Pozuzo, Prosoya, Oxapampa, Tarma

Just returned to the Hacienda from five days of amazing (yet quite exhausting) travel with M-dawg. M recently landed a quick job working for a German travel guide and is responsible for covering the central highlands of Peru, which included visiting and reviewing hotels and restaurants in the German settlements of Oxapampa and Pozuzo (more info here). I was in the right place at the right time, and was lucky enough to tag along! 

We spent one night in Oxapampa at the Frau Carolina Egg, then traveled on five hours the next day on an "adventurous" (least to say) road to Pozuzo were we spent two nights at Carolina's sisters hotel, Frau Maria Egg. Our second night in the little town, literally in the middle of the jungle, we coincidentally met up with a couple (A and S) who M knew from high school. We ended up pairing up with them for quite a hilarious and thrilling trip back through Prosoya (a German founded vocational training project for Peruvian children) and Oxapampa to Tarma during which we experienced a tour with our favorite Prosoya member, Renzo, watched a juvenile exchange of love in the central square of Huancabamba, a spaced out car ride back to the warm arms of Frau Carolina Egg (to whom i must return!), a mediocre pizza near the Plaza de Armas, a cold chela at Otto's Pub, a day at the zoo, and a Tour de Fruita with our cabbie on our return trip to Tarma....as well as list full list of other experiences deemed inappropriate for blogging, but all just as character building...

  Although not as insightful to life as our experience at La Mocela, it was still such a great thrill to be traveling and getting to know yet aNother part of this beautiful country...tierra y gente incluido. See pictures (here)

The Garden "Window", Overlooking the Fields, Hacienda La Florida

  
Sitting in the coziest little nook of a place with the late afternoon sun shining in over the fields of artichokes to reach me perched in the grated "window" look out from the garden...

I just finished organizing my finances (yes i do still have SOME need for organization in my life) after a huge lunch of Cuy con Salsa de Mani and a most inspiring morning conversation with the parents. I was simply struck with emotion as I recounted the conversation to M...

After not talking with them for practically a month, our conversation was exactly what I had been searching for. Since my week with M at La Mocela and all the exciting and invigorating thoughts that manifested themselves in my head since then, I have been so much more sure about the necessity to continue on with my journey (and not stick to my original two month schedule). But there was still something lacking in this decision...there was still the thought of when i should return? what i should do? what were others expecting of me? should i be looking ahead and making plans for my future return to the states? to the life i had come from? 

I knew for sure that something had already nestled itself in me. That after what I had experienced so far here I couldn't (even if i tried) return to the same old life and mentality that I had possessed before. I already knew I wanted to begin to think of other alternatives, but I needed that extra security of mind that one can only gain from their parents...

And thats exactly what i got today. Thats exactly what i got when i heard the blessed words from my father's mouth, "there's really no reason for you to return home at this moment..." Those few words set my mind spinning with emotion! Spinning with freedom! I felt like it was another start to my already-commenced journey. Yet another gate to my life of freedom and adventure! 

The realization that anythings possible from here...

Middle of the Jungle, In Bed, 8:30am, 1.22.09, La Mocela, Peru

I woke this morning after sleeping ten hours straight through with dreams of the farm at home, and chickens, and a wold, and Herb (the old man), and Glowa, and tennis, and Dad on Pilou, and TJ Maxx, and Badgley & Mishka, and Tyra Banks and....

In as much "panic" i could muster in this serene setting, my mind began racing with thoughts of my new business idea, and the future, and what learning i still had, and what my next step was and....

After being delivered coffee in bed and a kiss on the forehead i turned on my side towards his bed and asked what had been on my mind...how will i know where to go from here?

How will i know whether to pursue a job in NYC? or whether to stay here in Peru? or when to move on? How will i know when to settle down? or when to keep searching for new experiences?

As we both stared out in the same direction to the fog that lingered around the forest above, he began to explain...

that you never know...

the best one can do is keep an open mind and spirit and wait for these things to work themselves out. Be open to the change and experiences that present themselves to you. Patience. Its never to late in life to start something new...everything doesn't have to start now. Things will come when they're ready (job, family, experiences). 

Just be open...

                                                                      

more photos from La Mocela 

Notes from Saint Peter...

• there are infinite worlds within worlds
• the amazement of the sequential events that brought me here
• the importance of being open to the energy of circumstance...it will bring you where you need to be, for the right reasons at different times in your life
• things happen for a reason. Period.
• take moments out of the day to think...and to not think at all
• find creativity of some sort through which to express yourself
• enjoy the beauty of your surroundings (wherever you are) with all your senses

Hacienda La Florida, Tarma, Peru

Sitting alone in the evening at the Hacienda bar, before the rush of serving cena to los touristas and had the urge to write about a moment from today....

M and i were sitting on a mountainside in Huaricolca (about an hour outside of Tarma) after hiking for a bit, then stopping to search for fossils. He had randomly asked me if i was bored with the activity, which led us into a discussion of boredom in one's life... I commented that i didn't think i had ever been truly bored in life, and that those that are bored with life simply enable boredom to enter. 

After talking for a while on the subject, we came to the conclusion that one must find "gusto" in their life in order to not enable boredom. ...Whether its being active, or simply sitting and enjoying taking in the beauty of a small fossil or the massive vista of the Andes. 

Thats what i want to remember, thats what i want to do in my life...find "gusto" in whatever i choose to do. Whether i choose to return to the US and work in NYC, or escape to some far off place and live off the land. I must find pleasure/gusto in whatever i choose to do. Promise.

have you ever felt so full of every emotion you feel as if you may explode?...

just a little taste of the vibe from one of my nights out with Marcos and his people that i recorded in my journal....

" In: the jato de Alex, Barranco, Lima, Peru

Playing: pinball

Getting: shocked (literally)

Listening to: Novalima

State: explosive with emotion"

maybe it was the electrical shocks, but this moment simply felt amazing

Birthday Morning

Just returned to the DaFieno household this morning from visiting Melissa and Valeria and the clan in Punta Hermosa. Read a bit from the beloved Gift from the Sea while sitting by the fountain in the garden. Set off on a walk to retrieve my laundry from my favorite lavandaria. Stopped by the market to load up on fruit (a watermelon, papaya, mango, and butt load of bananas for less than $5...incredible), and am now sitting, having my cafe con leche and a empanada at the cutest little café before i stroll home. this should be a good year...

birthday weekend photos! (click here)