Day 2 - I've got some catching up to do.

Day #2 of 30 days of Indie Travel
Change can be exciting and bring new joys into our lives. But it can present challenges that frustrate or annoy us. How has travel changed you in the last year? Did you welcome these changes or resist them at the time, and how do you feel about them now?


Change. I have no idea where to begin. How I've changed in the last year. A year ago almost exactly I was about to embark on a trip that would make me realize some things about myself that were kinda painful, and I realized some things about the people I thought were my friends that were just as painful. Even more than a world traveling change I've changed how I see people because I was really hurt by the people I considered my friends and I think that's made me a bit more reserved about who I want to have around me. 
That was just the change that happens to be exactly a year ago. 
I've also learned that I can handle myself when I've been robbed while traveling alone in a foreign country. That has given me the confidence to trust myself. And I learned from the mistakes that caused it in the first place.
That confidence helped me to dodge a creepy guy following me through some back alleys in a country where I didn't speak the language and to (mostly) keep my cool while doing it.
I've come to realize the importance of standing up for what you believe in.
I've learned what it's like to have a sister, even if she's not technically mine.
I've realized just how much I love to teach, to travel, and to be a photographer.
I've changed in so many ways.

30 Days of Indie Travel

I came across a 30 days of travel blogging challenge called 30 Days of Indie Travel, which has a different blog prompt for every day of November. I'm not too far behind, so I'm gonna give it a try.


Day #1:
What were your travel goals last year? Did you accomplish them? What travel goals do you hope to accomplish this year?


This time last year I was on a train from Cairo to Luxor. I had accomplished pretty much everything I could have hoped for as far as travel for the year: I was 2 and a half months in to what was supposed to be a 10 month stay in Egypt.


My goal was to learn Arabic and Middle Eastern Politics, and have the time of my life. 


In Egypt I saw ancient temples and tombs in Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel, watched the sun rise over Saudi Arabia and bathed in the Red Sea in the beach town fo Dahab, and saw and climbed inside the Great Pyramids of Giza, and learned so much about myself.


I also had the chance to travel over the winter, and spent most of January in Istanbul, Spain and Morocco. On these trips I was forced to learn some lessons about myself as I struggled to make the most of my trip after being robbed about a week in.


Upon my return to Egypt I got a lot more Middle Eastern Politics than I bargained for. A whole revolution full of Middle Eastern politics and the chance to be a part of history. The events of my last week in Egypt will probably be the most memorable of my life for a long time.


What I did not accomplish was the second half of my year. I did not learn as much Arabic as I had hoped, and I did not get to take the journey to Jordan Lebanon and Israel over my extended spring break. I never went to the Egyptian Museum, the Black and White Deserts, the Siwa Oasis, or St. Catharine's Monastary. These are on my list for when I can go back.


This is not to say I did not get something in exchange for what I missed out on. After being abruptly torn from my  barely month-old lease on the apartment I was just starting to call home for the second half of my year, I got to dash through Paris, had a brief week to see some friends an family, and then was whisked off to Chile, where I spent the next five months.


In Chile I had so many amazing experiences, gained a family I will never forget and friends who can't be beat. I got to drastically improve my Spanish and make friends with all kinds of locals, something I never got a lot of a chance to do in Egypt with my limited Arabic. I traveled from the mountains of Patagonia to the desert of Atacama, the driest in the world. I saw abandoned mines in Iquique and learned about the modern-day lives of indigenous peoples in Temuco. I saw two of Pablo Neruda's three houses, all filled with the most amazing collections of oddities and explored the costal cities of Valparaíso and Viña del Mar.


So did I accomplish the goals I had for myself at this time last year? I'd say yes. And so much more. What I've accomplished and learned about myself and the world in the last year is so far beyond what I could have expected.


So now for next year.


I've decided (during one of te breaks in writing this post, actually), that I will be accepting a job offer to teach English in Korea next year. I begin February 23rd. My goals for next year, then, are: 1.) To immerse myself in a culture that I am for the most part completely unfamiliar with, 2.) To travel to at least one other country while in Korea (hopefully Thailand!) and to do a lot of traveling within Korea, 3.) To learn Korean, 4.) To decide if living and teaching abroad is something I can see myself doing long-term, and 5.) If so, to figure out where to next.


I think those are good goals. 


Hopefully I remember to do these 30 days again next November and we'll see how they go.

I have a job?

I've been interviewing for positions in Korea for over a month now, and I am getting pretty close to signing a contract with a school. I spoke last night with the woman I would be replacing and It was a good conversation, I'm only still hesitant because I would be signing a contract so far in advance of actually starting work in late February.
For the moment it's seeming like Korea will be the next country on my list. From the Nile to the Andes to the Big Easy to... central Korea?

