Make a wish! ★

Have you ever seen this and made a wish? How many times?

Personally, I lost count a loooong time ago!

I spent years of my life making wishes everytime I saw this... 10:10, 11:11, 12:12, 13:13, and so on... Years of years, wishing on stuff that looking back, I don't even think I ever got!

I looked at my clock not too long ago and it said 12:12. Then I looked again after a little while and it said 12:13, and I realized something... I didn't make a wish!

I don't ever make wishes anymore... I don't want to say I don't believe in wishes and dreams coming true anymore, because I do, believe it or not. But my idea of wishes has changed. I don't believe in asking for something and just sitting there hoping it will eventually come true...

I believe in wishes that you can work for and MAKE them come true... After all, they do say "Easy comes, easy goes", right? Victory tastes better when YOU pursue it, not when a shooting star grants it to you...

But anyway... After a few minutes I started thinking Have I run out of wishes? Is it really possible that I have nothing to wish for?

But the answers were more than obvious. I do. I do have things to wish for. PLENTY of things, as a matter of fact.

I wish I could graduate, for example. I wish I won the lottery! I wish I had a job so I could stop being a parasite. I wish I could go back to the States. I wish I lost weight. I wish this city were not so freaking dangerous. I wish I had a convertible. I wish I had a dog shelter. I wish I could give my grandma a youth potion and make her healthy again. I wish I could travel 24/7. I wish I was a UN interpreter. I wish men didn't cheat. I wish I could see him again...

Man, I could go on for hours and hours!

There are sooo many things people wish for! sooo many 'little' things that somehow become everything we want...

If you had a genie floating in front of you, and he told you you can make ONE single wish... What would you wish for?

What would be the ONE thing you think you absolutely need in your life in order to be truly happy? What is your ultimate wish?

Are you positive you wouldn't regret it later? Would you change your mind after a while and say "Man, I should've wished for that instead"

I can think of a million things I would want... But, do I really NEED them? Do I really need to have everything I wish for?

I am happy with what I have right now. I'm not rich, and I will probably never be. I don't drive a convertible, I'm not a UN interpreter. Heck, I'm not even an interpreter at all! I can't make my grandma young and healthy again, I can't win the lottery because I don't ever buy lottery tickets. I won't lose weight unless I go on a diet (or have plastic surgery, but since I'm broke, that's a no-go too)... I don't have any of the stuff I wish for, yet I am happy.

I'm happy with my life as it is right at this very second.

I love my family more than words can explain. I love school and I love what I do. I love my dog. I love my friends... I love everything I have. I love my perfectly imperfect life. I love what I have and I wouldn't trade it for the world...

So, after taking all this into consideration... Would I still need a genie? Would I still need a shooting star or a wishing well? Would I still need watches marking 11:11 everyday?

Probably...

I think after all I do have a wish left: I wish my life were always this great :)

Reencuentro? Say what?

Boys bands have always existed. I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure it all started with NKOTB. Then there was BSB, N'Sync, and so on. I loved all 3 I just mentioned, for the record, but there was this one Mexican boys band I was absolutely crazy about. Exactly 15 years ago I was head over heels in love with this one boys band called Mercurio. And when I say head over heels I mean HEAD OVER HEELS.I remember every single wall in my room being covered with posters, pictures, CD covers, magazine articles, etc. I used to think they were the hottest guys on earth, and there was this one particular guy, Danny, that I swore I would marry one day...

I went to every single concert they gave here in Guayaquil. I bought every single CD. I grew up with them. I could relate to every single song. I knew deep inside, one day, we were going to live in the perfect world, and we were going to meet and be friends, and I was going to be Danny's wife and we would live happily ever after... Oh man, was I a dreamer or what!

I listened to their CDS every day before and after school. I used to do homework while listening to their CDS, I used to watch TV everytime they were on it and I used to record every show too. Looking back I guess you can say I was more obsessed than in love, but saying I was in love sounds a lot prettier :)

I was 11 years old when the band officially started, 16 when my favorite band members (the main ones, pretty much) left the band, and 18 when the band officially split up.

