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Is Our Family Safe?

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The biggest concern we heard as we planned to leave our home in the U.S. was how unsafe this could all turn out. I wondered if I had been headed to Europe if there’d be so much concern. Latin America and so many of its beautiful countries appeared to be getting quite the bad rap. Now, I get it, I do. 
News warns us of everything from Zika all over Brazil to the drug cartel wars all over Mexico. It’s all there and it’s all scary, of course. But the world will never not be scary.

Two of Three Kids Following Directions

I first traveled to Europe right after 9/11 and my mother was terrified. Luckily my brother stepped in giving me money to travel and reminding her not to “hold me back.” My mother’s fear of my travels never went away. She was afraid of every journey that followed… my first time in Brazil, those amazing spring breaks in Mexico, and what was scariest to her before Queventure, my move to study abroad in Barbados. 
I understand now that her fears were uncontrollable, and I don’t hold this against her. Instead, I thank God that her uncontrollable fear didn’t control me. Our parents, families, and friends sometimes pour fear all over us to oddly protect us. 
Kids Called This A Life-Sized Fidget Spinner

I can’t say our journey will be entirely safe. We take precautions, do our research, follow our instincts and remain vigilant, but we also take the ultimate risk of living our dreams regardless of the big fat scary unknowns. 
I mean we are told don’t drink the water, don’t swim in the water, don’t drink too much water, and that’s just water. It can all be so paralyzing. Yet, I cannot think of a time I’ve been truly paralized by fear, or maybe those moments just didn’t matter in the end. My choice to be not fearless per se, but to proceed in spite of fears, has paid-off in my life.
I dated my husband because I let him into my life not allowing myself to fear it wouldn’t work. Our love story has lasted over half of our lives.
I became CEO instead of fearing what was my clear lack of experience. My agency earned its highest revenue ever for multiple years with me at the helm.
And most recently, I left behind an extremely accomplished life, and all the fears involved with that choice, to embark on an unforgettable travel journey with my beautiful husband and children.
I hope and deeply pray with every ounce of me that safety surrounds us always. I also remind myself this life is mine and mine alone. My ability to act in spite of fears is the legacy I leave my children not in theory, but in practice. I ignore my mother’s big scary words and even her utter disapproval of my choices, because in order to truly, truly live, we have to release our fears and the satisfaction of being understood and even fully supported by our loved ones.
All in all, I rather stay misunderstood and be truly happy living the life I want to live.
Calderitas, Quintano Roo, Mexico

When I was my daughter’s age I was being molested in the very place that should have embodied safety: my home. So what is safety really? My daughter spends every waking moment on an adventure with her parents and her two loving brothers. She’s exposed to the “big scary world” but this world, or at least what we’ve seen of it so far, is a lot less scary than the one I knew at 7 years old. 

Feeling So At Home in Mexico

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When people ask us where we are traveling from collective pride spills all over the person we’re speaking to. Diego pridefully claims Guatemala of course, and I say: “Yo soy Mexicana de Michoacán.” At times, folks look at us strangely; likely the kids give us away with their choppy Spanish and fast-talking English.

Puerto Rico and Belize were such a great start to our adventure. However, I’ve been most thrilled about this leg of our trip. Mexico just feels like home and it’ll be just that for five weeks this summer. 

As soon as we crossed the Belize-Mexico border, I was ready to share the joys of Mexico with our children. Today, that joy meant educating them on who Frida Khalo was and what she means to art. In Mexico, the kids seem at ease and happy. My husband in particular has enjoyed the food, alcohol, Caribbean climate, and probably most importantly, the price tag for it all.

Visiting the Mayan Cultural Museum of Chetumal

We picked a city flying well below most tourists’ travel radars for our first stop in Mexico. Though in the same state where wildly popular Cancun is, we opted for the capitol of Quintana Roo, a city called Chetumal. Chetumal is rich with history, friendly people, sun-filled day trips, one-of-a-kind lagoons and bays, fortress exploring, Mayan influence, delicious restaurants, impressive storefronts, and so much more.

Playa Dos Mulas, Chetumal, Mx,

There’s something for the whole family to enjoy throughout the city. Our evenings in Chetumal were full of engaging activities seven nights a week… live entertainment, family fun such as cheap bike rentals, bounce-houses, and a mini-car derby. There’s also an abundance of delicious food options (be warned: following our Instagram page ‘queventure.abroad’ will make you hungry). There’s vibrant nightlife for those traveling without kids and staying the weekend. We managed to enjoy a ride throughout the city on a double-decker party bus blaring loud music and perhaps 20,000 flashing lights.
Toboganes en Bacalar: La Laguna de Siete Colores 

Those visiting the region will particularly appreciate how inexpensive it  is. Cab rides as cheap as $1.00 and beers as cheap as $2.00. We fed a family of five often with $25-$35. We’ve also visited museums and fortresses and spent less than $10.00 for a family of five. Yes, you read that right. A beautiful day at the Museum of Mayan Culture led to free admissions for the kiddos and about $8 to admit mom and dad.

