Diary of 3 Weeks in Mexico

Midnight
Wednesday June 13th

The most coincidental day has just occurred... just one of those days in which you´ve nothing planned for and then one thing leads to another and its a great day ... however, Im told such is the life in Barra.

While yes, during the off season (the on season is the winter months) this is quite the sleepy little town in which everything runs on ¨mexican time¨ meaning nothing opens before 11 but a few cafes and the post office and then everyone closes down when they feel their day is done - whether that be 3 or 5 or whenever the sunsets. This town of Barra de Navidad - affectionately known for its Christmas time discovery with a population of officially 11,000 but in the off season a little more tranquil 5 thousand or so... but anyway, Barra has the friendliest people Ive ever collectively met.

At the conclusion of my last journal, I thought I´d be ready to leave soon after due to boredum, but our experiences in Barra were quite far from boring.

As soon as I closed my journal the other night, I realized we were moments away from sunset. I grabbed my camera and made a dash for the long stretch of sandbar on the town´s southeast side. I sat oceanside on the beach letting the biggest waves just reach the tips of my toes. Lost in concentration as the last rays of the sun fell behind the mountains I suddenly realized a stinging sensation on my left foot. Perplexed, and looking down I saw a blue string wrapped around my ankle resembling a fishing line. Determining this tightly wrapped string to be the cause of the stinging I reached and pulled off what I then realized was a very small jellyfish and this blue string was a long tenticle.

The panicked jellyfish had stung my foot and as I threw it aside, I became a bit panicked not knowing what to make of this situation. I went and rinsed off my foot in the saltwater of the ocean to better be able to view the ´wounded area.´ Wobbling back to the hotel my foot tingled lightly as if it were asleep. I asked the hotel owner (a mom of three or four in her 30`s who all live in the hotel with the grandmother) about a cure for the sting. She said it happens all the time- those little menaces get everyone once in awhile I guess- and recomended tylenol. I called nurse Mom at home in the States - trusting American medicine- and her immediate response was to pee on it ... haha. Or at least to dump something acidic on it like vinigar if not urine to neutralize the sting. I went with a shower, tylenol and bed and I woke up feeling fine in the morning.

What was not fine however, was the noise in our hotel. Though the actual hotel was quiet dispite the children running in the lobby once in a while, the hotel´s neighbors are currently farming roosters. Yes roosters... they have four of them caged separately but next to each other preparing for next week´s grandest event of the summer: cock fights- yes again I´m serious. And the whole town is looking forward to it... but no one Im sure as much as the hotel´s owners.

In the books and movies, a rooster crows on a farm at dawn and wakes the farmer to start his day and morning chores. In real life, the roosters begin to crow at 4am and crow constantly until 8am or whenever it is that you cant stand it anymore to listen to them as you struggle for more sleep.

About this time was our discovery that nothing opened until 11am- and that there are a total of 10 community computers in this town (but not available for use until 11)... so we moved our slumber to the beach. After of course, a careful inspection insuring all the jellyfish had once again retreated to the ocean.

We watched ghost crabs dance around the shoreline and a few surfers in the distance. One in particular - was not very good, about our age and lighter skinned... He was very comical and a bit puzzling to watch. He later told us - to keep from embarrasing himself- that he wasnt surfing at all but tanning his back as the reflection off the surface of the water secures a deeper tan. Upon our laughter, he told us to believe whichever story we wanted.

Walking away to get some brunch, we met Victor, a friendly, larger man, aged 30 with very dark skin and an instantly likeable personality who ran the boat tours from the marina... and then our day started. We chose a tour with fishing and snorkeling on the northern rocky shoreline where the waves crash against the mountains that rise out of the ocean from nowhere.

Kristen, deathly afraid of the creatures in the open ocean even got in to see the reefs. We dove down, swimming through underwater caves and seeing lots of tropical fish. Victor even brought an urchin to the surface so we could hold it. With the help of his fishing skills, we also caught 5 chula- by dragging a floating lure behind our boat and manuevering close to the rocky coastline. We ended up giving most of our catch to a very large and very poor family, struggling to get through the off-season. But I took a taste of this fish grilled and it reminded me of tuna- which is just as well.

We became friends with Victor quickly. He had lived in the United States for a number of years in California with his family, before deciding Mexico was really the place for him. He studied in Fresno, and he and Kristen had a lot to chat about being that they had studied very near to each other. At the end of our tour he invited us back later for some waterskiing on the lagoon. We were joined by three others and had a blast. It was some great skiing and we also tried our hand at some knee boarding.

