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Hello, autumn!
Posted by Jessica Fryman in Blog on 20. May, 2013 | No Comments
Apartment conserjes and shopkeepers are diligent about sweeping up (yes, sweeping … like with a broom, not a rake) all the leaves on their turf each day, so it rarely feels like fall. But this Saturday morning — it seemed like the whole city was still asleep.
Read More...(Definitely not) as easy as A-B-C, 1-2-3
Posted by Jessica Fryman in Blog on 17. May, 2013 | No Comments
Welcome to the first day of my fifth and sixth grade English class. There are 23 students aged 10 and 11 who don’t know what “how are you?” means. And there’s me — far outnumbered and far from proficient in their native Spanish tongue.
Read More...Surreal stop in San Pedro marks end of journey
Posted by Jessica Fryman in Blog on 14. May, 2013 | No Comments
We entered Chile in San Pedro de Atacama, the driest desert on the planet. And all I remember is pure exhaustion.
Read More...Bolivian desert, more than brown and bland
Posted by Jessica Fryman in Blog on 11. May, 2013 | No Comments
Being born and raised in Southern Nevada’s desert, I wasn’t sure how impressed I’d be by Bolivia’s landscape. I’ve never appreciated the desert for its potential beauty, always discounting it as brown and bland. But those descriptions just don’t tell the whole story. Diverse scenery speckled the trek. Breathtaking views, coupled with a group of amazing new friends made for quite a fun adventure.
Read More...Finding perspective at the Salar de Uyuni
Posted by Jessica Fryman in Blog on 02. May, 2013 | 1 Comment
Standing out there — in the middle of beautiful, vivid nothingness — I thought about where I am at in my life and tried to gain “perspective.”
Read More...On on to La Paz, the highest hash in the world
Posted by Jessica Fryman in Blog on 01. May, 2013 | No Comments
La Paz has a special factor in that it is the “highest hash in the world” at about 4,000 meters (13,000 feet) above sea level. I was more than giddy to “spy” on their hash, and that admittedly became the sole reason for stopping in La Paz, Bolivia.
Read More...Questions flood visit to Lake Titicaca
Posted by Jessica Fryman in Blog on 29. Apr, 2013 | 3 Comments
At what point does the tourism industry completely overrun and obscure the landmark? Is it possible to have both without devaluing the experience for either the tourists or the locals? Opening up a culture to tourism will taint it … but when does it go too far and where is the balance? Are you really experiencing this world if you are only visiting the tourist-ready version?
Read More...Nasca: Fright in flight
Posted by Jessica Fryman in Blog on 24. Apr, 2013 | 2 Comments
Nora and I arrived at the airport, ready and excited to take our tour in what turned out to be a glider, a six passenger aircraft (including the pilot and co-pilot) with propellers on the front. Although I’ve never been afraid of heights or flying, I started to feel a little nervous while waiting for our turn. I assured myself that those feelings would subside as soon as we took off safely.
Read More...Yantalo inspires change
Posted by Jessica Fryman in Blog on 19. Apr, 2013 | 2 Comments
I spent a week volunteering in the rural Amazonian village of Yantaló, Perú, and it changed my life.
Read More...Queso, Canciones and Carnival in Cajamarca
Posted by Jessica Fryman in Blog on 20. Mar, 2013 | No Comments
Through the grapevine of travelers and the good ol´ Interwebs, the news of this countryside treasure started surfacing: Cajamarca is Perú’s capital of both cheese and Carnival. Swoon. I instantly thought it would be worth deviating from my ever-so-sacred plan.
Read More...Just a little about me
I enjoy learning about cultures, faiths and customs different from my own. I like plans, but believe spontaneity and risks are worth the thrill of a new adventure, even if that means unknowns or failures along the way.I took chances of the like last year, and moved to Santiago, Chile.
I am a certified teacher of English as a Foreign Language, and teach both underprivileged children and business professionals who are hoping to find better opportunities by learning the universal language.
In my free time, I travel through South America, soaking in whatever I can learn along the way. I know this endeavor will teach me more than I can even imagine right now. I’m hoping that the Spanish language, a knack for adapting to change and a sense of direction are a few things I will master. I’m not so confident about the latter (I’m literally lost on a daily basis, even in Vegas where I was born and raised). What I do know is that I will become a better journalist and more knowledgeable, well-rounded person.
As a journalist, I am a storyteller with a passion for sharing the often overlooked realities of human life — the daily hardships, controversies and fights for equal rights.
Read more about me here.
