A rooster’s sharp caw breaks through my dreams and soon I am awake, mulling over how best to murder said rooster. I grumble as I squint my eyes in the early morning light, the sun hasn’t even risen yet. The rooster keeps at it. This rooster must be faulty, or sadistic, I decide as I… Read More Racing the Rain with Hari’s Horses on Ometepe Island, Nicaragua
Learning More Than Spanish South of the Border “Guatemala is in Mexico, right?” my sister asks through our precarious Wi-Fi connection. “No,” I laugh, shaking my head at the white washed wall of my little concrete bedroom in the heart of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. “It’s a small, mountainous country to the south of Mexico, they share… Read More Study Abroad in Guatemala: A Guide to Spanish Immersion in Xela
Most new backpackers have no idea what to pack for long term travel. I get it, when your trip spans six months and as many climates it can be daunting to figure out what deserves its coveted space in the backpack. The good news is that, through trial and error, most backpackers are old pros… Read More What to Pack for Long Term Travel: A Woman’s Guide to Packing
If you saw Erika on the street you wouldn’t take much notice. She barely passes 5 feet, her diminutive stature common in the highlands of Guatemala where we met, but do not underestimate this middle-aged Guatemalan woman with red flowers in her hair, she has nunchucks in her purse and she knows how to use… Read More Lessons From My Salsa Teacher
Our canoes dropped heavily into the green tinted water as our Rastafarian guide David pushed us on our way down the Macal River, just east of San Ignacio, Belize. Smoke curled up from the first canoe as David’s unnamed co-worker lit a pre-river cruise joint. I laughed to myself, and hopped into the second canoe… Read More A Canoe Trip to Remember in Belize
Yes and no. It depends. When I left for Guatemala in January 2016, almost every single person would ask, “Is it safe?”, in response to me telling them where I was moving. Coming from the United States, there are a lot of preconceived ideas about any Spanish speaking country south of the US border and… Read More Is Central America Safe?
There are two places in the world that have the cheapest rates for a PADI Open Water Course, Koh Tao in Thailand and Utila in Honduras. Getting PADI certified in Utila will only set you back around $330 USD and most dive shops will include accommodation for the duration of your course. As we would… Read More Getting PADI Certified in Utila
Ah Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, home to hundreds of Spanish language schools, volcano trekking, home stays, and so much more. I spent a good six months calling this lovely, crazy city home in 2016 and in that time learned why Xela, as it is known by its indigenous name, seems to have a knack for getting people… Read More Where to Eat in Quetzaltenango
Nothing makes me feel like writing like a hostel balcony overlooking the beautiful Nicaraguan coast, the air a blessed cool, post rain temperature with a sea breeze and Jack Johnson playing in the background. We are coming to the end of our time in Nicaragua as Playa Marsella in San Juan del Sur will be… Read More A Taste of Nicaragua
As some of you have probably realized I’ve been radio silent for the past couple weeks, basically ever since I left Xela. Well I’m back and sitting in a cafe in Leon, Nicaragua with a very cute black hostel kitty demanding pets every 30 seconds or so. Since Xela I have been in Flores, Guatemala;… Read More On the Road Again: A Trip Through Belize and Honduras