Personal Narrative- Amazon Experience Essay

“I realised I was quite anxious to get home, to see how things were, to make sure it was all ok. I did feel some kind of strange anxiety.”

Most of us are familiar with these global terms “American dream” and “drugs cartels”. These thoughts exemplify one the differences between United States of America and Colombia. Despite United States of America and Colombia are located in the same hemisphere significant differences in food, natural resources and tourist attractions make each country quite distinct from the other.

Visiting a different island in the Caribbean each summer has always been a family tradition of mine. The first few years never failed to make me fall in love with each and every one of them, but once my family suggested on visiting Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, the eighth year, my thoughts were not so hyped. Going to the same sea each year can get old and boring. When we finally got to Punta Cana, falling in love was too short of a term to describe what I felt for it. As soon as we landed we were greeted with songs and happiness all around. The nobleness lingering in the atmosphere, coconut smell in the air, and architecture went beyond my imagination.

It is known for its Pacific ocean beaches, surf spots and mountainous landscape. It is named “the savior” and is the largest coffee exporters in the world. In fact, it is the only country in Central America that does not have a coastline on the Caribbean Sea. El Salvador is a Spanish-speaking country in South America, and this is the country I will be traveling to. El Salvador is the most misunderstood country of them all. Some people say that it is quite dangerous while others say it’s quite boring compared to the rest of Central America. Most visitors say El Salvador is not safe and this is because the lack of mass tourism equals lack of information. This is the reason I chose El Salvador to travel to. This vibrant nation is very tropical with rich forests and fertile farmlands. From Volcanoes and crater lakes to surfing and Wildlife, it’s filled to the top with so many things to do! El Salvador has so many things to offer and I am eager to explore it.

It had looked so far away it was hard to believe I would be on top of it in a few days. Besides in the campsites, we only saw one other group of people during the entire 12 day trek and the only human sounds were our own. Each camp was an island of civilization in a great sea of wilderness, and a wonderful solace to end the day’s hike.

I started this journey filled with nervous excitement and anticipation of traveling without my family to a foreign land. On my return trip I thought of what extravagant lifestyles we Americans live. If I had never traveled to Costa Rica I think I would still be taking things for granted and I learned to appreciate what I have. The Costa Ricans had very little, but they made the absolute best of what they did have. They are very different from us, Americans because our happiness comes from material objects. They were pleased with being able to share their knowledge, culture and language with us. As the Costa Ricans say Pura Vida meaning pure

“All we do is travel to new places, and to places we’ve already been.” said the girl

“I’m with you all the way there. There’s still much in the world I’d love to discover.”

The country was foreign, a first for me. Dilapidation and ruin scattered the horizon as far as one could see. Guatemala is a place where poverty has a strong grasp on its people. We traveled tirelessly for hours to reach the poorest of the poor. Upon arrival old, young, and natives of all shapes and sizes formed receiving lines, eager to welcome us with gifts of smiles and gratitude. It was an experience that forever changed me. This was the first time I had stepped outside the boundaries of the American culture into a world where nothing is taken for granted. Each day spent on my mission trip brought a fresh awareness of gratefulness. Any pre-trip reluctance quickly became a vague memory as my emotions welled within bring a fresh change to

Andrea sat in the break room, waiting for her shift to start at 8:30, her long, crisp black hair covered the back of the seat. Andrea had her face deep into paperwork but, then noticed Mary walked into the room and looked up, took off her glasses and wiped her forehead. Andrea’s porcelain skin, looked like it has barely seen any sunlight, or even touched. Mary and Andrea had most of the day piled up in paperwork, except for their breaks. At lunchtime, Mary added to her stories of sleepwalking into the forest, including the one early in the morning.

“You would have figured it out if we had stayed,” Charles said. “I could tell by your aura when you were examining the graffiti, you were trying to decipher the meaning.”

This paper is about the time I went to the Dominican Republic and Nassau, Bahamas with my family and the wonderful lessons I learned or thought about even more. I learned a lot when I was in those two places because there were a lot of examples of the lessons I learned. Both places are very large and there are multiple people who show the lessons in their everyday life.

In my travels of the world I have found myself immersed in many cultures and varieties of ethnicity; I have been very fortunate to live in a day and age where such communication and experience is possible in one lifetime. I have seen La Cathedral de Notre Dame, the Statue of Liberty, the home of Da Vinci, and so many more wonderfully spiritual and historic monuments. Yet still I can say with the utmost certainty that no location has left such a lasting impact on my soul as the quaint, simple country of Costa Rica. Although many places have penetrated me with a sense of what the majestic earth and her inhabitants are capable of and have forced me to question whether or not anything is beyond the grasp of human ingenuity, none have brought

Fianna nervously pushed several loose strands of hair behind her ears and surveyed the shadowy forest. Goose bumps popped out on her forearms, sending pinpricks of pain to her fingertips. “Do you think I should tell Mom that this place isn’t as innocuous as it seems?”

The Other Side of Colombia Travel adds interesting dimensions to a person’s life. Some people find difficulty and unfamiliarity to be compelling reasons to avoid travel, while others thrive on the adventure of new and unknown destinations. I’ve been fortunate to embrace the latter, and have travelled and lived in many places, and a few countries. Colombia was my home for just over two years. The people, places, customs and food are spectacular! The reputation of illicit activities are confined and few, and I experienced none. There is a very progressive governmental structure, and Colombia does not have any border issues at this time. The people are welcoming, friendly, and enjoyable to socialize with. I lived in Barranquilla, a city of nearly two million inhabitants, and is