At 16, when they decided to "replace" Dany, Poncho, and Hector (who were by far THE one reason I loved them so much) I stopped following their shows as much. I hated the new guys, I really did. I couldn't stand watching them on TV cuz all I could think about was "that douche is singing what they used to sing" "that guy's taking all the credit for what the others did" and so on. I didn't stop listening to their music, but I never bought the new CD with the new guys... I listened to the 3 I had always listened to...

Time passed by and Mercurio became a long forgotten memory... Nobody would even talk about them. Sometimes, though, I would listen to one of their songs on the radio and all the memories would come back in a second... but after a while the fuzz was gone again.

Then I moved to the States and never heard about them again.

Not too long ago, back in Guayaquil, I heard one of their songs on the radio. I thought I was going to crash because I got so excited I felt I couldn't keep driving anymore...

And then I heard the news: The possibility of a comeback!!! O H M Y G O D ! ! !

I am a 26 year old girl who gets excited over a bunch of skinny dudes singing. Does that make me a loser? Hell, if so, I'll be the happiest loser on earth!

I joined every single fan page on facebook, I've done everything I can to be part of this "Operacion Reencuentro" to get them to come back on stage... And apparently they have decided they miss singing and they want to go on tour starting April next year.

I am, as I type this, smiling like an idiot, bouncing on my bed, trying not to scream because everyone else in the house is already sleeping...

I'm going to see Mercurio, again, after 10 years!!! I'm going to see the 5 young men who made me believe love could be possible, who made me think there was still room for romanticism in life, who made me think one day I was going to find that someone special too, who made me realize life is great, and sometimes even if it sucks, you just have to let go and move on...

I'm going to see them. I'M GOING TO SEE THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They don't have any official dates or anything as of right now, but they've admitted they ARE getting back together. Even if it's for one concert in every country or city... That's enough.

I am trying to make sense as I type but I'm having a real hard time focusing... I'm just overwhelmed. This is too much excitement and joy for me to handle...

I love Mercurio. Yes, I still do! I still listen to their music, in spite of what others may say about me, and I still cry with some of their songs...

I think it's a wonderful thing they're getting back together and I am soooooooooo looking forward to that concert! OMG! Thank you God! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now it's time to calm the F down and go to bed... I'll need my sanity in case they do decide to go on tour...

"Always be a poet, even in prose." ~Charles Baudelaire

I remember when I was a kid how much I used to love poetry... I didn't know much about poets, of course, but I used to love all those cheesy mushy poems that talked about nothing but a perfect love.

I liked poetry so much I even started writing myself... I used to write one cheesy poem after another (for real!) and everytime I would finish one, I would close the notebook and read it again the next day. If I didn't like it, I would throw it in the trash and write a new one.

I guess it was that easy. Sometimes I wish I had saved some of them so I could see what "my feelings" were back then, but I didn't. I threw all of them away.

When I was in high school I entered this poetry contest... We were supposed to write them on some kind of poster so they could hang it and everyone could read it. I still remember mine... It had a girl standing in the middle of some dirt road, crying. There was a broken heart behind her and a boy walking away way back...

Surprisingly, such 'cheesiness' actually worked. I won the third place. I couldn't believe it, I swear. At the time I felt like I had accomplished so much, I felt like a poet myself. My poem was even published in the school's newspaper. Looking back all I can say is HOW EMBARASSING!

I can't remember ever writing another poem after that one... I honestly don't know if my inspiration just flew away with that, or what, but I never wrote again. I still love writing, but I don't write poems anymore. I write more about personal stuff. I write journals, I write letters, I write ideas, but I don't write poems.

Sometimes I think it was the fact that I had always written for myself. I had never shown anyone my 'work' and all of a sudden having one published, pretty much broke that golden rule and I was doomed.

Sometimes when I read some cheesy poem, depending on my mood, I'll say "Aw, how sweet." But most of the time, all I can say is "How cheesy!"

But why am I writing about this? Well, because I'm taking this one class called Contemporary Nobel Peace Prizes in Literature. We're analyzing some Nobel Peace Prize winners and of course, one of the writers we're analyzing is Pablo Neruda.

