One thing I am happy for, and despising at the same time, is my lack of Spanish knowledge before my travels to South America. So many people along my journey, who speak English, have asked me how I have gotten along without knowing any Spanish. I would wave them off and say, "Oh just fine.." and go on to another subject. But after about the sixth time oh being asked, I took the time to think it over and this is what I came up with.

To start, It has given me a lot of time to think over my life and understand what is going on inside my jumbled mind. Hours, and sometimes days, I would go without interacting with people. I would consistently read, write, and draw. Ponder life through a window of a bus for 5 or 6 hours, creating some theories of the world that will stick with me the rest of my life. For me, this is something I am always trying to find time to do back home, but always seem to get lost in the mundane tasks of life. Getting this time was secretly a blessing in disguise.

Also, the feeling of being completely lost with no hope of communication is quite exhilarating. I never knew when I was to be found and be able to converse with someone.You start to learn very rapidly expressions and ways to ask for certain things in Spanish through the people, instead of a book. It is like picking up a basketball for the first time, and trying to figure out how to use it, but everyone playing the game across from you stops what they are doing just to help you. It's flattering and fulfilling experience. When I was actually able to have a conversation (through English, or with a mixture of very broken Spanish and English from both sides,with a good amount of hand signals and gestures, that resembles a Charlie Chapman movie), it is one of the greatest feelings in the world. It has given me a new-found respect for communication between two individuals, and why it is such an important skill to possess.

On the other hand, I felt a cultural distance between the citizens of South America and me. It was disappointing on my end, as I am keen to hearing people's thoughts, opinions, and stories. I missed that feeling of falling in love with someone for a brief second because they said something that resonates with you all the way down to the bone. When I am talking to someone and my philosophies on life match up just right with theirs and I get that rush in the back of my head that forces me to smile uncontrollably. Missing the opportunity to see the differences and similarities between our two cultures and much, much more. Not getting all this created a void in the overall experience of traveling through Ecuador and Peru. A void that can't be filled until I learn the language and return back to South America.

In the end, I learned a lot a through this experience. The connections created through language and conversation. The amount you can learn about yourself through isolation from others.Without this experience there wouldn't have been the Charlie Chapman conversations or the amount of time I was given for some soul searching. And most importantly, learning the language of a region before you come to a country or region is a convenience worth spending time on before you arrive. So, it was a unique and fun experience that just enhanced the diversity in my trip. But next country I go to, it be nice to at least know how to say "Where is the closest bathroom" so I can avoid some awkward gestures relating to a bathroom!

In honor of my first post, I want to thank those who I have met on my travels who have encouraged me to start this blog: Benedicte, Desiree, Miguel, and Karina! Thank you so much for the encouragement guys