when i was younger, my mama told me that her mama told her to run up and around her street with a suitcase filled with her most precious belongings – right at the new minute of the new year. this superstitous ritual is said to bring you future years of many travels and major life change
my mama did exactly what her mama told her to do.
she came to this country with only a few dollars securely sewed into the inside of her bra before traversing into the US, escaping extreme poverty and political unrest. upon arrival, being granted asylum
she began her journey in los angeles, california where she lived for a few years as a babysitter for a wealthy latin woman who’d give her extra cash to enjoy day outtings with her daughter. this was only the beginning of a happier life for my beautiful, hard-working mama
after having 4 daughters and settling into a good, secure job – her travel journey began. she’s been back to her home country of Guatemala several times, not just to visit family but with enough money to visit the tourist areas and treat the people she grew up with with a nice vacation. she’s visited my father’s family in Ecuador (with me) to meet his mother and father when they still lived there. she’s been to Mexico City dozens of times to visit her traveling professor bestie, as well as other parts of Mexico – including Cancun with me and all of my sisters. she’s hiked around the andes of Peru with a cousin of a friend she met at church. she’s visited the beautiful country of Colombia. and for the first time in her life, she traveled to Europe. she never in her life thought she would get to where she is
my mama will never read this but madre mia, you are my why. you are my inspiration and the reason i am eager to see the world. you made my life beautiful in more ways than one. you make me want to be better, for not just myself but for you and to honor your extreme struggle. to honor breaking the cycle of generational poverty you were born into. you are an incredibly strong woman with the most curious of minds. thank you for making me as curious as you
traveling is so important to me as a young woman. my journey began when i was 18 and had my first ‘solo’ trip with my then-boyfriend. i was blessed to have received a $10k scholarship in cash to fund my studies – which i partially used to fund my trip. we went on to explore the streets of Chicago and then a quick visit to Orlando – random cities we chose but we just wanted to do something. i learned how easy it was to go online and purchase a flight
for me, that was the beginning of a travel itch i still have, and hopefully will never go away
to see my travels, check out my photography page – where i post my collection of photos i’ve gathered throughout the years
i am hoping to use this page as a travel journal and fill you in on the places i’ve been to and what i did
here are some pictures of my beautiful mother
Honey Toned Thoughts 