Florida, the sunshine state! As I prepare to depart Florida, I begin to reflect on the month that I have spent in this wonderful place. As the first state on this journey of mine, it came with many lessons that will help to shape the way that I approach my next 49 months. The most valuable takeaway is that in one month I was only able to scratch the surface of what this state has to offer, but that just gives me a reason to come back someday!

While in Florida, I spent most of my time in the southern end, near Miami. Working on a guava farm, I was able to see the agricultural side of the state, the tropical fruits that grow down there are quite remarkable. This location gave me access to all three of the national parks that Florida has to offer. I made a few trips to Everglades National Park where I kayaked through mangroves and saw my first wild alligator. I also took a ferry ride to Dry Tortugas National Park, where I spent the day snorkeling and roaming around historic Fort Jefferson. The third National Park is Biscayne, this is one that I will have to return to Florida to fully experience. I made a day trip to the park, but with 95% of it being underwater, a little more preparation is involved to truly see its beauty. 

On both the trip to the South and the return trip North, I made worthwhile stops at a few of Florida's beautiful springs. These stops may have been my favorite part of the whole trip, as I was able to swim in crystal clear water and hang out with manatees. It is amazing that all of these natural wonders can be found within the boundaries of just one state.

With regards to the people of Florida, there was one thing that stood out to me the most-- almost everyone I met was only there for the winter. Most of the people that I had the joy of interacting with were also people who were avoiding the cold. No matter which part of Florida I was in, I was sure to meet a few "snowbirds" as they refer to themselves. 

While this single blog post only gives a glimpse of my month spent in Florida, I hope that it will provide some insight on what this journey is all about :)