Otherworldly

Machu Picchu. Pisco. From a earthquake devastated town to the pinnacle of a civilization. It's impossible to justly describe the experience going from one end of the spectrum to the other. Otherworldly is the best I can do.

 

I can't begin to understand the hardships the people of Pisco have had to face over the past few years, but I can say I felt helpless being there in the midst of the ruins of a town trying to survive and helpless leaving said area. All I hope for is that over time the area will recover and the things we were able to do there will have an impact on at least a few. The time we were able to spend with Jimmy and his family there was a blessing. I'm thankful we had the opportunity to work with our hands and make a real difference in the daily lives of one family. It was emotional to see Jimmy becoming tearful as we tackled projects around his house. I could grasp the full weight of what us being there meant to him. It is not a memory I will quickly lose.

 

The bathroom jordan and I built was a foreign experience. Neither of us have much carpentry history, but with the help of Dan we managed to create a nearly flawless bathroom. (;

 

It's strange realizing the wealth of our nation in this atmosphere. I've lived without a lot of the material possessions I'm used to enjoying for the better part of the last two months and I don't feel as though I have a hole in me. We all came to this realization last night and it was challenging. I mean of all the people we've met and stayed with the vast majority of them have not had cars. Now I know I had heard this before, but seeing it with my own eyes is perspective shaking. This simple measurement, the ownership of a car, shows the massive chasm between home and here. Overwhelming.

 

For me Machu Picchu was an amazing 22nd birthday gift. I have never been to a place that so thouroughly takes my breath away. It's a place that I doubt I could ever describe in words, but I will say this I'm not sure even if I spent days and days there that I could ever fully take in the beauty and mystery that is Machu Picchu. Hidden in the mountains, these Incan ruins are from another world. Everyway you turn is picture worthy, but no picture could do it justice. It was one of the few things in this trip I really wanted to see and I'm overjoyed that I got to. There was something mystical about being in that city in the clouds, walking those streets, touching the stonework, meandering through the maze of levels and passageways, and looking out over the vastness and just feeling completely at awe with the world and with the people who lived there.

 

I'm not usually this romantic about nature and history, but I think this once romanticism is the only appropriate response. (:

 

Randomness

 

It's crazy that I'm celebrating my 22nd birthday on a bus and in Chile. How time flies.

 

With the trip drawing towards it's close I must say it's bittersweet. Much of what I miss at home is drawing me back, but at the same time I will dearly miss everything about these countries and their cultures. It's been enlightening.

 

Jordan and I have taken to singing the sound of music jams. The hills here are alive. (:

 

Ollantaytambo, our takeoff point for Machu Picchu, had a stunning backdrop of mountains and more ruins.

 

In the aforementioned city we were able to do a small deed for a needy family, which was cool. The touristy areas too often mask over the reality of life for some, I'm glad we could at least contribute groceries and such.

 

From earthquake caused ruins to Incan ruins, this part of the trip was eye opening, awe inspiring, and spectacular.

 

Miss yall dearly.

A Change of Scenery

Cuenca-Loja-Piura-Trujillo-Lima-Pisco

This past week has been absolutely crazy. I'm a little behind on blogs
compared to the others so I'll just touch briefly on what's happened
as of late.

Tale of two cities

Th two cities of Cuenca and Loja both represent to me the
unpredictable nature of this trip. In each city our contacts didn't
completely workout and we were left to do much of the searching on our
own. Cuenca, I had been reasonably confident that we would find some
pretty cool places and people to team up with, but we got nilch. While
in Loja, a seemingly unthought of option before Diegos house, we
randomly ran across some of the most amazing experiences of the trip
thus far.

It's mind boggling to me how some of the most routine decisions can
make a world of difference in the right circumstance. I mean who would
possibly guess that my decades old youth shirt (I like peer pressure)
would attract the attention of Sarah in the retirement facility.

I guess even God can use unnatural habits like keeping shirts for far
too long to change someones life. My mind just can't even grasp the
scenarios if I had not worn that shirt or if we hadn't gone to the
seniors home or if we hadn't even gone to Loja. The sheer magnitude of
what ifs is staggering. It's awesome to look back and see how Things
lineup perfectly even when for most of the time they may seem
pointless. It's a lesson in patience and humility.

After Loja we took a mammoth, marathon, maliciously long bus ride to
Pisco. In route we changed buses in Piura, Trujillo, and Lima. It took
us approximately 36 hours. Not only was the traveling exhausting, but
Peru is also suprisingly different from Ecuador and Colombia. The
landscape for one was has been very dry. We've been mainly on the
coast so lots of dunes, but also a ton a dirt and dust and little
vegetation. But peru also seems to be struggling a great deal more
than the other countries. Upon entrance we all felt the instant change
in atmosphere compared to the other countries. It was dramatic and
disheartening.

