Another check on the bucket list

I am going to start making this blog as just a tracker of my life for my own personal use. If I have readers awesome, if not I'm enjoying the reminder of my thoughts and experiences through life. 

Traveling completely alone has always been something I have wanted to do but never truly done.. Yes I have traveled with a friend, parent, organization, group etc but never just me! But today I can say I am! 

A few weeks ago I was invited on an amazing opportunity to go to Indonesia with Cisco's MEDI (Middle Eastern Diversity & Inclusion) group for their fifth Developing Local Talent in Technology (DLTT) workshop. There were four tracks in IP telephony, wireless, security & Professional Development. I was apart of the Professional Development track and led some of the activities. It was an incredible learning experience and fun first business trip! I am excited to see where my path will lead from this. I was able to extend my network and have made some very good connections with a few Cisco managers. My resume has now been submitted for their internship program which I hope I am picked for for this upcoming summer. 

The trip taught me a lot about Cisco in general and it is definitely a company I would love to work for and feel am a good fit for. Who knows what will happened but regardless the experience was one of a kind and a wonderful opportunity. 

Since I traveled the 22 hours to Indonesia I knew I couldn't just visit there, especially if I want to meet my 25 by 25 goal. So three of us headed to Singapore for 3 days after the workshop. The other two- Sima & Jasmin left at 4 am this morning to begin their 30 hour journey home. They are flying back to Jakarta and then have a layover until they get on their flight home. 

So now I am all alone in Singapore. The check out at our hotel was noon so I was able to sleep in, workout with a Jackie video, repack, and get ready for the day. It was a perfect morning for me to prepare myself for being on my own. I have so many nerves of excitement running through me right now. This past week when I was in Indonesia I got sick my last weekend and it gave me bad nerves/anxiety for traveling solo but thankfully now that I am better all those feelings have disappeared and been replaced solely with excitement! I feel so grateful to be accomplishing so many things I have set for myself to do. 

I have an hour to kill before I'm taking the causeway to Johor Bahru, Malaysia so figured blogging would be a great time filler. 

I will be couchsurfing for my first time alone without my dad by my side. The guy I am staying with is Shaun and he is 26. He had a lot of positive reviews and we seem to have similar views on life so I'm looking forward to meeting him. 

Once I get over the causeway (its about an hour in a bus) I will go through immigrations and then go to a McDonalds nearby and wait for Shaun to pick me up. I have recently found out Johor Bahru isn't that great so I might shorten my stay and take a bus to the capital, Kuala Lumpur for a few days before starting my journey home. I fly from Singapore back to Jakarta on Sunday and then have a night before my flight home. I leave Monday at 2:30 from Jakarta and return to the US Monday at 6:40 at night. Right when my body is fully adjusting to the time difference (15 hours ahead of US) I will be back to my regular time zone.

I am looking forward to the next few days but am also looking forward to going home too. Its amazing how much I miss cooking when I'm gone. Sleeping in my own bed will be a big plus too! :) 

Okay well thats just a little update of my life lately! Enjoy and happy travels. 

 

Wow I'm not that good at keeping up on this yet huh?

I guess I need to regroup after my trip and get back into a routine that will give me the time to just blog. But I do think about this blog a lot and thoughts always cross my mind about it.

Something I've learned to live without over the last few years is negativity.. I find negativity is not a necessity of life. If its around you -- rid yourself of it. It does nothing good for you. I constantly try to remind myself of the positive things in life -- things I should be grateful for in high stress situations.

Life has a funny way of always working out! At times when it seems like rock bottom something will change -- you will get a new mindset about whatever it is, you'll meet someone new in your life, an opportunity will present itself, the problem will dissolve on its own -- something will change. Positivity will always overpower the negative parts of life in the end.

Okay this is short but I just want to get something out there. I'm not sure the real direction I want to take on this blog yet.. Its a work in progress.

The wonderful life of being in Montezuma!

Today has been simply amazing. I am in the coolest town so far this trip -- Montezuma, Costa Rica! It is a surfer, hippie, beach town with the most incredible waterfalls all within walking/hiking distance!

