tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46387602273096722072023-11-15T23:45:03.545-08:00Our year in Peru...This blog is my attempt at documenting one year of my life. It officially began on the 4th of July when my son and I boarded a plane to Lima, Peru and met my husband at the airport. Heifer International has relocated me to pilot a development program for one year in the Peru office in Lima.
The name of the game?
Change.
Lots of it:
New job, new marriage, new family, new home, new language, new life, new beginnings.Jessica Hughes Cliftonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283215483717474304noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638760227309672207.post-36526628359601873252013-06-18T09:06:00.000-07:002013-06-18T09:06:08.403-07:00Yes.<img alt="Do No Harm But Take No Shit" src="http://images.liveluvcreate.com/create/d/do_no_harm_but_take_no_shit-245820.jpg?i" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 620px;" title="Do No Harm But Take No Shit" />Jessica Hughes Cliftonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283215483717474304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638760227309672207.post-89865999883119087652013-06-17T15:10:00.003-07:002013-06-17T15:41:25.068-07:00The sound of silence<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When I hear
something like the serenade of a car alarm at 5:00 am right under my bedroom
window, I jump out of my skin. When I'm walking along the street and a
jackhammer starts its pounding one meter from my head, I feel like my insides
are vibrating. Remember that episode of the Simpsons? "Mr.
Spritz goes to Washington" where the airplanes kept flying over the
Simpson's home and they had to get legislation passed to change it? There
is a scene where Marge and Homer are sitting on their couch and just can't
handle the noise anymore. That is how I feel.</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="338" id="irc_mi" src="http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20080116062413/simpsons/images/5/52/Mr_Spritz_Goes_to_Washington.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 75px;" width="450" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think this is what I look like.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I swear that I
now have noise sensitivity, otherwise known as Hyperacusis. What a
stupid thing, no? I just want quiet. Davis, poor thing, all he
wants to do is practice his skateboarding tricks outside our front door, but I
just can't handle it. The sound of his wheels on the concrete send me
spinning. He wants to practice the drums. No way. I'm
depriving him of his little boy rights!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When I travel
into the field, it is so much better. I've written before about Soto
Island and the complete absence of man-made noises. That was the first
time I have rested, like for real. Like my brain didn't have to process
any other sounds and I could just chill. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I don't know why
this is so important to me. But it really is. City living is tough
on me. It isn't just noise, but smog and lots of people. People are
everywhere, like 9 million of them. I was crammed so tightly into a
public bus once that the only respite I could get was to finally wiggle my arm
out the window, face smashed against the glass, one arm dangling out going 70
miles an hour and me just praying that I didn't lose the arm to either another
bus, random road sign, or pole. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">And the
traffic. Lordhavemercythetraffic. Getting into a Lima taxi
takes a leap of faith all on its own. They all drive with two feet.
Whiplash all day. The road signs and lines on the road and red lights are
all merely suggestions. Pedestrians and bicyclists are on their own; my
husband has a metal plate in his collarbone to prove it. There have been
multiple times that I was certain I was going to die. My tactic for
surviving this is simply to pray. And accept that if it is my time to go,
it is my time to go. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Sometimes it’s fun. In a sick and twisted sort of
way. Like "I might die today!" kind of fun. I don't
understand why there aren't dead bodies piled on the sides of the roads.<span style="color: blue;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Part of me
really embraced the chaos at first. And still do to a certain
extent. I know that this place has its own sense of order and structure
and while I can fit in to survive - my body and brain just haven't found
contentment in the madness of this beautiful city. And it is. It is
beautiful. Don't hear me wrong. Lima is full of history and has
people making-out everywhere and everyone is usually so nice and the food is
delicious and I could go on and on..... </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But
they've either been born and raised in the noise, or become accustomed to it
and I simply have not. I respect you, people of Lima. You have all
my respect. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I guess
I'm just ready to get back to my corner of the world where the loudest thing I
hear on most days is the cheer of Davis' baseball team when he hits a home
run. </span></div>
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<![endif]-->Jessica Hughes Cliftonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283215483717474304noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638760227309672207.post-43109203958899055512013-06-11T15:14:00.000-07:002013-06-11T15:50:24.543-07:00Slipping Away, What Can I Say?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Won't you stay
inside me month of May? And hold on to me golden days....slippin'
away....</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">JT has been my
solid go-to man this whole year. At the end of this post I'll link to the song
that inspired today’s post and that I've listened to in every corner of this
country when I needed a pick-me-up. There were many developments in May
and I've got some photos and thoughts that have been building that I want to
share. And today, something happened that made me just take a picture and
write a blog post.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">We'll start with
the most important part: Hair. Last year I told you that we three
were committing to leaving our hairs uncut for the entire year. Well, we
did, mostly. BC couldn't see through his camera lens half the time for
photo jobs and needed an occasional trim up front, which required an occasional
trim in the back to ensure we didn't have a mullet. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Remember
his "before" photo and then what I <i>expected </i>him to look like
in one year? </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHFtA4vh5afSk4y2KhyphenhyphenZ2Nsw0ezqvvviWKv-Hju3RNTraG2v7LYSN4qXCnm6rB3n1HKBiSkMV6W8CV5R4V_09Cid1rOisNiLuYoqPE6NwotNx47T6_xhbbbduJtGjh3Xhxba0oJUKW4E/s1600/bc+before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHFtA4vh5afSk4y2KhyphenhyphenZ2Nsw0ezqvvviWKv-Hju3RNTraG2v7LYSN4qXCnm6rB3n1HKBiSkMV6W8CV5R4V_09Cid1rOisNiLuYoqPE6NwotNx47T6_xhbbbduJtGjh3Xhxba0oJUKW4E/s320/bc+before.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here was BC just before we moved.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii6mLSVZJ98xK9pKwh7Iy08TZauylz0_oiWoBrhUsW9yuzAubLzJcaSNq3qW8flsaZ-k4aSyq_vM6CntX2CchctZLfE5xmznUHrW97eej1k7JzmPMMWGiwbsEiI8rnpxMmM6Py_1d3I8g/s1600/jackson-browne-from-photobucket.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii6mLSVZJ98xK9pKwh7Iy08TZauylz0_oiWoBrhUsW9yuzAubLzJcaSNq3qW8flsaZ-k4aSyq_vM6CntX2CchctZLfE5xmznUHrW97eej1k7JzmPMMWGiwbsEiI8rnpxMmM6Py_1d3I8g/s320/jackson-browne-from-photobucket.jpg" width="277" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is what I expected him to look like after one year.<u><br /></u></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPh2ICBZ7giaXGdeITBHkCOP11d7CKSJSadtWY1rg0PF2LPCvUaNqRi39yO_baVHNzgmRLLOgO-w6AR-rLk151fKDvSdYC7BWyX_rSrevQ_l6Vq0DFo93DVTL27sQFvTZfF5vSwdHRqrk/s1600/bc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPh2ICBZ7giaXGdeITBHkCOP11d7CKSJSadtWY1rg0PF2LPCvUaNqRi39yO_baVHNzgmRLLOgO-w6AR-rLk151fKDvSdYC7BWyX_rSrevQ_l6Vq0DFo93DVTL27sQFvTZfF5vSwdHRqrk/s400/bc.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aaaand reality: BC, doin what he loves most. Handsome as ever. Not Jackson Browne, but that's okay. </td></tr>
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<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Remember me? This was me on July 4, 2012 the day I left the USA for Peru:</div>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjErGH4HcKyd9RP0i-l-rqLcvywjCnEedeJbAC_NOxCWVtPA3dk7HxkI7oUhRckmKWjgRYDKfHn8VZL5a4Q-Nkbvu0yjfBmbSJBPYxEyMXPCo01eKe3hr1gWolBC_XREQlwqmHN5MWE13g/s1600/MOM+AND+D+BEFORE.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjErGH4HcKyd9RP0i-l-rqLcvywjCnEedeJbAC_NOxCWVtPA3dk7HxkI7oUhRckmKWjgRYDKfHn8VZL5a4Q-Nkbvu0yjfBmbSJBPYxEyMXPCo01eKe3hr1gWolBC_XREQlwqmHN5MWE13g/s320/MOM+AND+D+BEFORE.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shoulder length, no bangs, full of hope.....</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAocSWJ4bnNWk7TJgm6WM5Dzfv0p6cpNJDyknmnijM2x8aImGZGoE_RORJjKcMF2_3f2YWy2vZxc56LpA0d78IN7rSoxjQQAxJCn8XLjXWgsNosvLHnFb0qdJODxe5OXCkAoE1uVmS8qM/s1600/DSC02931+-+Copy.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAocSWJ4bnNWk7TJgm6WM5Dzfv0p6cpNJDyknmnijM2x8aImGZGoE_RORJjKcMF2_3f2YWy2vZxc56LpA0d78IN7rSoxjQQAxJCn8XLjXWgsNosvLHnFb0qdJODxe5OXCkAoE1uVmS8qM/s400/DSC02931+-+Copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Well here is me now! And with my dear friend Carmen. Still got some hope...<u> </u></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u><br /></u></td></tr>
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<br /></div>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">We
were visiting a project in the community of Chilcapata near Lake
Titicaca. They welcomed us with the flowers and confetti. Re Hair -
I got some bangs, and a keratin treatment to combat the Lima humidity. But
it still grew....quite a bit. I'm digging it.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">And
last but not least, the D-Train. See his before picture above. Something
kind of funny happened with Davis' hair journey: The school prohibited
it. We got multiple notes and formal notices that "Davis must cut
his hair." So much for that! So he had to get regular
cuts. But we pushed the limit every time as much as we could and made
them make us. So there. Here is a real 'before and after' of one of
his required school cuts.</span></div>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLk7mtfh8BGr8WBKq3dxaN9CebbtUXdARNc7JKH-cjnxF154I-M7iw1YLlGaliSQYxpOJX9fC_BJMrPKekb7TO6hvoHPnzOmZCam-fyab5FLCAGk8ah76HjqH3sDjKmt7SAl_hICcIrg/s1600/DsDo.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLk7mtfh8BGr8WBKq3dxaN9CebbtUXdARNc7JKH-cjnxF154I-M7iw1YLlGaliSQYxpOJX9fC_BJMrPKekb7TO6hvoHPnzOmZCam-fyab5FLCAGk8ah76HjqH3sDjKmt7SAl_hICcIrg/s400/DsDo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How cute is this guy?</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">That is our hair
journey, consider yourself up to date. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Anyway, May was
busy and lots of changes happened. First, Bryan's grandfather passed away
which was very sad for him and his family. Aaaaand, our renters in our
home in Little Rock just UP and decided that they didn't want to pay rent
anymore and wanted to leave. There were and are lots of technical
components to this, but it turned out, the best thing for Bryan to do to manage
it all was to head back to the USA. So he did. BC left the second
week in May for Little Rock to be with his family and close down all the
legalities of our rental situation. He also headed back to finally see
the cutest dog in the world. </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAX3p393JjFWeqr10t59SkxnDzFwQ12L9FMx1HO1vBTvLbjmh9nQDLsHvdumD-ABPz_887DuxSkFTw0zunU0dBLQc5z519p59I7zboU4sSCnfjTHQ-r05ojTn7f4MCJI92mQw2ge4JCcw/s1600/bcandforestjpeg.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAX3p393JjFWeqr10t59SkxnDzFwQ12L9FMx1HO1vBTvLbjmh9nQDLsHvdumD-ABPz_887DuxSkFTw0zunU0dBLQc5z519p59I7zboU4sSCnfjTHQ-r05ojTn7f4MCJI92mQw2ge4JCcw/s320/bcandforestjpeg.jpeg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blurry, but happy.<u><br /></u></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">You may be
wondering "But Jessica, how are you doing it all now?