I feel a little guilty but up to this point I had been getting used to
the sight of poverty, but seeing it on this whole new level is
appalling. I'm at a loss when I attempt to imagine living the way so
many people do here.

Here in Pisco we've met some great people who have shown us the area
and the need. And It feels like we will really be able to help out at
least a few people a sizable amount. This area in 2007 was struck by a
earthquake that destroyed much of the city and the government thus far
has been little help, it's been three years and the damage is still
obvious. You don't realize how lucky you are until you see situations
like this.

Random thoughts

People can't pronounce Cory in spanish. It's impossible and humorous.

We've invented a game at the hostel using frogs, foosballs, and awesomeness.

Our trip today to islas ballestas was lovely. Penguins, pelicans, sea
lions, and an army of birds waiting to attack our boats with feces. We
were spared.

The pacific coast is beautiful.

I'm super tired of rice, chicken, and soda.

An ice cream with two rather small scoops cost about 30-40 cents here.
Just a little perspective for those curious.

Yesterday I saw the worst living conditions I've ever seen and the
image will be inprinted in my memory for a long time.

I can't begin to grasp the scope of damage here, it's hard to walk
through some of the seriously poor areas and know people are looking
at you expecting you to help and you can do very little. It's not easy
feeling helpless. We are so rich.

Miss you all

Halfway Point

As of october 14 it's been a month since each of us left our respective homes. A month of buses, a month of culture overload, a month of foreign, peculiar food, a month of eye-opening experiences, and most of all a month none of us will ever forget.

 

As this next month begins I can only hope for even more memories and even more challenging experiences. It seems cliche to say I want to go home changed, but it's true. I want my opinions, perspectives, and lifestyles all to be challenged and quite possibly changed. This trip is an opportune time to truly analyze where I am and where I'm going, and I'm thankful for all the people I've met and will meet helping me see the truth, hope, and beauty in life. :)

 

Let's take a moment and reminisce of all the places with been to thus far in this epic journey!

 

Guatemala

-Guatemala city, Antigua

 

El Salvador - just in passing

 

Honduras

-Tegucigalpa, La Esperanza

 

Nicaragua

-Managua, Granada, Ciudad Sandino

 

Costa Rica

-San Jose, Atenas, Alajuela,

 

Panama

-Panama city

 

Colombia

-Bogota

 

Ecuador

-Quito, Banos, Puyo, Morona Santiago villages (Palora, Paquisha, Kuarash, Tunayme, Chay), Cayambe Mountain, Catacasi, Laguna Cuicocha

 

Ecuador has truly been amazing. Being able to take our time and see the country thoroughly has been a real blessing. There is so much in every country and it has not been easy determining where we should spend our time.

 

The last few days have been priceless. We've been on two mountains and got a healthy dose of exercise on each (cayambe mt and cruz loma), we've seen a volcanic crater lake at laguna cuicocha, and seen stunning mountains, waterfalls and forests on our drive to banos and puyo. And that's just a taste of the past week.

 

We also were blessed to make contact with a baptist pastor in Puyo who took us on a tour of five villages and three tiny churches in the amazon area. I cannot fully put to the words this experience. The way of life is so different and somehow relaxing. It was cool to be removed from the hustle of big cities and even the chaos of some of the smaller cities and see the remote villages and their people. Part of me envys their lifestyle, it's so distant from the overwhelming and demanding life we live in america an not to mention some of the villages were in incredibly beautiful areas, but in truth I doubt I could ever live as they do. They live intensely frugal and I can only hope that we or someone will be able to help provide meaningful aides to make their villages more sustainable nutritionally and structurally.

 

I haven't even mentioned that we were maybe minuteds away from leaving puyo when we ran across a lady who led us to this pastor in puyo. It's incredible how quickly things can change and how in reality this trip has very little to do with our planning as much it has to do with our willingness to allow God to work on his time, not ours.

 

I almost forgot. We've also been to the middle of the world, the actual middle(gps located) and the touristy, inaccurate one. The pictures I've posted are actually from the touristy one, but hey close enough ;)

 

Oh! Andddd our trip to the snow capped mountain Cayambe was the epitome of epic. A dirt/rocky road led us through remote, enchanting farmlands around dreadful curves, through a river (well a small stream haha, still there was no bridge), onto cloud-drenched cliffs, and finally to the refuge from which we hiked to snow and took lovely  photos. The hike was extrenuous, but so worth it. This is the only glacier mountain on the equator. Awesome.

