My Trip To Machu Picchu!

If you're looking to get some inspiration or tips for hiking up Machu Picchu, then I'm afraid this post is going to be a big disappointment. I conquered Machu Picchu in the laziest way possible. Seriously, if an alpaca was available to hire, I would have paid an exorbitant amount of money to have one of those furry things carry me on their back while walking around Machu. That's how tired I was.

If you've been following my blog, I'm hoping you'll understand why the prospect of hiking one of the wonders of the world after just finishing the Ayahuasca retreat was more daunting to me than exciting. My energy was drained, my stomach was empty (I lost about 3 kilograms from pooping and purging) and all I really wanted to do was lie down and let my bed consume me.

BUT. I really am not one to let an opportunity pass, so exhausted as I was, I managed to book a day trip just to SEE Machu Picchu at least, and take the obligatory photos.

See, ordinarily, people take the Jungle Trail or the Inca Trail -- which are 4 - 5 day hikes that end up in Machu... I hear it's supposed to be fun and beautiful and blah blah blah... And I'm sure it is... But then to be completely honest, even if I didn't do Ayahuasca previously, I wouldn't have booked any of those tours either. I just feel like I'm all hiked out this year, you know? After hiking all the villages of the Cinque Terre in one day, I think I did enough hiking than I am capable of in a lifetime.

Besides, I've done a few more smaller hikes here and there throughout the year, and I just lost the will to subject my legs to any more climbing if I don't have to. I'm tiiiired!

ANYWAY... so... What I did was book a bus from my hostel in Cusco to Pisac, took a Train from Pisac to Aguas Calientes, took a bus up to Machu Picchu from there, and voila! I was greeted by the guide (which was included in the booking) took me and my new tour group in and around Machu Picchu for a few hours, I stayed for about a half an hour more after the tour, and I left! (Tip: Don't forget to get your passport stamped once you enter the gates. It's free, and the stamp looks so cute on your passport!)

** TRIVIA... Did you guys know that the famous photos we see of Machu Picchu - isn't ACTUALLY Machu Picchu, but a mountain called Wayna Picchu? You are taking the photo FROM Machu Picchu - but you're looking AT Wayna Picchu. (Photo above is an example)
Oh and the mountain is shaped like a face! Facing up! Do you see it?
Mind blown. O_O

I then took the bus from Machu back down to Aguas Calientes, took the train from there down to Ollantaytambo, and took a collectivo (sort of like a posher version of a bus) back down to Cusco!
I started my day at 6 am and got back to the hostel at around 8:30pm! All of this, including transportation and entrance fee's, cost me around $230 USD.

It's EXPENSIVE, but there's no way around it. The trains to Machu are costly... and the entrance fee alone costs more than $50 USD... Foreigners have to pay almost twice as much as the locals do too, so the prices really add up.

However, when one is in Peru, one really must not pass up the opportunity to visit the 5th Wonder of the World, so no matter what the cost - I think I would have gone anyway. This would have made me visit 4 out of the 7 wonders this travel year alone (Petra in Jordan, Colloseum in Rome and Christ the Redeemer in Rio are the other 3)! Busy year! Amaaazing year! :)

Machu Picchu is beautiful... It looks and feels exactly like you would expect it to from the photos. It is unfortunate that I didn't meet any alpacas or llamas though, but I did have a good time all the same. And because I have nothing further to say on the topic... Here are the obligatory photos :)

My Ayahuasca Experience

What's a stronger word for, "intense"?

Whatever you come up with will probably not even come close to how all-consuming the Ayahuasca experience is. On Monday night as I was on my knees a half an hour after taking the disgusting "medicine", purging my guts out and begging for mercy in my native tongue, I actually thought I was going to die.

But I didn't! On the contrary, I am more alive than I have ever been! This experience is no joke, so be prepared to hear the tale... of my story as an Ayahuasca Ceremony Survivor!

AYAHUASCA - What is it?

It is a powerfully psychedelic South American brew made from DMT (Dimethyltryptamine) containing plants. Some call it a medicinal tea that helps cure diseases like cancer, or depression, while others see it as more of a way to access to another spiritual dimension. (More detailed information here)

This brew is (or should be) consumed in the presence of a shaman, due to several rituals that are performed before and after the intake. After having gone through it myself, I don't think anyone should ever take it unsupervised because it won't be safe! You need the shaman (and a staff of assistants and nurses) there to guide you, otherwise your experience might prove to be ineffective or even dangerous.