I started my morning with breakfast at my hotel El Sano Banano. I had yogurt, fruit, granola and coffee! It was the perfect start to my day. After I got changed and my dad and I went off in search of the waterfalls. We were told to just walk 15 mins up the road and then to a path that leads to the first big waterfall. Luckily we met a local while we were going over and he showed us the way to go. He also took us to the next two waterfalls that included a crazy hike up the mountain. A hike that included extremely steep parts, using branches to keep a balance, outstanding beauty and so much fun. I felt so adventurous and enjoyed every minute of it. The next waterfall was above the first and on top of that was another smaller one with a rope swing and mini lagoon to swim.

I immediately tried the rope swing but it definitely took a few tries before I got it right. My dad climbed up the rope swing which was very impressive. We also got to jump off the waterfall. The local we met - Danny took me up the lake more to a spot where the waterfall pours on you and hits you like a massage. You can go into it and behind it and sit in it. It is pretty fantastic! I could not wipe the smile from my face! It is definitely one of those moments in life I will never forget. It honestly was incredible the beauty all around me and just the fact that I was sitting with a waterfall pouring on top of me was truly incredible! :)

Danny was also kind enough to go back down to my backpack and get my camera so I could capture this place. He is used to climbing up and down the rocks and made it down there much faster then I could have. It was great too because I love taking pictures of memories I never want to forget.

This is the spot where the waterfall is kinda like a massage

Around 12 we headed back to our hotel so my dad could take his medicine and watch sunday football. It worked out great though because I wanted to get lunch in and promised one of the hotel clerks earlier I'd go back to the waterfall again when he was off at 2. I had a caprese salad at the hotel which is just the fuel I need to go venture back to the waterfalls! I was debating between going back to the waterfalls or surfing but waterfalls win. We are enjoying our stay in Montezuma so much that we will be extending it a few more days.

This is one place I would highly recommend anyone to visit. Everyone is so friendly and relaxed about life. It is a wonderful atmosphere and the options around here are endless for fun. (beach, hikes, atvs, zip lines, surf, waterfalls, yoga etc)

Okay since I wrote all of the above we have visited the waterfalls 3 more times! Each time being just as amazing as the first. We also moved to a new hotel and met a wonderful addition to our group Alison Sleet! We have spent every second together since we have met. Its crazy how some people you meet can feel as if you have known them forever! That is Alison to a tee! We also hang out with Stefan a guy who worked at our first hotel whenever he is not working.

Alison, My Dad and I 

The four of us have enjoyed late nights on our balcony with wine, music and good conversation. We all get along as if we have been friends for much longer then 3 days! It is awesome and might truly be the most fun part of this trip. My dad is in agreement with me here because of how well we have all clicked and fun we've had.

Ali and I did a yoga class the other day which was so wonderful and exactly what I needed. I also learned Ali is a certified yoga instructor and has been helping me with doing a headstand and teaching me correct form for everything. It is great! We have made it a point to lay on the beach for a few hours each day as well. She has been the perfect girlfriend for the last portion of the trip.

Tonight is our last night in Montezuma because we need to start making our way to Panama so we can make our flight! I know its still almost a week away but we have just learned that all direct buses from San Jose to Panama City are sold out! Which is resulting in taking chicken buses all the way down. Which exacts a lot longer of the initial 15 hour journey. We are estimating it to be about a two day journey.

But for our last night -- Ali, Stefan, Marky Mark and I will be having a bond fire on the beach with smores and all! I am very excited but am sad at the same time! I really will miss them but look forward to the day we all have a reunion.

So tomorrow the journey begins -- we are leaving at 4 am from Montezuma in a taxi -- to a bus that will take us -- to a ferry -- then another bus -- arrive San Jose (probably around 10am-- taxi to another bus station -- bus to Pasocanos (8 hour bus ride with stops).. Find a place to stay for the night and continue the journey in the morning. Pasocanos is close to the Panama border and then we will have about 6 hours left to Panama city.

When we arrive somewhere I will be adding pictures to the above.

Off to a good start!

Well thankfully since making this blog -- I have only wanted to be mastering the ins and out of the site! I can definitely see this consuming my life but in such a fun way! :)

Pura Vida

Figuring this out

hmm how to do it