New Blog

A number of you have inquired if I plan to or (gasp!) requested that I continue some sort of blog ruminating on the ebb and flow of my daily life. My mother meant it facetiously but I mean it in earnest when I say - I live to serve. So, I now have a new blog that is not so much about me as it is about New Jersey. "Why New Jersey?" ask you. Well... because I am going to live there for the next two years while I pursue my masters degree in Urban Planning at Rutgers University. I know, I know, it's New Jersey! How can I possibly endure two years in the state known for big hair and not much else?! But, I decided to try to give it a fair shake and we'll see if at the end I have the means to defend Jersey to nay-sayers like you or perhaps I will just be better equipped with well researched and thoroughly investigated aspects of its "culture" to mock it right along side of you. Only time will time, but during that time, I give you:
Giving Jersey a Chance
-Katie

Don't Cry for Me Argentina

Well, I fly back to the states today. I have been abroad for almost seven months, to the day. It's been grand. I laughed, I cried, I toyed with death (that's how I think about the entire "Israel" experience), I learned a lot, and I had fun. Traveling has been an amazing experience and I hope I do more in the future (but not for seven months...)
I land in JFK tomorrow morning and I'll be in Seattle in mid-April.
I can't wait to see you guys.
-Katie

A Short Side-Trip Turned Slightly Longer...

I was in Buenos Aires for the past week and I had a pretty good time (saw some tango and soccer, drank some beer, made some friends, etc). I decided, however, that it was high time I check out another part of Argentina before I go home (on Monday). So, yesterday evening I got on a bus to Iguazu Falls. The bus was supposed to get me there in about 15 hours, but we were delayed... by protesting farmers. So much for my big, thick, juicy steak. Damn uppity farmers.

But, I made it to Iguazu Falls in 19 hours which wasn't so bad. Where tomorrow I will see:

And then, I go back to BA for one last hurrah before I return state-side.
-Katie

Buenos Aires

The 20 hour bus trip from Bariloche wasn´t really bad at all. They fed me three square meals and my seat reclined way far back, if the child behind me hadn´t screamed for 60% of the way it would have been a really pleasurable journey. Check out the view of Argentina from the bus window:


I arrived in Buenos Aires at around 11am yesterday. I spent most of the day settling in to my hostel and just chilling out. Today I got off my butt and explored a little bit of the city. I went to the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes:


and the Cementerio de la Recoleta:


Where I saw Evita´s grave!


Buenos Aires is a beautiful city. There are plenty of old religious buildings:

fountains:

huge, beautiful trees:

and dogs out for walks:


I had planned to stay here for my last two weeks, but I might bounce a little early to check out some of the smaller towns nearby. I´m already feeling a little overwhelmed by the size (13 million + people!) and pace of the city.
Ugh, I am such a freakin´ wimp.
-Katie

Bariloche

I left Chile from Puerto Varas which was absolutely gorgeous:


Then I arrived in Bariloche, Argentina and it was also quite a sight:


I was lucky because outside my hostel a bunch of artists were working on murals:
It´s cool because they just asked the residents of the street if they could paint on the walls and everyone thought it was a cool idea. Hooray for art!

And while I´m at it, hooray for ice cream!


My hostel (¨Hostel 41 Below¨) is great. One of the women who works there taught a group of us about the traditional Argentinian mate ceremony. I have had mate in the states before, but I have been doing it all wrong. It is super strong the traditional style and way too intense for me:


After I was high on mate I went on a hike with two hostel friends. Kiko, Natasha, and I had a nice little hike in the outskirts of Bariloche:


Bariloche has been fun and productive. I got my laungry done which I´m sure you´ll trust was absolutely necessary. I ate some good, cheap steaks. Amazingly I am leaving already. Tomorrow I hop on the bus for 20 hours (!) to go to Buenos Aires. Maybe you have heard that BA is totally cool. I hope so because I´m going to be there for two weeks...
-Katie

Chilean Lakes District

One of the last things I did before I left Pucon was to go for a hike in the Huerquehue National Park. I went with fellow hostel-mate Anne (who hails from Holland). We had a great time:


The next day I left Pucon to continue my adventures south. We ended our day in Valdivia which has a number of old Spanish fortress relics around town:


And we stayed at yet another beautiful hostel:

but there wasn´t a ton to do in Valdivia so we left this morning.

We traveled through Puerto Montt where they had decent salmon and a really fun market where they sold cool things like this:


Now I´m in Puerto Varas and I´m here until tomorrow at which point I leave the whole country and head to Bariloche, Argentina.
Chile has been non-stop awesomeness. Let´s hope Argentina is more of the same.
-Katie

Pucon

Pachamama clients can stay in any of the towns we go to for as long as we want, so I decided to stay in Pucon for a few extra nights. It´s this cute little town nestled next to the Villarrica lake and under the Villarrica volcano:


One of the reasons I decided to stay in Pucon is the "La Posada del Embrujo" hostel:
It is pretty phenominal. Clean. Cozy. Comfortable. Everything you would want for about $12 a night.

Another reason I decided to stay in Pucon is because there are really fun things to do here, for instance, white water rafting on the Trancura River. Here´s the group I went rafting with (from L-R, me, Nikolas, Lorent, and Eric):


Don´t be fooled by the awkward smile. I hate wet suits:


The river was great. Mostly class IV rapids and great guides (thanks Yo-yo!). We jumped off rocks, swam in currents, and balanced on the side of the raft. Plus, it was pretty:


Then, today I flew around on cables in the tree canopy of a local forest. I figure if Pheonix lived in a tree for a year and a half I can swing around up there for an hour or two. Who´s a happy camper?


Needless to say, I´m having a ball.
-Katie