Cruising Alaska 2010

The summer of 2010 was dramatic, tragic, and down right lacking magic.  I was laid off from my job at the California State University Chancellor’s Office.  In only 5 minutes, I lost my career, my income, and my passion to help improve education for people with disabilities.  I pouted for about 1 day and then began my next adventure.  Don’t feel too bad for me… I had “retreat” rights which allowed me to return to CSU East Bay where I had worked before, but that’s another story.

I started packing, planning my move back to northern California and realized I had about one week to take a vacation.  I wanted something with no stress and a cruise seemed the easiest way to leave it all behind and relax for a week before I put the boxes in a truck and headed north.

Problem was… It cost as much to travel solo on a cruise as it did to travel with someone.  No one I knew was on call for my spontaneous decision to escape, so I went online in search of a travel buddy.  I found a site called Cruisemates.com.  I quickly joined and wrote “Anyone want to go on a cruise to Alaska… next week!?!?!?”  I logged out and forgot about it.

The next morning while reading my email, a message said, “Still looking for someone to go to Alaska?”  That email changed my life and brought me Cynthia from New Jersey.

Brazil, July 2011, The Diary

John of God

I’m planning a trip to Brazil this summer to see Rio and John of God.  Two extremes I’d say.  This is the diary of how the idea came about, the adventure and after I got home.

January 30, 2011

Dr. Darin Debera called from Brazil to go over our plans to visit John of God.