Alone?" <i>(You may not be wondering, but whatever.)</i> And the
short answer is, I'm doing it just fine. I hired a maid which is very
common in Peru. She picks D up from school and is at our house with him
until I get home from work. Four hours a day. Long story
short: When I come home from work every day, my son is safe and sound,
his homework is done and his chores are done. When I come home from work
every day, my house smells like freshly cooked Peruvian food and dinner is laid
out on the table. When I come home from work every day, my entire house
is spotless and all my laundry is clean and put away.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Need I say
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Yep, lots of
changes. But these changes have forced me to make adjustments that have
paid off. I have a renewed sense of independence and a totally different
feeling now with him gone. Eleven months ago if I didn't have Bryan's
hand to hold, I probably would've collapsed at every turn. But now, I
know the language better, have connections and friends to help me, am traveling
less with work.... it is just easier. I'm much more comfortable
with life in this giant city. Life has taken on a groove and I am thriving. </span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It has given me
a renewed sense of ability. I am doing this. I am living in a
different country, speaking a different language and living a completely
different life than I ever thought I was capable of. And it ain't so
bad. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Still, we miss
Bryan. And the days are quickly winding down towards our return. D
flies back to the USA the first week in July. I head back the second week
in July. Re-entry will have its own set of challenges....but I'm looking
forward to tackling them too. Just like I did the ones here. In the
meantime, here is the last family shot of us. Taken along the Malecon at
sunset on the Costa Verde in Lima. </span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdIYamWTLUhkMEO7oyYOdnvnEYDIAdbrnovUi0eGKLHuN-i1KcroC0HgNPH6FHVhkBJ9gkzfEWX5RnoN7pqR_lIb8YSBihVBEVN9r_U59jpLMed3P-K-_qCEGo7aigGkib0JukW5GIGEk/s1600/bc-jf+hair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdIYamWTLUhkMEO7oyYOdnvnEYDIAdbrnovUi0eGKLHuN-i1KcroC0HgNPH6FHVhkBJ9gkzfEWX5RnoN7pqR_lIb8YSBihVBEVN9r_U59jpLMed3P-K-_qCEGo7aigGkib0JukW5GIGEk/s400/bc-jf+hair.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
So now to why I was inspired to write today. Well, my necklace broke. And so did my heart just a little. About two years ago I purchased one of those "mom" necklaces for myself for Mother's Day that has your child's birthday, name and birthstone and I wore it all the time. Then I lost it. Then BRYAN found it for me and I covered him in kisses. It has special meaning to me.<br />
<br />
The night before I left for Peru (July 3 to be exact) my sister gave me a silver ring for my year here. It was something she'd worn every day for years and even had a tan line without it. She told me I could wear it or tuck it away or do whatever, and I opted to put it on my necklace. Then while traveling in Cusco this year, I found a "Spiral of Life" charm that represents the never ending cycle of life and the path to our creator - the spiral is found all over Peru in nature, Nazca, Aztec drawings, art, tapestries... I loved the mother-of-pearl design and felt like it belonged on my neck alongside my son and sister's love. I have worn this every day in Peru. It has been my security blanket. In meetings, while waiting in lines, in taxis, in bed, all the time, I play with it. I reach for it constantly and mindlessly toy with each little piece. I know exactly how it feels, and how it makes me feel. It has been a constant reminder of my priorities and all of the love and goodness that surrounds me on this planet and from above.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJruMc8tMIpcj0yZ7yro0NPcNZDaqrsVVxHZNaxNnhd3y9cXGFHnaZopcWtLJD9DK9ON07WDp-8qJhTjKxzRSau18XN8gnXO0vJ1rTXvZakWYpxryFqNKuConymFObzHoffLqSWX4-_s/s1600/necklace.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJruMc8tMIpcj0yZ7yro0NPcNZDaqrsVVxHZNaxNnhd3y9cXGFHnaZopcWtLJD9DK9ON07WDp-8qJhTjKxzRSau18XN8gnXO0vJ1rTXvZakWYpxryFqNKuConymFObzHoffLqSWX4-_s/s320/necklace.JPG" width="320" /></a> </div>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It broke
today. Just the chain, and I don't have another one here to replace
it. Thank God the pieces didn't get lost because I might've just melted
down like the green witch. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The last month
of my journey will be without my last remaining security blanket. First
Bryan is gone, then my necklace. Weird what we hold onto, no? For
some reason, it seems appropriate. That the smallest, last piece of home
that I've been holding onto for security and comfort won't be accessible
anymore. It means that I only have myself. And my strength and
comfort must come from within. And that, my friends is what this year in
Peru has all been about. </span></div>
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<br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/TrcbTfmWYD4">Slipping away, what can I say?</a><br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/TrcbTfmWYD4">Won't you stay inside me month of May,</a><br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/TrcbTfmWYD4">And hold on to me golden days, slipping away..... </a><br />
<br />
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<br />Jessica Hughes Cliftonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283215483717474304noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638760227309672207.post-31298371711406104652013-05-07T11:40:00.002-07:002013-05-07T11:40:59.135-07:00Johnny launches away<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">In Lima, on a muggy Wednesday afternoon,
we barely made the 2 p.m. bus to Huacachina. All the cooing doves had gone to
roost, and the strung-out taxi drivers were feeling the need to come down and
take a nap. The fumes choked me and burned my eyes. I wish I had worn my
bandana. The street vendors walking between the rows of cars at the stop lights
sold everything but bandanas. They had cold Inca Kolas in small soft ice bags,
cheap colorful toys and trinkets and balloons and newspapers. But no car-fume
masks. I thought of the Chinese on bicycles riding through Bejing. I took
breaths with my t-shirt to my mouth and nose and wondered if we were really
insane or not, on our way to “the dunes.” It was not too much unlike the early
1984 David Lynch movie “Dune,” with hopped-up spice heads replaced by drunken
dune-buggy drivers. That day, we rolled the dice. And there was a feeling of
freedom to it all and danger, even though we were not going anywhere. We were
just stuck in traffic.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">At the bus station BC managed to
somehow exchange our tickets to Huacachina for Wednesday instead of Thursday,
and it wasn’t long before we were loading up onto a shiny black double-decker
tour bus. The inspector did not find the four beers we hid in my backpack
between cold 2-liter water bottles and some clothes. And this made for a nice
refreshment on the four-hour ride southeast through this barren, seaside
landscape of tan dirt.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";"> There were small huts dotting the
sand, and an occasional village with Coke and Cristal signs. It didn’t seem
possible that someone could live in these huts. Surely, I thought, they were
just storage units. But, no, this was a neighborhood. I didn’t see anyone
living in them, but they were surely around somewhere, possibly making these
reed mats I see everywhere used as fencing and sand-wind barriers. It just was
all too unreal, but I’m sure they would think the same thing about Calion. It
inspired me to live as simply as possible. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">Viewing all of this through the
tinted windows was not enough. I needed to get down in there and eat the same
sandy chicken they were. Not this time. This time I was sipping cool beer on
the top of a bus, with a loud TV. Is background music a Peruvian
necessity? BC and I whiled away the time by
taking snapshots of … the basics. Sand. Barrios. Ourselves in the bus with a
panorama app. One of us had to take the backpack downstairs to the bathroom to
pour the beers into a water jug, to keep the stewardess from busting us out.
You’re not supposed to have beer on the bus. I have a ring that doubles as
a bottle opener. There’s a story to tell later about that ring when we got back
to Lima three days later. In
the meantime, the ring was serving us well. And by 7 p.m. we were 300 km down
the Pan-American Highway in the city of Ica. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">This city of over 219,000 was full
of little three-wheeler taxis called Tuk Tuks, personalized with colorful
paintjobs. We took a regular taxi to Huacachina though, and I recently read
that in 2007 researchers found the fossil remains of a prehistoric penguin,
Icadyptes salasi, that lived in this region about 30 million years ago. It was
about 5 feet tall, with a foot-long beak.<sup> </sup>Common crops in this “Land
of the Sun” are cotton, grapes, asparagus, and olives. They rely on an aquifer
fed by glacial melt water, but due to overuse it is drying up. This is leading
to calls for more efficient irrigation, or adding dams and water diversions. I
have seen a documentary film about the U.S. government encouraging Peruvians to
grow asparagus instead of coca to cut down on drug imports. This unfortunately
led to a downturn for the asparagus farmers in Michigan, and the migrant labor
force it employed. But, on the upside, it encouraged the Michigans
(Michiganese? Michaganites? Michagonians? Michiganders?) to modify their market
with more costly and hippy-happy organic produce. I’m not sure how that helped
anyone exactly yet. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">Coca leaf in its raw form, hoya de coca, seemed no worse
than chewing tobacco, or taking a caffeinated BC Powder. But, apparently, I
have heard, when you make it into cocaine, for strippers and other sad people,
you have to add chemicals that offset its medicinal value. I’m not defending
its use, or am I? I’m just saying it’s part of the culture there, as much as
chewing tobacco is in Mississippi. But in Mississippi, they don’t use Red Man
for altitude sickness or an upset stomach. Or do they? The Coca Candies in
little green packages at the store came in handy on the plane ride back. But
they sure do mess up your taste buds. My mouth felt weird for a week after
eating the last one.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">That afternoon, at the Hotel
Mossone, there was vacancy in both rooms. In the wide courtyard
centering this 1920s colonial style resort by Huacachina Lagoon, I looked up
into the night sky to spot the Southern Cross. This was my first opportunity to
do so. The city lights in Lima don’t afford such a view. And I think I saw the
Crux. Orion the Hunter off to the southwest threw me off. I didn’t know he
would be here. I read now that Crux, the smallest of the 88 modern
constellations, is sometimes confused with the False Cross. It was one of the
two. I think I can mark it off of my list of things to do either way. “Crux is
somewhat kite-shaped, and it has a fifth star (Crucis). The False Cross is
diamond-shaped, somewhat dimmer on average, does not have a fifth star, and
lacks the two prominent nearby ‘Pointer Stars.” In case you’re wondering.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">That night at the hotel’s restaurant
we ate possibly the best meal ever produced. That aji sauce needs to go global.
It’s the perfect blend of spices. We were lapping it up like hungry dogs. This
is a reason Peru is known as the Gastronomy Capital of South America. I told my
mother about these aji (peppers) and she found a website that sells all sorts
of Peruvian and South American favorites to gringos like me and Peruvians away
from home. It would have been good to have more friends at this time, to enjoy
the space and awesome edibles. But we made do with just two. And off to bed we
went to rest up for a big day of sand dune buggy riding and sliding. And
bouncing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">The feeling of sand bits hitting
your face at 30 mph is not necessarily the most pleasant feeling in the world,
but my skin did have a nice shine to it at the end of the day after I showered.
It’s what you might call an incidental micro-derm abrasion treatment. I can’t
recall our driver’s name, but he was a good fellow and drove us as fast as the
little 4-cylinder would allow arriba y abajo the great sand dunes of coastal
Peru. At one point overlooking this cinematic landscape he came to an abrupt
stop, and said “you want to slide?” I knew what he was talking about. Those
damn snow boards. The last time I attempted to do anything like this I nearly
broke my thumb. It was also on spring break, but in Colorado, in the snow. Me
and skis simply do not get along unless it is in a body of warm water. I have
all of this on video, from my perspective with those video glasses Dad got me.
