIKj0hRumNhQVO7fg1mciNRf9oF-Cm4CcC2cImiXDmj-fNV_t14oZsbjQO70bwYXsDJEYnOKSlGleNQ/s640/blogger-image-1111357521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6vbFz3weV8FQICIbT3Y5SYR0p3QD-oOPREeOxxpwX8-ROLnUsWoGEayUxThe2PIKj0hRumNhQVO7fg1mciNRf9oF-Cm4CcC2cImiXDmj-fNV_t14oZsbjQO70bwYXsDJEYnOKSlGleNQ/s640/blogger-image-1111357521.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">(Our arsenal from the balcony.)</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtAPpEzhzbZEiCDN49QbDlJvXyPzVYvl5fwtqOAP-4uD4yvE0DSPy4BFa05cTZm9we76QalI2K4lwDB0ORsTolpkqrSnB6vX-1KeuFHxlCVW4p3fMpNwhDW89KdrP9kOXw45UfWOReU7g/s640/blogger-image-380786648.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtAPpEzhzbZEiCDN49QbDlJvXyPzVYvl5fwtqOAP-4uD4yvE0DSPy4BFa05cTZm9we76QalI2K4lwDB0ORsTolpkqrSnB6vX-1KeuFHxlCVW4p3fMpNwhDW89KdrP9kOXw45UfWOReU7g/s640/blogger-image-380786648.jpg" /></a></span></div>
</div>
<div>
<br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">By the end of the night my clothes and hair were soaking wet, I smelled like grape candy, and my cheeks hurt from smiling. The following night we avoided the foam wars and instead drank the usual weak Ecuadorian pilseners on the fourth story hostel terrace and watched dozens of red paper lanterns float into the dark sky and eventually blend into the stars. It was the iconic, peaceful sort of travel moment that renewed my appreciation for getting to be so far away from everything I am familiar with. At one point while canyoning the day before a group of us were in a waterfall yelling "I don't want to go home!!" The night on the roof, I admit that I was wondering if returning home was the right decision.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwmA6-E3PY52xUmXUq66xWytN3VEMC1bOvdceK7zKOPBHi0AsnX899Q37JEC5iWNe394sQlZaSTl19Zm7mNGDbYawutz7J536l2OHeTYfDo2uqd4E7CR_K9RdWN5ckumGqfSI612Dhc98/s640/blogger-image--1143940413.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwmA6-E3PY52xUmXUq66xWytN3VEMC1bOvdceK7zKOPBHi0AsnX899Q37JEC5iWNe394sQlZaSTl19Zm7mNGDbYawutz7J536l2OHeTYfDo2uqd4E7CR_K9RdWN5ckumGqfSI612Dhc98/s640/blogger-image--1143940413.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig-6zsPuF4xQ_TwfSjTOBPG4E6lmda0Fdc15KxGLfXWNhP_C6LZg3ujGvfuLe1biyeC-UvsViHW5ir0w2Oq9RCKPWuYU6Prgq0G5KKFP5EPg919LSLGbGpF6lgwt3zJrufo-vJgzah2zM/s640/blogger-image--56748479.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig-6zsPuF4xQ_TwfSjTOBPG4E6lmda0Fdc15KxGLfXWNhP_C6LZg3ujGvfuLe1biyeC-UvsViHW5ir0w2Oq9RCKPWuYU6Prgq0G5KKFP5EPg919LSLGbGpF6lgwt3zJrufo-vJgzah2zM/s640/blogger-image--56748479.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiazZxrGMg_zxVVMMXQwr-q1DafIrU30wX2NK1fSN86b0A6IeylBSifOuPUipLFk3cm5hc7ZUGSz1ehQpNfhvzi8BSASXCR8Ymf4SnO_MmdZjoC2MaFTVzvlHnF5NaEmKumXFd3rdNhjuM/s640/blogger-image--915760584.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiazZxrGMg_zxVVMMXQwr-q1DafIrU30wX2NK1fSN86b0A6IeylBSifOuPUipLFk3cm5hc7ZUGSz1ehQpNfhvzi8BSASXCR8Ymf4SnO_MmdZjoC2MaFTVzvlHnF5NaEmKumXFd3rdNhjuM/s640/blogger-image--915760584.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;">(Eating 'cuy' or roast guinea pig, was surprisingly delicious.)</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvsH65kTHoVHle-DZQ0m1RLVCveOcjwuDFJV12kWK7okYpQqFL9gl9fH0eRuwWTSFrkAaqWcvZ6hnAwm_DOt6AvNRX0R4ncWw7srfuyoJwfII4Vu5iqBHMf5lNUaksXckzMELgu1xquoc/s640/blogger-image-1814872282.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvsH65kTHoVHle-DZQ0m1RLVCveOcjwuDFJV12kWK7okYpQqFL9gl9fH0eRuwWTSFrkAaqWcvZ6hnAwm_DOt6AvNRX0R4ncWw7srfuyoJwfII4Vu5iqBHMf5lNUaksXckzMELgu1xquoc/s640/blogger-image-1814872282.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;">(Yummy.)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">I'm the type of traveler who struggles to move on to new destinations. I like to travel slow and get to know places and the people in them rather than bouncing around and spending a whole lot of my time dealing with travel logistics. As much wanderlust as I feel, I do like to unpack and explode my stuff all over a room and let myself get attached to some element of routine. I did manage to drag myself from Banos and up to Otavalo- a largely indigenous town in the northern highlands. Perfect for last-minute shopping, Otavalo has been a historically important city for trading, and their artisan market continues to thrive. I hit the ATM twice in one morning and filled up a burlap rice sack (that became my checked bag) with colorful alpaca blankets and textiles, stuffed llama toys, paintings and silver jewelry. </span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwKMD5QPRLXvbE2L0eMlo7BaIX2Hy0GcBolkFpk_eL0uL2XlYBuaYae2_og9BZVEG2bU23nV830R8Biq8hri7vtl44LPU5eaTtaJaIOMgExxRxmS-3Kf-kJTqSEDmmKPhGbCuemXcoWM8/s640/blogger-image-1952277400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwKMD5QPRLXvbE2L0eMlo7BaIX2Hy0GcBolkFpk_eL0uL2XlYBuaYae2_og9BZVEG2bU23nV830R8Biq8hri7vtl44LPU5eaTtaJaIOMgExxRxmS-3Kf-kJTqSEDmmKPhGbCuemXcoWM8/s640/blogger-image-1952277400.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Q9-huWVGH6wLfXwf6OD7lO0X_DoIcRd-y9Hq6yPRTdMyMnOKgXcQZCS8RQaaE6raftmcOn1851Jb0XG1XIE9DshJPg5DnDhjYZAm-gx0E92taltABV2A4fpcytVH9cRPg3Gnozvm_qI/s640/blogger-image--40299623.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Q9-huWVGH6wLfXwf6OD7lO0X_DoIcRd-y9Hq6yPRTdMyMnOKgXcQZCS8RQaaE6raftmcOn1851Jb0XG1XIE9DshJPg5DnDhjYZAm-gx0E92taltABV2A4fpcytVH9cRPg3Gnozvm_qI/s640/blogger-image--40299623.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;">(View from a hillside looking over Otavalo.)</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">A few buses and taxis and planes later I'm home-home in Escondido and driving north to return to Portland temporarily tomorrow. Ecuador was amazing for so many reasons that I'll continue to digest. Traveling solo was empowering, and considerably more enjoyable, and less scary than I was expecting. Someday I'll make myself digest the experience more and write more on it. Right now though, I have a cold that I brought back from South America and I'm wiped out. Sorry this post isn't very exciting or well-written.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8CtDlfJL7pBQPUa1flKW480K-VApf1vV_2HvLsb-SIwON009IRh8xEDYcX7UM_JZZBJCx2o3PsUL61oRIxg2uL-g-NF2CaA2mApF4rryUr3HqZPsTePpSzmzmcLwLPGN53faxSRBHjhU/s640/blogger-image-86812967.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8CtDlfJL7pBQPUa1flKW480K-VApf1vV_2HvLsb-SIwON009IRh8xEDYcX7UM_JZZBJCx2o3PsUL61oRIxg2uL-g-NF2CaA2mApF4rryUr3HqZPsTePpSzmzmcLwLPGN53faxSRBHjhU/s640/blogger-image-86812967.jpg" /></a></span></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">The Swing At The End of The World</span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-257424932044458872.post-28949484321680168982015-02-15T13:52:00.001-08:002016-09-07T11:27:41.648-07:00Back in Portland in a Week!<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">It's amazing how much can happen between blog posts. I've simultaneously been bitten badly by the travel bug, and accepted an opportunity to return to Portland next week to fill in at my old position at JOIN temporarily. On one hand, the timing is awful. I couldn't be happier in South America, and traveling solo has been the most empowering experience of my life. On the other, I haven't stopped talking about JOIN to anyone who will listen since I left. I'm really looking forward to getting back into the work and the comfortable patterns of my old life. Working for a few months will let me replenish my dwindling bank account, defer grad school for a year, and travel longer than I'd initially planned. My flight back to San Diego is booked for a few days from now, and from there my car full of stuff and I will drive back north to Portland until May. For now, I'm trying to be present to Ecuador and get the most out of my little time left. It's Carnival season, and the streets are full of energy and little kids throwing water and spraying each other and unsuspecting tourists with foam.</span></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0jX2zly3Dw1zstju8-fGV6xlXR7h0ETqNIN3vhWBI8uQa-rayveRFJXAvrEiVwc1B-52NnK4tVeDe0ueNFV6pe8SaGcsqERkFSUz_rMLBLDNeNr_H0xw-Y0VPDD-j6iFVH7K7HuiCmfY/s640/blogger-image-151523060.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0jX2zly3Dw1zstju8-fGV6xlXR7h0ETqNIN3vhWBI8uQa-rayveRFJXAvrEiVwc1B-52NnK4tVeDe0ueNFV6pe8SaGcsqERkFSUz_rMLBLDNeNr_H0xw-Y0VPDD-j6iFVH7K7HuiCmfY/s640/blogger-image-151523060.jpg"></a>
<script type="text/javascript">
window.location = "https://colleensinsky.com/2015/02/15/back-in-portland-in-a-week/";
</script>
</div><br></div><div>After leaving the coast, I went to Cotopaxi National Park. I stayed in a lovely, retreat-esque hostel called Secret Garden Cotopaxi.<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmfLFnnIKN_w6KGe7FJG_SvvxvEfWMCm1yq73pQacg4b-L3dIblj3AOOuCJqrH3Km548a16HgAtO3HTYS_4ITRN0yBd4PEwhoaP_l9KMyMpPVcRp2pNzRRB3AHfpyFGHKRgOaEjX1nKRg/s640/blogger-image-734334615.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmfLFnnIKN_w6KGe7FJG_SvvxvEfWMCm1yq73pQacg4b-L3dIblj3AOOuCJqrH3Km548a16HgAtO3HTYS_4ITRN0yBd4PEwhoaP_l9KMyMpPVcRp2pNzRRB3AHfpyFGHKRgOaEjX1nKRg/s640/blogger-image-734334615.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ppsDhtr6EWwsKLymmy-LZvY8AgXrf3UOQo0gldVoZnH2pAenuZejDLjblRAtNl58zrDck4G5ZOqaN2z0rDzrU5waNNr_rG4aGqpN1dH3l3lcAcWpyOWkMhp2yTE8-gA8Lq5a4hvPkjA/s640/blogger-image--2051341858.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ppsDhtr6EWwsKLymmy-LZvY8AgXrf3UOQo0gldVoZnH2pAenuZejDLjblRAtNl58zrDck4G5ZOqaN2z0rDzrU5waNNr_rG4aGqpN1dH3l3lcAcWpyOWkMhp2yTE8-gA8Lq5a4hvPkjA/s640/blogger-image--2051341858.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">(Barbed wire is no match for us!)</div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig9R1MpaplN60rEDSsPkjsCvYT8pLuZ-cfLYTHQf-iNJJh2BIvtjklZk-s55mCfJJD3eUz9oYFxHX7_zsMShZLbHWyZMe3LPNQ1lVnL4T77Hy3rg_mgxSDdjp17ResuQgYMJHPgNVY2dQ/s640/blogger-image--381042839.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig9R1MpaplN60rEDSsPkjsCvYT8pLuZ-cfLYTHQf-iNJJh2BIvtjklZk-s55mCfJJD3eUz9oYFxHX7_zsMShZLbHWyZMe3LPNQ1lVnL4T77Hy3rg_mgxSDdjp17ResuQgYMJHPgNVY2dQ/s640/blogger-image--381042839.jpg"></a></div></div>(Marbles vs rocks vs corn kernels vs beans.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div> Our shuttle from Quito drove two hours in the rain, largely on cobbled streets through a beautiful countryside. We were greeted by hot mulled wine around the fire, and spent the afternoon and evening cozily reading and playing Chinese checkers. There was no wifi for miles, so the dozen or so of us backpackers got to know each other well, and explore the Cotopaxi area together. The dorm rooms lacked electricity but each had wood burning stoves and the beds had down comforters. I slept better there than I have in a long time. At night we had Chilean wine in the jacuzzi and stayed up too late talking and learning about each other's countries. It's really good for me to get a more objective look at global issues and different cultures. I really value these "zoomed out" conversations that challenge ideas that I've only ever experienced from an American viewpoint. A group of us hiked to the glacier on Cotopaxi, and endured a wet and cold mountain bike ride down the mountain. I struggled with having to leave Cotopaxi!</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIYY_uVQWwBSMVyzJmIdfS2_sDIzLttLVlDWknZr8lYjgJ4swT4DLoDPxQUw3MNxGONhBwSH6Vzx0bcFcc1JEFhrzoewESj3EicaOEb5jRjBxUTkwtnOL__DAG92a3VKL24MAWm1vSIj0/s640/blogger-image-593211217.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIYY_uVQWwBSMVyzJmIdfS2_sDIzLttLVlDWknZr8lYjgJ4swT4DLoDPxQUw3MNxGONhBwSH6Vzx0bcFcc1JEFhrzoewESj3EicaOEb5jRjBxUTkwtnOL__DAG92a3VKL24MAWm1vSIj0/s640/blogger-image-593211217.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjlzq_s6hK3KlxhuvfE1qKEw_-kDPOyEGf4Hj5E1wRAWWd2wxwbP9f9_y7c8xdxRK2GEwl7SpSx5z9yDMx4cb7GOYAVTxpX-3tCcMRBOdPte9zIEw0RuTziz0Sfxkc01kz03CRGZewkF4/s640/blogger-image--579981722.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjlzq_s6hK3KlxhuvfE1qKEw_-kDPOyEGf4Hj5E1wRAWWd2wxwbP9f9_y7c8xdxRK2GEwl7SpSx5z9yDMx4cb7GOYAVTxpX-3tCcMRBOdPte9zIEw0RuTziz0Sfxkc01kz03CRGZewkF4/s640/blogger-image--579981722.jpg"></a></div><br></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzp3DB1i5FGdoy_1apy6tTum6J7RfxxGolY6_rJOTS68gKlWY06k2fUlv1N3jsFEL1c1xvf3i1FFZbokwIRvFzKnkIXIVomxL04JEDsHPkuiuORm84D_-DLhyphenhyphenKQZL9dABJDF8P_Bhl0Ek/s640/blogger-image--1838038801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzp3DB1i5FGdoy_1apy6tTum6J7RfxxGolY6_rJOTS68gKlWY06k2fUlv1N3jsFEL1c1xvf3i1FFZbokwIRvFzKnkIXIVomxL04JEDsHPkuiuORm84D_-DLhyphenhyphenKQZL9dABJDF8P_Bhl0Ek/s640/blogger-image--1838038801.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8LOHX7yjoLwcPD9FeUvn5qMbOSbfyxFOKS78NZg5kInBvf4SNiyYSo4vC3MZUD4aLCLfUvxZHm7kCwO1g8vDx1dCtLMS4pH7JP_OhoE3G5zsEmTwkXrnOV0joqitR9kqvU6iHBpS0m0A/s640/blogger-image-315669340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8LOHX7yjoLwcPD9FeUvn5qMbOSbfyxFOKS78NZg5kInBvf4SNiyYSo4vC3MZUD4aLCLfUvxZHm7kCwO1g8vDx1dCtLMS4pH7JP_OhoE3G5zsEmTwkXrnOV0joqitR9kqvU6iHBpS0m0A/s640/blogger-image-315669340.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">(Waterfall "hike")</div></div></div></div><div><br></div><div>Next, a Coloradan travel buddy, Jack, and I went south to the city of Latacunga, which itself was surprisingly pleasant but unremarkable. It's the jumping-off point for a variety of mountain-based adventures, or in our case, Quilatoa Lake. At an elevation of almost 4,000 meters, the volcanic-crater lake rimmed by jagged peaks is stunning.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvG6CsIj1XT6nunNcZpxZHQKT1W1e8yP0pReJro_0o-jUIUOc2DV1cMkVApx0v5J9X6KkSm0og8oGhja98ctUjYk0NuweafXyqTATDve5rw_VjX4I5F3-_rE2jfwliLmXUuLlI_Ww4PBw/s640/blogger-image--1598406782.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvG6CsIj1XT6nunNcZpxZHQKT1W1e8yP0pReJro_0o-jUIUOc2DV1cMkVApx0v5J9X6KkSm0og8oGhja98ctUjYk0NuweafXyqTATDve5rw_VjX4I5F3-_rE2jfwliLmXUuLlI_Ww4PBw/s640/blogger-image--1598406782.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHZR980vF77kgcEGQ6DVGHYL2CdlXfVTDvhobZptw5iMpb9hCUWl7PNpHEWAFH4rxftKjtd7TitOGuSN5vIvFtQfehimTa6J8LsGa3d6mA0eIs2CtrkgU4iYWuRt_aRPqKEnytTi_tdKs/s640/blogger-image--1055779338.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHZR980vF77kgcEGQ6DVGHYL2CdlXfVTDvhobZptw5iMpb9hCUWl7PNpHEWAFH4rxftKjtd7TitOGuSN5vIvFtQfehimTa6J8LsGa3d6mA0eIs2CtrkgU4iYWuRt_aRPqKEnytTi_tdKs/s640/blogger-image--1055779338.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br></div><div> Locals believe that it has no bottom, and I can see why. We hiked down 400 meters to the water's edge and paid $10 to take horses back up. (I wish that was an option more often when hiking!) I bought a traditional Tigua painting and woven tapestry to decorate the imaginary house I will someday own. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnlWHmFyPIjqlbAX4Se4vzKLMrHu3PIFsZp_IxD555_XJBWuR3xAFcsoqTndYjErwly025u35eH_bKbVPiDoJkhJ9IsvWae4gypLDJA8Ns38EJ6zsiDqIhGuNoT7XgYCTlE8baqzXrx0Q/s640/blogger-image-1369161770.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnlWHmFyPIjqlbAX4Se4vzKLMrHu3PIFsZp_IxD555_XJBWuR3xAFcsoqTndYjErwly025u35eH_bKbVPiDoJkhJ9IsvWae4gypLDJA8Ns38EJ6zsiDqIhGuNoT7XgYCTlE8baqzXrx0Q/s640/blogger-image-1369161770.jpg"></a></div>I resisted the urge to photograph the indigenous, Kichwa-speaking locals, and left Jack at Quilatoa to continue south.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf4VNYXpUhDqK1yaU3Qd1LtrPoocoDCYw74gqPWkE8v7pvtILAhQQxS5n-Vbwv94t1QQudvt4Q90K4oQN7ogIZSea6B9Owqd87ZkW1abKLfOHQLny3u4XTfCNrK_MNMGkcTdB9LVeG-RQ/s640/blogger-image-949624504.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf4VNYXpUhDqK1yaU3Qd1LtrPoocoDCYw74gqPWkE8v7pvtILAhQQxS5n-Vbwv94t1QQudvt4Q90K4oQN7ogIZSea6B9Owqd87ZkW1abKLfOHQLny3u4XTfCNrK_MNMGkcTdB9LVeG-RQ/s640/blogger-image-949624504.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">(Photo stolen from the interwebs because I feel weird photographing strangers.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div></div><div><br></div><div>I missed the last bus out of tiny Quilatoa, so I followed the example of a local family and hitched a ride in a pickup truck. I slung my backpack into the bed and sat up front squished against the wife of the truck owner. She spoke more Kichwa than Spanish but amicably asked me, "Are you traveling alone without company? Where is your husband?" Like every other solo traveling gal, I get this question a lot, and my answer depends on who's asking. In her case, I laughed and said "No necesito compania y no necesito un esposo!" which she loved. If she was one of the many too-forward dudes who approach me on the bus, beach, or on the street, my answer would have been. "Yeah, I have a husband, he's working at home/waiting for me at the hotel/etc. BUT WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT IF I HAVE A HUSBAND OR NOT." I get so frustrated by "estas soltera o casada?" ("you single or married?") always being either the first or second question I get asked by dudes. They never really have an answer to why that's important, and me being visibly pissed, plus that question, plus getting up to leave, plus occasionally saying "No quiero hablar contigo" ("I don't want to talk to you.) I haven't really had any problems besides being annoyed. In general, I'm morally opposed to using the "I have a boyfriend" excuse because I shouldn't have to "belong" to one guy just to avoid getting harassed by another. But here, it's tougher, so I do it. (Though a surprising number of guys say "So what? He's in the States, this is Ecuador." And I can't help but get offended on behalf of my imaginary boyfriend/husband.) Last night leaving a bar, some guy actually grabbed my arm to pull me towards his group of friends and I whipped around and said "WHY DO YOU THINK THAT'S OKAY?" After a few drinks, and with my crew of friends nearby, I had enough dumb confidence to be ready to throw down. Yeah, I find a lot of South American men inappropriate and disrespectful towards me, and being blonde here kind of sucks, but I don't know that the culture here towards women is that different, or that we just hide it better up north. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg60CemeQWnz6YjDlQgp4GOuFkBhmgL0hiCwiJTI7z-kKwvNsFZuFp-WOIq9hAS5_oyxnTfW1UbvfgZ6FWMZWrw8N3Flsdnhq5DQQKC_PhiCOq_ekQi3mtckZR5K-tUhGztuvT9t_IG5xs/s640/blogger-image-1184382803.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg60CemeQWnz6YjDlQgp4GOuFkBhmgL0hiCwiJTI7z-kKwvNsFZuFp-WOIq9hAS5_oyxnTfW1UbvfgZ6FWMZWrw8N3Flsdnhq5DQQKC_PhiCOq_ekQi3mtckZR5K-tUhGztuvT9t_IG5xs/s640/blogger-image-1184382803.