MY AYAHUASCA RETREAT

I signed up for a 3 Day/2 Night Aya retreat at a company called, Etnikas. (Read about how I ended up learning about Ayahuasca, and WHY I decided to do it here.) They were recommended by a friend, and they have raving reviews on Trip Advisor. Their retreat house is situated in a remote place about 45 minutes away from Cusco where I was staying because of a day trip I planned to Machu Picchu. It worked out pretty well, scheduling the retreat first, then booking Machu a couple days after.

A day before the retreat, all the participants were asked to report to the Etnikas office for a volcanic-water-cleanse. We were instructed to fast and not have any breakfast that morning for the cleanse to be - eh - smoother. So basically, we all had to down a few liters of effervescent volcano water, and wait for our bowels to move... And we had to keep drinking till our poop was clear! There had to be nothing left!

I gotta say, it was really a great way to bond with the other participants... running into each other on the way to the bathrooms, asking each other if our poops were clear... We were set to be friends for life!

DAY 1 

We all reported back to the Etnikas office the next morning, and we were asked to fast for the entire day. They brought us to their retreat house in Motnaña Alegre, and after a few awkward introductions to the staff and the shamans, we began our ceremonies.

They explained how things were going to work, what the schedule was going to be for the next 3 days, and gave us a tour of the place. It was beautiful... definitely conducive.

View from my meditation spot

Then they did this ritual... I think it was meant to invoke "Pachamama" or Mother Ayahuasca... They had a bunch of materials laid out, like feathers, stones, totems, all of which had a symbolic meaning. One is meant for protection, one for health, one for love, etc... The shaman blessed all of it, wrapped it in a black piece of paper - which was meant to trap all the negative energy, then blessed all of us one by one.

After that, they dismissed us, asking us to use the time to meditate and think about what we wanted to get out of Ayahuasca.

Now at this point, my head was already sort of throbbing from a migraine that sprouted from altitude sickness. I hadn't acclimatized to Cusco's altitude yet, and I wasn't doing very well. I wasn't allowed to take any meds because it would interfere with the effects of Ayahuasca, so all I could do was drink or chew coca leaves... And it wasn't working.

FIRST DRINK 

After what felt like an eternity of waiting, we were all finally ready to do the Ayahuasca ceremony at 8pm. The staff laid out 10 sleeping bags (one for each of us) with a corresponding bucket right next to it in a room that fit all of us snugly. We were asked to bring our own bottles of water, and 2 rolls of toilet paper.

Photo from Makeithappen.co.uk

We took our places in a room, slipping comfortably into the sleeping bags, sitting up. There were about 3 or 4 assistants (including a nurse) that were present, along with the shaman and - I think his wife. The ceremony started with a prayer to Pachamama, asking her to bless this ritual, proceeded by the shaman blessing all of us with tobacco (he blew it in our faces and bodies).

The staff knew about my headache so the shaman skipped my tobacco blessing - which I appreciated. Otherwise I would have used the bucket next to me prematurely.

And then the drink.

God... how do I describe the drink? It's a mix of three things... Ayahuasca, water, and something else that I can't remember. The liquid is brown with little bits and pieces of floating bark... and it is, without a doubt, the nastiest thing I've ever tasted in my life. For realz. It's gross.

Photo from Etnikas.com

We were all given a full cup each, and we had to down the entire thing... as in chug it! Uuullkkk! Thinking about it now makes me gag.
After drinking, they turned the lights out and we all waited in silence... waiting for the medicine to take effect. How do you know it's taking effect? Ha. That's the worst part.

PURGING

You purge. You purge like you've never purged before. You purge like you're vomiting your soul out. You throw up, and you feel like you just want to die for it it to end. It's awful. Really, completely, horrible. Even the sound that comes out of you is otherworldly. Purging in that room sounded like there was an exorcism happening.

About a half an hour after the drink, one by one we started reaching for our buckets and we puked. We were instructed to get down on all fours for us to purge easier. And once we started going, an assistant or a nurse rushed to aid to hold our hair back, stroke our back, stroke our stomach, give us our toilet paper, and give us water afterwards. I gotta say, they were an integral part of the process. It's like you *need* their assistance, love, and support to be able to get through it. And they give it to you completely. I wouldn't have survived without them.

After we were done, the assistants asked us to lie down and wait. Usually the hallucinations start happening after the purge, and this is when the shaman starts chanting as well.