Seeking suggestions

I'm trying to make a list of things that I'd like to have/remember to bring with me for my journeys that would make life/packing easier. I've tried to separate into sections of clothing, tech, and general utility. Some of these things are clearly just something to remember, and others I need to look into buying, and that's where the suggestions begin. I would also love suggestions/additions in the general utility items to remember. Remember we're going for minimal packing, so combining things/ having multi-use items is important)'

Clothing

Stylish and comfortable walking shoes

Hiking footwear (possibly combinable with previous, but I need something somewhat stylish, and hiking and stylish don't mix too well)

Rain Jacket (brand suggestions?)

comfy-chic dress (horney toad's panoply has been recommended, but I'd love other multi-purpose suggestions)

smart layers (suggestions for utilitarian and attractive?)

Black V-neck Sweater (or similar - useful for anytime)

White button-down (when can't you wear this?)

Convertible pants (http://www.mountainhardwear.com/Women%27s-Ramesa%E2%84%A2-Convertible-Pant/OL3906,default,pd.html has been suggested, accepting alt. suggestions)

Walking sandals (Teva or similar)

Tech

Zoom lens - I just have to buy one, already have DSLR

Sony CyberShot DSC H100V (or similar, looking for snazzy features and compact size)

Audio recorder (inexpensive, digital)

Polarizer lens - Again just have to buy

Tech case - just bought one from Lowepro, let you know how it is when I get it.

Packing/General Utility

Eagle Creek Pack (I like the ones with the zip-off daypacks, anyone know of another brand that does this??)

Self-inflating mattress - looking into NeoAir at the moment, want comfort and low weight more than warmth.

Sleeping Bag

Pack cover - rain, rain, rain

Ziplocs

Air pillow (brand?)

Drylite towel (brand?)

Travel clothesline

Duct tape

pain reliever, allergy meds, tums, toilet paper, hand sanitizer, Neosporin, clothes detergent, water purification tablets, shake light/wind-up torch, baby wipes

Earplugs

Swiss army knife

Protein bars, peanut butter (other filling small snack?)

Game: uno, etc. (suggestions, preferably language independent?)

That's my list for now. I'm sure it'll grow.

Back in an English speaking country? What?

So I kinda failed at blogging while I was there, but I had an amazing semester in Chile and am now about halfway done with my last semester at Tulane (aaahhhhhh!!). And since I'm back in a boringly English-speaking country I am, of course, trying to figure out how to get somewhere else as soon as possible. My current top possibility is teaching EFL in Korea.

Sorry, I've been busy having fun

Things I've been up to:
I went to Patagonia (southern tip of the world) two weekends ago.I went to Temuco last weekend, also south of here but not quite so far, for a trip with my entire program.
I'm going to see Chico Trujillo next weekend.
I'm going to Fantasilandia tomorrow.
I had a paper from hell due yesterday morning.
I'm picking classes today for next semester, trying to graduate.
I met my tandem partner yesterday, he seems nice.
I had a field trip with my Human Rights class to a museum Wednesday, and I have to write a paper on a memorial and use some of the information from this museum, I think.
At the museum there was a video of some protesters getting beaten and I literally couldn't watch it.
I still get flashbacks when I see armored police vans on the streets of Santiago (luckily I don't see them very often)
I started my application for the Peace Corps, Teach For America and a Fulbright Scholarship.

Getting used to life in the middle of ñowhere (though don't get me wrong it's much less the middle of nowhere than New Cairo)

It's been far too long. I need to get better at this.
Alright, the last 2 weeks. I... went to a lot of classes, aparrantly mostly for nothing, because the ones I selected and signed up for today I have, for the most part, never been to. Of the four ramos I plan on taking I have been to two of them zero times, one once, and one twice. One class I'm not taking I've been to three times... Also, I am incredibly emocionado (excited) to finally be (almost) done selecting classes, it is a process that I would not wish on anyone.
Two weekends ago I went to Valparaíso, a costal city, and went to the beach. I had a great time in the (huge) waves and got very VERY burnt. That sunday I did absolutely nothing because, well, owwwww.
Last weekend was a lot of going out. I went out Thursday night to do karaoke with some friends, and then we ended up going to a club and dancing. Friday we went out because, well, it was Friday? Saturday we went out so that we could start of my friend Greg's birthday with a drink at midnight. Sunday, for Greg's birthday, we went to Fantasilandia, a magical place that I am absolutely in LOVE with. It was the most ridiculous day I have had so far in Chile, and far too much craziness happened for me to describe it all here, but we had an epic day, and we assume that videos of our craziness are probably up on Youtube somewhere. We're that cool. After that we went to Greg's house for cake and stuff, and had more good times reminiscing over music from our childhoods.
Tonight SHAKIRA is in town, but I can't go because I went to buy my ticket the other day and all the cheap tickets are sold out =(. I was SO excited for this concert and I'm really bummed that I can't go. My friends are all on their way there now. ='(
This weekend, I'll be going RAFTING. As in white water rafting. I'm super psyched and hope it'll be awesome. There's an asado after with grilled food and beer and I feel like it should be a good day all around.

At some point this week (I can't keep the days straight) I had onces with my extended host family, many of whom I had never met before. I took this picture so that y'all could see my family. On the far right is Daniela, my hermana (sister) Daniela (Dani) and second from the left, on the couch is my host mom Margarita. They're the two I live with. O, and:

This is our gatita. She's adorable and fluffy.