Saturday morning I hopped on a bus to Ocho Rios with the Colombian students. We first went to Dunn's River Falls which is by far the coolest thing that I have experienced here in Jamaica. You start by walking to the bottom of the mountain where there is a beach and pier. You are supposed to wear little shoes, but I decided to go barefoot. I befriended another student (from Germany, visiting Kingston on exchange in the medical field) and we climbed the falls. It was so incredible. I have done little rock climbing in my life and really enjoyed doing it- only up a waterfall. The water was cool enough and the exercise was good. We made it about half way up the mountain and sat awhile to chat.
I learned a lot about Toby, where he is from, his family, and his life goals. We both came to the conclusion that life is nothing without travel. I kept thinking about our discussion as we climbed the rest of the mountain. I thought to myself that I feel sorry for those who don't actually LIVE during their life. People seem to just go through the motions and never make a change or try something new. I have certainly pushed my comfort level boundaries during this trip and I am so happy that I have done so. I think that even if you can't afford to travel around the world, that you should often do something that tests your limits, makes you think, or helps someone else. Toby is interning in South Africa in the spring where he will, after one week of introductions, begin surgeries on patients. Although he feels he is not 'up to par' and knows he could hurt something, he also is aware that he could be the patient's only hope. I admire Toby for traveling so much. He made me decide that backpacking through Europe needs to happen. Lucky for me, he lives in Frankfurt and invited me to his home and offered to help plan my trip. After a second climb we took so many photos. I felt like a true tourist! It was such a beautiful site and just an awesome experience.Sunday morning I got up very early and had breakfast. I was able to meet up with one of the Colombian professors and we went out to the beach about 9am. He swam while I took in some sun. The others showed up later and we had a really nice time on the beach. The final match was on at 1:30 and we found a sports bar across from our hotel. It was packed! Most were cheering for Spain, while we cheered for the Netherlands. When Spain scored the winning goal, the crowd went crazy! There were many happy Jamaicans in Ocho Rios today.
We headed out around 5:30. I was able to reflect on my weekend with my new friends on the bus ride back. I am so happy to have met people who took me in as their own and allowed me to learn their culture. I really like them and am sad to say bye come Thursday when I fly back to the US. I would love to visit them in Bogata one day.
Off to Montego Bay tomorrow for more sun, sand, and sightseeing!
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