¡Dar Gracias por Esta Vida!

This week has been such a huge shift in energy, which makes things uncomfortable for a while, but hopefully a new energy arrives at the house soon. I'll explain all the weirdness now.

On Monday I woke up, checked social media, watched some Gossip Girl, then went shopping with Kaki for things that she could bring home as gifts for her family and friends, as well as for a llama sweater. A llama sweater is most likely made out of wool from an alpaca but has llamas as part of the print. They are actually really attractive in my opinion so I plan on getting one as soon as I get enough cash after my debit card mishap. After shopping we went to Presada for lunch. It is the BEST vegetarian restaurant I have ever been to. I got a veggie burger made of lentils and spices with pesto, cheese, and a sweet barbecue sauce that was delicious, accompanied by a fresh mixed fruit juice. Then I went back to my room to rest for a bit before Kaki and I headed out again.

This time we went to the tattoo shop in Inca Alley where I was the support system for Kaki's second tattoo. She had been on the fence about it for a while but had the artist draw up her vision the week before to see if she really wanted to commit. This tattoo was much larger than her first and she wanted it on her back where her Solar Plexus chakra is. I had never seen someone getting tattooed before so it was as much of an experience for me as for her. The mandala was outlined on her back and the artist started prepping the needle. Keep in mind Kaki was supposed to leave the next day to fly back home to Chicago. I would imagine that it would be uncomfortable to be flying for 24 hours with a fresh tattoo on your back, exactly where all of your luggage hits and where you will have the most pressure when sitting in an airplane seat. Anyways, while she was getting it done I tried to distract her with small talk , which made her laugh because she could see right through it. At least she wasn't crying of pain! After only about 45 minutes of tattooing the artist was done and this was the final product! 

 After the tattoo session was over we realized it was pouring outside and I didn't have a rain jacket or an umbrella with me. So we ran home in the freezing cold rain which caused sort of a flood on our street to the point where the sewage covers popped off and there was sewage water flooding the streets. Yes, it did smell as disgusting as it looked. I was also wearing Toms, so those were soaked and my feet were frozen. Once we got home I went back to my room and found Friends on Netflix!!! What a score. I watched a couple of episodes and then went to the main house for Monday Night Meditation and it was fabulous. Julia led it with some great breathing techniques as well as a wonderful guided meditation. I saw so many felines from large tigers to cats and was especially impacted by the words Dar Gracias, give thanks. I would love to bring Give Tanks to Peru or even Florida State because gratitude is an awesome and life changing characteristic to honor. 

Once I was realigned I participated in the house meeting at 7:30 where we surprised Kaki with a birthday cake because we wouldn't be with her on her birthday in August. I had told her during the tattoo session that I was going to have a half birthday party for myself while I was here, celebrating on July 7th. Sneaky me, she had no idea we were throwing a small party for her! It seemed as if she really appreciated it and I really appreciated the delicious chocolate cake Sylvia made, with chocolate icing, a delicacy here. After the little fiesta we went to Juanito's, our favorite sandwich shop, for the best papas fritas in San Blas. I was thoroughly full and went back to my room to watch Harry Potter with Ash, of course. And that day he had not only his sassy pants on, but his whole suit. You are welcome, Ash, for putting this on the Internet for everyone to see!

Like every Tuesday I went to the Mantay Shelter to give treatments but this week was different because we were teaching them Tai Chi and Karate, a nice change. I was not particularly excited though to wake up at 7:30 while it was below 50 degrees outside. I pushed through my discomfort and got a taxi for Sherri and I to go to San Jeronimo. I was really proud of myself for getting the taxi too, which should only cost 10 soles but because I am blond and white drivers try to up charge me. This guy wanted 12 soles and I firmly told him no, 10. He was taken aback, said okay, and I was able to tell him where we needed to go. All in Spanish, thank you. 

Once we got to Mantay I saw all of my girls and told them we were doing Tai Chi today instead of Reiki treatments. I still did massage for the pregnant ones, but we were switching things up a bit. I had brought with me a bag of shoes that someone had donated to them from the Healing House and you should have seen their faces light up when they found out they could have the pair that fit them. Even though the shoes weren't new, they were new to them and that is what counted. Teresa took the combat boots, of course, with her sassy attitude. I told her they were called "Kick Ass Botas". Teresa's son, Sergio, came in to say hi and because he saw his mom getting new shoes he thought he was too, so he took off his snow boots to try on the large hiking boots I had in the bag. I have never seen anything cuter. How could I forget the headbands that were in the bag as well, Sergio put one on and was too precious. 

Finally done passing out the shoes and gathering the girls Sherri took them into the courtyard to learn Tai Chi and Karate while I massaged one pregnant girl at a time. I had my regulars but then got a new girl who didn't seem too pregnant, but still had a very visible bump. I asked her how far along she was and she said 8 months at the age of 14. At 14 I was in 8th grade playing four sports and focusing on my grades, not even capable of getting a boy to like me. This young girl has lost her innocence and freedom at too young of an age. Despite the circumstances they are still kind of cheerful when we arrive. I had to tell the girls that Kaki went back to the Unites States that day, so she couldn't come give treatment. After I finished massaging the pregnant girls I participated in some Tai Chi and the girls laughed because when I would do a karate kick, my foot would end up near Sherri's head because she is so short. Then they realized I was flexible and asked me if I danced, I told them I used to and they asked me to teach a dance class next week! I was stoked and they wanted ballet instead of hip hop, which is understandable because not all of them have the ability to pop, lock, and drop it in their third trimesters. So next week I am teaching ballet and they all want me and Sherri to come back because they really enjoyed being with us that day. This makes my heart burst with happiness to know that I can brighten their day and give them something to look forward to. I am also curious to see the group change because three of the girls are supposed to give birth while I am here! My connection with the girls and the possibility of a connection with their babies blows my mind. 

