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Cat in Cusco, Peru
August 20, 2014
in Cusco, Latin American Adventure, Peru, Round the World, South America, travel

Cusco, Admittedly.

In all honesty, this is how I spent half of my time in Cusco, Peru. I know. I know. But hear me out. I have both a major freelance project and a major personal project to work on (plus my blog and photos and all that). And...

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Colca Canyon Trek in Peru
August 14, 2014
in Colca Canyon, Latin American Adventure, Peru, Round the World, South America, travel

What’s your mule? Trekking Colca Canyon in Peru.

This is what 4am looks like when you're at the bottom of a canyon that cuts off power for the night. It's what 4am looks like when your group, the "slow group," starts its ascent. It's what 4am looks like when you're trekking Colca Canyon...

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Arequipa, Peru
August 7, 2014
in Arequipa, Latin American Adventure, Peru, Round the World, South America, travel

Arequipa, Peru: I’ve been here before.

"This is Antigua." That's all I could think when I entered the main square in Arequipa, Peru. Both were surrounded by walkways of arched columns where touts would constantly hassle you to book a tour, eat at their restaurant, buy some sunglasses. Both were flanked...

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Sandboarding in Huacachina, Peru
July 30, 2014
in Huacachina, Latin American Adventure, Peru, Round the World, South America, travel

(Not) Sandboarding in Huacachina, Peru.

Huacachina, Peru is a weird little outlet in southwestern part of the country. The town, if you can even call it that, centers around a natural lake, and that is surrounded by giant dunes of sand. It's a vintage relic, really, one of those places...

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Lima, Peru
July 28, 2014
in Latin American Adventure, Lima, Peru, Round the World, South America, travel

Welcome to Lima, Peru. And the start of a new identity crisis.

I want to move to New York. Or Portland. Or Austin. Or Seattle. Maybe. I thought about that as I sat under a sculpture of two giant lovers embraced in a kiss in Parque del Amor, "Love Park," in the Miraflores district of Lima, Peru. Parque...

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Flight Home from Colombia
September 28, 2013
in Colombia, Latin American Adventure, Medellin, Round the World, South America, travel

MDE to FLL to JFK to ORD

After six months traveling in Latin America, I boarded a flight (well, three flights) back home to Chicago. It was a bittersweet journey. Sure, I was ready to eat familiar foods, see my friends and family, be back in a city I love. But I...

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Learning to dance salsa in Cali, Colombia.
September 25, 2013
in Cali, Colombia, dancing, Latin American Adventure, Life List, Round the World, South America, travel

Learning to Dance Salsa in Cali, Colombia

Carlos turned on the stereo and the son clave beat of a salsa song started blaring through the speakers. He walked over and took my hand, but, just as he was about to lead me into our first basic step, he turned my arm over...

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Lunch in Cali, Colombia
September 21, 2013
in Cali, Colombia, Latin American Adventure, Life List, movies, Round the World, South America, travel

Life List #199: Watch Dark Side of the Rainbow.

I don't normally add something to my life list only to cross it off that same day. But, as some friends and I were sitting at lunch in Cali discussing the synching up Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon with The Wizard of Oz,...

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Filming a salsa movie in Cali, Colombia
September 16, 2013
in Cali, Colombia, Latin American Adventure, movies, Round the World, South America, travel

That time I was in a Colombian movie…

My private salsa lesson that day had been moved back. And so I had nothing better to do when my friend Yaron asked if anyone wanted to go watch a movie that was being filmed down the block. We headed over the cultural center and watched...

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Celebrating Rosh Hashanah in Cali, Colombia
September 13, 2013
in Cali, Colombia, holiday, Latin American Adventure, Round the World, South America, travel

It’s not a Jewish holiday without Jesus. (Or, my first Rosh Hashanah.)

One of my favorite things about traveling is getting to learn about different cultures and share in traditions from around the world. Most times those customs are from wherever it is I happen to be. But, sometimes, since I meet people from all over too,...

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Hi, I’m Val. I spent most of my 20s in a standstill, unable to pick which path in life I wanted to take. I wanted the nomadic life of a traveler but also wanted the husband, the condo, and the teal couch. Unable to decide which life I wanted more, I did nothing. I lived my life in limbo. When I turned 30 I’d had enough of putting my life on hold and decided to start “choosing my figs.” So, I quit my job and bought a one-way ticket to Europe. After 3 years on the road I’m back in Chicago, exploring the city, learning guitar, decorating my apartment in too much teal, cuddling my cats, and planning my next adventures.

            

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO IN YOUR LIFE?


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2006 –

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WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO IN YOUR LIFE?


Feeling stuck? Sick of living your life in limbo? Want to finally do all those things you always say you're going to do? Sign up for the Choosing Figs newsletter now to get a FREE e-book with tips on starting your own life list, inspiration for things to do in life, and worksheets to get your life goals out of your head and into action!


Your information will be used to send you our Life List e-book and subscribe you to our bi-monthly newsletter. View our full Privacy Policy.



            


MEOW | Is Val in Chicago?