I won't lie, I slightly feel like Oprah when I write this little segment and I absolutely love it. A little secret: it has always been a dream of mine to become a talk-show host. How fun would that be? Loads and loads of fun. For now I'm sticking to the blog and talking just you and me which is just as fun :)
Today on Coffee Talk Tuesday we are talking long distance. What is long distance to you? An hour's drive? Different states? Across the nation? Maybe even different countries?
I have had the pleasure, yes pleasure, to experience all of the above. My life from a very young age has consisted of long distance relationships. In 2002 my dad moved to the United States. What was supposed to be a couple of months long legal process of my mom, my brother and I migrating to the U.S. turned into two and a half years of wait. My long distance began when I was 4 years old. We spoke to my dad everyday over webcam for two and a half years.
2003 Last Christmas while living back home
Finally being reunited with my dad as a family in 2004 was when the long distance really began. Our entire family (grandmother, aunts, cousins) were back in South America and we would not know how long until we saw them again. Back then of course there was barely any social media and I recall having to buy special calling cards to call back home. Thanks to social media and things like FaceTime and Facebook it is now it is much easier to communicate. We even have our own group chat on WhatsApp where everyone writes in everyday. Yes, everyday.
2004. My elementary school performance after being in the states for 2 short months.
Fast forward from 2002 to sixth and seventh grade meeting my best friends Katherine and Madison. Madison and I attended the same school and met at carpool in seventh grade. We immediately clicked and became the best of friends. At the end of that year Madison, who I created my first YouTube channel with, moved to Atlanta, Georgia two hours away. Katherine and I met in 6th grade. While we didn't click instantly we certainly did afterwards. For those of you who have been around long enough, Katherine was the one who had the channel with me (the same one Madison and I created. A little confusing, I know). The summer after 9th grade, Katherine moved to Nashville, TN. I was now a sophomore in high school with my two very best friends living at least a two hours drive away. Long distance had stricken me again.
2013 At Katherine's surprise goodbye party.
There have been many other areas in my life that have been based on long distance. Many of the people I love have been in other states and other countries from a young age. And while to many that may seem a drag, it has actually become one of the coolest things to happen to me.
And this is where it all gets happy. Long distance has taught me to appreciate family beyond what I could have ever appreciated if I had them close to me. I had to wait 7 years to go home and see my family and it was an incredible experience. Talking on the phone (or on a really crappy webcam) was the only way to communicate with them but through each phone call and unsuccessful Skype calls I learned that having people you love around you doesn't mean that they have to be around you physically. You can be completely surrounded by love in your life yet that love is nowhere near you but instead it's all over the globe.
2013 Movie nights back home.
Going home now is an experience that I look forward to so much because it's the little moments that distance makes you miss. Like sitting down and having coffee with your cousins, or simply going to the grocery store with your aunt. This goes the same for my close friendships who are far away. They will tell you just like I do, distance has made us grow closer. It has made us appreciate each other and the moment we can have together even if its just half a day or meeting for lunch. Distance has taught me to appreciate the tiniest little moments in life.
2014 Visiting Katherine in Nashville
2014 Madison visiting Birmingham
2015
2015
I have been home 4 times now and each times I find more and more things to appreciate that I didn't before. I went back for the first time in 2011 and made unforgettable memories with my friends and family. I then went again twice in the summer and Christmas of 2013. That was an incredible year as it was not only my first ever Christmas back but also the first time my brother and my mom were able to go back. And finally most recently in June and July of 2015.
2015 Happiness of traveling back home
2013 Reunited after nearly 10 years
2013 First Christmas back home
2011 First time going back home
Long distance also has it's downside. Especially living in a town where most people know each other and have grown up with their friends and family close all their lives. Sometimes it can get lonely. Sometimes months and maybe years go by before you can see your best friend or your favorite cousin. You miss big holidays without your family. You miss birthdays. You miss big life moments. And it's incredible difficult. But again, it makes you appreciate every single moment of life when you are reunited with the people you missed the most.
2015 My cousin Cristina and I this past June.
Long distance has taught me one thing is that it's worth it. Yes there are countless times that frustration sets in and all you want to do is be able to call that person up for lunch and be able to go just like that, easy. Ofcourse it gets annoying when you have to drive 4 hours or fly on multiple planes in order to get and see those people but the moment you finally get to see them again is totally worth it.
