Settling in

Megan:
Well, five months ago we were on our way to Chile getting ready to head back to the States, and that's kind of the last most of you have heard from us. Let me apologize for the lack of follow-up. I suppose sleeping late and reveling in just hanging out at home hasn't made for very inspirational subject matter. Although it has typically been our exotic physical experiences that have inspired many of our blog writings, it's often the internal journeys that end up being more rewarding to share. While these past five months have not been as action-packed as the journey that preceded it, the experience has been rich with new challenges, and new learning.

Because of the economic state we walked into when we came home, we did not end up seamlessly returning to our previous jobs a month after our return as we had originally anticipated. Instead we were blessed with several months to settle back in, to focus on retaining many of the valuable lessons we learned on the trip, and to blend some of our new found perspective with our old ways of thinking. One of the most important skills we learned during our year abroad was how to roll with whatever situation presented itself, no matter how different it was from what we were expecting. These past five months have been a wonderful opportunity to continue practicing that.

Instead of frantically searching for jobs in one of the most grim economies either of us has ever seen, we have found ourselves reveling in the unexpected free time, and basking in the warmth of family, close friends, and home. Jon has immensely enjoyed getting back on his bike including a 200 mile, 4-day trip through western Colorado with his dad. We also had a wonderful visit with my mom at the beginning of July when she was in Boulder and helped to celebrate my 30th birthday.

Even with our heightened appreciation of free time, we have both stumbled into work opportunities that we feel pretty excited about. Jon has recently accepted a design position with an international firm, and I have decided to take a different route than the traditional graphic design positions I've had in the past - I have been designing and producing handmade greeting cards. Although this endeavor is still in it's early stages, it has been quite rewarding to watch the process evolve, knowing that whatever it becomes will be determined almost completely by my own actions and decisions. If you are interested in seeing what I've been working on, feel free to check out my website (mhellerdesigns.com).

To celebrate one of our last weeks of uninterrupted free time before Jon started work last week, we recently took a trip to western Colorado for a little backpacking, and a taste of the wine culture on the western slope. For three days and two nights we enjoyed exploring the tranquil flowered valleys of the West Elk Wilderness area. We were shocked that over our entire time in the backcountry we did not see a single other person - only a few elk, some massive cows, lots of birds and a bunch of mosquitos that we could have done without. It felt wonderful to be outside again, carrying everything we needed on our backs. As we were hiking over mountain passes and through aspen groves I found myself thinking about what moments I would like to capture to be included in the blog - something I hadn't thought about since we had been home. It felt great to be inspired again in that way.

Once we were finished exploring the backcountry we indulged in a lovely bed & breakfast in the town of Paonia where we enjoyed a much needed shower and a delicious dinner that was not prepared over a camping stove. The next morning we were treated to an amazing community brunch around large tables in the perfectly shaded garden at the B&B (which doubles as an organic farm). Jon and I really enjoyed getting to know the other young couples at our table as we shared a sensational meal made completely of ingredients from the B&B and a handful of other local farms. Later that afternoon we rode our bikes between several different wineries and enjoyed some very low-key tastings. None of the wineries in this region are more than 15 years old, which probably accounted for the very comfortable small-scale charm that we encountered with each visit. Aside from the fact that everyone we met spoke English, the whole week bore a striking resemblance to many of our experiences in Central and South America.

We feel so grateful to have experienced all that we have over the past 18 months. Thank you all for the support you have given - it has meant the world to us.