Once Sherri and I got back to Healing House we saw Kaki and took her to The Rock where she reflected on her time here and really appreciated the scenery. After five months of living in Cusco, you really aren't ready to go back to reality. After the rock we went to more tourist shops to get gifts and a llama sweater because none of the previous selections were sufficient for Kaki's needs. It was a pivotal moment when Kaki finally found a suitable llama sweater at the last place we were stopping at before giving up. She then forgot her scarf there and realized it once were were eating our favorite veggie burgers and the BEST juices yet at Presada. The whole gang had joined us and it was awesome to see a bunch of people together for Kaki. There are so many relationships you make while in Cusco, with people, stores, restaurants, even the city itself. Our joy was short lived though because Kaki had to catch her plane but not before packing the last small things and saying her goodbyes. Even I started crying after only knowing her a month, she had such a large impact on my time here so far in Peru and I am so grateful to her for that. Once most of the tears had been shed, Giancarlo and I took Kaki to the airport in a taxi and sent her off on her way back to the real world with her guitar in tow. 

Giancarlo and I walked out of the airport to catch a cheaper taxi and heard the Peru vs. Colombia game on the radio, which they ended up losing 2-0, along with any hopes of getting into the World Cup. Once I got back to the house I had to participate in the clinic and gave Reiki back to back which was surprisingly draining after the already long day I had. There were so many people at the clinic compared to normal and with so many people moving out that day we didn't have enough practitioners or rooms to accommodate people. After the rush was over I finally sat down to eat some bread because I hadn't eaten since Presada and here I eat at least four times a day because I am awake for so long. Near the end of our clinic hours Guillermo the chiropractor showed up to give treatments and because everyone had already left I got a free adjustment! I had back pain and he proved to me that my L5 vertebrae was out of place, so he adjusted my back and my hips but had trouble because I'm too flexible. After that he pulled my earlobes to open my middle ear and let the fluids drain. But because of all of the adjustments I got a headache immediately after and was in a weird mood for the rest of the night. I also made some spashitty and then went to bed and had some crazy boat/pedophile dreams.

Wednesday I woke up lonely because both Sara and Kaki had moved out of Casa Verde, Sara just moving to the other house. My stomach hurt really bad because of the spashitty I made the night before, so Sara had to go buy flowers at Mercado San Pedro for me to give out as part of our Save Healing House Campaign! Our plan was to give out free carnations in red-femenine, pink-questionable, and white- masculine, along with a flyer and treatment schedule to those who we thought to be philanthropic, aka wealthy or giving white people. But really, that is our target audience while in Cusco because the Cusqueños themselves are struggling. So come 2 pm when my shift started I passed out free carnations and flyers while waiting for Bhakti, Paola's daughter, to get to the house after school because I was babysitting her! I was so excited to put my skills with children to use here just with the kids program, but babysitting abroad brings my confidence to a whole new level. It also brings up thoughts of being an Au Pair, which is a nanny that travels and lives with families that speak a different language. 

At first Bhakti was nervous to hand out flyers, especially to the boys coming home from school, but over time she became more comfortable and would tell me who to hand the flowers to! We ran out of flyers, which is a good thing, but not everyone was interested in a free flower, no strings attached. It makes me sad that people think nothing is free in life anymore, despite the random acts of kindness still happening in this world. We gave flowers to the mamitas that weave the clothing and sell them on our street, to the little girls that hang around us, and every other person that made it up those treacherous stairs. My favorite group was our last, we only had three flowers left to give to a mom, her hot son, her daughter that suffers from Cerebral Palsy, and a husband that was extremely skeptical. Both Bhakti and I asked them if they wanted a free flower in English and Spanish and they kept walking while the father said, "Nothing is free in life." I told him that this was, and the mom, hot son, and daughter accepted our last three flowers and as they walked away the daughter looked to her mom and motioned something of a question of why they got free flowers. It made me so happy to see this young girl smiling so big after walking up so many stairs and I admired their family for taking her on a trip like that. Both Bhakti and I were ecstatic to have made that young girls day!

After passing out flowers we came inside, I made her some bread and cream cheese because she loves bread and rarely gets cream cheese, then we worked on her homework, which was in Spanish. She only had two writing worksheets and a math worksheet but because she goes to the most prestigious private school in the area, her homework has to be almost perfect. So I went through it tediously with her, struggling a bit with my Spanish but working through it! After I got her to finish two of the three worksheets she really wanted to watch TV on my computer so I told her she could after she finished her homework and it was like pulling teeth to get her to finish, but she did and I set up Hercules with Spanish subtitles on Netflix for her. After she got bored of that we moved on to water color painting and drawing dogs, then her mother showed up after her yoga teacher training class that goes all day long.

 Once I sent Bhakti home with a good report I got in on the meeting with Sylvia, Sara, and Giancarlo for the kids program on Saturday. To go along with our fundraiser we are doing events every day and Saturday is a kids parade through Plaza San Blas celebrating the differences between us all. I don't know how organized we will be, but the event will make for great pictures and a lot of creativity! After the meeting it was too late to go out for a good vegetarian meal so Giancarlo and I made a spaghetti dinner that was actually good this time. We got to talking about who we are as people and our past relationships and how we have grown from them as well as what we expect from others in our lives as just friends. It is important to recognize what you need and can handle in friendship or else you can be drained of your energy without even knowing it. I also frequently have the feeling that Giancarlo has a lot going on in his mind and that I could be a really good outlet for it, so that conversation was a good step in the right direction. We stayed in the kitchen until almost midnight because it was raining and great conversation. Those are the moments with people that I really appreciate here. 

