Nov 4
There's a story we sometimes tell on Outward Bound courses about sleeping through a storm. It's a story about a farmer and how this farmer is able to sleep through a storm because she does everything right the first time, she prepares for the oncoming storm by being ready. And it is a good story for teenagers -- to help them to think about planning ahead and not being reactive.
For 13 months I lived out of my backpack or out of a suitcase or out of the back of my car. I never slept in one place longer than a night – two nights. Except for 5 or so weeks on an air mattress while I tried to figure my life out or two weeks in Huaraz or three weeks in Patan. I moved, ate out, people watched, followed my whims.
This time I will get it right, I thought to myself. I left early, I studied maps, and I got on all the right buses and trains. Everything seemed like it was going to work out just fine.
My day started fine - head to Manhattan to meet with a colleague. I made it there just fine, found the coffee shop and had a great productive meeting. But from there.... it started to go downhill.
Now, first, let me tell you about what I know in New York City.
As most of you know, I have taken a job in New York City as an School Designer, working for NYC Outward Bound Schools. Which basically means that I will be supporting schools in NYC that are implementing the Expeditionary Learning Schools model. Does it sound like the dream job for me? Yep, pretty much.
At the tail end of my adventures, I felt pretty sure of what I wanted. I wanted to keep trekking, keep traveling, keep alive the feeling in me -- the feeling of adventure and freedom and quenching my wanderlust
I have been back in the states for a little over a month now. In some ways, my life has slowed down a lot. I go to the same place for work every day, I see my old friends. I just got my car back. I do 'normal' life things -- like get my car inspected. But at the same time, I am still in flux. Still very much in transition - sleeping on an air mattress with my sleeping bag as a blanket. Still unsure of where I will go beyond July 27th. Still unsure of what I want.
The past week and a half has been pretty insane -- from arriving in NYC to going to Denver, CO for the Expeditionary Learning National Conference to arriving back in Northampton to see friends and return to work (I am subbing for an Assistant Principal at my old school).
May 1
Mar 23
Note to self…. if you are quoted a price, always make sure you ask if it is in dollars or in bolivianos or pesos or rupees or whatever currency you are currently using…..
Yeah…. the quote for the second climb – WAY out of my budget. Like, out of the ballpark.
Unfortunately, I have been hanging out in La Paz waiting for the climb for two days. And though it is a great city, I am so ready to get the hell out of dodge.
So, tomorrow, I will head to Copacabana on the shores of Lake Titicaca and then visit Isla del Sol before heading into Peru.
My time is quickly dwindling, which is very sad indeed. For those of you who don’t know — I am leaving South America on April 30th to fly to NY to then fly to Denver.
What??? you ask? well…..
On day in Vietnam, on a whim, I applied to present at the National Expeditionary Learning Conference (http://elschools.org/) . To my surprise, I was accepted, which will be a great experience — however, it meant cutting my trip short. But — since I am returning to South America – to Ecuador — in July with a group of students, I figured I would be still getting 5 months in South America.
So — that means that I have just 5 weeks left…. which is a little mind-blowing to me.
Better start livin’ it up…..
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