So, I am terrible at blogging, it turns out. Mostly, there were like 3274204 things that happened in October and as I fell behind, I decided what I had to update was too daunting to even start. So what I am going to do is just skip over those things (with some intentions of back-posting about them in the future) and go with our most recent journey: Ecuador!
Last weekend we used our community vacation time to take a trip to Vilcabamba, Ecuador. It was a looooong journey for just two days (1 hour bus to Piura, 9 hour bus to Loja, 1 hour bus to Vilcabamba...and back), but it was refreshing in a lot of ways. The first being the fresh air and scenery. Our hostel was outside of town on a hill and looked over the valley below and the mountains in the distance. One of my favorite ways I spent my time was sitting on the porch, sipping coffee, and appreciating the splendor of nature before me. We also went hiking on our second day through a somewhat beaten, but mostly overgrown path through the mountains, sharing stories and jokes as we went.
The second, and maybe more important reason, was that it was good for me to get out of Chulucanas and have time to think before jumping into our last full month here. I did a lot of processing. I love Chulucanas so much; I have a life here, with friends, several adopted Peruvian families, a basic routine, favorite places to eat and drink, etc...but I do very much miss my life back in the States. More specifically, the people in my life. When the time comes to leave, it will be the definition of bittersweet, but I feel very blessed to be coming home to a loving family, wonderful friends, and an incredibly supportive boyfriend (and his extremely supportive family). Having had the time in Ecuador and thereafter to sort out my feelings, I know I can move on and embrace this month with enthusiasm while I let the pangs of homesickness serve as a reminder of how very lucky I am.
Below is a video Tara made about our adventures in Vilcabamba. Enjoy!
