It started out like any other adventure we'd ever had. Skype chats and
Facebook messages. Travel plans, even before we could confirm
affordability or availability. Squeals of excitement and a count-down of
the days until our trip.
No wifi, no means of
communication, bus delays for me, traffic delays for Tiffany, bathroom
mishaps and expensive bridges, tolls and parking lots. I have no clue how we'll get in touch but knew that we somehow will.
Of course, I see Tiffany immediately.
That's just the way it goes. We run towards each other, screaming and
hugging, already bursting with stories to tell each other. We start catching up while the parking lot attendant takes his damn time looking for Tiff's car keys that he lost somewhere in that stuffy, humid parking garage.
Tiffany
is my official and permanent partner in crime (although I wouldn't quite
consider anything we do crime). We can take the most boring of days,
the smallest of hostels or hotel rooms, a city we've never been or a place we know like the backs of
our hands, people we've just met or people we've known forever...and turn it all into eruptions of
laughter and the greatest, most hilarious day of our lives.
More than eight and a half years after meeting each other in a small, 5-person Spanish class that we shared in Mexico, one wedding, two countries, countless cities, states and adventures later, Tiffany and I were in New York together. Sure, adventures we have in the U.S. can't quite compare to those abroad but it really is beautiful for things to come full-circle the way they have for me on this OH/NY/PA/MA trip.
We had just started driving when we heard some yelling and noises that were not what you'd call pleasant. Most people would roll up their car windows at that point but ours were already up. Tiffany, of course, immediately rolled hers down.
"We need to experience New York," she said.
I did get to experience New York, spending time with Tiffany (from Texas), with my cousin, Steve, and his wife, Nicole (two people I couldn't possibly be any more obsessed with), Liz (from Pennsylvania, who I also met in a two-person Spanish Lit. class in Mexico), Allie (from Iowa who I met in Mexico almost a decade ago and who was responsible for getting me to do AmeriCorps which remains to this day the best single thing I've done in my life), Lizzy (who I met during AmeriCorps and then moved to Korea and, six months later, let me move in with her for the entire next year, then traveled through the States and Peru with me), Christian (Lizzy's wonderful fiance and good friend of mine who we also met in Korea), Ryan (my ex from Liberia, who I met in Korea), Mark (whose family carpooled with mine during my 8th grade year and then I got to see when he came to Brazil) and some random new people that we met along the way.
Some of these guys live in NY but the rest made the effort to drive in and I am still so grateful. It made for the perfect trip! There was tons of laughter and reminiscing over the last ten years. Friends of mine from very different periods in my life got to meet and spend time together which was really quite amazing. Tiffany and I made sure, for tradition's sake, not to go home before sunrise on our last night out dancing (though we had to get creative since places close in the States).
It was a beautiful week spent with beautiful people. I couldn't be prouder of my friends for the wonderful things they're doing in their lives--traveling, dancing, teaching, helping others, studying, and curing the sick. I really am blessed to know and to have gotten to spend time with this truly amazing group of people. I love you guys!!
The link below is an amazing video that Tiffany made gives a little taste of just how hilarious and awesome my friends are and reminds me of how crazy and amazing the travel life is!
https://www.facebook.com/tiffer614/videos/t.175201089/10103845337270320/?type=2&theater
More than eight and a half years after meeting each other in a small, 5-person Spanish class that we shared in Mexico, one wedding, two countries, countless cities, states and adventures later, Tiffany and I were in New York together. Sure, adventures we have in the U.S. can't quite compare to those abroad but it really is beautiful for things to come full-circle the way they have for me on this OH/NY/PA/MA trip.
We had just started driving when we heard some yelling and noises that were not what you'd call pleasant. Most people would roll up their car windows at that point but ours were already up. Tiffany, of course, immediately rolled hers down.
"We need to experience New York," she said.
I did get to experience New York, spending time with Tiffany (from Texas), with my cousin, Steve, and his wife, Nicole (two people I couldn't possibly be any more obsessed with), Liz (from Pennsylvania, who I also met in a two-person Spanish Lit. class in Mexico), Allie (from Iowa who I met in Mexico almost a decade ago and who was responsible for getting me to do AmeriCorps which remains to this day the best single thing I've done in my life), Lizzy (who I met during AmeriCorps and then moved to Korea and, six months later, let me move in with her for the entire next year, then traveled through the States and Peru with me), Christian (Lizzy's wonderful fiance and good friend of mine who we also met in Korea), Ryan (my ex from Liberia, who I met in Korea), Mark (whose family carpooled with mine during my 8th grade year and then I got to see when he came to Brazil) and some random new people that we met along the way.
Some of these guys live in NY but the rest made the effort to drive in and I am still so grateful. It made for the perfect trip! There was tons of laughter and reminiscing over the last ten years. Friends of mine from very different periods in my life got to meet and spend time together which was really quite amazing. Tiffany and I made sure, for tradition's sake, not to go home before sunrise on our last night out dancing (though we had to get creative since places close in the States).
It was a beautiful week spent with beautiful people. I couldn't be prouder of my friends for the wonderful things they're doing in their lives--traveling, dancing, teaching, helping others, studying, and curing the sick. I really am blessed to know and to have gotten to spend time with this truly amazing group of people. I love you guys!!
***********
The link below is an amazing video that Tiffany made gives a little taste of just how hilarious and awesome my friends are and reminds me of how crazy and amazing the travel life is!
https://www.facebook.com/tiffer614/videos/t.175201089/10103845337270320/?type=2&theater
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