Dear El Salvador...from a Girl Riding a Motorcycle around the World...

Dear El Salvador, this is my little letter to you. First of all, I have a couple of disclaimers. I really wasn't planning on doing this. If you don't know me, I've been traveling around Mexico and Central America for the last two years And after 1.5 years of exploring Mexico, well, I wrote a letter to Mexico. And I never intended on doing it again. But El Salvador, you have compelled me. So here it goes. Dear El Salvador, There really are no words to express how much you have touched my heart. First of all, anyone that might not know you, El Salvador, they may not realize that your little piece of land contains so much diversity and beauty. For a country only slightly bigger than the state of New Jersey, or half the size of Switzerland, you pack a big punch. Full of lakes, beautiful beaches, mountains, high peaks, volcanoes, and craters. In fact, your nickname is the land of volcanoes for the 25 plus volcanoes that you have in such a small area. Secondly, I have been traveling for a while now on my motorcycle. And I do receive a lot of kindness wherever I go. But El Salvador, you never cease to impress me. I received an immense amount of kindness in your country and was never short of a helping hand. In El Salvador, I experienced the most friendly border patrol and the easiest immigration process ever. El Salvador, you welcomed me with a heart of gold wherever I went. You guided me through confusing windy dirtback roads when I got lost. You invited me into your community festivals without batting an eye. You helped me fix my first ever flat tire on the side of the road. And you gave me my first ever off-road motorcycle training. You picked up my bike countless times. And helped me get back on. You fixed my bashed up motorcycle from the pure kindness of your heart. You even snuck $20 bills in my hand for gas money, like a loving mother. El Salvador, you not only welcomed me with your heart of gold wherever I went, but you gave me friendship and treated me like family. You shared with me your country's history, your stories, your victories, and your knowing of a continued bright future. El Salvador, I experienced so much beauty in the relatively small amount of time that I was there. But something else happened that was really unexpected. When I began uploading my stories of exploring your country on YouTube, I had no idea the amount of love that would come outpouring for you. Sharing my little stories from your country online became a whole new experience that exponentiated the love and kindness that I had already experienced. Little El Salvador, your people are sprinkled all over this world. And they love you so much. It has been a true gift to get to experience that. Becoming a YouTube creator, well, hasn't been as easy of a journey as I thought. And El Salvador, you came along at just the right time to pick me up before I really went down. El Salvador, you, along with the rest of my sweet YouTube community, have lifted me up right in the time of need. You reminded me of what I had forgotten in moments of feeling low. You allowed me to be vulnerable and yet, did not let me abandon the truth of what we so wisely know. You embraced me. You encouraged me. And mostly, because of you, I am continuing on this YouTube journey. And as I leave to explore new countries, whether you continue to join me on the journey or not, I just deeply want you to know how much you have touched me. Most of all, El Salvador, I just want to thank you. Your words, your love, your support has gifted me so much. It has been so much fun to share with you online. El Salvador, thank you so much for sharing your little pogarsito with me. Words don't express how much I adore you. And I hope that you never forget how special you are. So, from the bottom of my heart, El Salvador, gracias and thank you so much.