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>That paragraph sounded more negative than I intended. Guys being forward is low on my list of concerns. Traveling sola is giving me more self-confidence and letting me grow in many ways. Having the time to journal, or to sit quietly on a bench and watch a foreign world go by is such a gift. I love it, and could actually use more solo time. I've met so many people, and hanging out with other travelers is almost a constant. It's nice to hear someone yell "Colleen!!" across a park when I didn't realize that I knew anyone in town. </div><div><br></div><div>I'm currently in Banos, adventure capital of the country. Next blog post will be about the ridiculousness of Carnival. At the moment I'm taking a break, hiding out in my hostel from the foam wars on the streets :)</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcsdmz2vNLO36H2YmBUe1oP_FoPFJT-wZV0sYriuGRi-jHC7UP7fI9ODxHwUs_ZW48uOQxxkbr7TF8ca-N-3IXYQrVFlDyoYUDJuigXmX1EK2Ny6CtWdlKj2TBwp7ODOdr_DMvU96p-ao/s640/blogger-image-1470283103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcsdmz2vNLO36H2YmBUe1oP_FoPFJT-wZV0sYriuGRi-jHC7UP7fI9ODxHwUs_ZW48uOQxxkbr7TF8ca-N-3IXYQrVFlDyoYUDJuigXmX1EK2Ny6CtWdlKj2TBwp7ODOdr_DMvU96p-ao/s640/blogger-image-1470283103.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">(This fuzzy creature was outside my dorm room every morning in Cotopaxi.)</div><br></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-257424932044458872.post-45872659219357741392015-02-09T18:33:00.001-08:002016-09-07T11:32:55.740-07:00"Don't live asleep...live your dreams!"<div>I finished up at the farm and spent a day back in Canoa, my new favorite sleepy surfing village on my way back to Quito. Out of nowhere I feel like I've become more of a beach person, and loved getting up to go swimming in the waves in the morning and at sunset.<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJd4vF6bqhkT0n2Xm9OuS_wkTMbPBTNE_YA3hX-LYLrUUjtB6pt33AbKBmVbd9qg21P0CeMcHxBm2dl23TmynKp-a_jt-o4vT78AP6kUevJPJlEel8ei-gRCsMKLLFmsB-QjNjy8Ia8s/s640/blogger-image-1931942481.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJd4vF6bqhkT0n2Xm9OuS_wkTMbPBTNE_YA3hX-LYLrUUjtB6pt33AbKBmVbd9qg21P0CeMcHxBm2dl23TmynKp-a_jt-o4vT78AP6kUevJPJlEel8ei-gRCsMKLLFmsB-QjNjy8Ia8s/s640/blogger-image-1931942481.jpg"></a></div> I seriously considered doing surf lessons and getting into surfing, but I knew that I'd be sucked into the Canoa vortex and never get on with my trip. I'll add surfing to my "someday to do" list.</div><div><br></div><div>I also went to this great fishing town south of Canoa called Puerto Lopez, the jumping off point for a day trip to the "Poor Man's Galapagos." Isla de la Plata is about 35 times less expensive than a trip to the Galapagos ($35 vs $1,200) but I think the Galapagos might be 35 times as cool. Maybe not, I did see a lot of Blue Footed Boobies, which are either too lazy or too fearless to move out of the way of humans. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtAX2cln11NkNm24n5DEwCvSSKvogNO0eCYFou47tW-7q573NpzKWCWneewG6zWY63bLM9wSNjajHBcyr9KOx5TnDV8Ofaui0kC_ikh_GZI6xOVc5GllyJhCXcy3iqaNHmkDUV0nDCMNI/s640/blogger-image--1182649171.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtAX2cln11NkNm24n5DEwCvSSKvogNO0eCYFou47tW-7q573NpzKWCWneewG6zWY63bLM9wSNjajHBcyr9KOx5TnDV8Ofaui0kC_ikh_GZI6xOVc5GllyJhCXcy3iqaNHmkDUV0nDCMNI/s640/blogger-image--1182649171.jpg"></a>
<script type="text/javascript">
window.location = "https://colleensinsky.com/2015/02/10/dont-live-asleep-live-your-dreams/";
</script>
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">("This is MY shady spot, you dumb human.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL1zm_ds8B7weEgeAj0e8ye249hmEfLjyTUbYBRGltg4sToe_dA1l6NdAxrmmyJ8yljuWQCPBdJFlw7KF7Nw8qlJ-GSnZRFvkNJozsqo2-tf_c_2IPYUl2dqe6poJuHDsL1QyjxuXcrZ0/s640/blogger-image--694976964.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL1zm_ds8B7weEgeAj0e8ye249hmEfLjyTUbYBRGltg4sToe_dA1l6NdAxrmmyJ8yljuWQCPBdJFlw7KF7Nw8qlJ-GSnZRFvkNJozsqo2-tf_c_2IPYUl2dqe6poJuHDsL1QyjxuXcrZ0/s640/blogger-image--694976964.jpg"></a></div><br></div>We hiked around the island preserve, applying more sunscreen every few minutes. Afterwards, going snorkeling was a welcome relief from the heat. I've never been suspended in a school of curious fish, or watched angelfish poke around rock formations next to me. As a reformed non-ocean lover, this snorkeling experience was surprisingly magical. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0omfTn_XqarOsTeTXv0HeOQnvsqI3S5CGAohwGNODOCIb5UIpaEBwt230sMrCwxvaHDmZZn47NWLGAbT8ZktTC4NEN1aNBEu3m8gV8A1NKBH5DLwfgDWj55wCG4HSuMqX1qDQa4Cis9I/s640/blogger-image--25620199.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0omfTn_XqarOsTeTXv0HeOQnvsqI3S5CGAohwGNODOCIb5UIpaEBwt230sMrCwxvaHDmZZn47NWLGAbT8ZktTC4NEN1aNBEu3m8gV8A1NKBH5DLwfgDWj55wCG4HSuMqX1qDQa4Cis9I/s640/blogger-image--25620199.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCHrGOUkQ3M9RtUBcCA6bPA96pjUoOUaB40pUz3uiT2QzO_MNrvvsBXcEJEA5a_RZ4eoM0saSA0a5sY37h0DcAmizeNg30trPSIV7kj1KOHfHHnnwhKC0JMjPPXxqJ-uHX1ArzCC_EFu0/s640/blogger-image-1857655604.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCHrGOUkQ3M9RtUBcCA6bPA96pjUoOUaB40pUz3uiT2QzO_MNrvvsBXcEJEA5a_RZ4eoM0saSA0a5sY37h0DcAmizeNg30trPSIV7kj1KOHfHHnnwhKC0JMjPPXxqJ-uHX1ArzCC_EFu0/s640/blogger-image-1857655604.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNfkQ1Wb731MfKESzVCH22F20gZx4iL-YjCTujgDMUzDR3dPt7SXbQrEqXNi7C5zcC9JPms3o4rRbpkgZj5g13L3LCDmgAWwhxTEyWXrpf2LsULBwa97_wYijuwTvAc6_xQrCXKavnAqY/s640/blogger-image-1908657468.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNfkQ1Wb731MfKESzVCH22F20gZx4iL-YjCTujgDMUzDR3dPt7SXbQrEqXNi7C5zcC9JPms3o4rRbpkgZj5g13L3LCDmgAWwhxTEyWXrpf2LsULBwa97_wYijuwTvAc6_xQrCXKavnAqY/s640/blogger-image-1908657468.jpg"></a></div></div></div></div><div><br></div><div>Puerto Lopez, unlike my comfortable Canoa, actually has a nightlife! Robberies are also more common, so in an effort to keep my iPhone safe, I sacrificed getting photos of the two dueling dance clubs on the sand. Standing between them, your brain is bombarded by two thumping strains of awful reggaton and disjointed strobe lights. After a few pina coladas though, it's better than it sounds. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtdqovyaPPkmjyDB4ICg-ohinrMui2zQI8sEuZTy7Srrm3DiFpKVtsbYUcoTkSCLnsalEJZMbYZpEC39NVg3fDaLIxO_edLZqX2yuY1X79fz4WdYDIQeKhjDNr6pMrM5xbzDaqCp39Zm8/s640/blogger-image--275363054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtdqovyaPPkmjyDB4ICg-ohinrMui2zQI8sEuZTy7Srrm3DiFpKVtsbYUcoTkSCLnsalEJZMbYZpEC39NVg3fDaLIxO_edLZqX2yuY1X79fz4WdYDIQeKhjDNr6pMrM5xbzDaqCp39Zm8/s640/blogger-image--275363054.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHxBTDlvtGg48lYSSp9yxZy4qh7SyaFuxSNCuTMtV3PRqxRQWxnnwsaQFKSSL0aRix0gUYaQ9FJ4HNrEgE7EU1BOVz6pLDhUQh3RPl5Z4Oi5WzdQSu8oOJ_86XdVV_hQJNK2rfzKFaQn0/s640/blogger-image--339453146.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHxBTDlvtGg48lYSSp9yxZy4qh7SyaFuxSNCuTMtV3PRqxRQWxnnwsaQFKSSL0aRix0gUYaQ9FJ4HNrEgE7EU1BOVz6pLDhUQh3RPl5Z4Oi5WzdQSu8oOJ_86XdVV_hQJNK2rfzKFaQn0/s640/blogger-image--339453146.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">(Most of my sustenance lately has come from places that look like this.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBTtOSFpsHYA9yXhEgYzsK4RSAxJysU4F2kzIKZbp4-VMkj4fe0c7N7ArK7F5TckfRLctT-IJXbrbPl2JbacNUIEReocuCjXn0jmVf_2JsBtKzLKIuQYMO8gG6cpPXlEIUHEepWYvsh4/s640/blogger-image-1530567147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBTtOSFpsHYA9yXhEgYzsK4RSAxJysU4F2kzIKZbp4-VMkj4fe0c7N7ArK7F5TckfRLctT-IJXbrbPl2JbacNUIEReocuCjXn0jmVf_2JsBtKzLKIuQYMO8gG6cpPXlEIUHEepWYvsh4/s640/blogger-image-1530567147.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">(Unidentified deep sea monster)</div><br></div></div><div><br></div><div>The evening before I caught the night bus out of Canoa, I was eating my favorite local ice cream popsicle on the beach, watching the surfers and beach frolickers. I was drawn into watching this one group of older adults who were emanating joy like nothing I'd ever seen. [This is a journal excerpt that I wrote on the beach and I'm not taking the time to revise.] <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKe4DhfOthR3okdf2hF_a-5Ae87m2iP0qxwKETmRq_VnifqtcxUuYFntO6JTX8jlT01tsZJYmvgBugMMo_qU6lwxQrJUxITYHc1I_sOAtPF9xVxBSmad-l_WhtGxBi9xgst7hyphenhyphen6AQNZss/s640/blogger-image--1950249378.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKe4DhfOthR3okdf2hF_a-5Ae87m2iP0qxwKETmRq_VnifqtcxUuYFntO6JTX8jlT01tsZJYmvgBugMMo_qU6lwxQrJUxITYHc1I_sOAtPF9xVxBSmad-l_WhtGxBi9xgst7hyphenhyphen6AQNZss/s640/blogger-image--1950249378.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">("Don't live asleep, live your dreams!")</div><div><br></div><div>"I could tell that it was their first time seeing the ocean. A group of women held hands on the sand, staring, smiling, wordlessly gaping at the sea. I watched them take it all in.. a totally new sensory experience, and I got to see the ocean again with new eyes too. The terrifying and beautiful possibilities that the stretch of infinite horizon brings. I don't have any stereotypes to draw on but I somehow know that they are from the campo. Accustomed to the more mountainous interior of tiny hillside farms, this amount of space must have been overwhelming. The women laughed and pointed, nervously daring to leave the high sandbar of the beach and venture into the water. Before long, a trail of several older men and women, clothes soaking wet, faces stretching into big smiles, held hands and carefully jumped in the waves together. The braver ones loser to the sea, the more timid anchored closer to dry land. Each wave nearly knocked them down and started a new chorus of laughter. A woman in her sixties, her hair in a long braid, wore a knee-length skirt and clutched the hands on either side protectively, crouching defensively into each wave. I'm not a good enough writer to describe her smile. She exuded a soulful energy from deep inside: a childlike glee at this new experience, a sense of awe and joy and danger, a happy closeness with her family on either side and waving from the beach. </div><div>I couldn't stop smiling while watching them. I thought about going up to ask for a photo. I would crouch down and take a series of bursts to capture the most authentic facial expressions. In the fading sunset, it would have been a great photo. But I couldn't do it. Couldn't be obtrusive in addition to being a voyeur. My punishment for not speaking good Spanish and being a stranger in a strange land is to watch from the sidelines. Instead I got out my journal to write this and enjoyed the last of the sunset."</div><div><br></div><div>After I'd put my journal away, I was walking back to my hostel and happened to pass the family from the campo. They all excitedly introduced themselves to me- likely one of few gringos they'd talked to- and confirmed that yes, this was their first time seeing the ocean and they were thrilled to be here. I welcomed them to the beach and they welcomed me to visit their village. I told them that seeing them in the waves had made me so happy, and I was grateful for them sharing their happiness with me. They wanted a photo with me, so I snagged one too, feeling pretty good about being rewarded for my patience with a good conversation and the reminder of how something like playing in the waves can cross all kinds of cultural barriers.<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3f-IgIbtmeAtTKY2CQCCbyywBT3O9Cb7v_Qi14iwhUtC8H2pTQNKQE9TIU2nI1EQ_ZxkfSF4pmr7uwf25VmSFSy_Ndw7PfySu8AGPWCkd71McRRCRGnlQNZff_oPjC_T8sMit6k3KV4o/s640/blogger-image--2127286238.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3f-IgIbtmeAtTKY2CQCCbyywBT3O9Cb7v_Qi14iwhUtC8H2pTQNKQE9TIU2nI1EQ_ZxkfSF4pmr7uwf25VmSFSy_Ndw7PfySu8AGPWCkd71McRRCRGnlQNZff_oPjC_T8sMit6k3KV4o/s640/blogger-image--2127286238.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8qtp2JDrA7v5kKlDn8wJ8z6R_HP98yCX3xkrRMU37SfeYoBmHQLFZMB-tjUkIAO4kq4WBGzxaH3rDRosTTEvF5SeNSsj0-fLsBsuGHCyhyphenhyphenZmlP4PZ56IAI-BipyMEtY53gB166ZnWVMg/s640/blogger-image-654589801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8qtp2JDrA7v5kKlDn8wJ8z6R_HP98yCX3xkrRMU37SfeYoBmHQLFZMB-tjUkIAO4kq4WBGzxaH3rDRosTTEvF5SeNSsj0-fLsBsuGHCyhyphenhyphenZmlP4PZ56IAI-BipyMEtY53gB166ZnWVMg/s640/blogger-image-654589801.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">(Beach bonfire one night with a crew from the hostel.)</div></div><div><br></div><div>I decided that I want to check out the Amazon, by spending a few days doing a boat trip up the rivers in the jungle to see wildlife and indigenous tribes. I don't have any specific plans yet, but step 1 is to get vaccinated against Yellow Fever, which is endemic in the jungle. I spent an extra day in Quito to do chores like getting the vaccine, visiting an ATM (there are none in Canoa), laundry, buying a combination lock, and trip-planning. All of those less than exciting things that are good for the morning after a long night bus through rainy mountains.<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxtNbWMTB0T-V7UQOJIztVCAB-bOiLdLB4D0E7gmht_uh4-X1NVwvAEZ2OlvU1o057HhEqFBy9WMptEHy0XfV3W7M5cUNp8GbxYmGCDFYQJG9i-t-bRihKBF_ytoRIZSi5hUKNtydeFYA/s640/blogger-image-305721581.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxtNbWMTB0T-V7UQOJIztVCAB-bOiLdLB4D0E7gmht_uh4-X1NVwvAEZ2OlvU1o057HhEqFBy9WMptEHy0XfV3W7M5cUNp8GbxYmGCDFYQJG9i-t-bRihKBF_ytoRIZSi5hUKNtydeFYA/s640/blogger-image-305721581.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">(Trying my best to not do my 'classic starfish pose' and 'Colleen face' in a photo at my favorite Quito art museum.)</div><div><br></div><div>Finding the Yellow Fever vaccine in Quito was relatively easy, but required a few conversations with various health care workers that approximately translated to this:</div><div><br></div><div>Colleen: "I have the yellow fever. Do you know where the syringe is?"</div><div>Nurse: "You have a fever? You have yellow fever?"</div><div>Colleen: "No, I don't have the fever. I WANT the fever. Do you know where it is?"</div><div>Nurse: "Are you kidding me right now."</div><div><br></div><div>Anyways, the Ecuadorians I talked to were extremely helpful and extremely forgiving of my awful Spanish. I found the Public Health Center in historic old town, not far from my hostel and got the vaccine and certification for free, rather than $100 in the States!<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmP_WfD_0pX9lmK19icsvQmdZpuF4wkyo4Jc7BLJx6CskFQkE5ThNuuqKTcSuSo3WjB4cYEpROoPXFgUZP_MUa28Q9qftoPhVJnS2G6ap1ma2XWmUVpyWC5c116vK5nul1gWdQHd2SgU/s640/blogger-image--412799.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmP_WfD_0pX9lmK19icsvQmdZpuF4wkyo4Jc7BLJx6CskFQkE5ThNuuqKTcSuSo3WjB4cYEpROoPXFgUZP_MUa28Q9qftoPhVJnS2G6ap1ma2XWmUVpyWC5c116vK5nul1gWdQHd2SgU/s640/blogger-image--412799.jpg"></a></div></div><div><br></div><div>Next I'm heading south, into the Andes!</div><div><br></div><div>In case you were wondering, this is what my "productive internet time setup" looks like.<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXLmSQPCVRitscf4FnHhSoPwnI7bn1YAVm5ekwgI75vC6yaxmEkLOpTfynA1zlmP9Rn3BqGvejooQEVwW8gY6zCY8UltH9yu8syRl1L-87F3tU96rqXp36oaplUXiYK9KHGFI4xGhR3t8/s640/blogger-image-606420696.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXLmSQPCVRitscf4FnHhSoPwnI7bn1YAVm5ekwgI75vC6yaxmEkLOpTfynA1zlmP9Rn3BqGvejooQEVwW8gY6zCY8UltH9yu8syRl1L-87F3tU96rqXp36oaplUXiYK9KHGFI4xGhR3t8/s640/blogger-image-606420696.jpg"></a></div></div><div><br></div><div>Hey, thanks for reading this. I'm consistently surprised by the view count, and I'm happy that people care enough to read. Thank you! :)</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-257424932044458872.post-51474415967192858382015-01-30T21:42:00.001-08:002016-09-07T11:30:08.434-07:00Finca Mono Verde<div><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">(When I said I'd be "off the grid" for two weeks, I didn't realize I'd have weekends free to explore! Details on where I am now in the next post.)</span></div><div><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></span></div><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">So I finally dragged myself away from Quito towards the coast. A day and a half in Canoa, a sleepy surfing and fishing village, was wonderful, and exactly how much time I needed to remind myself that I'm less of a beach person than a mountain person. I loved swimming in the warm Pacific and watching local fishermen haul in their daily catch, roll boats back up the beach on logs, and untangle nets at sunset.<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgScqIzgBFobaqqrZgBWEZcWHtgwD3nBmERrZchpVhyphenhyphenn4doCy5ZbGSl1WfV4kWuIqYPHz8Gkd5HH9HmP2zrvKj1Z2dJiLP-rmhUGaIQd3vucSXHP1cpqeFhYfUuKyxolThbQnoR5jRdR-Q/s640/blogger-image-394907074.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgScqIzgBFobaqqrZgBWEZcWHtgwD3nBmERrZchpVhyphenhyphenn4doCy5ZbGSl1WfV4kWuIqYPHz8Gkd5HH9HmP2zrvKj1Z2dJiLP-rmhUGaIQd3vucSXHP1cpqeFhYfUuKyxolThbQnoR5jRdR-Q/s640/blogger-image-394907074.jpg"></a>
<script type="text/javascript">
window.location = "https://colleensinsky.com/2015/02/10/dont-live-asleep-live-your-dreams/";
</script>
