5 years ago today...

I was traveling home from Brazil. I like to use this day as a landmark in my year, like a birthday or New Years day, to look back and reflect and look forward and plan. It's fortunate that it happens right around conference time because that gives me additional items to reflect on and apply to my life. It's a good time of year to just reflect and think with general conference and the changing of season. I have a lot to reflect on and consider right now with the sudden changes that have happened in my life. It's great!!! 

I've been turned around so many times I have no idea which way I am facing...

So this summer I was the worst at posting blogs. But that is not entirely my fault. There were a lot of turn arounds in my life this summer and every time I started a new post it was out of date and inaccurate before I got it posted. Here is one example below. I started this about a month ago and I believe it was the very next day that my life changed again and what I had written here became inaccurate. I do not have a good job. And I am not going to school in Salt Lake.  I am just going to post what I have below, even though I typed it a month ago. So as you are reading this put yourself in the past about a month. And I will have another update with what has gone on since then coming soon.

SUMMER 2009 FLYING BY

This last week I was walking around Temple Square and I saw leaves falling from the trees. And they have started to put lights up. NOOOOO! I'm not ready for summer to be over. Although this has been a full and a half summer.

First of all it was my 10 year high school reunion. Wow!! I can't believe 10 years have gone by. This is definitely on of those things that you don't think will actually happen and then all of sudden its here. Its been a full 10 years and a lot has happened. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to make it to the reunion because last minute I headed to Washington DC for a job interview for a position in the white house.

However, the very week before that (DC) happened I found out I was accepted to BYU EMPA program which I was pretty excited about. The day after I this news, I was contacted by a department of the White House  Organization inquiring if I would be interested in being considered for a position that had just opened up...and could I come in for an interview. I had sent them a resume last year when I was looking for a job but nothing was available. I wasn’t looking for a new job but I told them “Sure.” (Why not, right?) I can handle a little get away trip. So I took a day off and went to DC and made a weekend trip out of it. I felt good about the interview. And they told me that they were impressed with and that I was definitely a strong candidate. But they also told me that the 4 other people they had interviewed were also very strong candidates. So I was flattered but not guaranteed anything. I had a fun little weekend in DC, too.

For awhile there I was feeling a little stuck in my life with an unsatisfying job and no alternative options. Now I had two possible outcomes. One, working in DC, which I would absolutely love. I’ve loved DC since I was a kid and went there to visit my grandparents. And Hello, the WHITE HOUSE. It would be an awesome experience. And on the other hand if that didn’t work out there was Grad school which would also be great. I felt like I was in a win-win situation. No matter what happened, things would be great. 

Well I didn't end up getting the position at the White House. I am really ok with that because I have a good job and I will be going to school in the EMPA program at Salt Lake.

Back to present day. So you see (BYU Salt Lake, White House, BYU Salt Lake, and now BYU Provo--Peru and another trip to DC in between--which I still need to post) This has been a very busy summer and my life has changed a lot many times. Every time I get settled on a plan it gets thrown out the window. Fortunately I am flexible and I am good at making whatever comes my way work. Who needs a plan anyway! School is going good and I am enjoying it. I still get a little nervous about not having an income and the financial cost this is going to be when I am done. But I keep reminding myself that it is an investment and will be worth it in the end.

~Cheers

This morning...

Began like any other Monday morning. Woke up, got ready, rode the bus to work. Little did I know that this would be my last morning riding the bus, climbing the stairs to the second floor, clocking in, checking my email. Little did I know that I would be cleaning out my desk and leaving for the last time. This morning I had a plan that I was prepared for. But that all changed when I got a call from BYU offering me a opening in their full time MPA program. Oh and by the way it starts tomorrow. "OMG" (I'm not a big fan of that saying but it seemed to fit.) After a quick discussion with my parents and weighing the pros and cons in my head I decided to go for it. So I am now officially unemployed. (The loss of my regular paycheck was a little twinge in my stomach.) But I am officially a student at BYU in the MPA program. And I feel really good about that. More details to come later. I need to get to bed. This is going to be a big week.

Peru pictures are FINALLY HERE!!

Our adventure began in the Amazons. We flew from Lima to Puerto Maldonado. We were picked up at the airport, that had a total of 2 gates. We left our suitcases at the agency's offices are traveled by bus to a dock and then by boat on a river for an hour to our hotel. This was one sweet hotel. There was no electricity except for the lobby; at night they used kerosene lamps. And our rooms opened to the jungle and we watched monkeys from our rooms. At night we slept with nets over our beds like a canopy. We went on hikes through the rain forest, talked to a medicine man, and just relaxed.  Sleeping in the jungle when it was raining was so relaxing.





 
Cuzco was once the Inca capital of the world and it was fabulous. Shopping fantastic. People fun. A taxi ride across cost only a dollar. We visited the Inca ruins around the city and drove through the Sacred Valley.

After an hour and a half train ride from Cuzco we get to Aguas Calientes. The mountains around Machu Picchu were amazing.






From Aguas Calientes we hike up Putucusi (literally straight up) and got an awesome view of Machu Picchu.






Machu Picchu was fantastic. The only thing I would've changed about the whole trip is to have more time here.





































  These are the Floating of Islands in Lake Titicaca. They are literally man-made out of the reeds. Many generations ago when there were conflicts between Peru and Columbia there were people that didn't want to be associate with either and so they built their own islands in the middle of the lake. And people still build and continue to live on these islands.
I loved everything about this trip. The adventure was fabulous. Peru has so much to offer and it was so great being in South America again.
One more adventure checked off the list. On to the next!!

I know, I know...

I know I am way behind on blogging and I really need to post Peru pictures. Life has been busy.

Quick note from Peru

I just noticed that I have 100 posts. Wow! This trip to Peru has been fantastic. Right away I started remembering all the reasons I love South America. Before my mission I was more partial to Europe and I wasn´t that interested in So. Am. But of course on my mission it became one of the best places in the world. I love the fun unorganized towns and streets. Random small stores along the street. Where you can buy just about anything you need without going too far. The people are so nice and so laid back. And they want to please. They will anything to serve you. The food and fruit is so great and cheap. And Peru has not dropped the ball. It is a great place and this has been a fantastic trip.

Brief run down

First couple days were in the jungle, we had to take a boat to a remote, rustic motel with no electricity except for in the lobby.r

We´ve spent the last couple days in Cusco, a very fun city with Inca Ruins and great markets.

Today we head to the town near Machu Picchu.

Everything has been perfect, except for I somehow got pink eye. But one of the girls I am traveling with is a physicians assistant and knew just what I needed. We went to the pharmacy to get it. No prescription needed. Another great thing about South America.

More details and pictures to come.

Cowboy take me away

A few days ago I was talking with a friend about how much I love the Western Stampede Rodeo that comes to West Jordan on weekend of the 4^th of July every year, just down the street from my house. It makes the city is so  patriotic and so "...Where the green grass grows"-like.  And there is no better way to celebrate the 4^th than watching the bulls and cute cowboys. I'll admit I'm a sucker for a guy in a hat.  My friend asked me if I went last year and I couldn’t remember going last year. Which was weird. I go every year that I am in WJ. It’s just one of those things I don’t miss. But I couldn’t remember going last year. Then later it hit me. No, I did not go last year. I wasn’t in West Jordan. I wasn’t even in the United States for the 4^th of July. I was clear on the other side of the Globe. I was in Israel.  I can’t believe that it has already been a year. I look at the pictures and I say to myself, “I was actually there.” It still feels so surreal and amazing.