But the short end of it is, I fell over 2 seconds into my run and went end over
end for about 30 feet. This cartwheel flying maneuver induced a good shot of
whip lash that exhorted its torment on me all the way home. I couldn’t feel
anything of course on the dunes. I was sufficiently dosed up with hoya de coca,
and Peru beers consumed at the store by the dunes while waiting on the buggy
driver. This became a trend for the rest of the day, as we each took on less
intense forms of Dr. Thompson and Oscar Zeta Acosta in an apparent attempt to
unlodge something festering in our brains.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">Judging by my bizarre handwriting
--- asking questions about Haiti to el president Obamamama and the Time Warp drawing “Ahora Wharpa” – I can confidently report we achieved our twisted goal.
And it had nothing to do with slipping on the tile floor. I had slipped on it
before I was drunk, too. These glassy tiles were an uncommon safety hazard.
They are usually reserved for drunk-tank degenerates and time-bomb terrorists.
I could not wrap my head around it. How in the hell could they legally allow
these to be installed? It was inhumane. It was only something Steve Martin
could make me forget. And so we laughed ourselves to sleep listening to his
standup from the speaker of an iPad.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">The next morning I awoke in a wicked underworld, where all sounds are amplified to wrenching levels and sunlight scalds eyeballs with blazing luminosity. BC's AADC (Above Average Drinking Capacity) is coupled with a Wolverine recovery rate. We got a quick breakfast, he got a beer, and we paid out. It was low rent, this place. Two nights for about $120, and the food was incredible and cheap. We and and drank like kings for two days on $60. That made it better, and I was coming around, but I wasn't ready to drink a beer yet. We hired a ride to Ica for a visit to the Museo Regional de Ica before stopping into another eatery, and then taking a bus ride back up north to Lima. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<h1 style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;"></span></h1>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">At the museum I had to sit down for
a few minutes. My stomach churned looking at those 500-year-old mummified human
remains. I tried reading the descriptions, but my eyes wanted to cross and
close. I managed to look head-on at one of the mummies for five seconds to get
my money’s worth. He was sitting down with his legs up to his chest. He looked
like Willie Nelson, with long reddish hair and a bandana. I saw mortality.
Laying in bed the following week I would imagine myself as a mummy, a thousand
years from now, as people walked around my remains and wondered the same thing
I did about him. “What did he do? Was he a sculptor … a painter … a farmer … a
writer? What names did he have for the stars? What was his favorite food? Did
he wear boots?” This caused a flaskback of the night before, when I slipped in the hotel room. I still had sand in my boots from the dune buggy ride and they made a loud, grinding noise as I walked along the tiled floor. I tried to be polite and step easy. Maybe it was just these damn boots causing all the problem.... </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<h1 style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;"></span></h1>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">Final Note</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">It was all a thrilling mad dash. A
little dangerous. Very dusty. And my mind is a bit wider than before. I have a
long way to go before I am able to travel to a Spanish-speaking country on my
own though. I will likely never stand up on a snow board again that wreck on
the sand hills of Huacachina. And I will never eat bus food again. (Forgot to
mention I got sick from the bus food.) And I had that feeling of impending doom
once too often in the back seat of a Lima taxi cab. At one point, a bus had
nearly hit my side of the car as the strung-out driver slipped the clutch and
stalled us in the middle of a busy intersection. And yet there seemed to be
very few accidents. Have they done studies on this? I lay awake at nights
thinking about the trip and its effects on me. Why had I not studied up more on
my Spanish before I left? Why did I lose my customs papers at the airport and nearly
miss my flight? When, if ever, will I return?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">There are no perfect answers. Just
more questions. But one thing is for sure: The more you see, the less you know.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
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Jessica Hughes Cliftonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283215483717474304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638760227309672207.post-1636905500971397182013-05-01T20:26:00.001-07:002013-05-01T20:26:38.423-07:00Johnny Rockets, Part III<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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The markets of Lima are so colorful and active. For an Arkie neophyte
international traveler it is somewhat overwhelming. The first market I got to
was with BC, after a long walk in search of a restaurant that served cuy, or
roasted guinea pig. We needed to find a few vegetables, and hoya de coca. A
little hut in the back had the coca, for about S/.4 for an oz. We also found a
woman selling fresh chicha, a mild alcohol drink made from maize. This one came
in a half-liter bottle, for S/.3. I was good to go. <br />
<br />
At this point, after an
overnight flight and 2 beers, I was slightly delirious. My memory is still
sketchy of what all happened. It was warm. I was in blue jeans and boots. My
feet were hot. Drivers used their car alarms as horns. Every corner has a
community dog that lounges in the shade without a leash. I never saw one get
hit by a car. Vintage Volkswagen bugs are common commuters, along with all the
other newer compact cars: Toyota, Honda, Fiat, Peugot. There were Chinese cars
I’d never seen on the road, but in car lots on the edge of town; those little
white mini-trucks and buses that only go 25 mph. We did not find the restaurant
he wanted to go to. BC said it was because he is usually on his bicycle. We
walked a mile or so until we settled on a hole in the wall next to a rusted-out
truck. You could really see through the truck it was so corroded. <br />
<br />
The
restaurant turned out to serve the best pescado frito (fried fish) with aji
amarillo and red onion relish with arroz y frijoles blanco, possibly ever made.
It was like someone had chopped off the back wall of a house and put some
tables and a counter in it. The place was packed for lunch. There was one table
available, in the back next to a blue pantry by the kitchen. We sat there. A
little black-headed toddler wobbled up and started pulling pots and pans out of
the pantry. His mother came over, pulled him out, and took our order. The boy
broke a cup. We all laughed. <br />
<br />
Another market I visited was the following day, with BC and Cindy during a
tour of Lima by Andres. Before I get to that though, allow me to explain how we
got there. We drove down the Costa Verde to Chorrillos, aka “Lover’s Lane,”
with its huge statues of men and women making out. Surfers were on carrying
boards to the beach. It might as well have been Santa Barbara. The driver had
tuned the radio to the city’s American music channel. It was 70s hour. “I love
the Bee Gees,” Andres said, after one of their tunes came on. Later, the
announcer rattled off something about Barry Manilow. “I love Barry Manilow,”
Andres declared. He and my mother would have hit it off. My Arkansas
compatriot, Cindy, in the back seat with BC and Andres, was proudly sporting
the state’s Hog, and was never short of a quick question for our tour guide and
driver. Actually, it was just like having my mother with us. Cindy was going to
get her $40 worth. She asked Andres about many things to do with modern
Peruvian culture, from marriage and divorce rates to drug abuse and TV shows.
Cindy is a second-grade teacher. She works daily with the best questioners in
the world.<br />
<br />
In the little car that could, we drove past many dogs and shacks on the bare
hillside to get to the top of a mountain overlooking the sea and Mira Flores.
There, a massive obelisk commemorates Las Batalles de San Juan y Miraflores, 13
y 15 de Enero de 1881. According to Wikipedia, this was part of The War of the
Pacific, which I’d never heard of before. “The War of the Pacific, aka Guerra
del Pacifico, was fought in western South America between Chile and a united
Bolivia and Peru from 1879 to 1883.” The rest will have to be studied later. <br />
<br />
Atop this mountain, where so many died so long ago, I talked to Andres about
Peru’s ancient cultures. Since I knew we were not likely going to make it to
the Nazca lines, I asked him what he thought they were. He said they were likely
a message to their gods. And what about all the advanced stone carvings of
Machu Picchu, and the ancient pyramids of Caral, the drug-induced rituals, all
of those canals, the human sacrifices, the deformed cone heads, the
trephination? Yes, it’s all true. They were an advanced, freaky lot. (This is
not what he said, I’m reading his mind.) Honestly, I didn’t want to make him
think I was one of those guys, who believes in aliens, so I resorted to my
usual ways and told him about something I’d seen on YouTube about Caral, in
northern Peru where a bunch of pyramids had been found that dated back to 2,500
B.C., or possibly even older.<br />
<br />
I felt more comfortable talking to BC about this later, and since he has
been to Nazca and flown over the monkey and spider and big hand, I felt like he
was as much of an aficionado as anybody else. BC thinks they were simply made
to honor their gods. And I think, yes, those gods could have been aliens.
That’s pretty much the jest of it. No one knows for sure, but we do know that
there have been pyramid-building civilizations here since at least 2,500
B.C.E., which is about the same time the ancient Egyptians were doing the same.
And everyone knows that aliens had something to do with that. The Moche are
what archeologists call a “mother culture.” The question to me is, why did all
of this pyramid building around the world all begin around the same time? Why
was head deformation so common all over the Americas? Did they all come into
contact with the aliens?<br />
<br />
At the market I saw no pyramids or aliens. There were red, yellow, purple,
and green fresh fruits and vegetables and nuts of all kinds hanging up and in
buckets, or displayed in crates. The vendors were usually older women sitting
in chairs. There was a woman cutting the toes off of chicken feet and tossing
the de-clawed feet into a bucket. At another counter a whole chicken was laid
out with its head dangling off the edge. Fresh cuts of beef attracted some
flies, but not too many really. A large octopus was stretched out on ice,
surrounded by red and white muscles and clams, filleted sharks, and 5-pounder
flounder. A boy was running around with a little dog. Next to a wall was an
alter to Jesus and Mary. In a booth a woman made fresh pineapple and coconut
juice. We stopped for some juice. This was just one corner of a massive
market that stretched back for a block or more. On our way back to the car I
spotted a rack of new movies. They were bootleg copies of recent films, like
“Lincoln” and “Django Unchained” at S/.7 for three. BC said he knew where to
get them for less, but I went ahead and picked out three: those two and “Argo.”
