No More Tea for Me

Colombia is the first country, in the world, where I can call myself a coffee drinker.

Don Elias Coffee Tour, Salento, Colombia

In every other country, if I ever have the choice between coffee or tea, I will almost always choose tea. I love the taste of coffee, but I find myself choosing tea when I am offered one of the two.

But as I am in the coffee region of Colombia, I cannot stop drinking the coffee here. Every morning I wake up and have a cup with breakfast. It is smooth, flavourful, fresh, and absolutely delicious. I even ordered a coffee after lunch today, without thinking much of it. Being here, coffee is making its way into my heart.

We had the recent joy of visiting a small coffee farm in Salento, Colombia yesterday. Our smiling guide took the four of us through the coffee fields, where they grow bananas, sugarcane, beans, limes, mandarin oranges, pineapples, and of course, coffee plants.

The farm has been growing coffee for 18 years, and our guide explained the whole process of coffee making, right from the plants.

On their farm, they grow three varieties of coffee beans, and rotate the crops after each season to ensure the right soil composition for the next round of coffee growing.

Our guide explained that when the buds turn red, they are ready for harvesting. He picked this one off a short plant and showed us the precious beans inside. They were an unfamiliar bright white, fresh off the vine, and not yet roasted brown.

The white beans are then left to dry for 3 days in the sun, and when totally ready, they are put in pans to be roasted over fire on the oven. He explained that they must be steadily stirred for an hour, and that even walking away for a minute would burn the beans.

The tour, all in Spanish, lasted around 45 minutes, and ended with our very own freshly roasted cups of organic farm-grown Colombian coffee, roasted the night before. It was so rich and aromatic, I bought two packs to give to family. Now my whole backpack smells like fresh roasted coffee.

If coffee is the nectar of the gods, I must be in heaven.

On Love, Facebook, and "The One"

How do you know when you've found the one?

Is it like some people say, those lucky ones who say "you just know"? Is it some kind of planetary alignment which wills two people's hearts to cross and never part? Is there a way to know when you've met the person with whom you can share the rest of your life?


When I log into Facebook now, nearly at age 28, I am greeted by photos of babies first rolls, wedding reception dances, and status changes to "engaged" or better yet "married". People with whom I once shared math class and milkshakes are now buying houses and patio furniture.


Perhaps stranger and more disturbing than all the cake photos and ultrasound profile pictures are the ones of our exes. We all have them, and we all do the same thing once and a while, even though it never feels right. Facebook has permitted us access to information, photos, and emotional stresses that we really have no business knowing about. It's never a good idea, but when it's made so easy, it's hard to resist a simple click.


Though that person and you have personal history, what brought you together in your time doesn't matter anymore. You exist as each other's history. Knowing this, is it any harder to know for certain whether the next person for whom your heart jumps will be there in 2, 5, 10, or even 20 years?


When we do find the next someone with whom we develop a relationship, is it with the passing of time that the person becomes "the one"? Or is it that at a certain age, we stay with whoever we find ourselves with? Is the commitment to marry a natural progression, the next logical step for two people of marrying age? Are the relationships around me people who met at the right time, when both people were ready to commit to a future?


What I'm also curious about is how friends of mine, classmates, co-workers and other acquaintances are finding their "one". Do they really know they've found it? Or does part of everyone still wonder if there might be someone else out there with whom they could be star-crossed? With whom white paint chips and car seat models have no bearings? With whom time stands still, and the world ceases to exist?


Does such a love exist outside of films and love songs? Are all the Facebook wedding albums actually proof of soulmates, proof of destiny, and proof of the real, true, mad love I believe in?


Of my single friends, and those with boyfriends too, many face the same dilemma: How will I know when I've found him?


I'm wondering the same thing lately, too.

Thoughts on Colombia

"I don't think you should go to Colombia,"

my sister texted me, just weeks before I set off on my trip through Central and South America,

"my friend is Colombian and she hasn't even been back there in 15 years."

