Bullfights, Medellin

At 7am when I arrived after my long bus ride, I entered the hostel filled with hundreds (Im pretty positive it was hundreds) of beer bottles and a group of guys still drinking!! When I came back to Casa Kiwi in Medellin, I was so happy to see that Michael and Jodi were still there. I saw Michael still drinking and I instantly started blurting out English to him because I was soo happy to finally speak English after 3 entire days of only speaking Spanish. I knew Goobs was still there and we were all planning on going to the bullfights.

I knew the bullfights would involve torturing the bull. But I thought it was more tormenting, and not KILLING. I seriously had no idea that they kill the bull at the end of the fight. Had I known, Im not sure if I would have paid 30,000 pesos (15USD) to see it. It definitely was my first and last bullfight. I think. BUT, I do realize that it was a cultural experience. When I get home, I plan on wikipeding these bullfights to find out more, because half of the time I was so confused. After one bullfight, they were all the same, and I became bored because I just wasnt that interested in watching the bull die. Although, I found myself wanting to watch just to see if the guy would get his ass beat. I didnt want anyone to die...I just wanted to see them squirm, lol. And the last fight, a bull nearly got the bullfighter and the crowd was on its toes. But of course, all his friends came out to help him and distract the bull. So machismo to try and conquer this bull who fights alone with no weapons, and yet you have your buddies waiting to help you out. Its definitely an unfair fight.

And they gave us flowers to throw at the bullfighter, but I thought it was much more amusing to the throw them at the heads of people in the lower section. haha.

The after party....well, lets just say that it was only sponsored by rum. There were no cervezas to be found. So rum and coke it was...for everyone. And I ate pigs ears...which is good meat, but really weird when you know what you are eating because you have to spit out the cartilidge. Basically they just served pork fat. Pork fat and rum. and rum. and rum. and rum....

Cali, Colombia

Before I left the states, I had talking to a coworker about my trip. She told me that she is from Cali, Colombia and that she still has family there. She insisted that I stay with them, which was completely fine with me. After a few days of being in Medellin, I took a 9 hour bus down to Cali during the morning and arrived around 6pm. Jose and his girlfriend Mari picked me up from the station. They were sooo nice!! On the way to the apartment, it started to rain and there was lightening. It was a very different setting from my arrival in Medellin.

Later that night Jose and Mari took me to this place were we just had a local beer and communicated in Spanish. I ended up speaking spanish for the next 3 days. I only spoke English for 2 minutes when I called my mom.

The next day, Mari really wanted to take me to the river, Rio Ponce. Apparently it is a huge spot for locals to hang out. We went during the week, so there was not as many people, but there were still a lot of family in the river and cooking lunch along the bend. That is what I enjoyed most about hanging out with Jose and Mari because they took me to places were there were only locals, no tourists. They were really excited to show me around to places they enjoy going to.

Mari and Jose were going to teach my how to salsa, since Cali is the salsa capital of Colombia. But I woke up from my nap to rain, thunder, and lightening. And the electricity had gone out all over the city. So we could not listen to salsa music and watch the video for my to learn the moves. We heard that a parking garage had become flooded at the supermarket, so we went to go check that out. The water was a few inches above the ground, so people had to walk in huge puddles to get to their cars.

The power stayed off for almost 24 hours. And I thought they would have hot water. But I thought wrong. So one day I couldn´t bare to wash my hair.

On friday, we went to the zoo. Going to the zoo was great because I got to practice my spanish for animals. Also, I saw some species of animals I have never seen before, but I forget some of their names. The zoo was quite big and well organized. And it wasn't that full with people. The weather started to get sunny, luckily it didnt rain that day.

Let me tell you that I was very well fed. I was living the poor life back in Medellin, and in Cali the family was treating me like a queen, plumping me up with so much food that my new first word I learned while there was llena, or "full." After my last dinner, Jose and Mari took me to the bus station to take a 10 hour ride back to Medellin.

I appreciate everything that Mari, Jose, and his parents did for me. They were so completely generous and open for me to stay with them in their a apartment. The people here are so loving and full of hospitality, despite what people may think.

