"If you're brave enough to say goodbye, life will reward you with a new hello." - Paulo Coelho

This is a picture that my friend Julia and I self-timed during a sunset on the beach of Canoa, Ecuador - a place that we called home for a year.

My time in Ecuador had its ups and downs and I don't know if I could have handled it without Julia. We met very early on and became fast friends.

There were times when we had stomach parasites, times when we were robbed, times we couldn't speak the language and other times (later on) when we could speak very well. There were times when we lived easy and times when the money was tight. There were times when we just wanted to give up and go home (Julia back to Germany and me to The States) and there was a time when we were crying at the bus stop because we didn't want to say goodbye.

It's hard living in many different places because you are constantly saying [a temporary] goodbye, but it seems that a new friend always emerges just as you begin to really miss the ones you had to leave behind.

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The sun is bright this morning. It shines through the window and reflects off of every surface in my room. I can see fallen hairs starting to collect on my laminate room floor and  I make a mental note to sweep.

I look out the window, squinting at the white light. In the apartment directly across from me, a shirtless man peaks out from behind a cracked window to smoke a cigarette.

Further down on the right, a silver-haired woman in a floral nightgown leans on the rail of her balcony to watch people walking below.

I would love to get to know my neighbors, but I don't think that's very common in big cities - no matter whether it's here in Spain or anywhere in the world. Even though you live in such a close proximity compared to a suburb, it's just a different lifestyle.

My apartment here is small, but it is comfortable. I live with a girl from Ohio and another from Northern Ireland. We are all English teachers... the profession of choice for many foreigners in Spain.

There is no heat or air conditioning in the building. We have a washer (for clothes. Dishwasher? That's crazy talk.) and a clothesline strung outside the window. The kitchen is the equivalent size to a hallway, but it works. There is no proper oven, but we are lucky to have a small toaster oven.

The shower has no tub or door, so our bathroom floor is always covered with wet towels to soak up the overflow. That, however, does not bother me because we do have warm water: a luxury I missed during my year in Ecuador. We also have wifi in the apartment and a television (two other amenities that were not possible in Ecuador). The television has a very limited selection of Spanish channels, but it can be a good distraction.



My room is small and plain, but it's enough. I love reading blogs about home decor DIY and I even have a whole Pinterest board dedicated to it, but I don't see any long-term housing in my near future.

Right now, my decor is based off of convenience and functionality. I'm just happy that I am living as a local in foreign city. I could be living out of backpack in a stuffy hostel and spending my days on walking tours and instagramming famous attractions. But I've realized that I really don't like traveling. This is something that confuses my friends and family. I don't like traveling and visiting unfamiliar places, I like living in them.

Boone, NC in October 2008

This past month, as my Instagram feed filled with pictures of pumpkin spice everything, I was still sweating in my apartment in Madrid.

Without air-conditioning, my fan was constantly blasting. No leaves were falling outside my window. And while I was dreamt of boots and sweaters, my denim cut-offs were still a regular favorite.

All I could do to pretend autumn had arrived was read this and listen to some slower, pleasant fall-ish music while I overheated in the underground metro.

This playlist is definitely easier listening than the August or September mixes. It's comfort food music that should be enjoyed while walking in the crisp air with leaves crunching under your feet.

It starts out with a little taste from Dr. Dog's newly released album: 'B-Room.' I thought that I had maybe outgrown the band, but while 'B-Room' is definitely the same old Dr. Dog, it reflects a wide range of genres and you can find something suitable for whatever mood you're in.

Actually, a lot of this mix is nostalgic for me with many artists that I haven't been listening to since I was back at college in the Blue Ridge Mountains (Dr. Dog, Langhorne Slim, The Black Keys, Trey Anastasio/Phish, Jenny Lewis), but right now it brings comfort to a foreign place and it just feels right.

"Blessed are the curious for they shall have adventures." -Lovelle Drachman

I think being curious is one of the best traits to have. I've mentioned it on many job interviews during the oh-so-original "What three words best describe you" part, but I'd also say it is one of my worst characteristics. 

When I was 8 years old, it led me into many patches of poison ivy. At 13, it was mistaken for nosiness by pre-pubescent girls. At 17, curiosity was journalism. And at 22 it turned into wanderlust.

Now at age 24, I'm not sure how to define my curiosity, but I do have a continuous desire to learn more, know more and (of course) adventure more.

The picture is me hiking at La Cru de Gurb taken by my very talented friend Lucia Mueller. 

Look for future "Words on Wednesday" every... WEDNESDAY, of course!

What are your favorite quotes about travel? 

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 A few weeks ago I pushed my way through a sea of blue and red stripes onto the metro. It was the night of the final game of the Supercopa de España, where Atletico Madrid traveled to compete against FC Barcelona in their home stadium.

I was on my way to a friend's apartment for a few drinks before the game. Walking from the metro to her place, I zig-zagged through crowds of fans who wore their city's colors proudly while sipping beers outside Camp Nou.

I was in Europe, Spain more importantly, where they live and breathe soccer football fútbol. And this was a big game: the final of a tournament that crowns the overall champions of the country. I prepared for it to be crazy: drunken fans, throwing flares, fights... I mean, we've all seen it on YouTube, right?

I walked with a big group of my (mostly) foreigner friends into the stadium and many of us were surprised to find it an alcohol-free zone. It made me think about going to Washington Redskins games where everyone in the "standing room only" section seems to enjoy the drinks and atmosphere more than watching the game.

We arrived at our seats (in the nosebleed section) where everyone around us sat patiently awaiting kickoff. As the game began, there were some cheers and obvious enthusiasm, but it was calm. Everyone was there to watch that game and not miss a single play due to rowdy fans or a beer/nacho run. 

When it got a little exciting, even two young girls politely asked us, in English, to sit down so they could see.

Fútbol in Park Güell, Barcelona