The palm trees rattled as a humid breeze brushed across my face. As I rolled up my pants to dip my toes in the pool, I surveyed my surroundings. Tidy, green grass encompassed the pool and neatly pruned bushes dotted the courtyard. White-washed townhouses with blue trim stood at attention in even rows, like a militia awaiting orders. Rolling green mountains loomed in the … [Read more...]
What I Learned from a Year of Living Abroad
My phone alarm started twinkling at 7 a.m. yesterday. I crawled out of bed and slipped on gym clothes and running shoes. I worked out. I returned to my apartment. I munched peanut butter toast while opening my laptop to begin my day of working from my cozy home office. Such an uneventful start to a day that carries so much significance. … [Read more...]
Traveling and Glimpses of Authenticity: What I Learned Living in Colombia
Something appeared on my Facebook News Feed recently that made my eyes roll. More than if an old high school classmate referred to her dog as a “fur baby” with a #blessed caption. The eye roll trigger was a long infographic illustrating the differences between a tourist and a traveler. One of the pictures showed a stick figure sleeping in a bed, then the same figure sleeping … [Read more...]
Why I Feel More Latina Than Ever Before
My fingers poked at the radio pre-set buttons, searching for the perfect song. After 10 months of living in Bogotá, Colombia, I had finally returned to my hometown and driving around sunny St. Petersburg, Florida felt cathartic. … [Read more...]
Following my Father’s Footsteps
When you are a foreigner, everyone wants to know your story. My accent betrays my stereotypical Latina features and tempts anyone around me to ask where I am from. What am I doing here? Why did I move to Colombia? I gladly tell them – the cab drivers, the soccer team, the coworkers, the blind dates. I tell them all in my slow, timid Spanish that I was a broadcast journalist … [Read more...]