As it turns out the ¨surfer¨ we had seen earlier this morning is Victor´s summer neighbor- visiting from the Districto Federal (the Capital District) and living in his Grandparents holiday home for a month on his college break. He had studied at a private American school up until college and also spoke english very well.

The party then moved poolside for pizza and drinks where we spoke about our fun day and learned more about Barra... which has given Kristen a real desire to come back. Victor even offered her a job if she did. Andres and Victor were so nice to us as were their friends... especially once they found out we also spoke spanish. Everyone was so welcoming. This whole little community we found offered to us, such a nice stop... dispite the roosters and the jellyfish.

June 12
7:45pm

It is hot... the air is hazy, steamy and thick, making my vision almost blurry like there is a light fog in the air.

We`re at our next stop now- we said goodbye to Puerto Vallarta earlier his morning and set out for Barra de Navidad- a few hundred miles further down the coast.

Barra is known as a surfing town and is a very popular weekend getaway for the people of Jalisco and Colima (the two nearby Mexican states). Midweek however, we have the sleepy little surf town to ourselves and the friendly locals are glad we`re here.

The whole city maybe spans about 2 miles of peninsulan coastline. It`s natural beauty is astounding with a soft-beach, light-waved lagoon with tiny islands dotting the waters on one side, and a sandy cove with big swells on the other. To both the north and south the coastline in rocky and mountainous and from the beach here the crashing waves are visible.

Being completely surrounded by water, people don`t only come here to surf, but to fish- fishing charters go out all day- and there are quite a few bait shops and weigh-in stations, almost more than enough for this tiny town. At the harbor sit quite a few fishing boats for such a little place... they almost out number the amount of people we`ve seen here. And for all the seafood that`s caught, there have to be places to go to eat it... each of the city`s quaint beachside (and lagoon side) restaurants feature mariscos frescas (fresh seafood). Tonight I had these great garlic and oil peel-and-eat shrimp, and it`s all pretty cheap. With a heap of rice, salad, soda and tortilla chips and salsa (of course)- my whole meal was about 9 American dollars.

We`re really only here for one day and two nights so we checked into this quiet, family-run little place, that both our travel books had recommended as economical and comfortable.. but also saying you can`t get a room here on the weekends. But today I believe we may be the only ones here.

Our room, while both comfortable and economical is swealtering. We have the fan on and windows open but are seriously debating the prospect of dragging our mattresses out to the upstairs patio and sleeping in the crossbreeze. We´re just a little afraid the hotel`s owner may be upset if she awakes to the discovery of the two american visitors sleeping on the ground, and on her mattresses.

We spent about an hour walking around tonight, and Im pretty sure we covered the whole town... as there´s not much to it. At one point in the plaza we did witness a band processional coming down the main street. About 8 or 9 teenage boys playing the brass instruments, the parade being led by a man and a woman holding a feminine-catholic figurine on their shoulders. We were amused and a bit puzzled...

Tomorrow we plan to just chill at the beach for the morning and take a water taxi out and around the shoreline in the afternoon. I love being at the beach, however whenever there´s a possibility of actually boating on the water I´m very easily inticed and excited. I love boats.

Yesterday was just as relaxing as tomorrow`s shaping up to be. We got out to the beach after breakfast and before 11... staying on our towels (and taking quick jaunts to the ocean to cool off every once in a while) until we couldnt take the heat anymore and felt no amount of sunblock would be able to help any longer. At about 1:30, we retreated to the warm shade of our porch and the American movies on our television.

We left for a walk after it began to cool down about 5, had dinner, called home and when the rains began to poor down we once again made the retreat to our room for some showers and a Friends Marathon and and early bedtime.

I know... what a life. Im so grateful for these days.

June 10 Sunday
9pm

I did much more than just dip my toes in today... I dove in, right off the bow of our triple keel catamaran, submerging my whole self into the warm salty waters of the Mexican Pacific.

Needless to say, we had a great day, in fact we've had a great time here in Puerto Vallarta. Yesterday, after we peeled ourselves from the laziness of the beach, we walked~ an exploration walk, for hours... 3 hours I think. We walked along the beach, we walked into shops, we walked into the market, to the plazas, the cathedral, onto the island in the middle of the Rio Cuale, everywhere.

