7 Days Without Chancho

Chris and I decided to go on a 7-day tour of the west camping trip. This was a different type of vacation for me since I had no idea what was in store. I typically like planning in advance, checking out all the places have to offer and almost having an intinerary. Yup... that's how I do it so that I feel like I'm making the most out of a trip. Well, not this time. This time, I let Chris have total control of where we would go, what we would do, etc.

Our trip started early in the morning... so that we could drop off Chancho at a daycare/nightcare place. During our drive out to Utah, Chris kept on stating that THIS was the furthest we had gone in Colorado. He finally decided that Glenwood Springs was the last place he had gone west in Colorado. Ayyy.

About 6 hours later we arrived at Arches National Park! Wow - I thought Denver was dry. But Arches National Park truly had an arid climate. On our 45-minute drive to the campgrounds, we stopped and took pictures of this awesome rock formation.

Then, we stopped at The Windows arch and got to hike around a little. The pictures really don't do it justice. We finally got to our campground and found that Chris had reserved an awesome site! Probably the most private of them all. We were right in front of kind of hidden bathrooms (that no one really knew about), the campground's amphitheatre, some awesome rock formations and we truly were away from everyone else... The way I describe it seems like it's in the middle of everything, but it's really not. So, we set up our campsite and Chris found an even cozier spot to cool off...

Those are the rock formations that were a few feet away from our tent...so cool! We got our water cans filled and off we went to go hiking. The trailhead was close to our campground and as we are on the trail, we bumped into Chris's co-worker from Switzerland who just happened to be on vacation and who just happened to be on the same trail at the same time in the same park... what a coincidence!

It was very neat to see them! Well, off we went on one of my favorite hikes of the entire 7-days. We found ourselves on top of a canyon on which you can see your shadow on the canyon a few miles away. I felt like I was on top of the world. We were exploring and it was all so fantastic. I wasn't very fearful or exhausted at this point in the trip, so I was enjoying it all. We got to one of Chris's favorite arches a few hours later called Double O Arch. You can see Chris posing on the top arch and I am on the lower arch (you have to look very closely).

I'm telling you, it was awesome! I think Chris felt so great as he was challenged in his hiking skills and always met the challenge. He's like my monkey! Ha!

We thought it was a good idea to head back to our campground since the sun was setting. As we headed back, we took pictures of other arches and findings (see them at the end of this blog). We found out the amphitheatre was holding nightly programs (talks and presentations given by different park rangers). As we returned from our hike, we went to the program, ate Frito Pie as an easy dinner and went to sleep in our comfy tent and our new adjoining sleeping bags. Awww... what a event filled day! It was the start of a great camping trip.

On the following blogs, we'll have you join us through our adventures, frusterations and lots of pictures of our 7-day vacation to the West.

Other pictures...

Neither from here nor there

I've decided to write about something that I've experienced my whole life but never really talked about much. It's something that perhaps most of you haven't experienced - or maybe you have. If you have, I'd like to know your thoughts about it.

When you are asked, "Where are you from?" What do you say? Does your answer relate to where you were born or where you lived the longest? Or does your answer relate to where your parents live... or where you'd like to be from?

In my case it's a little complicated. I've been known to answer differently depending on who asks. Why? I'm not sure. I was born in Mexico, the city I've lived the longest is Miami, the state I've lived the longest is Texas. I consider myself Mexican, but I've lived in the US much much longer than I ever lived in Mexico.
Again, I consider myself Mexican... as I was born in Mexico, listen to Spanish music (not all the time though), cook Mexican food, am fluent in Spanish and practice Mexican traditions. But you see, when I come in contact with co-workers who lived in Mexico most of their life, they consider me to be American. I am not "Mexican" enough to them to really and truly be Mexican. When I go to Mexico, my family considers me American. But when I'm in the U.S., I am considered Mexican. I have gotten descriminated against and stereotyped as what a Mexican is supposed to be like to them.

If I determine my identity by how others classify me, I would be a floater. Neither from here nor there.

How do I classify myself? Not Mexican-American. But purely Mexican. It bothers me greatly when I come into contact with other Mexicans who classify me as American. Am I not Mexican enough for them? I guess so. That's a shame. What would I have to do to be Mexican enough? Have an accent? I actually do have an accent in both languages. Maybe I should have only one fluency... in Spanish... that way I can be "Mexican" enough for Mexicans. I think I'm rather blessed to have fluency in both languages. I won't take that away.

So I close in asking you... where are you from?