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhOwkd3mBUSCtanFnEfNu-PolCPAxlAzI_KzyhE1UTlRdszyESdD4xMKL3w3_DFZQvUgDfqLVIY4seTSj3reaIrormfinpcyC8tWshm_a6ZHnPGH0hYsnuybOya9uXO-bIWz41fVkZK7A/s640/blogger-image-959864647.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhOwkd3mBUSCtanFnEfNu-PolCPAxlAzI_KzyhE1UTlRdszyESdD4xMKL3w3_DFZQvUgDfqLVIY4seTSj3reaIrormfinpcyC8tWshm_a6ZHnPGH0hYsnuybOya9uXO-bIWz41fVkZK7A/s640/blogger-image-959864647.jpg"></a></div><br></div> There were plenty of "cevicherias" - little bamboo shacks on the sand that sell fresh shrimp ceviche and pina coladas. At this time of year, there's a pretty consistently good swell, and foreign and Ecuadorian surfers swamp the breaks and the few beach bars each night. I was staying in this great funky hostel that had hammocks slung all over the place, sort of topsy turvy bamboo architecture, and great papaya crepes included with the price of the room.<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJze1pWG-LMlpGKZD0UMYS3XN7au-DqBapo86DP-8FLyirixLYaUD4GeFSaaDM73p9xz3cKT83z6Hm3JZ8zXbaSu5v2XavopetKcvNYNhgcTQM15253sxb4XlUezvwS4_VOHNkR9TzuUQ/s640/blogger-image-1144065382.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJze1pWG-LMlpGKZD0UMYS3XN7au-DqBapo86DP-8FLyirixLYaUD4GeFSaaDM73p9xz3cKT83z6Hm3JZ8zXbaSu5v2XavopetKcvNYNhgcTQM15253sxb4XlUezvwS4_VOHNkR9TzuUQ/s640/blogger-image-1144065382.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilmRAQ5odQwLbjaDcM4gBJf4989FGArJYqXh8YVf92MXKtyIBxkaqNLmgLZXb_bG8wPQulIwzh8x0NAWPYfRUtO3yxsPjcpscmlfX2bHcF7JdTivI_UEYN9dG3BMKzUefCI17pnyE5t8o/s640/blogger-image--362244138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilmRAQ5odQwLbjaDcM4gBJf4989FGArJYqXh8YVf92MXKtyIBxkaqNLmgLZXb_bG8wPQulIwzh8x0NAWPYfRUtO3yxsPjcpscmlfX2bHcF7JdTivI_UEYN9dG3BMKzUefCI17pnyE5t8o/s640/blogger-image--362244138.jpg"></a></div><br></div></span><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I read a lot, ate a lot of ceviche and fried plantain, and hung out with the assortment of travelers that this type of town attracts. Over beers, we talked travel (who's been where, where ya headed, how to get here, etc.) and learned about each other's countries. Of course I'm consistently amazed by how far behind the US is in terms of things like maternal and paternity leave, and health care, but even more important- did you know that <i>most</i> Finnish houses and apartments have saunas?</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I dusted the sand from my Chacos and caught a bus north to the almost imperceptible town of Tabuga, where Finca Mono Verde is. I learned of this place through a grapevine of friends and decided that I should spend some time volunteering on the farm to learn about permaculture and sustainable farming methods. Since El Salvador, I've always felt a bit bothered by how disconnected I am from the food I eat, but I never do anything about it. This Finca WWOOF gig offered a chance for me to get my hands dirty and spend a minute getting connected to the system of growth that sustains me.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhopVn0vEaWV2qTnemw-QlPESqLnly6EdiaAzsdOsWr0A1n6dKQ1TGkMZQqDfQsPL-v3psYqTb7qAhhxoqt86XEJ8WFUi12_HHqSNFZDtvIyI6onEAJZ33gOwzDz9TXIBdvMPkxhg6YFT0/s640/blogger-image-1381520494.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhopVn0vEaWV2qTnemw-QlPESqLnly6EdiaAzsdOsWr0A1n6dKQ1TGkMZQqDfQsPL-v3psYqTb7qAhhxoqt86XEJ8WFUi12_HHqSNFZDtvIyI6onEAJZ33gOwzDz9TXIBdvMPkxhg6YFT0/s640/blogger-image-1381520494.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOAoM3msU-TgMltpdQnD7EsPbeqGO39UdTJj9mkbOSbsyaH-_vEA1efmAfdcX2iggunshrFVBjMbTjWDSi5XQrS8Dq76QonGikpiD3heHT8obUGOLULUCbcE-RsjBtVp9Qbw5iW2Rmb7g/s640/blogger-image--2000348303.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOAoM3msU-TgMltpdQnD7EsPbeqGO39UdTJj9mkbOSbsyaH-_vEA1efmAfdcX2iggunshrFVBjMbTjWDSi5XQrS8Dq76QonGikpiD3heHT8obUGOLULUCbcE-RsjBtVp9Qbw5iW2Rmb7g/s640/blogger-image--2000348303.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">My corner of the volunteer room on the Finca. To the right is an open porch & hammock.</div></div></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">The Finca is great. It's bamboo structures, chickens running around, banana trees, mud, and shirtless Frenchmen smoking cigarettes and building more bamboo structures.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOUaV6if8fVpy7W4xoy5qGhFZqBa40tQzkxkOfZWaJr2INKjxdRI4wYASMDARiJilNjcf7qrpl5BUAKbovzcXxRnFuBImqno7zxYWEn7DmPnm0vv_IUsKNTokbewJAjVroLpYGRpacNhQ/s640/blogger-image-1317424053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOUaV6if8fVpy7W4xoy5qGhFZqBa40tQzkxkOfZWaJr2INKjxdRI4wYASMDARiJilNjcf7qrpl5BUAKbovzcXxRnFuBImqno7zxYWEn7DmPnm0vv_IUsKNTokbewJAjVroLpYGRpacNhQ/s640/blogger-image-1317424053.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsxuLT8DgFYZTi8sCiX-VPWPlrds64p05NN7-KM7klPCBkIws8e75xa30cLgS_IaQWo0sB2usuA3i2HpWIcBLi647iBj8mVE1YHgPKWIuOiFs_A2dERBpA5r1hw2XcYlJQyyGriQ1A_TM/s640/blogger-image--1278996234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsxuLT8DgFYZTi8sCiX-VPWPlrds64p05NN7-KM7klPCBkIws8e75xa30cLgS_IaQWo0sB2usuA3i2HpWIcBLi647iBj8mVE1YHgPKWIuOiFs_A2dERBpA5r1hw2XcYlJQyyGriQ1A_TM/s640/blogger-image--1278996234.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkBpO7bfI0QZRE3EWY4Zsg_vrDvO5nO1k30Lo7t7WtfzbIx93vDtO-XKfDqTYXsG11v3CfkmFBmRdE2si3CTAsrJaN6Oh6QpmbVtgJ7p1Q-DaC2tvZdxZhrWBF3jBxAojEB2YdTisehO4/s640/blogger-image-1548881133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkBpO7bfI0QZRE3EWY4Zsg_vrDvO5nO1k30Lo7t7WtfzbIx93vDtO-XKfDqTYXsG11v3CfkmFBmRdE2si3CTAsrJaN6Oh6QpmbVtgJ7p1Q-DaC2tvZdxZhrWBF3jBxAojEB2YdTisehO4/s640/blogger-image-1548881133.jpg"></a></div></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"> I spent several hours today pruning- which was so much cooler than it sounds. I learned what the legume trees that had to be cut down looked like, and then Arnaud, the lead Frenchman, gave me a machete for the day. I realize that when it comes to digging irrigation trenches like I did the other day, that I am a totally average shovel-user. But I am thinking of myself as a machete prodigy. I was bleeping <i>efficient</i>. Forehand, backhand, short volleys, and softball swings- it was as if all of my athletic experience until now had been preparing me for this morning. I was sweaty and muddy, and my hands are threatening to blister, but looking over the field of pruned legume trees and mulched coffee bushes underneath the canopy of banana trees was a great feeling.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQwFmTcltv48R9XPlwM8ZgOVDYWw4Hsg2uJRiJyO79MHcNzklQyTQ_rvElmkl0GhZav0AXWCdYozuEESCs7ODfVqN0krWsc18CYHjf7q5uThHfXZNB-n8saBLijZmLJ9gerRldY25c9w8/s640/blogger-image--1258412375.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQwFmTcltv48R9XPlwM8ZgOVDYWw4Hsg2uJRiJyO79MHcNzklQyTQ_rvElmkl0GhZav0AXWCdYozuEESCs7ODfVqN0krWsc18CYHjf7q5uThHfXZNB-n8saBLijZmLJ9gerRldY25c9w8/s640/blogger-image--1258412375.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU6_EiLn9OvxTchBLfaKhl7sThRyEkiAHbDoFE58OaKo1yV19OKwhzqU2aYiSFaZzZDYtE47bjv1K7cMyO7bNpxT7nEZ07m_Ndh-JKAer5RiDmCovAE1niBaMhfngthkwSwqS7cIf8sQQ/s640/blogger-image--1714850219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU6_EiLn9OvxTchBLfaKhl7sThRyEkiAHbDoFE58OaKo1yV19OKwhzqU2aYiSFaZzZDYtE47bjv1K7cMyO7bNpxT7nEZ07m_Ndh-JKAer5RiDmCovAE1niBaMhfngthkwSwqS7cIf8sQQ/s640/blogger-image--1714850219.jpg"></a></div>(If you've read this book or it's prequel, and are as into them as I am, I want to have a book-date-lunch with you!)</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYlv27Ru6-j1rhe7T0aqXtd-KWPWtoEcf2ictXFjWKl7ujiSACCvJIlfHzbwEKahVYNTQ5QE9q3V94zLuFd0zhbCLiKigpCZRHJM4-SFCldZsTCqJUT5A_cj6ByWDuZcAIeHiJ16DZyCg/s640/blogger-image-1973972295.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYlv27Ru6-j1rhe7T0aqXtd-KWPWtoEcf2ictXFjWKl7ujiSACCvJIlfHzbwEKahVYNTQ5QE9q3V94zLuFd0zhbCLiKigpCZRHJM4-SFCldZsTCqJUT5A_cj6ByWDuZcAIeHiJ16DZyCg/s640/blogger-image-1973972295.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><span style="text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">The other day, I helped a Californian couple who'd just finished volunteering to carry their surfboards and backpacks up to the main road to hitch a ride to the next town. We'd said our goodbyes and I'd just turned to walk back to the farm under orange flowered trees when a downpour hit. I was wearing this great wide-brimmed hat I'd just bought from a sombrero seller on the beach, so my head and neck were dry, but after about ten seconds, that was it. Rain in the tropics is so different than what I know in Portland. There, the rain is cold and unfriendly and dark. There's rarely enough to even merit using a hood, but it's a constant, depressing companion for months straight. The rain in Ecuador was a completely different type. The air turned into a waterfall, and the dirt road I was walking on became a series of muddy rivulets within minutes. I ducked into an old cross section of a giant cement pipe and leaned back against the cool wall to watch the torrent outside. It was warm out, and I was already as soaked as I could possibly be, so the rain wasn't actually obnoxious, but the pipe was cozy, and a good place to sit and think. Outside, chickens were roosting close together on the bamboo pillars underneath a house, and a group of muddy calves trudged across a field together. I tried to picture exactly where I was on a map; zooming out from this farm, to the coastal providence, to Ecuador, to Central and South America, to this hemisphere, and to the whole planet and beyond. I saw all of the places where the people I miss are, and sat upright when I realized that I didn't really know anyone within 3,000 miles. That is just too lonely a thought when you're sitting out the rain alone in a concrete pipe, so I smiled at the downpour and waked back to the Finca. Ten minutes later I was laughing, making lemon jam with two French guys in their skivvies, drinking cowboy coffee, and listening to bad techno music over the roar of the downpour on the tin roof.</span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAKbct5yvAPCrudRKk7WcolVDR_pPlioe1vpp-aR-6j7f6S-lAzLbm-hyd9fVKUKVbpKhzI1E_JJfGKFyO3D9eNzjiK4HduxLl1_G4Q9ceuHkB4KpLbJxiDV9tTmVnHEeoNGCJ-YCNtOI/s640/blogger-image-1967729036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAKbct5yvAPCrudRKk7WcolVDR_pPlioe1vpp-aR-6j7f6S-lAzLbm-hyd9fVKUKVbpKhzI1E_JJfGKFyO3D9eNzjiK4HduxLl1_G4Q9ceuHkB4KpLbJxiDV9tTmVnHEeoNGCJ-YCNtOI/s640/blogger-image-1967729036.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Weirdos :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><br></div><div><br></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-257424932044458872.post-58428913288213915072015-01-25T17:50:00.001-08:002015-01-25T18:53:46.764-08:00Flying Solo in Quito!<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I feel like the only constant I've had in the past six months has been this recurring realization of 'holy crap, how did I get here?' All of a sudden, I'm drinking a beer in the snow in Flagstaff, I'm dancing at a Hindu holy festival in Nepal, I'm watching Emily's Academic League match at the local high school, I'm sitting in my car alone at the edge of Las Vegas' neon glow, too pissed off to drive, I'm on a broken train in Santa Barbara en route to a Christmas party, I'm in a cave in Idaho, I'm in Ecuador climbing a rickety iron staircase to the top of a Gothic church steeple. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkUIs0FsC0ABBnze6PtUSVeYrEZlYtIW2zSEDxCdCCD8OvZ5xl4bXfNM818bbRAB5WmQRy2kpjVSBXdRmXVy_y8NbQFC8OOPU4uTcnrudTHeLx6r7hwTtW_uFOyApn2ypDTd8Il1s5Uec/s640/blogger-image--1585943277.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkUIs0FsC0ABBnze6PtUSVeYrEZlYtIW2zSEDxCdCCD8OvZ5xl4bXfNM818bbRAB5WmQRy2kpjVSBXdRmXVy_y8NbQFC8OOPU4uTcnrudTHeLx6r7hwTtW_uFOyApn2ypDTd8Il1s5Uec/s640/blogger-image--1585943277.jpg"></a></div></div></div></span><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">It's been a weird collection of meta-realizations, strung together by what feels in hindsight like unconscious decision-making. Someday I'll have a few glasses of wine and try to write a poem about it. But anyways, I left my job, got rid of my stuff, and two seconds later I'm eating arroz con pollo y plantains in a cute guest house in Ecuador with a cute cat named Gato Samuel asleep by my feet.<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM8bucLSQnv0Q6GMrlDclTIYVxL9z6p_VHmluauWVw5u_P8uzu9mpKp6I61cKpqUoSL6yEtGF6pCjVoYGJKEH7QCtYMUIKepfrc4pkFx0Eb4zORVXq0evhNVZT6Vf_L5qkvW1fFi8mqmo/s640/blogger-image-1449953829.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM8bucLSQnv0Q6GMrlDclTIYVxL9z6p_VHmluauWVw5u_P8uzu9mpKp6I61cKpqUoSL6yEtGF6pCjVoYGJKEH7QCtYMUIKepfrc4pkFx0Eb4zORVXq0evhNVZT6Vf_L5qkvW1fFi8mqmo/s640/blogger-image-1449953829.jpg"></a></div></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Ecuador is already stealing my heart. I thought I'd quickly bounce off of Quito in favor of safer, smaller cities, but this place has a bustling, colorful, friendliness I wasn't expecting in a large capitol. I think a lot of it has to do with where I am staying. Posada Tambuco is this wonderful little guest house that feels more like a homestay. Each morning, Yolanda, who co-owns the place with her husband greets me with "Buenos dias, mi amor!" and I spend an hour reading, eating breakfast, and enjoying the Salsa music in the sunny kitchen. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyANUzbvtWcw8-X7GgFOkmBpuwHkhM9h9BvwhT0sF16pleT9tILRoZJ7W1Kaxd9-ynV4rEPFcjNKtiF1lOP2aL6BkZYnXTUUpkBLRcxueJ74zREIcKR6toMUxxXQLpiZHN9jAd-hzdUfY/s640/blogger-image--1366980437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyANUzbvtWcw8-X7GgFOkmBpuwHkhM9h9BvwhT0sF16pleT9tILRoZJ7W1Kaxd9-ynV4rEPFcjNKtiF1lOP2aL6BkZYnXTUUpkBLRcxueJ74zREIcKR6toMUxxXQLpiZHN9jAd-hzdUfY/s640/blogger-image--1366980437.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Carlitos is a few years older than me and helps run the place with his parents. We speak Spanglish, and he helps me navigate the city, especially by darkening the parts of the Quito map where it's not safe for me to go. Safety, of course, is a constant concern of mine. I've never been so aware of being so blonde and so solo, but I'm taking every precaution without living in fear and everything has been great. I had been thinking about taking the fast and direct night bus to the coast tonight, then I was told that the bus "goes fast so that it doesn't get robbed." so I opted to spend another night at Posada Tambuco and leave in the morning instead.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht-u114OISHpWiM0mREdrzNUpG1T8PGQUAW4plY3AjZotmlP3cq1ht66wtS9FIi_0Ww_usXicSN0pmQa_uX_rJecgBix0cSxyT9Vn9fkZi_RSPewgJNhZ46DCgnqOmOPPNx4_vvcS_FmM/s640/blogger-image--1164088301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht-u114OISHpWiM0mREdrzNUpG1T8PGQUAW4plY3AjZotmlP3cq1ht66wtS9FIi_0Ww_usXicSN0pmQa_uX_rJecgBix0cSxyT9Vn9fkZi_RSPewgJNhZ46DCgnqOmOPPNx4_vvcS_FmM/s640/blogger-image--1164088301.jpg"></a></div></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"> I've been speaking a lot of Spanish. (Though to be real, that really should say "I've been enthusiastically butchering a beautiful language with no regard to verb tenses, sentence structure or most vocabulary.") </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnphxqhwb7auOWrZAHOizM3zR9-l6rmTxRuGRjY2LHKfBecJhrz_CahMOf02X4g1LidAUCUaxG-pZXfURdwKRmxVbRZdbaDDCpSFSPxLbuOj-2mkbNZlr24kmYCo2nIp8C7XOC3OjOz34/s640/blogger-image--2010451412.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnphxqhwb7auOWrZAHOizM3zR9-l6rmTxRuGRjY2LHKfBecJhrz_CahMOf02X4g1LidAUCUaxG-pZXfURdwKRmxVbRZdbaDDCpSFSPxLbuOj-2mkbNZlr24kmYCo2nIp8C7XOC3OjOz34/s640/blogger-image--2010451412.jpg"></a></div></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Yesterday, my first day here, I spent a few hours walking around Old Town, exploring churches, cathedrals and museums. The streets are cobbled and clean, the Ecuadorian flag flutters off of most balconies, and the colorfully restored colonial architecture is a photogenic backdrop Ecuadorians bustling about their daily business. Indigenous women with babies slung around their backs sell gum, lottery tickets, cheap toys and ice cream. Groups of older men in black leather jackets sit on marble benches smoking and laughing. Everywhere there are teenagers taking selfies, slyly holding hands and giggling in large groups. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiDfWJU62rHw1moXeFH0ljKCoPGRk4ivYt2iTgc02cnNsobuo_rRALx8meNJS_KiodeOSm7GVWSf-Anq_XQzysPc738s697cb3W5baleVGlcIn7HFpjq5-dIjehDb5qNsoxDRQqSxQuHE/s640/blogger-image--338196179.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiDfWJU62rHw1moXeFH0ljKCoPGRk4ivYt2iTgc02cnNsobuo_rRALx8meNJS_KiodeOSm7GVWSf-Anq_XQzysPc738s697cb3W5baleVGlcIn7HFpjq5-dIjehDb5qNsoxDRQqSxQuHE/s640/blogger-image--338196179.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyJ2EjIb0h9dxqAvejK6WQCvOZv3WXuRwlIN9Q6_G2RFpyECnZYypHWXC6bQ8ffUJv9kwkz6ArAsfvOfju_I9jOPnlgEAqmkvZeKF378tBqcKLGLcGsY_sBalKyp_2EvwotTGiDvvJZeM/s640/blogger-image-1554113062.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyJ2EjIb0h9dxqAvejK6WQCvOZv3WXuRwlIN9Q6_G2RFpyECnZYypHWXC6bQ8ffUJv9kwkz6ArAsfvOfju_I9jOPnlgEAqmkvZeKF378tBqcKLGLcGsY_sBalKyp_2EvwotTGiDvvJZeM/s640/blogger-image-1554113062.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div></div>I leaned against a stone pillar outside and watched all of the sunny commotion for a while before ducking inside to the cool, dark, incensed air of a historic church. I love sitting in the last pew of these huge stone buildings, recognizing the saints of my childhood in the ornate stained glass windows and watching Catholics of all ages stop in to light a votive intention candle and say a quick kneeling prayer. Ecuador is 96% Roman Catholic and I'm not at all surprised by that overwhelming majority. Still though, the ratio of Quitenos (that 'n' has a ~ but I don't know how to type that) to churches in Old Town was amazing.<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUYY3kSZQG5_a57QKXqrb_7CpIDCz3MmS5qSfe_-xvCMqqU1zzzOD2Tv34fDEfdJyHTYt0u7ozXT1q2bgPtXj7wpwZSUchNNv0EnzZk6QvZZqdvo4HY6CKdvQcakkda_1VBTzt8CyBM64/s640/blogger-image-1107474659.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUYY3kSZQG5_a57QKXqrb_7CpIDCz3MmS5qSfe_-xvCMqqU1zzzOD2Tv34fDEfdJyHTYt0u7ozXT1q2bgPtXj7wpwZSUchNNv0EnzZk6QvZZqdvo4HY6CKdvQcakkda_1VBTzt8CyBM64/s640/blogger-image-1107474659.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTWZppOI1cSMzfbEJ3HdEKflfbtHpzLAwTgd82qVOzUzFggOHC7G7H_bvITn9blwxbduj7zeyQEUjS5whpNAkGXw0e8X_7IvWN8chKuxMKAnTmLeZS23-ZdxBnlX8lddWfayRjT9JuS9E/s640/blogger-image-1721632172.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTWZppOI1cSMzfbEJ3HdEKflfbtHpzLAwTgd82qVOzUzFggOHC7G7H_bvITn9blwxbduj7zeyQEUjS5whpNAkGXw0e8X_7IvWN8chKuxMKAnTmLeZS23-ZdxBnlX8lddWfayRjT9JuS9E/s640/blogger-image-1721632172.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi2ijgOlKUuDrwL46_4h2Y4W2tYHPwY7uD_GeXN_sf4WxyzyWqMBAdegE1hufuLGUoFQjKHfbxqNIoQNPfbGUcaVdYZgxS4q_gxSES-o0tOJmgycxXmyDY_x_M6pF1MQJVmhp9NkgyNV0/s640/blogger-image--1455982606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi2ijgOlKUuDrwL46_4h2Y4W2tYHPwY7uD_GeXN_sf4WxyzyWqMBAdegE1hufuLGUoFQjKHfbxqNIoQNPfbGUcaVdYZgxS4q_gxSES-o0tOJmgycxXmyDY_x_M6pF1MQJVmhp9NkgyNV0/s640/blogger-image--1455982606.jpg"></a></div><br></div></div></div></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">It's funny how when you travel, so many situations sound like the the set up to a cheesy joke. "So this American, a Canadian, an Austrian and a German walk into a bar...." (that was last night.) Today, that same group of us took a series of buses to visit the equator! Yeah, I stopped over for a visit to the Northern Hemisphere, no big deal. On one hand, it was a cheesy photo op. On the other hand, that is effing incredible! El Mitad del Mundo! 0 degrees latitude! The center of the world!</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_l-oIH_VaKWuwLZrPll6AhjyKj2al0i1PXlPIYWDPX2mxlb9pTBbW8nFD5TvKjAMfqEZe0EtKKgPpYwQND-gQCWJX7qabOdJuatfTjWM9mH1Od6NA5FmYN7-T98XqMPmIY_7Z8R2rK8I/s640/blogger-image-194903582.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_l-oIH_VaKWuwLZrPll6AhjyKj2al0i1PXlPIYWDPX2mxlb9pTBbW8nFD5TvKjAMfqEZe0EtKKgPpYwQND-gQCWJX7qabOdJuatfTjWM9mH1Od6NA5FmYN7-T98XqMPmIY_7Z8R2rK8I/s640/blogger-image-194903582.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">This post is already longer than anyone (even my mom) wants to read. But one more thought.. the people you meet traveling are incredible. Conversation tends to naturally skip the pleasantries that we often get stuck in, in favor of the real good stuff. We all all share the same distance from our comfort zones, and finding fun and laughter and exploring together becomes a rad way of building connections from nothing. I'll stop from getting more sappy, but I am so grateful for the rotating cast of mis amigos nuevos here.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZBtgsxlSSFM_W-bzK69HDr8foCJXsXctjfG5WILLbXSICgbXbDLcfXQCpsbIdJnvSxEogF1mtXvWgX2yoR-7p9IXruIP2L4ls47e6pbFU62gcBFSX5wusAeC8RH6iBmoIfE8wmb2QwF0/s640/blogger-image--1311587968.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZBtgsxlSSFM_W-bzK69HDr8foCJXsXctjfG5WILLbXSICgbXbDLcfXQCpsbIdJnvSxEogF1mtXvWgX2yoR-7p9IXruIP2L4ls47e6pbFU62gcBFSX5wusAeC8RH6iBmoIfE8wmb2QwF0/s640/blogger-image--1311587968.