I have to admit I do NOT enjoy reading his work. I'm sure the guy is (or was) awesome, otherwise he wouldn't have won a prize, but I just don't see that beauty that everyone else seems to see... All those poems, one sadder than the other, are just way too much for me.

I also have to admit I have to read every poem at least twice to understand what he's actually trying to say, but even after I get the point... I'm like "WHAT?"

I can see why people consider him romantic, and loving, and whatever they want to call him... I just don't see it.

Sometimes I wonder if everything that's happened to me, meaning horrible relationships and heartbreaks left and right, are the cause of this... Maybe all that excitement that came with poetry is just gone after seeing how all those lines are just a lie. All that "I will love you forever" "Forever you'll be in my heart" and bull is just that... Bull.

Maybe I won't like poetry again unless somebody who PROVES those lines can actually be true comes along... In the meantime, all they are is just a bunch of mushy pointless words.

And in the end, all poems end the same way: one loves, one leaves.

I think I have enough of my own drama and loveless experiences to dive into more by reading all this crap... Neruda might have won a Nobel Peace Prize but his work doesn't do a thing for me.

Does that make me a pessimist? Hmm... I think I'd have to say it makes me more of a realist.

Beauty standards

Every single day when you open a magazine, or go on some website, or look at some billboard... anywhere you look you see beautiful, super skinny models. Tall, blonde, with mile-long legs, perfect boobs, perfect abs, legs, hips... The whole picture, the whole image shows a flawless girl...

You go shopping and every single manechin in display is a size zero. Of course.

You go to school and you see girls looking at themselves in the mirror screaming "OMG! Look at my fat!!!" even if they weigh probably 100 pounds, tops.

You watch TV and every celebrity is a perfect size zero showing a perfect tan.

After all this... I, who am clearly NOT a size zero, can't help but wonder "What the fuck happened here?" Since when does everyone HAVE to be toothpick skinny?

Who set those standards? Was it those ridiculously rich stupid girls who can afford to get plastic surgeries and fix everything they don't like? Cuz I know for sure it wasn't regular girls like me.

I have always known being fat is not good for you: it's bad for your health, it's bad for your self-esteem, it's bad for whatever reason society feels like telling you it's bad... (ok, maybe I agree on the health one)

I know being fat is not necessarily great. But is being a damn toothpick healthy?

One of the classes I'm taking this bimester is Health and Nutrition (big shocker, I know!) I honestly signed up for the class because I figured I would learn something new and maybe change my eating habits, get to exercise a little and who knows, maybe lose a little weight in a near future... Oh, BIG MISTAKE! My professor does nothing but remind us how lean you have to be, how important it is to be skinny, and the best part... HOW CHUBBY WE ARE!

Chubby... I really hate that word. It really bothers me! I personally don't like euphemisms, so I'd much rather have you call me fat to my face than try to be polite and/or nice saying stuff like "chubby".

Like I said, I know being FAT is not necessarily sexy, or pretty. I understand that. But seriously... I can count with my right hand fingers the really sexy/pretty girls I know who are actually worth having a conversation with. There are plenty of pretty girls out there, there are tons of girls who are smarter than anyone would think, but people don't seem to realize it because their jeans are not skin-tight and because their boobs are not a size DD.

You hear people talk about diets 24/7, you see people opening up new businesses trying to 'help' people lose weight, gyms in every single corner of the city... Just everything everywhere you look screams "we hate fat!"

And going shopping? My God, God forbid you even tried to go shopping in this stupid city. Not only will you not find anything that fits you, but the salesperson might even actually tell you "sorry, you're too big, we don't sell clothes that big". Makes me want to spend every single dime I have on me...

So, after rambling so much about this... What I'm trying to say is:

1. I understand being fat is not healthy.
2. I understand being skinny might bring you more benefits as far as health, and of course, looks.

However, I don't seem to understand why people think you're only worth talking to if you're skinny. Ok, this has nothing to do with guys only liking skinny girls or anything. I'm way past that point, trust me, I gave up a long time ago.

This has more to do with how society treats you. How is it even possible that you don't get a job because here people request to see a picture of you before they even give you an interview? How is it possible that even if you meet the requirements for the position, you're not hot enough so you just don't get the job?

