The Right Direction

I got my first (and only) tattoo a few years ago.  It was something I'd already been considering for a while.  After a few years of pondering, I still wanted it, so I decided to go for it.  I had been in Argentina for a couple months, and there were a few extra pesos jingling around in my pocket.  When in Argentina...  :)   (Disclaimer:  Adequate research was done, and I went to the best tattoo parlor in the city... so please don't think I trotted over to a grass shack and had ink injected into me by some random gaucho.)  At a bargain price of only 80 pesos (just over $20 USD), my tattoo (done by an Argentino named Sebastian) is still my proudest purchase from Argentina.  It reads "Mostrame el camino," which means "show me the way."  My tattoo is a little reminder each day of the sometimes-confusing journey through life. 

Some people have asked about the title of my blog, "Finding My Way."  I've dubbed my blog as such for a couple reasons-- a) simply put, I love to travel; and b) like my tattoo, it serves as a reminder to me that every day in this crazy life is part of that terrific journey into the unknown.  Ah, the unknown.  Yeah, it can be exciting.  But it can be very scary too.  How are we ever supposed to know if we're headed in the right direction?  Sometimes we just need a little guidance.

I guess it's safe to say that I'm still trying to find my way in life.  Does anyone have their path figured out just yet?  If you do, congratulations.  I'm not there.  I'm actually not quite sure I'll ever be there.  Seems like I always get a little lost... between the things I want to do, and the things I should do, I'm just never sure what the next step is.

What I want to do:

• travel, travel, and travel some more
• dip my left foot in every ocean
• move to Chicago
• move to New York
• move to Ireland
• move to South America
• find perfect love
• eat nothing but French toast for a month
• start a photography business
• write for a living
• open a cafe/bakery
• meet someone else with my exact name
• take up miming
• grow a huge garden that contains only lavender
• learn the perfect universal joke
• etc...

What I should do:

• sell my car and save my money
• eat nothing but nutritious salads for a month
• stay in my current apartment until the lease is up
• go back to school for a more specific degree, so that I can get a decent job
• travel only when necessary
• talk less and listen more
• snap photos while it's still fun
• write while I still enjoy it
• distribute baked goods for free, not in exchange for money
• etc...

Ah, the eternal struggle.  There's so much I still want to do, and I feel like I'm running out of time and resources while trying to focus on the things I feel I should be doing. 

Lately I've been reading books from my childhood-- just finished my E.B. White collection, which included one of my favorites, Stuart Little.  You don't have to read the book (but if you've got 45 minutes, go ahead... it's an easy read).  It's about a little mouse named Stuart, who befriends a bird named Margalot.  Margalot eventually leaves Stuart (she has her reasons), so Stuart embarks on a journey to be reunited with her.  He hasn't actually found his friend by the end of the book, but White leaves the reader feeling hopeful that Stuart and Margalot will once again find one another. The last paragraph is especially hopeful:

"Stuart rose from the ditch, climbed into his car, and started up the road that led toward the north.  The sun was just coming up over the hills on his right.  As he peered ahead into the great land that stretched before him, the way seemed long.  But the sky was bright, and he somehow felt he was headed in the right direction." -- Stuart Little, E.B. White

Yes, sometimes the way does seem long.  And sure, it's often scary to take a step into the unknown.  But look up-- the sky is always bright somewhere (though you might have to look beyond the clouds).  And if you're able to see the bright sky, even through the clouds, you're headed in the right direction.




(side note: The book Stuart Little also contains my favorite sentence from any literary work:  "One morning, when the wind was from the west, Stuart put on his sailor suit and his sailor hat, took his spyglass down from the shelf, and set out for a walk, full of the joy of life and the fear of dogs.")

Day 19: Don't Cry for Me, Argentina (or DomRep, or Guatemala, or Ireland)

I love to travel.  For me, the one and only disappointing part about traveling is that it's nearly impossible to accurately describe the experience to someone who wasn't there.  For example, I was incredibly frustrated when trying to share a few months' worth of Argentina experiences with my friends and family at home (of course, my travel blog helped a bit).  Same goes with the other places I've explored (Ireland, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, and so many more).  Here are some of my FAVORITE spots in the entire world.