Thursday morning I was supposed to go with Sherri to teach yoga at Mantay but they cancelled because they were hosting another event that day. So I still woke up at 8 am and watched the Shaytards on YouTube to entertain myself until I got up to prepare for Ladies Lunch, which was our fundraising event for the day. We were making a squash soup with quinoa, spinach, and carrots to garnish, along with Krishna bread! The plan was to have local women come to lunch for 5 soles and we would discuss violence against women in Peru. Sadly, no one outside of the house showed up and the topic was a little too intense for a meal. I did some research though and over 60% of women in Peru have been physically abused as of 2012. This statistic is so high because many people believe the women want it to happen to them, or that they deserve it. The culture also teaches women to be subservient to men, starting at a very young age. 

After lunch I worked from 2 pm to 8 pm and was in a really weird mood with odd vibes coming in. When I get uncomfortable vibes it usually means that something is about to change and will affect me, or to be aware of my surroundings. So while in a weird mood I did dishes, answered phone calls, took down yoga participants information, made plans for my trip to Lima, and showed Giancarlo old volleyball pictures to prove to him I used to be very athletic. He was surprised and said that I could do that again, but I had to explain that my body can't handle that level of impact anymore, at the age of 19. If you don't know, I have a genetic disorder called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome where I am super flexible and feel more pain sometimes because the collagen in my soft tissue breaks easier and is not guaranteed to repair the correct way. I found this out my senior year of high school after I had gotten really sick and learned that I was never supposed to play sports with that type of condition. By the end of the year I completed physical therapy, was awarded a small athletic scholarship by the Tampa Bay Times, and was named female athlete of the year by my school. It just goes to show you that determination can take you further than you ever thought.

I digress... I was done working and had plans with Ash to watch a movie that night at 8:30 but he didn't show up until 10 pm. Peru time is no excuse for that one. Men, never keep a lady waiting. 

Today is Friday and it started out pretty painful. I didn't want to wake up to work at 8 am because I think I might be getting sick. I have a cough and feel faint and tired. I mustered up the energy to make it to the main house and set things up for Sara's yoga class this morning, which was very full! After I had let everyone in and gotten their names I went to go lay down because my body was exhausted from the altitude, possible dehydration, and whatever illness I am fighting. I laid in the warmth of the sun while I could still see my breath and woke up an hour and a half later to a lucid dream of a ceiling collapsing. That was not how I wanted to wake up. Feeling hungry and dizzy I made it into the kitchen and rested my head on the table until I came to. At that point I had slept through Sara telling me to update the Healing House Facebook page so I did that and then made myself two eggs and ate some bread to give me energy. I was till hungry though and only had 20 soles left to my name after the ATM incident, so I went to my favorite tienda, Parwa, and got a Coke, Milkway, 2.5 Liter water, and cream cheese, having to put back the Skittles because that put me over 20 soles. I walked out with all of that food and 1.50 soles to last me until I went to get American Express Cash to hold me over until my new debit card and pin arrived in the mail. 

After that I ate and laid out in the sun to get some vitamin D and Mallory and her boyfriend showed up with the puppies! After two weeks they have already grown so much and I played with them until both Mal and her boyfriend had taken showers in the famous end of the hall shower and I could shower before I was supposed to babysit Bhakti again. So I showered and felt so good, coming back to sunshine and news that Bhakti was with her cousin and I didn't have to watch her, this is only the beginning of the rest of my great day. I took part of Sylvia's shift from 3 pm to 5 pm so she could go practice singing with David across town so I sat out in the sun with my pants rolled up to mid thigh and reppin' my favorite Pi Phi tank. Then I continued writing this blog until the clouds came in and I moved inside while everyone else was in the marketing meeting. Around 4 pm Romina walks in with two FedEx envelopes for me and I jumped up with joy realizing they were my new debit card and pin!!! I signed for them from the courier and opened them, so happy that they arrived together. Normally the card comes in one envelope and the pin in a separate envelope two days later. I was also told by Nathan at my bank that it would take 5 to 8 business days to expedite to Peru after he sent in the request last Friday and it was processed this Monday. I felt so relieved to have access to my money again after activating the card. I ran to the ATM afterwards and tried my card and was able to take out the maximum amount in soles! Then I took out a second withdrawal to cover my rent and to have cash on hand for the next two weeks. Today went from pitiful to fabulous! I am so grateful for everything today and give my lack of stress to patience. If you are not patient you create so much more stress for yourself and mostly with things that you cannot control.

After I upload this blog I am going to Presada for another kick ass veggie burger and juice! After learning that I can budget here, I will make conscious changes in my purchases and be more mindful of the things I need and what I spend money on. It's a good life people! Find the little things that make you happy and if you can put them all together, it makes for a good day. Good vibin' to you all.

I'm Busy Living Life Y'all

I apologize for not posting earlier this week, I've been a bit busy living life and changing the world! Even though I am interning with Healing House it still feels like a vacation sometimes. I don't work every day but on the days I do work, it can be overwhelming. The great part about my time here is that I am rarely stressed, at all. I am so grateful for this opportunity to relax and focus on myself. Let me tell you about my very interesting week.