Another great fact about Chetumal is that you can visit near by Ambergris Caye in Belize. A daily $50-$90 ferry-ride (2-3hrs) takes you over to this renowned island and just like that you’ve knocked out two birds with one stone and spent time in both Mexico and Belize.
Ambergris Caye, Belize

Divers, snorkelers, and anyone who loves crystal clear blue waters will appreciate the convenience since both Belize and Mexico boast amazing dive spots (think Cenote Azul in Bacalar or any Cayes of Belize). Foodies will also love the seafood options and children the beautiful calming clear waters perfect for swimming. If you have yet to visit this region, I vote get your passports ready, and start planning your vacation today. You won’t be disappointed and perhaps just like us….  you’ll feel right at home!

What’s your favorite Latin American destination? Share in a comment below.

Why Not Have It All?

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I’ve been a size 2 and a size 16 waist, loved my marriage and hated it. Same goes for motherhood. It hasn’t always suited me. Motherhood and marriage challenge my greatest weakness everyday: impatience. And yet this impatience is the reason why I meet goals. I meet pretty huge ones because I am always impatient enough not to. I have it all even within the limitations of my so-called weakness.
Calderitas, Quintano Roo, Mexico
Today, my family is  truly a work in progress and no matter the hills or the valleys, because there have been plenty of both, we’ve always had it all, always.
When my husband and I were so broke that we experienced eviction and car repossession in a six-month period, we still had it all. We had our love though it was tested a lot. We had our health though we neglected making healthy choices. We also had our family. At the time, our only son was 2-3 years old and he was the center of our world regardless of all the apparent brokenness that defined us. Looking back, we had it all then, and we sure as day have it all now.

Ambergris Caye, Belize
At present, we are traveling halfway across the world and though it’s assumed we’ve won some lottery or some other extreme logic that people need to believe what we are doing is possible, truth be told, what is happening today, the complete and utter blessing to have this lifestyle, is possible because no matter the circumstances we’ve experienced, we’ve always had it all. We’ve shared a mutual travel dream and worked relentlessly to see it realized. We fought ‘tooth and nail’ even when we literally fought each other. We worked to see our intense passions breakthrough and become something as real as the cool Caribbean breeze that surrounds us now.
San Ignacio, Belize
Because we’ve struggled, we’ve succeeded and can have it all; and, having it all starts with believing it’s possible while working your tail off to make it happen! You feel me?!? 

The People of Belize

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On July 11th 2017, we landed in Belize City, Belize. Belize was the country I missed over a decade ago backpacking through all of Central America, so naturally, it’s the country I chose to begin our family’s adventure through Latin America. 

As we wrapped up this short leg of our trip, I felt so grateful for the small towns we called home: San Ignacio (Inland) and Corozal (Bayside Caribbean). 

These were two towns so uniquely their own and definitely not the tourist draws many think of when they think Belize. That’s reserved for the tourist island attractions: Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker. We visited Ambergris Caye of course, but for a short turnaround trip. After all,  it is one of those “1,000 places to see below you die” listings from the famous travel book. It was no doubt worth seeing and we will surely return. Our Ambergris Caye highlights were clearly documented on our ‘queventure.abroad’ Instragram page. Make sure you’re following to see those breathtaking pics.

San Ignacio, Belize is also featured on “1,000 places…” and after having been there I see why. It’s got it all… breathtaking nature, Mayan history (countless Mayan Ruins to visit), a vibrantly diverse population (i.e. Creole, Mayan, Mennonites), wildlife (visiting the Belize Zoo is a must), and a vibrant town nucleus. It’s centrally located to so many varied interests: horseback-riding, cave-tubing (we loved), waterfall excursions, high-end fine dinning (The Blancaneaux Lodge owned by Francis Ford Coppola was superb),  and so much more.

We arrived in San Ignacio on a rainy Tuesday. We traversed the Western Highway to end up in the center of town. There we soon discovered our cabin community was on the city’s outskirts. We made our way down the bumpiest of dirt roads well into the countryside. Our little cabin and its surroundings was a jolt to everything our children had just left behind in Puerto Rico. This by no means was an Airbnb accommodation and proved to be exactly what we needed.

In San Ignacio, the five of us shared a small cabin and used an outhouse for showers and other private dealings, lol. It was simple and completely remote. Plopped down in the middle of a large property surrounded by trees, beautiful birds, and a starlit sky. It also entailed going without running water or electricity at times and showering without hot water. We embraced this and encouraged our children to find value in what was available without comparing to other places or experiences. 

