Teachings of Traveling
During my travels I have learned that exploring the world is the greatest gift you can give yourself. I have gained so much life knowledge that I feel like I can almost literally conquer the globe. So much can be learned by just traveling to an unknown place and talking to someone new.
Many of the places I have eaten or the adventures that I've gone on in the past month were discovered by word of mouth. My new friends from almost every continent in the world have given me tips on exploring the cities that I meet them in. Much of their advice is unreachable on the internet and really requires delving into the pure culture of the town. For this reason, shared knowledge becomes so valuable. All of the fun I have had could not be found in any other way than through meeting other people and talking to them.
One thing I've learned is that South and Central American drivers are literally reincarnations of the Fast and Furious drivers. They have an incomprehensible fearlessness with just enough recklessness to get you where you need to go in the shortest amount of time. It's amazing the amount of attention that driving in these countries requires. Drivers somehow master the art of predicting what the driver in front of them will do while simultaneously disregarding the cars behind them, speed limits, and turning signals. Gasoline is pumped straight into the tank under the hood of the car and apparently it's such a dangerous task in Peru that all passengers have to get out of the car and stand away until the gas pump is taken out of the engine.
I think my favorite part of going to multiple cities is discovering the differences in small things like the layout of the streets and houses or the night life. When I first began my travels, I had no idea what these countries would be like. I previously had only been to European countries which were fairly modern and thoroughly developed, so tossing myself into underdeveloped and poverty stricken areas has been a revolutionary experience for me. I am grateful for all that I have discovered but mostly I am excited to come back to these places in a few years and exercise my knowledge about the nooks and crannies of Panama, Costa Rica, and Peru.
Last night, I successfully made my way to the Hogar San Francisca de Asis home for destitute children. The photos below are taken from the third floor of the home, where the volunteers reside. From here, you can see the Altos Yanacoto and what I believe is Mt. Huampani.
I was welcomed by the kids, staff, and other volunteers with open arms and warm hearts. Today was spent cramming information into my brain about how the home functions and what my role is. The stories that follow these children are quite heartbreaking but shows you how much resilience they have to wake up everyday with a smile on their faces, ready to conquer the day. I will soon write more about what the Hogar aims to achieve and post some photos of Chaclacayo, Peru where I will be living for the next month. (Side note: nobody ever warned me about how dust-ridden Lima is).
- Nicole
Many of the places I have eaten or the adventures that I've gone on in the past month were discovered by word of mouth. My new friends from almost every continent in the world have given me tips on exploring the cities that I meet them in. Much of their advice is unreachable on the internet and really requires delving into the pure culture of the town. For this reason, shared knowledge becomes so valuable. All of the fun I have had could not be found in any other way than through meeting other people and talking to them.
One thing I've learned is that South and Central American drivers are literally reincarnations of the Fast and Furious drivers. They have an incomprehensible fearlessness with just enough recklessness to get you where you need to go in the shortest amount of time. It's amazing the amount of attention that driving in these countries requires. Drivers somehow master the art of predicting what the driver in front of them will do while simultaneously disregarding the cars behind them, speed limits, and turning signals. Gasoline is pumped straight into the tank under the hood of the car and apparently it's such a dangerous task in Peru that all passengers have to get out of the car and stand away until the gas pump is taken out of the engine.
I think my favorite part of going to multiple cities is discovering the differences in small things like the layout of the streets and houses or the night life. When I first began my travels, I had no idea what these countries would be like. I previously had only been to European countries which were fairly modern and thoroughly developed, so tossing myself into underdeveloped and poverty stricken areas has been a revolutionary experience for me. I am grateful for all that I have discovered but mostly I am excited to come back to these places in a few years and exercise my knowledge about the nooks and crannies of Panama, Costa Rica, and Peru.
Last night, I successfully made my way to the Hogar San Francisca de Asis home for destitute children. The photos below are taken from the third floor of the home, where the volunteers reside. From here, you can see the Altos Yanacoto and what I believe is Mt. Huampani.
I was welcomed by the kids, staff, and other volunteers with open arms and warm hearts. Today was spent cramming information into my brain about how the home functions and what my role is. The stories that follow these children are quite heartbreaking but shows you how much resilience they have to wake up everyday with a smile on their faces, ready to conquer the day. I will soon write more about what the Hogar aims to achieve and post some photos of Chaclacayo, Peru where I will be living for the next month. (Side note: nobody ever warned me about how dust-ridden Lima is).
- Nicole
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