Monday was one of the two days I worked the door this week, from 8 am until 2 pm. I washed  dishes for a bit, updated the weekly schedule that we have posted on our front door, and updated some personal accounts I have with Omprakash concerning their program and my capstone project which is required of me to get a certificate through them as well as through Florida State. While washing dishes I had a meaningful conversation with Subina for the first time ever. Subina is our housekeeper that cleans the rooms, the kitchen, and the rest of the house (i.e. scrubbing the floors, washing the appliances, and cleaning the recently vacated rooms). She asked me how long I was going to be in Cusco, what I was doing here, and what I studied back at FSU. I told her I was a Reiki Master and she told me how her friend had been getting Reiki for her anxiety and asked how many more treatments she would need. This was all in Spanish. Realize I studied Spanish for five years back in the States. My last year was senior year of high school and when I got sick it was like I wasn't even in the class really. I have not been using Spanish for over a year and I understand it better than I can speak it. I feel like my brain fights for the English version of the words I try to say when speaking, rather than the Spanish version. Subina laughed at me when I told her I had studied for five years and that was all I had to show for myself. I do want to give a huge shout out to Señora Morales for being immensely supportive of me when I got sick and for still following me on my journey here in Peru. Without her language teachings I would be very lost. 

After talking with Subina the day had gone from slightly sunny to gray and cold. After getting over my illness last week almost everyone else in the house was getting sick, so this time Sherri started showing symptoms of this 24 hour bug. So I was sent to the local pharmacy to get her Aspirin and a new hot water bottle to sleep with. I returned without a hot water bottle because I had no idea how to explain that to the lady at the pharmacy, in Spanish. So Sherri went back with her old bottle, which we call boyfriends here because we sleep with them to stay warm, and the lady was able to understand she needed a new boyfriend. After I took care of Sherri I read my book a bit, cooked some pasta, and then lounged in my room because of the dreary weather. It is also convenient being able to fall asleep at 9 pm here because I wake up every morning around 7:30. The sun sets at 5:30 pm and rises at 6 am. 

Every Tuesday I go to the Montay Shelter at 8 am to give Reiki treatments and massage to the young moms. Only this time it was different because I was going by myself with the company of Aurora who had been once before. I had only been twice before. To say in the least I was very proud of myself for being able to get a taxi and direct the driver to the right place with my Spanish. When we got to Montay none of the girls had signed up but they were eager for massage once they saw it was me and Aurora. Each of us are able to do three treatments during our time there on Tuesdays and I had the opportunity to massage two pregnant girls, each 17, the age of my younger sister. Typically we would have the girls lay on their stomachs but because they were both 8 months along, that was not a possibility. In high school I took a pregnancy and early childhood class so I was very excited to use my knowledge with the girls. When a woman is pregnant it is better for them to sleep on their sides because on their backs the fetus is being pulled by gravity onto the mother's spine, which is like a baby sleeping on rocks, not to mention it puts a lot of pressure on the mother's back. So we had the girls lay on their sides and focused the massages on their lower backs because at that point in their pregnancy the babies should drop or have dropped by then into their pelvic cavity and their bones will start to move soon. Massaging the lower back also prepares the muscles for the intensity of labor. In massage it is important to avoid the tissue between the thumb and forefinger of a pregnant woman because that can create more pressure than desired, as well as avoiding certain parts of the ankle which can send pressure back up the spinal cord, making it uncomfortable for the mother and baby. 

It blew my mind that I was able to use some of the information from high school, shout out to Marylin Davis, and the fact that I was giving a massage to a 17 year old girl in her third trimester while I myself am 19. I have so much respect for these girls and think they are some of the bravest I have ever met. Think that they have been kicked out of their homes, disowned, or just left because they have gotten pregnant by rape, incest, or just by not being careful in a very poverty stricken area of Cusco. To the girls out there, never be ashamed to take precautions or to speak to adults about it because that shows you are concerned about your future and wanting to take precautions is nothing to be ashamed of. To the young men out there, think about the consequences of your sudden passion or just pause for a minute and think about the other person. Always be prepared and realize the consequences of your actions. I praise the women back home who have gone through with their pregnancies and even more to the men who stick around in those kids lives. A lot of times the girls at Montay resent their children because they remind them of the horrible situations that got them pregnant or just the fact that their innocence and freedom is gone now, not to mention their reputations. While we were finishing up our last treatments of the morning a young boy came in and laid down because he was sick. I had finished my treatments so I sat with him and he asked if I could take his picture. Of course I jumped at the opportunity and then I realized once I let him touch my phone that he had red spots all over his face, he really was sick. I showed him pictures of my life and he was amazed, then we left and I thoroughly washed my hands and phone, thank goodness for Lifeproof cases. I was even more proud of myself for getting Aurora and I home on the bus for 80 centimos, getting off at the correct stop too. 

After Montay my stomach started to hurt so I ate a banana then went back to bed because I had not been getting much good sleep with many crazy dreams and tossing and turning. Later Tuesday I went to El Encuentro for dinner with Kaki and got a spinach ravioli with a red tomato salsa and papas fritas, my favorite. The meal was surprisingly delicious but the cheese not so much, cheese in Cusco is like a crumbly sharp mozzarella and not to my liking. After El Encuentro I went out with Ash and some of his friends to try and watch the Jamaican futbol game. it turned out that most of the bars here have Direct TV and the game wasn't available, so we settled in at Norton Rat's Tavern and played a couple of games of darts and had a few drinks. I felt like I was almost back at Public House in Tallahassee and I was pleased with the night. I also found one of my best friends at the tavern, a mister Jack Daniels. They didn't have Coke at the bar but the bartender put ice in it and I was worried but Ash said that she assured him it was clean. Keep in mind it is legal for me to drink here.