I waited.

Nothing.

One of the assistants came to me and asked - "Do you have any visions?" and I said no. He asked if I still had a headache, and I said yes. He thought for a second, and finally said - "I think you should take another drink."

"Noooooooo!!" I begged... Not another one of that nasty concoction! "Just half a cup", he offered.
I really had no choice. If it was necessary, then so be it. A few minutes later he came back with another cup half full, and I downed it without breathing or blinking. The sooner I got it over with, the better. I crawled back into my sleeping bag and waited for the purge to come.

It came, I puked my guts out, and laid back down.

Again... Nothing.

"Do you have any visions?" He asked me again.

"No," I sighed.

A few minutes later, the shaman himself came to sit beside me to perform some ritual. He was chanting a few things, blessing me with this nice smelly oil that had 32 different types of plants, and blowing tobacco over my head. I think he was trying to cure my headache... which I have to admit, sort of helped.

But alas, no visions came to me that night. And so I retired to my bed and slept.

This is sort of what it looked like when the Shaman was blowing smoke on my head.
Photo from ayahuascashamanism.wordpress.com

DAY 2

I was feeling a little left out when the group started talking about their "beautiful" and "intense" experiences. They all spoke of symbolic visions, colors, patterns, animals, love, etc... and the shaman was interpreting it all for them.
The shaman said that my headache really got in the way of the medicine working properly on me - and I get it. I was in too much pain to be in a psychedelic state probably. He did assure me that "tonight is your night" though, so I wasn't worried at all. 

After getting our blood pressures checked by the nurse, we spent the entire day in "Noble Silence", keeping to ourselves most of the time, finding a spot in the retreat house to meditate... 

At 8pm, we all assembled into our little sleeping bags once again with our trusty buckets and water and toilet paper in tow. I was asked to stay right next to the shaman this time - I suppose so they could make sure I had instant access to him if the drink didn't work.

SPIKING MY DRINK

Now, because I was right next to the shaman, I could see everything they were doing. And while they were preparing the drinks for us, I saw the shaman squirt some black liquid into one of the cups. Best way I could describe this black liquid is that it looked like black, thick paint. The assistant then used a tiny tong to mix it... and she was mixing it vigorously.
Just as I had suspected, they handed that cup to me. I was just given an Ayahuasca power boost, spiked with Ayahuasca concentrate! These guys were serious business! I gotta hand it to them, making sure I had my visions that night, and doing everything in their power to make it happen!

Photo from taboojive.com

I chugged it down, and it was even NASTIER! It had more bark in it! It felt like I was swallowing pieces of a bloody tree! YUCK! YUCK! GROSS! ULK!

Purging was even worse! It was harder to throw it up because of the little solid pieces... and it was so horrible. Soooo awful... it's the stuff of nightmares! Really!

But soon after I laid back down, I started to feel something really odd. My heart was beating really fast, and the room was spinning.

The assistant came to my side and whispered, "Do you have any visions?"

Finally... I said - "Yes".

PSYCHEDELIC HALLUCINATIONS

The first hour or so was the worst. My heart felt like it was going to beat itself out and explode out of my chest. I could see colors, prisms, shapes, all pulsating to the beat of the shaman's chants (or maybe to the beat of my heart, I can't tell). I could see a very clear image of a bird... At first, I thought it was a peacock. But a few days later, after having seen so many of the Cusco merchandise in the markets, I recognized the bird from my vision --- and it was actually a condor. The Andean/Incan symbol for the upper world in the sky.

This is an image I found online that BEST resembles what I saw while hallucinating. Almost
Exactly what I was seeing. Imagine that, but moving and pulsating. Now do you get why I thought
the bird was a peacock?
This is Ayahuasca Visions by Skyer on Deviantart.com

I can't explain how I felt properly through words, but I'll try...  

It's like the drink wants you to let yourself go and surrender to the power of Ayahuasca, but instinct tells you to fight it... So I fought as hell to keep my sanity for as long as I could... I kept pulling myself back to reality. I was making weird noises so I could feel my throat vibrate... I was touching my face to make sure it was still there... But the drink was so strong... Maybe too strong... and I was freaking scared. The most frightened I've ever felt in my life... I FEARED for my life. I thought I was going to die...This is what I mean by needing a stronger word for "intense". Everything was pulsating. The condor was showing me things... things that were both beautiful and overwhelming at the same time. It wanted me to let go so it could show me more... I wouldn't. I kept holding on... I held on until I couldn't anymore... Then finally, I purged again. Much worse than the first time.

