On Being a Vegetarian in Latin America
When I started my big trip, I considered myself mostly vegetarian. I found that long-term travel was a lot easier when I was willing to be flexible.
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Latin America
What I did in Latin America.
Surprise Healthcare Tourism: My Knee Injury in Latin America
Halfway through my 15-month trip, I fell off a bike and injured my knee. I spent the next couple of months limping, navigating a foreign healthcare system, and being very thankful that I bought travel insurance.
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How to be Polite in Colombia: Greetings
Greetings are an important part of any culture. When you begin to study another language, saying “hello” is the first thing you learn. As I compile my list of little cultural things I’ve observed in Colombia, this one comes up most in my daily life. If you want to be polite and fit in, especially in the part of the country where I live, you need to get greetings right. But getting it “right” sometimes feels unnatural or uncomfortable for me.
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A Tale of Two Journeys in Sapzurro
I started 2025 with a trip to Sapzurro, a Colombian beach town near the Panamanian border. While there, I met a family preparing to cross the Darien Gap.
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Little Cultural Things from Colombia: Winks and Buses
Living in Colombia, I’ve been paying close attention to the little cultural differences that surprise, frustrate, or delight me. This is the first in a series of posts exploring those things.
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Usted or Tú – What do I call you in Spanish?
There are two words for “you” in Spanish: usted or tú. The rules about when and with whom to use each one are less clear than I originally thought.
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What I Packed for a Year in Latin America
Everything I packed for 15 months of non-stop travel, including recommendations, regrets, and insights based on a lot of research and experience.
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Phases and Cycles – Noticing My Energy
Throughout a year of travel, I’ve found that I go through distinct phases and cycles. My energy ebbs and flows. I’m learning to listen better to what I need.
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Learning Spanish: Turning a Corner
After ten months of traveling in Latin America, I’m finally feeling really comfortable in Spanish. In this post, I reflect on the process, what’s made the biggest difference lately, and how I’m feeling now.
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Sweet Serendipity
I had a bit of a bad attitude about Costa Rica—until I ran into someone from my high school on a local bus. In this post, I reflect on the beauty and power of coincidences and small decisions.