Also at the market were a lot of wooden spoons, which I recommended Cindy buy
to beat her kid with. She chose instead to look at the fake Crocs. But ,then
she decided not to buy them because they didn’t have any pink ones in her
girl’s size. <span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Andres paid a man a
sole to stop traffic as we backed out of the market to putter on up the road.</span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i><span style="font-size: small;">And in Johnny's next and final post, you shall hear all about his grand a<span style="font-size: small;">dventures in Huacachina.... Stay tune<span style="font-size: small;">d...</span></span></span></i></b> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></div>
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<![endif]-->Jessica Hughes Cliftonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283215483717474304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638760227309672207.post-86186596258692611652013-04-26T09:34:00.001-07:002013-04-26T14:08:23.403-07:00Shit I'm used to....And I say that respectfully. <br />
<br />
Today while on my way to work I saw 6 men pushing a 50 year old diesel truck and trailer that had gone kaput backwards in the middle of the road which had the same amount of traffic as that of I-40 between Little Rock and Memphis. They were yelling and waving at other traffic to stop and the other drivers were just slowing down and honking like mad with no expressions on their faces. In front of the truck, a woman took advantage of the slowed traffic to push her baby and stroller across said highway. One of the men had an AK-47 on his back. I do declare, if this had actually happened between Little Rock and Memphis, it'd be on the news.<br />
<br />
Not here.<br />
<br />
And that got me to thinking about some of the stuff I have become accustomed to... stuff that perhaps may have caused a little more alarm or surprise in my system almost a year ago. Such as....<br />
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Seeing a baby being carried by a blanket hanging off the back of a motorcycle on a busy road going 55 miles per hour. This was shot at a red light.</div>
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The beauty and power in this...</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Driving by Lake Titicaca at sunset </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Being in any restaurant just about anywhere and dogs just come and go. </div>
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And pee on the doorway on their way out. </div>
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(I'll save you a picture of the latter, but it exists.) </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
The power and beauty in this. If you know what it is, you win. </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Blurry....but....</div>
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Moments like this. </div>
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This being a normal view while driving </div>
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People saying things like "This is 400 years old." </div>
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For example, this key to a 400 year old church in the community of Marcapata, in the Cusco department of Peru. There is nothing that old in the USA outside of things Native American. This Catholic church is only maintained by locals. They have service there once a week. The Spanish paintings, altar, sculptures, confessional, everything....are original. It has been looted by thieves often and it's items sold for thousands because of their value. Their sole security system is the 400 year old lock and key on the front door. </div>
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Stuff like this...</div>
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<b>And then of course, there are the things I've said. All of these come from my travels in the field. Like....</b><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
"Is that baby calf still in the outhouse? Because I really need to go."</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>No one flinched.</i> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>And all of the following have been said by me...EACH MORE THAN ONCE: </b></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"I don't have a tan line, I have a dirt line."</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(<i>Whispering</i>) "What am I eating?"</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(<i>Whispering</i>) "What am I drinking?"</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
ALL THE TIME: "What are we doing?"</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
ALL THE TIME: "Where are we going?" </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"How is the bathroom?" </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>This is such a loaded question. You have no idea what some of the places where I have used the bathroom look like and I'll save you detailed descriptions. Once I dropped a button off my jacket onto a bathroom floor and I swear it began being eaten by whatever the liquid was it fell in. I did not pick it up. Sometimes it is a hole in the ground. Sometimes it is a toilet bowl with no seat. Sometimes it is behind a tree. And there are some examples that I just can't even share with you.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"Slow down, there are goats/sheep/cows/babies/llamas/donkeys/alpacas/ducks/chickens in the road."</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"I'm sorry we were late, we ran into *see list above* on the road here."</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"We're stopping here? There is nothing here."</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"Who has the toilet paper?" </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"I need oxygen. No, like for real. Pass the canister."</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"What is this stuff we're walking in?"</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"Can you pull over? I need to throw up." </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"Is there hot water for the showers?"</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>This is actually a really stupid question. After the first two field visits, I knew better. No, Jessica. There is no hot water. There will <b>never</b> be hot water.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"In my 'hotel' room, I'm going to sleep on top of the covers. In my clothes, and shoes. And put a t shirt over my pillow and then throw that shirt away." </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"Will someone please shoo the dogs out of here, this is City Hall."</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"I'm pretty sure I was just insulted."</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
These represent just a handful of experiences. Sometimes, in the moment of some of these experiences I was frustrated. Sometimes I was so dizzy from being at 14,000 feet that I couldn't see. (Literally. Like one time my vision went blurry for three days and I couldn't even tell the time on my watch.) Sometimes I was giddy with excitement. Sometimes I was just tired. <br />
<br />
But always. Always always always, I had the presence of mind to know that every bit of it was awesome. Every bit. Every moment. Every question. Every answer. Even when frustrated. Every ounce of air I was and am breathing feels sacred and precious. Every shore of Piura, every Andean peak, every hill of Puno filled up my eyes and mind so full that there is no 4x6 that could ever describe the fullness felt in my heart and the sweeping gratitude of this experience.<br />
<br />
<br />
Yep, I'm used to some crazy shit. And I love it.<br />
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<br />Jessica Hughes Cliftonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283215483717474304noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638760227309672207.post-89860849678782921332013-04-24T19:51:00.001-07:002013-04-24T19:51:08.523-07:00Part II of Johnny's Rocket<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Part II of Johnny's adventure.... </div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>As
the plane vectored for a landing I caught glimpses of Lima’s busy Pacific
coastline, with ramshackle huts, cars in long-term parking lots completely
covered in tan dirt, and fishing boats gearing up for the day. Our aircraft
dipped its wing and glided in for a safe touchdown, streaking L.A. grit in Lima
at 7 a.m. local. I rubbed mis ojos, and put on sunglasses.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>Stepping
off into another world was no real grand occasion, but there was an
undercurrent of expectation; discoveries to be made, new foods to taste,
different people to see. There were no pan-flutists there to greet us,
unfortunately, or dancing aliens wearing colorful chulos handing out barbecued
guinea pigs. But, while waiting to get off the plane an interesting little
video played on the headrest screens. It did have flute music, and showed
colorful photographs of the famous Peruvian sites, with catchy buzzwords
capturing the essence of this unique country. I should have written them down,
because it would’ve been good to use here. They were golden strings of words
indicative of an advanced society.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>After
advancing relatively smoothly through customs, and using my rough Spanglish to
fill out a report for my lost duffel bag, I finally saw a familiar face in the
airport. Bryan --hereafter referred to simply as BC -- was there in shorts, and
a yellow, Colombian soccer (or as they call it hear "futbol")
jersey, with a grin and a friendly welcoming hug. Good ol’ BC. I hadn’t seen
him in eight months or so. I’m not sure how long he waited there for me; longer
than expected due to my lost baggage. It was 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 19. I
wanted a liter of water, and strong cup of coffee. I would have to swallow my
spit for another hour again. BC introduced me to the driver. I forgot his name,
but he was a short older gentleman with dark skin, a white shirt, peppered
hair, a strong frame, and deep lines of experience in his face. “Mucho gusto senor,”
and we jumped in the little car for my introduction to the world of Lima
taxicab rides. </b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>There
are no rules, other than the need to honk a lot, swerve and dodge cars and
people jumping across the street, speed up as fast as you can and then slam on
your breaks, and squeeze into tight spots between other little cars and
jam-packed buses. Why the government bothers in painting white lines on the
road I don't know, because no one uses them. I was ready for a beer by the time
we got to la casa on Paul de BeauDiaz. We were greeted by Luis, a sort of unofficial
doorman in a floppy camo hat. He seemed to always be there, in the shade doing
something in a chair. I never found out where he lived, but he was always
there. He grabbed my bags and carried them in.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>No
cervezas in la casa. I would have to settle for water. But not tap water. That
will kill you. No beer due to a prohibition temporarily installed for a city
council vote. They call it <i>ley seca</i>, “dry law,” and there’s a S/.1800
fine (roughly $650) for breaking it. (S/. is the sign for sole, the national
form of currency.) When
we got to the bank the exchange rate was 38 cents for 1 sole. I was all of a
sudden rich. I cashed in $83 for S/. 200. You can get a good meal for S/.7
here, but a beer costs almost the same, at about S/.5.50. It didn’t matter. We
were in need. But, the grocery store across the street still had signs up
saying <i>ley seca</i> was in effect, and it wouldn’t be over until noon. It
was 11 a.m. Tuesday. The girl at the counter wasn’t budging. BC knew of a
little place that would sell to us. We went down there and got two Cusquenas (1
dark and 1 regular) and two Cristals. The Cusquenas turned out to be too sweet.
It was a perfect opportunity to have my first try of hoya de coca, the bitter
leaf of the coca plant, to offset this sweetness and wake my jet-lagged self up
a little. I’d had coca tea before, thanks to our other friend Bart when I visited him down in
Jacksonville, Fla., a couple years ago. The raw leaf definitely has more of an
impact, but it seemed no different than taking a dose of what my friend Cheryl
calls “hippy crack.” BC Powders contain 65 mg of caffeine and 465 mg of
aspirin. After about 10 minutes of chewing hoya de coca, the mouth becomes
numb. I swallowed my spit again, and again, until I had extracted all of its
juices. The smell of this hoya de coca can be off-putting to some. It is a
mild mix of tuna fish and cat piss. </b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>We had to stay sober, so beer consumption
was limited to two each. At 2:30 p.m. we would be walking down to pick up Davis
from school, and the womenfolk were going to be back at 4:00. Jessica and her
friend Cindy, who was also visiting from Arkansas, were returning from Cusco
and their epic adventure to Machu Picchu. And BC was in a marathon debate with
the Dell customer service over his computer’s microphone, as well as dealing
with repairs of both the refrigerator and the clothes dryer. Oddly enough, even
though it is a very dry area, the clothes do not dry well on lines. It takes a
very long time, 24 hours or so, before the clothes were dry enough to wear
after being washed.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b>There
was also my lost baggage issue to attend to, and this was valiantly
accomplished despite either of us having a working phone. I forgot to sign up
for the international plan before I left. And BC had lost his phone in a
taxicab. However, just as BC was about to have the issue handled, using his
iPad and internet Skype to talk to Lima LAN customer service, the connection
was lost. We were so close. When he was able to get back online, another
customer service rep, who spoke even less English, answered. Regardless, he was
able to work through it all in his Spanish accent. It reminded me of the way he
talks to his dog, Forest. Friends know it as BC-talk. It’s an amalgam of South
Carolinian and something foreign where cutting off the back third of the word
with a sound or a grunt is acceptable. His voice goes up a half octave, and he
slips into the vocal posture of an old tobacco-chewing-fiddle-playing
hillbilly. But, just imagine this with Spanish words coming out instead. I
could only imagine what it sounded like on the other end of the phone. The next
morning, BC checked the flights that came in from L.A. over the night and saw
that three had arrived. One of them contained my luggage.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>I
can’t remember what we had for dinner that evening, but it was hearty and good.
I just recall passing out on the couch not long after Jessica and Cindy got
back, and our after-dinner conversation involved a lot of bathroom humor. I
fell soundly asleep in Davis’ bed, as he graciously loaned it to me for the
night.</b><br />
<br />
<b> </b></div>
Jessica Hughes Cliftonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283215483717474304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638760227309672207.post-70201548455142905642013-04-22T18:06:00.000-07:002013-04-22T18:06:34.887-07:00Johnny RocketsFrom March 1 until April 6 I had guests in my home. I haven't blogged or Facebooked. On April 7 I left for a two week Heifer gig in the depths of Puno, Cusco and Piura. So there is my absence explained.<br />
<br />
The guests were wonderful though. Each and every one. I'm a lucky person to have so many dear friends to take the time to visit. I'm even luckier to have one who is a great writer and has taken the time to write about his experience via the Clifton Bed & Breakfast. His name is Johnny and he's about as good as it gets. Here is Part I of a three part guest blog. Enjoy....<br />
<br />
<b>On the afternoon flight from Dallas to Los Angeles, my
thoughts were not in Peru or studying Spanish as they should have been. For
months now I have been researching a story out of Helena, Arkansas, during the
Civil War. As my flight raced toward the setting sun, high over the
southwestern desert, I was still wondering what happened to West Bogan. Had he
gone north after he was freed from prison by two words from Lincoln? Did he try
to get back to South Carolina? Did he see an omen that morning he killed his
master Monroe with an axe? What was he doing and learning when he went off the
property without Monroe’s permission? Did he think about joining the Colored
Troops to fight the Rebels. What would he have thought about this airplane
zooming 500 mph, 30,000 feet up? </b><br />
<br />
<b>I thought it was amazing, and I looked forward
to seeing Peru in the morning, but I was still too caught up in my research to
think much about it. I recall thinking how modern Palm Springs looked, and I marked
the town into my GPS. As we flew into Los Angeles, Arlo Guthrie’s tune popped
into my head, followed by The Doors. I looked down over the green and orange
lights of that megalopolis and thought of some friends I had somewhere down
there. They were probably having dinner about then, or starting to watch a
movie. I had eaten nothing since noon, and was about to live out a scene of my
own. </b><br />
<br />
<b>This was after I played a real-life version of Frogger, jumping across two
lanes of heavy airport traffic to get to the new and detached Tom Bradley
International Terminal. I found someone who spoke English and they directed me
to it. It was back the other way, across the traffic. There were no signs. It
was 8 p.m. on a Monday. There were people everywhere, from every corner of the
globe. It looked like they had everything they owned piled up on carts, in some
sort of exodus. I looked up at one of the huge departure and arrival boards and
squinted to make it out. They were in foreign languages; Chinese, Japanese,
Polish, Swahili. I just kept walking and acted like I knew where I was going. A
man passed me. I was in a stream. My wallet was in my front pocket. I felt like
Kramer. I followed the stream until I saw a uniform. “How do you get to Gate 29?”