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Be Alive- Travel. On a climbing wall!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcBweU3kMSqOZanpx4yVSNgw35uDgQF0yY4YcMyx9ybKBXmSR0ccaygp92SvoM_K7O1So_zDGJx7Lc6wC3GqKKCXSYa4CAldor-GRd-NeqSdry0c3sZCIlFgSyWmRJ54MUuWkNe8bw4q4/s640/blogger-image--1154629424.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcBweU3kMSqOZanpx4yVSNgw35uDgQF0yY4YcMyx9ybKBXmSR0ccaygp92SvoM_K7O1So_zDGJx7Lc6wC3GqKKCXSYa4CAldor-GRd-NeqSdry0c3sZCIlFgSyWmRJ54MUuWkNe8bw4q4/s640/blogger-image--1154629424.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Quito has Sunday Parkways just like Portland!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNItrv4pZmpeoowuBxXzbGiH7jTYgH74_G1p9uWqPfUVfibwdhGNBlfkHCzrBg5NEJCiqrs-xHNf5ZBcwzFL04GaLRgCL-nb0-HjpJuSP4aGlreCDIjyMHJL0DLc00ytJZ5W24Nd7NbE/s640/blogger-image-2007478043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNItrv4pZmpeoowuBxXzbGiH7jTYgH74_G1p9uWqPfUVfibwdhGNBlfkHCzrBg5NEJCiqrs-xHNf5ZBcwzFL04GaLRgCL-nb0-HjpJuSP4aGlreCDIjyMHJL0DLc00ytJZ5W24Nd7NbE/s640/blogger-image-2007478043.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMFLtK3SPop9U7bmWXEpgJa8uc2fo5XuVi7fDue-SLRSprB5_FAw-Z6T0bn8Pks5wuB-Qf9vGZwCnkHUawGZY_8qALw7X2GKdArc85DANE4Q4uC-X-MhDa7iIvWxRRmCkPYK4_X7W_WtU/s640/blogger-image-250945743.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMFLtK3SPop9U7bmWXEpgJa8uc2fo5XuVi7fDue-SLRSprB5_FAw-Z6T0bn8Pks5wuB-Qf9vGZwCnkHUawGZY_8qALw7X2GKdArc85DANE4Q4uC-X-MhDa7iIvWxRRmCkPYK4_X7W_WtU/s640/blogger-image-250945743.jpg"></a></div></div>Roasted guinea pigs. I did not eat these (yet).</div></div></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">THIS PART IS PURELY OPTIONAL READING (UNLIKE THE REST):<div><br></div><div>I started off my flight from Houston to Quito tipsy off the free wine at the United VIP Club lounge. Probably the first and last time in my life I'll ever be in one of those- a gift perk from opening a United Visa.</div><div><br></div><div>The United Club was a very fancy place that smells of rich mahogany and has a lot more laptops than smiles. There are tables with shrink wrapped apples and all the Tillamook cheese you can eat. The place was three stories tall and full of people who pay more than my monthly rent for a few extra inches of legroom. I had coffee with a nice Argentinian gentleman who was a real-life oil baron for a major company. When I asked what he did, exactly, he smiled and said, "I take care of Latin America." "All of it?" I asked. "Yes, all of Latin America." Then he reminisced about traveling in his twenties and riding a cargo ship to go train around Europe in the 1970s before leaving to catch his fight.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, my family is all jokingly texting me, "FIND A SUGAR DADDY COLLEEN!" But alas, the crowd was more of a stiletto than 'hiking-boots-that-still-smell-like-Nepali-donkey-shit' crowd. I did have the even better fortune of meeting Dian, who was as enthusiastic as taking advantage of the open bar as I was.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjICQrhS6TwrX6gnDnwa6a-CVJpFbX0JRDvwaQWlOT_DNwUyPrwQoZykvIS6zGHamRtc7AmoFuAqErU5JlNZuMUr5Tro1_PnhQmUmtZy4Cyz8DSFnH3cfXidy3SxQUPoolWk0YWGlBFT1Q/s640/blogger-image-1110304913.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjICQrhS6TwrX6gnDnwa6a-CVJpFbX0JRDvwaQWlOT_DNwUyPrwQoZykvIS6zGHamRtc7AmoFuAqErU5JlNZuMUr5Tro1_PnhQmUmtZy4Cyz8DSFnH3cfXidy3SxQUPoolWk0YWGlBFT1Q/s640/blogger-image-1110304913.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Dian: "Can you take our picture?!?"</div><div>Bartender: "Don't you two like, not even know each other?"</div><div>Colleen: "What are you talking about? We go way back, to like, three drinks ago."</div><div><br></div><div>Pro Travel Tip: According to Dian, you can buy these United Club passes for $10-$15 on eBay. Just in case you want to go sugar-daddy hunting and eat a lot of cheese.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-257424932044458872.post-68157830185108433092015-01-22T20:59:00.001-08:002016-09-07T11:34:33.896-07:00Six Weeks With A Carry-On!<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">Deciding to go to Ecuador was one of the more impulsive things I’ve done. I only bought* the ticket on Friday and haven’t even spent much time thinking about the trip between then and now. I did buy the Lonely Planet guide and a Spanish-English dictionary, so what could go wrong? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<script type="text/javascript">
window.location = "https://colleensinsky.com/2015/01/23/six-weeks-with-a-carry-on/";
</script>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What a weird place in my life when I literally clicked around Google Maps to decide which random country to spend several weeks in! Ecuador won because it had been part of my original Patagonia plan, and through doing preliminary research and talking with friends, it sounds like a relatively safe place to be a solo female backpacker. A big goal of mine is to improve my Spanish, and it sounds like Ecuador is a good place to do that, as well as offering a diversity of outdoor fun. I’ll spend a day in </span><a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g294308-Quito_Pichincha_Province-Vacations.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Quito</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> getting acclimatized (literally- Quito is the world’s highest capital city at 9,350 ft), and then bus to </span><a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g609138-Mindo_Pichincha_Province-Vacations.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mindo</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to check out a cloud forest, and then to spend a few weeks volunteering on a </span><a href="http://www.fincamonoverde.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">permaculture farm</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on the coast (thanks Chris for that connection!). I’m not quite sure what the next four weeks will look like. I’ve learned that it’s so much more fun to go with an open agenda and the ability to say yes to opportunities, and to let my mood and whomever I meet sway me towards what I decide to do.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And yup- only traveling with a small carry-on bag. </span><a href="http://www.mountainhardwear.com/expedition-duffel-small-OS5415.html?dwvar_OS5415_variationColor=010&cgid=equipment-packsLuggage#pg=2&start=22" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> rugged cutie, actually, from the MH employee store, and an REI </span><a href="http://www.rei.com/product/827110/rei-flash-18-pack" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">flash pack</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as my “personal item.” As a chronic over-packer/doomsday prepper, it was a struggle for me to cut down on what I packed. I’ll figure out a way to post my packing list, (which I’m sure will be the most fascinating thing you’ve ever spent time reading). I hate the feeling of BSA (“Backpack Separation Anxiety”) and with the high rate of bag thefts, pickpockets and robberies, it’ll be one less thing to worry about if I can just keep my backpack on my lap while taking buses around. Actually only having a carry-on was already hugely helpful today.. funny story...</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6dQNJsiYd6_UVfCU5Ux2dgmtQwfA0LMIVzyT9d5hwndBI1gM7Prg9WrmhrUf6gj5o4XyGTJ6HeqemVFd-gTNMjKv-lr2cxrJO750J6K7d2P3xBMFJfLQrz_qsbgBB3h8njQPvUfeD7Ns/s640/blogger-image--2137188649.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6dQNJsiYd6_UVfCU5Ux2dgmtQwfA0LMIVzyT9d5hwndBI1gM7Prg9WrmhrUf6gj5o4XyGTJ6HeqemVFd-gTNMjKv-lr2cxrJO750J6K7d2P3xBMFJfLQrz_qsbgBB3h8njQPvUfeD7Ns/s640/blogger-image--2137188649.jpg" /></a></span></div>
</div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My big travel adventure became more adventurous earlier than expected this morning, when I was supposed to have left. My flight out of San Diego had taxied down the tarmac and was gathering speed on the runway, seconds from being airborne when we suddenly stopped. The pilot announced that there were bad winds in the connection city and that we would head back to the terminal to deplane and wait on news. Because I missed my connections they offered me a circuitous route that would have taken way too long and involved spending tonight in Mexico City airport. I opted to just try again tomorrow morning with a more direct route.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"></b><br />
<div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixDF3cSMy0IvKyFhFa3wdYazLf-5HBsMfDlzNOFxDJYZV8QiiWqFO14C_6-xuJrMKMOerOZC-f2COmdTbpI8Wu3YG2vKeGO4OcX_5S_9nuuWzXkW_RdBvDt6nh05zZPcIb8JeedLr-NIQ/s640/blogger-image--2130502038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixDF3cSMy0IvKyFhFa3wdYazLf-5HBsMfDlzNOFxDJYZV8QiiWqFO14C_6-xuJrMKMOerOZC-f2COmdTbpI8Wu3YG2vKeGO4OcX_5S_9nuuWzXkW_RdBvDt6nh05zZPcIb8JeedLr-NIQ/s640/blogger-image--2130502038.jpg" /></a></b></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Here’s what should have been my flight, taking off without me.)</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So glad that I didn’t have any checked bags and I could just hop off the plane and be flexible with my plans. My family welcomed my triumphant return from the airport a few hours later, and got Emily to play hooky from high school so we could hang out. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So I’m trying again tomorrow and in the meantime packing a few small things I forgot and reading up on these these terrifying reports of </span><a href="http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/South_America/Ecuador/Provincia_de_Pichincha/Quito-1587675/Warnings_or_Dangers-Quito-TG-C-2.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">robberies</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in Quito. I might just stay in my hotel room the whole time. Only sort of kidding.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I also went to Zion National Park, via Vegas, for a few days with a friend. Zion is rad. The drive was pretty, the weather was chilly but otherwise perfect. I was glad to have a zero degree bag, and it was nice being in the park during the quiet season. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3YHGPBSCOGlQwMUkPKWPRD0kTcM8mHvhTeYIzMZ_7bkbaA9PD3_T8EpQ-NCPmYE59pwF5rnEq4ZVT0jrJF8GLRiVUk3JkjWbfX9laMOM2kN5LFrl26PviVb_qVG8xLtpSgkv4kIHojak/s640/blogger-image--855583512.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3YHGPBSCOGlQwMUkPKWPRD0kTcM8mHvhTeYIzMZ_7bkbaA9PD3_T8EpQ-NCPmYE59pwF5rnEq4ZVT0jrJF8GLRiVUk3JkjWbfX9laMOM2kN5LFrl26PviVb_qVG8xLtpSgkv4kIHojak/s640/blogger-image--855583512.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq3OArmCy8WJcG9U8bQw3Hm1GNLLOPQXgwPq0LfSvtKxp-BKzfheMtb9aufQE8et84grL4OG8gYholPOEo1Eymj4uX6nxGqRbKv0-hJCetJgx0z_YFaCFtpQpZicCvrqKb3Q4LDm7J7Lg/s640/blogger-image-493540046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq3OArmCy8WJcG9U8bQw3Hm1GNLLOPQXgwPq0LfSvtKxp-BKzfheMtb9aufQE8et84grL4OG8gYholPOEo1Eymj4uX6nxGqRbKv0-hJCetJgx0z_YFaCFtpQpZicCvrqKb3Q4LDm7J7Lg/s640/blogger-image-493540046.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hiking solo in a canyon on Sunday I met Dianna, who described our meeting as “hiking into a </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">parallel universe and met another version of myself.” Haha, it was incredible- almost creepy- how much we had in common! I love experiences of paths serendipitously crossing and I’m excited to connect again in Portland! (Yeah Dianna.. make the move!)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG29lzXV5xntA9B3O-3-V8xj51AwvxYReDKoLVdaP2SDTbXGZcuFIs6SMJMbWsDGrwhh60hRI1eGKr7XkOxBh1888m0HSP-vkL6D0S9bTb6e_TOCKhTb4F5JiedVdDId2mIUkSLVXe_kk/s640/blogger-image--2135355005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG29lzXV5xntA9B3O-3-V8xj51AwvxYReDKoLVdaP2SDTbXGZcuFIs6SMJMbWsDGrwhh60hRI1eGKr7XkOxBh1888m0HSP-vkL6D0S9bTb6e_TOCKhTb4F5JiedVdDId2mIUkSLVXe_kk/s640/blogger-image--2135355005.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the way back, we stopped in Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada and happened to hit it right at sunset, when it was very apparent how the place had gotten it’s name. It was fun to scramble up this massive, somewhat sketchy red rock pile and be rewarded with stunning 360 degree views of a mountainous desert glowing in the fading light.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk7sAe7p85SzFl6D2tEHoMoZipR-oqDzW3GB6Ms7pfuchTJz8wwb9-ptw9h-mtLPuZEF6WjwQvbbbh6vJQO252kJorwbxwFVomgHnqRqsBmiYzw-z66t1bdYP2g73sTfRSUuqktvnKVTw/s640/blogger-image--411596281.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk7sAe7p85SzFl6D2tEHoMoZipR-oqDzW3GB6Ms7pfuchTJz8wwb9-ptw9h-mtLPuZEF6WjwQvbbbh6vJQO252kJorwbxwFVomgHnqRqsBmiYzw-z66t1bdYP2g73sTfRSUuqktvnKVTw/s640/blogger-image--411596281.jpg" /></a></b></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5ITEsdITT5pACcmtmfxnDtVWfdbKvC9QXRCJVc8XgrRJ4ogfaVxlFmVk9wC9BXCjjI4pGf_lpuAfQMS2IsARNzNseuwxmPbbeBHnBtIsyQZKUBvEKH_aJP5Xq2vTbK8hxWOl0gLM0b4/s640/blogger-image-1363507565.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5ITEsdITT5pACcmtmfxnDtVWfdbKvC9QXRCJVc8XgrRJ4ogfaVxlFmVk9wC9BXCjjI4pGf_lpuAfQMS2IsARNzNseuwxmPbbeBHnBtIsyQZKUBvEKH_aJP5Xq2vTbK8hxWOl0gLM0b4/s640/blogger-image-1363507565.jpg" /></a></b></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;">
</b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*”Bought” this ticket for a total of $150 round trip in fees and taxes. I got into “travel hacking” a few months ago and it’s pretty awesome. If you can deal with a few points possibly dinging your credit score**, some annual fees, minimum spend requirements, and having to be pretty organized, strategically opening credit cards is a fantastic way to get cheap airfare. I’ve only opened four cards and have enough miles to go around the world and back easily. I’m a relatively low “spender” but you can get creative in hitting spend limits (ie: Amazon money transfer, putting your phone bill and utilities on it, buying gift cards, etc.) Just be sure to pay it off in full each month obviously, as the APR is generally rough. Choose one of the three travel alliances to target your miles because the airlines will transfer miles within each alliance. I go with “Star Alliance” which includes United Airlines.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, for example: Each way to Ecuador was 20k miles (this means taking a more roundabout route and not being totally flexible on days, but who cares)</span></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A few months ago I signed up for </span><a href="https://creditcards.chase.com/credit-cards/united-airlines-credit-card.aspx" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chase United Mileage Plus Explorer</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> card, which is a good one. The sign up bonus was 30k miles (don’t get a card offering any less than this), and I got an additional 5k miles for adding my brother as a co-signer. (Helps build his credit and I just cut up the card anyways.) I had to spend I think $3,000 within a year, which I did, and then some. There will be a $95 annual fee the second year, which I could probably get waived if I say pretty please. So, woohoo! that was enough miles for this 40k mile Ecuador trip. Bonus of then booking with this same card was priority boarding, free checked bags, and free passes to United’s VIP lounge. There isn’t a catch, as far as I know. Really, I should say that this trip costs $245 (fees/taxes + credit card annual fee) plus the time it took to research and organize this, but that is far better than the $1,300 price tag it would have had otherwise.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here's a good beginner <a href="https://www.nomadicmatt.com/ultimate-guide-travel-hacking/" target="_blank">guide</a> for travel hacking.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">And I haven't used personally used this guy's <a href="http://chrisguillebeau.com/tag/travel-hacking/" target="_blank">advice</a>, but he's well respected.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Spend some time wandering the internet and you'll find lots of info. Just be sure to pay off your balances and keep track of cards.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">**Opening up these cards actually helped my credit score (access to larger line of credit, more lines of credit), but closing the cards can ding you.</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Escondido Escondido33.103958 -117.06504tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-257424932044458872.post-50281689577354147632015-01-11T14:45:00.000-08:002015-01-11T17:24:19.410-08:00This Post Is Two Months Too Late, But I Did In Fact Return From Nepal<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I’m definitely not going to win any Blogger of the Year
awards. I haven’t written anything a few months, and those have been eventful months! It’s been shocking
to me to hear from a number of people that they miss reading my posts (weird! and
thanks!) and I saw that the view count on this thing is surprisingly high. So, my dear friends and family, I’ll choose a
few recent things to digest here.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxCd6bSYkbpWjpY6uJ8X4sBO6V5qYr_y9WfCy9OscRA4sKGjToB4JJ_u7rpAYzRS2Ze6ydm85M6rogXhjjq9tMIdJcdQZ21eT6X_7Mjv9DCuCLJl0e7_JWM9slEcU23_z9AsVwj7ZP_3Y/s640/blogger-image-313112343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxCd6bSYkbpWjpY6uJ8X4sBO6V5qYr_y9WfCy9OscRA4sKGjToB4JJ_u7rpAYzRS2Ze6ydm85M6rogXhjjq9tMIdJcdQZ21eT6X_7Mjv9DCuCLJl0e7_JWM9slEcU23_z9AsVwj7ZP_3Y/s640/blogger-image-313112343.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(This was the view I opened the door to in the morning. It's harvest season!)</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>1. Here’s a funny
Nepal bus moment</b>. I had discovered
that I could thumb-type on my iPad mini despite how jarring the bus ride was,
so I was enjoying my newfound bus-riding confidence, listening to bluegrass
remakes of Modest Mouse, and journaling eloquently about the bus…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">‘Trundling confidently along in our swaying steel behemoth,
we dodge devastating potholes and muscle smaller vehicles out of the way. The front driver’s cabin is bedazzled in
sparkling red garlands, marigolds, postcards of Himalayas, swinging holographic
holy cards of various Hindu deities.
Despite the bus being lovingly painted with colorful calligraphy
invoking Laxmi Puja and the flying monkey god Hanuman, I don’t feel the
security they’re probably supposed to inspire.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">…when I was suddenly jolted from my writing by a screech,
and swerve, a metallic thud, and our bus gently coming to a stop blocking most
of the country’s largest highway. We all
got off to take a look at what had happened.
