Carnival @ Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

About a year ago I made a list of the top 5 adventures I wanted to have before settling down. In no particular order, they included:

1) Living in Latin America
2) Celebrating Carnival in Brazil
3) Chartering a Boat through the Greek Islands
4) Climbing Machu Pichu
5) Visiting South Africa

So far, I have been blessed with opportunities to get a healthy start on this list. In addition to accomplishing #1 (which I will write about later) I was able to meet up with my dear friend Jodi in Salvador last month to celebrate Carnival. Jodi and 3 ladies she met living in the Marshall Islands made the decision last year to save their money, quit their jobs, and travel around South America together for 6 months. Their mission: to take a break from the sometimes all-consuming American lifestyle and be present in each moment of their adventures exploring South America's wonders.

My 10 day trip to Brazil was more than everything I had dreamt up during the 5 months I spent anxiously anticipating my departure. What I experienced was definitely a healthy taste of the Brazillian cultural: the food, the people, the language, & the feastivities & celebration surrounding the holiday were incredibly vibrant and full of life. However, while I was expecting to expend all of my prepared energy on these things, I never could have anticipated what the company I kept would offer: a renewed sense of positive energy that rejuvinated my soul. As if to prepare for the next big adventure in my life, I was filled up through the beautiful companionship I found in each of these 4 traveling spirits: Katrina, Jodi, Brigid, & Diane.

Through every bite of street food, every night dancing down cobblestone alleys, each smiling Brazilian face I encountered, every moment of reflection, quiet time, deep conversation, and even video chatting back to the states, I am eternally grateful for how I grew during this short yet transforming discovery.

To see the entire trip album, Click Here