Welcome to Urban Beach...

So I've been a terrible blogger (again). I've realized my problem. It's that I wait until I have way too much to say and end up with a marathon story of what I've been up to. Then, I never have time to tell it all, so I wait until I can do it justice. However, in teh meantime, I miss out on sharing all those random little stories that are actually more interesting anyway. So, I still have some of those big events to share (including my parents visit). Something to look forward to. But in the meantime, I'm just going to share my random musings before I forget them.

Having just 3 months left here in Colombia terrifies me to my very core. It's weird. But while everyone else is excitedly booking tickets home, I'm hanging on to every moment. I've learned so many things about myself here and every day pushes me and challenges me in ways that I never managed to find in the US. I feel so grateful to have had this opportunity. So as I'm figuring out my next step, I'm really enjoying the simple moments that have made this experience so memorable. Here is my thought of the day:

I close my eyes and I'm on the roof in La Playa. I feel the warmth from the sun. the breeze off the ocean. I hear the sounds of the neighborhood bustling below. children shrieking. the call of street vendors selling fresh produce. the song of the ice cream cart cycling through the streets. Somewhere, I can hear vallenato music playing and people laughing. There's a faint hint of jasmine from the trees along the street, the smell of fresh-made bread from the panaderia. I open my eyes and I can see the high-rise buildings from the city center. the crashing waves of the Atlantic in one direction and the flowing water of the Magdalena River in the other. I see the children racing through the alleys of la urba. the stray dogs wandering the street. The women carrying plates of food to their neighbors and some star-crossed lovers walking arm in arm down the street.

Despite the dust, the dirt, the sewage problem, the trash and the endless road construction, there really is no place like it....