Wednesday I had the day off and was really drained from something, so I mainly watched Gossip Girl on Netflix and ate a ton of club soda crackers, like 8 packages of 9. Wednesday was not my most productive day, and that was when I realized I really needed some inspiration to be creative. With some support from Facebook and my friends here, I figured I could just grab a piece of plywood in the art room and start painting. This is what I came up with; it says WANDERLUST in white sparkles. I was looking for silver so it would be easier to read but in the end its almost like a metaphor. Wanderlust is always there for me, I'm just not always aware of it or honoring it. 

After painting we had a meeting for the kids program on Saturday and came up with some really great ideas for the next couple of weeks as well as the month of July, where I will be teaching photography and using the 30 disposable cameras I brought from the states! After the meeting it was really late so we went to Juanito's, the sandwich place just up our street and I got a caprese sandwich to go and ate it in the streets as Giancarlo, Kaki, Sylvia and I walked through the city looking for coffee and hot cocoa at 10 pm. We found a place near la Plaza de Armas and sat talking about first impressions and family for about an hour. After we finished out drinks we headed out into the cold and passed a doorway that had ACDC blaring and we went in on a whim. It turns out the place was hoppin' with Cusqueños. We enjoyed the classic rock for a bit and once the band was done the DJ brought out the American rap just for us and we started dancing. Realize I was not prepared to go out, wearing my oversized "I wish you were beer" sweatshirt and a scarf, attractive right? It turns out I wasn't looking that bad because three guys danced with me, twirling and ducking so I could fit under their arms with a solid foot of height difference between me and each of them. Nonetheless I had a great time and it was exactly what Kaki and I needed knowing that she was leaving within a week. Giancarlo had dislocated his shoulder so could only dance for a bit, but it was still great to have all of us dancing together to old American music and Spanish versions of our favorite songs. 

Thursday morning I was supposed to go help teach yoga at Montay but the director of my program asked me to help with the Reiki master course she was teaching. That morning she needed me to receive atunements from her students so afterwards all of the students gave a total of 21 atunements and I was for sure blasted with light energy. It was awesome, but I was also very tired from going to bed at 2:30 am and waking up at 8 so I could have my laundry sent out. I was clinging to my last two pairs of clean underwear so I really needed to do laundry. After the Reiki masters were certified a group of us went to the new vegan restaurant near San Blas Plaza called Green Point. I got one of the menus for the day, which was a salad bar, a quinoa and veggie soup, pasta with a white mushroom sauce and Brazil nut cheese, and a dessert of papaya, all for 8 soles. I was going to go with Kaki to go get some clothes and gifts for her to bring back to Chicago, but then it got very cold and started to rain so I went back to my room and took a solid nap before Ash came over to watch Harry Potter. We didn't even get that far into the movie until Ash felt sick and left. Two minutes after he left there was a knock at the door and he admitted to throwing up on the steps on our street and needing company until his home stay father came and picked him up. I finished watching the movie after he left while eating Nutella and Ramen Noodles. Solid night.

Friday morning Ash messaged me and said that he went to the clinic and found out he had gotten Salmonella that day at the orphanage he volunteers at, so it wasn't travelers illness, good for him. I went to the main house to get some food and saw that the flower lady had delivered flowers to the house and Sylvia was cutting them to put in vases. I got really excited because my old flowers had started to die and grow mold so I got to use the scraps from this delivery to add some life and decoration to my room. Giancarlo came over to work with Sylvia on the music for the kids program Saturday and invited me to go see the Cusco Symphonic Orchestra that night in San Jeronimo. I also gave Giancarlo my black pair of Toms because I don't like to wear that dark of a color on my feet, bad energy. After doing my flowers and going to Presada for a juice I finally took a nice shower. 

The art of showering here is very precise. I just learned about the amazing shower at the end of the hall in the main house that has sensational water pressure and intense heat. So I moved all of my toiletries to the main house and had the best shower yet. I was able to wash my hair, my body, and shave my legs completely. Normally I shave my legs in the sink because it is too cold to stay in the shower, or I just don't shave them at all. Most of you know how much I love smooth legs, so Friday was like Christmas having fully taken care of my body. The next things on my list were to put away my laundry, take out my trash, change my towels, and to get cash to pay rent. 

My debit card hadn't been working at one of the local BCP ATMs so I went into town to try at ScotiaBank and only trying to withdraw Soles once, the machine confiscated my card. I was shocked and proceeded to wait in line at the bank for 30 minutes in order to talk to someone to get my card back. In Spanish I spoke to the man at the counter telling him the situation then asking if he spoke English and he said yes. At least that was in my favor because he told me that they didn't even have my card because the ATM had destroyed it. I had 50 soles in my pocket at that moment, that was it. So I thanked him for his help and hustled back home to call my bank and figure out what happened and to insure the security of my funds. I called my dad on FaceTime, he gave me a number for my bank, and I had to call them with Skype credit because I haven't gotten a phone here yet. The representative told me that the Peruvian bank did not accept my PIN the three times I had originally tried to withdraw cash the week before and froze my account. So the next time I tried to withdraw my card was confiscated and destroyed. I worked it out to have a new card expedited, expecting to arrive within two weeks. The whole time I was trying not to stress but I couldn't help it in the beginning. The thought of not having enough cash on hand has always scared me since the age of 11, but this was a little too intense. I took it as a sign from the Universe that I need to stop spending so much money and learning to live on a budget here, because I hadn't been before or at least not to this extreme. 