Are you struggling to keep a long distance relationship? I found a fun and helpful post from the Huffington Post on maintaining long distance friendships and relationships.
Have you had to deal with long distance before? I want to hear your experience!
Thanks for joining me on today's talk!
Until next chat.
XoXo
Mariana
Arriving at Giron
Basilica
My beautiful aunt and cousin :)
Walkways beside basilica
Inside basilica
Walking through the streets
Basilica gift shop
Drinking one of the famous smoothies my family used to come and drink when they were young
All of the doorways were brown and could not be any other color
Eating with the locals
Ethnic soup called "Mute (moo-teh)"
Reunited with one of their cousins (right) who owned the restaurant and ended up giving us lunch on the house.
It was such a beautiful experience to get to know the culture more and learn more about the people. I highly recommend if you're ever in Colombia or plan to go that you visit this little town. It is an absolute beauty!!
Until next time!
xo
Mariana
We started off the afternoon by driving up to the park through a small town called Floridablanca. This little town while it may not seem very populated, it is absolutely filled with people everywhere. Most known in my heart of the incredible Obleas (a thin wafer type sandwich filled with dulce de leche and just about everything else your heart desires), Floridablanca sits nearing the top of a mountain. Staying with my family is something I appreciate a lot but, sometimes it does not give me the full experience. Driving through these little towns makes me heart happy in getting to know my home a little more.
As we get to the park, we park (ha. ha.) and await for a small bus to pick us up to take us to the cable cars. I'm not going to lie, I hate cable cars. I have always been afraid of heights so being hundreds of feet up high in silence maybe isn't my idea of an afternoon. BUT I absolutely love seeing the forest and the mountains from above so it's definitely worth it. The station where the cable car begins has a couple of large restaurants (many of those I highly recommend) as well as a 20 suite hotel for tourists to stay at. The cable car ride itself is about a 10 minute ride up to the tippy top of the mountain. Along the way you can see the little houses that cultivate organic products to sell to the public.
Getting to the top was a glorious experience. The view was a bit cloudy, but the entire city and beyond could be looked at from where I stood. Curtains of mountains rolled through the land. I am a sucker for views like these. Looking around you can find several restaurants and stores to buy local products as well as handmade souvenirs. We began to walk around, the park isn't very big at all, and we went towards the main attraction, the statue. The statue itself weights approximately 40 tons, stands 38 meters high and is 10.5 meters wide. Behind the statue is a balcony at the very top that we could not go and view because it is currently under construction.
After taking the classic pics with the statue it was getting quite hot so we grabbed some popsicles. I chose a berry popsicle and I have to say, best. popsicle. ever. I'm hoping to find a recipe soon to imitate that delicious and refreshing taste. As we ate our popsicles it began to rain so we were stuck there for quite a bit. But, being stuck at the top of a mountain with a view like this one was not something to complain about. We finished off the afternoon with some cappuccinos and little talks. Check out the photos below!
Driving through Floridablanca
Arriving at the park
Cable Car Ride
My little angel (cousin) Ana Sofia
View from the top of the park
There he is!
My other little angel Santiago
Popsicle flavors ranging from Nutella to Bubblegum to Passion Fruit. Yum!
Yep, my mouth just watered again.
What's a popsicle without a brain freeze?
Sun beginning to set
As I sat down to write this post I began to notice it was a bit different from all my others. In two ways. One, it has nothing to do with anything beauty or style. Two, I actually really enjoyed doing this post. While that may sound a little harsh, I've noticed a few differences in my way of looking at Turtlenecks and Tea. I don't quite see myself anymore in my posts. Why? It doesn't feel authentic. While I LOVE fashion and style, I've noticed lately that it hasn't been my passion. So, what is my passion? Sharing my life with you all. When I began this blog, I wanted it to be an open journal. But I'm not going to lie, I chickened out. I was too afraid of what people may think and wether people would want to read it or not. Today is a different day. Today I realize that if I'm not putting all my love and effort into something, then what is the point really? So, little changes in the posts are to be expected although I will still be posting my favorite styling and beauty tips. The only difference, you'll get a little more Mariana. A little more me.
Thank you to everyone that has supported this blog along the way. I am so excited to begin a new little chapter and enjoy life at it's fullest! Wishing you all a fantastic day!
Much love,
Mariana
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