Updated Q&A!

Hello beloved Bluebearies!!!

It dawned upon me that since the conception of this blog, I have not stayed quite up-to-date with the whole getting to know you/Question and Answer dealio. That being said, by the time of this post, I (accompanied by my omnipresent companion Mark the Bear) have travelled to 4 other countries since the LAST Q&A! Our last one, which was co-authored by my big brother and other fellow traveller Ribz, was back in 2016!* Time has come and gone, while many more adventures have taken place. I do believe it is high time for another Q&A, I do. Don't you? 'Course you do!

I gathered these questions from a few sources, predominantly my social media pages. You can find Mark and I at the following accounts: @the_adventurous_a and @the_adventures_of_meps. If you want to keep up with our adventures, give us a follow!

Onto the Q&A! I'm answering these in random order; comment if you see yours here!

Question 1: What's the worst thing that's turned out to be the best thing during your travels?

Answer: They say experience is the best teacher. In the negative sense, that really is not the greatest way of learning. However, from my own foolhardiness in some situations, I have learnt to LISTEN. Yes, the adventure is incredible and there is always SOMETHING to do. Nonetheless, I am not as invincible or limitless as I'd like to think I am. Can I drink the water carelessly despite warning? Not unless I want a pet parasite for a couple of years. Can I jump to sightseeing immediately after landing in a high altitude area? Not unless I want to have wobbly lines silhouetting everything I see and the worst diarrhea attack ever. Listen to the wise, listen to the locals, and don't assume yourself to be infallible to common travel troubles. Rely on Jehovah and stay humble!

Question 2: What are your biggest dreams in this life?

Answer: I can go SO many different directions to this question, I love it! In a nutshell, I want to be more than ever like the apostle Paul. He was energetic, ready to do for Jehovah whatever was asked of him, travelled extensively for the ministry,  and was a willing, albeit very imperfect, asset in many respects. However long I am alive for, I want my story to be a good one, one filled with amazing experiences and little regrets. My desire is to live the Isaiah 6:8 dream!

Oh, and I still have the goal of visiting as many (if not all) the Bethel Branch facilities we have worldwide!

Question 3: Which continent has the best food overall?

Answer: To be entirely fair, I don't think I have been to enough places in one sole continent to give a fully thorough evaluation. My attitude towards food is not too different from my attitude towards travel: try at least once and with full gusto(within reason and moral, naturally). Instead, I shall list at least one favorite item from each country!

Canada: poutine (SPECIFICALLY from Montreal)

Bolivia: cuy (you'll never look at the guinea pig exhibits at Petco the same ever again)

Chile: paila marina

France: Argentine steak

Italy: homemade carbonara 

Question 4: When and where did you get baptized?

Answer: Ooh a more personal question, me likey! I was baptized March 5th, 2006 at the Newburgh Assembly Hall in Newburgh, NY. I'm happy to say that I've been baptized half of my life and it is the BEST.

Question 5: Do you have any siblings?

Answer: I sure do! Just one. One big brother who doubles as bodyguard and travel companion. You'll see plenty of references to a "Ribz" in my posts; that would be him! Save for all my Canada trips (which he STILL won't let me live down) and this last South America trip, he has been with me for my other international trips. You can find his travel shots at his Instagram @worlds_worst_anchorman.

Question 6: If someone wants to travel more, what tips can you give to find deals, locations, ideas, etc.?

Answer: I'm honestly no connoisseur of travel deals or any secret hacks. When we're planning a trip, we speak to various friends and visitors to get a feel of which areas have a need in terms of service. Make friends, make contacts! Sometimes things come into fruition in the oddest and most interesting ways. Keep putting yourself out there, and watch Jehovah take the reins. Oh, and don't hesitate to ask veteran travellers their secrets. Each person brings something different to the table.

Question 7: Who is Mark? The cute teddy bear with the bow tie or a "hooman?"

Answer: 100% teddy bear!! If you want to get his background story, check out Mark's origin story

BONUS QUESTION TIME!

To the humorous humanoid who posed this peculiar pregunta: Is mayonnaise an instrument?

Answer: https://youtu.be/A5jnftBQw2U . You're welcome!

Thank you to everyone who contributed questions! This blog is purely for entertainment purposes, both mine and (hopefully) yours. I so love being able to share on this platform all the particularities and peculiarities this life has to offer, and I appreciate that you read along! 

Have a fantastic day/noon/night and stay tuned for the next post!

Love,

The Adventurous A. 

*Guyana Q&A 2016

An Ode to New Adventures

January 2nd, 2020

Location: a warm Starbucks in a cold upstate NY town.

There's a certain sort of sense that has settled over. It resides within the pages of my calendar, memorialized in confident black gel-pen ink. It is a feeling that is occupying space inside of me that is threatening to burst out. Even on the precipice of a freezing weather, it heats up my core, lighting up a tiny flame that is rapidly feeding.

I do not celebrate the new year; for me it is a pin drop mark in what I hope and pray to be is an everlasting life ahead of me. That being the case, there is a private joy in looking at my omnipresent calendar starting to already fill up with wholesome goodness. To top it off, my beloved family members and dear friends are experiencing great changes and advancements as well, making the ripple effect of happiness grow continuously.

I read an experience recently of a couple who, per the quote, are "known for their remarkable adaptability." When I read that phrase, my heart fluttered in excitement. I want to be like that! I ruminated over that simple phrase, attempting to etch it in memory for later use. It has been stuck ever since, resonating on occasion when least expected. As the kids would say, that attitude is "goals."

I do not know what is lying ahead of me, but I know that Jehovah knows. I'm leaving it in His hands, and I couldn't ask for better hands to leave my life in. If my agenda is any indication of the course ahead, bring it on! I hope for each and every one of you, dear dear readers and friends, that you will experience that and so much more. You are so loved, don't you forget it!

I look forward to bringing you all along for another eventful year of activity and adventure. Thank you so much for your continued support, and stay tuned for the next post!

Love,

The Adventurous A.