I won’t lie and say the husband and I didn’t feel a bit out of our element at first. Soon enough as we learned to navigate town we came to enjoy our routine in San Ignacio. Whether it was dancing with fireflies at night, basking in the sporadic thunderstorms, listening to the sprawling solitude while marveling at the miles from green, or simply making new friends among so many lovely people.

In the end, my favorite part of Belize was the people and in San Ignacio/Corozal they were especially insightful, hardworking, and kind.

– Thelma and James, the owners of our cabin community treated us so warmly with a thorough attention that made us feel at home. They operated their little community with so much heart and for two retirees I admire just how hard they continue to work while in service to others. The kids wrote them a sweet thank you note when we left and surely filled the place with love and laughter while we were there…


– The lovely couple/managers of the Rain Forest Haven Inn who invited us to a free tasting as a pre-grand opening of their Travellers Maya Juice tasting room. This place was amazing. Swings dangled from the ceilings to keep the kids entertained while the hubby and I tasted drink after drink including tropical mojitos, cosmos, and mai-tais. These people were so welcoming and kind. We experienced so much joy for an entire afternoon and all thanks to their generosity. 


– The young woman who operated the in-the-middle-of-nowhere Coze Grill. She made the best saldutes and was truly patient with our hungry kids. Her brother even drove us back to our cabin after she shared her ideal business dreams with us and prepared an amazing meal for five.
– The military man we met on our usual $1.50 travels across the Mopan River. This gentleman gave us an impromptu tutorial on the Belizean military and let Diego carry the 50 lbs. pack he carries under the punishing sun every single day. 


– Our Mayan guide who took us into the dark caves of Belize via tubes. This sweet man was clearly a pro who showed our children so many wonders throughout the jungle. He spoke Spanish, English, Mayan and Creole which led to a crash course in Creole and Mayan lingo.

– Our Mayan chocolate maker who was like a child-whisper quickly learning each of our children’s names and connecting with them through interactive chocolate making and tasting! 

– Our conservationist pals including the gentleman at the butterfly sanctuary Green Hill Ranch or the young man at the Iguana Conservation Project. Their love for the animals they protected was clear and overflowed unto our children every step of the (educational) way. 

– Rosita, the hotel owner of 37 years in Corozal who gave us a complete history of a Mayan Princess and Spanish conquistador that were loved in the region and still honored to this day.

Noah Crossing the Mopan River

I can go on and on and on about the people of Belize who each loved their country deeply and worked hard everyday to see it shine. Thank you to the people of San Ignacio and Corozal for welcoming us with your hearts even if only for a slither of time. The time you shared with us meant so much.

Puerto Rico Vibes

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About a year ago our entire Quevedo family sat around the table discussing the possibility of a family vacation. For one reason or another, passports were a barrier. Just then I blurted out, “What about Puerto Rico?” Once interests were clearly peaked, my quick fingers went to one of my favorite online sites: google.com/flights to do a couple of varied searches. I landed on cheap flights over Fourth of July week and it was settled. 

Since we knew money was often a challenge for getting a large group to get plans moving, my hubby set up a monthly savings plan encouraging all to save a certain amount over 6+ months to fund an Airbnb and flights to PR! We all stuck to the plan and ended up on our first extended family vacation since 1998.

What our extended family didn’t know during the planning was that we were well into mapping out a months-long adventure through Central and South America. This PR stop would become the kick-off of a whirlwind adventure from LA to Latin America. An adventure we’d come to refer to as QUEVENTURE!

Our Puerto Rico trip had it all… a huge pool house, family van to shuffle 11, and a whole lot of great vibes. Our extended family is a close-knit fun-loving bunch, so the good times prevailed. We spent 9 days in PR and wouldn’t change a thing. From the great company to beautiful beaches and days spent lounging poolside; we all had a great time.

One highlight had to be the beach closest to our pool house in Luquillo: Playa Azul…


An added perk was how close we ended up to the ferry company that takes visitors to one of the best beaches in the world: Flamenco Beach, Culebra Island…

To visit Culebra Island you’ll need to buy tickets (about $5 dollars per adult r/t) at 4am for the 9am departure which doesn’t leave on time. It’s a process, but well worth it.

All in all, Puerto Rico ended up being the perfect choice for our family and I’d encourage those who haven’t visited to give it a try. If your dates are flexible you can find great fares. While in PR, don’t miss a trip to explore Old San Juan…

You’ll need a car to get around, but Uber is available if looking for an alternative. The food, music, and vibes were perfect for our travels, but be warned, this island does operate on ‘island-time’ so don’t expect speedy service in restaurants and such. To that point, I’d say enjoy the slow-paced nature of it all. When on a tropical vacation it’s best to give yourself plenty of wait-time to people watch, enjoy a local beer, and make new friends!


Have you been to Puerto Rico?
Share your adventures with us in the comment section below!