We watched artisans make huichol *delicately and intricately beaded decorations*, carve wood, bead dresses,and paint canvas. The street vendors were maybe our greatest entertainment, however, I also believe they were just as amazed by us. The Mexicans at times seem to be so intrigued by young, blonde, pale skinned, American girls. They're not at all mean or derogatory or decietful, but in all honesty, they just havent seen many of us in person... only in the movies and on television. So sometimes they ask us questions, call us beautiful barbies (thank you?), ask for photos with us, and even playfully propose marraige. Its hilarious and rediculous, but it makes me think about the way they accept difference. In the States historically accepting difference usally comes after a period of discrimination, or maybe first tolerating the difference. Im not saying there's no discrimination here or that this society is in any way a model society... just an observation. The Mexicans haven't been exposed to the diversity of races, religions and ethnicities that is the United States. Their diversity comes from the tourists, not the immigrants. Therefore differences have had no need to be as deeply discussed or are as ingrained in their culture. But I digress...

We had dinner on the beach last night... right off a grill. Shrimp kepobs, actually spiced shrimp on a stick, but so tasty. While we sat down at a plastic table to order the shrimp, vendors also walk along the shore selling these shrimp (and fish) on sticks to the sunbathers. I was intrigued and wanted to try, but without the sand covering my hands while laying on the beach. And it was quite good. I'm gonna have some more before I leave.

Today was quite good too...better than good. Maybe the best day yet. We took a boat cruise today, the one I alluded to earlier. The BoraBora cruise left the Maritime Harbor at 10 this morning, and didn't return til 6pm tonight. The boat left the city's northern harbor and went south, meandering along the coastline, south past the hotel zone where all the beautiful resorts are, past the main plaza and the Malecon, and finally past old Vallarta where we are staying. We went first to the Arcos Islands... where I dove off the boat with snorkel gear to gaze down into - what was today - a very cloudy and dark green reef; the most reef life I saw were the bright red and blue crabs crawling along the steep rocks of the tiny, jagged and steep islands. The water was warm though and the swimming was so much fun and so freeing.

Upon reboarding the boat soaken wet we were given a snack and the open bar started, woohoo! The open bar consisted of any drink you can make with tequila of course, the Mexicans are seriously obsessed. Also offering Coronas and Pasificos with limes. We dropped off some beach babies and families with small children before the rest of us went to Quixmoto - to hike or horseback ride to the waterfall. The little village was as poor Mexican as they come - roosters in the yard on leashes, iguanas as pets (I even held one), thatched roofs, barefoot children running through the sand and dust, community housing with hammocks in the yards. The people were so friendly as their entire income revolves around the tourist visitors to see the waterfalls; Their village is only accesible by boat.

The hike was fantastic, about a mile to the waterfall, uphill and in the sand... what a workout. The reward though, totally worth it; a sweet retreat and oasis. A beautiful waterfall and great swimming hole hidden in the middle of nowhere...again we dove in. So refreshed- we headed back to the boat an hour after our departure and to another beach for lunch and more sunning.

At about 5 we hopped back in the boat, this time heading north in the open waters; our boat now bonded: drinking, dancing and playing games together. The people on the boat were from Canada, the Carribean, Las Vegas and all parts of Mexico. Again Kristen and I being the only white and blonde girls.. but they loved us and teased us, and we had so much fun with them. The people were great... there was one group of ten Mexican University students from the Capital region. They were with a much larger group who had taken a study trip last week, and then the whole group came to the beach for the weeekend. I talked so much spanish with them, it was amazing. We enjoyed a great day together discussing at points, politics, perceptions of the other's country, learning language, school systems, all my favorites. They also invited us to meet them all for a beach party tonight. I'm not sure if we'll go, or if they'll really call our room (their whole group is also staying in our hotel) but the day was made even better with quality spanish conversations. We had a lot of fun.

We walked back to the hotel after some fajitas on the beached and are now clean and refreshed again in our pajamas and watching the American presidential debate recap on the english CNN channel in our room.

Mmmmm vacation.

June 9th- Saturday
11am

We woke up to rain today- our first morning in Puerto Vallarta, on the beach. The rain had stopped to a sprinkle by the time we were really ready to leave the hotel at 10. We explored our hotels amenities, found the outdoor pool and ended up here- on the beach under the clouds... where we plan to be for the next few hours. That is if the beach vendors don´t pester the pale skinned and therefore immediately recognizable American girls too badly.

