January 10th, 2026 — the day this adventure begins. I’m blogging my journey both as a record for myself and as a way to share stories with friends and family.

All my worldly possessions for the next ~4 months

I graduated Northwestern early this past December and have a full-time job lined up that starts in July. I plan to be back on campus to walk at the June graduation ceremony and to see friends for at least a few weeks beforehand. But for the intervening months, I’ve long been planning to do something unique. That idea has crystallized into a plan to backpack around South America.

I’ve purposely booked almost nothing in advance with the goal of being spontaneous. All I have is a one-way ticket to Medellín, Colombia, and one night’s stay in a hostel. I’ve picked Medellín for a few reasons: the flights are cheap and easy, Colombian Spanish is supposedly easy to understand, and the city has a strong enough backpacker community that it seems like a good place to get my bearings. After that, Argentina and Peru are at the top of my list, and I would love to spend considerable time in each. But I will see where the people I meet and the places I experience take me.

The limited solo travel experiences I’ve had before were special in terms of the people I met and the adventures that followed. I hope this trip proves no different.

If you’re reading this blog in real time, please share any recommendations for or stories from the places I go!

And So It Begins

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