Also, the bus system in Colombia is a HUNDRED times better than the nasty Greyhound Bus in the states. Ew. And it cost me $13 for a 9 hour ride compared to $60 in the states.

A special thank you to Lucy.

Paragliding in Colombia

Medellin, Colombia is quite known for its paragliding because of the mountains and wind. I had really wanted to go, so I found someone who wanted to go as well, and we sought out a mission to go paragliding. And Jodi and Michael (from London) came with us as well for the adventure and moral support. We walked about 20 minutes to the metro then took that for about 15 min to a bus station where we took a red funky school bus for about an hour up the mountain. It was awesome being at the top and overlooking the city. Morty and I got strapped it to do a tandom paraglide. I wasnt scared at first becuase they literally strap you in and tell you 3 sentences in spanish then start running and you are immediately in the air. The very first thought I had was "these strings are gonna fuckin break" pardon the language, lol, but thats what I was thinking! But after about 5 minutes I was ok. I was in the air, about 3000 feet in the air. It was a great feeling once I started to relax. I was surprised how spontaneous this once and that I was not nervous at all. Thanks to Morty, I was able to do something I have been wanting to do for a long time. But at a MUCH cheaper price!

Pics up later.

Estoy en Colombia!

Finally made it. It was an adventure not having a plan once i got off the airplane. after 40 minutes of a police officer helping me out and then an american airlines steward, i decided it would be best to just take a taxi even tho it cost $28. but i didnt realize it was an hour long taxi ride, so it was worth it. the best drive ever!!! went all the way up a mountain and then down the other side. SF has got nothing on these hills! and i noticed the taxi driver was driving stick. i would have never been able to do it. Medellin is located deep in a valley surrounded by tons of lush green mountains. it was absolutely gorgeous. and the little candy stores in the small mountain communities were like in the dominican. the taxi driver was soooo nice, he pulled over a few times to point things out to me and tell me abut the country, all in spanish of course. but i understood most of it.

the hostel has like 5 bunkbeds all in one room, so u make friends right away. after i took a shower (finally) the guy i was talking to earlierwas going to meet a friend of his from when he was in panama. his friend lives here now teaching. so we had dinner and he told us about Medellin and we just got to know each other. They were from Denmark and Canada. And they said congratulations with your new president. they knew more about our politics then i do!

anyways...i should go to bed now. im sooo wiped out from the plane rides and no sleep the nights before.

glad i made it alive!! haha

Why I am going to South America

Many of you have been asking.....and NO, it is NOT because I am rich or some other crazy assumption. Trust me, if anything, I have gone into debt over this trip....and Im not even there yet! So why go?


1. My main objective was because I wanted to volunteer again. I absolutely LOVED my experience in the Dominican Republic. I loved working with the kids, trying to communicate through broken spanish/english, teaching them new things such as songs and dances, and honestly...I just loved their enthusiasm and joy to teach ME things they knew. Little kids are much more excited and willing to teach you things, they are more adventurous, with (for the most part) innocent minds and hearts. It sounds ironic, but you can really learn more from a child than from an adult.
>> I will be volunteering in Ecuador for three weeks. Check out the program: http://www.ifrevolunteers.org/ecuador/street_children.php

2. I was supposed to study abroad in Ecuador, but the program got canceled. Once I set my mind on something, it is hard to try and change it. Therefore, I was set on traveling to Ecuador. I chose Ecuador (for both the study abroad and volunteer programs) because of cost and it happened to hit on the dot the type of programs I was interested in. There was an option to volunteer in Peru, but I liked the program better in Ecuador.

3. Machu Picchu. Since my spanish project of Peru in the 11th grade, this archeological landmark has been number 1 on my list of places to visit. Which is why I wanted to volunteer (or study) in Peru or somewhere close (such as Ecuador) so I would be able to cost-efficiently arrive at the steps of Machu Picchu.

4. Why am I going to Colombia, most of you ask? Why not? Because its dangerous? So is Salinas or East LA, yet no one asks me why I would go there. I know, I know, its different. I figured, since I was in the area....it would be a perfect time to see Colombia (it is right above Ecuador). I actually know several people who live there or have family there...(much more so than Ecuador or Peru), so I have gotten a lot of insight about the Country. And I will be staying with a coworkers family for more than half my stay in Colombia.

