New Year...new blog

In the spirit of the new year I've decided to switch over to a new blog. I've kept a blog on xanga off and on since Feb 2003, but after a year and a half without posting I think it's time to start fresh. If you're interested in a blast from the past you can find the old blog here. For the last 5 years blogging has been more of an exercise in self reflection....posts were (usually) frequent and written mainly for my own personal record rather than for an audience...but this blog is going to be a bit different. Now that I've got friends moving all over the world (and could possibly be somewhere far far away myself very soon) I'm going to use it mainly to keep in touch and update everyone on what's going on in my life.

That being said...here goes!

I just got back from a three week trip to Chile that I used as my practicum requirement for my Outdoor Education minor. Part of our assignment during the trip was to keep a journal so I'll retype it (at least the interesting parts) and post it later tonight. If you just want the facts here's the shortened version of what we did on the trip:

Dec 13- Depart Richmond 5pm
Dec 14- Arrive in Santiago, Fly to Punta Arenas
Dec 15- Visit a Penguin Colony, travel to Puerto Natales
Dec 16- Drive to Torres del Paines National Park, hike to Los Torres
Dec 17- Hike to Los Cuernos
Dec 18- Hike to the French Valley
Dec 19- Hike to Glacier Grey
Dec 20- Hike back to Los Cuernos Refugio
Dec 21- Ferry across Lago Pehoe then drive back to Puerto Natales
Dec 22- Bus to Punta Arenas, fly to Puerto Montt, bus to Pucon
Dec 23- Explore Pucon
Dec 24- Climb Volcan Villarrica, Christmas Eve asado
Dec 25- Celebrate Christmas, horseback riding in the valley
Dec 26- Canopy tour
Dec 27- Trail maintenance project in Villarrica National Park
Dec 28- Trail maintenance project in Villarica National Park
Dec 29- Mapuche service project
Dec 30- Mapuche service project
Dec 31- Mountain bike to waterfalls
Jan 1- Bus to Puerto Varas
Jan 2- Bus to Puerto Montt, flight to Santiago
Jan 3- Explore Santiago
Jan 4- Explore Santiago, flight to US 10:30pm
Jan 5- Arrive in Richmond 11:30am


After we got back I drove from Richmond up to the apartment in DC, then on to New Jersey the next morning. I've spent the last 3 days home cleaning out my old room and getting rid of a lot of the stuff that I've acquired over the past 21 years...feels good to simplify life a little bit. As is usual for my trips home I got Japanese for dinner at the Bamboo House and went to Columbus Market for a pretzel dog, gravy joes and a cinnamon twist. I drove back down to DC earlier today and I'll leave for Longwood tomorrow night after church at NCC. Not a whole lot of time to relax before classes start on Monday, but I'd rather be busy than bored!