New Year.... New Me? Yeah, right!

There is one new habit I do need to develop.

Flossing.

My dentist had me imagining a life without teeth when I was sitting in that chair. I had visions of applesauce, Jamba Juice, and flan flying across my taste buds. No more chewing gum!? Pass me the floss. Apparently, flossing every day is a big deal. So, here we go. I did not floss last night. But, I didn't really have a night that ended.... so tonight, I will floss.

The idea of new year = new habits is silly to me. I already am in pursuit of my best self. I'm a fire, an Aries. We already take life by the reins and compete with our best self. I can't lose, because I am keeping a tally of almost every big positive and negative event. When I see big gains in my students' scores? That earns big positives. When I forget to follow up with an email? A negative. But then, I take a tourist's photo for their family at the mountain. That is a positive. And fun because I get to play the accent game: Where are they from?

If I were to reflect on my competitive nature, I know my competitive spirit is like a piece of green play-doh. The essence is all there: the eye on the prize, the strategy to be #1, the determination and dedication. But, ask a high school friend, a college friend, a Teach for America friend and a present-day friend about my competitive spirit and I'll bet there are a few different interpretations. Every time I get a chance to mold something new, something better - I take it.

I like the present-day version best. Obviously. I'm an Aries and we improve - not go backwards.

When I look back on last year and look forward into this year, I know I will continue to make mistakes - just hopefully not the same ones. I made plenty of wrong turns in 2011 so I am ready for the time when I take a path and need to make a U-turn, and put myself back on the right track. I'm prepared to fail because it has happened often. I'm equally as prepared to win.

a new year? What does that really mean for me?

Make mistakes (again). Improve (again). Reflect and change course (again). Find a new challenge (again). Become a more effective teacher (again). Seek out my best self (again).

In a nutshell...or an empanada

Friends are asking me to highlight the best part of my trip. How do you highlight a trip as diverse as the one we just experienced? As I try to pop out the 'best' memories, the trip marinades slowly and richer meaning starts to fill my heart and soul, just like the aroma of a good Malbec wine, flavor appears slowly and suavemente.

In Peru, the best by far was being on the top of Huayna Picchu, or the big rock. It is the rock that oversees all of Machu Picchu and only 300 people a day are allowed to summit. There were about 40 - 50 people en route, at the top and coming down when we were ascending. The sense of self in a place that magical is undefinable. I imagined the hundreds of Incans who were responsible for the labor, the planning and revising of such a gigantic construction project. We think we have these beautifully built structures in downtown cities but compared to the purposeful and intricate construction at Machu Picchu, we are building Lego houses.

I felt so close to God when I was on that mountain in the middle of a huge forest. His world is beautiful and designed with a purpose. His world is beautiful - I met amazing people at the top of that rock and all of us were floored, enamored and deeply moved by the magic at the top of that mountain.

Then... Buenos Aires hit me like a 90 mph fastball. The European buildings, sugar and cakes everywhere, the Malbec wine from Mendoza, dancing until 7 AM and the friendly people. I am definitely going back! The fashion... the shoes.... the people are just gorgeous!
I met great new friends in Buenos Aires and that is the best experience. International friendships are a work of art. To come together in someone's second (or third) language and laugh, tell jokes, share stories on ex-boyfriends, adventures and international love is deeply moving. I made great friends in Buenos Aires - from Brasil and Colombia - we live in such different places but we are experiencing similar stories. I just love laughing at jokes in Spanish, sharing stories and exchanging secrets - but now, we wait until someone visits the other country. It is hard, making great friends and then leaving within 1 or 2 weeks, sometimes a few months later. Thankfully, we have facebook!

Brasil - 2014 for la Copa!

Chile... oh Chile... how my heart swells when I remember your oceans, the faces of the children at Hogar de Cristo and the humility I learned while living in a place where I did not understand basic conversations. I am hanging on to the memories of studying in Santiago and the travels throughout the country like an infant holds onto their blankie. My world improved because I was exposed to truth and another set of cultural values and expectations. We live in a diverse world and to have the opportunity to cozy up in a corner of the world for a few months... lead to some great revelations.

I travel the open road... healthy free, the world before me, leading where ever God has planned for me...