The past few months being in the States has almost been as startling as living in Peru, you get used to things, and any change can be hard. I walked down every single grocery store isle when I got back and was almost amazed at the difference in variety and quantity. A month later I stopped and stared at the shelve of molasses. In the one year we were in Peru, we had only been able to find one jar of molasses, which went into gingerbread cookies at Christmas time. I hand washed ALL my dishes for the first month because I forgot we had the modern connivance of a dishwasher. I still take cold showers because I don't expect to have hot water. Other things have been different too. If I bump into someone, my first response in my mind is in Spanish. But the biggest change for me has been not volunteering, I really miss that. I do a lot of YSA/JAS (young single adult) activities and go to Institute every week, but I haven't been able to fill my time with volunteering or working and that has been hard for me.
I am so grateful for the opportunities I have had in Peru.
I have learned more about life in the past year than I have ever learned from a textbook. The lessons I have gained about humanity, and compassion and love will stay with me for the rest of my life.
Living in Lima Peru has been eye opening, and an incredible experience. I am blessed to have had such an opportunity and to have been able to meet so many amazing people, and to be apart of their lives. I am grateful for those who took time to help me, and to give of their time and efforts to volunteer beside me and I hope that you will all continue in your own way. If there is any lesson I have learned it is that, if you do good, it impacts your life in ways you never thought it would.
This isn't goodbye, not yet.
I will be back in Peru for a few weeks in December. I am so excited to be able to see my kids (the children at Westfalia) and to be able to see friends. I hope to be able to do something for the children this Christmas, even if it is something simple. I want to challenge you all to find a way to give to someone else this Christmas who is struggling, or just needs a little extra love. It doesn't have to be big. It's really the small things in life that matter the most.
Think about it, and how you might be able to do something for someone else this Christmas season. If you need any ideas, feel free to comment or contact me.
I also just wanted to say thank you, for reading this blog and supporting me. It really means a lot to me, and I am very grateful to you all.
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Project #3
Before I left I finished project #3, making hygiene kits. I ended up making 140 kits, including toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, a soap container and a package of kleenex. It took a lot of time to buy all the items since buying in bulk is unheard of in Peru. The hardest to find was the soap boxes. I think we had to go to four different Plaza Vea's, two Wongs, and a Totus to find them all. Not to mention we had to improvise at end and buy small plastic containers from the kitchen isle, but after about a month of shopping and with some help from Laura and my dad all the kits got put together and my mom helped rearrange them in boxes for us to take to the orphanage.
On the left is a kit with a toddler toothbrush for the kinders, and on the right is one of the regular kits.
Project #4 fell through, I was too busy running around finding everything I needed for the hygiene kits that I didn't get to make the first aid kits, but maybe in the future that can be something I do. I don't know if I will be going back to Peru or not, but you never know, right?
Mi Ultimos Dias Parte Uno
Hello from Utah!
It's been a hectic few days. Thursday was my last day in Peru and Friday we flew to Atlanta and then to Salt Lake. We ran into a few problems with immigrations and security along the way. Is there a way to travel without being hassled? I didn't think so. Saturday was spent with my cousins and getting groceries. Now we are just settling in and getting used to being back. The differences between here and Peru are as great as an ocean. I miss Peru but I am happy to be in Utah. It's a bittersweet experience because I miss the sweet kids at the orphanage and volunteering, and all my new friends but it's exciting to be here and be with my family and start a new adventure.
My last few days were spent with friends, family, adorable kids and volunteering with Express Connect.
I have loved working with Express Connect. Going to schools and talking to children was a great opportunity, to both practice my Spanish, and become more educated on issues like abuse and bullying but really the best thing was being able to help kids in a small small way.
The last two weeks I went to two different schools to talk about self esteem and bullying with kids. With our self esteem presentations we bring out a mirror and have people say what they like about themselves, something inside like a talent or trait they have and one thing that they like about the way they look.
My last time I went to a school, was Monday and we visited the Alexander Flemming school, one that I have been to before and talked about before on my blog and as we were doing the last presentation and there was a boy who was autistic and he wrote down on a piece of paper "this is CNN" and I wasn't sure why, except that maybe that was the most English he knew and he helped with a part of the presentation, we were doing roleplaying with the kids and after we left and he came and gave me a big hug and then he slipped the little piece of paper into my hand. I saw him after in the hall while he was putting his coat on and he gave me another hug. It was a good feeling being hugged by a boy who has seen you once but as so much love for all those around him, friend or foe and I wish that everyone could feel the same feeling I did because it is a truly amazing feeling.
Kids are so loving and kind and patient, I think we could all learn a lesson from them.
It's been a hectic few days. Thursday was my last day in Peru and Friday we flew to Atlanta and then to Salt Lake. We ran into a few problems with immigrations and security along the way. Is there a way to travel without being hassled? I didn't think so. Saturday was spent with my cousins and getting groceries. Now we are just settling in and getting used to being back. The differences between here and Peru are as great as an ocean. I miss Peru but I am happy to be in Utah. It's a bittersweet experience because I miss the sweet kids at the orphanage and volunteering, and all my new friends but it's exciting to be here and be with my family and start a new adventure.
My last few days were spent with friends, family, adorable kids and volunteering with Express Connect.
I have loved working with Express Connect. Going to schools and talking to children was a great opportunity, to both practice my Spanish, and become more educated on issues like abuse and bullying but really the best thing was being able to help kids in a small small way.
The last two weeks I went to two different schools to talk about self esteem and bullying with kids. With our self esteem presentations we bring out a mirror and have people say what they like about themselves, something inside like a talent or trait they have and one thing that they like about the way they look.
I've learned a lot about my self while volunteering and the importance of thinking of yourself and being okay with yourself if not happy with yourself.
My last time I went to a school, was Monday and we visited the Alexander Flemming school, one that I have been to before and talked about before on my blog and as we were doing the last presentation and there was a boy who was autistic and he wrote down on a piece of paper "this is CNN" and I wasn't sure why, except that maybe that was the most English he knew and he helped with a part of the presentation, we were doing roleplaying with the kids and after we left and he came and gave me a big hug and then he slipped the little piece of paper into my hand. I saw him after in the hall while he was putting his coat on and he gave me another hug. It was a good feeling being hugged by a boy who has seen you once but as so much love for all those around him, friend or foe and I wish that everyone could feel the same feeling I did because it is a truly amazing feeling.
Kids are so loving and kind and patient, I think we could all learn a lesson from them.
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Two Days
I only have two more days in Peru. Two more days to volunteer at the Orphanage, two more days to see Alexandro and Eduardo, and two more days until I say goodbye and start a new adventure.
Two days. That's only 48 hours. So little time to get everything ready for the next part of my life. I feel like I am at the end of a chapter in a book and it was just so good I don't want it to end but at the same time I want to see what the next chapter holds. It is such a bittersweet feeling. A happy, sorrowful, beautiful, tragic feeling.
Two days. That's only 48 hours. So little time to get everything ready for the next part of my life. I feel like I am at the end of a chapter in a book and it was just so good I don't want it to end but at the same time I want to see what the next chapter holds. It is such a bittersweet feeling. A happy, sorrowful, beautiful, tragic feeling.
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