As the first post to our travel blog, I can do nothing but allude to what is to come. I've got four days of work left, most of my belongings are in storage in a basement and I'm compiling lists to ensure I have adequate supplies before [f] and I depart for Colombia next month. Nevermind, the kidnappings, the recent murder of
Luis Francisco Cuellar, and the rumors of rampant crime in the cities, I'm sure there is safety to be found traveling in Colombia, and I can only exercise my best judgement to stay out of harms way. This sentiment is reflected in the url of this blog.
But for now here's where things stand: We've booked a month of intensive language school in Cartagena, Colombia where we will be staying with a host family and volunteering at a local orphanage. After this, the future is uncertain, with the deadline of being back in California by memorial day.
My mouth is still bleeding from my wisdom teeth getting cut out of my mouth last week, and I constantly still have the pungent taste and smell of yesterdays meal, mixed with blood and salt, festering in my mouth and breath. It's disgusting, but temporary. The stitches are slowly dissolving and the tissue is healing, just don't get too close.
Graduate applications are embarrassingly late, but forthcoming and I am optimistic about the future. I may procrastinate, but given this tendency I have succeeded in life in not falling flat on my face too many times.
The wonderful sounds of Atom Heart Mother have inspired me to get back to work. Why do I want to study water and why am I the perfect graduate candidate? These are the questions I still need to answer, in 4000 characters (including spaces).
A few more days in Portland and we'll tape the final boxes closed, load up the cat, Henrik, and embark on the 11 hour drive to CA. Undoubtedly this journey will leave all of us angry and sick, but hopefully not too covered in cat vomit and feces.