Update (A Rather Uninspired Title for an Eventful Time)

So much has come to pass in the last week since Michael and I returned from Valpo. In an effort to capture the range of life lived, I am compiling it all into this update.

Wes the Hero:

As a sad truth of having gone to the school that I did, and having served in the line of work that was the past six years of my life, I am witness to the passing of some true American heroes. One such man, Wes Van Dorn, a classmate and company mate of mine from the U.S. Naval Academy was killed on January 8th from injuries sustained during a helicopter crash. During the first summer I was at USNA, a six week mini boot camp called Plebe Summer, Wes was one of my ten squad mates. The days following his passing, I was gripped with flashbacks of my time at school, of the time Wes literally pushed my ass up and over the physical Endurance Course, his request for additional physical training during Plebe Summer when I could barely make it through the day. Skyping with my classmates, emails flying back and forth with people I haven't spoken to since graduating almost seven years ago, it brought tears and also laughter at remembering. I cannot reconcile Wes' grin, infectious laughter, noble and bright personality with the idea of his being still and unmoving. I don't think I will ever be able to. As a father and husband, son and friend, the loss is indescribable. Wes, fair winds and following seas.

Santiago:

The land of long, blisteringly hot summer days, wine and food. And, so, as the U.S. survived the polar vortex, I was indulging in the unrealized love of ginger ale and agua con gas (carbonated water) to keep myself reasonably cool. Our last week at Ecela, our Spanish immersion course, was full of Spanish Taboo, Spanish Scattegories, Spanish Pictionary, and enough Spanish grammar to expand my conversation skills a hundred fold. In the evenings, we walked the city, taking full advantage of the balmy and endless late afternoons fading into night. Our favorite spot to end up at, Lastarria, was a bohemian mixture of art, international cuisine, trendy clothes, and hip salons. It is there, that I took the plunge, entrusting a fabulous hairdresser by the name of Sebastian to cut my hair into a highlighted pixie. And unfortunately (a little), I have lost my fit trekking physique under a layer of fat due to the make-up-for-lost-time-dates that Michael and I indulged in most nights. But the food! And the wine! When in Chile...

Wine tasting at Bocanariz

View from the top of San Cristobal Hill, which also boasts this 22 meter statue of the Virgin Mary:

Top Three Travel Fear Realized:

I won't elaborate much, other than to say, bedbugs SUCK! Literally, they crawl on you and suck your blood...at night! If that isn't a recipe for insomnia, I'm not sure what is. In any case, I was destroyed by bedbugs in Valpo, with dozens of bites all over my arms and legs. DISGUSTING! Miraculously, Michael emerged with zero, count 'em, zero bites. Thankfully, my suffering has been limited to just bites, and not inadvertently carrying the bugs with me in my clothes or luggage. I will not subject you to any pictures, as just seeing the healing wounds on me now, as I type this, is traumatizing enough.

Continent Number 4, Here I Come!:

Forces and emotions aligned, and here I am in Guatemala. Originally, I had envisioned continuing my South American tour after spending a month with Michael in Chile and Argentina, but when the time came to figure out the next landing point, I found my heart had other plans. Weighing my options, factoring in my longing for adventure and new experiences, feeling like my relationship with Michael was evolving and growing out of the peaks and valleys we had put it through with long distance, it became apparent that I would be happiest spending the next month with him. Additionally, I have begun the animating, but daunting process of looking forward to my life after traveling. I have so many more wonderful and extreme adventures ahead of me before I come home in late Summer, and this pause in January and February is a logical, stable time for a deep breath.

Since landing in Guatemala a little more than 24 hours ago, I have, for the first time since September, baked cookies, typed on a real keyboard (so much easier), and played the piano.

Home for the next few weeks...

It has been a whirlwind, emotionally draining week. It seems, sometimes, like it takes a time of tragedy or a time of jubiliance to reset priorities. Since traveling, I feel like I take my relationships with my friends and family less for granted. Being separated by a considerable distance from the familiar causes the most tender of reflections on the people back home. I have loved nearly every moment traveling, and beautifully, my joy in my home grows exponentially along with my love of discovery. So to everyone, go ahead and smile out loud for all the goodness in life, and I'll do the same over here.