One week from today we’ll be homeless and jobless and on the path to being broke.
We’ll have stored all of our worldly possessions in a 5x7 storage space.
We’ll each have a 50 cubic liter backpack to carry everything we need for the next six months.
We’ll be getting on the blue line towards O’Hare and on the first leg of our journey in what we hope will be the adventure of a lifetime.
Because I am a firm believer that it’s the journey, not the destination.
As for the destination, most of you know, Matt and I have decided to spend about six months in Central and South America. We’ll be flying to San Jose, Costa Rica on January 7 to begin our journey. Among the jaws dropping and utter astonishment that comes when you tell someone that at age 26 you plan to quit your job (during a recession I might add) and travel for six months, the most basic question we have received is “why?” My response is usually “why not?” We’ve worked hard to save the money, we have a plan for our return to Chicago and we are absolutely thrilled with the possibilities and adventure that awaits us. We have no mortgage payment, no dog, no kids, and nothing really holding us back, so “why not?” I like to think of it as our one last hurrah. And so, for our first lesson in Spanish we meet up with our good friend “vamos,” and literally, “we go.”
We’ll keep you posted here. We’ll do our best to bring you a little South American sunshine during your windy North American winter and fill you in on our grand adventures as well as our misadventures. In return, please send us a note once in awhile! We’ll miss you and our lives back home and want to know all the excitement that’s happening with you as well. We don’t really want to write to the great abyss, we want to keep in touch with all of you, and so, as they say, it takes two to tango.
We’ll try and post on a regular basis but please feel free to email either of us also: elizabethtulipana@gmail.com and mjstankiewicz@gmail.com and if the spirit, or the winter so moves you, come on down and visit for awhile. We’ll do our best to meet you wherever you want to go, and share part of our trip with you.
So please keep us company as we fly south for the winter.
4 comments:
I’m so excited for you guys!!! It is awesome that you are doing this and I can’t wait to hear of all you your adventures!!! Best of luck! I’ll keep you posted if any of my transient cousins are wandering around South America (believe it or not they often are AND are fluent in Spanish, double bonus) I think one of them will be in Belize or Guatemala around March 10-15 you could always hit her up for a meal if you are in the area. Let me know I’ll give you her info.
God Speed children! We will be watching and enjoying your adventure from the Berkshires. So proud of both of you. Enjoy every minute. Be smart and be safe - you are in our prayers!
Hey,
Came across your blog recently. God, you are gutsy!!! But nnowing the windy Chicago, and being a whiny resident for 3 years, I think its all going to be worth it.
I am sure to get hooked to your S.A adventures. So what if I can't afford a trip anytime soon!!!! :-)
Okay, E.T. I wrote an effusive note and this dumb-a.. machine deleted it. It's so great to read your blog - it's fun, lively, and holy cow - I was surprised that Matt's writing sounds just like you - but that is a good thing. We miss you at our scenic offic by the lake - and it's very sad here now - much sadder in fact. Keep writing and I'll keep reading - I may even post a photo or two myself if I can figure out how the heck to do it! Continue to have fun for all of us.
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