Archive for the ‘Issues & Failures’ Category

I’m writing this post from 35,000 feet in the air on my way from Santa Cruz, Bolivia to Cancun, Mexico. As I squeeze into the middle-row seat on a 6-hour flight between 2 layovers and an overnight bus ride, nothing can push me off the feeling I have at this moment. The feeling is of complete warmth. One that rushes through your body when something you’ve been working so hard for finally comes to fruition. It’s like that sensation you get on a Friday afternoon when the sun hits your face as you leave the office. This is the feeling I crave and one that constantly drives me. Last Saturday, the BiblioWorks staff, myself and nine other volunteers put on the first ever book fair in Sucre, Bolivia and it went off without a hitch. We had 15 educational institutions participating, 11 corporate sponsors and hundreds of children and adults …

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Last week I turned 28 years old and like many people, my birthday was met with a lot of reflection and evaluation about life. I was talking with my cousin who called to wish me a happy birthday and during our conversation, he helped me put things into perspective. Out of the blue he says, “well, it doesn’t look like you’re going to reach your goal anytime soon does it?” I had no idea what he was talking about. He continued… “Wasn’t it always your goal to become a millionaire by 30?” I was amazed that he remembered. I sat speechless; thinking about what he said as old emotions came flooding back. Somewhat embarrassed and thrown off, I laughed and said “You’re right, that was the goal and no, it doesn’t look like it at this point…” Since I was a sophomore in college I’ve had one primary goal in life: …

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69. Latin women love same-side sitting. I think it’s sexy if done with the right person and food selection (When eating ribs respect the space). 68. Chivalry isn’t dead gentlemen. Open doors, pull out chairs and offer your jacket. 67. Unlike American women, don’t expect Latin women to thank you for your chivalry, it’s expected. 66. You need to set a precedent early on… NO SURPRISE VISITS. They’re dangerous and will become more and more frequent. Not to mention they’re unexpected. 65. Never trust a woman who drives a mustang. 64. Never fight over a woman, but you can fight to defend a woman. 63. If you find a hot Ecuadorian woman you better hold on to her. 62. When in Argentina, drink a little Fernet and coke after dinner and it will help with digestion. 61. When in Colombia, order a bottle of Aguadiente vs individual drinks. It’s cheaper …

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I wanted to love you. I wanted you to be like people said you would. I was tired of running around and ready for a relationship. You introduced me around town and fed me well. Your tranquility was comforting and at night your face lit up when I went downtown. You seduced me with your charm. I was into you. As our relationship developed however, I noticed a flaw I couldn’t overcome. Trust became an issue and when that fades, everything goes. It started in the computer store where we talked everyday for almost two weeks. We spoke about one laptop in particular and all the details that came with it. We agreed on a price and the programs included. However, when the day came to make the purchase you told me you didn’t carry that model. You told me it would take 20 days to arrive and then tried …

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This week’s Foto Friday is brought to you by El Cajas National Park and T2T Travel Tip #123: You can’t win them all. Located 30 km west of Cuenca, Ecuador, El Cajas National Park is known for it’s 270 lakes and lagoons scattered throughout the 285 square kilometer  (177 sq. miles). El Cajas is supposed to be a beautiful area to view unique plants and animals (including my favorite, the Peregrine Falcon) but on this day, the tourism gods weren’t having it. A local friend and I left a sunny Sunday morning in Cuenca and jumped on a bus in hopes of swimming around the Lagoons of El Cajas. However, as we approached the national park cold rain set in and we knew it wasn’t going to be the picnic we expected. The bus driver pulled over and said “El Cajas” and as we disembarked he mentioned that they may …

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When Jefferson commissioned Lewis and Clark to go uncover the new world, I can only imagine the thoughts that ran through the two explorers minds… Were they sad about leaving home, excited about the new adventure, nervous, anxious, overwhelmed? I wonder, out of all the emotion and anticipation, what did they tell their friends and family? Did their families understand? Did their wives stick around? What happened when they returned 2 years later? As I prepare for my 3rd departure from home to South America, I find myself thinking a lot about relationships and how the dynamics change when I leave (and return). This is a topic very familiar to fellow travelers, expats and maybe even those famous adventurers, Lewis and Clark. I think about friends and the family. I think about what home is and what sacrifices are. I think about opportunities, selfishness and glory. I think about a …

