Travel Friendships

I have noticed while traveling you develop strong friendships that usually only last as long as your travel or that of your new friend. Seems to me, the friendships are based more on the amount of time you both will be spending in a place than age, interests (travel is already the common bound), or anything else. Here you quickly assess if you are going to become "friends" with someone or just hang out with them for the day. I've had my share of people I have met at cafes that I enjoyed, even drank and had meals with just to say, "see you around." And then Antigua is so small, you actually do. These people usually only have a week left here when I meet them, so not as much time is invested in them. With others, you take time to exchange phone numbers or emails and plan to see them again while you are here. These are usually the people you meet when you first arrive and will be here about the same amount of time as you or longer. Funny thing is -- both of these types of "friendships" start with the same conversations and you have a million while here. Common questions:

How long are you here?
Are you studying Spanish?
What school?
Where else have you traveled?
Are you traveling anywhere after this? (because many are doing this for 3-6 months)
Where are you from?
Do you know what bars or restaurants are cool here?
What you going to do after dinner tonight? (because the friendship has now been established)

Whether or not you try to see this person again was determined by the first question. Notice age or profession are not asked and sometimes it never is and sometimes you only find these things out after you have known someone for a couple of weeks.

Then eventually your friends start leaving. Sometimes, your "group" will go out the night before to say good-bye as if you are some mini-family. But for most you will never see them again. It is kind of strange; experiencing so much with someone just to say "bye" and "good luck." But then again the friendship wouldn't be the same back home anyway because this isn't real life. At least in my real life, I don't have someone cooking and cleaning for me. I can't just take a nap every afternoon to wake up in time to meet friends for happy hour. And I definitely don't go out 3-4 times during the week nights. Does sound a lot like college though minus the cooking and cleaning. I loved college so maybe that is why I keep coming back here...trying to relive maybe? Anyway...

I am now officially one of those people that if someone just arriving meets, they will not invest too much time in because I am leaving in a week. The time is flying by much faster than last year. And this makes me sad.*





*I am sad because I love this place but I will be extremely happy to go home and see T. And yes, I am aware how horrible this picture is, and I blame the lighting.

-- Post From My iPhone