A Love Letter to Peru

My dearest Peru, we've just celebrated our six-month-a-versary and so I have a few things I'd like to say. 

Alright, well here I go:

The holiday season is upon us and I have many reasons to feel homesick. I've been craving ginger snaps for weeks, I can't seems to find any molasses here in the Sacred Valley but I'm not giving up. 

There's something awful about the consumer culture I grew up surrounded by that I miss, the mall and all of its craziness this time of year. Everyone rushing desperately finding gifts for everyone they know. I tragically, or magnificently, don't feel that at all anymore. I only want to buy things people would want/need/passionately love; I feel no need to make aimless purchases of things half heartedly to fill a void of a "holiday gift." I'd so much rather invest in an experience for someone than an unnecessary item. 

The plaza in Ollanta set up a large wooden manger scene complete with straw, small nativity figurines and my personal favorite, the truly Peruvian touch, a giant llama. There is also a white fake tree adorned in bright decor, and flashing bright holiday lights accompanied by several small blinking wreaths and of course music. I have no idea how Ollanta managed something so technical and electronic in the middle of the plaza, but it is a splendid cultural display. We see the Christian influence of colonization through the quaint nativity scene, accompanied by the never ceasing, never down trodden flashing neon lights, music and of course giant llama to say "but we're Peru and don't you forget it."

I love the unapologetic drama of Peruvian culture. Just the way they tell stories with facial expressions, gasps, and pauses. The laughter, the huge wide eyes, it's just so Peru to me now and I just love it. 

Today I went over to my host family's house to celebrate baby Tiago's first birthday. It was one of the those times I just immediately got choked up thinking of how lucky I am. 

They are such an incredible family and it overwhelms me with jealousy and disappointment that I can't be more involved in their lives, that I can't be a permanent fixture, a part of their exclusive club of love and support. I respect Evelia, Alex, Alexandra, Janis, and Tiago, and even Bobo the dog, in a way I only feel for a select elite of the people in my life. 

Being there today, invited to that inner circle, to see them celebrate such a joyous occasion was so special. Seeing Tiago learning to walk and dancing and smashing his face into cake, and wearing a paper crown, Janis dancing around with her friends, Evelia, Alex, and Alexandra enjoying the company, the friends and family gathered to celebrate with them that Tiago's first year found them all happy and healthy and together at its conclusion after all the challenges they've faced together to arrive at today, it was beautiful.

I love having a family here. I need that. I need them more than they know. Stopping by just to say hi, makes me feel like I'm going home even if just around the corner but for a moment. Having that here means the world to me. I love them and I'm grateful everyday for the love and support they've shown me. 

Yesterday marked my sixth month in Peru. Time. Flies. 

I can't even begin to explain all the ways my life has transformed in six short months. I've never been away from home for this long, and I can't even lie, it kind of feels good. It feels good to be finally doing something and not just dreaming of it. To be living the life I've always hoped to. It doesn't mean there aren't challenges and set backs, simply that I'm so ready to be taking them on. The past six months have been a wild ride from my first days in Lima to rural communities in Ayacucho learning with my field school, to Ollanta, Patacancha, Huilloc, Urubamba and even Cusco for a couple weekends. 

I love my life here. Challenges and all. Occasional sickness, exhaustion, early mornings, gross food, long hikes, dirt, rain, sun burn, dry air, bug bites, I wouldn't take any of it back. All of those challenges have been what has granted me access, simultaneously, to the most beautiful views I've ever seen, the most beautiful people I've ever known, and by far and large the coolest most amazing job I could've ever hoped for at this point in my life. No, honestly, I love my job more and more every single day to the point that it concerns me- will I ever want to leave? 

I never expected to love my job here this much, after all I'm not really a huge "marketer" kinda gal. Day in, day out, I communicate with the world. I take photos and videos and write articles and post photos and caption photos and post links to articles and, honestly mostly take photos and edit photos and take videos and edit videos and I suppose throw some web management and page design in there and that's my job. 

But at the end of every day I know that I'm doing this for the most unbelievably amazing women I've ever met. I know that the work I do leads them and their families to a more prosperous future. I know that my work is contributing to helping them become autonomous business women with skills to support their livelihoods and damn have I mentioned how much I respect them? 

Everyday I'm learning, everyday I'm challenged. Everyday I get just a little bit better, I know just a little bit more.

I LOVE my job. Strange isn't it? I never expected to love this type of work as much as I do, but I really, really do. 

On that note, I love my job, I love my Peruvian friends and family. I love my home here, and the strong women I'm constantly surrounded with. I love that I have time to read and stunning mountain views of Inca ruins. I love that I see snow peaked mountains nearly everyday. I love that I get to practice my Spanish. I love that I work in an office with fresh outdoor air. I love the way the aloe on the mountains looks in the fog of morning air after a night of rain. I love the little girl and boy who say "hola" to me when I walk home for lunch. I love the kind man at the market who knows me now. I love learning my way around Cusco. I love the sound of Quechua. I love sweet potato bread, and that I can find all the ingredients for nut burgers here. I love my land lady's dogs, Cabo and Wyra, for making me feel like I have pets who recognize me when I come home. I love Sublimes and cheap Chilean wine. I love the sound of the channels that run through the streets. I love the smell of the flowers in the garden I walk through leaving my home each morning and coming home each night. I have so much to love about my life here, I have so much to love in general. 

Even better? Two of my most favorite people in the entire world will be here to witness and experience all of those things I love so much in just two short weeks. Two. Freaking. Weeks. I'M SO EXCITED I CAN HARDLY STAND IT! My absolutely beyond fabulous parents will be arriving to the lovely land of potatoes and cantuta flowers in just two short weeks. My mom and dad have proved to be the most supportive and loving people on the planet as they helped me pack up and said goodbye back in June. And now a little over six months later I cannot wait to show them what I've made of my time down here, and so that we can have amazing Peruvian adventures together! 

Here's to another amazing, life altering six months ahead, and then another, and hell, probably another. 

Peru, I love you. 

Love,

Brianna

December 8th, 2017