I got so excited when I realized I had hid some US dollars in my luggage and was able to change them for soles. I always hide money just in case and this made me so happy to have that bit of security. I also have American Express and can get Express Cash at select location in the city, so until my new debit card arrives I will be okay and able to pay rent. This just goes to show you the reality and necessity of money in even the most laid back places. 

After taking care of my finances I went with Giancarlo and Sylvia to the Orchestra, which we were late for but made it in time for the last five compositions and then came back to San Blas to watch the futbol game of Peru versus Ecuador in hopes of getting closer to qualifying for the World Cup. I was supposed to meet Ash and his friends at Norton's again, but none of them showed up and I was by myself in the bar, looking really good in my leather jacket from Turkey. Even walking to the bar I got a lot of looks and whistles, which made me feel great because Peruvians seem to only be interested in my eyes and rarely show their interest in me. Anyways, Peru beat Ecuador 1-0 and the city was alive. I walked back to the house by myself, got some hoots and hollers, abut made it safely. Then a bit later I got a knock on the door and it was Ash and Taylor. Apparently he ran out of credit and couldn't let me know that they weren't going to make it to the bar. Because Taylor was sick she went home but Ash stayed to watch the rest of Harry Potter and I fell asleep, snoring. What a great friend, right? It was nice to be near human warmth though for a bit, because Cusco was ridiculously cold that night. Ash left after the movie, I passed out in my jacket, and had some solid dreams.

Saturday morning we were having a group meditation for the new moon at 11 am our time and were sending out good vibes in particular for our fundraiser that was launching on Indiegogo to save Healing House. The two properties that we rent are up for sale and the owners are not relenting. So we are fundraising to pay the mortgage, at least, on the two properties. At the end of any month we could be kicked out and have no where to go to practice our alternative healings or a place to live. You can help us save Healing House to continue changing peoples' lives and making this city a better place at SAVE HEALING HOUSE!, even $5 will help, really. We have 60 days to fundraise through Indiegogo and I would love it if other people had the opportunities that I have had here in the future. 

After the meditation Sylvia and I went to Govinda Lila's for a vegetarian menu and talk about our plans once Amy, Kaki, and Aurora leave. After that we came back to the house to get ready for the kids program at 2 pm and this time we were focusing on the theme of respect. All of the kids participated in yoga because it was Kaki's last class and she got them all to do it out of love and guilt. Then we moved into my craft of drawing things you respect, from the letters r-e-s-p-e-c-t. The kids loved it and drew things that didn't start with those letters that they respected, like animals, people, the earth, and this city. The music didn't go over as well but having 18 kids is a lot of work and tough to control, so they just sang one of the songs they knew instead of RESPECT. I went out and got their snack and prepared it, then there were plenty of spills before everyone left. 

After the program I had a little snack myself, then Skyped my parents to talk about my finances and just to catch up. My dad has the Flu and Tropical Storm Andrea had messed up the backyard, but everything else seemed to be going well. My mom was really proud of me for adapting to Peru so well and for staying true to myself. She was also glad to report that people back home are asking how I am doing and that I have so many people who love me and support me. That is truly what keeps me going here, I want to show everyone who has had an affect on my life that I am going places and doing great things. I am doing this for myself but also to show my support system that they did a great job helping me become who I am. You know who you are, thank you. My mom also asked what I wanted her to send me this week and I told her Kiss My Face peach chapstick, good American lotion, Yummy Earth organic candy, crayons, colored pencils, markers, Sharpies, and sticky notes. I am trying my best to live like a Peruvian, but there are a lot of things not available here and those are the ones I really need/want. I said goodbye to my parents, told them that I love them so much, and to get excited to open the packages I sent to them this week on Father's Day.

 Then I headed to Gato market to get peanut butter to make No Bake Cookies for Kaki and Amy's going away potluck. I came back and the kitchen was literally a sauna, the windows were fogged up and any camera would fog up in 5 seconds. The heat was nice and my hair curled instantly, I was satisfied. I made my cookies and everyone was cooking then the party started when the others arrived. Amy made her delicious quinoa and veggie soup, Sarah made grilled Italian veggies, and we had plenty of chocolate desserts. Paola showed up with her daughter and of course we made fast friends because I am a small child at heart! It is great to be surrounded by people that are truly good and that have good vibes. Kaki and I were going to go out after I had finished cleaning up but got too tired so we just listened to music in the kitchen, looked at Amy's jewelry, and vibed with Giancarlo and Sylvia. 

Today I slept in until 10:30, which is amazing after having originally waking up at 7 am and going back to sleep. Then I watched some Gossip Girl to relax and added new pictures on Facebook. At 2 pm I had to work and for the 60 days of fundraising we are doing something every day here at the house. Today we were playing Eye of the Tiger once people got to the last couple of stairs on out street and threw confetti at them congratulating them on making it to the top of the stairs. It is Sunday and no one does anything on Sunday's except go to church so there weren't many people around to throw confetti at and give flyers to. Then it started to rain so we packed up early, I took care of some things on the Healing House Facebook page, and finally began writing this blog. I'm sorry its so long, but I've had an interesting week! I am also at the bottom of my 17 sole jar of Nutella... no more until I get more cash! TOnight I am going to dinner with Kaki and Sara and then supposedly going out dancing or to open mic at Wild Rover. Wither way I am very thankful for this week and the people who have ventured into it.