I may not know much about the mechanics of vehicles but even I could
tell that the whole drive shaft had just fallen off and gotten jammed in the
underbody. I sh*t you not. (My dad says
I shouldn’t curse on this blog.) That bus wasn’t going anywhere. The Nepalis- more used to this than I was- took only a few hectic minutes to help unload everyone’s luggage and flag down passing buses, who scooped us up and took us the next few hours free of
charge. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVPpxcJGq4-kmIXvNr9KZBoaE692rlt3qSQ2mWt_sSfm_e3igjg74W5x8Dk9UEYiOE53i-IJPJLsFfszhWCwOZZlVn4Qc7c7ucMWCx1VwxPjdvbzxISHcK28BA4SOvUeEvAwIVK7IUVmg/s640/blogger-image--144751250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVPpxcJGq4-kmIXvNr9KZBoaE692rlt3qSQ2mWt_sSfm_e3igjg74W5x8Dk9UEYiOE53i-IJPJLsFfszhWCwOZZlVn4Qc7c7ucMWCx1VwxPjdvbzxISHcK28BA4SOvUeEvAwIVK7IUVmg/s640/blogger-image--144751250.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The new bus was full of a loud,
sing-songey Chinese tour group who blasted Chinese pop music and traded what must
have been joking insults over the bus PA system. (I should mention that nearly
half of tourists to Nepal are Chinese. The number of Chinese visitors <a href="http://www.ekantipur.com/2014/07/04/business/chinese-arrivals-to-nepal-jump-two-fold-in-3-years/391723.html" target="_blank">increases every year</a>, and Nepal is frantically trying to keep up with the growing demand
from their rich northern neighbors for a cheap vacation.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>2. The Return from
Nepal</b> was more eventful than I’d have liked, but it all worked out. My kidney infection got better soon after my
blog post months ago, I read this great book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shantaram-Novel-Gregory-David-Roberts/dp/0312330537" target="_blank">Shantaram</a> (which you should read
too), we went whitewater rafting/kayaking on the <a href="http://www.raftnepal.com/trisuli_rafting.htm" target="_blank">Trisuli River</a>, and I said goodbye
to Vince in Kathmandu. I’d changed my
ticket to return home a week earlier than planned to surprise my mom for Thanksgiving,
but when I went to the airline office in Kathmandu to confirm, I was informed
that they were closing all airports in Nepal for the next week due to security
for a political conference. No joke. Other effects of the <a href="http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/nepal-army-helicopters-land-at-tribhuvan-international-news-photo/459552400" target="_blank">SAARC conference</a> were road repaving projects, massive traffic, and a very visible military presence everywhere in Kathmandu. Can
you imagine that happening in the US? The
airline wanted $300 cash, in the next 20 minutes, so that I could fly out the
next morning. My debit card had been stolen
(see last post) so Max ran to an ATM, and I went gratefully in debt to him and
got my flight. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXwK_n91vlv5kPHogdWs1JTQE4ccjjKrTZcyqT84juExqV8DGPC6vYUWEQ1hTcH_JNe-Cv7f2V0xyM_d2ZIGXoXecGKWD4OIhzDIkqEsSRShvNvnyoAyr4LUTtXrNceuPnN2djTpFE0xw/s640/blogger-image--618203631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXwK_n91vlv5kPHogdWs1JTQE4ccjjKrTZcyqT84juExqV8DGPC6vYUWEQ1hTcH_JNe-Cv7f2V0xyM_d2ZIGXoXecGKWD4OIhzDIkqEsSRShvNvnyoAyr4LUTtXrNceuPnN2djTpFE0xw/s640/blogger-image--618203631.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mount Everest from the ascent out of Nepal!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>3. Nepal was
fantastic.</b> If you are considering
going, do it. Each year more rivers get
dammed by India and China and the Himalayas become a little less pristine with
each added tourist and teahouse. Go with
an open heart and don’t hide behind a camera and Nepal will reward you with
incredible warmness, adventure and culture. I’m not really blogging specific
helpful travel details, but get in touch with me if you want to hear those.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiICQNHM4-wqsRwYgbW4GXj_8yY4FBR-BBRo9bp2abnNW_gp_FUC-k21a37c29SFSGMZ0-R-e_teHUWhKmYIXpM4nHEWiuK1adwsGRFt8qVn4fwy6Zbeb9yJ7eTRCMoGzMNEwzt_YAsEfM/s640/blogger-image--704411705.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiICQNHM4-wqsRwYgbW4GXj_8yY4FBR-BBRo9bp2abnNW_gp_FUC-k21a37c29SFSGMZ0-R-e_teHUWhKmYIXpM4nHEWiuK1adwsGRFt8qVn4fwy6Zbeb9yJ7eTRCMoGzMNEwzt_YAsEfM/s640/blogger-image--704411705.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">View from the river camp after rafting.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwVdyGVXCsBVv-J_hM-pZUCoWYa8PZoD3wvqMlFzMDZ6Ui7V-XmnWcykfsSG47QNyVnej9NMhIB_4aVNK4lEQYbcdArSPQqY7usLz69iKFz2PYj06Uhd_Y5cuGmm43pvytoDi1gu9kO-4/s640/blogger-image-1627794542.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwVdyGVXCsBVv-J_hM-pZUCoWYa8PZoD3wvqMlFzMDZ6Ui7V-XmnWcykfsSG47QNyVnej9NMhIB_4aVNK4lEQYbcdArSPQqY7usLz69iKFz2PYj06Uhd_Y5cuGmm43pvytoDi1gu9kO-4/s640/blogger-image-1627794542.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Watching our last sunset in Nepal fade over the Himalayas.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirNGpTUx62nfwbRd8WFcwRpHflhFG-9lfBJ1EE0A7UpBR0RC1pTP45LkQVx2KJa1_eVODcWCh5cZcHYGkQOm_2SjHoXq0li1VoGDYiw1PbDlroydYHTYFGWRNGQJe2n2q-SPeSJWVVjIs/s640/blogger-image-898832575.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirNGpTUx62nfwbRd8WFcwRpHflhFG-9lfBJ1EE0A7UpBR0RC1pTP45LkQVx2KJa1_eVODcWCh5cZcHYGkQOm_2SjHoXq0li1VoGDYiw1PbDlroydYHTYFGWRNGQJe2n2q-SPeSJWVVjIs/s640/blogger-image-898832575.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(One of my favorites at the orphanage in Pokhara.)</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>4. The US is pretty
fantastic too.</b> Coming home has been
wonderful. Being so near the deadly
storm on Annapurna and hearing the
heartbreaking stories told to us by grieving Sherpas made me reevaluate some of
my priorities. Surprising my mom and
sister and seeing my family and the dogs was just the best. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUyUOQXt53cZQLw7oKIKCMVInNVtq0KZsxVV2I28O3GtjE77BRmJV044nXcOTU9Sf109z4EzpWUudijZ7KCZ2i78_9Nq7VVHEnoAaDimD2o_tsFEHsH9tTv6N-bIS9SuPtMbgT5jJ3XuM/s640/blogger-image-444339025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUyUOQXt53cZQLw7oKIKCMVInNVtq0KZsxVV2I28O3GtjE77BRmJV044nXcOTU9Sf109z4EzpWUudijZ7KCZ2i78_9Nq7VVHEnoAaDimD2o_tsFEHsH9tTv6N-bIS9SuPtMbgT5jJ3XuM/s640/blogger-image-444339025.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9WwmoHOE7JX93iMNB9H_GIEmERTk7lZFZLSFxUgWAgTX6YTZBUuMu3iLB-GHA4fhNBUOQzFEUCjBirClXgV0AakJYf4o-4u-yB1bPIZ_6dDntxgicRXBAJCYXRuRic01st9c-DQSvPB8/s640/blogger-image-1443363347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9WwmoHOE7JX93iMNB9H_GIEmERTk7lZFZLSFxUgWAgTX6YTZBUuMu3iLB-GHA4fhNBUOQzFEUCjBirClXgV0AakJYf4o-4u-yB1bPIZ_6dDntxgicRXBAJCYXRuRic01st9c-DQSvPB8/s640/blogger-image-1443363347.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After Thanksgiving, chasing Max to Idaho for a week was fun. Seeing my Uncle John & Aunt Abbie in
Boise was lovely as usual, and getting to explore a state I’d previously known
little about was a great adventure. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjws_CGlGIG36P2kmD5Q4DuFay_uMjSEVJ6sxGXC1blJ5ImhEgRTLAog7o7B-pH2wZe8DOTJcISab9UDiEgVOiubvHi9C4q4X8PiOLEu1xPBmN9GnekELsZLoZjQ7W_l6DeY6GbCx61reQ/s640/blogger-image--796841358.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjws_CGlGIG36P2kmD5Q4DuFay_uMjSEVJ6sxGXC1blJ5ImhEgRTLAog7o7B-pH2wZe8DOTJcISab9UDiEgVOiubvHi9C4q4X8PiOLEu1xPBmN9GnekELsZLoZjQ7W_l6DeY6GbCx61reQ/s640/blogger-image--796841358.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHT_WatntlgqhTz-FrrrscLLkRW5bQsViw3wzpY2NnFV_9DmIsURRZCXZmaOJI-Ck_98nuchak5HR1m88qEG00tVjAKSCOHh2vX-xfIqB9hI2RkWnS9FtmcckUrypyUozEap0FYqQrOtA/s640/blogger-image--914904323.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHT_WatntlgqhTz-FrrrscLLkRW5bQsViw3wzpY2NnFV_9DmIsURRZCXZmaOJI-Ck_98nuchak5HR1m88qEG00tVjAKSCOHh2vX-xfIqB9hI2RkWnS9FtmcckUrypyUozEap0FYqQrOtA/s640/blogger-image--914904323.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHiU6ATke_fXX_z7xxuLR_T-3MPjkEexqw4wLp82gfPxps9kKx5o9qv6L-qB15vyXQ8vRPfFVWQ2MEo4TW4ZQSnDAz1-8ugpGP3MlYZpY4cXJaNCYHRBP9zvptYyT3d1_U1S_YIdv68c/s640/blogger-image--295135351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHiU6ATke_fXX_z7xxuLR_T-3MPjkEexqw4wLp82gfPxps9kKx5o9qv6L-qB15vyXQ8vRPfFVWQ2MEo4TW4ZQSnDAz1-8ugpGP3MlYZpY4cXJaNCYHRBP9zvptYyT3d1_U1S_YIdv68c/s640/blogger-image--295135351.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
(This beer was so heavy I needed a straw.)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
Portland never felt
more like home than when I felt my usual rush of relief when I stepped off the
plane and walked down the familiar terminal with its <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/09/pdx-portland-airport-carpet_n_6444986.html" target="_blank">ugly carpet</a>. I love that city. The week was full of friend dates and
beery gatherings and JOIN visits- all of which reminded me of how much love I
left behind. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsFp_qN4BXpeplpoKuxQjlkvDJ5tVeTXER6HnP0iWtKS0-1LyA0sSDwA6nTeGtp2gn60h44kr5EQi2B6L_FoeI0h3-9b3I3QcKw7EHBStwhV4mXSsK1vjK_WBTbolT9hqhMitDYTHF048/s640/blogger-image--1766328692.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsFp_qN4BXpeplpoKuxQjlkvDJ5tVeTXER6HnP0iWtKS0-1LyA0sSDwA6nTeGtp2gn60h44kr5EQi2B6L_FoeI0h3-9b3I3QcKw7EHBStwhV4mXSsK1vjK_WBTbolT9hqhMitDYTHF048/s640/blogger-image--1766328692.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Mini-reunion of my JVC housemates. I love these people.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD9m3ST1G2-2hMkEKu-PkMarTuPBTQTXD_dvts3R7jGBrPrJl9U9dNGdkYXkbb-qjJusxzNzviqjIzSwIuBw6-pDstd3qWbA6n3d4pPu9QYq3yKC67_L0Y7xH4jjmFsL_qf7SUYCe4t8o/s640/blogger-image-401532891.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD9m3ST1G2-2hMkEKu-PkMarTuPBTQTXD_dvts3R7jGBrPrJl9U9dNGdkYXkbb-qjJusxzNzviqjIzSwIuBw6-pDstd3qWbA6n3d4pPu9QYq3yKC67_L0Y7xH4jjmFsL_qf7SUYCe4t8o/s640/blogger-image-401532891.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Kevyn & Tatiana.. my favorites :)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmUtBRKgDSSaRt0dyUNH9_uXx2hi-VeZF8bCDyvp5x2b_JshKgZ_dghyRSl9wHEvR8HuNmIQaLkN1jzK0VRH7cVZ3nEw1rKYxzdgFV6prrrKhUYVasStOgl04XpR_C0guXfkhruhsnt2E/s640/blogger-image--913750071.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmUtBRKgDSSaRt0dyUNH9_uXx2hi-VeZF8bCDyvp5x2b_JshKgZ_dghyRSl9wHEvR8HuNmIQaLkN1jzK0VRH7cVZ3nEw1rKYxzdgFV6prrrKhUYVasStOgl04XpR_C0guXfkhruhsnt2E/s640/blogger-image--913750071.jpg" /></a></div>
It’s tough to just take a
quick vacation to a place where I have such deep roots, but important, I suppose,
to get to realize how much it all can mean. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8wu9ymtoalenUw3GvHauQz5tNVM2FNewNZ8hT7TyerHCYp-rvtmhyphenhyphenPHEw5VHjxft0399GImbAN6mdy8a8uDZ-kL2dCYWeljXHDenk5t6UPBt1UUOvFfvSKA7Z4XdMKKkMAc-8dSHM5e4/s640/blogger-image--1288463911.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8wu9ymtoalenUw3GvHauQz5tNVM2FNewNZ8hT7TyerHCYp-rvtmhyphenhyphenPHEw5VHjxft0399GImbAN6mdy8a8uDZ-kL2dCYWeljXHDenk5t6UPBt1UUOvFfvSKA7Z4XdMKKkMAc-8dSHM5e4/s640/blogger-image--1288463911.jpg" /></a></div>
The 33- hour train ride from Portland to San Diego gave me a lot of time to think and watch the scenery roll by. I had a wonderful Christmas at home in Escondido with my family. Afterwards we went to Sedona, AZ so we could all commiserate in a condo-cesspool of flu-germs and be too sick to do anything outside. I actually survived without getting sick, thanks probably to my post-Nepal hyperactive immune system.<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTjpTZFMwEdAe0kV23y6Pa3DTfrlGccJgbPRN6xVafPOBbW-N1xIx-A2En54p3_qGxiGzwKM4lkYVhbrCSgqXkzX1_hH9PlQgPIdHh2C88eIDyJcn0eYU_kKe38Zvl6YIkAPxAIIRT1ro/s640/blogger-image-619445768.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTjpTZFMwEdAe0kV23y6Pa3DTfrlGccJgbPRN6xVafPOBbW-N1xIx-A2En54p3_qGxiGzwKM4lkYVhbrCSgqXkzX1_hH9PlQgPIdHh2C88eIDyJcn0eYU_kKe38Zvl6YIkAPxAIIRT1ro/s640/blogger-image-619445768.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
(Being a jerk and showing off how flu-free I am!)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC7XNjIq4-bo5gU9IGdYyS7Byzaui6nFzRuK3NMOZL2SAuSufgSDShX0LKrSlbXzfnA9iYM8nvXBZL9hfpCeDg3w2Af9zyoHhDdwM70MrmKipDGHQ_qz3uojR1uy0qHfJTVq8qovg8Dyw/s640/blogger-image-426548869.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC7XNjIq4-bo5gU9IGdYyS7Byzaui6nFzRuK3NMOZL2SAuSufgSDShX0LKrSlbXzfnA9iYM8nvXBZL9hfpCeDg3w2Af9zyoHhDdwM70MrmKipDGHQ_qz3uojR1uy0qHfJTVq8qovg8Dyw/s640/blogger-image-426548869.jpg" /></a></div>
I spent New Years Eve with one of my best friends, Sam (aka Dr. Melzer!) in beautiful snowy Flagstaff, and then spent a fun night catching up with Francesca and friends at her beach house near Huntington Beach.<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJnKrp5cySH1Vl3f6VkvNGEb87d3QoksV6WdXDREJI7K46E5HM_KhoInpFGbZjL36VbO3f3tR8GNiCJ2hGF1IU6At7A7IBgjqJlKZQlCmww1CNWaJuF2m7IjWzEjTQBXAAF4TQM0YO1ko/s640/blogger-image-406413902.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJnKrp5cySH1Vl3f6VkvNGEb87d3QoksV6WdXDREJI7K46E5HM_KhoInpFGbZjL36VbO3f3tR8GNiCJ2hGF1IU6At7A7IBgjqJlKZQlCmww1CNWaJuF2m7IjWzEjTQBXAAF4TQM0YO1ko/s640/blogger-image-406413902.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtFz7nzf-gZPxOls6wLlACmZLVhtDpkP9PXU6POmvPD6d87DhENJpylRwRw9q_rEMsZc0wpNqTocA7OvSj46S6TSJ2s7GXsuxrtnCyRkp68x-FCK5ty-KOajt4ZUoiA4C_lLAm_ylyisQ/s640/blogger-image-2146809161.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtFz7nzf-gZPxOls6wLlACmZLVhtDpkP9PXU6POmvPD6d87DhENJpylRwRw9q_rEMsZc0wpNqTocA7OvSj46S6TSJ2s7GXsuxrtnCyRkp68x-FCK5ty-KOajt4ZUoiA4C_lLAm_ylyisQ/s640/blogger-image-2146809161.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
Life is not bad at all. I donated all of the money from my GoFundMe to two great organizations
doing more important work than I could ever do in Nepal (see last post). I feel a lot of guilt lifted after having
donated the money to do more good than I could ever accomplish in a short time.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. Here’s a more intimate excerpt from my travel journal:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"One dumb idea that I held until recently was the impression that people doing the long-term type of traveling must really have their stuff together. It was probably because of the romantic, photogenic, carefree image that comes with traveling that made me subconsciously believe that I’d transform into a confident, wise, globetrotter who could draw an accurate map of Asia from memory and fearlessly hop on the back of a motorbike to try to find my way home after dark in Kathmandu. I can do both, but not at all accurately or fearlessly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think that a large part of pushing myself out of my comfort zone and into a foreign world is being able to embrace the fact that I’m still going to be the same cautious Colleen who was the last to learn to bike without training wheels, and is pretty terrified of being broke or getting my heart broken. I’m still going to be full of self-doubt and fear around the big questions and will never be totally at ease traveling solo. I’ll continue to be very aware of the disconnect between the curated Facebook version of events and the long, unglamorous hours in between the photo ops spent in lonely hotel rooms meditating on whether I’m making the right decisions and what I want to be when I grow up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But in leaving my wonderful Portland world I forced myself to say “Yes!” to the universe and to go ahead and let myself make some mistakes and maybe get hurt out in the world. I definitely don’t ‘have my stuff together’ but I’m giving myself-insecurities and all- permission to be vulnerable and to live the questions out here."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNARauQcFkE1H9z-DEEmD2jxntEV1J7owU6S4pFjJLdXksZKY08AbXKaAs5UssXast2re2c7tPApJEYlgIpJdprWl4nnxNXjh1tvg-MiGk3I_VnSPhspdEsi6XXCBB9CLT6Qlx-s8S_pQ/s640/blogger-image--834305158.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNARauQcFkE1H9z-DEEmD2jxntEV1J7owU6S4pFjJLdXksZKY08AbXKaAs5UssXast2re2c7tPApJEYlgIpJdprWl4nnxNXjh1tvg-MiGk3I_VnSPhspdEsi6XXCBB9CLT6Qlx-s8S_pQ/s640/blogger-image--834305158.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since writing this, Max and I ended things, which is sad, painful and not for blogging. My life plans have been shifting constantly, but I think I’ve
tentatively figured out what I want to do from here. It includes South America, humanitarian aid on the US-Mexico border, wilderness therapy and grad school. Because of my knees, I had to back out of the Patagonia volunteer program which is a huge bummer. My time at home has included doctor visits, x-rays and physical therapy. I'm optimistic, but unfortunately the coordinators in Patagonia agreed that this is not the year for me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Details on future plans in the next post.. which I'll try to write before three months of adventures go by..</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-257424932044458872.post-71582037642496469962014-11-16T00:23:00.001-08:002014-11-16T00:44:45.045-08:00Being Here Now With A Kidney Infection?<div><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">It hasn't been long since my last post, but it feels like a lot has happened in that time. I've gotten to learn some useful phrases in Nepali like "My wallet has been stolen." and "Can you test my urine for a UTI?" I've spent some time volunteering at an amazing small orphanage here in Pokhara, made some new friends, and experienced the days of groggy pain that happen when the aforementioned UTI turns into a minor kidney infection. </span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Actually that last part should be written in present tense. I am currently in bed experiencing the heavy, nauseating pain of a kidney infection that ebbs and flows, sometimes attacking my lower back and sometimes my lower abdomen. I don't want to complain here, but it kind of sucks. I should have put it together a few days earlier, that sharp lower back pain + unabated internal infection + general malaise = kidney issue. But it took a fever and a new kind of pain to finally convince me to take the $1.50 taxi to the hospital a few evenings ago.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">When you picture a hospital in Nepal it's probably something along the lines of Mother Theresa of Calcutta tending to the dying on a throbbing, overcrowded porch of a humid, understaffed old building. I did visit a few hospitals that were somewhat closer to that image, but with the arrival of foreign tourists and their dollars to Pokhara, the small private hospital I visited was closer to what I'd expect to find in the States. CIWEC's building is brand-spankin' new. They only opened a few months ago, and it's the cleanest and most professional space I've seen in this country. So sterile feeling, in fact, that a few weeks ago I opted to get the Typhoid vaccine injection that I'd neglected to do back at home. The front desk staff of Nepali women, dressed in impeccable Western style clothes asked me in crisp English to fill out a clipboard's worth of the expected forms. They don't deal directly with insurance, and payment, by VISA or cash, is due immediately. A consult with a doctor costs around $70, with additional fees for medication and tests. A few other foreigners, coughing or on crutches, sat around on the black leather couches and we all took advantage of the free wifi to distract ourselves with our iPhones and avoid eye contact.