 

Overall ecuador is a country I'm not excited to leave and I can't wait to see where the trip takes us next. Miss you all.

 

Cheers

Cow feet, chilly weather, and a revelation or two

South America is breath-takingly beautiful. Let me describe my bus trip from Bogota, Colombia to Quito, Ecuador to give you a glimpse at what we encountered. Rolling green hills, lush open fields, staggeringly tall mountains and dramatic river gorges all were typical sights on our monstrous 30 hour bus ride. Truthfully the landscapes were incredible and made the uncomfortable reality of traveling by bus very worthwhile.

 

Ooops let me backtrack a little bit. When I last left off we were in Panama. After a interesting water drought and a relaxing stay with the Hubbards we made our plans to travel to Colombia. Before our flight we got to spend some time with a few local pastors which has left me excited about future possibilities in panama.

 

Now let me be honest, I was hesitant before we left on this trip about the prospect of traveling to Colombia. And while I was confident in the decision we made to go ahead and go there I still did not know what to expect. Well now that we've gone and left I can tell you this. Colombia made me a believer :) it is definitely in my top 3 countries thus far and possibly number one, but I'll reserve my opinions til the very end.

 

One day in Bogota we came across a man who was asking for money. This is not an uncommon experience, but for some reason it struck a chord in me. The hard truth I've realized on this trip is that the need everywhere is overwhelming. Poverty is not an issue one takes on lightly and for me it's been difficult to grasp how to deal with it. Then I realized I can't change the world. It's too big. What I can do is meet people where they are and truly care about them. The sad thing is how often do my own prejudices get in the way and keep me from connecting with people.

 

I think I'm too self conscious. It's too easy to shrug off people when I'm consumed by my own life. This one man, who I randomly ran into will never know the depth of insight he forced me to deal with. I, and I don't believe I'm too bold in saying we aren't built to live for ourselves. It doesn't work. I believe the more we strive to live as a community and less as an individual the more whole we will be.

 

The comforts of home are so alluring when I'm faced with the tough task of dealing with the flaws buried deep within. Running is too easy. Confronting is so not in my personality, but growth depends on it.

 

That's enough abstract-ness.

 

Cows feet are repulsive. No offense to those who enjoy it (elias) but truthfully I doubt I've ever been more repulsed by a plate of food put in front of me. Luckily colombia made up for it in the next few days.. Seriously it had hair on it. How I ask am I to eat this?

 

Hmmm me and jordan attracted quite a lot of curious looks with our dollar store sticky ball game in the airport. Great time. GREAT time.

 

Back to the present.

 

I bought some sour candy today. Yes please. Love it. And we climbed a mountain. Astonishing. Well we took a cable car a lot of the way, but we did hike quite a bit :) I love mountains ugh. !!!!!!!

 

Well dans exchange student friend has been extremely welcoming and his family is sooo nice. Ecuador is seriously scoring points with it's people, mountains haha, and climate. I'm looking forward to our time here and going out to banos, puyo and tena in the next few days to see and find people and places we can help.

 

Ecuador may trump the other countries, but we'll see (;

 

I miss free refills, english haha, and all of my friends and family.

 

Adios

 

Borders, squishy hot dogs, and home cooked meals

The bus ride from san jose was a little dreadful. Unfortunately for me I have been blessed (or cursed) with the lankiest legs ever, which when combined with minimal leg room does not make for a pleasant or comfortable combination. I survived. And had a lovely, fitul night of sleep deprivation. Maybe not that extreme hah.

 

The border crossing between costa rica and panama was the worst thus far in my opinion. We didn't have any real problems, it just was a long, pointless process that became tiresome. Oh and elias got a nice taste of racial profiling. but all is well now and we are safe and sound at the lovely home of the hubbards in panama city.

 

Our meals today have been amazing. Home cooked meals ugh, fast food and the rather bland food thus far in latin america doesn't compare. But I'm getting ahead of myself, last night we arrived at the bus terminal at three in the morning.. It must have been a sight to see, us four huddled in between atms buying our time with a few how I met your mother episodes on dans laptop until it was safe to go out. We got quite a few curious looks :)

 

Ohh and this trip has gotten me quite into how I met your mother. It's a beautiful show. Try it.

 

A word regarding my coffee for those requesting details on how I prepare it. A few spoonfuls of sugar and cream. Am I doing it right bobby? Hah

 

this trip is challenging. For me hearing God and feeling direction has always been difficult. I hope I can maintain an open mind to how things are meant to unfold and how I'm meant to be used.