Where the hell has this society gone? When did we become so superficial? When did we decide what pretty or smart should look like?

My brain is not measured by how much my body weighs. My brain, my maturity, my personality, my soul is not measured by how thin my waistline is.

I just can't understand how our society has become so stupidly superficial and ignorant that will prefer someone with a nice body who has a peanut where their brain should be, than someone who may actually know what 1+1 is only because of "beauty standards."

Fuck beauty standards. Being pretty and stupid does not mean you meet the beauty standards.

Your pretty face, your super long legs, your perfectly perky boobs are not going to last forever --sorry to break it to you, but gravity is a bitch, no matter how many times you go under the knife!-- Outside beauty is ephemeral. Brains are not.

I have nothing against skinny people. My god, if I did I wouldn't have any friends. Don't get me wrong, this is not just a hate post. I do love skinny people. What I can't stand is STUPID skinny people who think they've conquered the world because they can wear tiny clothes and because they don't have any rolls when they sit down.

It's cool you're skinny, but all that skin you're missing, should at least be evened out with what you have in your head. Don't think you own the world because you're pretty. Work on your brain. When you lose your beauty, when you stop meeting those beauty standards, how are you going to survive?

If you like being skinny, so be it. Enjoy your thinness. If you like being fat, enjoy it as well. But don't go around in life making others feel less, making them feel like they're worth nothing because they weigh a few more pounds... Don't call people chubby. Don't call them fat. Don't call them any names. Call them by THEIR names. They are people, not a jean size.

There's more to life than just looks, and after all, beauty comes in all sizes, whether you like it or not.

"The best mirror is an old friend." - George Herbert

Most people graduate from high school thinking about every single thing they hated about it and the million reasons they would never go back...
Most people believe high school is a nightmare and they are simply glad it's over.
I know this because I have done it too. I, too, have thought about a thousand things I hated about HS and all I can say is "Geez... I'm glad it's over."

The truth is, I AM glad it's over, but not just because I don't have to get up at 5:30 every morning, or because I don't HAVE to take classes I don't want or like.
I'm glad HS's over because HS brought these 3 girls into my life and was the place where an amazing friendship started...
People say there's always something that reminds you of yourself when you pick your friends... I have not been able to prove that theory just yet. I don't know if my friends are like me, but I do know they are what compliments me to some extent.

After HS, life took us all on a different path, we don't see each other every single day anymore, we don't talk every day, we don't do homework together, we barely party together anymore... But it's not really that big a deal: there's still that little something that makes it right whenever we see each other.

We may not be there 24/7, but we are there for those moments that matter...
We are there for birthdays, holidays, random going-out nights, weddings, and now the first baby shower.
We have been there for some sad moments too, but we're not going to spoil this entry remembering those...

Truth be told, no matter how many NEW friends each one of us makes, or how many people become our good or new best friends... there's always a place in my heart that will forever belong to the 4 of us.
No matter how far away we are from each other and no matter where the path may lead us, we will always find a way back home, to us, to the 4 of us...
Or so I hope.
Thanks for sharing the great and the not-so-great times...
Your friendship means the world to me, and I know for a fact I would have not gotten out of some deep black holes if it hadn't been for you.
Thank you again, I love you all.

"Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart"

Your money (or your cell) or your life...

According to the latest UN report, Guayaquil is the 14th most dangerous city in Latin America; Quito is the 17th one.
Anybody who lives in Guayaquil knows just how dangerous it is to drive around the city, or even worse, to walk around no matter at what time...
There has always been crime, granted, but I know for a fact it had never been this bad before.

3 nights ago on my way back home from school, this little boy -- 12-14 years old tops -- tried to mug me. Luckily, my window was almost all the way up and he couldn't reach for my phone, my watch or whatever he may have wanted.
The kid had a knife, and even though he was 100 lbs. lighter than me (if not more), the fact that he had his knife against my skin made him 100 times stronger.
It's impossible to describe that feeling: that precise moment when somebody's yelling at you telling you to give up your phone, or your wallet, or he will cut your arm, kill you, or God knows what. This whole thing may have lasted no longer than a minute or 2 total, but it sure felt like hours of uncertainty and desperation.
It's the second time someone's tried to mug me, and all I can say is I'm TERRIFIED there will be a third one.