I was convulsing a little bit, after it was over. I couldn't stop shaking.  I remember being on my knees, saying, "Tama na... Please, ayoko na... Ayoko na..." which is me, begging Pachamama to stop, in Tagalog. The assistant asked me to lay down... she tucked me in... and I remember holding on to her hand as long as I could...
Until finally, I let go. I let go of her hand, of my resistance... I let go of everything. I surrendered.
Then that's when the real visions started.

PACHAMAMA AND I

I don't want to go into full detail about what I saw - because some of it is extremely personal... But let's just say that I was shown a possibility of an interesting and different future, if I let go of certain fears I have (or had).
Most of what the other participants saw were very symbolic. Some saw themselves pregnant and giving birth to themselves... Some saw wolves... Some saw themselves melting into the ground and being reborn... Two people had visions of making love to Pachamama herself (one of which was in the form of a snake... but let's not get into that)

My visions weren't symbolic at all! Mine were VERY literal. Clear. Like I was seeing a movie of myself being shown to me through a projector. I had asked for a little clarity and guidance... And she showed me what life could be like if I took another leap of faith and acted on courage.

I remember resisting. I asked her to show me different scenarios... What if I didn't want to do it? What if I was too scared? She obliged... and showed me what I had expected... That things weren't ever going to change, and will remain exactly the same. Then she showed me the first movie again... kept playing it over and over until I couldn't watch it anymore.

I remember telling her I was tired... and that I missed my mother. After that, I got overwhelmed with an intense feeling of love... I felt a motherly presence wrap her arms around me, cradling me like a baby... This motherly feeling was something that most of the other participants experienced as well... Love. Just pure love... and it felt really good. She showed me that love was all around me... and reminded me that everything that happens in my life are dependent on the choices that I make. She said all I had to do was choose love over fear, and everything will fall into place. She showed me through images, and I understood.

I felt the medicine start waning off... I was slowly becoming more and more lucid... And I said to her, "Please... don't go... Don't leave me yet..." And then I saw - what was probably the only symbolic thing in my visions - a bright stone in my hands... Like a big shining egg... Glowing... And I held it close, until it went into my body. Before it engulfed me with light, she said, "I'm with you. I'm a part of you. I'm always here."

And that was it.

DAY 3

I couldn't sleep. I woke up still feeling a little trippy. Still a little dazed, but definitely lucid. We all gathered once again to talk about the visions so the shaman could translate the stuff we couldn't understand. Like I said, mine hardly needed any translating because it was crystal clear. I did share that I got what I needed from it, but that I was a little scared to do what Pachamama asked me to do. The shaman just said that I was strong... And that the visions I saw were coming from me... from my soul... He said whatever it is that she wants me to do, he urges me to follow it.

We did another ritual similar to the one we did on the first day. This time, we focused more on gratitude. We thanked Pachamama for the visions, and for the journey we went through with her... We were blessed by the shamans, and we burned all the materials used for the ritual - offering them all up to Pachamama.
Then - we group hugged. :)

AFTERMATH

We were asked to keep the diet for 7 more days after the retreat... no meat, no alcohol or coffee or chocolate, make love instead of just having sex... (?!?) etc... The group sort of got hit with a little separation anxiety in Cusco after the retreat because we couldn't seem to let each other go just yet. We kept meeting up for lunch and dinner in the days after, just so we could keep talking about what happened. It's almost like we went through a war together, that we needed each other to sort of keep ourselves sane. I guess there's a certain comfort that you get from people whom you know went through the exact same thing you did, and we tried to hold on to that as long as we could. I mean, I know I did.

New friends for life!

In general, I'm glad I did it... BUT I would NOT recommend it. Not to everyone. It's true what they say... That to do Ayahuasca, one has to be ready. Some even say that you don't find Ayahuasca - It finds you... Which is sort of true in my case.