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Everybody always asks me… “Don’t you get lonely traveling by yourself?” My response is always… of course! Every day isn’t filled with wild rainforest excursions, epic pool parties or historic polo championships. Building a network takes time. The work and travel balance is usually around 80% excitement/happiness and 20% anxiety/loneliness. I get nervous that I won’t be successful at meeting new people, I get depressed when I don’t make immediate connections and I get overwhelmed that I haven’t done everything as of yesterday. As expected, the first few days are always the most difficult. I don’t feel comfortable hanging around the hostel crowd and I stay clear of “comfortable connections” so I make it harder than it would be for most solo travelers. My loneliness is a direct result of my own self-imposed restrictions, which I’ve created to help me obtain my goals. With that being said, I’ve implemented 6 …

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It feels good getting back into using my second tongue. I’m still far from fluent but I’m starting to grasp the vocab and dialect I need to have a decent conversation. One of my major goals for this trip in Colombia is to get my words organized and get a better understanding of the correct structure of building sentences. I can hold a conversation but I suck at reading and writing (EL and LA, O and A are my worst enemies). So, in order to accomplish this goal and advance my second tongue, I started taking private Spanish lessons everyday for 2-hours per day at GozArte (pictured), a humble little cultural center a few blocks from my apartment in Envigado. I have more than enough opportunity to practice my conversational Spanish with friends, going out and with Bueno, entonces… so the true test is to see how much better at reading and …

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Waiting for my connecting flight at the airport in Santiago, Chile, this is the first chance I’ve had to sit down alone and reflect on this amazing adventure. I think about how hard the last few weeks have been. I think about the life-long relationships I’ve made and the memories that I’ll take with me forever. I think about the sleepless last few nights and the surreal cab ride to the airport. Although it was painful, the goodbye came with a great feeling of accomplishment. I think If saying goodbye was easy it meant nobody truly cared. Maybe that’s the advantage of backpacking. You can travel to a lot of places in a short period of time and never get too close for it to really hurt when you leave. For me however, this trip was more about just seeing monuments, taking pictures and trying the food. “The Tourist 2 …

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The World Cup ended a last week and everything is finally back to “normal” here in the city. I figured I’d throw a little video together to give you a glimpse at what the chaos was like in Buenos Aires for a few weeks. Here is some footage of the FIFA 2010 World Cup in South Africa from downtown Buenos Aires, Argentina. I went down to Plaza San Martin in Microcentro to watch Argentina battle Germany for a spot in the semi-finals. The “Ideal Second Half” footage comes from the Argentina vs Mexico match a week earlier. I wish I would have taken more footage from the after party at the Obelisco. The match ends with broken ribs and hurt feeling instead of flags waving and horns blowing, but it was definitely an amazing experience to see how Argentina celebrates this incredible tournament. See you at the FIFA World Cup in Brazil …

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I’m sitting here writing this from the most beautiful hostel I’ve ever stayed in. I’m in Tilcara, Argentina (North of Salta) and staying at the Malka Hostel. The hostel sits on the edge of a hill overlooking the quiet traditional village that is Tilcara. The Malka Hostel is designed like a Spanish summer camp with cabins setup on different levels across the property with stone and log walkways to connect them. Each cabin comes complete with handcrafted ceramic and wood furniture and is decorated with art from local indigenous people. To top it all off I’m traveling with a beautiful Porteña who is smart, organized and down for whatever. Most people would be at complete peace in this setting. However, my moments of peace are constantly interrupted with thoughts of this blog, my consulting projects and other revenue streams. I haven’t wrote anything in a week and it is driving me …

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I think no matter what country you live in or are going to visit you should have at least some understanding of the recent history, events and people who have shaped the society into what it is today. I have been holding back for awhile now about writing anything political, economic or social about Argentina or Buenos Aires because I still don’t think I know all the details for me to be a credible source. Anyway, we get the Wine Republic Magazine at Buller and I was skimming through it the other night as I’m planning for Mendoza and came across a great article. WR writer, Eric Osborne gives a solid 1 page description of the last 20 years of chaos in Argentina around the Argentine economic collapse of 2001. It’s a must read for anyone who lives on this planet and has a fundamental desire to learn about the world. For those interested …

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