“Go the way you came, and take a left.” This was of little help. I got to high
ground, in some sort of food court, to see if I could make out what was going
on any better than down in the trenches. My mouth was dry. I needed water. I
spotted a roped-off entry and a small sign that looked like it would be
helpful. That was my way. I just had to pass through another security zone and
wait for an hour. I called my friend Amanda and wished her a happy birthday,
then sat down to rest my eyes and dry mouth. The vending machine with bottled
water would only take crisp new bills. I wasn’t going to risk sliding my debit
card through it. My bills seemed as worn out as I was, and they were curtly
rejected. In less than an hour I’ll be on the plane, I told myself, and I can get
some water then. I swallowed my spit and thought of West Bogan, in a sweltering
Helena jail cell. That would make things easier on me. I slipped my Braves hat
over my eyes and eased abajo en mi asiento.</b><br />
<br />
<b>
</b><b>The flight to South America began boarding on time. It was a
763, jumbo jet. I’m not sure if I’d been on one of these yet. I found my seat,
stowed my backpack, and settled in. An elderly Japanese man sat next to me. I
said “hello,” and opened my little book to a story on Daniel Boone. He was
about to be captured by Shawnee Indians and taken across the Ohio River. I only
know how to count to 10 in Japanese, so communication was limited. He looked
old enough to have been in World War II. I wondered what my grandpa Chet would’ve
said to him: “You guys shot up my friends, you crazy Jap!” could have
been his first thought. However, being the observant Catholic that he was he surely would’ve
found peace with it by the time he hit his 90s. The Japanese man was with a tour
group, and he’d become separated from the herd. He was now sitting with a
red-eyed Southerner who just wanted a beer. Next to us, up a row, was a trio I thought
to be archeologists, because of their sandals and professional air. But then
one of the women said, while laughing, “She keeps asking me all these questions.
What is it with you psychologists?”</b><br />
<br />
<b>
</b><b>By 2 a.m. we were well south of the Baja de California,
where Sammy Hagar grows blue agave. I looked out the window and saw the
lights
of some Mexican city many miles away. The air was smooth and we made
good time
at a maximum cruising altitude and the earth tilted at 23 ½ degrees. I
was
moving into fall from spring. At first light, around 4 a.m. at that
height, I
lifted my eyelids just enough to see a thin orange line rise up in the
east surrounded by blackness. I
closed them again to rest as much as possible. At 5 a.m., I heard the
beautiful
sound of “buenas dias” from the lips of a beautiful Peruvian woman,
handing me a warm plate of breakfast. They were possibly the best
scrambled eggs I’d ever had. I looked out the window again and took my
first
glimpse of Peru. It was a massive snow-covered peak of the Andes,
jutting
through a thick layer of wavy clouds. The only word that came to mind
was “mysterious,”
even though I knew what it was. It was a mountain. But, it was a
Peruvian mountain.
This made it inherently mysterious. Tu sabes? Peru’s history holds some of
oldest cultures
in the Americas. Why did it happen here? Geology? The oceans? Climate?
How did
they live without war for so long? El Ninos? There are many questions. I
was
going to try and figure some of it out.</b><br />
<br />
<b>
</b><b>One thing I immediately understood was that LAN airlines is the
nicest airline I had ever flown. Aside from the individual headrest TV screens
with handy remote controls and many options of movies and television programs,
the in-flight food was delicioso and the flight attendants top-notch. </b><br />
<br />
Part II coming....Jessica Hughes Cliftonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283215483717474304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638760227309672207.post-13172852957146016012013-02-19T06:50:00.001-08:002013-02-19T08:21:07.524-08:00Mi español es terible, pero mejor“My Spanish is terrible, but better”<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At the sort-of half-way point, I need to talk again about
Spanish. I've mentioned before that one of the biggest challenges is functioning as a normal person in a society that doesn't speak English. <i>(The actual #1
challenge of this year is being married, but that is a whole ‘nother
post/novel.)</i> My Spanish is much
better. In meetings and in everyday
conversations I understand about 60% of what I hear. When I speak, I suspect that I’m understood
about 40%. My brain often <i>thinks</i> in Spanish (the words
I think I know) and I have stopped trying to translate every word into English to
understand. Now, “mesa” is “mesa”. Not, “mesa” is “table.” And my English is definitely worse.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have a Spanish tutor and he is painfully patient with
me. We normally meet three times a
week. I tell him what I did over the
weekend (to practice my past tense) and what I plan to do next weekend (to
practice my future tense) and now he knows my full life story, family tree,
what vegetables I like to eat, my hobbies, and the name of every dog I've owned. He is making me learn the English equivalent of past perfect participles, past imperfect, imperatives, subjunctives, past indefinite.... blah! and then something called pluscuamperfecto (which I have no idea how to explain because I don't understand it myself). Any English teacher I've ever had can attest that I don't know this stuff in English, much less Spanish. It is SO HARD. Sometimes I love my tutor to death and
sometimes I want to punch him in the throat.
I am certain the feeling is mutual.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
When communicating with my co-workers, who are eager to learn English, I have to talk very slowly. And when they speak to me in Spanish, they must also speak slowly. It's weird how I've learned to do this. <br />
<br />
I<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Speak<br />
<br />
<br />
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Like<br />
<br />
<br />
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<br />
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Now<br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />
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People<br />
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And<br />
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Well.<br />
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When I don't, I can tell by the look in their eye that what I said didn't register. When I speak super slowly, we make progress. And they do the same for me. We have found a groove. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At home, Davis’ Spanish beats us all. According to everyone that meets him, he has
no accent when he speaks and doesn't sound like a foreigner like us – he sounds
like a native Peruano. He is often our
translator when we go out and boy does he love it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My husband’s Spanish is worse than mine, but he tries. He is from South Carolina and
if you know him, you know that his English is also suspect. I have to translate his English into English
for others.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Over the past few months I've had hundreds of “Aha!” Spanish
moments and fun interactions, but I thought I’d share three of them with you
that represent themes of my day-to-day challenges, or at Heifer, we like to call them <i>opportunities</i>:<o:p></o:p></div>
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1. I visited a project in Cusco in January (<a href="http://www.heifer.org/ourwork-standalone/sew-what?msource=KIK8J200020">you can read about it here</a>) and normally when Heifer staff from the Lima office or Headquarters office visit projects, they are expected to speak to the group. I was ready. I practiced my speech in Spanish and felt so good about what I was going to say and just got all proud....and I delivered it perfectly. But the reception was still cold. Like, crickets in the room kind of cold. I didn't get it. I looked over at my Heifer co-worker and she whispered gently "They speak Quechua here." </div>
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Freakin' SIGH.</div>
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Quechua is one of the indigenous languages in the high Andean region. The women I was addressing all spoke it and very little Spanish. So, a project partner translated my perfectly prepared speech into Quechua and then I got a round of applause and warm smiles. </div>
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2. I’m not funny here
and sarcasm and jokes don’t translate. I
think I’m humorous enough in English and can crack a good one here and there, but... Not here, man. Some of my best lines fall so flat, nothing but blank faces. I feel like
such an idiot. I've told my tutor and coworkers a dozen times, "I promise I'm smart in English. I promise I'm funny." </div>
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Certain phrases that we use all the time in English just don’t translate here. While travelling in Puno with a film maker, he (jokingly) called one of my co-workers a “sour-puss” and then told me to translate it. She looked at me (as the English expert in her life) and wanted to know what a sour-puss was. Geeeeez. Break <i>those</i> two words down. How to explain that? And I was like, “It’s someone who is real uptight.” More blank stares. Uptight? The more I tried to explain, the deeper the hole I dug.</div>
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And finally...</div>
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3. There is a street vendor near my office. When I get off the bus most mornings I stop here and get a breakfast sandwich of some sort. For weeks, I would stop and ask nicely “Pan con huevos, por favor?” or “Bread with eggs, please?” </div>
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<b><i><u>Or so I thought</u>. </i></b> </div>
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The dude always looked at me funny and I kinda had to fight for service/attention. I didn’t get it. What was I doing wrong? Why was he ignoring me? One day my Spanish tutor and I were walking by the vendor and I stopped. When I asked “Pan con h<u>uevos</u>, por favor?” my tutor choked on his own tongue. </div>
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The difference in pronunciation is small but the meaning is huge: </div>
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'Huevos' is pronounced<i> 'hway-vose' </i>and it means EGGS.</div>
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but I was actually saying....every day for weeks and weeks....</div>
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"Pan con <u>huevon</u>" and 'huevon' is pronounced '<i>way-vone</i>" and it means BALLS. </div>
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My tutor, ever so gently told me “Don’t say that Jessica. You’re not asking for bread with eggs.” </div>
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Turns out, I’ve been asking all this time ..... for “bread with balls” – </div>
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and not the soccer ones. </div>
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Alrighty, <a href="http://youtu.be/7MoWQSe3txY">so here is the only song I know about eggs but it just seems appropriate for some reason </a>- and a Beatles one nonetheless that Davis likes to play air drums to. Performed by someone who is actually funny. </div>
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<br />Jessica Hughes Cliftonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283215483717474304noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638760227309672207.post-68160677427556876042013-02-13T07:16:00.000-08:002013-02-13T07:16:20.970-08:00Sew What? Heifer International posted one of my stories on heifer.org. It is called <a href="http://www.heifer.org/ourwork-standalone/sew-what?vfull=1&msource=KIK8J200020">"Sew What?"</a> and it details a recent experience I had in Cusco during a project visit. <br />
<br />
I can't copy the story on my blog, but you can follow the link below to read it. I'm really proud that it was published, but I'm even more proud to have seen the great work that Heifer does to empower women. If you like some Heifer, you'll like this story. If you don't know much about Heifer, you should read it because it will help you understand what we do. So....<br />
<br />
Read it!<br />
<br />
Share it!<br />
<br />
Remember it. <br />
<br />
Click <a href="http://www.heifer.org/ourwork-standalone/sew-what?vfull=1&msource=KIK8J200020">HERE</a> to read my story.<br />
<br />
And, once you've read it, you can actually make a donation DIRECTLY to Heifer Peru. <a href="https://secure1.heifer.org/fund-a-project/peru-building-a-sustainable-way-of-life.html">Follow this link </a>to give to Heifer Peru. It is the greatest cause in the world. <br />
<br />
<br />Jessica Hughes Cliftonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283215483717474304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638760227309672207.post-1018973201530817212013-02-03T18:24:00.001-08:002013-02-03T18:24:40.388-08:00Get me through December<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
“I promise I’ll remember.
Get me through December so I can start again.”</div>
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What a great song. At
the end of this post I’ll provide a link so you can hear it. I sang it all month.
For some reason I kept saying those words to myself. This is a one year gig. Getting through December meant a lot of
things for me. It meant that I was halfway through this adventure.</div>
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There have been some downs and ups. More ups, though, and I often need to remind myself when I'm getting down or insecure, that I made a few major changes in 2012. Like...<br />
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I got married.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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I gave my son a stepdad.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I quit my job.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I started a new job.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I moved to a different house.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I moved to a different country.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I moved to a different country that doesn't speak my language.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I got a haircut I didn't like.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The last 6 months have not been for the faint of heart. Take any ONE of these things and do it and see how it alters
your life. It isn't insignificant. So at the risk of sounding egocentric, I’m
going to pat myself on the back just a little bit right now and remind myself
that I have done all of them at one time and I’m not failing too miserably at any of
them and my hair has grown out nicely.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Okay, done with that.</div>
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In 2012, I did something else new - for me. I threw a
New Year’s Eve party. It was small and
intimate, but fun. I almost always go to
bed at about 9:45 on December 31<sup>st</sup> because I think the whole NYE
thing is anticlimactic and pointless.