I'm terrified to leave my house because I think someone's going to try to kidnap me to steal my car and maybe even kill me in the process...
What ever happened to Guayaquil? When did we become the perfect spot for crime?
What the hell was the president thinking when he decided stealing up to $600 was not a crime, or forbid any kind of mistreatment and/or abuse against thieves and/or murderers?
What's next, Mr. President? Thieves will get a reward for stealing?
I am sure he won't realize just how bad he's hurt his country until someone points a gun directly at his head and threatens to kill him for his money. Sounds horrible, I know... But that's the sad reality we've come to now...

People always give me dirty looks when I say I miss Fl and I want to move back. It's not that I don't love my country or my city... I do, and I do think this country has so many beautiful things, so many beautiful places to be explored, the people are so nice, friendly and welcoming that makes you want to stay here... I know that. I'm aware of it... But all those beauties we have to share become absolutely nothing when you can't offer safety to its citizens, let alone tourists.

It's a shame we've come to this point and I think I can honestly say even though I love my city, I can't wait to get the hell out of here.
Not trying to be mean here, but I need to be somewhere where I don't worry about being mugged, or stabbed or shot every day when I leave my house. I know how bad it sounds, but I'm not making it up, the UN backs what I said...
I hope one day things change. I hope one day when we have a smarter president we can enforce our laws and thieves can be punished even if they steal a piece of gum...
I hope one day we can all walk around, no matter the time of the day, without any type of worries...
Until then, I'll stick to my house-school-house route...
How awesome is that? Thieves not only try to steal my phone or wallet, but now they also steal my social life. Thanks a lot, jerks. I hate you all...

"Single and ready to mingle"

Have you ever stopped for a minute to actually think about what being "single" means?

Probably in many other countries, the word single simply means NOT having a boyfriend and/or husband. Period.

In our country, however, it seems to have such a horrible connotation that people seem to run as far away from it as possible.

Being single has been stigmatized and people believe you can only be happy if you are in some sort of relationship...

There are people who are miserable in their relationships, but they would still never break it off because they refuse to be single.

I know there are people who think I'm just a love hater. I'm not, believe it or not.

I do like being in love and I think it's probably the most wonderful feeling ever.

However, I'm a very realistic person. Those daydreaming days are long gone and there is simply no more room for stupid utopias. Love is what it is. Life is what it is.

I have to admit I HATE seeing people settling for less than they know they want and deserve, out of fear of being alone.

Since when does being alone mean being lonely?

Why do we have to think that we can't find happiness if we are alone? Why do we have to hold onto someone else or base our happiness on someone other than ourselves?

How can we look at ourselves in the mirror every morning and truly smile and say I AM HAPPY?

It's taken me exactly 2 years and 4 months to get there.

I think I can finally look at myself in the mirror with a smile on my face and say "I'm ok. I'm happy."

Why should I hate myself for being single?

Why should I be sad or depressed because I don't have someone to call me 24/7 and monitor every single one of my steps? Why should I be sad if I don't have someone to get jealous because I talk to a friend? Why should I be sad if I don't have someone who will break my heart?

People only see being single as the worst thing that could possibly happen to them. Instead, they should embrace that status. They should do what fulfills them. They should go out and party, maybe hang out with friends, go for a walk, go to the beach, read a book, watch a movie, or simply do things you never got around to because you were always busy with somebody else.

I have been in love before. I, too, have felt that kind of love that makes your legs shake and your conscience fly away with a simple kiss. I have felt what ultimate love and passion is.

And that is the one and only reason I refuse to settle for less than that.

I refuse to hold somebody's hand if I know that person doesn't own 100% of my heart. I refuse to say I love you to somebody if I don't feel it 100%. I refuse to share a life with someone only because I'm afraid I won't find somebody else.

I refuse to waste my time and make that person waste theirs.

I refuse to settle for less than perfection.

If this means I have to be single, so be it.

I'm a smart person, I'm talented, and one day I will be a freaking awesome and successful translator who won't need somebody else's approval to find ultimate happiness.

I refuse to be afraid to be alone.

