Universidad de la Sabana

This is the campus I am studying at. IT is a ways out of the city thus all the lush and relaxing scenes. And everywhere you turn you are reminded of and protected by the Virgin Mary.

eat anything put in front of you-it is part of the adventure.

Eating in Colombia is always fun and sometimes interesting.
Grandilla: fruit that is delicious but it reminds me of eating fish larvae... 'cause each seed is wrapped in a slimy pouch or sweetness. and you sort of have to kiss the fruit to get it out of the peel.
Is that too much information?
And although you may recognize the HELADO... you have never had un cono until you have been in Colombia... best helado in the hemisphere.

La Tierra de la cafe.

this is good place to develop a bad habit... so delicious and in the afternoon I need the pick-me-up quality. mmmmmm latte mediano.

maybe not president... but still famous.

in a day

historia y la universidad

la vistas... de Bogota

en la manana este la vista a mi ventana... tiempo a leventarse (time to get up. this is the view from my window)


un hombre de la calle.


a La Candelaria

Four Countries in 10 hours

Back in the day I used to travel at light speed (18 countries in 6 weeks... one or two countries only got a few hours.sorry Corsica) Last night I flew from EEUU (USA) to El Salvador. nearly missed my flight arriving 10 minutes after departure time. fortunately everything runs slower in Latin America. I think i was on the groun for a total of about 30 min. off to Costa Rica where I had been hoping that I would biss the next flight, for of all the places to get stranded, Costa Rica looked like a good one. unfortunately I had a healthy lay-over of nearly 45 min. ** notice that I have already been in 3 countries including the country of origin... and then the final Flight ... the one that makes this trip a reality: SJO-BOG San Jose to Bogota. when I get off that next plane I will be where I have been thinking of being for months. it will be real. It will have begun. this ridiculous increadible journey over and through worlds i have only dreamed about.
and so i doze off having not really slept much ... in over a week. I immediately wake to see we are on the ground again. did i sleep throught the entire flight? are we in Colombia? it look s a lot like Costa Rica. i dont remember Bogota Looking like this. OH! it ia çause we are still in Costa Rica. the plane hasn't taken off yetr. we are on the run-way. and then it begins... we fly. it rains. we land. I make friends with the immigration officer. her is going to be my language partner... oh my. I get a stamp and sweet talk my way into getting a bit longet stay on my visa. I get my bag. change money. get wet. wait in line for a taxi. get a lip with my destination. climb into taxi. soak my way through traffic. see the city streets fall in love with politically chaged graffitti on everything and than i get to where i am going.
check. four countries in just under ten hours.

time to slow down.

Colombia was ready for me

I have certainly arrived. Let the EATING begin. It is like a feast at every meal. I am learning a lot. and being patient with myself and my environment. still sort of a blur- i am ... and waiting for the rest of me to catch up with my body.

it is like my heart didnt get on the plane. it is swimming and i just have to be patient for it to catch up. i have left little pieces of it all over the country behind me.

within less than 24 hours I can speak with locals with some mutal understanding, been to two parties, made friends, eaten a lot of great food, walked 4+ hours a day and taken dozens of pics. imagine what will happen in 8 months. it actually hurts my head to think about it.
step one: get on plane
step two: breathe. try to sleep
step three: start moving around in the world (like a child a stranger and a lover)*
*this is how my new friend and I have defined the expereince of traveling. everything is brighter, new scarry, different sort of make you nervous sick int he stomache, and vibrantly excited to turn each corner.
step four: breathe
step five: ... i don't know. figure it out for yourself. do't do it my way. find your own way.


The wisdom of a child was shared with me the other day by a dear friend: while playing blocks "Don't keep it in your mind, just build it."

Bogota is ready for Navidad (christmas) at least in this house.

i feel like i am in a nativity gift shop. Tis the season!... i guess.

I love this city.

mi vida rapida

So here is my life in rapid succession. Food, friends, more food meeting crafts people on the street . His name was henry. he liked the Mamas and the Papas. He made me this. "sierra" with a heart and a rose. woven out of wire.

it is raining in Bogota

it is raining in Bogota like it is try to prove a point. but i am enjoying all my uncertainty and awkwardness.

* Last pic of me state-side.

on the road till the troops come home

on the side of the road somewhere in Utah:
"On the road until our troops come home. I've been on the rod for over 5 years, 40,000 miles. Donations, food money, gratefully accepted."

Driving towards the moon

bracing for another universe.

today. try to sort out 1,000,000 details of my life.
then i have a few more days to freak out - chill out. freak etc. and visit my ass off.
you know this life is friggin' amazing!? this world is so grand. and i know the best people and live in the best places on the planet. and there are so many people yet to meet and places to call home.
I hope that you are finding the 'cosmic' in all that you do.

falling

just fall. i think i have figured something about love. that we have no control of it so go for it. all of it. always. love and fall and break... cry. moan and then get up dust yourself off... and do it again.

Seeing Change.