Mis Aventuras At A Close

Well I have made it back to the States and have been here for 4 days. I feel rather displaced and don't really know what to do about it. It is a different feeling, and I have never felt it before so that stresses me out a little. I guess it is just the change of everything and the culture is completely different. I have been living in a really chill, rich cultured, family oriented environment and loved it. I realized that is the type of culture I really loved with the kisses on the cheek greetings and the relaxed environment. I feel everything here is loud and rushed. People are jerks and families are not as close. I missed my family so much so that is really what keeps me happy. I am looking forward to my new life in Central this fall with some really great people and a house that isn't for parties. I get to have my own room and just live with some adults. Not that stupid teenage stuff I have dealt with in the past.

Granted the adjustment sucks but I am really trying my best and each day gets better. I've also had my first legal beer tonight. I enjoyed a coors light with my Daddy, and can't wait to go to dinner and celebrate with my parents and sister for my 21st.

I learned so much during my months abroad, and will hold all the experiences and lessons with me into the future and next year. I am ready to embrace Natalie and I am finally completely comfortable with who I am and know myself. It took me 21 years, but that's alright. I've always been a little different, but love life being one big school adventure that is useful. I have my family and the people in my life whom genuinely love me for me, and I could not be happier knowing that. I started swimming again, and my heart and body is happy and the negative energy I felt since getting back and with my travels at times is leaving. It really is just me and my soul in this crazy world of life, but I can't wait to continue learning and accomplishing what I started. Thank you everyone once again for your support and love. I have enjoyed it, and might start a new blog for my 21st year. But this is a part of my past that will be with me forever, but I want this to be of my 20th year. Not the future also. I am going to succeed. Who is with me? Vamonos.

Guatemala Blog Numero 2

(Written 6, June 2011)

I absolutely love being on Vacation. I went with Marisol to get our nails done earlier this week, and it felt super nice to get that pampering. We then got coffee at the cafe and just relaxed. I went shopping for the first time in many months and got some new shirts for my birthday from my mother and father.

We went to Rio Dulce where Marisol's family has a bungelo and we stayed there for the weekend with some of her friends. It was extremely humid, but fabulous to be in a tropical area and just swim and hang out for 2 days. Her friends were so nice and we talked in Spanish and played cards. I actually got into a 3 hour long Eqyptian Rat Skew battle with Francisco but eventually won. Then we got back and hung out for a while and played spoons. I leave for the states tomorrow, and I can't believe it. Time went by so fast, but I am excited to see my family. I just hope my Spanish doesn't deteriorate. But I won't let that happen. Good night everyone!

Guatemala Blog Numero 1

(Written 30, May 2011).

Well, here I am finally back in Guatemala with my Guatemalan family after 4 years. I can not believe how much we all have grown up and are picking up from where we left off. However, now we are all talking in Spanish, and I feel a deeper connection with the people I love, and love having that connection and love at the end of my South American adventure. I even had the once in a Lifetime opportunity to celebrate my 21st birthday with this family and my friends. It was pretty low key, but everyone being with me today made it one of the best birthdays. We went out to breakfast and lunch at Taco Bell then went go carting and back to the pool house toe at dinner and cake with coffee. Then we sat in the hammocks and talked then I skyped with my family. Not the drunken 21 run that most people have, but it was really nice. I also cannot believe how nice it is to have a hot shower and just relax. Not having to work or volunteer but just enjoy my last 10 days south of Washington. We are going to Rio Dulce on Thursday until Sunday then I leave Monday to re-join my past life. I have a direct flight from Guatemala to LAX, so that should be nice. Hoping culture shock won’t be too extreme, but I do really miss Argentina. It’s alright, I’ll be back but right now, I’m excited to work and see my family and close friends again, and just be me where I am in life and finish what I started. 

Peru Blog Numero 7

Well I finished up my time in Peru with going on the jungle trek to Machu Picchu with 17 people from Ireland who were all graduated and class mates. They were really nice, and I loved hanging with them. I blended quite well, and even picked up on the accent a little. It was a strenuous hike across mountains, giant rock hills of death, rushing rivers, and incan steps. It was so much fun and amazing to see the abandoned city of the Incans. I was overwhelmed with how big it was and just sat and stared in awe. My camera broke on day 2 of the trek, so I have no photos, but hopefully I get some from the others in my group. But I was there.

Then on returning back to Cusco, I headed to Pisaq in the sacred valley of the incans, 30 minutes away. I went to work with an incan family on their farm, and I loved it. It was refreshign to be in a place that didn't just want my money, but wanted to teach me things and work with me. They treated me like a daughter, and I even learned some Qechua the native language. Elke came to join me and we hurded a llama and alpaca and picked beans and corn. It was extrememly cold at night, but the hut we were sleeping in was warm and the days were really hot. I loved being so in the middle of nowhere just being.

Then once again in Cusco I couch surfed with a girl named ViVi and her family, and I had a great time. They even took me out and made me dinner. I slept in a bed and showered, and it felt nice to begin my vacation that way. Now I am writing from the El Salvador airport waiting to go to Guatemala. I know this is short and sweet, but there is too much to expand on. When I get back, I'll tell you about some of my journal entries and everything. But Guatemala here we come.

Peru Blog Numero 6

Por fin in Cusco, and I had no idea where I was going. I had heard the hype of it all and how beautiful it was, and that is true. It is a beautiful city with a lot to do. But what you may not have heard, it is one of the poorest and most dangerous cities in Peru and South America. Don't worry I'm safe, and not stupid, but the reality is, this isn't a city of "oh look at us we have Machu Picchu and tourists and everything is happy, as it is portrade in Plaza de Armas. There is a McDonalds and beautiful gardens and police, so it appears safe and keeps the toursits coming. Which in reality is good for the economy, but that is not the real Peru.