There are two sides to every story, and that applies evermore to travel in Colombia. On one side, Colombia is a violent and dangerous country, ruled for decades by outlaw armed groups and later by billionaire cocaine smugglers. Of the same grain, a visit to the Canadian travel report on Colombia could easily scare you away from booking your ticket. Talking about your travel plans for Colombia can result in worried disapproving looks from friends and family. A quick Google search which turns up articles about young gangs hired by drug lords to kill the cops doesn't really help either.

But on the other side, the traveler's side, you hear a different story of Colombia entirely. Stories of magical lost cities, of colonial statues and salsa at night, of crystal clear beaches and breezy mountain villages, of cumbia bus rides and dancing in line at the ATM, of smiling handshakes and milkshakes of lulo... the kinds of stories that make a place alluring and fantastic. When recent travelers are asked about it, they all say the same thing:

"You will love Colombia"

The truth is, Colombia is a different place now than it was 15 years ago. The intense fear surrounding travel in this country is not without reason, but now with travelers to nearly all regions of the country, are we ready to re-think it?


I am in Medellin as I write this post, which at one point was the most murderous city in the world. You wouldn't know it now, though, as locals chat with us, offering advice for places to visit or giving directions.

The increased security of the last ten years makes Colombia much more accessible for travelers. On this journey through Colombia so far, I've met visitors from Ireland, England, Germany, Austria, Holland, France, Spain, Mexico, the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Colombia and of course, fellow Canadians. The majority of travelers here seem enthralled by the culture and nature of this country, and many are adjusting travel plans to manage overstaying every place they visit. I'm no exception.


Starting with a booking for 3 nights in Cartagena and staying for a week was just the beginning. The old city left me breathless and dying to see more of the colourful buildings. It also gave me the sweetest taste of anticipation for what the rest of South America has to offer. After overstaying in Cartagena, I only imagined a few nights in Taganga. I ended up spending another week diving in the national park, among blowfish the size of my torso and some of the prettiest coral walls I've ever seen. The rumours are true:

"You will fall in love with Colombia"

I've already fallen in love with Colombia, evidenced by my extremely slow journey here. I went through the whole of Costa Rica in just over a week, and I've already spent two weeks just in the northern regions of Colombia. But that's me, and that's how I travel: when I like a place, I stay for a while. Lucky for me, my travel partner travels by the same rule.

So, why did I like Taganga, and why did I overstay my planned visit by a week? I went into a dive shop looking to do some fun dives, and I was greeted with the friendliest and warmest smiles. The dives were gorgeous too, but it was the people who took us on those dives who made me want to stay. People like our boat captain Oscar, a 60-something Colombian man who sings to himself while we prepare our tanks and put on our fins. Or the man selling empanadas on the beach who eyes us when he says 'cervezas', just in case we want another one. Or the simple welcome of an "hola chicas" as we return to our hostel after a day at sea. Or the 12-year old next to me on the plane who strikes up a conversation in Spanish and suggests spots to visit in his hometown of Cali. It's just like all the travelers said:

"You will meet the nicest people there"

Now 2 weeks into Colombia, I can only wonder if our upcoming destinations: Salento, Cali, Popayan, San Agustin, and Bogota will implore us to overstay as well. At this rate, hearing what the travelers coming north have to say, it'll be another month before we actually leave this country, at least. We plan for 2 more weeks before we get to Ecuador, but can we really see and do all that we want in just 2 weeks? Like everyone tells us:

"You will want more time everywhere in Colombia"

The only way I will be able to leave this country is to know that I'll be coming back. Already contemplating future teaching jobs and learning Spanish here, I know this first month in Colombia won't be my last.



Blue Wave

Tayrona National Park

Cabo San Juan, Tayrona National Park

Truck from Pablo Escobar's garage, Medellin

See more of my photos from Colombia and beyond on Instagram

Guest Post: 3 Surprises Teaching in South Korea

Earlier this year, through the star actor in my first viral video explosion, I met a lovely new friend in Korea named Janna. A photographer, blogger, teacher, as well as a fun and creative person, I knew I would love to have her write for my blog at some point. Lucky for my readers, she agreed. Here she shares 3 things which surprised her about teaching in Korea.