But hell, we’re in Peru and they like to rock it out so why not. When in Rome…<o:p></o:p></div>
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My folks were here too and I knew they probably planned to
go to bed at 9:45 too so it pushed us all out of our comfort zones. A few of my bestest Peruvian girlfriends
helped and we decorated our home in the Peruvian custom of all things dressed in yellow. <o:p></o:p></div>
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On NYE in Peru you have to wear yellow underwear for good
luck and happiness. Or red underwear for
love, green for money, and white for health or fertility. You’re supposed to eat 12 grapes and make a
wish after each one. You also distribute
small amounts of rice to everyone present and everyone keeps it in their
pocket. And you’re supposed to drink
Pisco. The Cliftons and Hugheses complied
with it all! Davis was the only kid there and he was great. He is good at hanging with adults. We danced and laughed and counted down and
watched the fireworks from our terrace.
It was a great time and I’m glad we did it. Here are some photos from the night…</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlik7j-4c82HRPgPx1apoSGLl-m6xBdTgKfuoL4sSgwK6Mo73JX7g8HOGhxfTpUAhh6gmT3AQ-dznEYbPOXRS-nwsb52k3n1f8Nujei7LZie7NrX_RLlS42Kus_biAqg66B6D3YuJnOmI/s1600/LTC_4814.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlik7j-4c82HRPgPx1apoSGLl-m6xBdTgKfuoL4sSgwK6Mo73JX7g8HOGhxfTpUAhh6gmT3AQ-dznEYbPOXRS-nwsb52k3n1f8Nujei7LZie7NrX_RLlS42Kus_biAqg66B6D3YuJnOmI/s400/LTC_4814.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Davis and Granny help prepare the house decor while I give instructions from the couch. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSJXqT3qHX85iyJ-2Hp5bIIvNcwkuPRbCW073xQPMglOFuUpZqLyYLGi7Ul1NLPWL8m2ELK7KvPQyHXMh-ovATcyqmYwPx1UvXO4kn1aqRjGOp7m0hrkSnxD9o1dnsYiGpR84exmxxdbY/s1600/LTC_4843.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSJXqT3qHX85iyJ-2Hp5bIIvNcwkuPRbCW073xQPMglOFuUpZqLyYLGi7Ul1NLPWL8m2ELK7KvPQyHXMh-ovATcyqmYwPx1UvXO4kn1aqRjGOp7m0hrkSnxD9o1dnsYiGpR84exmxxdbY/s400/LTC_4843.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Davis is prepared and ever so handsome.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDjrr9qTF5tbbi68beijhBpGfJcoIUAk_V2eUOojNajVtwgNc0aPQATWFfoYtuYUL82Ie7Hxae4Sz7ra36oY8cgV_WwZV0zY8aehGC6Q0MpKeaP4f7Vx7MuEDmd0xbMRJbBIuQphNxzhk/s1600/LTC_4817.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDjrr9qTF5tbbi68beijhBpGfJcoIUAk_V2eUOojNajVtwgNc0aPQATWFfoYtuYUL82Ie7Hxae4Sz7ra36oY8cgV_WwZV0zY8aehGC6Q0MpKeaP4f7Vx7MuEDmd0xbMRJbBIuQphNxzhk/s400/LTC_4817.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One perk of having a photographer husband is that when he has his camera in his hand, he is conscious and thoughtful....and captures moments like this when you don't know it. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-yeKvAwhHzqdIGaAKJnV55G0ZyJlpFN7hg3ZRpRIJW2323uyFEMN73UQXADADkG4TKCc8sLCip1al-TPXS4hV6QFsavmNPpHATVI0QAW0ghiEu5g5wZJRvQH4S7mPCz3N0w5Yf2iKqOg/s1600/LTC_4846.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-yeKvAwhHzqdIGaAKJnV55G0ZyJlpFN7hg3ZRpRIJW2323uyFEMN73UQXADADkG4TKCc8sLCip1al-TPXS4hV6QFsavmNPpHATVI0QAW0ghiEu5g5wZJRvQH4S7mPCz3N0w5Yf2iKqOg/s400/LTC_4846.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Preparing more yellow</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSeXqUjM6yR-6qdFpYq0-dTQftsFSfZJltNvjnzqf_K38msG2IcQUAGba-IKK9h_oOp6G_d77mdXe4LGiWwOXmqLlVeDKwvueFc96uRIs34dO52QJo8-e_tnT2GJ2b4e9R77MngS7x6e4/s1600/LTC_4858_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSeXqUjM6yR-6qdFpYq0-dTQftsFSfZJltNvjnzqf_K38msG2IcQUAGba-IKK9h_oOp6G_d77mdXe4LGiWwOXmqLlVeDKwvueFc96uRIs34dO52QJo8-e_tnT2GJ2b4e9R77MngS7x6e4/s400/LTC_4858_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You think this boy will remember all this? I sure hope so.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz9WdMXIEdL-LhvR-OJjoXnLmNj3p1pV3Xygsmno-Z9JxQ_3UBcEvPZI7KeR2SHGlkWict9sZQjT-ZVYWBe9STsMQiKaU4QtOsEeXUYQWh34YDNYcPMTk7_dO_W0vCZwJn0m95ych5LYA/s1600/LTC_4864_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz9WdMXIEdL-LhvR-OJjoXnLmNj3p1pV3Xygsmno-Z9JxQ_3UBcEvPZI7KeR2SHGlkWict9sZQjT-ZVYWBe9STsMQiKaU4QtOsEeXUYQWh34YDNYcPMTk7_dO_W0vCZwJn0m95ych5LYA/s400/LTC_4864_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Having a good time</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinDmU7KAqU2TsyXavQG7Q3j9Ix4-6FYRMFTqdrABFe7KjjxI-dYyHbABNR_bZe94O5fPk7E3otMo2cSx9gjIljdHm9LPTOEXwO2s9n6SJMfEy-Adktwu9Ca6vLFYRgp97CNjTWkhBosXU/s1600/LTC_4878.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinDmU7KAqU2TsyXavQG7Q3j9Ix4-6FYRMFTqdrABFe7KjjxI-dYyHbABNR_bZe94O5fPk7E3otMo2cSx9gjIljdHm9LPTOEXwO2s9n6SJMfEy-Adktwu9Ca6vLFYRgp97CNjTWkhBosXU/s400/LTC_4878.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From our terrace. The fireworks went on all night long. Not bad, huh?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmNxgkUvyQPPzFEbJf0DySM7clvA_FXhdnqkbl8P60lCEUOwia8JXmrhD_ZC7-65ntZImp2vXCU3i1zXfhNwxGLx08u0cQV1mUgpkkEwcmQTuSHG3yPhXsc_zi1E-1587LTuZZcUIaHq4/s1600/LTC_4945.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmNxgkUvyQPPzFEbJf0DySM7clvA_FXhdnqkbl8P60lCEUOwia8JXmrhD_ZC7-65ntZImp2vXCU3i1zXfhNwxGLx08u0cQV1mUgpkkEwcmQTuSHG3yPhXsc_zi1E-1587LTuZZcUIaHq4/s400/LTC_4945.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The finest Peruvian ladies you'll ever meet.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDLf39wBiQ6Gdp_Hi2zMtPqNhTwNHa5DIsOnykzUkENwVBK97deQYrC3XjYGA-LRxhpfOGZk7RJSfzJmitQtpEaM62Ixmy3-ZM9x30pxHivT8z_30hbwffKbTf_vRwC3thWuNOezCsats/s1600/LTC_4952.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDLf39wBiQ6Gdp_Hi2zMtPqNhTwNHa5DIsOnykzUkENwVBK97deQYrC3XjYGA-LRxhpfOGZk7RJSfzJmitQtpEaM62Ixmy3-ZM9x30pxHivT8z_30hbwffKbTf_vRwC3thWuNOezCsats/s400/LTC_4952.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And I don't know any of these people. Honestly.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRwMgr3Tr2-uRar3XjVfMCQCzZXP8Q4GxoVXuGsQ6IsXdTqhOoWDozHfa9y08-W2WTGGcAOTucctfV_7DXcXAvPpWY5uZsjFXUhQuKw_rTccbISuWawXcKGPeUHmbEs80zdJhzFhS-UI0/s1600/LTC_4826.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRwMgr3Tr2-uRar3XjVfMCQCzZXP8Q4GxoVXuGsQ6IsXdTqhOoWDozHfa9y08-W2WTGGcAOTucctfV_7DXcXAvPpWY5uZsjFXUhQuKw_rTccbISuWawXcKGPeUHmbEs80zdJhzFhS-UI0/s400/LTC_4826.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remember how I said we made our own ornaments for our tree? Yeah....</td></tr>
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I did punk out a little bit though. I went to bed at 2:00 am and left everyone to their partying. I was just so tired. But wouldn't you know, those folks cleaned up before they left. I woke up to a clean house. I can't think of a better start to a new year. <br />
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<div>
All of this to say, Happy New Year everyone, on February 3rd. Halfway point. When I think about my life right at this moment versus 7 months ago, I feel like a completely different person and I wouldn't change a thing - every minute has brought me right here. This experience has rocked my world in a thousand different ways. All of which I am thankful for.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://youtu.be/qcWN6gmDKT0">Click here.</a></div>
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Jessica Hughes Cliftonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283215483717474304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638760227309672207.post-64048307387617244512013-02-01T17:58:00.000-08:002013-02-02T14:15:09.950-08:00Granny and Papaw Survive Peru<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
They made it! I mentioned in my last post that my parents arrived in Lima on Christmas night. This was their very first time to leave the USA. I am still so proud of them for coming here and truly honored that they spent the money and took the time to visit us. </div>
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Oh and what a trip it was! Country folks in the city, let me tell ya. They were great. They rode the bus with me to work, ate a bunch of foods that they didn't want, tried to speak Spanish, visited Davis' school, drank Pisco Sours, all kinds of stuff. It was a whirlwind trip and we enjoyed every minute that they were here.</div>
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On the first day we took them to the Santa Cruz market near our house and then walked to the ocean. They were blown away by the sights, smells and sounds of both. We bought a watermelon at the market, of course. It must be hard to get good watermelon in Arkansas right now because Dad acted like it was the greatest thing he'd ever tasted. I took them to the spot where I showed Davis the ocean for the first time. We sat on a bench and ate our watermelon and then walked along the Malecon.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day one in Peru. Granny and Papaw sure are happy to see their grandson. He was happy to see them too.</td></tr>
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One fun part of the trip was to see their reactions to things that I now take for granted but knew they would find totally insane. Like the traffic. Stop signs? Turn signals? Red lights? Lines on the road? Speed limits? Merely suggestions. Deep down, I actually wondered if they wouldn't want to travel anywhere after they experienced the joys of a random taxi ride in Lima. But Dad actually started laughing. Even if it was to hide the sheer terror, he laughed. Mom didn't. She held on and whispered four letter words under her breath. They don't have many taxis in Arkansas y'all. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad actually enjoying his first taxi ride.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Visiting my office!</td></tr>
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I was off of work for two weeks around Christmas (most of the Heifer office closes down) and I spent all my free time with them. Bryan and I decided to use their visit to do some of our own exploring in Peru. We all headed south of Lima to visit the coastal town of Paracas and then hired a car to take us inland an hour to the other cool town of Huacachina. We took a bus to and from. It was about a 3 hour ride. Mom and Dad had never been on a bus like that. In Peru, everyone uses buses to get around. We used the Cruz del Sur bus line and let me tell ya, they put Greyhound to SHAME. It was like first class in an airplane. </div>
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This trip gave them a chance to ride along the Pan-American highway, see the Pacific Ocean and see a small piece of the Peruvian landscape and how some folks live. </div>
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Like in the houses below....</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taken from the bus</td></tr>
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Paracas is known for a few interesting things, it is a small town and district, but it is best known for its national reserve. An ancient Andean society existed here between 750 BC and 100 AD. It has a lot of marine wildlife just off the coast in a group of islands called the Ballesta islands. We took a boat out to the islands. On our way out there, we happened upon this little thing... </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">El Candelabro or The Candelabra</td></tr>
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The
Candelabra was interesting. It's like the equivalent of a Nazca line or
a crop sign...it is a prehistoric geoglyph. Scientists found pottery
nearby and carbon testing shows it to be from around 200 BC. It is hard
