31/12/14...

   Happy almost New Year everyone! I hope the holidays were filled with love and family and everything you ever wished for. I'm doing well out here, currently in Rio de Janeiro where I decided to spend my holiday season with a special guest. I have had an amazing time here in Brazil and it is sitting at the top of my ¨Countries I will definitely revisit¨ list.
   I am working on a video to compile some of the amazing people I've met and moments I captured but technology has apparently taken a holiday break on me so things are taking a bit longer to upload. HOWEVER, it will be awesome. In the mean time, check out my 'cities' link in the toolbar (or the link here) for some info and pictures on my time in Salvador, Lençóis, and Rio de Janeiro. See you all in 2015!!

Até mais tarde. Tchau galera!

Merry Christmas

         

            Merry Christmas, Feliz Natal and happy holiday season to everyone! From Rio de Janiero 

12/12/14

Hello blog! Long time no see.

I will start with this; I have found it hard to speak about myself, to write a blog about my travels and daily life when my mind has been so deeply thoughtful and I sit silently on the recent grand jury decisions, the conditions in Ferguson, and other things that hit home for me while abroad. With no words for those events, I didn't want to say anything at all. Standing as an representative of the Bonderman fellowship, the University of Michigan and the United States among many other things while abroad, I try my best to give the most accurate information and debunk as many stereotypes as I can while also telling truths that are often glossed over. At least 75% of the people I've had cultural conversations with think America is LA, Miami, New York, Hollywood, rich wild frat parties, rednecks, segregation, guns and freedom for all...among other things.

I have to explain that yes, those things exist but none of them are completely definitive of America(ns). As a person who fits almost none of the wide perceptions of the visage of America, I have no choice but to speak of the lesser known facets of my home. I try my best to speak for only myself and include that there are other people who have or have had similar experiences, but in some cases, that is not possible. I find myself having to tell people things like, no, there isn't just open fire all over the US with bullets flying at black people and that racism is no longer white hoods and burning crosses, while simultaneously telling them that it kind of is. And thing like, every kid in college isn't rich, and white and not every college (or high school) student is a sex crazed drunk. 'This happens but....',  'Some do this but...',  'There are people that....', 'I never had that...',  'I know plenty of people that...'. At times I've been so lost for words because I have lost so much respect.

                                                              .....................................

In the midst of these conversations and the things happening at home, I am enjoying the world that I'm getting to know. Currently making my way through Brazil, mastering the Portuguese language, and falling in love with the culture of capoeira, all in the company of some amazing people from all over the world. I worked some time in an AMAZING hostel in Montevideo before making my flight up to Salvador, Bahia, Brazil for 2 weeks. My first weekend was pretty rough, after I spent my first day feeling really lost and displaced with a language I wasn't at all familiar with (in spoken form). That Monday I began my classes and created my new temporary social circle of awesome people who, in addition to my roommates, would make my entire time in Salvador so unforgettable.

I have some awesome picture adventures to share very soon. Until then, peace.

One down...

Wow, I am not doing well with keeping up here. Welp, procrastination is my specialty (I'm working on it).

Argentina, what can say? Well now that I am in Uruguay I guess I can say, thank you. Thank you for the awesome 7 weeks you showed me, for your hospitality, for your lack there of, for catching me up on all the red meat I hadn't eaten in four years, for shaping my Spanish accent into a sea of 'sh' sounds so that I now sound like a Porteño, for Lomos and Panchos and the 42,000 cheek kisses that greeted me at every meeting. Thank you for the wine of Mendoza, the smiles of Cordoba, the floods of Tigre, the awesome people everywhere and the HORRIBLE last week you gave me. Thank you for allowing me to check you off my bucket list after 7 years of strong desire (thanks to Senora Olivera), and finally, thank you for setting such a high bar for the rest of the world that I will see during this adventure.

My direct route since Córdoba (omits side trips)

Better late than never...

Well hello everyone!! I've been slacking a little, actually a lot, and I don’t want to bombard you with a ton right now so I’ll do installments. Life is moving, going crazy and I’m excited to share some snapshots of my experiences with everyone. I’ll start with a little bit of my fellowship realization.

As my second stop, Mendoza has illustrated for me what I already knew to be true of this experience: It is a double edge sword. It will be what I make it. It will be the greatest and saddest thing I have to do, over and over again. To travel alone for 8+ months forces one to meet people, it forces me to trust, connect, depend and be dependable. It teaches me about kindness, genuineness, hospitality, compassion and humanity and ultimately, I will connect with people over and through these traits. They will open places in my heart and it will, for a short time, feel like home: comfort, care, even love. And then I will leave. Not only will I have to start the process over in a new city but it will feel like leaving home, again and again and again. The nostalgia sets in.

I am set to leave Mendoza this Wednesday and on that day, I will give you all the full overview of my time here. In the meantime, I have updated on an adventure and shared a story. Hope you enjoy!

Endless possibilities (random photo from Mendoza)

Check it out

Hey everyone, I've finally updated.

New updates about the places I visit can be found under the 'cities' link, I will put the majority of my pictures in the gallery, story time will hold interesting encounters I have, like the ¨robbery¨, and adventures are, well, adventures. If you start with the cities though, the most important incidences will be hyper-linked in the text (as below) so you can go straight from there! Check it out!

*Side note: Clicking the links may open them all in a new tab, clicking the headings will not. Just a heads up.

Preparation

Packing contemplation. As I sit in this mess, I am still numb to the reality of my upcoming adventure. 9 months, 9+ countries, planes, trains, buses, and all the unknowns that lie ahead. I plan to post my days, good and bad, during this time to share with all of you.  I hope you enjoy this journey with me!

On my blog title: (thank you to the person who inspired this play on words)

vag·a·bond

ˈvagəˌbänd/

noun

noun: vagabond; plural noun: vagabonds

1. 1.

   a person who wanders from place to place without a home or job.

   • informaldated

     a rascal; a rogue.

adjective

adjective: vagabond

1. 1.

   having no settled home.

verb

archaic

verb: vagabond; 3rd person present: vagabonds; past tense: vagabonded; past participle: vagabonded; gerund or present participle: vagabonding

1. 1.

   wander about as or like a vagabond.

Bon-der-man:

Bonderman Fellows will engage with cultures, people, and areas of the world with which they are not familiar, giving them a new global outlook on life. Fellows make their own travel itineraries and explore the world independently. Since this is meant to be an individual experience, Bonderman Fellows cannot engage in formal study at a foreign university, conduct research, or travel with a guest or organized group for longer than ten days.