One Month Anniversary, 386 days 2 hours 25 minutes until I go back to work

---

So here it is July 14th. This is a day of milestones for me. One month of being on the road. Also this was my last deposit into my checking account. Damn to think it only is going to get smaller from here on out. Unless someone want to make a donation 😊

I actually received my last paycheck one week into my trip thanks to the magic of direct deposit. I also mailed my first months vacation check to the bank and it was deposited on the first day of my trip. For the last 2 weeks before I left I was struggling trying to get my last month of vacation pay. I have a month of vacation every year thanks to being a member of a union. I always take the month all at once so I can take a big trip. I also hold on to my month til the last month available. That was a good move because now I was able to take 2 months vacation piggybacking them together to my year leave of absence for a total of 14 months. One year of traveling is good, anything over a year is epic. Anyways I find out that I can't get paid for my second month's vacation until after my anniversary date at work, June 17th. And vacation pay is issued as a check. Well I am scheduled to leave for South America on June 14th so I have to have it issued by direct deposit. Of course I am told that it can't be done but after numerous calls and finally a few emails as I am now in South America I finally get in contact with someone who works their magic and is able to issue my vacation pay by direct deposit. It has to be done in 2 installments but lo and behold today I received my last deposit. So it is all downhill from here. At least for my bank account.

Always when I travel on my month long vacation about day 26 or so I am kinda ready to go home. I want to sleep in my bed, use my computer, shower in my shower, cook in my kitchen. Nothing like sleeping in your own bed. 3 years ago when I was in Nepal I was talking to a guy who was about 4 months into a yearlong journey and I asked him how could he travel for so long. He replied, as have many others I have asked since then, that it takes about a month to get into it and acknowledge that this is your life for the next year or however long you are traveling. Now exactly one month into my own trip I am doing just fine. I guess it is partly psychological. Maybe at the end of your trip you are ready to go home because you know it is near. Of course part of it is that I no longer have a home to go to. Vegas is my home but I don't have an apartment nor my own bed at this time.

Actually it still hasn't sunk in of what I am doing. Like my head can't wrap around the idea that I am off until Aug of 2012. I can't fully appreciate it just yet.

Right now it is so chill here in Salento I have to drag myself away. I am looking at finally leaving next Monday the 25th. I am headed about 3 hours east of here to do some volunteer work with kids for a month or longer. Then thinking about heading north to the Caribbean coast and into Venezuela. The worst part of my month is that I have barely touched on improving my Spanish. I really need to kick that in gear.

Hasta Luego
d

---