to tell from the picture, but it is actually 2 feet deep in the sand
and 595 feet tall. BIG. They are still not sure who created it or
why. But whoever did knew what they were doing because the wind doesn't
mess it up and it never rains there. It hasn't changed at all since
being discovered. You can see it 12 miles out from sea. Pretty amazing,
despite the look on Davis' face.</div>
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Moving
along the ocean, we finally came upon the Ballesta islands. These
islands are home to hundreds of thousands of various bird species and
lots of sea lions. Oh the birds. Everywhere. So many so, that the
Peru government has created an industry around collecting the bird poo
and exporting it to England and Cuba for fertilizer.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birds. <br />
There were hundreds of thousands of them blanketing the island. See the white stuff? Bird poo. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There is actually a house and plant on the islands to collect the bird poo and ship it off. They have to wait until the poo is THREE FEET deep before collecting. As we passed the poo plant, I said a little prayer thanking God that I didn't live on a poo island and that my job isn't to collect poo. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then we saw sea lions! These things are so cute and weird and loud.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Think we're having a good time yet? </td></tr>
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So that was a cool outing. We gathered back at the beach where most of the restaurants and shops and hotels are and had some lunch. Later we walked along the beach for a while and did some exploring. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUfYgEutyDE4HbtKuqG2i8zuXp2Tg44r40TXGyMWtFDKwKtAuY7Z59t2IlZNBTBgQxLAvgL_CHdK00g8hi5bPyy_yZdKI2VruYINMeoVBhh0dMSGKQeO1n883Sl6esOWRIMqvuNuodll0/s1600/IMG_0146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUfYgEutyDE4HbtKuqG2i8zuXp2Tg44r40TXGyMWtFDKwKtAuY7Z59t2IlZNBTBgQxLAvgL_CHdK00g8hi5bPyy_yZdKI2VruYINMeoVBhh0dMSGKQeO1n883Sl6esOWRIMqvuNuodll0/s400/IMG_0146.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look what Davis found! This thing was about 5 feet long. Ewwwwwww.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And he still jumped right in the water.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Check out that awesome shirt I'm wearing. Courtesy of one Cindy Whitaker, my best home girl in the world. She got me that shirt for Crimmus. My new favorite thing ever. </td></tr>
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After lunch and chillin' on the beach a while, we took a tour of the national reserve. This was done entirely in Spanish but I got the point of most of it. Of course, mom and dad did not, but they enjoyed the view. </div>
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*sidenote* I know my Spanish has gotten better. The reason I know this is because I double checked that the tour was available in English before we left. And they promised me, in English, that it was. I was disappointed that it was all in Spanish. So after the tour I took my self right up to the front desk attendant, who this time didn't speak English, and negotiated a refund for a large portion of the tour. And I did it in Spanish. True story.</div>
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We saw some cool stuff on that tour - but of course, the details are much more fuzzy since it was in Spanish. :-) Here are some shots from the "playa rojo" or "red beach" and the some other fun shots....</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_idRY_-maw_6VTE8vMohU2CRFtDrasn0jppCJq8DWeh6Gk_N3xOp2CckuxQjmthSfLTu1kMC1I3v_AFe8daqMuqALa4SZ0C8j_g3qFnssWD1Sid5N9wch-nPGvXQpijHaN6Zaotrk-t4/s1600/IMG_0313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_idRY_-maw_6VTE8vMohU2CRFtDrasn0jppCJq8DWeh6Gk_N3xOp2CckuxQjmthSfLTu1kMC1I3v_AFe8daqMuqALa4SZ0C8j_g3qFnssWD1Sid5N9wch-nPGvXQpijHaN6Zaotrk-t4/s400/IMG_0313.JPG" width="317" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two happy boys on the red beach in the Paracas reserve</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgimTwT3ehyphenhyphenmX-kRrj-MhktvXOeu2AO9qjinBn8kpDcGVahUBs3a9QCkE0sS35KfOR1H92rKUF3XmyIEJ6DO_OA9AUrSxEFOwGKxmGhtPFFb4AVAclBHPyIdYKpBbJFXqxEfgDjYPlzZsc/s1600/IMG_0294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgimTwT3ehyphenhyphenmX-kRrj-MhktvXOeu2AO9qjinBn8kpDcGVahUBs3a9QCkE0sS35KfOR1H92rKUF3XmyIEJ6DO_OA9AUrSxEFOwGKxmGhtPFFb4AVAclBHPyIdYKpBbJFXqxEfgDjYPlzZsc/s400/IMG_0294.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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So that was Paracas. Geez this is a long post. </div>
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We headed from there to Huacachina. Which was even better. It is an oasis in the desert. Literally! I thought those things only existed in movies or cartoons. It's a real thing! There is a small lagoon in the middle of tall sand dunes with palm trees and everything. We checked into the hotel and Papaw and Davis jumped into the pool under Granny's supervision while Bryan and I went for a walk to check out the town. This was all before we had actually seen the lagoon. As we walked up to it, in the middle of that dessert, that lagoon was like a dream. I literally ran back to the hotel and told them to forget the pool, come and get in a row boat and row across the lagoon! When else in your life do you get to do stuff like this? Never! They hopped right out and dressed and lo and behold:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOu581mAVUWa2LDKTGWwyERjzJ81C76MTCSZEpF5-kqsP_eBwbSe2nNCgUajL3e6AhpzigwV_LWnIqM9pxlfI4tmAojhm7yAaM5RBXtnHtOWqUgP3CAs_espXWqWzpcZNsg0URd_kgmas/s1600/DSCN3444.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOu581mAVUWa2LDKTGWwyERjzJ81C76MTCSZEpF5-kqsP_eBwbSe2nNCgUajL3e6AhpzigwV_LWnIqM9pxlfI4tmAojhm7yAaM5RBXtnHtOWqUgP3CAs_espXWqWzpcZNsg0URd_kgmas/s400/DSCN3444.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBmv12izZFopDKTU-NUD7ZPK9VX17BeRamjtgOjFPxzEDt35mGV3MJd1KuwZHiElqNFy1bE5ueC5Uxn0aOu1ZTDGE8rgBw7xOKHvNroqsbisAaIKDfkWTkzThs3IR4Gs2PI0lShJKcnww/s1600/DSCN3450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBmv12izZFopDKTU-NUD7ZPK9VX17BeRamjtgOjFPxzEDt35mGV3MJd1KuwZHiElqNFy1bE5ueC5Uxn0aOu1ZTDGE8rgBw7xOKHvNroqsbisAaIKDfkWTkzThs3IR4Gs2PI0lShJKcnww/s400/DSCN3450.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everyone took a turn row row rowing their boats across the lagoon while the sunset over the sand dunes. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnIljlfmdj8cVEkA74I0r9owDsU3oWcE3e1UOqaXfpgHBP5cBO804ieJXsor_1wJcBw0cyGtJbVizVVNd56k7l-mtU-XceTSRbpSacZm4Tn804SO_84SZFlzSTRU-PalsdqYF-EOipB4E/s1600/DSCN3458.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnIljlfmdj8cVEkA74I0r9owDsU3oWcE3e1UOqaXfpgHBP5cBO804ieJXsor_1wJcBw0cyGtJbVizVVNd56k7l-mtU-XceTSRbpSacZm4Tn804SO_84SZFlzSTRU-PalsdqYF-EOipB4E/s400/DSCN3458.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Tom Tom Hughes sitting in a rowboat on a lagoon in the middle of the dessert in Paracas, Peru.</td></tr>
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The next morning we went riding in dune buggies! Turns out they're called dune buggies for a reason! All my life I'd used the word and maybe rode in one somewhere, but these were the real deal. This was hands down the best part of the trip. When I grow up I want to be a dune buggy driver. They went so fast and drove so crazy and whipped us around all over the sand dunes. It was incredibly fun. THEN, they stopped and we were like, "What?" and they were like "Sandboarding!" So we did! All of us. Best day ever.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe02hNRg4BHVc1mfMZVQs7MBcCTtYRv0NdNfRpe5h2pr7EwjYBOBEdI66bvGV6iZwLik_b0e_jCKIDyz3rT-jGJcyfunJ4PpTYE_llFJiN2OCerOtIbkekd1yxVde3NctNOIDYHi_jYL4/s1600/IMG_1968.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe02hNRg4BHVc1mfMZVQs7MBcCTtYRv0NdNfRpe5h2pr7EwjYBOBEdI66bvGV6iZwLik_b0e_jCKIDyz3rT-jGJcyfunJ4PpTYE_llFJiN2OCerOtIbkekd1yxVde3NctNOIDYHi_jYL4/s400/IMG_1968.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty far away from Redfield, Arkansas wouldn't you say? How fun is this picture!!!<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Tl8XC3Pt_ERcUIDYHwlM2aBGcuxTZJYuBRIHDUcLg8E5axk33Bsf_pi_8nMDSnfbfTmkzC_EGW4xDBFgFPm7i7H-scPb6zhy2KcbtNgnUObeaPqLO1jYdp0hY5tbSLMz0GdAuVQymdE/s1600/IMG_1952.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Tl8XC3Pt_ERcUIDYHwlM2aBGcuxTZJYuBRIHDUcLg8E5axk33Bsf_pi_8nMDSnfbfTmkzC_EGW4xDBFgFPm7i7H-scPb6zhy2KcbtNgnUObeaPqLO1jYdp0hY5tbSLMz0GdAuVQymdE/s400/IMG_1952.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw2s2CHXaB-ZpJVsC7GhtUIsKl6Eh6m0uYCDFl0JsGtxXdTJ3RmkfnUA0wpXdLeI0fnrXNQxYqWyIhMtDC0Xhc2kiIfHfWAx42dW2QZUSCCl4Z6svLXUVLNX0KyyXyXv1W3fzPMzGHimY/s1600/IMG_0324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw2s2CHXaB-ZpJVsC7GhtUIsKl6Eh6m0uYCDFl0JsGtxXdTJ3RmkfnUA0wpXdLeI0fnrXNQxYqWyIhMtDC0Xhc2kiIfHfWAx42dW2QZUSCCl4Z6svLXUVLNX0KyyXyXv1W3fzPMzGHimY/s400/IMG_0324.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Probably talking about fishing.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjORrHJYxNhCbeJAo9W8uK6B4YeabB9xM1mH9bHBmsuaBT63nvP3p7IALwPd44Vi5Ggs1TRmK1yyRuuyiXd_VgoGRDdacSw-X7WjUMQQhio4t-XWEsBWUAV33BNw07prxH8UH-vSGFN1FU/s1600/IMG_0336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjORrHJYxNhCbeJAo9W8uK6B4YeabB9xM1mH9bHBmsuaBT63nvP3p7IALwPd44Vi5Ggs1TRmK1yyRuuyiXd_VgoGRDdacSw-X7WjUMQQhio4t-XWEsBWUAV33BNw07prxH8UH-vSGFN1FU/s400/IMG_0336.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the coolest shot from the trip (probably because Bryan took it) - it is from our seat in the buggy looking out over the lagoon and the town of Huacachina below. </td></tr>
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After dune buggy rides, we headed home back to Lima. That was 48 hours of my life that I'll never forget. We were tired but oh so happy to be together all sharing in these new adventures. I'm pretty sure my folks will remember it too. We saw some cool stuff. And for them, they saw the landscape of a developing country. I think they learned some things here, some real things. At least I hope so. And at the very least, we were together. I hope that they had as much fun as we did. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCfqZ3Bq5C5_vgu5u3Yazn7tAbhvfAANwuNS3mL_BXPD1sJu18r9qvOLX9AEn3laKRh80UsuW7pMQH4HlIghscGac-pjg0LsrqH6wNn0UgjF3jvmZmIgOqYuaP2kE-xttBMj2Fk_SjNE4/s1600/IMG_0327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCfqZ3Bq5C5_vgu5u3Yazn7tAbhvfAANwuNS3mL_BXPD1sJu18r9qvOLX9AEn3laKRh80UsuW7pMQH4HlIghscGac-pjg0LsrqH6wNn0UgjF3jvmZmIgOqYuaP2kE-xttBMj2Fk_SjNE4/s400/IMG_0327.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think they did.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNilLN44XJL4Z5_WyjkDBwa0lzYwOtF84ACltq-RH5-RnbpqvL2m4kwVKgp-IKydjLCxdn3-lPXILhU5_TtmaWl8CNwXG8sG3FKrWtNTD70MnA-oqSNXx3iFJvOyFalKGzICJyMz_HIBc/s1600/IMG_0311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNilLN44XJL4Z5_WyjkDBwa0lzYwOtF84ACltq-RH5-RnbpqvL2m4kwVKgp-IKydjLCxdn3-lPXILhU5_TtmaWl8CNwXG8sG3FKrWtNTD70MnA-oqSNXx3iFJvOyFalKGzICJyMz_HIBc/s400/IMG_0311.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
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<br />Jessica Hughes Cliftonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283215483717474304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638760227309672207.post-88389786615797130562013-01-26T17:51:00.001-08:002013-01-26T17:51:27.202-08:00Simply HavingA wonderful Christmas time.<br />
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Well, it’s been a while.