Below is a photo of me in El Calafate, Argentina, near the Perito Moreno glacier.  Can you believe this is South America?  Many people forget about the south of South America.  Argentina is a long country.  Its northernmost point is approximately the same distance from the equator as Cuba (so it's warm).  And it stretches all the way to the very southern tip of South America, where you'll find the southernmost city in the world: Ushuaia in Cape Horn (Tierra del Fuego). Ushuaia is cold, even in Argentina's spring/summer (our fall/winter here in Michigan).  The Perito Moreno glacier (below) is one of the most peaceful places I've ever been.  The magnitude of that sheet of ice is astounding-- anyone would feel dwarfed standing near it.  Silence fills the air, and the only sound is the wind rolling through the mountains that surround the glacier.  Every so often, an automobile-sized ice chunk falls off the glacier, and the sound that follows is unexplainable-- it shatters the silence. 

The next photo is an attempt to photograph the entire glacier (however, its 20-mile length and 240-ft height [above the water... it extends 558 feet below the surface of the water] make it difficult to capture the whole thing).  I did my best:



The next photo is on the same trip, but a bit further south, in Ushuaia (southernmost city in the world).  They call it "Fin del Mundo," which means "The End of the World."

Look closely and you can see Antarctica (haha, not really... but I was very close!).  This is an island in the Beagle Channel, and lounging around on said island are sea elephants (similar to seals/sea lions), cormorants, and penguins-- three things I would never have expected to see in the wild. 

The next photo is from the same boat excursion-- through the Beagle Channel-- the evening sky was unreal, which made for some of the most phenomenal photos I've ever captured.

Now let's head to the northern part of Argentina (closer to the equator); specifically, Iguazu Falls.  Fewer layers of clothing are needed, and visitors are certainly more comfortable without a scarf and mittens.  Iguazu Falls, third largest in the world, stretch for 1.7 miles along the Iguazu River, and some are a whopping 270 feet high (Niagara Falls, impressive though it may be, has absolutely nothing on Iguazu Falls).  There is very little concrete in Iguazu National Park (which encompasses an area the size of Panama), which adds to the feeling of being in paradise.  And that's exactly how I felt when I saw the falls.  I can only think of one word to describe Iguazu Falls, and it's PARADISE.  Majestic waterfalls, palm trees, sunshine and rainbows as far as the eye can see?  Yes, please.  Keep in mind that each of these falls are 200-300 feet high.

It's impossible to get a bad picture of the falls. 

Okay, we're still in Argentina-- in Rosario, the city I lived in.  This photo was taken from the balcony off my apartment, and I promise that it wasn't edited at all.  This is just an example of the sunsets that happen in Rosario.  Rosario is a very artsy city, with beautiful architecture (looks like old New York, with an Italian flair).  Very few people know this, but there's a HUGE  Italian influence in Argentina (every meal consisted of pizza or pasta with some wine... not bad!). 

Here's La Boca (a very colorful, musical, ecclectic neighborhood in Buenos Aires, Argentina).  There are street musicians, mimes, tango dancers, and artists on every corner.  The streets are lined with brightly colored shops and houses.  It's magical.

A bit further north, to the Dominican Republic: give me 16th century buildings (did you know this is where Christopher Columbus landed?), cobblestone streets, ancient lamp-posts, and beautiful people, and I'm happy.

Travel west and just a smidge to the south, and you'll run into Guatemala, where I've left bits and pieces of my heart over the years.  Green-green-green mountains (including active volcanoes), the best coffee you'll ever taste (and coffee plantations too!), Spanish colonial architecture, tropical plants (and fresh fruit like you wouldn't believe), and beautiful people make this country magnificent.  Traveling cross-country is best done via bus, which takes a while since you're winding your way up and down narrow mountain roads, but with the right amount of Dramamine it can yield some spectacular views.

Last but definitely not least, the Emerald Isle.  If you want to experience pure magic, GO TO IRELAND.  Breathtaking landscapes, ancient tombs, the most friendly people on the planet, fantastic castles, the Cliffs of Moher (a 300-meter drop straight down), the best Guinness ever, green, green, and more green.  Who could ask for anything more?  I can't wait to go back.