Amazon Rain Forest and More......

Back again with another post this time on my experience in the Amazon Rain forest/Jungle. All week I was super pumped for the trip to be in the jungle. We travel to Iquitos the largest city in the Peruvian Jungle. Iquitos is the largest city in the world that can only be accessed by boat or plane. The first day there I realized I was in a different environment. The amount of insects and mosquito's was in effect. Also lack of power due to the switching of generators and a power outage. So we went swimming which was fun. After that we went to a tribal house where the tribal people dressed up and danced for us. Later that night we ate dinner and went to sleep. Next day was kinda different we went for a walk through the jungle and saw the process of making sugarcane liquor. We tried it plan with just plain rum, then we tried it with sugarcane honey. Let's say it taste better with the sugarcane. So we go back to have dinner and we have a treat alligator! I didn't think I would like it but the taste was good. If the opportunity comes again I would definitely try it again. For the next few days it was more of the same going on excursions and enjoying the jungle. We went fishing for piranhas and I didn't catch a single thing. That was cool we used a stick with a line on it. They pretty much made it from scratch. Next we went to a medicine which was interesting. I bought something from him it will be interesting when i try it out. On the final day we went to the Quistococha Zoo and saw some incredible things. Saw some different butterflies, jaguar, and went and saw manatees. We even fed them as well.
This past weekend I went on a trip to a different city I forgot the name but it was interesting. To get to my friends house we had to take a taxi on some dirt road without a street name. Once we got there he had guard guarding the house with a rifle. So we are out in the middle of no where. It turned out to be a fun time had a BBQ and a bonfire. Also on the way going home we had to hitch hike. I felt like I was in the movies when people are walking and sticking out their arm trying to get a ride. We were successful and got a ride back to the bus station for only 4 soles which is cheap.The only bad part of the trip was I lost my iPhone so you no I was pissed but nevertheless fun though. The picture are from Iquitos I hope you enjoy. More pictures are on Facebook.

Get to Know Earl Part 4

Well only a handful may know this but last year 2011 was the worst year of my life. It started off great but I didn't like the apartment I was living in and I didn't want to renew my lease. I lived at Dorchester Village in Richmond Heights right on the border of Willoughby Hills Ohio. When I first moved there it was great and then it just got worse. So I decided to move to Parma in a more expensive apartment. Also it was closer to my job as well. At first it was great I had plans to study abroad to Lima Peru. All I had to do was get a second job to pay for my plane ticket. Around the months of April and May things got tough. Hours at the job was slowing down and it just felt like my money was running low. I paid April's rent due to me borrowing money from multiple people. I was a mess. I planned on my summer job kicking in and me getting a second job. Normally I can find a job rather fast but last year I couldn't. So here comes the beginning of May and I couldn't pay rent, so I went to the management office and told them about my situation they said they understand but they couldn't do a partial payment or anything like that. I finally picked up a part time job delivering food for Delivery Me Food and it was a good job but nevertheless a part time job the money was cool, but it was a little to late. I couldn't pay any of June's rent. Mind you I still have a car note, car insurance, phone bill and other bills as well. By the end of June my summer job hours pick up I'm doing good possibly thinking I may pull this off and get out of the red zone. There was a couple problems. I received an eviction notice and I had to pay rent for the month of May and June so I'm stuck. I had already asked a couple people for money so I didn't want to ask anyone who I wouldn't ask so I had to handle the problem head on. The apartment manager tells me you may want to check one of those loans places. I really didn't want to go because with them you never get ahead. So I went to one and read that they check your credit and there I knew my credit wasn't great but its not horrible , but I didn't want to try. While doing my driving job I feel my car driving different so I knew soon I had to get some work done. The beginning of July one night driving home from work I feel my car can't accelerate and it loss speed on the highway so I pull over. It's early morning like 3 or 4 and I call my friend to come pick me up. I find out I needed to replace my clutch. Which was going to cost 1,000$. I'm stuck I can't pay rent and now I can't get to work due to no car. So I start looking to see how much it's going to cost to fix my car. First spot I find say they will tow my car for free and give me an estimate. They even offer to give me a rental car or give me a ride to work. If I get my car done there  so it turns out their price was `1800$ so I'm like no that's like almost double to what I knew it would cost. So I had to pay them 50 for the tow even though it was around the corner. I go and find another place who would fix it for 600 so I have them to tow my car there. While trying to fix my car the mechanic says he thinks the problem could be something else and he doesn't want to fix and the problem be something else. So I take my car I don't get my car fix. With time against my side I decide to go to checks mart and do the payday loan so I could rent a car. I was going to checks mart so much that I started referfing to it as the bank. I was able to go to work but I wasn't getting ahead considering I still had to pay my car note and pay to rent a car. Had to ask my manager for rides home from work. Asked friends for rides, which was something I was I wasn't used to always for the most part had my own. Even took the Megabus to work since I worked near Akron. So it is now July and I have to move in a couple weeks and my luck begin to change.
I met a guy from work who I only knew for about two weeks and he said he would let me borrow the money to fix my car mind you we not talking small money five or ten dollars. I'm talking the full amount to fix my car. Only God brought us together. How many people do you know that would do this to a person they knew for a couple weeks not too many that I know. He was a blessing to me and I'm grateful. So I got my car fixed but there was still a problem. I had to move and I was going to be homeless for the first time in my life. I couldn't move back home due to my mother's rent policy. Also someone broke my passenger window out to make things worse. One day going to work while I was still at my apartment I had an emotional breakdown I cried while driving to work due to my situation and how my life was going. I was facebook messaging a friend while I was drive and he gave me inspiration and I stop crying.So I moved my things from my apartment into storage. For about a month and a half I was between my mother house, friends house, and even slept in my car. I basically lived out my storage unit and slept anywhere I could. I was so embarrassed I lied to most of my friends and anyone else about where I was living. So a friend reached out to me about us being room mates So I took the offer and I'm back on my feet with a place of my own. I'm happy they reached out to me and honored.
Five months later I'm taking 4 months off from work and studying abroad in Argentina and Peru. Anything can happen my story can happen to anybody. Some may say Earl you need to stay in your financial lane that may be true but I'm a risk taker and most people who say that are those who are scared to fail and will never accomplish anything big. I live only way to the fullest and taking chances and living with the consequences.They probably wouldn't have ever taking 4 months off from work without pay and still pay their bills back home.  I owe everything to God.  I hope this could touch someone who is having a tough time to let them know your not alone and you can make it don't give up. Please comment on my facebook post or even on the blog. Much Love and God Bless...