The equator runs through Colombia, so -- on a flat map -- it looks consistently tropical. But the dizzying heights of Machu Picchu’s Andes don’t end abruptly at the Peruvian border, instead pushing northward, splitting into three fingers (known as cordilleras) of snow-capped and volcanic peaks divided by deep river valleys. Bogota sits along the... Continue Reading →
A Lesson in Letting Go, plus a 7th grader’s perspective on Colombia
Last night, we had what is becoming a quintessentially Colombian lesson in letting go: of plans, of control, of the idea that we are masters of our own destiny. It went like this: At 6pm, we went to Conversation Club at our language school, where we practice speaking painfully slowly, clearly and correctly... Continue Reading →
On Homesickness and Holsteins
Yesterday, someone asked if I was homesick and I was surprised to realize that I’m not. Not yet, anyway, or not in the way I have been on past trips, yearning for my normal, or at the very least, the familiar. Like when I spent a summer in Russia and day 5 found me in... Continue Reading →
On Bungee Jumping, Eating Elephants, Fiesta del Reyes and Betrayal
One of my friends, when I was in the throes of last-minute what-am-I-doing panic, sent me this pep-post: So here's how I see it: It's like bungee jumping... it sounds cool when you decide to do it, but then you have to put on that harness thing and that's totally outside your fashion and overall... Continue Reading →
Bureaucracy, American-style
There is an inordinate amount of bureaucracy involved in leaving for six months. The kind of bureaucracy that I usually avoid, with endless phone trees and twelve transfers to different representatives who don’t really know how to answer my questions. It is reinforcing for me the fact that what we’re doing is Unusual and Not... Continue Reading →
The World's Okayest Mom 