Mountains

Guatemala, Mi Amor: Day Two (The Return)

March 30, 2024March 30, 2024 First Person ForeignCultural Difference

I watched the driver reach for the machete with his free hand as we careened across the InterAmerican Highway. With his hand clasping the wheel, he used the machete to push something unstuck. There we were, all[…]

Las montañas: Returning to Guatemala, 1

February 26, 2024 First Person ForeignBeauty

So, I booked a trip. I’ve been lucky to book so many before, but this one took some plotting. All of the layovers on the US dollar looked egregious: red eyes on opposite coasts, or[…]

The Traverse and the Reunions: Returning to Ketchikan (2)

July 23, 2019July 23, 2019 First Person ForeignAlaska

“Alaska lulled me here on some sort of fantasy.” I thought as I ran up and down the hills of the residential streets. I pushed myself to scale them because I am trying to keep[…]

The Joy and The Bliss: Returning to Ketchikan

July 19, 2019 First Person ForeignAlaska

Hoy mismo I landed in Ketchikan and sent a text to Claire. I had to connect to the internet to do so, no T-Mobile in Alaska. I realized this in 2016 when I got a[…]

The First Week of Graduate School and My Last Post.

May 21, 2019May 21, 2019 First Person ForeignBeauty

Hello All. It’s a Sunday night and you can catch me writing my blog and procrastinating further studying for a statistics exam tomorrow. Statistics. I want to be a high-school Spanish teacher. I repeat: Spanish.[…]

Moving Across the Country (3): 10 Hours to Arizona

May 13, 2019May 13, 2019 First Person ForeignArizona

The long-anticipated arrival to Arizona after driving three days from Georgia to start graduate school!

Ready or not, USA (1)

April 26, 2019April 28, 2019 First Person ForeignChanges

Now, I imagined this day a million ways (my departure) and none of them could have prepared me for what it actually was. Dropped off by friends, then up ’til the last second in the[…]

TOURING GUATEMALA (3): Unplugged in Semuc Champey

April 19, 2019April 19, 2019 First Person ForeignBeauty

We woke up on our third day of travel in Flores, and made it onto the bus without a problem. This time we would not wait for the bus to come to us, like the[…]

T-Minus Guatemala (Peace Corps Ending): Despedida Lunch and Hiking a Volcano Through The Night (Never Again)

April 8, 2019April 8, 2019 First Person ForeignBeauty

I moved out of site on Wednesday. The last hour was the most horrible, a weeping host family, heavy bags and an honorable Lic. Enrique (the educational superintendent) who picked me up in his red[…]

T-Minus Guatemala (Peace Corps Ending): Leaving Santa Clara La Laguna, My Home

April 7, 2019April 10, 2019 First Person ForeignAbuelita

The Wednesday before my departure was a dress rehearsal. I’ll explain what I mean by that. I had to go into the office for medical stuff, and for a meeting. I don’t recommend leaving site[…]