Memories of Bogota

I'm back from Colombia! Well, I actually got back a couple of weeks ago, but between recovering from a post-travel cold, taking a weekend trip to Colorado, and getting back into the swing of working and having a social life, it's taken me awhile to get back to my internet life. But! Some pictures of my international travel are better late than never, right?

But first, a cautionary tale.

Colombia!

A year and a half ago, one of my best friends moved to Bogota, Colombia to teach English for a year. She loved it so much that she's staying there for a second year. Annie and I met in Spanish class and were both Anthropology majors, sand we share a love of languages, travel, and new cultures - so ever since she moved to Colombia, she's been encouraging me to come visit her.

We also share a love of giraffes! (Picture circa 2009)

A very tempting offer, of course, but I kind of brushed it off for awhile. Not because I didn't want to visit her or explore a new country, but because it seemed... impractical. Who was I to think that I could take a trip to Colombia the same year of our wedding and honeymoon? I pride myself on having good financial sense, and that seemed too extravagant.

But then, a few months ago, I realized that I really, really needed to take a pre-wedding vacation. I had some vacation days saved up at work and they weren't doing any good just sitting there. And only then did I bother to actually check prices for a round-trip ticket to Bogota - and they weren't crazy expensive. So I prepared my pitch for Eric, thinking of ways that I could save our household money to offset the cost of an international flight - bike to work more, buy fewer chocolate-covered snacks from Trader Joe's, etc.

When Eric and I both got home from work that day, we sat on our back porch with a couple of beers and I told him that I was maybe thinking about visiting Annie in Colombia if he thought that would be okay. And before I could even start my pitch, he said, "Do it." And then he proceeded to tell my why I deserved an international vacation to visit my friend. That night, I bought the tickets.

Enjoying the summer weather at a Santa Fe Fuego game over the weekend.

 People always talk about "the moment" when you know someone you love is "the one." I've never had that one stark realization. Instead, there have been a million moments in the last nine (!) years that have affirmed what I've basically always known - Eric is a super amazing, supportive partner. Two months ago, when he pushed me to buy those plane tickets to Colombia without any hesitation - that was one of those moments.

So tomorrow I'm off to Colombia for nine days! Big thanks to Annie, for the invitation and the amistad, and to Eric, for reminding me that sometimes you gotta spend some money, and travel and adventure are worth it. South America, here I come!