Take a "one-year off" trip

it has been amazing, one of the top 5 things i have ever done. i have laughed, cried, been disgusted and amazed – i feel totally alive and engaged every minute of every day.

its march 17th and we are leaving mauritius (island off the east coast of africa). we had an amazing visit to cape town and are now headed to india. i’m so looking forward to all of asia. can’t believe 2 months left to go. its going by alternately fast as hell and slow as hell, but i wouldn’t change a thing!

*pic = view of the semester at sea ship: MV explorer, from the top of table mountain in cape town, so. africa

working with semester at sea is amazing, exhilarating and exhausting. i hopped on board jan 29th and its almost a month later (feb 25th), finally getting my work legs, sea legs, etc. nassau bahamas, puerto rico and salvador brazil under our belts. AMAZING!

I got the semester at sea job! I’ll be sailing around the world in 100 days with 600 students to 10 countries and 13 ports! I will be back mid may and then either back to mexico, off to germany or prepping for phd program start! what a fantastic year, thank you Lord!

wow. it has been 7 months since i left uva and packed up and headed to mexico. now i’ve been in the states free-lancing since june and having fun. i just found out i got an amazing opportunity…more on that later… but i’ll be out of the country jan 07-may 07! yipee!

wow. really cool $5 salsa lesson in oaxaca mexico!

took two cooking classes so far this wk.

one in san miguel de allende, MX and the other in Oaxaca. Both were great for different reasons. Made: Tortilla soup, tortitas de pollo, guacamole, chicken enchiladas, 3 salsa types, flan and arroz verde!

one of the things i hoped for when i decided to travel and live life more in the “now” was to meet wonderfully fun people on the road. Last night we partied until 4am and everyone had a great time. We made connections with the local Mexican students and danced until we couldn’t dance anymore. Magic!

i am now back in Mexico. Left Baja for the mainland. Currently in Guanajuato to study spanish!

i’m dumping some gear (xtra camera, xtra books, rechargable batteries) and i also donated my snorkel, tent and life jacket so i’m reducing the weight i’m carrying. i need to get some traveler’s cheques, and i finally got a phone card. i also need to pay my p.o. box and then i can hit the road!