I am in love with the volunteer project I am working with, and the children are wonderful and so sweet. These kids come from working class families of abusive, drunkeness. The families don't have money because usually the father spends all the money he makes on women and alcohol. While the majority of families have satellite television and cable, most don't have a fridge to keep their food in. The influence of western culture is so prominent that they feel to be happy that is what they need. A bigger better television, and don't really know what priorities are. That is where we come in. Los voluntarios de amor at the Yanapay school spend 4 hours a day with these children after school to love on them, and teach them how to live better in simple circumstances which in the long run is cleanliness and education. Most of the children can not read or write, and I am one of the tutors so everyday I work with 4 students 30 minutes each and help with reading and writing and math. We play games and use flash cards. Sometimes I just read to the little kids, but they are learning and getting something they probably don't back home. Then we have a circle of expression and they talk about events in the world and how they are feeling about the classes. Then there is 5 minutes of craziness. My favorite. I taught them the penguin song yesterday and they were so cute dancing to it. Then we go to our family groups (mine is the older kids 11-13, the dinosaurs) and talk about the theme of the week. This week is Christianity and we are doing the parable of the Prodigal Son. We are doing a skit thing today (Friday) and it should be pretty good. We have props and they are excited. Then the children have milk time and then go back home around 7.

It is a great program, and everything is like a story book. Lots of bright colors and fairies and stuffed animals, etc. I am in love with the children and leaving always sucks, but I know I've made a difference and can't wait to see where the program goes from here. 

Peru Blog Numero 5

In my last week at the orphanage, and I'm actually sort of sad. I had a very good day today and am really going to miss the babies I realized. Geraldine was absolutely adorable and my little buddy all day. She just loved being with me, and we played and walked around all day. I read her Green Eggs and Ham in Spanish, and she loved looking at the photos. It made me feel good when we were getting the babies ready for bed and she just wanted me to hold her and we were having a mini conversation. She is so social and will talk to me in baby talk and when I ask her something she responds with ya or other agreeing sounds. She does this thing like a little gasp when she sees something she likes or just when I do it too. She is so smart and just a funny baby. I would adopt her if I could and if a couple from Switzerland weren't wanting her. But it's alright, I have enjoyed having her be my little buddy during my time here. 

I also one day came across a green power-ranger action figure, while spending time with some of the older young kids and sang the power theme song, well just the "Go Go power rangers." And the kids absolutely loved it and now they want me to sing it a dozen times each day I'm there. It is also really cute how when I leave they try to block the door from me leaving, and love giving me hugs and kisses. It's moments like that I realize this is what volunteering is about. Just being yourself and loving on the kids. It doesn't matter who stands in your way or tries to bring you down, it's all you and making a difference. 

Update on this last weekend. Me and Elke went to the centro and just hung out and then went to Cusco Coffee, which is essentially Starbucks, but better. :) And on Thursday she and I made a gratuitous amount of popcorn the natural way with 1/2 kilo of un-popped kernals. It was funny because they were jumping everywhere, and we were calling each batch different species and have just started to refer to things of different types by species. We all in the house do that. It's pretty great. There is also a restaurant called Tacos y Tequilas, and it is my favorite place to go for food. I'm going there my last night here. At least I'm hoping. 

I have also learned to make cool south american bracelets and can't wait to bring them back and maybe sell them like a hippy at the Puyallup Farmers Market or something this summer. I love how much I'm learning, and 25 more days until Guatemala!

Peru Blog Numero 4

I am in my 4th week of being here in Peru. I am so proud of myself, for sticking to it and learning and growing. It only took me 2 weeks to get acclimated to my surroundings, and I can go anywhere and know where I am. I went to the school on last Wednesday to help out on my day off. It was the last class before Easter, and we had an Easter egg scavenger hunt and the children figured out clues in English. Sometimes I had to translate, but the kids were adorable and had fun. Li another volunteer from the program dressed in this huge bunny suit and was the "Easter Bunny." The kids loved it so much and almost tore him apart because of the joy. We gave them candy, and it was neat seeing them have fun because with the poor area they live, they don't get many treats or people in bunny suits. Teaching english is really hard, but I admire how well the other volunteers do. Especially Li and Jess with the small kids.

I had a nice weekend working at the orphanage, because I had a light bulb moment, and just realized how to do everything right, and now I'm not as nervous, and can tackle my last 2 weeks. The children are adorable, and even though they are teething and crying more now, I still don't mind as much being there taking care of them. And changing dipers is second nature for me now. Especially cloth ones. I am just so happy taking care of the babies. They all have distinct characteristics and personalities. My favorites are Geraldine and Orlando. Geraldine is so smart and laughs all the time. She also will have these moments of just sitting and being pensive. She'll stare into space and obviously be thinking about something. She also just laughs whenever she falls down while trying walk. Orlando is 3 months old, and has the most amazing head of hair. So much of it, and it is often styled in fo-hawk. He spit ups a lot, but is so squishy, and I just love holding him and giving him his bottle. Usually that is the most fun part. Feeding the babies. Geraldine is the best eater. What I love about Orlando is he'll cry when something is wrong. Not just because he gets attention.

I have the rest of my plans for my time in Peru basically planned out, so that is encouraging to see, but also a bit sad since I have my plane ticket home. What an odd thought to not know about my life in the states and to be going back there. I have signed up to do the Machu Picchu jungle trek for 4 days and 3 nights. I get to mountain bike, hike through a jungle and up to Machu Picchu. So jazzed for that adventure, and that begins the 15th of May. I'll post what it's like at the end of that week probably.