I didn't have an instagram-perfect vacation...thank God.

Eric and I recently went to Ecuador for NIU’s spring break. I was going to see my sister for the first time in about 9 months, and I was so excited to spend this week with her, and make memories with her and her SO in addition to more adventures with my favorite guy in the world. A lot had been sacrificed to take this trip; sacrifices that were well worth it, but sacrifices all the same. I worked through Christmas with my family, and Eric and I chose to work rather than spending as much time together over the holiday (guess who has two thumbs and can't wait to move back to Michigan? this girl). Then there was the sacrifice of time that went into planning – a great investment, because there were lots of things I knew we wanted to do and I took it upon myself to research everything to death so I knew all of our options, and so we could benefit from what previous travelers had learned. 

So when we got to our destination, we wanted to take as many pictures as possible. This was the trip of a lifetime and we needed to remember it, and look back on it for years to come. But in a lot of ways, the pictures fell flat. We were there during the rainy season, and so the incredible vistas and death-defying heights we experienced looked dull on my Cannon digital camera despite the breathtaking feeling we got with every bend in the trail. The best example is a small waterfall in Banos that takes this sudden 75ft dip into a whirlpool, which was one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen, and which in my pictures looks like a puddle with some vines hanging over it. 

We took a lot of the dreaded "selfies"…all selfies are a little weird, but when you’re on vacation by yourself it’s just necessary in order to capture the moment. Especially in a place where handing a camera or iphone over to a random stranger on the street is pretty much begging for it to get snagged (and that’s as true in NYC or Rome as it is in Quito).
I don’t always photograph particularly well – I’m really more of an in-person gal. And before you jump in with the "you're too critical of pictures" ...no. I can tell when someone photographs well. It's a art. It's ok not to be skilled at something. Anyway, some of these pictures border on unflattering. But here’s the thing…I’m over it. This trip was amazing. The views were incredible. I’m 25 years old, and right now I can’t focus on things like an awkward facial expression, a zit, the haircut I don’t like that much, or bags under my eyes. How can I, when we have the cloud forest, or a volcano in the background?! The age of social media has so many benefits. But one of its drawbacks is upward social comparison. How does everyone else look so good in his or her pictures all the time? Why does she look so glamorous under that waterfall, or on this beach, when all I can see is my bloated gut after eating way too many rice and chicken-filled empanadas? This is such a toxic way of thinking, but you know we all do it. And you know what? Those empanadas were a lot more fun to eat than retaking a bunch of pictures to get the right lighting or the perfect angle. Or waiting for the sun to come out. Know what else? I was too scared during the cable car fiasco ride to even check whether my pictures were any good. You're going to have to take my word for how crazy high up we were, because that shot just doesn't do it justice.  In my daily life I forget to pull out a camera for really meaningful events. I tend to immerse myself in a moment, and I just don't think about capturing it for the future. I usually regret that, so I was on a crusade to document this trip with a vengeance. But if you spend all your time trying to perfect the memories you want to see in the future, you won't focus on making any. 

So despite the feeling I get when I look at the awkward poses, angles, or less than ideal framing (but really, the best lit picture of Eric and I at the Basilica and MY HAND IS BLOCKING MY FACE!?) I’m going to share it all. These photos and these stories in my next couple of posts will be unedited. It was what it was; beautiful, enlightening, life changing, and a HUGE adventure. And the photos are beautiful because they captured the magic of what happened on this trip. In some cases, you may just need to take my word for it.