Again, if any of you have been inspired by my time here in Cusco or by this blog, please help us SAVE HEALING HOUSE! I am so thankful for my time here and everyone's support. Sending good vibes back to the states and realizing I only have less than 9 weeks left here in Peru! Stay positive everyone, you are all amazing in your own way, I encourage you to discover your inner light! 

Besos, paz, y luz. 

Peru Got Me: Traveler's Illness

Sorry for not posting earlier this week but I was quite ill the night of my last post and the next day as well. Then I had nothing to post about so I waited until I had done enough to entertain you all and not feel pitiful for writing one paragraph about how I was sick. So there is lots to read now!

Let's start with the night I last posted, I had mentioned I wasn't feeling well and came in to sleep very early. About an hour after launching that post I fell asleep, then woke up at 11 pm with extreme stomach pains, feeling nauseous, and having terrible gas. I'm sorry, but I'm going to be semi honest with the symptoms of this illness. There is a parasite that has symptoms of frequent and very pungent gas, so I was afraid I had a parasite. I soon realized I had a traveler's illness because of the general nausea, loss of fluids (if you know what I mean), stomach pains, as well as dizziness and the chills. After my initial wake up at 11 I got a bag and put some toilet paper at the bottom to absorb any liquids as I tossed my cookies and sat it next to my bed. I woke up every hour or two until 11 am Wednesday morning, throwing up, running downstairs to the bathroom, or coming very close to passing out. 

When it was late enough and I couldn't stand it anymore, I FaceTimed my mom back in the US just for comfort and to tell someone of my misery. She reminded me that my doctor at FSU gave me antibiotics for these exact symptoms and that my Ayurvedic doctor back home also gave me some holistic remedies for these symptoms. After talking to her about my pain and seeing my dog I started to cry because who wants to be in a cold, foreign environment when they are violently ill? I knew if I was home my dog would have curled up right next to me to make sure I was okay and to comfort me. At that tearful moment I told my mom that the cats here don't do shit when you really need them, that is why I am a dog person! Anyways, I hung up with my mom and tried to sleep because it was too painful to do anything else. When I woke up again around 9 am my mom had texted me asking if I took the Ayurvedic medicine and I said no, but wondered which medicine would work better, the traditional or holistic. She immediately responded holistic and I took that, having faith in alternatives. My mom had also called that doctor and he recommended a half teaspoon of nutmeg with one teaspoon of honey in hot water three times a day until my stomach cleared, even if it was a parasite. 

So for all of Wednesday I slept, stumbled down the stairs, didn't watch the DVDs David gave me because I slept all day, and woke up at 6 to go to a meeting about the children's programs at 7:30, like a trooper. I have never been so uncomfortable in a meeting as I was hunched over the table giving my ideas and trying not to throw up. Alex had come by and brought me Gatorade, bananas, and apples but all I managed was half of a Gatorade by that time because I was so afraid of tossing my cookies or the pain of having food in my belly. That night I went right back to sleep and did nothing productive except try to heal my body. I got lucky though taking my Ayurvedic medicine because I only had the full illness for 24 hours, unlike some people who can have it up to a week.

Thursday I was supposed to go back to Montay to do yoga with the girls, but was still kind of sick and honestly had no sense of balance or ability to walk long distances. So I slept in, took a shower which was difficult because I was very close to passing out, and then planned to go to the handicrafts market with Alex and Selene. We didn't end up going to the craft market because Selene had a class, so instead Alex and I went with Kaki and Sara to check out Corpus Christi in the Plaza de Armas. That was a big hike for me in my current state but I made it and it was so worth it. Thousands of people gathered in the plaza to see churches from the surrounding areas come in with their saints and bands to celebrate the feast. There was cotton candy, ice cream, paper visors, and lots of Catholics throwing confetti. I was raised Catholic but do not practice or follow the faith anymore, but it was cool to see all of those people and feel the awesome vibes from everyone giving gratitude to these saints. 

 We came home and I took a nap until we had movie night and I screened The Breakfast Club. My friend Ash came over to watch with us and that was fun. He is studying abroad from north Georgia and he could definitely appreciate an American movie night. The one bummer was that our Internet tapped out leaving us hanging for the last 8 minutes of the movie, to most essential part where everyone comes together, Brian narrates their essay, and John throws his fist up in the air on the football field, clutching Clair's diamond with such significance as "Don't you forget about me" resonates in the background. What an epic moment and we all missed out because of the crappy Internet in Peru. But it was still an enjoyable night for sure. 


Friday morning I was feeling hungry enough and string enough to make eggs. Normally I scramble three but in my state I made two and prepared toast with jelly and butter for somewhat of an egg sandwich. One bite of bread and butter and I was repulsed, so I just ate the eggs which were completely satisfying. That is one things that I have learned and has be reinforced here: listen to your body and its immediate signs. After breakfast I went with Alex and Selene to the handicraft market and didn't buy anything because I had less than ten soles to my name. Then we went to Mercado San Pedro for ingredients for our pancake extravaganza Saturday morning. On the way home I tried to go to the bank to change my money because I get a better deal changing cash than taking Soles out of my bank account at an ATM. I got to the bank and it was crazy, definitely more than a 30 minute wait which I could not handle on a Friday afternoon. So I went without cash and trudged home. 