5. I want to improve my spanish!!! The only way for me to do that is to get out there and be forced to speak it!

6. Maybe I wont always have hot water, or internet access, or clean clothes...but I will be enjoying some of the best AUTHENTIC food, with some of the most lively and friendly cultures there are! No offense, but Im tired of the RUDE and inconsiderate public I work with. I hope not to offend our American culture...but it feels good to get out in the world and experience other forms of living.

7. I need something adventurous to do. I need to get out in the world on my own. Becoming an adult is scary, so at least let me start with something that Im passionate about.


Believe me when I say that I am NOT made of money just deciding to blow all that cash on this trip. I have been planning this for over a year (so I was able to use AA miles on the round trip flight - saved A LOT of money). I'm just coming to a point in my life where I need to start a professional career, and like...become responsible, and I see this trip as a transition between where I am now, and where I want to be in the future. I know Im in the financial hole and I dont care. I will be crossing off my number one place in this world I want to see. Passion and dedication are inevitably strong forces toward happiness.

You CAN do what you want. <3

Santa Cruz/Mt. Madonna

Adventures with Tomas Pt. 1

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
I had talked to Tomas a few days ago and we decided that we wanted to go hiking or something. Yesterday I had to go to Cabrillo to pick up transcripts, so I figure we might as well go to Mt. Madonna since its on the way back from Santa Cruz (going toward Gilroy). When we were at Cabrillo, we decided to go to the boardwalk since we were so close anyways. I hadn't been to the boardwalk in a few years. And I actually have never gone when the rides are closed. Tomas was hungry and craving greasy food. I think there was just one food place open. I really wanted dip 'n dots, but they were closed.

The boardwalk was completely empty except for a few kids. We walked along the boardwalk then went on the beach. You would think it would be cold, considering its early January. But it was a perfect day. I had a sweater and long pants on, but the weather was just perfect - not too hot or too cold. California weather is pretty much summer time already in January. (Kinda makes me sad because I want to go snowboarding). It looks like they have a new ride on the boardwalk, a drop-zone type of ride. Tomas looked like a bum with his beanie on, so we just pretended we were bums. We wanted a more realistic Santa Cruz experience, lol.

Mt. Madonna
Next, we drove to Mt. Madonna (between Gilroy and Watsonville). I realized that some of us Hollister folk like to pick on Watsonville, calling it ghetto and all. Truth of the matter is, just by driving down TWO streets, I saw more stuff to do there than Hollister has to offer. Typical.

So we get to Mt. Madonna and finally find somewhere to park. Tomas, being the bum that he was, for some reason I found him looking in the trash. Then he stuck his hand in the trash can (I thought he was taking the bum thing too far) and pulled out some bum nudie treasure!!! He found some cards with naked women on them, haha.

We hiked on the "Spring Lake Trail" because Tomas thought it would lead us to a Lake. I don't understand his logic since we were hiking UP and not down. But I guess we will never know if there is really a lake or spring there or not, because we never finished the trail. We came across a lot of mushrooms along the way. I'm not sure how many miles we hiked, but the climb up was pretty intense. I could feel my quads and calves burning. We stopped to eat several times because we needed to take a rest (we are amateur hikers). We had fruit and trail mix. At least we were healthy.

It was a good feeling to get out in the open air and hike. If I'm not working, I just stay at home and watch TV on my computer (theres nothing else to do here...sometimes I go to Target, lol). It's no ones fault but my own...but at the same time, I'm not gonna go hiking by myself. I knew Tomas would be up for the adventure with me. I wanted to do more hiking because I know I will have some major trekking to do in Machu Picchu. I love hiking and outdoorsy stuff, so it was fun to actually get out and do something!

I'm not sure what was worse, the hike up or the hike down. Yes, the hike up was more strenuous on my lungs and upper legs, but the way down hurt my feet and ankles just as much. At times, we even ran down because it was easier on the feet/legs. I would like to start running again, but I know that probably won't happen. But it felt nice to run down the trail, I'd rather do that type of running.

Picture taken by self-timer :)

Maybe a hike at the Pinnacles next??

Today, I woke up sore as hell :|
I definitely need to exercise more.