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I had a quick consult with a Nepali nurse who took my history, reported a fever but otherwise good vitals and offered me tea while I waited for the doctor. I've heard that without much else to go by, patients generally judge doctors mostly on their bedside manner. I thought that the chatty and professional local doctor I saw was great. Aside from the fact that he was wearing sandals, it was easy to forget how far away I was from the safety of The West and our billions of dollars in the medical field. He repeated the urine test I'd had done a week ago at a sketchy alleyway pharmacy and confirmed that my bladder was indeed unhappy and that my Cipro regimen hadn't helped. An American doctor, Robbie, joined the conversation. He'd gone to med school at the same school where my dad did his residency and retained the comforting lilts of a Midwestern accent. He'd fallen in love with Nepal doing Peace Corps here and had landed back in the country a few years ago with his wife, also a doctor and their kids. Dr. Robbie asked me an unexpected question; "Do you feel sick?" and I gave a big, relieved, 'Yes!' near tears now because everything hurt and I felt awful and wanted to vomit and curl up but I didn't have the words to describe any of that. He tapped the spot on my lower back where I'd wrongly assumed I had just a muscle ache, and everything suddenly contorted in pain and my breath got caught in my throat. Yup- kidney. But not bad yet. I am fortunate that I was so close to a great hospital, decided to go in when I did and, mostly, that I could afford the $106 that the tests, antibiotics and consult costs. They sent me home with a worried Max in a taxi, some different antibiotics, anti-nausea medicine, Valium to sleep, and my promise that I'd return to their 24 hour emergency room if I got any worse. Since then I've been oscillating between feeling feverish, groggy, nauseated, perfectly fine and utterly exhausted. The antibiotics went to work immediately and I think I'll be back to myself tomorrow. That's the kidney infection news. I'm happy with how un-dramatic that story was, and that to the degree that I'm experiencing it, that "kidney infection" is a lot less exciting than it sounds.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3GeliNEJwbDctlu5RsUSaE8x5a6p9xhPvaoMg7CM-TuHZ7tV35o0fTwjWcKyG06Pz_zswDvHAuTHE-ZcWpVDSpti3KLrcXzfV0qxFR0-NLSwZrcgGE-QjDLChxoXTgY_1zzgt9yoEm4/s640/blogger-image-1129787064.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3GeliNEJwbDctlu5RsUSaE8x5a6p9xhPvaoMg7CM-TuHZ7tV35o0fTwjWcKyG06Pz_zswDvHAuTHE-ZcWpVDSpti3KLrcXzfV0qxFR0-NLSwZrcgGE-QjDLChxoXTgY_1zzgt9yoEm4/s640/blogger-image-1129787064.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Before I got sick, Vince's friend and coworker in Kathmandu, Rose, put me in touch with the children's home; "Sam's House," on the outskirts of Pokhara, where she volunteered and lived for five months last year. Before arriving in Nepal, I was vaguely aware of the exploitation and deceit that goes on with many orphanages. Being here, though, I've seen many examples of how children and 'voluntourists' are exploited in a black market-esque grab for tourist dollars. It's complicated and I know little about it, other than to steer very clear of about 90% of orphanages in Nepal. But fortunately, through Rose's connection and getting to know the directors, both Nepali and American, of Sam's House, I'm thrilled to have discovered that this one is moral, loving and respectful of both kids and volunteers. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDufjjqleF6o3g70i_hT4wwmd5YESw-4jmrjgjiagpc0tp2mK1aXl9tWYE-rTvyzLMJHeDJ5bPE4C4kXKMQrsKQgFMRAnCoFmiWC_ZZiOyOTfUe9rYoeXzAtemd4Jw6z5DxfT3Epf6nyk/s640/blogger-image-1696560491.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDufjjqleF6o3g70i_hT4wwmd5YESw-4jmrjgjiagpc0tp2mK1aXl9tWYE-rTvyzLMJHeDJ5bPE4C4kXKMQrsKQgFMRAnCoFmiWC_ZZiOyOTfUe9rYoeXzAtemd4Jw6z5DxfT3Epf6nyk/s640/blogger-image-1696560491.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I'd been hoping to spend more time at Sam's House, but with my brewing infection and my time in Nepal coming shockingly close to an end, I haven't been able to dedicate the time I would have hoped to. I've learned though, that putting my dollars towards a solid organization will have a more meaningful impact than my short-term volunteering could. I've thought back to JOIN, and how I didn't know the first thing about homelessess or who was who in the first month of working there. By comparison, it seems hugely arrogant to assume that I can effect any change in such a short amount of time here. With the exceptions of having value as a native English speaker and of being open to the immersive cultural experience that traveling offers; I'm pessimistic about a short term gig offering more to a community than just being a good experience for the volunteer. Anyways. I'll get off my soapbox. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSmaoDadCZfer3meZGihr0NGX9diyTvJUilfNhxsXioBjUUHDzKxpz2xLpg9wFfpzWt8VeX0tTby1puZAr9aHZBnwHbZgLPNwHpSu7wZYXbmW00_iMdmI-QeryyJzqq3P0e2pUbppVcx4/s640/blogger-image-1499247936.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSmaoDadCZfer3meZGihr0NGX9diyTvJUilfNhxsXioBjUUHDzKxpz2xLpg9wFfpzWt8VeX0tTby1puZAr9aHZBnwHbZgLPNwHpSu7wZYXbmW00_iMdmI-QeryyJzqq3P0e2pUbppVcx4/s640/blogger-image-1499247936.jpg"></a></div> </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Getting to hang out with the 22 kids at Sam's House was amazing. I didn't blame them the first two days for being cautiously friendly towards the latest "<i>ghora"</i>, but announcing that Rose was ''<i>mero saati'</i>' (my friend) gave me major street cred. It wasn't long before they were battling for my attention, the youngest one, 3 year old Siistaa, on my lap and a rotating cast on either side, proudly showing off their English homework, trying to teach me Nepali words for animals, or asking about nightmarish fractions. I've never been to an orphanage before (Do we still have them in the US?) and didn't know what to expect, or how depressed I'd be afterwards. Turns out that what struck me wasn't what these kids lacked, but what the house provided. I noticed little things, like the house organizer, Shiva, smiling quietly and genuinely to himself when 'the battalion' of kids came through the front gate together, singing and dancing around in their school uniforms. And how proudly the kids showed off their academic awards, displayed around the house, and confided in me that their hopes to become a doctor, a driver, or a NASA physicist. Or how a five year old, wearing glasses and red ribbons in her braids, noticed one of the three 'house mommies' sitting alone in the gazebo and confidently skipped over to crawl onto her lap for a long, smiling, rocking hug. I know that I only saw the smallest sliver of daily life at Sam's House, but I was deeply moved by how familial, comfortable and joyful the house was. It felt good to be there, absorbed in the chatter and clatter and smells of a central kitchen. I'm hoping I'll be up for going back again soon. (Side note: If you happen to be considering an awesome volunteer opportunity that lasts more than a month and is in a beautiful and safe area, email me.)</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I'm donating half the money from my CrowdFunding campaign I did to Sam's House, <a href="http://www.sams-house.org/" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">http://www.sams-house.org/</a>who receive no support from the Nepali government and cover all of the children's medical, educational and living expenses. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">The other half of the funds I plan to donate to a small organization an American nurse here formed to conduct diabetes testing and education to the villages of Nepal. <a href="http://buckettsoflove.org/" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">http://buckettsoflove.org/</a> Diabetes is a large and often undiagnosed problem in Nepal. With a diet high in carbohydrates (rice, potatoes) and a population drifting away from a more traditional and active lifestyle, a large number of Nepalis will die of complications from diabetes without ever having heard of the disease. I was supposed to have spent the day today out at a village clinic, helping conduct the diabetes screenings, but, major bummer, spent most of the day in bed instead.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Oh yeah, I guess I could have lost a day to stressing about my lost/stolen wallet, but once I knew it was gone it was a sunk cost and not worth the stress. Losing a small amount of cash is an inevitable part of traveling, and planning ahead, like carrying a backup card and the phone number to cancel the lost one, made the whole thing remarkably stress-free. It was a cute wallet though. But in the words of the great Dr. Jerome Sinsky (who likely plagiarized it from someone else), "The more you own, the more it owns you."</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT4Rr5bmrOLrLDo-DDV5V9RirOT543Q1GNFzsD9-lvi4ZIdWTpMYF-472eI0psobdWnVg2cfwUBbhCKVCV_2rEK1Z2blliJMZXyLJkBuOL0lnARXK7wBrh6Kj2FtqvpybPz8DMQ_d3MJ8/s640/blogger-image-931588833.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT4Rr5bmrOLrLDo-DDV5V9RirOT543Q1GNFzsD9-lvi4ZIdWTpMYF-472eI0psobdWnVg2cfwUBbhCKVCV_2rEK1Z2blliJMZXyLJkBuOL0lnARXK7wBrh6Kj2FtqvpybPz8DMQ_d3MJ8/s640/blogger-image-931588833.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-eyCWGauqKqT_3qINjwbWDLTPHwqO3HSI8_XcW0q8sIizEe0SYq0h3lhiyGAfl1_yhD_fJLBxQ5hNUyPof_Bq9b6LF4OjKqR4gbxYCzuBC6kJ39CcrUKdXDsJuFppvHhBzhhT6Qnp5D8/s640/blogger-image--177559775.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-eyCWGauqKqT_3qINjwbWDLTPHwqO3HSI8_XcW0q8sIizEe0SYq0h3lhiyGAfl1_yhD_fJLBxQ5hNUyPof_Bq9b6LF4OjKqR4gbxYCzuBC6kJ39CcrUKdXDsJuFppvHhBzhhT6Qnp5D8/s640/blogger-image--177559775.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-257424932044458872.post-6833931689028405492014-11-06T00:55:00.001-08:002014-11-06T01:09:31.773-08:00The Things I'm Not Photographing<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">After a fair amount of wondering 'what's next?', waffling around potential options and beginning to feel the first hints of restlessness, I'm happy that volunteering at a small orphanage here is going to work out and will start soon. So far details are totally unconfirmed, but I'm sure I'll have plenty to blog about there soon.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I haven't taken a photo in five days. It's an incredible feeling to get to exist in this beautiful lakeside town at the base of the Annapurna range for enough time that I stopped feeling the pressure to document it. It's similar to hiking well-loved trails in the Columbia River Gorge or visiting Multnomah Falls, where I've already captured all of the expected photos and can instead wander around without subconsciously thinking of my iPhone. </span><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">It's freeing to wander this incredibly photogenic place and appreciate the unique beauty for it's own sake, in that moment, rather than giving into my natural instinct which involves more Instagramming than I'm proud of.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">The things I'm not photographing:</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">A few hours kayaking alone on glassy Fewa Lake while the sun set and the jagged Fish Tail peak above turned from white to fiery pink and faded back to white. There were osprey-like birds diving for tiny fish around me, clusters of floating lily pads that hosted a miniature explosion of biodiversity and a flock of egrets flying in formation low enough over me that I could hear the wind in their feathers. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Watching weavers magically turn thousands of colored threads into cashmere scarves while casually yawning and chatting with other women.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Spicy masala milk tea with a scoop of brown sugar that's replaced my black coffee morning habit, and a new, colorful curry dish each day. Deep fried yak cheese balls, muesli & curd, and an unhealthy number of banana lassis. Discovering tongba- an awesome beer-esque beverage of fermented millet, served hot in metal containers, but realizing that the one thing I miss from home is a good, hoppy IPA.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Reading the latest National Geographic on the balcony on a warm, lazy afternoon and wondering which of the colorful paragliders above me is Max. Having a fuzzy fellow around who makes this distant town feel like home and enjoys sharing an exciting scooter ride through the mountains or quietly listening to a RadioLab podcast together while it rains outside.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">A photo wouldn't do justice to "my" alley where I feel more like a local than I did in Portland- where shopkeepers turned friends invite me in for tea and curiosity and friendliness override language barriers. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Getting to feel a tiny bit grateful for this minor knee injury for really forcing me to slow down for what feels like the first time in my life. Having time to reflect and read and journal and enjoy conversations for their own sake.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I'm also not photographing the scene of sudden diarrhea at 2am, scrabbling around for the Immodium, praying I've got enough toilet paper to make it until the store opens and wondering which banana lassi I can blame. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdCZnvDTY2hPgHfu5idu1XLQHwEjlR5pqf308OPekOGQsSvUbnhklDIgiE2OjhmcySVLk9Y09iHTcpe6S294LmZF7ojp_xBTU6z0-58u2F2oNi1xGGpcU2vEydT863HqHoqFYBsfXBUnQ/s640/blogger-image--1836056766.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdCZnvDTY2hPgHfu5idu1XLQHwEjlR5pqf308OPekOGQsSvUbnhklDIgiE2OjhmcySVLk9Y09iHTcpe6S294LmZF7ojp_xBTU6z0-58u2F2oNi1xGGpcU2vEydT863HqHoqFYBsfXBUnQ/s640/blogger-image--1836056766.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">(Okay fine, I took this picture.)</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2Pokhara Pokhara28.212034 83.957151tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-257424932044458872.post-29307245232609096612014-11-01T01:26:00.001-07:002014-11-01T02:38:34.023-07:00Back in Pokhara<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">So I didn't go to the Khumbu/Everest region for the planned Sherpa Critical Incident Debriefing portion of my trip. As I mentioned before, I'd hurt my knee during a rough Jeep ride and overuse during our trek. The physical therapist I saw (thanks again Matt!) said that I have "patellofemoral syndrome" if you're keeping track. It's very common and with physical therapy, supportive tape, and minimizing activity, will eventually heal itself. Huge relief, because I was naturally going into Worst Case Scenario Mode imagining grinding bones and early arthritis. It's painful, but less bad than I'd thought- of course.</span><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I'm bummed about not being able to do one of the major goals of my Nepal trip, and going to the Everest area has been a goal of mine. What's keeping me from being completely bummed out is feeling a mix of emotions about the purpose of that trip that I'm choosing to not blog about. I'll be saving a lot of money in not doing it and am now looking independently at plugging in somewhere where I can be effective in a different part of Nepal. That update will happen soon but right now it's looking like I'll be spending the next 35 days or so volunteering at a small orphanage here in Pokhara. I'm generally skeptical about voluntourism type opportunities in developing countries and I know that exploiting children is sadly common. This opportunity though, is coming through an American friend who lives here in Nepal and spent 5 months volunteering at Sam's House. We'll see. If that falls through I have a few other options...the common theme in which is a desire to be more engaged in the culture and less of a tourist skimming the surface of Nepal.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU5eiAYxneQ1pJJoCtwP13rj9LJUWlHzcpoRXCNKSSX0kEfmN7CKj7sfSAwcv0tXPXRaJCl8ilp7sI9zrRpmGdv5HzuOlHHPaWDpwHvtqe_2aWiJnM-n_bMfhuX2zp5BAFjh8M37n0mIc/s640/blogger-image--1414352717.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU5eiAYxneQ1pJJoCtwP13rj9LJUWlHzcpoRXCNKSSX0kEfmN7CKj7sfSAwcv0tXPXRaJCl8ilp7sI9zrRpmGdv5HzuOlHHPaWDpwHvtqe_2aWiJnM-n_bMfhuX2zp5BAFjh8M37n0mIc/s640/blogger-image--1414352717.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Since my last post, I traveled back to Kathmandu for a few days to meet with the Critical Incident Debrief volunteer team from the Mazamas of Portland. It was great to see everyone so far from the context where I've known them before. We spent a day meeting with Sherpas who had lost family members in April's avalanche and facilitated a debrief/grief support gathering. It was heartbreaking to hear the intimate details from the family members whose husbands, brothers and sons had been killed on Mt Everest that day. While the details aren't for blogging, it gave me an opportunity to contrast their motivations for being on the mountain compared to Westerners'. In my last post, I worried about whether it was selfish of me to put myself at some level of risk by choosing to recreate out here. Sherpa climbers on the other hand, have chosen (or really- been economically forced) to put themselves at risk on the same mountains that we play on because no other options exist for their family. My Sherpa friend back in Portland, whose father was a great high-alititude guide said "My dad climbed so I don't have to."</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Again, while I'm not attempting some 8,000+ meter peak, the role that privilege plays in my recreation opportunities and ability to choose risk is difficult to ignore. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYaWGc42j4nq7JdQGd7tIohvLWChDPxlhqzqgiQchn3fPAhXGq84WLowaGR3yn8HxuqN_0LAUyN92Wxz1iZ0h0D7ar7FzRIAlkNpy69JQ8zfQ3Jen8vfqR6-Euk5OD7vwFKDx95op7hLs/s640/blogger-image--249691984.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYaWGc42j4nq7JdQGd7tIohvLWChDPxlhqzqgiQchn3fPAhXGq84WLowaGR3yn8HxuqN_0LAUyN92Wxz1iZ0h0D7ar7FzRIAlkNpy69JQ8zfQ3Jen8vfqR6-Euk5OD7vwFKDx95op7hLs/s640/blogger-image--249691984.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJec3861CP65HuYN7_BSPDmsA_2W0GRyD8ulE8mpPjkaJ_4VWkbRglYsXLlkleNJolTC_VWjbCkbJgnZMPIsK_De_toP8Ak4dMBZ7etpdLq3-VpyAmRSmsl6vpmmAkVDXINXs-v1ZXc7w/s640/blogger-image-1306014289.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJec3861CP65HuYN7_BSPDmsA_2W0GRyD8ulE8mpPjkaJ_4VWkbRglYsXLlkleNJolTC_VWjbCkbJgnZMPIsK_De_toP8Ak4dMBZ7etpdLq3-VpyAmRSmsl6vpmmAkVDXINXs-v1ZXc7w/s640/blogger-image-1306014289.jpg"></a></div>(Durbar Square in Kathmandu)</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLnTuzrguDHqbivS5cDlZZ7QSPpvD2yUMUKoS51puRcGI1ZjGcY4BpZjo1bbcA90FSialdadFO5HWEMRiywdUakKhzsa3d91HoWmW-e_PouRTlAgNizplZ5dwTx6sdOfsAP41x1CZKvvg/s640/blogger-image-853334704.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLnTuzrguDHqbivS5cDlZZ7QSPpvD2yUMUKoS51puRcGI1ZjGcY4BpZjo1bbcA90FSialdadFO5HWEMRiywdUakKhzsa3d91HoWmW-e_PouRTlAgNizplZ5dwTx6sdOfsAP41x1CZKvvg/s640/blogger-image-853334704.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">(Remember when I said I was craving Cap'n Crunch? Drew, my new best friend brought me a whole box all the way from the USA!!! It was amazing. Thanks Drew!)</div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Several hours on a bus later, I'm back in Pokhara, a place that is quickly beginning to feel like home. When I left last week, thinking it was for good, my Nepali <i>didi</i> (big sister) and I shared a tearful goodbye in the street during festival. Being able to return here has made me grateful for her family's consistently welcoming presence and generosity of sharing meals with us. Last night we had dal bhat with Monn (my didi's brother) and his family. He, his wife, and three kids share a room with two twin beds and a basic kitchen in the other half. Dinner tastes better than any restaurant and we laugh and chat with what little vocabulary we share.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSEMqsGLNUySo1dFhA82sQ66re4S0buIL1tQoSGNqSZlCA8uq3JU6yFAT3TMFr_9B0jKS6n98yn9K3yn6H5D4eKjmeJvhZaEOIMvzENuvh1iCp91d5fqKLA2bzFyoDa_6a1JZU76pQgSk/s640/blogger-image-2027735230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSEMqsGLNUySo1dFhA82sQ66re4S0buIL1tQoSGNqSZlCA8uq3JU6yFAT3TMFr_9B0jKS6n98yn9K3yn6H5D4eKjmeJvhZaEOIMvzENuvh1iCp91d5fqKLA2bzFyoDa_6a1JZU76pQgSk/s640/blogger-image-2027735230.jpg"></a></div>(Physical therapist told me to do yoga, so I did. Lakeside at sunset.)</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Yesterday a few of us rented scooters to explore the area around Pokhara. Once we made it through the smoggy, crowded city streets, our trio switchbacked up a local hill to a gorgeous sunset view of the valley and lake. I was surprised to scoot through a small farming village of terraced rice paddies and water buffalo that felt relatively quaint and untouched-feeling, considering it was perched on a hill above such a major tourist destination.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhusbArerfAlQ9lV9CsdC-T6hZslyUffnysedPbeq4D9tNXSiudR1_RUuKTxKjqKJm1cRqFa6jO6gvWHxOPOQCmGJ6kkTCdgD5SMn5t77mh2Gqo5Tg1gJD3U_50zl9l680BkyzVxwPwWvs/s640/blogger-image-1128087817.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhusbArerfAlQ9lV9CsdC-T6hZslyUffnysedPbeq4D9tNXSiudR1_RUuKTxKjqKJm1cRqFa6jO6gvWHxOPOQCmGJ6kkTCdgD5SMn5t77mh2Gqo5Tg1gJD3U_50zl9l680BkyzVxwPwWvs/s640/blogger-image-1128087817.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE5ciLLPO8iaWkgi2ngNOOZhIQbPPC76DIaIW14aKz1naf62NZbOnjgnpyhnPnD8L3s4NNt12jPYyLgF54PjH5u2GEFYUPLLkNq3uiZ3pYQEMwfXn2ParqzSEFTp_V-NyTWNvnqbhazBs/s640/blogger-image--438157183.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE5ciLLPO8iaWkgi2ngNOOZhIQbPPC76DIaIW14aKz1naf62NZbOnjgnpyhnPnD8L3s4NNt12jPYyLgF54PjH5u2GEFYUPLLkNq3uiZ3pYQEMwfXn2ParqzSEFTp_V-NyTWNvnqbhazBs/s640/blogger-image--438157183.jpg"></a></div>(Some kids let me try their Dasain swing.)</div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOVuLFd2iPkiDsVvpet4QjYB1VqFkc8k8aHN4GF5Bgkq1UTfJenX0YfkMJn6bXFkyUOVbzdqxlu73_EKBHWhZyFMbxhss2GiTDzhxzNYhPRGv4U4gOKO4rI2Dk37U-BydBnrTKx1gWDY0/s640/blogger-image--786819482.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOVuLFd2iPkiDsVvpet4QjYB1VqFkc8k8aHN4GF5Bgkq1UTfJenX0YfkMJn6bXFkyUOVbzdqxlu73_EKBHWhZyFMbxhss2GiTDzhxzNYhPRGv4U4gOKO4rI2Dk37U-BydBnrTKx1gWDY0/s640/blogger-image--786819482.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We look like a Colgate commercial.</div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-257424932044458872.post-85082935664883414572014-10-17T01:41:00.003-07:002014-10-17T01:48:15.900-07:00Annapurna BIizzardThis will be a quick post because I don't know much about what is going on yet. A freak blizzard on the popular Annapurna Circuit Trail has killed at least 28 trekkers and dozens more at least are trapped.<br />