I refuse to be like everybody else...

I'm stronger than that. I'm better than that...

Being single doesn't mean you're not good enough for anyone. It means no one is good enough for you.

NASCAR

When I first moved to the US my knowledge of Racing didn't go beyond F1.
One day, at work, the race was on TV and since I was holding the door, I pretty much had to watch it... I have to admit the first couple of times I watched it, all I could think about was "Who the hell watches this? Could it get ANY more boring?"
I used to think NASCAR was only cars going around in circles, which is what a lot of people think. Fortunately, there was this one manager who was a huuuuuuuuuuuuuge NASCAR fan and he took the time to explain to me how everything worked... It turns out, it's a lot more complicated than most sports - at least when it comes to points and stuff - and surprisingly, it is anything BUT boring.

Ok, ok, if you sit in front of your TV and watch a 5 hour race without even taking a potty break, you will most likely get sick of it and change the channel... (Trust me, I used to do the same)
However, if you ever have the chance to actually go to a race, your whole perspective about racing WILL change... That's not a question, it's a statement.
The very first minute you walk into the speedway and you see thousands and thousands of people walking around wearing their favorite driver's stuff, I swear to God you get chills down your spine...
You see people walking by you, carrying their team's seat cushions, their beer koozies, t-shirts, coolers, bags, backpacks, tents, you name it, they have it!
Everyone drinking beer, having barbeques, tailgating... It's absolutely awesome! The atmosphere is just amazing!
Then you have an amazing singer performing the national anthem, then you have jet planes flying above you giving you goosebumps with every mile they advance, then the Grand Marshall who is usually someone famous as well saying the magic words "Gentlemen, start your engines!" as you hear how every single one of the engines starts running...
And then the race starts... The cars flying by are soooo loud but not loud that hurts your ears - or maybe it does, but there is so much adrenaline you probably don't even feel the pain - the sound of the engines and the smell of the burning tires is beyond describable...
The huge smoke cloud that forms whenever there's a crash is sooo nerve wracking and yet soooo exciting at the same time you just want to jump over the fences and see what happened!
(Meanwhile, you're chugging down beers left and right, of course...)
And then, just when you think your favorite driver, who's been leading the past 100 laps, is going to win the race, somebody touches him and he crashes... Another big wreck and your poor driver is pushed back to last place and the guy you hate the most wins it...
Interestingly though, even though it is not YOUR driver who won, the burnout is soooo freaking phenomenal that you just don't care at one point... You just want to be there and see it live! And see the driver splashing champagne on everyone, all the confetti, the fireworks... Oh man, it's quite a show.

In the end... you realize it's not just cars going in circles... As a matter of fact, there are no round tracks, they're mostly oval, but there are some other shapes as well, except for circle ones :)
After hours of watching it and following it every week, after keeping track of your driver's point standings for 9 months, you're a NASCAR fan too before you even know it...

I remembered just how much I loved races tonight because the Coke 400 was on. Unfortunately, I had to watch it in Spanish and Jimmie did not win, but it was pretty awesome. It certainly brough back some memories, which was good :)
I had forgotten just how much fun races were :)
Hopefully one day I will be able to be at one again :)

A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself. ~Josh Billings

I can't think of a year of my life when I haven't had a dog around.

Ever since I was born, I have always had the greatest luck to have a dog as a part of my family.

Every time I've lost one, it's taken me forever to get over the loss...

I've had people call me crazy because I've always shared my bed with my dog... Up until 7 1/2 months ago I did with Coca, now I do with Mia...

The truth is, dogs have never been just "dogs" for me. They have always been part of my family, one of us...

This brings me to the reason why I'm writing this entry...

I went on a short road trip to this little beach town with some friends from school...

One night, when we were on the beach having some drinks, this beautiful dog walked up to us and sat next to us...

He smelled like beach. He was a little wet and he was shaking... We came to the conclusion that it was some sort of brain-related problem, because his whole lower body kept shaking even when he was sleeping...

We named him Décalage... T&I related... Not really important.

Anyway... He walked up to me and I started petting him... After a few minutes I decided to pick him up and let him sit on my lap...

