I've been trying to get to Central America for a while, but so far, it never seems to work out. When I was in college, I originally planned to do my semi-obligatory study abroad experience in Costa Rica. I hurriedly took two 4-credit Spanish classes in 4 months and got excited. But two months before I was supposed to go, I found out that the program was off. It was to be the first year, and I was the only person who had applied. I like to think of myself as someone with off-beat tastes, but really, now.

I wound up in Thailand instead, which turned out to be a pretty decent move. Thailand's a pretty cool place, and it whetted my appetite for more travel.

Three years, a college graduation, a six month trip around Asia and several short-term jobs later, I quit my job and decided it was time to hit Central America. This was in the summer of 2002.

The last day of my job, two weeks before I was going to leave, I took a tumble down the stairs at my office and tore up the insides of my knee (for those of you familiar with knee ailments, I completely tore my ACL). The upside? It happened at work (Worker's Comp is a beautiful thing). The downside? Instead of spending my summer studying Spanish, traveling, and hanging out at the beach, I spent my summer at my parents' house, waiting for surgery and applying for jobs.

Now I'm trying again - I never seem to learn, do I? We'll see if it works out this time. I'm planning to start in Nicaragua, study Spanish, and go from there. I'd like to travel through Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala as well, but travel plans make me itch, so for now I just tell everyone I'm going to Nicaragua.

My knee's still a problem, but I just got laid off from my job, and if that's not a sign I should be traveling, I don't know what is. I might not be able to climb volcanoes or every Mayan pyramid in sight, but other than that, I think I'll be fine.