My own arrival to Korea in 2006 involved a lot of confusion and alienation, and I definitely required a period of time to adjust to the new way of things around me. Awkwardly asking for my mailing address and being told to use the school's address since my apartment "didn't have one" was just one of my early moments of confusion. But sometimes it's those little moments where expectations are not met where we gain insight into the culture in which we find ourselves.

Take it away, Janna...

It wasn’t long ago that I was wrapping up my life in America and headed to Asia to teach English. After completing a portion of my student teaching in China, I rhetorically thought, “How different can Korea be?” However, the answer is, “a lot”. In Korea, I’ve worked full time in a public middle school and part time at a public elementary school. Like in any country, each school has its very own unique culture. Staying away from the specific cultural differences of each school, my focus here is on the general.  

1 - Slippers

Posing with students usually results in at least one heart, and in this case, two.

In most Asian cultures, it’s customary to take off your shoes at the entrance of household and to wear slippers inside the home. From my experience in China, we kept our shoes on in most other establishments, including schools. Therefore, I was shocked when I arrived in Korea to discover we were to wear slippers inside the school as well. I have my own shoe locker at both schools. My feet have never been so happy in a work environment! I wear comfortable slip-ons in the warm months and warm fuzzy slippers in the winter months. This brings me to my next shocker.

2 - Indoor temperatures

Everywhere she goes, Janna makes friends with the locals.

I arrived in Korea at the end of August. It was humid and in the low to mid 30s every day. Growing up in the southeastern part of America, this was the spring and summer norm for me. My new foreign friends were blown away when they saw me wearing jeans. I thought I could handle this weather. What I wasn’t ready for was the lack of air conditioning. In my school, the windows were open and the air conditioning was off. Students dripped in sweat after playing outside during P.E. Female teachers gathered in the small break room where a wall unit was on blast. I had an A/C control in my room, but was monitored in the office. So, if the students weren’t in the classroom or if the temperature wasn’t above a certain degrees outside, I was asked to keep it off.
 
Autumn came and I recovered. The weather was beautiful for a bit, and then the South Korean chill came that I had always heard about. In my school, and in most, there is no central heating. Each room has its own control, and therefore the classrooms stay fairly warm. The hallways, however, are freezing. In the dead of winter, in the warmest city in South Korea, it was -10 and all the windows were open in the hallway.

There wasn’t a day in the winter when I wasn’t teaching in my winter coat and a scarf. All the students stayed geared up in their puffy coats, bringing blankets and hot packs for their hands into the classroom. This was a big change for me but I adjusted quickly and totally forgot. People from back home commented on pictures, “Why are you wearing gloves in the classroom?” or “Why are all the children wearing huge winter coats indoors?” I had to giggle a little.

3 - Teachers’ Dinners

An artful student account demonstrating Janna's preferred method for disciplining students.

Over the course of a year, you can expect to attend about 5 work dinners, usually around special times like the start of the year or end of a semester. I was excited at my first dinner – free food at a really nice restaurant and a chance for me to get to know the people I saw each day. We sat around the tables crossed legged and began to feast. The food kept coming and we all kept eating. This doesn’t sound too shocking, right?
  
I was enjoying being part of a normal company feast, but then it happened. I was being poured a shot of soju. Everyone got quiet and a teacher of high rank stood up to make a toast. We all toasted and took the shot. Next, the Principal stood up and spoke. We took another shot. I saw the Principal and Vice Principal in the corner stand up with a bottle of whiskey. They came around to every teacher and gave them a shot to drink. The beer started flowing. At each table, I saw shot after shot being poured. I heard glasses clinking all around me. Some ladies got away with pouring Sprite in their shot glasses and snuck out early to leave the scene. This was no ordinary dinner party, so I stayed around to see what would happen next! After dinner, most of the teachers left but about 12 stumbled or took piggy back rides to another place for more food and drinks. At the end of the night, we were about 5 strong at a norebang (singing room). The next morning, my department clapped when I walked to my desk and a co-worker said, “There’s a rumor that you’re engaged to the P.E. teacher”. Laughing, I was sure all I did was sing a duet with him. I’ve tried to understand why these dinners have a tendency to get a little wild. Simply put, Korean teachers are some of the most hardworking, determined people I have ever known, working diligently from 10 to 14 hours a day. I think 4 times a year, they just need to let loose and have a chance to bond with each other.
  