We arrived in Puerto Vallarta yesterday afternoon around 4. What should have been maybe a three hour drive to the coast distance-wise turned into a five and 1/2 hour adventure. Mexican roadways arent laid out very logically- no direct city to city connections really- every road is the scenic route. And though the seats were as comfortable and spacious as any first class plane ride, though the snacks were plentiful and the movies good- five and a half hours on any mountianous road, and on a bus no less, are enough to make anyone nauceous. We also stopped a few times to let passengers out or pick them up on what seemingly was the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. The ride was equivalent to if my parents drove route five from New Hartford to Fredonia, stopping to pick up both Brian and I in towns like Silvercreek, Chittenango or Stockton. Eww no thank you. So glad we´re here.

We checked the weather forecast last night and learned the next few weeks on the Mexican Pasific coast will be cloudy with scattered rain. So much for those sun-soaking days on la playa. Kristen and I however. are not bothered by this (though slightly dissapointed...). Just because the sand is wet, doesn´t mean you can´t lay on it. Just because the rain is falling doesnt mean we can´t walk the Malecon, swim in the Ocean or visit the plaza and cathedral. This city stop is still all about relaxation.. and if we have to relax in our hotel room as the lightning strikes over the ocean.. so be it.

There is a lot more english in Puerto Vallarta and many more American tourists than in Guadalajara. THere are some absolutely beautiful hotels and resorts, many ´tours and expiditions´to sign up for, lots of shopping, movies, restaurants. When our taxi drove south through the ´Hotel district´ from the bus station yesterday, it really looked as if someone picked up the resort area in Orlando, Florida and moved it here. Same big hotels, with the same brand names, all offering American food and english television channels.

While our hotel is quite a step down from these, it is quite a step up from our hostel of last week (which we loved). It is not, however, an American resort. It´s in the old town, south of the Hotel Zone ... the original Puerto Vallarta on la playa de los muertos. It´s quite nice, we have our own private room and bathroom and kitchenette. The Hotel Emperador is situated amongst Mexican condos, and old style stores and taco stands. Our balcony is oceanside and overlooks a fishing pier in which at any given time about 30 men and boys can be seen running from side to side with nets, capturing all sorts of things and then grouping excitedly together to look whenever someone´s caught something great. The pelicans, and there are so many, sit close by the dock waiting for whatever the fishermen may release.

I think it may be time to dip my toes into the Pasific.

Thursday June 7
6pm

The bells with Jesus´ friends are chiming a few blocks away as I sit out on the patio writing tonight.

We´ve had a great final two days in Guadalajara- yesterday being quite relaxed; we spent the morning at the mercado de libertad- the largest indoor market in the world...and it was crazy. So many people: looking, shopping, selling, interacting, speaking all sorts of languages, amazement. Mostly sellers of crap though, or things we had no interest in buying. Kristen and I therefore, lost interest quickly and went to check out a beautiful Church next door- San Juan de Dios... yes we discovered yet another beautifully architectured church in this grand city... and this one´s bells were ringing too. But the ringing was done by an old man standing on the patio, at the Church´s entrance pulling on a rope that was atached about 150 feet up to the big bell.

We then hopped down to the southern end of the city to go to the Parque de Agua Azul. We had read a lot about it- butterfly houses, aviaries, ampitheatres, sports complexes and a man-made lake and thought we´d find some lunch and enjoy ourselves in the sunshine and vastness of a beautiful park. Unfortunately, the park was a bit dissapointing and we ended up hopping a bus back to the downtown and exploring Calle Vallarta instead... this main street in the wealthy and commercial district. So many American companies are here in Mexico, in fact their biggest bank is HSBC and their Air conditioners are made mostly by Carrier. There are McDonalds, Burger Kings and Starbucks on every corner. There´s Walmart and Sams Club, Chili´s and Outback.

But what surprised me the most about this district especially was the excessive amount of bridal shops. In a matter of 5 blocks there must have been 10-12 stores and they just kept continuing, but I lost count. All the dresses were so beautiful in the windows... most sold both bridal dresses and dresses for quinciñeras- the Mexican celebration of the 15th birthday. The dresses were also surprisingly inexpensive-to the point where one day down the line, I may return to Mexico, buy a dress and have it fitted, and fly back knowing I had still saved money.

