Cochabamba La Mejor

I traveled 50 hours each way by bus to visit the family of my grandmother's sister for Easter in Cochabamba. We drove through the jungle of Bolivia, one of the most gorgeous sights I've ever experienced.

I bought artesanias, ate street food, made a chocolate cake, found out the "spaghetti and meatballs" they eat in Bolivia is spaghetti with roasted boned chicken with tomato sauce, gorged myself on leftover chocolate buttercream and ganache, listened to Abba practically nonstop and still have "Dancing Queen" in my head, played a ton of Uno, tried a fermented grape drink (not wine) called guarapo that tasted like juice, drank white wine with freshly blended ice-cold peach juice, and hung out with my cousins.

I am so blessed.

i went to Carnaval this weekend. everything was so unexpected; it was an insane and colorful and almost surreal adventure.

lately i've been trying to plan my life for when i return to the real world; that is, the u.s. 

i was going to take an internship in another state far from virginia, but i've begun to realize that once you are away from family for a long time, those things fall by the wayside and you want nothing more than to live one last time with the people you love most in this world.

it's quite sad that a childhood must end.

a dinner party

Tonight, my sister and brother-in-law threw a small dinner party for our family at their home. It was beautiful, the food was delicious (black-eyed peas, collard greens, cornbread, pork loin, pineapple wine), and laid back. It was so nice to hang out with family before we all leave. It was the perfect start to the new year, and I cannot wait to see what this year has to offer- should be the most exciting one yet.