About me - A Little Bit Country

     I grew up in the Midwest, 6 miles outside a town of 5,000 people.  My daily chores involved tending cows and chickens, and my pastimes included hunting and fishing to put a little extra meat on the table.  My father and I never spent time playing catch, we mended fences together on weekends.  As isolated as that sounds, I had one parent from Illinois and one from Georgia, so travel for me has always meant a cherished break from a monotonous routine, even at an early age.  There's never been a day in my life when I didn't look forward to a road trip or a flight, because at the end of that long road waited Grandma and pecan pie, who would mind driving for that?

 

     At age 14 I began studying Spanish and at 16 I got to spend a semester abroad in Costa Rica.  This experience was life-changing in so many ways, broadening my horizons like never before.  My host family and school friends were really great about watching out for me, helping me learn Spanish, and showing me around their beautiful country.  

Host brothers and me.
1998-2012

From mountain to forest and coast, I saw a little of everything there, I even stood in a spot once where we could see the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans at the same time.  Suddenly the world was accessible, a real thing to be breathed and touched, not just read about in a book, and the Spanish-speaking world was now open to me, a whole new world full of stories and human interactions that no longer needed subtitles.

Machu Picchu in the background

     My wife and I both love to see the world and we are probably happiest when navigating through some foreign country neither of us has seen before.  Together we've been to Aruba, Costa Rica, Honduras, Peru, and a few off-the-beaten-path destinations in the US.  Europe and Asia are in our sights, we're already planning visits.  We are also avid foodies, so trying all the local cuisine is always on our list of stuff to do, although neither of us is into eating bugs.  Short of that, we'll probably try anything once.  Guinea pig, anyone?
     I hope you enjoy this blog.  It's not me trying to act like an expert about anything, it's just my hope to share some of the experiences we've had, the good and the bad.  I'll tell you about the times I took the long way around so hopefully you can learn from my mistakes.  If there's anything you feel like I'm missing, please do comment or email me at HelpHalHelpYou@gmx.com .