 

A sidenote, costa rica is a stunningly beautiful country. And I love churros. Hmmm and a big thannks to carlos our last couch surfing experience for being super accomodating and helpful!

 

A word of wisdom for those interested, late night hot dogs at the border may be oddly squishy and mysteriously filling to those brave enough to challenge the mystery meat. Not all are up to it, so be wary. 

 

Cha cha cheers.

rain, rain, rain go away

Normally I would not be caught dead speaking such a phrase, but enough is enough. 10-12 hours a day. I didn't even think that was possible. Oh well. I still love you, rain, however a little sunshine in costa rica would be nice. Please and thank you.

 

We arrived in san jose, costa rica yesterday after another tica bus trip with more movies in espanol. Mmmm love it. Actually yes man was still a quality movie. Zooey deschanel :)

 

Our time in nicaragua was filled with opportunities. When we first got to managua I truly didn't know what to expect and felt a little discouraged. Then my inbox flooded with emails of missionaries wanting to meet with us. It wass really cool to see the doors open out of nothing and to be re-encouarged (if that's a word).

 

It was very interesting hearing about the unique visions and lives each of the missionaries had. We had a lovely dinner with wayne and megan at pizza hut (which truthfully was amazing). They are two amazing people from the casselberry area. How crazy is that!

 

For me the beauty in managua was in the people we met not the streets, landscapes, or markets. Their hearts showed their desire to help that place and their love for the people. This was evident and I fear if we had not seen the city through the eyes of these people we would have looked past the city and the people without delay, for it is easy for us to lose sight of the present on such a long trip. Our minds easily flow into overload mode and we forget about the value and importance of every moment. I can only hope that we will be able to remember clearly as much as we can from each place and each person we meet.

 

Everyone has a story and if we get lost in the chaotic, frantic pace of our own lives we lose the chance for true community and growth with the people we are around.

 

Random: I'm tired of fried chicken, soda, and bland food!

 

Also I really want a hammock seat thing. They are quite heavenly :)

 

I miss music dearly. I miss my friends and family even more. It's weird not being able to just sit and relax with a guitar or a piano.

 

jordan made a kitty friend at the last hostel we stayed at in grenada. It would stick it's paws under our door. So of course we fed it chinese leftovers. Ugh cats. This one was as close to liking cats as I can get. Creepy creatures.

 

Coffee update. Still think it's pretty nasty. Which is truth.

 

Haha oh and I nearly forgot I was the only member of the team lucky enough to experience a gay guy trying to lead me to his market booth by wrapping his arms around my waist. I avoided the area quite carefully after that.

 

That's all for now.

 

Love yall

Muchos Grande

This is hard.

I dont have the words to say that can describe the emotions that this trip evokes in me. Its so contradicting. Its rewarding and shocking. Its illuminating and disheartening. Its hopeful yet desperate. It can be beautiful but also decrepit. Its confusing.

I fear portraying these countries and people in the wrong light. It is true that a vast majority of the places we have seen have enormous poor populations, however this does not diminish the fact that they are equally entitled to life and hope as I am. They're differences show the diversity and creativity that is so alive in the world. Life, no, creation is so incredibly stunning and our differences only add more beauty to the ingeniousness of God.

Seeing life as this dynamic and changing thing, startles me, because way too often at home i live in the realms of my comfort zone and dare not venture out. Its a challenge to see that risks may be worthwhile in the end, but possibly I need to be just a little, actually quite a lot more open to the people around me. Too often we pass up opportunities in our lives, because our fickle daily routine is much too valuable to be disturbed. I fear getting lost in the monotony of life.

The people in these countries are teaching me, not directly, but indirectly that maybe its time to look past myself and see the world as way, way, way bigger than me. haha unfortunately its way too easy to see everything in the light of whats easy.

Anyways, this trip and all we've seen thus far is enlightening. As you can see though its hard for me to describe the specifics of what we do day to day so ill leave that mainly up to the others, instead ill write reflections mostly in my blog.

We're in Managua as of now and plan to spend check out a few opportunities around here soon. Im also trying my best to begin to like the wretched thing that is coffee. Goodness i hope i dont achieve it, we all know how nasty it is.

On another note, Jordan is trying his best to convince me to let him make my beard "fresh" I think ill stick with roughness, however i fear he will get me one night and ill wake up with lightning blots on my cheeks haha. 

Interesting note. So far ive met people from France, South Korea, England, Germany, Australia, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and now Nicaragua. i cant wait to add to the list!