Category: Ecuador

The Wild Horses of Cotopaxi

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The first time I went to Ecuador, I was on a massive road trip across South America. At this point, my experience with horses had been limited to seeing ponies at fairs when I was a child, and a scary horse ride in Northern Argentina. However, when I was in Ecuador later on in the … Continue reading The Wild Horses of Cotopaxi

Hometown Parking Lot Blues

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I wrote the following passage on a lunch break, just months after I had moved back to the United States from Argentina. 7/26/05 I sit in this hot, dusty parked car, listening to Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, daydreaming about being back in Buenos Aires. I watch a man across the way sizing up a truck like last … Continue reading Hometown Parking Lot Blues

Traveling Vegetarian: How to Stay Satiated (and Sane)

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I admit it. When I was young and impressionable, seeking the easiest route, I gave up vegetarianism to see the world. It was a very naïve, pitiful decision. The very first country I traveled to was Mexico. Aside from that one weekend of debauchery in Tijuana while at UCLA, this experience took place in Zihuatanejo and Monterrey, Mexico. Overwhelmed … Continue reading Traveling Vegetarian: How to Stay Satiated (and Sane)

Do You Have What it Takes to Travel Alone?

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Yes, I had traveled alone to Zihuatanejo, Mexico to visit my loser ex-boyfriend, and I had already saved up a year's worth of income to move to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where I had a volunteer program waiting for me.  But this was different.  Here I was, completely alone, hung over from the Halloween party the night before, … Continue reading Do You Have What it Takes to Travel Alone?

The Sole Ecuadorian Jaguar

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    In the year 2005, I was lucky enough to volunteer at a wild animal refuge in Tambillo, Ecuador. La Hacienda Santa Martha rescues endemic animals that are being trafficked, kept as pets, used in circuses, or abused in other forms. It is a wonderful establishment tucked away in the flora of north Ecuador's … Continue reading The Sole Ecuadorian Jaguar

The Beauty of Perito Moreno

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After spending almost eight months living in Argentina and backpacking around South America, I decided enough was enough. I needed to see the glaciers in Patagonia no matter what. I booked a flight and headed out the next day from Buenos Aires. A big mistake I made was failing to reserve a dorm room, as … Continue reading The Beauty of Perito Moreno

To a Wandering Soul, Dirty Animals Need Love, Too.

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I've often been accused of caring about animals more than people.  (After all, I'm a vegetarian-turned-vegan and an animals-rights supporter.  Or so the arguments have gone.)  While this couldn't be further from the truth at this point in my life, there have been times where I was a die-hard misanthrope that wanted to be a … Continue reading To a Wandering Soul, Dirty Animals Need Love, Too.