Hello and welcome! I’m happy you are following me on my adventures as I travel Central America over the next few months. First off, I’d like to share my raison d’etre for this blog by answering three big, basic questions:

Why go? 
I believe that travel helps make us all more well rounded and thoughtful people. Plus it allows one to get away from the grind of everyday life, take a step back, and reflect or do things we wouldn’t normally do (especially if you’re going somewhere with a good exchange rate!). I was first bitten by the travel bug when I was 17 on a tour of Japan with my high school orchestra and have been making an effort to visit new places ever since. I’ve visited a bunch of corners of the world, but this will be my first time in Latin America. I struggled choosing between Central and South America as both were of interest to me, but in the end central won out in the end with better weather, cheaper travel, shorter distances, and lots of varied experiences.

Why now?
There’s the practical reason: I recently left my job and want to take advantage of the gap before I start a new position. I’m giving myself fourteen weeks for this particular adventure. Opportunities like this don’t happen often enough. But there’s also something bigger: I feel I’m at a time of inflection in my life and taking a step back is appropriate as I gather myself. This is a chance to strike out on my own, be independent, and come back stronger. When I return from this trip, I don’t know where I’ll go or what I’ll do. I have ideas of course, but everything ahead of me is wide open. Some fun, adventure, and reflection now will help me prepare for that next step.

Why blog?
To share with people I care about bits of joy and struggle I encounter, to give myself a lens for documenting the trip beyond my personal journals, and to perhaps help other travelers in the future as other travel blogs have helped me. Whoever you are, I hope you enjoy.