Running on the Coast

Today was a relatively chill day. I woke up leisurely and enjoyed breakfast and coffee on the balcony while reading. Thankfully, there were no unexpected spices in today’s food, but the remnants from yesterday did not go unnoticed. I spent some time today getting caught up with job planning, networking, resume work, and other tasks of the like.

Later in the afternoon, I went out for a run along the coastal path that I saw when coming in from the airport. From what I remembered, the path continued for many kilometers and was full of people exercising. On the way to the coast, I ran through parts of the Barranco neighborhood and got to appreciate the many colors and colonial architecture. The parts of the run by the sea were filled with cool ocean air while I got to see people surfing and enjoying the seemingly frigid water.

For dinner, I went across the street to an Indian restaurant that Raul was recommended by one of his previous guests. I was looking at the menu online before leaving and it just made me laugh a little. English, Spanish, and Hindi all had some sort of presence when describing each dish. It was a small hole-in-the-wall type of joint with light Indian music playing in the background and the cooks all talking in Hindi. I could understand them a bit, but quite ironically, my Spanish has far surpassed any Hindi skills I have. The legit tandoori oven they were using to make fresh naan and kebabs was definitely an indication of the richness of the food I was about to eat. And let me say, it slapped. It was literally so good. Along with the meal, I ordered an ice cold mango lassie, which hit different after a long run.

Like I said, more of a chill day staying indoors. However, I do have some more to share in this post that takes a more introspective stance. Around midday today, I got a voice message from my old friend Jorge. He rarely sends texts and instead just sends voice messages, which I love. They make so happy because his English is improving and it just feels very personal.

While I was at the farm, my family and I put together some money to donate to him to help grow his farm and build more huts. He sent a message today saying that, with the money we donated, he paid off his old loan so that he could reapply for a larger loan to fund the next few huts. This just made me so happy because I felt like not only did I experience new things with Jorge, I was actually able to help him and leave an impact. Also, I left him with my official desi nomad logo, which I hope he can put on the hut somewhere as a visual. He told me that he will keep me updated on construction projects with pics to go along, and I will continue updating you all too. I am grateful to have met someone as wholesome and genuine as Jorge. I look forward to taking friends and fam back to Choachi when he builds the rest of the huts. We can rent out the whole farm and party it up with Jorge and his fam.

Also of note, a friend asked me today for a short interview regarding this trip as a part of a class project. While answering some of her questions, I realized some things that I wanted to include here. One of the things I think important to address is how I have the privilege of time when it comes to this experience. Normal vacations do not last 6-7 weeks, and I think I finally realized how much of a different experience someone can have when comparing a 2 week trip with a 6 week trip. The extra time has not only allowed me to more thoroughly embrace the environment, but has additionally encouraged me to just live normally in a different place with a new culture. Don’t get me wrong, I still go on tours to see the well-known places of each area. But, a lot of the time, I am simply cooking, working out, networking, planning, or chilling, as I normally would in Colorado. There is no way I could have kept up the pace of a 1-2 week packed trip for 6-7 weeks straight. For me, there had to be time built into the schedule to return to some semblance of normality in order to recharge a bit. Some days, I just needed to appreciate my day-to-day life somewhere new. This is, after all, not a Cancun vacation on the beach with bottomless mimosas (there is definitely time for these trips too). There has been parts of that, but overall, it’s hard. Researching things to see, finding deals, booking excursions, making money, finding housing, transportation, meeting people, being safe. It’s a lot, but well worth it.

When asked about something I would share with someone else wanting to travel, I said to make sure to have an open mind (very cliché but so true). Be flexible when it comes to thoughts, plans, experiences, and people. Sometimes, actually most of the time, the best things happen unexpectedly. I have my dad and sister to thank for telling me that all my life while my mom and I sat and planned every minute.

I also mentioned how important it is to be aware. Not only of surroundings, but also feelings, mental, and physical state. How are you feeling today? Are you fed enough? Do you miss home? What do you need to do for YOU so you can continue to appreciate the place you are in. These are the kind of self-awareness questions I have learned to ask myself along with the “shit, are those dudes following me” type of question.

Lastly, I think it important to know how much there is to learn from a new location, but also how much there is to appreciate about home. This trip has taught me much about a new place while showing me what I have to be grateful for.

Thank you for taking the time to read these less-thrilling yet equally-important parts of documenting this trip. I think it’s special, for mainly myself, to look back and recount not only the memories, but the thoughts that went along with them.