Winding Down

January has flown by. We are on are last week of the month, and I am on my last week here in Cusco! I have decided to move on from Cusco and Yanapay for a while, for various reasons. I am very sad to be leaving, but at the same time I know I am ready. I have done what I need to here and accomplished a lot. I have learned even more and experienced more than I ever expected. But I feel good about me and I trust the choices that I am making right now, I know that I am following my heart.

The past few weeks have been very busy for me as I took on the position of administrator in the Yanapay Restaurant while Yuri was on vacation. I needed a little bit of money and they needed help, so I jumped in!  It was so much fun, I am so glad I was able to do it. I love the workers, and I feel like we really bonded well. The restaurant did pretty well under my control, too! I only wish I had had more time to work there, I enjoyed it so much.

I have realized (again) recently how emotionally trying it is to work in an organization that has a constant turnover of people. Every single person that has come through the project has contributed such wonderful things, and each one has such a unique perspective. So many beautiful people pass through Yanapay and every time it is hard to say goodbye. It doesn’t get any easier. There are some that I know I will see again, but it is never certain. The memories they leave with me are precious, and the love that remains in my heart will never be forgotten. A song, a picture, a scarf, a phrase… those little triggers that bring a smile to my face in reminder of the special people that have been a part of my life these past months.

I only wish it were easier to stay in touch with everyone… some will write, send pictures, chat on Facebook, but it’s hard.  Even with all the technology today it’s impossible to keep everyone important in your life updated on everything you do and everything that you feel.  Maybe this is why blogs are more and more popular. You put it all out there, and those that care can keep themselves informed.  But isn’t that too impersonal? Doesn’t that assume the blog writer only cares about what he or she is doing because there is no one-on-one connection, asking questions and being concerned about the readers on the other end of the World Wide Web? Well, I hope not, because here I am writing a blog.  I guess for me it’s easier to keep people informed in general and any further communication can be more personalized… Otherwise I’d be writing the same thing over and over again dozens of people! I hope if you are reading this you send me a message and tell me all about YOUR life!

Well, this week I have decided to be a tourist in Cusco. I have lived here a total of eight months and have only set foot in one church and that was to sponsor a girl as her godmother, not to view the sights and take pictures. So this week I am going to carry my camera around everywhere, take notes in a little notebook, buy a tourist ticket, and go into the museums.  I might even take a ride on the new double-decker Tour Cusco bus!  Probably not. My girlfriends here realized today that I have never been to their two favorite restaurants so that is on the list.  I may visit a few little towns in the sacred valley as well since the countryside is so beautiful and green right now… And I have the afternoons free!  My other goal is possibly to start making some jewelry and headbands to sell… I need a bit more money and those things sell so well here! Especially headbands I think since it is a niche that not many are in to.  Everybody and their grandmother makes jewelry here, but headbands are rare.  So it might be successful!  I’ll give it a go.

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