What I learned while in South America

The condensed Reader’s Digest version…

Mosquito bites are NOT the end of the world.

The Thanksgiving holiday without family, old friends or feast only makes me realize how thankful I really am for my family and friends.

Rarely do things go as planned. Sometimes the unplanned and unlikely are the most memorable and enjoyable.

Living in a dorm room with a dozen others and sharing a bathroom is not so bad…. And hot water showers are an amenity.

A person really can live out of one backpack for three months.

The plumbing in the Unites States wins awards compared to that in South America.

At 98 degrees Farenheit and 98% humidity, rain forests are insanely hot.

I love falafel!

Although hard to say goodbye, it is better to have made friends from strangers, even if our time together was abbreviated.

Family and friends are THE most important thing.

Don’t scream in the company of a baby monkey; it will bite you.

A trek is a long, hard journey.

Non-Americans often think that Kansas City is in the state of Texas. ??

Toilet seats, toilet paper, soap, and paper towels are luxury items.

I have forgotten a lot of spanish, remembered a lot of spanish, and learned a lot of spanish!

Political protests in Peru often result in road blockades…very inconvenient for travelers.

Tarantulas are really not as terrifying as you would think.

To not quickly judge someone without getting to know them. Age and appearances do not determine character.

Titicaca means stone puma.

To enjoy moments for what they are: definite, unique, and fleeting.

The Incas were small people who built very large steps.

There are 4,000 different types of potatoes grown in Peru.

The secret to successful composting.

Americans are the only people in the world who measure in inches and feet, pounds, and degrees farenheit. I really need to learn the metric system properly.

There is nothing better than a hug form someone who loves you! (or me)

I CAN survive without my Samsung A900 cell phone.

…so maybe this was not the Reader’s Digest version after all!