It was sunny when we left Jiminez, but you could see dark storm clouds right where we were headed. But the captain continued along, they’re trained for these things? Right? Sure enough, about 10 minutes into the usually 30-minute ride, we had entered the storm.

I vividly remember being 4 or 5 years old and looking out of my bedroom window thinking "why me?" What that meant is a story for another time, but I always had a sense of the greater structures & spiritual meanings to this life.

People ask me why I love Costa Rica so much, and for the first time, the answer is clear: my nervous system settles here. Life moves slower, people care for one another, and what actually matters rises to the surface. Costa Rica doesn’t ask you to rush — it invites you to breathe.

I had every intention of returning back to Costa Rica after hiking The Camino with my mom this past fall. So how did I end up in Peru?