It's definitely not for the faint of heart... And as I've said - the process in which you have to go through to get your big "eureka" moment is HORRIBLE. The end result is positive though, so I don't regret any of it. I think I was guided here, and I *was* ready for it... I'm in a good place in my life right now, and because of Ayahuasca, I think my life might make an interesting turn pretty soon. :)

IF YOU WANT TO DO IT

Just make sure you're doing it for the right reasons. Focus on your intentions - and be absolutely positive they're coming from the right place... Meaning - that you're not just looking to get high from DMT. And please... PLEASE make sure that you do it in a safe and reputable location. Do your research first. Wherever you do it, whether it be in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador or Peru, make sure you don't just find a random shaman on the side of the road, offering the drink for 50 bucks a pop. Someone just died doing that recently - and you don't want this experience to be fatal for you too. Find a good place, check out their reviews online... get recommendations from people. If you have to pay a little more - then so be it. As long as you're safe, that's all that matters.
When you take Ayahuasca... all I can say is, the more you resist to its power, the more painful it will be... So just let go. The sooner you do it, the better it will be. :)

If you guys have any questions about it, or want to share your experience - please shoot me a comment below! I'd love to hear from you.

If you are thinking about doing this -- Best of luck, my friend! May the force of Pachamama be with you!

Life As A Volunteer In Peru

I've been working as a teacher here in Huaycan, Peru, for the organization, Light and Leadership Initiative, for almost a month now. For those of you who are curious, this post will be a sneak peek into the life of a volunteer.

HOW IT WORKS

LLI is a non profit organization situated in Huaycan, Peru, that focuses on improving the availability and quality of education of the women and children in that area. They hire interns and volunteers all year round to help with their projects for the community -- mostly education related, and volunteers are usually hired as teachers for their English, Art, Chess and PE classes.

As volunteers, we were required to pay a very minimal amount to cover food and lodging. We all basically stay in one house, dormitory style, with a cook that prepares amazing Peruvian food for lunch and dinner. Currently, there are 11 of us who live together.

MY SCHEDULE

I teach English to kids who are anywhere from 6 to 13 years old, and adults who are in their 20's. We work from Friday to Tuesday, with Wednesdays and Thursdays off. Our classrooms are located in different "Zones" in the Ate-Vitarte District of Lima. For most of them, you have to take a 20 to 25 minute combi (what they call a very overcrowded van) ride to get to. These areas are quite undeveloped and poor that they remind me of the Favelas in Brazil, or the squatters areas in Manila.

Click the photo for a larger image. Those colorful houses in the mountains? That's where a few
of them live

On some days, I have English classes in an area called, Zone Z, a place about 25 minutes away by combi. I start my commute at around 2:20 to get there by 3, and I teach 3 back to back classes with another volunteer. Our day ends at 6pm.
On busier days, I start at 10 am for PE, then 11am for English, 2pm for Art, 3:30pm for Art, and 6pm for Adult English.
Some days, I have to hike up a mini-mountain and ascend stairs with about a million steps at 9:30 am to tutor a 10 year old boy. (He is my favorite student though, so the pain is worth it. )
Basically, everyday is different. I like the diversity. :)

The combi ride usually sucks the life out of you, so it's not my favorite part of heading up to Zone Z... but what makes it *so* worth it are the sunsets that greet me on my way back. Look at this... I literally see this every single time I go home from Zone Z. Not bad... not bad at all :)

The beautiful sunsets I see as I go home...

MY STUDENTS

... are the cutest. I am particularly fond of my youngest kids in Zone Z. These little chipmunks are in some of the poorest areas in Huaycan (and Huaycan is already pretty poor to begin with), and they come to my English class with so much enthusiasm twice a week after school. Yes, most of the time they are a pain in the butt because they are so naughty, they never sit still, they're always twittering up a storm in Spanish, and it's so difficult to get them all in order. But once I do get the ball rolling, they're so much fun to teach. They're so eager and so excited to learn... They LOVE singing along to my ukulele, and at the end of class, they give me a kiss before they leave. <3

I also really like teaching my adult class, because they *do* speak English. I feel like I can actually talk and get some sense into them... and that what I teach is being absorbed 100%. They mostly need help with grammar and vocabulary and they take everything in like a sponge. These guys go to class every week because they truly want to improve their English to go far in life. I'm more used to teaching adults because of my training background, so being in class with the 20 year old's feel more natural to me.

THE LANGUAGE BARRIER

... can be a little challenging, I have to be honest. They have an English Only Policy in class to get all the students used to hearing the language... but most of these kids don't even know basic English! Zero! So getting them to follow instructions could sometimes feel like pulling teeth... Especially with the younger ones.
My Spanish, however, has greatly improved since I got here. I *can* tell them to sit down, be quiet, listen, look at me, etc... And I can understand more than I can speak, so when they tell me something, I usually understand about 80% of what they say.
All in all though since what we teach is very basic, the classes go on pretty smoothly.