<br />
Here's a good BBC article on the latest. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-29640241<br />
<br />
And here's a heartbreaking account by a surviving Israeli trekker who was rescued though several of her friends were killed. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/16/nepal-blizzard-survivor-deaths-annapurna-refuge<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZtRsfF2ZeCE0dhAGuKlxbJyQoLG3EzXA-f5k7XzJDPSJUEZqztmn4QXYrU2v_aTlxniapvnRqACa_phMDUXiuh9y9RFUXYArlP-NKdi3FJ7vEAi2jGX7qlOOhsVNTC4ZOBnT2SDaiFak/s1600/_78291345_dad2c902-1749-4358-ade4-ae91466f42e1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZtRsfF2ZeCE0dhAGuKlxbJyQoLG3EzXA-f5k7XzJDPSJUEZqztmn4QXYrU2v_aTlxniapvnRqACa_phMDUXiuh9y9RFUXYArlP-NKdi3FJ7vEAi2jGX7qlOOhsVNTC4ZOBnT2SDaiFak/s1600/_78291345_dad2c902-1749-4358-ade4-ae91466f42e1.jpg" height="194" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I'm in Pokhara, which is the nearest large town to the trek. We're seeing helicopters buzz over for rescues and transport, but on the streets of this touristy town you couldn't tell that a massive tragedy was unfolding so close to us. I'm struggling to figure out my role in this. It's hard not to take the first jeep back to Chamje, the end of the road on the Circuit, to see where I can help. I'm conscientious of not wanting to get in the way of rescue efforts, but I hate just sitting here in Pokhara. Last night I couldn't sleep, and it wasn't just my bout of food sickness. If I wasn't lying awake thinking about the trekkers, I was dreaming about them. It's heartbreaking to remember passing all of the trekkers on our last day of the Manaslu trek, knowing now that they were headed into a deadly blizzard. Or that if I hadn't been forced to lay low because of my knee and sunburned lip that I'd have been out on an Annapurna trek too. Or that if the cyclone had struck just a week earlier that it would have been Vince, Gabe and I trapped on a snowed-in pass at 17,000 feet. A few days ago a French trekker was killed on our Manaslu route when he slipped and fell into the swollen Budhi Gandaki River. It's absolutely humbling and chilling to think that so many people are dead having done exactly what we had been doing at a slightly different time. Obviously I'm still coming to terms with this tragedy.<br />
<br />
Via Facebook I'm in touch with families who are missing loved ones and trying to coordinate some information in a country whose strong point is not communication. Ideally I would like to head up to the Annapurna region tomorrow for peer debriefing and trauma support, but it's difficult to know if heading up there would be helpful or just add to the chaos. Even being on the ground here, it's tough to get news. Hopefully I'll have a better update soon. I'm supposed to be in Kathmandu in a week for the Mazamas' Sherpa debriefing trip, but this tragedy is looming as more important at the moment. If anyone reading this happens to know someone who I could get connected with to get up there, or wants me to seek information on a specific person please email me. ColleenSinsky@gmail.com<br />
<br />
Send your prayers/thoughts/good vibes towards the families of those missing loved ones and those still trapped in the snow. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-257424932044458872.post-33355851006372101962014-10-09T04:25:00.002-07:002014-10-09T22:14:57.428-07:00Back from Manaslu Circuit Trek!<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I just returned to the grid after an incredible 15 days well off the beaten trail trekking the <a href="http://thegreathimalayatrail.org/trek/manaslu-circuit/" target="_blank">Manaslu Circuit</a> with Vince and Gabe. Occasionally during the trek I’d find myself thinking ‘how the hell could I ever condense this word-defying experience into a blog post?’ And now, sitting in a small cyber cafe in Pokhara and getting to listen to my Spotify playlists for the first time in a while, I’m feeling that pressure!</span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-0d918f18-f4a2-316c-80e1-791b03842ac5" style="font-weight: normal;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje8DOZ5K8QUNBSHtb05zuoi4-rBdKMXgHEha3U1f6N4U_N1D2TEwfB7pO7q53Ozug9WhyOEz1JZAkyG2ALj0AbYDniL-INbP0ZcOeoLpTDd0lkeKOfZTO1UqUKnW1w_2Etp2CkKMzaUTA/s640/blogger-image-369413366.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje8DOZ5K8QUNBSHtb05zuoi4-rBdKMXgHEha3U1f6N4U_N1D2TEwfB7pO7q53Ozug9WhyOEz1JZAkyG2ALj0AbYDniL-INbP0ZcOeoLpTDd0lkeKOfZTO1UqUKnW1w_2Etp2CkKMzaUTA/s640/blogger-image-369413366.jpg"></a></div><br></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The basics: Trekking is THE thing to do in Nepal. I’d never attached that verb to anything outdoorsy I’ve done at home, but my understanding is that trekking differs from backpacking in that instead of traveling on trails created for the sake of hikers and sleeping in a tent, trekking generally follows historic routes that link villages and you sleep in small ‘tea houses’ instead. Of course as trekking has become more popular and begun to generate huge amounts of income for Nepalis, trails and teahouses have been established in areas that otherwise wouldn’t support habitation.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtsDQgGh8xGQlSF3CrUbM0WAcwsjP_d0L4LMpKZBGwuX0f2hX-uy-iDS0UlbQRpywlyZj9vZOKEQDercpJHzNdEtyhv6BpvKC7QdCH8w6pTcJ0xr8nEpZA9Fp6ZhfVaA9_3f-btd9deh0/s640/blogger-image--490818733.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtsDQgGh8xGQlSF3CrUbM0WAcwsjP_d0L4LMpKZBGwuX0f2hX-uy-iDS0UlbQRpywlyZj9vZOKEQDercpJHzNdEtyhv6BpvKC7QdCH8w6pTcJ0xr8nEpZA9Fp6ZhfVaA9_3f-btd9deh0/s640/blogger-image--490818733.jpg"></a></div><br></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’d talked to people and spent a little time researching Nepal treks, but coming into this I felt pretty underprepared for the sheer physical endurance that it required. I probably shouldn’t have spent my last few weeks in Portland solely going out for ‘goodbye beers’ instead of exercising at all. Granted, Manaslu is one of the more difficult, remote treks in the country and we did it in a relatively short time period without porters. But seriously. I don’t know why no one talks about how physically challenging long treks like this are!</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTNDEfkoYSrYpPcrqoFLAWkurZM2rkt5aLTXhVxaTyc5KY2zpZuMfYPdCOl3TbMW11Xg3Rh6Baxj3QsVfiNZo5kj2h_YYcrdUBSNxIeyVk45Es3JvF9G22PM7_gnINpRGDl_8KMo1nyBE/s640/blogger-image-599969615.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTNDEfkoYSrYpPcrqoFLAWkurZM2rkt5aLTXhVxaTyc5KY2zpZuMfYPdCOl3TbMW11Xg3Rh6Baxj3QsVfiNZo5kj2h_YYcrdUBSNxIeyVk45Es3JvF9G22PM7_gnINpRGDl_8KMo1nyBE/s640/blogger-image-599969615.jpg"></a></div><br></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Manaslu Circuit Trek is in west-central Nepal and borders Tibet and Annapurna. It circumnavigates Manaslu, which at 26,759 ft (8,156m) is the 8th tallest mountain in the world. I’m not exactly sure, but I believe the trek is around 110 miles (117k) which really feels irrelevant because the elevation changes- not the distance- are where the intensity came from. We spent 14 nights out, and had a few acclimatizing rest days built in as we neared Larke Pass (16,752 ft, 5,106m).</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCth_mLBf4thT2jAVn7YsVDNC1R91JZAgEciWsBCeCjELUjU2LW0irxQEi7vB9ZYqONek6Wy2ZqNLP3PY4P_2tAuhXE1PUwaMe7ODDFyLyh1-3LYyU2_9SSz9ASWS4R82N2tZA1frh33Y/s640/blogger-image--837449487.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCth_mLBf4thT2jAVn7YsVDNC1R91JZAgEciWsBCeCjELUjU2LW0irxQEi7vB9ZYqONek6Wy2ZqNLP3PY4P_2tAuhXE1PUwaMe7ODDFyLyh1-3LYyU2_9SSz9ASWS4R82N2tZA1frh33Y/s640/blogger-image--837449487.jpg"></a></div><br></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[I’m intentionally skipping the names of local places, but if you want actual specific or are thinking of doing this trek, talk to me.]</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjewNPOMcmHa5o9DDxJOpk4Y9-ENCqforUt2CcjvN1IyTF6yGtVax7TfuiUrsbaUnjzHvhT3SIJyyCWcuP6crE4DusRvc9ne_bIpQTIXuOOn5lJLTq8Pk4afd29jw6zxE2JzBy1RqYArv0/s640/blogger-image-1990196199.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjewNPOMcmHa5o9DDxJOpk4Y9-ENCqforUt2CcjvN1IyTF6yGtVax7TfuiUrsbaUnjzHvhT3SIJyyCWcuP6crE4DusRvc9ne_bIpQTIXuOOn5lJLTq8Pk4afd29jw6zxE2JzBy1RqYArv0/s640/blogger-image-1990196199.jpg"></a></div>We had a marathon travel day by taxi-bus-micro from Kathmandu at 6am to the end of the road around 8pm. I’m using ‘road’ in the loosest sense of the word. I know that I have irrational fears (spiders, falling in the climbing gym, etc.) but I know the statistics and very real danger of taking buses in developing countries over monsoon-swept crappy mud roads that wind along mountains. I was mostly convinced that I wasn’t going to survive that day. Thank god for Vince and Gabe laughing it all off with the sort of fatalistic ‘if Ganesh wills it’ attitude they’ve acquired haven taken these buses for a few years. At one point the bus was stuck in deep mud, leaning over a cliff (no joke, sorry mom.) and in fight or flight mode, I slid out the window. That ride deserves a whole chapter.. all of the trekkers we ran into were talking about how terrifying it was. I spent the last several hours zoning out in a happier place (now onto the ‘freeze’ response), assuming what I hope looked like a casual version of the crash position from those airplane emergency talks.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXE7d-XyE5PTlO-EfVMwmg7EgRSsJZqofKg_5wY6NMjhPdWEK_kASpkAfxaORHPWuDZ-T1YMM_SCjEUYLtUoOFsjOv9P2h0SV_UGEIgbkIm1pfnTJ05kbUi58sEzleiJiK_YKzj2_5DSg/s640/blogger-image-389187827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXE7d-XyE5PTlO-EfVMwmg7EgRSsJZqofKg_5wY6NMjhPdWEK_kASpkAfxaORHPWuDZ-T1YMM_SCjEUYLtUoOFsjOv9P2h0SV_UGEIgbkIm1pfnTJ05kbUi58sEzleiJiK_YKzj2_5DSg/s640/blogger-image-389187827.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXqMjHTZcHeIReB1KCOthK4gXIV4ba8x2YxMLR2IH7U9jqpygTlePqzPFlUXWyWHkrwzecFwsUX9k2MFknfhagjIkL7AEVu6zoEsGe2z2XEfOHnlCN3Dd8W2XX0Qo24E_yvaiaP_cjm3s/s640/blogger-image--377118018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXqMjHTZcHeIReB1KCOthK4gXIV4ba8x2YxMLR2IH7U9jqpygTlePqzPFlUXWyWHkrwzecFwsUX9k2MFknfhagjIkL7AEVu6zoEsGe2z2XEfOHnlCN3Dd8W2XX0Qo24E_yvaiaP_cjm3s/s640/blogger-image--377118018.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So I was thrilled when I finally got to travel by my own power along the trail. Vince maintains that the miserable bus day was his plan so we’d all be happy to walk. We walked a lot. Because Manaslu is a restricted region we were required to travel with an official Nepali guide, but it really wasn’t necessary because Vince and Gabe know Nepali and are experienced trekkers. Our Sherpa guide, Ang Chirring didn’t speak English and hadn’t been there, but was a nice guy who we essentially paid to tag along to comply with permit regulations. He loves babies and little kids more than just about anyone I’ve met, and wherever we stopped for lunch or for the night you could find him in the kitchen, talking to or helping out the family there and holding a cute bachchha he’d found.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFJQYGQCTSPbRa3ZhtdmHgl7wzoPS6Ne84LY6gLSc3xobARRyF9QwS1yzY1o1qGc4ozd8xEZiFGmKxX67d6cHvqVALv67mtZW4HMIcX0EKfDlnQtz2xQ2wy8SzgR3wnzMP41dYSeKhDls/s640/blogger-image-112670012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFJQYGQCTSPbRa3ZhtdmHgl7wzoPS6Ne84LY6gLSc3xobARRyF9QwS1yzY1o1qGc4ozd8xEZiFGmKxX67d6cHvqVALv67mtZW4HMIcX0EKfDlnQtz2xQ2wy8SzgR3wnzMP41dYSeKhDls/s640/blogger-image-112670012.jpg"></a></div><br></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At the moment, Manaslu is not a popular trekking route so the villages at lower elevations maintain a subsistence farming lifestyle that hasn’t yet been hugely affected by Western influences. Electricity is minimal and unreliable if it exists, and comes from local hydroelectric projects. Cooking happens over wood fires, schools are far apart and inadequate, and access to medicine and family planning is minimal. Large numbers of villagers leave to work in Kathmandu or abroad, so it seems that the overall population size has generally remained stable. Goods and food that can’t be produced in the villages (especially propane and concrete) are carried for days along the same trails we hiked on the backs of porters or donkeys. Villages along the trekking route naturally do better economically, and some ‘ghost villages’ are near empty as young people all leave to find work elsewhere. It’s not uncommon for families to live separately as the men work abroad or as seasonal porters. Villages are largely Buddhist, with some Hindu, and some obvious examples of Christian missionaries having been there. As we neared Tibet, the art, language and people displayed more Tibetan influences because massive amounts of refugees have fled to this area of Nepal following the Chinese takeover and oppression.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4m0KU94dE0VhlPnmD-xaCBKdij-E5NF6X-X4cPHgRBuMEmlrb1X90zLiCa-bdiE_DI8FHTR6WsUaW9LmSgLW9TpcKMaFR5hs2LpySTVCpVag8Zy8CKSdqW6OQf3zLlHde-V7dby9oGc8/s640/blogger-image--1115984231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4m0KU94dE0VhlPnmD-xaCBKdij-E5NF6X-X4cPHgRBuMEmlrb1X90zLiCa-bdiE_DI8FHTR6WsUaW9LmSgLW9TpcKMaFR5hs2LpySTVCpVag8Zy8CKSdqW6OQf3zLlHde-V7dby9oGc8/s640/blogger-image--1115984231.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I learned a lot traveling with an anthropologist and researcher who spoke Nepali, and felt so much gratitude not just to be in such a beautiful place, but to have access to intimate conversations that gave me insights into the local culture I never would have had as just a tourist trekker. We talked with a porter who earned $6 a day carrying over 100lbs and hopes to become a climbing guide, <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2X8aILtjYUQAZpU_OVVKYch2lC2M7gbjqv_BP3I8eV_9hX0vUn1Ae1m_i9UlzSfuv8dPUpfz-1GzlNd_JKZ6K98lKk1nQvaM64WGJKUKMKn9HJOKR-NWZXHSKsQYRFwixNciVAm2uz6U/s640/blogger-image--377955871.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2X8aILtjYUQAZpU_OVVKYch2lC2M7gbjqv_BP3I8eV_9hX0vUn1Ae1m_i9UlzSfuv8dPUpfz-1GzlNd_JKZ6K98lKk1nQvaM64WGJKUKMKn9HJOKR-NWZXHSKsQYRFwixNciVAm2uz6U/s640/blogger-image--377955871.jpg"></a></div>a father who cooked lunch for us in their firelit home and explained that he was one of very few living people who spoke his native language.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi02nNRzXgWC44fgABQLqgm8W_uNJnHKJ4_eYiC3ke0bx8pyzpVnPYO6w3vALY7XQA-i3W1OW6GWWyZtSEF8ofoV6w8327Yl9rVSDWLbNPv1qMx5h8xWpq526G1fnR78QRSHGoQ6-GqKJk/s640/blogger-image-1244392893.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi02nNRzXgWC44fgABQLqgm8W_uNJnHKJ4_eYiC3ke0bx8pyzpVnPYO6w3vALY7XQA-i3W1OW6GWWyZtSEF8ofoV6w8327Yl9rVSDWLbNPv1qMx5h8xWpq526G1fnR78QRSHGoQ6-GqKJk/s640/blogger-image-1244392893.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> A Gurung village woman who over local millet beer, told us the story of her love marriage as a teen and how she and her now husband had to brew a batch of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">raksi </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(wine) for their parents, whose approval of the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">raksi</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> signified approval of their marriage.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCHzespeguPWqntPw3U547EPjOsTgv0fN_5mVmKw-0Je30DbM3SB-o1k4nc2xLKOEdlybJMvsmKik3DZ1il2h_OwSfmRAzuxpMbx1QnQsBZphodYwayWKJ8A0_-redVaKBYo6EU-1g96o/s640/blogger-image--815713811.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCHzespeguPWqntPw3U547EPjOsTgv0fN_5mVmKw-0Je30DbM3SB-o1k4nc2xLKOEdlybJMvsmKik3DZ1il2h_OwSfmRAzuxpMbx1QnQsBZphodYwayWKJ8A0_-redVaKBYo6EU-1g96o/s640/blogger-image--815713811.jpg"></a></div><br></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Breakfast was always chapatti with eggs, tea, and a spoonful of peanut butter/Nutella we’d brought from Kathmandu. We woke with the sun, ate, packed and pooped and then hiked until hunger or an inviting village convinced us to stop for a lunch break. Lunch and dinner was almost always </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">dal-bhat</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which is eaten at least once a day by Nepalis. For about $1.80 it’s a plate of rice (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">kanaa</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), veggie curry </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tarkari</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (usually steamed spinach, plus potato), cracker-like bread, lentil soup, and spicy pickled </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">achar</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Best part is free, unlimited refills of everything which are really pushed on you. Some of the first Nepali words I learned were “just a little bit” and “enough.” In higher altitudes I discovered yak cheese and started ordering things like fried macaroni and yak cheese with egg and potato. Covering so many miles each day at a high altitude meant that no matter how much yak butter tea we drank and deep fried Snickers we ate, we all lost weight. Lunch might include some awesome aged yak cheese and chapatti and our carefully rationed snacks from Kathmandu were dried fruit, nuts, Snickers and electrolyte replenishments. There aren’t really opportunities to buy anything along the trek.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq97uL49Rt6k_LK4PLVhZYPzoAqkL2-sHN7pj9X6rzykz9itHcc-LcEJ7UXi3rnaJzLB3UOLPJ7aqLfKOT-7aBBfA2Wvu8HNdndgOP_p5rFbsWYKZDrcQmJJgAe_Zcg8seeztTA6JoFJI/s640/blogger-image--1822843971.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq97uL49Rt6k_LK4PLVhZYPzoAqkL2-sHN7pj9X6rzykz9itHcc-LcEJ7UXi3rnaJzLB3UOLPJ7aqLfKOT-7aBBfA2Wvu8HNdndgOP_p5rFbsWYKZDrcQmJJgAe_Zcg8seeztTA6JoFJI/s640/blogger-image--1822843971.jpg"></a></div><br></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s hard to write about hiking. We went up, we went down. Knees hurt, we UV-filtered water constantly, talked about poop and dating and what we’d eat when we got home (Captain Crunch). We hiked past hundreds of waterfalls that rival anything in Yosemite. Most of our path was along a river full of constant, unrunnable rapids. In what felt like the majority of the path, tripping in the wrong direction would mean almost certain death. I saw a heavily laden donkey fall and we saw a monkey plummet down a cliff, but no humans fortunately. Everything was massively gorgeous and completely defies my ability to describe. The first time we saw the Himalayas was when the dawn broke through clear skies and we jumped out of our sleeping bags at 5am to watch the stars disappear and the jagged snowy giants around us illuminate one by one. It was absolutely magical and cold and enlivening and joyful. We spent the second half of our trek in the mountains and I honestly felt a jolt of awe every time I saw one of the many peaks. They’re beautiful and daunting and change constantly throughout the day. They hide behind clouds and reveal mountains beyond mountains as we kept climbing. I didn’t take many pictures because I knew nothing would ever do the scenery justice.