Recently in Jen's Journeys Category

OK, so maybe that headline is a bit misleading.

Literally, I'm still right here in Central PA. But instead of going to work in a newsroom among journalists every day like I have for the past decade, I drive to school.

And it's really different.

Different, I expected. But I honestly feel like I've been plunked down in a foreign country from when I wake up each day until I get home in the afternoon. I don't understand this environment where time is structured minute by minute and a question or careless comment can be dangerous.

I don't know the language, the geography or the people. Their traditions and routines are unfamiliar. I'm focused on basic daily survival these days. No mental or physical energy for anything else. And I haven't even met the kids yet.

I'm so amazed at what a different world this is that I've begun to take notes on all the crazy things that strike me. I won't be able to write about all of them here because of my new role, but hopefully I'll have the energy to share some of this new adventure.

Monday, classes start.

Will I survive? Stay tuned....

I just realized it has been more than two weeks since I have posted here.

But I have good reasons.

Reason No. 1 is that I am embarking upon a new adventure.

Reason No. 2 is that I came down with some mysterious seven-day summer illness (what's up with getting sick in August?)

This was the view looking north over the Susquehanna River from Riverfront Park in Harrisburg this evening when I went downtown for the American Musicfest and the fireworks.

Talk about a beautiful sunset.

All the boaters were out, sitting in the middle of the river. I took my niece on a carousel for the first time in her life, and she loved it. Then we had ice cream and watched fireworks.

A great evening.

How did you celebrate?

Anyone who knows me knows I have a problem keeping houseplants alive. I either forget to water them or give them too much to drink. I have no sense of whether they're happy in sun or shade or some crazy combination of the two.

So I was pretty surprised when the vegetable seedlings I planted in May exploded in the small raised-box garden I inherited in the backyard of my house. I had lettuce like crazy -- more than I could ever eat in salads and BLTs. I picked and picked and still, there was more. I gave it away and brought it to dinner with friends.

Now that the lettuce has waned, I discovered the tiny buds on my sprawling cucumber plant have turned into large cucumbers seemingly overnight. And my green peppers are more than knee-high.

Even the Topsy Turvy upside down tomato planter is working, albeit on the second try. (First time, I forgot to water it for a few days and the seedlings shriveled up, so I had to replace them.)

This is my first venture into vegetables, and, so far, I'm pretty pleased at how difficult they are to kill. I also did a pot of herbs, but the cilantro and dill are already done. I still have basil and oregano, but I'm not sure how to dry it.

Unfortunately, I haven't had the same success with the flower pots on my balcony. They started off well -- and each pot is still half flowering -- but they don't look as nice as I expected.

Maybe I'd better stick to veggies.

My sister gave birth to her second little girl late last night. This morning, I stopped by the hospital to meet my new niece and see Lilyana's reaction to her new little sister, Lucia Beatriz. Here is a short video of Lily singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" to Luci.

This is my dear friend Ana Paulina helping me figure out the mysterious Ikea assembly instructions with pictures like this on Friday.

There were a couple of points in the morning where I would have thrown my hands up in surrender had she not been there to calmly and logically get us past a perplexing step. But by mid-afternoon, we were going strong.

Saturday I actually assembled a cabinet on my own.

I also had to do some detective work to figure out how the cabinets on my purchase list matched the ones on my layout and how they matched up with the cubes in my dining room that all looked the same. None of the numbers seemed to match, so I had to do it by measurements and process of elimination.

My next challenge will be to figure out which loose pieces in my garage go inside of which cabinets for drawers and such and how to put the feet on the base cabinets.

Hopefully my adventures in kitchen renovations will soon be over!

If you read this post from about two months ago, you'll recall that I am in the midst of a very not-fun adventure called kitchen renovation.

It's nowhere as fun as flying on a plane, kayaking on a stream or hiking a trail. But I embarked upon it hoping that -- like all those more fun adventures-- there will eventually be a payoff somewhere. A sunny destination, the relaxation of an afternoon on the water or a great view at the top of the climb.

This week -- after what seems like eons of dust and dirt and destruction and takeout -- I got my first glimpse of something good. A beautiful (and wonderfully level) floor covered with ceramic tile.

I think kitty likes it, too.

I only vaguely remember what it's like to have a kitchen, so I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to the day when I have appliances, counters, sink and table once again. Oh how glorious it will be!

My name is Jen, and I'm addicted to artesanias, which is the Spanish term for "locally-made handicrafts."

When I travel, I have no problem walking right past kitschy T-shirt-and-keychain souvenir stands selling snow globes and goofy pens, but I cave when it comes to beautifully painted ceramic pots, plates or canvases.

I can't withstand the pull of a Mayan calendar made from beautiful bits of wood or a polished jar with the most beautiful swirls of natural wood grain.

I know I don't need a leather purse or the funky jewelry made by the woman at the street stand in Buenos Aires. But I have a hard time stopping to appreciate and admire someone's handiwork and then not following through on my comments by purchasing. Somehow, I feel obligated.

Strangely enough, I don't feel buyer's remorse or guilt at these purchases, even as it becomes more difficult to find a place for them in my house. (I don't like clutter.)

Instead, I feel proud for supporting the local artists wherever I'm visiting.

Does anyone else have this problem? What is your weakness when traveling?

At first glance, you might be wondering why I snapped this picture of the ground and branches and leaves. Look closer and you'll see why.

Anyone know what kind of animal this is? It's much larger than iguanas I've seen while traveling in Mexico. Looked a bit meaner, too.

One of the best things about travel is discovering new foods.

I love fresh fruit, fish and seafood, but all three are hard to come by in Pennsylvania. (Well, inexpensively, at least.)

Costa Rica -- and much of Latin America, actually -- have plenty of each.

During past travels, I've discovered the wonders of arepas and mamones (Venezuela), maduros (Ecuador), pernil with rice (Puerto Rico), jicama, queso blanco and real pico de gallo (Mexico).

In Costa Rica, I discovered palm hearts, or palmito, as they're called there.