Teaching in slippers, extreme indoor temperatures, and wild nights at faculty dinners are just the start of surprises to come your way! Whether the shockers are good or bad, you adapt, learn, and grow from all of them. Each day in Korea brings something new and wonderful.

You can follow Janna's adventures at www.happytrails2u.tumblr.com.
Stay tuned as she soon launches www.thelongwaybackhome.com.

My 3 Favourite Travel Moments - The Blogger Relay!

Thank you to Stephen of Bohemian Traveler for passing on the proverbial blogging relay baton to me. I now join the Green Team train of travel bloggers, led by the folks at Overyonderlust.

Our task is to choose our three favourite travel memories and tag another travel blogger when we're done. The team with the longest running chain of bloggers will win a small prize from the Lowcost Travel blog, as well as major travel blog gloating status.

It is always a challenge to narrow down and pick favourites, but after a while looking back on travels, I realize the moments below are some of my happiest, craziest, and simply best moments on the road.

Enjoy!

1 - Finding the diamond at Schwedagon Paya, Burma

Walking up to Schwedagon Paya is the closest I've ever felt to heaven. In a land of curious smiles and cawing roosters, the paya glows bright like the sun. Once up close to the pagoda, I lost myself in the magnificence of it all. When a guard approached me and gestured to see my ticket, I was so in my own world of gratitude I couldn't even find mine. Worried I would be kicked out, I apologized frantically. Clearly not a problem, he pulled out a ticket from his pocket and pointed to the writing on the back of it. In English, I read to myself an explanation of the diamond-encrusted top of the pagoda. Squinting to the top, I couldn't see a diamond from a reflection of the sun, and the guard could see my struggle. He pointed to a particular spot on the tiled ground, stood on that spot, and then pointed up to the top. Following him, I stood in that precise spot, and I saw the sparkle of a blue diamond come into view. I'll never forget that kind guard, or the way that diamond sparkled all the way from the top of the pagoda.

2 - Having my ear ripped off by an elephant, Thailand

In keeping with the theme of Shaun's pink dolphin bite, I present to you my second travel memory:

When you're at an elephant sanctuary in Chiang Mai, it's very easy to feel like fast friends with the elephants. Within minutes of arriving we were feeding the elephants sugar cane right into their mouths with our bare hands. In hindsight, it's obvious that I thought I had a little more of a bond with the elephants than they felt toward me. After an elephant reached out its trunk to check me out, I ended up on the ground with dirt and mud all over me, and a severed ear. Three countries and two rounds of stitches later, I still have my ear, and one helluva story for the grandkids.

To read the whole crazy story, you can read the blog post.

3 - Feeding pigeons in Piazza San Marco, Italy

I love pigeons. People say they are dirty and diseased, but I find them charming. For a traveler, the sight of pigeons is familiar, and it can feel like a tiny taste of home when you're feeling miles away. Pigeons also don't discriminate between a rubbish bin or the statue of a saint - they will go anywhere. So when I was in Venice, and a man offered me a bag of birdseed for a Euro, I happily paid him. The pigeons flocked to me in a dusty, feathery flurry, and I maintain it was the best Euro I spent in all of Italy.

And there you have it, another successful post of travel memories for the Green Team!

Team Green: As jam packed with surprise and zest as the green limes of Colombia!

I now tag my travel partner in crime ThisBatteredSuitcase to share her top three travel stories. I'm sure she'll give the Green Team something to be proud of.

Let the relay continue with every memory!

Video: First days in Colombia

it's only our second day here in Cartagena, Colombia

we're both already in love with the beautiful old city, its graffiti, and its friendly faces

if today is any indication...

it seems Colombia will be living up to its reputation as one of

the best countries for travel in all of South America