LIVING IN HUAYCAN

... can take a little getting used to. Huaycan is not the safest of all areas, especially for foreigners. It's a little easier for me to blend in because like I said before, I sort of look Peruvian. But for my fellow volunteers, well... that's another story all together. They stick out like a sore thumb! 3- 4 of the girls are around 6 feet tall, a couple are blonde, one's a red head, and quite a few of them have bright blue eyes... All of these traits aren't exactly what you can call "subtle" in Huaycan. They are pretty much like celebrities over here, so it's hard to go unnoticed when we go out as a pack. We avoid certain alleys after dark, and a few of us walk with pepper sprays.

After work, if we'd like to unwind, we either walk down Ave 15 de Mayo to grab a beer at the local "Juice Place", or take a 15 minute combi ride to a nearby town to eat at a proper restaurant, or hang at a karaoke joint. Life is really simple over here, that I wear flip flops wherever we go and people couldn't care less. (I love it!)

The locals (when you don't have to dodge them) are all really kind. The parents of the kids especially are really sweet... You can see that they really appreciate what the organization does for them and for their kids, and it feels good to know you're a part of a group that makes a difference in their lives.

Living at the volunteer house is great! Honestly, I have never encountered a group of people who are as fierce and as kind as the people in this house. These guys are so smart, so accomplished, and all super capable of ruling the world... and yet they are here, working their asses off for free, to help a small community in Peru live a better life. Everyday I am in awe of them... and everyday I am grateful to have met them. :)

LIGHT AND LEADERSHIP

I'm at the tail end of my trip, and I'm so happy I ended my first year of travel with a bang. A few months ago, while volunteering/working at a hostel in Greece, I met a guest, Sophie, who has traveled through South America, and volunteered with LLI. If I hadn't met her, I never would have found out about this place... Being here feels so right... like I was always meant to come here, meet these people, and help out... Almost like I was guided here by the Universe. I will forever be grateful for having experienced everything in this organization and the people involved in it. If you are ever on the look-out for a great and rewarding volunteer opportunity, do yourself a favor and fly your sweet butt to Peru. The Light and Leadership Initiative and the wonderful people of Huaycan will be waiting for you with open arms :)

** There are many ways to help the organization out! Please check out their website here to find out more, and you can take a look at their Amazon Wish List to see what you can purchase to make the kids happy! :)

A Peruvian Birthday!

Another year older, another year wiser!

I'm so happy to be celebrating my 32nd birthday here in Peru! Gosh, who would have thought?

Those of you who have been following my blog, and most of my friends know that every year on my birthday, I aim to do "something I've never done before". Last year, I got my "pourquoi pas" tattoo - which I still love, by the way... And this year, well, when I realized I was going to be in Peru, I initially planned on being in Macchu Pichu to celebrate... but then the organization that I'm volunteering in, The Light and Leadership Initiative, needed me to help out sooner than the 25th of March, so... I thought it might be nice and fresh to count "Volunteering to teach English in Peru" as my "never done before" birthday act! To be giving back for a change! And I gotta say, it has been so wonderful so far.

Light And Leadership

Last week, I talked a little bit about the organization... Well, now that I've had more than a week of working experience here, I can now proudly and honestly say that they are an AMAZING group of people working towards a great cause, and I am SO HAPPY and LUCKY to be here!

I teach English (and PE and Art) to both kids and adults, and I gotta say I enjoy them all. I don't have a favorite... At first I wasn't too confident about teaching the little ones because my experience in teaching was mostly for adults... but after my first class, I realized that age doesn't really matter when I teach... I've almost forgotten how much fun I have in the classroom, and how good I am in reaching out to people of all ages and races. I play the ukulele and teach them songs in my class too - which is great, because LLI is flexible enough to give me that freedom. I'm back in my element, and I am having the time of my life with all these people! 

Oh - and did I tell you my Spanish teacher name? It's Miss Tierra. Tierra, in Spanish, means "Earth". No one could ever pronounce my name properly here so to make things easier for everyone, I am called "Tierra" in Spanish and Latin American countries. :)

A student, Cristina, gifted/dedicated her artwork to me <3
Tierra - that's me!!!