I then took a nap and then sat in on a meeting for our Creative Day on Sunday before heading to Jack's, a high end tourist restaurant that was said to have the best brownies and ice cream. Because it is so expensive most of us only go for special occasions, like Alex going back home. The brownie was not amazing, but good for Peru standards and the waiter was quite attractive. It is rare that you find a tall guy here that is buff. He also seemed interested in me so we will see if anything happens with that, I will keep you all updated. After Jack's I was supposed to go with Kaki to meet Ash and his friends to go to a club but she was singing a gig and by the time she was done I was too tired to go out. I looked really good that night too, I had my gold sparkly tank top and my bright rainbow scarf to compliment it. Instead of going out I pinned a ton of food on Pinterest and got really excited to cook when I get back to the states. Shoutout to all of my FSU friends, get ready for football season because I'm planning on making great tailgate food. On a side note it is so dry in Cusco that even my stomach is starting to peel after almost 3 weeks since being in full sun. My stomach never peels...

Saturday was the day that Alex and Selene were moving out of the house and they had their pancake extravaganza as a send off. We had seven different kinds of pancakes; a vegan option, a vegetarian option, a buttery quinoa option, banana, spinach, apple, and something Sara tried to make. Most of them were delicious by Peru standards, which are lower than any other standards I have. I then cut strips of paper to make my Origami dream stars with the kids and got ready for the class in an hour. Alex had to leave at 2 pm, I said goodbye to her, then started the kids program doing yoga with the boys. After yoga we did my dream stars and I had the kids write one of their aspirations on the paper then fold it into the star and put it in a Coke bottle as a decoration. It was sweet having the kids plop into my lap as I showed them how to fold the stars. Next we moved onto music where Daniel taught them a song he wrote in the garden about love and opening their minds. We jammed for a good while and then I went to get a snack at the tienda down the street for the kids. I made the rookie mistake of buying plantains instead of bananas but luckily we had some back at the house for the kids.Before snack we have the kids say gratitude, something they are thankful for or just acknowledging the awesomeness of this program and the people they are surrounded by, it brings you back down to Earth. After snack time we talked about their dreams and what they want to accomplish with their lives and it was really satisfying to see these kids become so engaged. 

There is this one little boy who is seven years old and was so sweet last week; as a snack we had these cookie sandwiches filled with caramel and coconut and he asked if he could give his cookie to his mom! Kids can shock you with how much love they have to give. This week he came a bit late but his mom always comes with him to drop him off and because he is my favorite I gave him his own Origami dream star that he could take home. He put it in his pocket right away and zipped it up. The fact that he cherished what I made him gave me so much happiness. When it was time to go he showed his mom and she was so grateful to me for giving him something special. Its days like those that really remind me that working with kids is something that I want to do for the rest of my life and that it is one of my truest talents.

 After the kids class I went to a tattoo shop with Daniel, Kaki, Sara, and Sylvia to go get Sara a tattoo gun; she is thinking about taking up tattooing as a hobby. We didn't get the tattoo gun in the end. After I went to dinner with Sara and Kaki and our favorite sandwich place was closed and I really wanted pizza so we went out of our way to Kaki's favorite place that is a little more expensive but still delicious. When we got there I ordered the Margherita pizza and a Coke and the older waiter said that my Spanish was great, I assume he meant my accent because that is quite good I have to admit. Then he brought us cheesy garlic bread and I was so happy. This place was a brick oven restaurant and I was thoroughly satisfied. After dinner I looked very pregnant from the pizza and we went to another grocery store here, Mega, to get ingredients for our bake off at Collage, our creative day today. 

Today I was supposed to make No Bake Cookies again but really didn't have the energy to or enough peanut butter. So instead I uploaded all of the pictures from this week that wouldn't upload earlier onto Facebook and just rested a bit in preparation for this exciting day. When noon rolled around I moseyed on over to the main house and helped/participated wherever possible. My favorite part was painting the wall in one of our walkways, I'm learning that I really like painting and am not all that bad at it. We also offered Tarot readings, prayer flag making, an open mic for poetry/singing, and of course the bake off. My favorite was Kaki's chocolate cake but Sara's torte won and she was very excited about it!

I can't begin to describe how it feels when everyone starts singing these great songs in some sort of harmony, while I'm painting, drums are being beat, and everyones energies are vibing. I think that is something between synergy and love, maybe both. Either way it was a great open house and I am so grateful to be surrounded by this community of beautifully spiritual, artistic, and talented people. 

I had door duty from 4 pm until 8 pm and went to the tienda for Amy, who needed potatoes for her soup but was too sick to go out and get them. As a reward I got to eat some of her soup and it was delicious, I was happy. Then I did some of the dishes and came back to my room to let you all know what I've been up to. I have to say there are rough times like Wednesday when I was sick and really wanted to be home, but then there are days like today and yesterday where I can feel the infinite love in the air and am just so grateful for this opportunity to learn more about myself, bettering my life, and bettering life for others around me. It has been two and a half weeks since I have been here and I have less than ten until I go home. Those ten are going to go by so fast but I am mostly excited to go home because I want to share my new knowledge and energy with the people I love. I look forward to cooking more, eating healthier, being more spiritual, and always giving of love to the people around me. I most anticipate inspiring others to live better lives and to open their minds to the possibilities of today, this world, and of their own potential. 

Sorry to go on and on but that is how I feel and I hope that this blog changes some of your lives even through your thought processes. I came to the Healing House in hopes of figuring out if traveling and working with kids was the path for me, and I think that so far it is. Even when I am not traveling though I feel guided to inspire and teach others about the other opportunities out there and alternative lifestyles. I think in my time here I will further develop and receive my life's purpose and there is nothing more that I could ask for to bring me joy and happiness. I love the feeling of being in the right place with the right people and really knowing that I am doing the great things I was called to do. Life is good people, we just need to slow down and separate our minds from the every day to realize that.