The rain poured down last night and the hostel lost power for hours. The rain was coming so hard- we didn´t leave at all last night but instead drank tea and read by candlelight and hung out with some of the other travellers. Kristen and I also both called to the states, enjoying a quiet night.

This morning was quite different- we boarded a tour bus at 10am leaving for the town of Tequila- and spent some time at the factory of the most famous and best quality brand of Tequila in Mexico- La Casa Herradura. We walked around the factory- which is actually a hacienda: a gated, self-sufficient, sustainable community. There are homes for the workers on premises, community kitchens, a chapel, gardens, farmland, animals and a soccer field. We learned extensively about the Tequila making process, agave-the plant the Tequila is extracted from, and the tradition of Tequila making in Mexican history. We sampled Tequila in the various stages along the way and different tequila products that Casa Herradura makes at lunch. This is about when I realized I really only prefer tequila in a margarita... no more Tequila for a long time for me. But it was a fun experience, definitly a step into Mexican culture.

We returned an hour ago tired, and Kristen and Becky are napping now. We´re gonna try our hand at Mexican quesadilla making tonight in our hostel´s kitchen for dinner and then get ready to leave early tomorrow morning for the beach.

Guadalajara has been a city unlike any city I´ve ever seen- In some parts so modern, in others its antiquity preserved- and in all parts: worn, dirty and poor... but yet safe. I´ve definitly enjoyed my time here and feel like I´ve done some solid exploring and have a handle on the feel of the city. It´s not a city in which I could ever live, nor one I feel the need to come back and visit (unless of course for that wedding dress some day) but I know I´ve learned so much from it.

Tuesday June 5
9:30pm

My first full day in Guadalajara behind me and what an experience it´s been already. Let me start with all the doubts, fears, concerns of safety, have definitly been alleviated since my arrival. Of course, we´re still being safe, and making smart decisions, but on my last plane ride (the one from Houston to Guadalajara) these rushes of anxiety had come washing over me- was this trip a good choice? Will I have enough money? Is Dad right?- ugh I hate ever to admit that one. Is this country really safe for Kristen and I? What am I doing?

But then again, who wouldn´t freak out at least a little? Blindly leaving their life, with a new job up in the air, to meet a friend whom I haven´t seen in 8 months or travelled with in 2 years in a country neither of us have ever been too, and don´t usually hear good things about...

In the end, no need to stress... Kristen and I met just as we got off our planes and went through customs and baggage claim together. We easily found comfortability once again with each other and are on the same level. We checked into the hostal and spent the evening talking through our plans. We´ve changed a few dates and cities to make things more convenient, safe and cultural. We spent the night seriously going over our itinerary, and firming up plans... deciding against going to
acapulco at all. It´s just not that necessary to us, in that we feel we can get the beach experience closer to where we are and in safer towns. They´ve been having some corruption and protest problems with their taxi system and we´re not that into that.I think we´re going to end up adjusting our whole trip actually, and not go to acapulco, but instead some smaller inland towns with more culture and history up here in the midcoastal pasific region.

We had dinner out last night - a leisurly night, walked to a grocery store to buy bottled water and a toothbrush (since I had forgotton mine) and stopped for a dinner in this really cute plaza by the templo de carmen, this beautiful catholic church converted from a judaic temple. It was really neat.

While the hostel´s clean and the people are friendly, it was super noisy last night upon the arrival of a foursome from the Dominican Republic. We, as a result had a leisurly morning heading out after some emails and breakfast at about 10. Kristen and I walked 10 blocks or so to the Cathedral Metropolitano and all the prestine-ness and age of the Zona Central. There were parks, people, gazebos, fountains, and at least four major churches. We explored a few and then sat and read about what we were seeing from our travel books and from our vantage point in the park, we spied some bus tours. Deciding this was a great option for not only covering a lot of ground in Guadalajara, but also for learning about what we were seeing and what we might want to come back to and explore further.

The all-day, hop on-hop off tour was great, plus offered a bonus trip to Tlequepaque- just on the outskirts of Guadalajara, in the afternoon. We left our first tour bus at 12:45, found some sandwhiches and chips and were back on the bus at 1:30.

We spent an hour and a half strolling the brightly painted and quainte streets of brilliant artisan shops in Tlequepaque. There were so many stores with beautiful work... some of it was mesmorizing, like the glass blowers or bead makers, and we´d just stand and stare. These artisanas were astounding, however way out of our price range. Even the more affordable street vendors in Tlequepaque had more talent than I could ever imagine to possess. Great little side trip.

