2008 is over right? I just to make sure it’s long gone; nothing worse than a crappy year sticking around like a stale fart. I can’t speak for everyone, but I was happy to see it end. That’s not to say some wonderful things didn’t go down in 2008; some of my most cherished friends became engaged, pregnant or had wonderful babies, many people finished or started advanced education, my sister & I both completed full-marathons and the Lakers traded for Pau Gasol. Not all was lost in ’08, but in the end, most of the year was filled with lose, disappointment and stress.
That led me to really evaluate my life & how I wanted to grow in ’09. Much of the things that happened last year were out of my control, and I am proud of the way I handled myself but nonetheless things needed to change. I sold my house & moved back to California but my career has been complacent if not downright non-existence with the “global economic downturn.” Thus I’ve decided its time again to shed the thoughts of negativity & being reactive to the world around me. I have prided myself on always being optimistic and seeing the virtue in all situations and some of that was lost with everything this past year. With all that, I’ve decided to leave behind Culver and instead volunteer in a part of the world that needs basic infrastructure support.
Luckily, I was able to come across a 6-week program in Cusco, Peru where I will be working on construction of a school and/or orphanage. Beyond my general duties of construction I will also participate in a daily language exchange program teaching a Peruvian student English, while they teach me Spanish. This is an experience I think about daily with the highest levels of anticipation; March 26th can’t get here fast enough.
I will also take advantage of Cusco’s Andean location by hiking the Inca Trail up to Machu Picchu & boating some of the Amazon to Monkey Island. Overall I will be in Peru for 70 days with nearly two-thirds of that time volunteering and the rest exploring the different ecosystems, cultures and lifestyles of the Peruvian people. This is an undertaking like nothing I’ve ever tried before – and that is the point. I have been the wonderful beneficiary of much good will and fortune in my life I want to be able to share some of that with those in need.
Finally I want to thank each of you for your donations, support and friendships over the years; thank you each very much. Especially last year all your generosity towards the Ambriz family was greatly appreciated. I’m not looking for any funds to help with this trip, but I will be looking for a job, a couch to crash on & maybe some cable to borrow when I return. I genuinely hope that this year wonderful things happen to each of you, as I am setting out to have wonderful things happen to me in Peru.
Guanajuato
6 years ago
