Come along for an adventure this week

Grab a drink, think beach, and come along with me this week on my adventure. So many people tell me how much they admire me or how brave they think I am for doing what I do. Well, this week, I am headed to Salvador, Brazil for 6 days smack in the middle of the world's largest Carnival celebration. It really is coincidence that I am going there during Carnival-it happens to be the only break I have from school. The REAL reason I am going is that this historic city on the beach is steeped in West African culture-food, dance, music, traditions. Considering my passion for all things West African, this city immediately became a "must visit" destination for my time in South America.

So, in October, after I turned in my letter of intent not to return to Venezuela next year, and before I knew where my next teaching job would take me, I booked a trip to this magical city on the coast of Northern Brazil. No, I don't know anyone there. Yes, I am going alone. No, I do not speak Portuguese. Now, THAT is an adventure. I have never done this before....traveled alone to a place where I have never been and where I don't know a soul. I have ESPECIALLY never done this to a foreign country whose language I do not know. What was I thinking...??? I assure you I have asked myself this many times in the months between October and now.

Over the next week, I am going to try to update this blog each day-hoping to even include photos and maybe even a video or two. I will tell you about the amazing sights, sounds, smells, tastes I am sure to encounter. BUT, more importantly, I am going to tell you "what was I thinking". You will get a little glimpse into what a chicken I REALLY am...and how I talk myself into all the crazy things I do.

To tell the truth, for the past seven weeks I have been talking myself out of canceling the trip. I had rationalized that losing my deposit on my hotel would be a small loss and figured I could use the airline "credits" next year from Colombia. My shyness coupled by the realization that I would be sharing the city of Salvador with 2,000,000 drunk "friends" made me feel a bit panicked. Obviously, I didn't cancel.

Yesterday, I realized at 9 PM that my yellow fever shot card was locked in the administrative offices of my school. Brazil is a country which rigorously requires official documentation of an up to date yellow fever shot for entry. Luckily the amazing administrative secretary called the guards who went in the office and found it. I drove across town today to pick it up-disaster averted.

Tonight I fly to Caracas to spend the night in order to catch an early AM flight to Brazil. I will fly all day, bouncing around airports, arriving in Salvador near midnight tomorrow night.

What am I thinking, now...I fit everything into a carry-on, yay. I hope my flight tonight is not canceled (very common) and not late (even more common). I like the hotel in Caracas where I will be staying and am looking forward to room service and cable TV =). I have a taxi lined up to take me to the house where I will be staying in Salvador (like a little b and b) so I am not stressed about that. I am worried I don't have enough dollars in cash and hope that I can get money via my credit or debit card without too much of a fee. I feel like I have not done enough research about the city and am overwhelmed by the thought of Carnival taking place there this week. I am thinking a lot about not getting robbed while out and around the city. I am psyching myself up to talk to strangers and make connections....cursing my shyness that makes that so hard to do. Excited?....not yet...just thinking of tackling one challenge at a time-calling a taxi, getting to Caracas, finding the hotel bus, and getting on that first plane tomorrow....THEN, I think I will be more excited than nervous (as I am now).


I hope you come along with me this week.....tell me what you want to know or any questions you have in the comments. I will answer them in my next posts. Let the adventure begin!