and eventually our theories couldn't explain it all...

Being pulled from so many directions that it's hard to know where to turn my head...

Waiting for the dust to settle, not knowing where the chips will land...

Speaking for myself and others around me, it's hard to take it on faith, stay strong, make the decisions that are tough as hell, but that you know in your heart are right. I knew months ago that I needed a vacation to return to Latin America, relax and refocus, but I never could have predicted just how perfect the timing would be. So much has come full circle over the past year. With everything that has been going on, a few days at Tayrona, cut off from civilization, should hopefully allow me to look within and figure out my next move, determine my priorities, personally and professionally.

Another time, another place...

A year of daydreaming about the Caribbean is quickly approaching reality. Containing my excitement is impossible. Counting down is inevitable.

I can't wait. It seems like we will have a nice group going with us [to Tayrona] so I hope that is ok. That's what you get for sending the mass email ;) Anyway I am counting the days.
-Melissa

We will all be at the airport waiting for you with maizena!
-Chris

Concentrating on work has never been more important. Or more difficult.

Nous sommes l'avenir...

My blog doesn't like to upload videos from YouTube, but check this out. It made me smile.

It sucks to know that travelers to Colombia can't even rely on Lonely Planet, the only major travel guidebook publisher to have published a guide to Colombia. The author admitted to having never visited the country and having plagiarized information. It's no wonder that we always noticed significant gaps in information about lodging, transportation, restaurants, and more that was common knowledge amongst travelers around the country...

strawberry fields forever...

It's the first day of spring to hit 70 degrees. "Lunch at Shake Shack" was the first thought on everyone's mind when we got to the office this morning. Our office and every other office in central Manhattan. The hour long line was completely worth it.
Spontaneous visit from one of my Paris girls tomorrow.
Just signed up for an awesome half marathon training program...hopefully kicking my ass into shape in time to run the Nike NYC Half Marathon this summer. Our March Madness flip cup and quarters tournament raised over $1400 for this same organization a few weeks ago.
And Colombia is getting closer and closer. Chris warned me that they are all going to greet me at the airport with maizena. ohmygoodness.

en Barranquilla me quedo...

The stupid frustrations I have been feeling lately mean nothing when I know that this is waiting for me in just less than 4 weeks...



...

I'm not done with my traveling, so let's run...

Why American Airlines rocks my world:

NYC-Barranquilla. Bogota-NYC. May 2-11.

A much needed vacation, a puente spent at Tayrona, some sun, salsa, postobon manzana, chuzo desgrenado, AIESEC Colombia 50th Anniversary celebration, hanging out with some of my favorite people in the world...all for a grand total of $474.

weaker people would have quit by now...

The pressure to succeed, to push farther, to prove that I can make something happen against all the odds, is mounting like I have never before experienced. The pressure is coming at me from every direction and I'm dishing it right back out, holding others accountable, pushing them to what I know they can do, what they must do. The result is going to be phenomenal, for better or worse. There is no middle ground for how this could possibly play out. We have invested way too much, challenged our assumptions and capabilities, built this up way too high for it to go unnoticed or come through as mediocre. I refuse to give up after investing a year of my life into this project. I refuse to fail or let this crash and burn. The only other option is ground-breaking success. Is that within our reach? How far are we willing to leap?

April showers bring...

...people out from the woodwork of NY winters. flowers at the farmers market. skirts. sunshine. long runs. countdown to colombia. motivation. difficult changes. matching full speed ahead. people watching on the steps of union square.