The Volunteers

I've said it before and I'll say it again... The group of volunteers in this house are quite possibly the best, kindest, most amazing people to ever come together under the same roof. Every single one of these people could rule the world with their skills and vibrant personalities, and they are here making a difference in Huaycan, right in the middle of nowhere Peru! I am floored and in awe everyday, working with these people. It just makes the experience that much more meaningful and rewarding... because I've only been with them for a week, and already we have become such good friends. I'm so lucky to always be surrounded by bright lights... SO LUCKY.

Double Birthday

I also happen to share my birthday with one of the fierce ladies here in LLI, Karen (she turned 23, I turned 32... PERFECTION)! And so we thought of doing a double birthday bash which involved cake, food, karaoke and some dancing! On the 25th, our actual birth date, the crew got us a Tres Leches Cake (delicious!) for a little candle blowing... We went out to dinner together, and did a little Karaoke (upon my urging).

The next day, we ventured out into Lima for an overnight trip... Lima just has more options in terms of a night life, so we hung out at the rooftop of the hostel they booked, had a really chill out pre-party over there, then headed out to a club for some dancing action...

Nose Piercing

The day after, I went and got my nose pierced. :)

It's weird... I feel like I'm regressing, sort of like Benjamin Button. Lately I've been inclined to do these random things - like get a tattoo, highlight my hair bright red, and get my nose pierced... you know, stuff that people usually do when they're younger. Mind you - these are things that I've ALWAYS wanted to do, but felt I couldn't, because the corporate world wouldn't allow me to. I was always too afraid of the consequences of looking a little radical, because it might dim my chances of being taken seriously, or getting a job. In corporate, and I suppose in a lot of other situations, perception is everything... and I didn't want to be perceived as a pierced, tattooed, and bright colored hippie.

Little by little though, as I've gone through this trip, my world has changed. I think what's really happening is that I'm finally allowing my physical body to reflect what's really inside of me... My true inner self - which is unique, creative, and colorful! :)

I love my new look! You can't really see much of the piercing because the stud that was used had to be tiny first... I'm due to change the little stud for something brighter and bigger in a couple weeks when it's fully healed. Right now it just looks like a silver blackhead... Like a silverhead, basically. But it's heart shaped and cute!

See that TINY dot on my nose? That's not a speck of dirt on your monitor.
That's actually my stud. 

Post-Birthday Thoughts

I was thinking about how - my birthday last year and getting a tattoo was a pretty good marker of when my round the world trip adventure started, because I quit my job a few days after that. And looking back at what I've seen and what I've done and who I've met since then blows my mind. I think you guys are witness to the fact that my year has been pretty incredible.

I keep thinking... Is it really possible for someone to be THIS lucky?

Then I think maybe it's not all luck. I think your world really is just a reflection of how you feel, how you think, and what you give out. My world this year has been amazing and exciting, because EVERYDAY, I feel amazing and exciting! I've always looked forward to where I was going next, what I was going to do, and who I was going to meet. Because I'm traveling, and doing what I feel like I'm meant to do, my heart is constantly just full... and it makes me happy. Plainly happy!

Another thing I noticed about myself is that lately, being grateful has become more of a habit now than something I have to remind myself to do or be. Like - it's sort of automatic for me to whisper "thank you" for anything good that happens everyday... Anytime I arrive safely in one place... or anytime I witness a beautiful sunset... or meet a new person I really connect with... or when I eat a good breakfast... or even when I hear a good song on the radio... Automatically, my mind "smiles" and says "thank you".

Being grateful has given me a better sense of being. It gives me the feeling of congruence... Like I'm exactly where I'm meant to be at this point. In all the choices that I've made lately, from choosing next destinations to hostels I've booked, or even in choosing restaurants to eat in... I feel like I'm being guided. I've learned to trust my instincts more, and it hasn't led me astray.

So I dunno... maybe good luck is only what we call beautiful things falling into place when you decide to start living the life you were meant to live. Maybe we're all meant to be lucky in this world, if we were only brave enough to pursue our own happiness. :)

For my birthday, there is really nothing else I could wish for, because I HAVE everything I need... I am the youngest 32 year old in the world, and I have never been happier than I am this past year. I am content and complete <3

So instead, I am going to use my wish on you guys... My dear friends, on my birthday, I wish for you... The courage to pursue your right to happiness... May your thoughts be clear and hearts be full, and may you all be brave enough to live your true destinies... to "get lucky" in life, as I have been fortunate enough to be.

Cheers to another INCREDIBLE year! Salud! :)