I wasn't originally supposed to go on this trip. But at the very last minute I suddenly realized that I'd be an idiot to go to Peru and NOT see the Amazon. It was not at all what I expected it to be. It was much more subdued, more powerful, and significantly less scary than it's made…
When people think of Peru, I imagine what comes to mind is either Machu Picchu or llamas. And those are very accurate assessments as far as I'm concerned. There are indeed a surprising number of llamas and Machu Picchu is arguably the most historically significant landmark in the country. But what ended up being my favorite…
"Sometimes, there's so much beauty in the world - I feel like I can't take it, like my heart is just going to cave in." I watched the movie American Beauty for the first time as an assignment in a fiction writing class that I took my senior year of college. It is a truly bizarre…
I imagine it's not easy being one of the "New 7 Wonders of the World." People are always questioning if you're really all that you're cracked up to be and you have to constantly live up to everyone's expectations. It's a tough act. But if you're Machu Picchu, you always deliver. I've been lucky enough to…
The Coffee Culture in Cusco, Peru I studied abroad in Cusco, Peru during the summer of 2014. It was absolutely the best thing I've ever done in my life and I will cherish my experience there forever. I haven't written much about it on this blog because I've been trying to figure out how to…
I'd like to start off with some kind of angsty pretentious quote like "FILM'S NOT DEAD" or something about how "film really just captures the essence of place better than digital photos do." But of course I don't really believe those things so I'll spare you. I do, however, believe that film is a very…
Hours and Miles 