The poor little thing was shaking so bad but he soon laid his head on my arms and fell asleep... Whenever I moved him, he would wake up and then went back to sleep right away...

At one point, he basically crawled up on my chest and fell asleep there. I could hear him snore... He was perfectly comfortable and he had his arm on mine... He looked so peaceful and happy...

I could tell he had never been held like that before... I could tell no one had ever pet him like that before, and even worse, no one had ever rocked him to sleep before...

As I type this, I can still picture his little face in my mind and it breaks my heart to know there are evil people out there who see dogs like him, in desperate need of food, water, shelter, but most important, of love and simply do nothing about it.

I wanted so bad to bring him home with me, but I knew my mom would've killed me...

I don't understand how people have dogs and just kick them out and throw them on the street like they're a piece of garbage... I don't understand how you see a dog walk up to you, obviously hungry and begging for food, and you just shush them away in disguise.

How can you have such a cold heart? How can you deny a little dog something to eat, or 5 minutes of your time to pet him and make him feel loved?

It broke my heart to leave him there. It still breaks my heart to know he's out there, lonely, walking along that beach, hoping someone will give him some shelter...

I wish people understood just how amazing having a dog is... I really do hope one day we can drive around the city without having to see hungry stray dogs everywhere...

I hope one day I have enough money to build my own shelter, where I can bring not only Décalage, but all his friends too...

I have said this before and I know people think I'm crazy and they choose not to believe me... But one day, I will have my own dog shelter... Even if it's not huge or fancy. Even if I have to have it in my own garage... I will have my own shelter.

I owe plenty of amazing and happy times to these animals, and one day having a shelter will be my own way of saying THANK YOU and giving something back to them...

I have set my mind to a lot of things my entire life but this is my OWN dream I've kept since I was a kid. I will fight whoever I have to, but I promise I will have my own shelter.

I know I can't change people's minds and there will always be stray dogs... But all I know is I will make that difference. Even if I only get to help a small percentage of doggies that need help, I will be that one person who helps them and loves them...

One day, I will make sure no more Décalages walk around begging for food.

One day I will be able to give dogs a tiny piece of the incredible love and happiness they have brought into my life...

DOG SHELTER: COMING SOON.

Note: The dog in the picture is Décalage. Picture taken by Vicky Buitron :)

"The world is only a book, and those who do not travel read only a page"

(Famous quote by St. Augustine...)

Ever since I was a kid I have loved traveling...

When my brother and I were little my parents used to take us on road trips ALL THE TIME!

I can still remember my dad walking in my room and saying "Let's go!" and whenever I would ask "where?" he would just smile and say "just pack a swimsuit and a jacket, we don't know where we're going yet"...

I guess I grew up with those lines and I took them seriously...

As a kid, I LOVED getting in the car and start riding without having a clue of what our next stop would be. Sometimes we would end up at the beach, which we loved! And some other times we would end up in the highlands, freezing our butts off, but it was cool because we had packed clothes for either weather and the excitement of staying at a hotel was just priceless...

They say "Like father, like son", right?

Well... All I can say is I agree :)

Just like my dad, I love getting in my car and driving without a specific plan of destination...

I love driving and driving and seeing where my car takes me.

The beach is usually my common choice, not only because I LOVE the beach, but also because it's closer... Unfortunately, driving to the highlands is something I haven't learned just yet and I don't really wanna drive my car off of a hill or something :)

But that's a different story...

The point of this entry is that I think I know where my passion for traveling comes from now...

I owe it to my dad - one of the many things I owe to this wonderful man! .

I love driving, I love feeling the air blow on my face and sticking my hand out the window and feeling the weather go from hot to warm, and then to cooler, and then to chilly and/or freezing.

I love walking around a new town, taking pictures, talking to people, buying stuff I won't ever wear or use in my life, eating their local food, etc.

I just LOVE traveling.

As a matter of fact, I will be going on a road trip tomorrow :)

My friends and I are going whale watching in Puerto Lopez, Manabi :)

I hope I get to see at least one whale! :)

We got everything we need: A car, music, awesome people and of course: the urgent desire to get the hell away from this city! :)

Good luck to us, Puerto Lopez here we comeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!! :)