<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi84nUXQbgBLseFf-f8Lf8236asGhZhy6Q_Niw5P8OnZOG306FrCJ6iQkbsVK918aBNe9u84pShXmaSlQRJslYWDewKibFGJ6e7fDu8lEeas1oo3mNZuL1biWyeamR50TtnHawGnSUzzU0/s640/blogger-image-411619164.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi84nUXQbgBLseFf-f8Lf8236asGhZhy6Q_Niw5P8OnZOG306FrCJ6iQkbsVK918aBNe9u84pShXmaSlQRJslYWDewKibFGJ6e7fDu8lEeas1oo3mNZuL1biWyeamR50TtnHawGnSUzzU0/s640/blogger-image-411619164.jpg"></a></div></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We saw at most maybe 12 other Westerners trekking a day. I’m so fortunate that English is the common tongue of travelers and Nepalis (following Nepalese). We met a sweet Swiss couple, a fast solo Russian, a trio of Australians who reinforced my belief in Australians all being awesome, and many others crazy enough to want to be in that corner of the world. All of our guides and porters hung out together in the warm kitchens where the food was made and delivered our dal-bhat refills to the tiny dining rooms where we ate. We got cheap triple rooms with walls made out of stones or plywood, read Malcolm Gladwell, played cards and entirely skipped basic hygiene. A week in I paid $2 for a hot bucket shower after a long day and felt like paradise scrubbing down while watching the alpenglow fade on the Himalayas through a hole in the stone wall. Life was good.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsiN3tdp0B8YIFNiRBz99wJ0MqBP-AepJxA2m_E3qoo_2dFA0syC5dvntsh73sRfj_LPTcxD60Go4Mfbh2pboxBKMZ3fwxbNaknGc7gdn7QoFUXBVMCpTjpZXLx2Q2EbRLWJf3NFlScS8/s640/blogger-image-1935561713.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsiN3tdp0B8YIFNiRBz99wJ0MqBP-AepJxA2m_E3qoo_2dFA0syC5dvntsh73sRfj_LPTcxD60Go4Mfbh2pboxBKMZ3fwxbNaknGc7gdn7QoFUXBVMCpTjpZXLx2Q2EbRLWJf3NFlScS8/s640/blogger-image-1935561713.jpg"></a></div><br></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Manaslu is a <a href="http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/climbing/mountaineering/The-Problem-With-Climbing-Manaslu.html" target="_blank">major mountaineering feat</a>, attracting dozens of international climbing expeditions each year. It’s the fourth most dangerous peak to climb after K2, Nanga Parbet and Annapurna, having claimed 59 lives since 1950. While we were there a veteran Japanese climber was killed in a fall. Most of the climbing teams we passed brought it up, and had conflicting stories about what had happened. Only just now I read <a href="http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/09/29/national/climbers-body-recovered-from-mount-manaslu-in-nepal/#.VDZmUbCUc8o" target="_blank">news reports</a> confirming that </span><span style="background-color: #fbfbfb; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yoshimasa Sasaki, 59</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> had fallen into a crevasse and his body was recovered a few days later. I couldn’t get the Japanese climber out of my mind while hiking. Still can’t, actually. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7lGcBwU-IZCFvpk4InvU4wuUdtJ97OYkLRzRhdodrF1Vv3GRb-axuYwIacJ7wsYhYVGV01ZuVgKetIue_-7YKDNE3FpiX1kcOFwsJBUImiJERKBDp_AQ4CGo3cJShI651MzFSQgU3Cn8/s640/blogger-image-1741823265.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7lGcBwU-IZCFvpk4InvU4wuUdtJ97OYkLRzRhdodrF1Vv3GRb-axuYwIacJ7wsYhYVGV01ZuVgKetIue_-7YKDNE3FpiX1kcOFwsJBUImiJERKBDp_AQ4CGo3cJShI651MzFSQgU3Cn8/s640/blogger-image-1741823265.jpg"></a></div><br></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was really cool to get to talk to foreign BAMF high altitude mountaineers. Shockingly, they communicate like regular people and were happy to chat with lowly trekkers like us. Very cool to hear their stories. Especially my favorite, an exhausted Austrian who missed the summit and said that he’s going back to Kathmandu for ‘eating, drinking and f*cking.’ The only successful climber we talked to was a solo woman from Iceland who wasn’t sure if she’d set a speed record or not and is my new hero<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxfVc3IU1UjK_P5NwBvjzzHbiuFEwKtyrXkHs2Wr4tAUlLzupe1VboAiduhocKetpq2ycdC15_9mkNS1LPuYRvbkfLc7d6p3FJxb1tWHUkM15psL7Wtq_V3PzRYjyyE5Zi4DtOS5CJX0/s640/blogger-image--1408467600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxfVc3IU1UjK_P5NwBvjzzHbiuFEwKtyrXkHs2Wr4tAUlLzupe1VboAiduhocKetpq2ycdC15_9mkNS1LPuYRvbkfLc7d6p3FJxb1tWHUkM15psL7Wtq_V3PzRYjyyE5Zi4DtOS5CJX0/s640/blogger-image--1408467600.jpg"></a></div>.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Back at our relatively low altitude, the high point of our trek was Larke Pass at 16,752 ft. (5,106m). It was my first time anywhere near that altitude. My first night sleeping high (around 11,000 ft I think) my heart rate was around 95, up from usual 60. After that night I took <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetazolamide" target="_blank">Diamox</a> to help with the side effects, and aside from hiking incredibly slowly, I was fine. High altitude made my big muscle groups feel like they were being compressed when I tried to move, and I felt like a goldfish flopping around outside a tank. I’d collapse each water break, feeling like I was trying to breath through a straw. I think that Vince and Gabe were in better shape maybe. Likely my backpack was too heavy too. I don’t think altitude related illnesses are a big risk for this type of slow hike over a pass.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What was an issue for me was the sun. Even with putting sunscreen on every break and trying to cover my skin, there was no way to stop it. I’d gotten a decent gash in my shin, almost to the tibia a few days into the trek and a doctor I chatted with recommended I start taking Doxycyclin so it didn’t get infected at altitude. Fortunately the wound was fine, but the Diamox + Doxycyclin combo left my Irish-skinned self way too susceptible to sunburn. I’ll spare you a description and photo of a severely sunburned and blistered lip, but know that it sucks. A lot. Given how far we were from medical care though I’m so grateful that a blistered lip and Gabe’s sore Achilles tendon were the worst that happened to us. It was a scary and humbling experience to be aware of our vulnerability when so remote. I felt empowered but also completely inadequate with a Wilderness First Responder certificate days and days away from a hospital.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_-oXCFuwIqutiUET6u-Hmzy7HP5-2gvFZuwE5ZyMUbgj6PSDUWBqWDsQHu-VPgdIoYyJOlYlMGZCjIzCRLjOrrKpxAfnlNsmV44_RRT8lS-rZozQlLxnEPRxsoU1yCutVIAKgyOhll0/s640/blogger-image--1625634324.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_-oXCFuwIqutiUET6u-Hmzy7HP5-2gvFZuwE5ZyMUbgj6PSDUWBqWDsQHu-VPgdIoYyJOlYlMGZCjIzCRLjOrrKpxAfnlNsmV44_RRT8lS-rZozQlLxnEPRxsoU1yCutVIAKgyOhll0/s640/blogger-image--1625634324.jpg"></a></div><br></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This trek was the type of thing that will go down as Truly Amazing Life Experiences. I think I’ll still be processing what I saw for a while. Being exposed to the level of poverty and lack of economic opportunity out in the villages is difficult. I’m grateful to have gotten to be exposed to cultures so different from my own. Physically I’ve never been in better shape and am proud of how much I pushed myself (meaning how much Gabe and Vincent pushed me). I’m happy and tired and blistered and sore. Flying solo for my first time abroad in the touristy lakeside city of Pokhara, in central west Nepal. It’s been nice to enjoy luxuries like music, a Western style toilet (more on that later), and variety in my diet. I miss dude time with Vince and Gabe, and my first night in my own room without two stinky boys was sort of lonely. Fortunately, making friends has never been a problem for me and while I’m relishing the solo relaxing time, my next post will likely be about some of the great conversations I’ve gotten to have.</span></div>
<br><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBkpxmPf2fSnNZ8WKlDCH-Xd5QNsLjkXIwLN8ZZ-wevGMxhUEBTOMVG52Jb8SbWkA102St8uuKhgLGcziEYouHkcVC3Q99PHtDhGJO_omjw0WWmvkbhUbfc8KJpg_O1vanhAVx2DE4aC0/s640/blogger-image-1922010215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBkpxmPf2fSnNZ8WKlDCH-Xd5QNsLjkXIwLN8ZZ-wevGMxhUEBTOMVG52Jb8SbWkA102St8uuKhgLGcziEYouHkcVC3Q99PHtDhGJO_omjw0WWmvkbhUbfc8KJpg_O1vanhAVx2DE4aC0/s640/blogger-image-1922010215.jpg"></a></div>Life is good. I am healthy and happy and adjusting to backpacking life has been easy so far. I continue to think about and miss everyone back home. Love you all. If you actually read this whole thing you are a marathon reader and deserve a medal. Go watch a cute cat video or something. I’m going to go tend to my bleeding lip and eat Korean BBQ.<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn1wCTth5uz5FDVZvH-kEQslmBWPo8POFZ2XyOCX5KjA0dYilgpTM9i8pJea3OEJ8ytGXgXUuY7YDeIDAbt8tXiOOlq2-7Yp80giG5mi7K6mIetw8sNI1Wq7wGs_VLnNaWS30tsiBPrZc/s640/blogger-image-788055898.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn1wCTth5uz5FDVZvH-kEQslmBWPo8POFZ2XyOCX5KjA0dYilgpTM9i8pJea3OEJ8ytGXgXUuY7YDeIDAbt8tXiOOlq2-7Yp80giG5mi7K6mIetw8sNI1Wq7wGs_VLnNaWS30tsiBPrZc/s640/blogger-image-788055898.jpg"></a></div></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Pokhara 33700, Nepal28.2025654 83.98500828.0906299 83.8236465 28.314500900000002 84.146369499999992tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-257424932044458872.post-49060642525804561742014-09-23T10:16:00.001-07:002014-09-23T10:16:17.173-07:00Water Buffalo Momos & Public CremationsThis will be quick..past my bedtime and we're waking up at 4:30am to catch a bus out of Kathmandu. I'll likely be off the grid for a month or so while I go trekking in Manaslu & Annapurna. <div><br><div>There's so much more I want to say about the Nepalis I've met and what I've learned about the caste system and economy and geopolitical history of Nepal, but instead of that essay here are some touristy photos :)<br><div>And water buffalo momos (tiny dumplings) are my new favorite snackiepoo.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLguF_KQyolyfmrrd_rbwIzx6XwWelr-IqYC_C7UpEW_CIAN_CyQCjjua88VXKvWqUTaJUbwDR7QFhiOzlE41LIOf8eVUHzQTDOsTPVZWYqg2HxBl0zEoC_SAIlUY9LWUlwZD0Ybnw8fE/s640/blogger-image--1748127134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLguF_KQyolyfmrrd_rbwIzx6XwWelr-IqYC_C7UpEW_CIAN_CyQCjjua88VXKvWqUTaJUbwDR7QFhiOzlE41LIOf8eVUHzQTDOsTPVZWYqg2HxBl0zEoC_SAIlUY9LWUlwZD0Ybnw8fE/s640/blogger-image--1748127134.jpg"></a></div>Standard mealtime view. I don't know exactly what this is but it's some yummy omelette-esque Newari snack. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCpW-jZCHjvBuCrFaYgf6Wwcs0ExjJTzkFIYcvdlKtcUugfrQJuzxiSQTPZXWa61kyvkKAD8OhcarPBE6bPztLQfFXkLgscsF4Jcwq4tOEAdz_0M1TbN7W18sLzRSnezrR6NI5cqWcBok/s640/blogger-image-1195861581.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCpW-jZCHjvBuCrFaYgf6Wwcs0ExjJTzkFIYcvdlKtcUugfrQJuzxiSQTPZXWa61kyvkKAD8OhcarPBE6bPztLQfFXkLgscsF4Jcwq4tOEAdz_0M1TbN7W18sLzRSnezrR6NI5cqWcBok/s640/blogger-image-1195861581.jpg"></a></div>Look who I found in Nepal! Getting together with Amit, who grew up in Kathmandu and now lives in Portland was so awesome.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOnVHN3Jl5D54gLRYGeFPlWKGegNhDHqWd6wy_aZgjGhhIwVXdMUQBwWozUvshs5DLyDg7vGj_uOCLHlwV1dJTzTnjxYvl1Mh5nI2HhhP7M1B0YDbxxMtKI9VOzIBQLQKggns4h1Jv7p4/s640/blogger-image--1756433265.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOnVHN3Jl5D54gLRYGeFPlWKGegNhDHqWd6wy_aZgjGhhIwVXdMUQBwWozUvshs5DLyDg7vGj_uOCLHlwV1dJTzTnjxYvl1Mh5nI2HhhP7M1B0YDbxxMtKI9VOzIBQLQKggns4h1Jv7p4/s640/blogger-image--1756433265.jpg"></a></div>Amit showed me a cool secret library. So peaceful compared to the constant chaos on the streets. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu5sc-rOheZ6JikN8AOtsjVeXGxylPLKIuMmoGDYswAVpg_0m2PrDttlOCTMSY7-2inU12BTlZisSfW6yMcrX2dmuzsERXdCiPVjLDY7eO70sdRve8d2dPMRIQHkg2V8JkSYx4yzqY_kM/s640/blogger-image-1944629689.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu5sc-rOheZ6JikN8AOtsjVeXGxylPLKIuMmoGDYswAVpg_0m2PrDttlOCTMSY7-2inU12BTlZisSfW6yMcrX2dmuzsERXdCiPVjLDY7eO70sdRve8d2dPMRIQHkg2V8JkSYx4yzqY_kM/s640/blogger-image-1944629689.jpg"></a></div>You can pretty much outfit an Everest expedition with gear bought in the Thanek district of Kathmandu. Legit brand name stuff runs at regular US prices but there's a bunch of lower quality knockoff type stuff you can get for super cheap.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Ba7Mu3Dan4OCBToSDAvo2KXe13jaL-FuK7rr75TTTqUC35DUIOZ4KYAgDDIR-VkQ54lalgnOFoYx_c_mNEDvwvPbk_qT591qjxXIed3ie9xWDr8hhiTXsCprgDs8zd0RZCmPu6UOAik/s640/blogger-image--252469313.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Ba7Mu3Dan4OCBToSDAvo2KXe13jaL-FuK7rr75TTTqUC35DUIOZ4KYAgDDIR-VkQ54lalgnOFoYx_c_mNEDvwvPbk_qT591qjxXIed3ie9xWDr8hhiTXsCprgDs8zd0RZCmPu6UOAik/s640/blogger-image--252469313.jpg"></a></div>I got my skirt hemmed for 40 cents. I wish a photo could convey the crooked alleys of tiny workshops and kids playing soccer and old folks chatting and meat drying and chickens sleeping on Hindu statues that I meandered through to get here.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXkvxKZ-e0DBGxOUubAcLzUL94O7l9P41OqcNyc160LUAJl90qYsYQpBgfklYsyQ6soniwDkxkwvmjkIJ-edbXL5xygnAnKsyQUsR-oG-WEAwBsPEFbaVToQfVynNbvmBEVy_i1Jg4Gwo/s640/blogger-image--1670664578.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXkvxKZ-e0DBGxOUubAcLzUL94O7l9P41OqcNyc160LUAJl90qYsYQpBgfklYsyQ6soniwDkxkwvmjkIJ-edbXL5xygnAnKsyQUsR-oG-WEAwBsPEFbaVToQfVynNbvmBEVy_i1Jg4Gwo/s640/blogger-image--1670664578.jpg"></a></div>The Golden Temple at Pashupatinath temple complex. This is a very important Hindu holy site on the Bagmati River that I have neither the time nor the expertise to explain. I watched but didn't photograph a few cremations going on here. Very emotional and raw thing to see and I'm still processing.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjre9fUNc4FMTk8Z7JQWKtk97psMbJr5iLxKJOxPHF7XAjOzomZmYGsfMoeV_0nDmbCPkGLfohyPkGbiQnOaV1Kv7yxoLkvRMlcl1OECkMXb7Cv6oCBEsvMPStVc69ygecvtnk9t4EdAW4/s640/blogger-image-634147029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjre9fUNc4FMTk8Z7JQWKtk97psMbJr5iLxKJOxPHF7XAjOzomZmYGsfMoeV_0nDmbCPkGLfohyPkGbiQnOaV1Kv7yxoLkvRMlcl1OECkMXb7Cv6oCBEsvMPStVc69ygecvtnk9t4EdAW4/s640/blogger-image-634147029.jpg"></a></div>Same thing, different view. There aren't many trees in Kathmandu because they've all been cut down for firewood.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkDSywc2z6xYA1SHz1N3fEflnuOnVWUIBvnrVxtX6t6Or7kS77Oj0HPazNTKy-cT0gTOgzvG39nP26IuFbLGzfYBbH97xvsiEsP9VD4ITLU-RewKDWsN8DNVpeDT_YuI7u19HtY5gBZ-Y/s640/blogger-image-1773345082.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkDSywc2z6xYA1SHz1N3fEflnuOnVWUIBvnrVxtX6t6Or7kS77Oj0HPazNTKy-cT0gTOgzvG39nP26IuFbLGzfYBbH97xvsiEsP9VD4ITLU-RewKDWsN8DNVpeDT_YuI7u19HtY5gBZ-Y/s640/blogger-image-1773345082.jpg"></a></div>These dudes were so high.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-257424932044458872.post-31956946514792875052014-09-21T23:37:00.001-07:002014-09-21T23:37:52.781-07:00First Day in KathmanduBad news- I can already tell I'm going to be a bad blogger. Like the title of my blog suggests, it's important to me to 'be here now' and feeling the need to write about my experiences might clash with that. On the other hand, I want to keep in touch with people, so maybe between those two opposing pulls I'll just be a <i>decent </i>blogger.<div>This is where I am right now.. in Vince's kitchen eating breakfast of chai, toast & fruit. Notice my sweet technology.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv1XIgLwHW9rnzWyEGdaOVQVu4tg-Pgwrn9Hzvl8gI1boo4xP9vxmmdrDhoBV-SrNg-tIhrzwTBqM-dvp8DunZHCCuex3j1cg7Dylx0kG09Gz_nqexTNAa6Ddw65FDjvtusqAc1ZzEqew/s640/blogger-image-171483021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv1XIgLwHW9rnzWyEGdaOVQVu4tg-Pgwrn9Hzvl8gI1boo4xP9vxmmdrDhoBV-SrNg-tIhrzwTBqM-dvp8DunZHCCuex3j1cg7Dylx0kG09Gz_nqexTNAa6Ddw65FDjvtusqAc1ZzEqew/s640/blogger-image-171483021.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Anyways, I'm in Kathmandu! I arrived less than 24 hours ago and already like this place a lot, which is unusual for me because I usually don't like huge, densly populated cities. Getting here was shockingly easy.. 12 or so hours overnight between LAX and Guangzhou, China where I shared a row with possibly the sweetest person in the world. "Grandma Lucy" had been in the US for a hip replacemet kept passing me my favorite lychee candy and insisted I sprawl out over the empty middle seat to sleep. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9kYtDYKNBPdk-1r_ITotRPWNSzkCAjZ5vnGYkB-iZoF6QiXxnmRrIG2PBFVHzKzsBmz59yMoUH11rbv4zzuzfKAxznhs65aeDji7jeIp7q2V94lE13FwoISTuJ3ptdq59BhXEfjP3MQ/s640/blogger-image-427753857.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9kYtDYKNBPdk-1r_ITotRPWNSzkCAjZ5vnGYkB-iZoF6QiXxnmRrIG2PBFVHzKzsBmz59yMoUH11rbv4zzuzfKAxznhs65aeDji7jeIp7q2V94lE13FwoISTuJ3ptdq59BhXEfjP3MQ/s640/blogger-image-427753857.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>I don't know how long I traveled for.. maybe 20 hours and it was shockingly easy.. no hanger, jet lag, screaming babies. And now I'm in Nepal! I have a lot of unformed thoughts and a lot to learn about the history, geography, culture and language. I'm ridiculously lucky to get to be hosted by my friend from California, Vince, who teaches high school anthropology at an international school, and his roommate Gabe who's working on a Fullbright/UN research project on HIV risk behaviors in the city. Both of them speak Nepali and are amazing tour guides.. not just the touristy things but even this early on the trip I've gotten to be exposed to a more intimate and authentic side of local life than I'd have seen just staying in Tamel, the backpacker district. </div><div><br></div><div>I have a lot of unformed thoughts and my mind is too open to have many observations or opinions yet. The stereotype of Nepalis being friendly is definitely true. And the food is great so far.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Hs_4hZfb9ILcn56WZA0_BPiR2BGerEJCjeQ_mL5N7CZj3oGh-602aK9Ih6BR_9M9KHJndf5lFAtQXnUl0kjR7ecmkYxxab3j5dZQuDpjiPcTmRgLwfwSMugDDZ7ViLOhr5c2QLE7tQk/s640/blogger-image-1547659377.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Hs_4hZfb9ILcn56WZA0_BPiR2BGerEJCjeQ_mL5N7CZj3oGh-602aK9Ih6BR_9M9KHJndf5lFAtQXnUl0kjR7ecmkYxxab3j5dZQuDpjiPcTmRgLwfwSMugDDZ7ViLOhr5c2QLE7tQk/s640/blogger-image-1547659377.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Not the greatest photo but this stupa and courtyard are a 5 minute walk from Vince's place.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBxIMi86J0h4pb1YtiiMkZJVOyL6r3oQ4TkyQW2ZpcfdFFLTGYqdJm4TKgdK6uohlCslfYTpXauF1NR6vPDABRWi08gLPpFIS9zG8PQRzh_yOh-alzCpan7yO1JVV5oht4p2X34ltDwyk/s640/blogger-image--600704954.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBxIMi86J0h4pb1YtiiMkZJVOyL6r3oQ4TkyQW2ZpcfdFFLTGYqdJm4TKgdK6uohlCslfYTpXauF1NR6vPDABRWi08gLPpFIS9zG8PQRzh_yOh-alzCpan7yO1JVV5oht4p2X34ltDwyk/s640/blogger-image--600704954.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">This is Kathmandu in a nutshell- sacred sites next to smoggy traffic.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I'm headed out for the day to visit the temple complex Pashupatinath where Hindus cremate bodies next to the sacred (and polluted) Bagmati River. Then it's big Sherpa style dinner in town. On Wednesday the three of us head out for what will be an incredible trek in Manaslu, and from there I'll head to Annapurna and Pokra. Not that those names should mean anything.. they're just names right now to me too. I'll be largely off the grid for the next month or so (sorry Mom!) Thanks so much for reading this. </div><br></div><br></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1