It has been a while since I've posted...
And even longer since I've written in my own journal.
But another trip is fast approaching........
Life seems like it has gone by a mile a minute since that moment I stopped writing somewhere after Macchu Pichu. I thoroughly believe in writing while traveling, though something happened to me in those mountain top villages and train rides through the lost valley. My life was changed in some way that I can still feel, and I also just stopped writing. I even stopped site seeing for the majority of the rest of my trip. I didn't think anything special of the trek to MP, but somewhere on it I changed. I even remember looking at macchu pichu thinking, why do people take all this trouble to see this place, when it looks just like the dang pictures? I was underwhelmed. But perhaps the reward is in the journey, as I've heard several times, for surely something hastened my growth during that endeavor - and what a pain it was to get there, financially and logistically. As I don't often plan ahead, believing if I'm supposed to go somewhere, I'll get there, MP is the one place you should plan ahead - NOTHING else to do, and tickets sell out, leaving you to develop your creative bargaining skills.
Aside from every taxi driver heavily advertising less than gentleman-like establishments, Peru was awesome. It really had a small town feel, there was amazing food, great people, lots of tourists, it was cheap and those mountains were really beautiful. I wished I had more time for Lake Titicaca and Bolivia, some day I will go back.
Santiago was a standard major city in Latin America, very modern, a bit pricy. I really laid low and stayed in the city, visiting major industry areas and good restaurants, local markets and took some jogs through the city for views.
Buenos Aires really lived up to the name that was ingrained in my brain since I was a child. Something about that name calls to me every time I hear it. My friends have spoken highly of it, and it really delivered. Something about the people there really attracts me, the city is beautiful, nothing major I can write about, just a lot of little things that make it feel rather beautiful to me. I put a lot of thought while I was there whether or not I would like to move there, and I came to the conclusion it would be very hard to get me to leave America, but if I did, that would be among the top of the list. Coincidentally, as soon as I got back, I began a friendship with a local argentinian woman in my physics class, and she really made a huge impact on my life. Life sure has surprises.
Rio was as advertised, some kind of naturally amazing landscape with a Miami vibe to it. Rio is just Rio, and you've got to go there. I probably will not return alone, but I would like to go there again with friends some day. Sao Paulo was rather run down and I was surprised flying in and driving from the airport. I decided to skip it because it just didn't draw my attention.
Cataracas de Iguazu or whatever they are called, the big waterfalls were amazing. That little town I stayed in was amazing too. I had so much fun!!! Made friends with the hostel and we just had a blast in the little pool out back, the dinners they serve the group, the little night clubs they had and the shenanagans we got into when we made our own fun. Really was a blast.
El Salvador was really small, and my brief stay was all I needed to see the majority of the country. Conversations with locals exposed a serious corruption problem, or at least they made it seem that way. Not sure their interest in lying, but it seemed about right with the lack of economical mark I felt should have been there. I kept wondering why people haven't developed the country more as it reminded me a lot of California.
El Salvador was really small, and my brief stay was all I needed to see the majority of the country. Conversations with locals exposed a serious corruption problem, or at least they made it seem that way. Not sure their interest in lying, but it seemed about right with the lack of economical mark I felt should have been there. I kept wondering why people haven't developed the country more as it reminded me a lot of California.
All in all, I met so many great people, traveling is such a blessing as I think back and a year has already passed, I haven't even had time to digest that trip yet another is starting...
I just finished my subject tests. I wasn't planning on taking them but something in my gut didn't feel right not even applying to MIT (even though I am pretty sure I won't get in). I'm trying to go the extra mile and really not leave any chances out. I had no time to study and I was afraid that trying to take these tests would overwhelm me even hurting my grades or UC apps as the only time to take the tests occurred right before finals and the day after UC apps were due. Let's just say trying to catch up in electro/magnetism physics while studying three other physics, going back to study precalc thoroughly while learning differential equations after finishing all the calculus series, assembly language, tutoring C++, writing and rewriting essays summarizing my life into words for the first time, while also on numerous volunteer committees and on top of that being diagnosed with vertigo making me dizzy all the time...
my brain feel like this:
This past month really was tough for me on a number of levels, but I really feel like I learned a lot, grew in many ways and am quite excited about the future. I think that everything I've worked hard for is finally approaching my grasp, and it is better than I thought it would be, but I still have a lot of work to do. It is rather perfect then to take this next trip, and in two weeks I'll be in Fiji, hopefully I'll write then.
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