Since Friday afternoon, Ryan and I have been very busy! We went down to the main road (Carerra 7) to see the Friday evening festival, and we came upon a massive protest. There is an upcoming mayoral election in Bogota, and there has been some controversy; the people of Bogota are very passionate about it. We watched the protest, which took place in the form of parade marching down Carerra 7 and into Plaza Bolivar, from the confines of a coffee shop off the street. It went on for at least 45 minutes, and at that point, we made our way down the street to enjoy some corn on the cob, fried plantains, and empanadas. [Read more…] about A Taste of Bogota
travel
We’re in Bogota!
After a two hour delay in Toronto, a 6 hour flight, and nearly 6,500 km of total travel, Ryan and I made it to Bogota. We were fairly nervous getting into Bogota, and spent the last half hour of our flight practicing what to say in Spanish to the customs officers. Fortunately, everything went off without a hitch; our hostel picked us up and the only real challenge we had was finding a meal. [Read more…] about We’re in Bogota!
One Flight Down, One to Go
As I sit in the Toronto airport deliriously tired from a lack of sleep on our red eye flight from Calgary, I’ve begun thinking about the last few days at home. I felt fairly overwhelmed by all that I needed to do, and everyone that I needed to see. Now that I’ve left, I feel truly grateful for all the wonderful people in my life – family, friends, and coworkers alike. My parents have given me the world, and I would not be the person I am today without them. I don’t think I tell them enough how thankful I am for them. So thank you, mom and dad! I would also like to thank all my amazing friends who reached out to me before I left. Whether we caught up over lunch, dinner, coffee, a phone call, a text message, Skype, or Facebook, it means the world that I got the chance to see or hear from you before leaving. Having such amazing people in my life makes leaving that much harder.
It is still surreal to me that we will be in Bogota this afternoon. I’m not sure if it’s truly hit me yet, although I’m sure it will sometime on the next flight. I’m not sure if I’m fully prepared for Colombia, but I guess I will adjust once I’m thrown in! Either way, I’m looking forward to whatever Bogota has in store for us… although I think a nap may be first on our agenda! Stay tuned!
A new year & a new beginning
I can’t believe how fast the holidays have gone by! Christmas, as always, was chaotic and busy – in a good way, of course. Following that, I spent a few days packing, cleaning and moving out of my apartment. That was chaotic in a whole different way. Then I rang in the New Year with a few of my favorite people, and now I am back to work for 2 days. I can’t believe that after nearly 2 years of working at ExecEd, I will be done tomorrow, and then I will be in Bogota in one week today. It all feels totally crazy and surreal. As the time comes to say goodbye to my friends, family and coworkers, I am starting to feel a little bit sad. I hate goodbyes, regardless of how long they are for. I have to keep reminding myself that change is a good thing, and that as tough as it is to make a big change, it is good to do so. I also have to remember that this was my decision, and as hard as it may feel now, I know that this is the right decision for me right now. Going forward for the next week, my goal is to enjoy the moments I have with the people who matter most here. Here’s to the start of a great new year!
Quit Your Job, Buy a Ticket, Travel….
Lao-tzu once said that “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” I took my first step and quit my job and bought a plane ticket to Bogota, Colombia. I now have 2 days of work left and a mere 16 days before I begin the next chapter of my life. Iknow saying goodbye to the life I have become to so comfortable with is going to be difficult, but I’m excited for my upcoming adventure.