We came back to our hostel this afternoon for some quiet time and met some fresh faces. There are about 15 people staying at this hostel, and there´s a lot of community space here, so everyone kind of hangs out on the patio and chats about their travel adventures. Theres a girl from Arkansas who has been working on a travel boat two months on one month off for the past year that spends here free months in Mexico, one from England who has been travelling alone for the past five months, trying to find a city in the world where in which she one day may want to settle down and open a bar, a woman from Australia on a religious quest, and Tuki a man from Argentina who just loved Guadalajara so much he now works part time for the hostel and joined a band here. Its sometimes so interesting to meet these sorts of people.

Heading back out to the Cathedral behind our street for the six o´clock show of what the locals call ´Jesus and his friends´- a group of statues of Jesus and his disciples that encircle the bell tower as the bells chime 6. There are a million Cathedral-like churches in Guadalajara- I´ve counted five we´ve visited already- and to my amazement in each one we´ve found a bunch of Mexicans praying. The Mexicans are known for their devout Catholicsm and spiritual ferver of course, but I was taken today by the truth of that statement. As a visitor of hundred of Cathedrals, these have been the first I´ve seen to have a steady stream of real, local and faithful worshippers.

The visitors sitting amongst the tourists, the true visitors, who´ve come because they only want to stare at the ornateness of the structure for a few moments in awe and snap some photos. While the structures were in fact amazing, it really was the collective group of people in each cathedral that were captivating.

My night´s been spent talking with family, emailing friends and reading. It´s quite pleasant here at night, it never really cools down, and we have this open-sky patio that´s delightful just to sit at and enjoy relaxation.

I´m looking forward to another day of learning and exploration... I know this is just the beginning, but I´m already so glad I came, no need for all those worries, though I know there´s always justification for concern and it´s better to think through the what if´s in preparation for what could be. But what a relief, this comfort of knowing I´m so happy to be here right now.

June 4 2007
7am

At 6:30am this morning my Continental flight took off in which will eventually route me internationally once again. This year has just been amazing with regard to the amount of travelling in my life, and I can´t imagine, at this point in my life, it being any different.

A fresh college graduate (now about 20 days with a diploma) I booked this trip in early april with Kristen - arranged some details in the beginning of may and then since graduation, we´ve ironed out our plan and invited others along for the adventure. I think though at this point it may end up just Kristen and Julie on another 3-week adventure.

The plan is 5 cities in 3 weeks arriving to Guadalajara at just about 3pm today and beginning the adventure from there. We´ve picked some exciting cities, some leisurly rest stops, and what I hope will be a great plan.

We also realize Mexico is no Western Europe and have adapted our strategy a bit for this one- a few more safety precautions, more pre-venture research, talking with friends who´ve been, and bringing along next to nothing in clothing and accesories or anything valuable; instead loading our bags with first aid kits, bottled water, padlocks, sunblock, and sneakers. No computers, cell phones, ipods- the only technology being digital cameras to capture the memories forever.

We´re beginning our descent into Cleveland- I´m watching the clouds pass by my window quickly, leaving small waterdróplets on the outer of my double-ply windows, then each quickly propelled backward with the force of the wind. And I think that´s exactly how I feel right now, paused for just a second, disturbed from my normally soft and clean surroundings, now ready but yet unprepared to be propelled into a new adventure... pushed, ready or not. Unlike the water droplet however, this trip was in fact my decision, all my planning and desire, but again I´m holding on, as best I know how, just for a brief second. But propelled into what? Yes, at this second, I am awaiting a Mexican adventure, but maybe the adventure itself is also a brief distraction; me preventing myself from propelling into the adult world. I´m holding onto my college-self (or at least the me of the past few semesters) and yes, getting propelled into something new: adulthood, the working world. And I feel this resistant desire for one last youthful- but very independant and adult- adventure as my new life is on the brink of colliding with my old. And amidst all this, I am so excited for all of it.

I´m ready. Let´s take that leap- first into the next few weeks of cultural and linguistical immersion- this passion, this natural high rooted deep within the desires of my heart, something that´s become such a part of me, and yes! It´s here again. Mexico, here I come- ready and able to experience you and all your people and culture have to offer, on a shoestring budget of course. Next stop Houston, then Guadalajara and the unknown in just a few hours!