I Smell Shite

It's been a hot minute since I blipped. 

So, here's a quick recap of my life over the last 8 months. 

I started my business, called it Jesstation Co. LLC, and it's been thriving since. I got my first client in December, and now I'm up to 5 clients on a retainer package (meaning it's recurring revenue for at least 3 months at a time), and I've had 4 clients on a project basis. 

I "branded" and then ACTUALLY branded my business twice, and now I am rocking and rolling as a tech + systems expert. That's what people hire me for. To build CRM systems, email marketing systems, or task management systems for their business. OR, they hire me on a retainer package to manage those already built systems for their business. 

I've hired both a social media manager and now a virtual assistant, which has been a HUGE help. 

Steven and I lived in America until the end of Jan 2022, and we were SO READY to get out as soon as possible. We were ready to hit the road again. 

We lived in Mexico City for 5 weeks, lived in Medellin, Colombia (NOT my favorite country at all, but that's for another blip) for 5 weeks, and now we are in Quito, Ecuador. Steven and I are experimenting with hostel living. 

We were never able to do it while teaching English, so now that we have very different jobs, we are hoping that it's doable. We enjoy hostels. The atmosphere is fun, and you are always surrounded by people from different places, different languages, and the most interesting conversation that you'll ever hear in your life. 

Within the span of 1 hour, Steven and I have quietly sat here (doing some work) and listened to a guy say that he illegally smuggled his way across the border to Venezuela (a currently closed country) by joining a motorcycle gang, hiding in the back of fruit trucks, bribed his way out of jail twice (with cash that he had to smuggle into the country because there are no ATM's in Venezuela), and working on a banana farm. 

This same guy just so happens to be both Pakistani and Alaskan, and when asked why he won't call himself an American, he proceeded to say that it's because people in Alaska are dramatically different than people in America.

He further compared that cultural difference to that of Iran and Israel, which he continued to say that Iranian and Israeli people are actually MORE similar to each other than Alaskans and Americans... and he would know, because he's Pakistani. 

We were listening to this conversation all while being berated from the hostel photographer.. who, newly appointed of his rank and very eager for attention, every couple of minutes, wanted to show us a photo that he took and when complimented on how good the photo was.. he said, "I know". 

We've been here for almost 24 hours, and it's already been quite the entertainment. I'm just glad that I like my travel mate. 

We will be here for about 2 weeks before my cousin arrives, and she will be staying with us for a couple of weeks!! She's having one last hurrah before starting PA school in June. 

Quito seems lovely, a much needed and welcomed changed from Colombia. 

We've got lots of exploring, and hopefully lots of blipping to do over the next few months. If nothing else, blip will provide me a much needed excuse to share my rather comical conversations. :)