In Mrs. Perriera 's 7th grade Spanish class, we learned that the translation for "cool" was "chévere". In all the time I've spent in Spanish-speaking countries (Spain, Mexico, Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Cuba), I've never heard anyone use that word. Until now! People of all ages use it in Ecuador and they use it … Continue reading ¿Cómo Se Dice…?
Category: Oh, The Places I’ve Gone!
50 (or is it 48?) states, 28 countries, 1 overseas territory, and always on the move. Check out some of the stranger places I’ve been at my Atlas Obscura profile.
The Science of the Equator
Science is more fun when you see it in action. Some things I already knew, like that the boiling temperature of water is lower at higher altitudes. And of course I've seen pictures of the wildlife on the Galápagos Islands, but I had to see some it for myself. Currents You are probably familiar with … Continue reading The Science of the Equator
Touching the Sky
You might have thought I was finished with megapeaks for 2021 when I posted this at the end of the summer, but no. Oh no. Far from it. Plans for Ecuador's volcano alley were already underway at that time, and now, they are accomplished. I only made it to three, though I hiked in the … Continue reading Touching the Sky
My Nomad Year
As this year wraps up and I find myself living in a foreign country, something I haven't been able to do since 2006, I can't help but marvel at how fortunate I am. I've been giddy since the second the plane wheels touched down at the Quito airport, and as this post hits my blog, … Continue reading My Nomad Year
Creeping Myself Out
Happy Halloween from Savannah, Georgia! If you aren't following my other blog, you might not know that I've been a nomad for the past thirteen months. I try out a new state every five to six weeks, staying in long-term AirBnBs. Over the summer, I stopped back in Colorado to hike some more mountains and … Continue reading Creeping Myself Out
The Next 100, In Record Time
I had originally titled this post to be more about running, but running wasn't a thing for me most of the summer. And then I just started to get back into in North Carolina when - bam! - major injury number three for the year that has me grounded yet again. I'd give up permanently … Continue reading The Next 100, In Record Time
Sixteen Things for Sixteen Years
Did you know that Montenegro (tied with Serbia) is the world's third most recent sovereign nation? Montenegro split off by a referendum in which 55.5 percent of people voted for independence. The threshold to approve was 55 percent. As you might imagine, people still hold many strong feelings about this decision on both sides of … Continue reading Sixteen Things for Sixteen Years
Wild Beauty
Wild Beauty is the official hashtag of Montenegro, and yes to both of those words. If you want someplace to go for an adventure vacation, this is it. This small country is in the process of building itself up into a desirable, modern European vacation destination and wild nature is its huge selling point. It's … Continue reading Wild Beauty
Cards and Tests and Masks, Oh Yes!
Since the saying is "thank god for...", it's tempting to start this post with "thank god for vaccines." But "thank science for vaccines" is the more logical statement, even though it doesn't roll off the tongue naturally. In any case, yay, vaccines! Thanks to science, I recently took my first international holiday since the start … Continue reading Cards and Tests and Masks, Oh Yes!
Return to The Top of The World
I've had a pretty rough spring/early summer. As long-expected as it was, the death of my dog affected me more than I wanted it to. Lingering in bad feelings is not my thing. I'm very much a "life is too short, buck up and move on" kind of person. But my subconscious fought me on … Continue reading Return to The Top of The World
Jennifer A Swallow 