Like two months. Sorry about
that. I won’t bore you with why. The holidays were wonderful but stressful and
my focus just hasn’t been on blogging.
BUT/AND, they were great. So this
and a couple of other posts this week will provide December/January wrap ups – because
I have notes and pictures and want to remember it. Hopefully you can find some entertainment and
humor and love in them too.<o:p></o:p></div>
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December was good.
After our less than conventional Thanksgiving, we started gearing up for
the holidays because that meant visitors to our home. I was so excited. We all were.
Bryan’s mother came in December for a week and my parents arrived on
Christmas night and stayed a week too.
Twas wonderful to have family around.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Something important to me every year since I’ve had my own
home is the ritual of decorating the Christmas tree using the same ornaments
from my childhood and those collected over the last 10 years. I still have the cheap Wal-mart glass balls
from my first year that I lived in Laramie.
This year, we had to start from scratch since we didn’t ship any
Christmas décor over. We took off for
the “Centro de Lima” (Lima Center) where they have what seemed like 5,000
vendors all selling Christmas lights that play a horrible rendition of “Santa
Claus is Coming to Town.” This is near
downtown Lima and it was so crowded; you walk through the streets and stores
and it kind of feels like when you’re leaving a stadium and everyone is headed
for the same exits. All the time. Christmas crap everywhere. It’s where many of the city vendors buy their
wares for selling all over the city.
Kinda like the Peruvian version of Sams Club. Davis, Bryan and I found a small tree and
handful of ornaments and some lights.
Just enough to get us started. I also
bought some glitter and popsicle sticks and we decided to make as many
ornaments as we could. I later found an
Artisan handicraft market in Kennedy Park which was awesome. There we bought real Peruvian ornaments made
from artisans. So – our tree had
potential.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoZIYXT2pbxiKUf_6lS556S_EGhqKNdN4-cAqgDG1JRqDNnHY10nFiG7k1lzwubelIVcgsg5YmuLlo8BKK_fwntAkthup3bTHlNXWxzihSYhsCeCeIe9ynvl9UzGfwiM7q4TbkoRf4SNA/s1600/LTC_2391.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoZIYXT2pbxiKUf_6lS556S_EGhqKNdN4-cAqgDG1JRqDNnHY10nFiG7k1lzwubelIVcgsg5YmuLlo8BKK_fwntAkthup3bTHlNXWxzihSYhsCeCeIe9ynvl9UzGfwiM7q4TbkoRf4SNA/s320/LTC_2391.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We also purchased a nativity scene in the Centro de Lima. It's pretty cool; and one of the wise men <br />looks like King Friday. </td></tr>
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We popped some popcorn and threaded it to make a popcorn
garland. I also used the wreath I was
given in Nunoa to wrap the tree. I had come across, for 5 soles, a bag of tiny Peruvian flags so we covered the
tree in those too. We built a makeshift
tree topper using a – wait for it – homemade bat skeleton and popsicle
snowflake covered in glitter. Bryan’s
grandmother made him the skeleton thingy 30 years ago and Davis and I made the
popsicle snowflake that very day. </div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh95WWkZYGKlj2uGRRi5OYY_1X1G6PHcglRkXI2XnxbAsCFQZHKtS0oJKLThfgH09gfxWXxN18XHaUOoX8WamM4uHGe7MjpPgDoXeXbuRgh4RwEOtJaLOSe3s-JUNWtv_0nxpu8etrqRUY/s1600/IMG_1667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh95WWkZYGKlj2uGRRi5OYY_1X1G6PHcglRkXI2XnxbAsCFQZHKtS0oJKLThfgH09gfxWXxN18XHaUOoX8WamM4uHGe7MjpPgDoXeXbuRgh4RwEOtJaLOSe3s-JUNWtv_0nxpu8etrqRUY/s320/IMG_1667.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Peru flags and Peruvian snowman</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhIN19ubn8Pd29HN3ZLik60byPv-rK-e3Ng8wi9vG5dTDi77dqwPYNZWs-xSW1LI5jtlNsj9RQW8qB2bu208IDG61wtU4s-5LZka_TLzY9fYzJjbeeXiQlWrqW0YsG07PZwl01OahmJHI/s1600/IMG_1202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhIN19ubn8Pd29HN3ZLik60byPv-rK-e3Ng8wi9vG5dTDi77dqwPYNZWs-xSW1LI5jtlNsj9RQW8qB2bu208IDG61wtU4s-5LZka_TLzY9fYzJjbeeXiQlWrqW0YsG07PZwl01OahmJHI/s320/IMG_1202.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The wreath from Nunoa</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigqIxmsTQaoBlNMbB-XI0XrTafbnJKY2Dazz0sM6w0WaSprrWtVBqC2d0RcJc2XHzFjlAkeytP_GxSXilnVkO0l0sekSg7rv194f8D6GeRkZEUkfAbBQttQgx0D3TaRMUiZMszZe_1_O8/s1600/LTC_4781.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigqIxmsTQaoBlNMbB-XI0XrTafbnJKY2Dazz0sM6w0WaSprrWtVBqC2d0RcJc2XHzFjlAkeytP_GxSXilnVkO0l0sekSg7rv194f8D6GeRkZEUkfAbBQttQgx0D3TaRMUiZMszZe_1_O8/s320/LTC_4781.jpg" width="268" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is one of the artisan pieces I found at the handicraft fair. Isn't this country fascinating? I never thought I'd have two skeletons to decorate my home for Christmas....</td></tr>
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<i>(side note: Every
guest that visited our home was completely fascinated, or maybe just confused,
about our use of the popcorn garland.
They had never seen anything like it before. Is this just a southern poor people’s thing? Don’t lots of folks make a popcorn
garland? Whatever. What I don’t understand, is why they didn’t
look twice at the bat skeleton on top.)</i><o:p></o:p><br />
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I’m happy to say that our tree was freakin’ beautiful. And we have lots of funky ornaments to take
home with us and open next year.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ciaeZDWhyphenhyphen2hY94U3gTrn9CxsqfmXQFi9OLItesuHpk2B4KB6JTH2wYyRMx9dGLMPxYSqXV3753LIweCJZoEQPhclsrrlQPWqwrQr5K4kMqbbFzxVczIG_PQZvi6yPbvtarGWicpt7e8/s1600/DSC01277.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ciaeZDWhyphenhyphen2hY94U3gTrn9CxsqfmXQFi9OLItesuHpk2B4KB6JTH2wYyRMx9dGLMPxYSqXV3753LIweCJZoEQPhclsrrlQPWqwrQr5K4kMqbbFzxVczIG_PQZvi6yPbvtarGWicpt7e8/s400/DSC01277.jpg" width="310" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Isn't it pretty? Bat skeleton thing and all.</td></tr>
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Another major event in December: My 31<sup>st</sup> birthday. Not quite the fuss as 30. 31 just came and went like all other
birthdays without an 0 on the end of it.
But I had a nice day. BC took me
to see the new James Bond, which was awesome.
The movie and the experience. I hadn't been to a movie since moving here.
And they had servers in the theater.
That served full meals. And
wine. With uniforms and trays. OMG. What
a treat!<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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THEN, my coworkers bought me a cake and sang happy birthday
in Spanish and English and later we partied hard at the restaurant
Boliviana. I got totally wasted on
Pisco, salsa danced all night, dropped it like its hot with my girlfriends and
met a few new folks that I think will be lifelong friends. If the image below is blurry, just know that it is
indicative of the entire night. And I have no idea who took this picture.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_l_P9zL56-SEQkaS35IQxw2bBPJ-kar38ChRWfwoRcN_42xh32_QMT2qmevg4lWFMafe-d7werWvWcBL9lhWFDHlFgJwiDLK81DVr-GJhKuphorrBoYa9kpPe72XM8XKcJ3LL5VL5_w/s1600/IMG_1910.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_l_P9zL56-SEQkaS35IQxw2bBPJ-kar38ChRWfwoRcN_42xh32_QMT2qmevg4lWFMafe-d7werWvWcBL9lhWFDHlFgJwiDLK81DVr-GJhKuphorrBoYa9kpPe72XM8XKcJ3LL5VL5_w/s200/IMG_1910.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It is small on purpose because I don't want you to see it too clearly. </td></tr>
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My mother-in-law was in town during this time and she was a
gem because she totally didn't judge me the next day when I had the biggest
hangover of my adult life so far. Every
symptom. I wore my sunglasses in the
house. I kept apologizing and repeatedly told her that "I promise this isn't something I normally do. I'm so sorry." At one point she said, “just
stick your finger down your throat and get it over with.” <br />
That’s my girl.<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
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Christmas morning was divine. My mother-in-law brought us cool stuff from the USA like
blackberry jelly and coconut oil for my skin.
Stuff I’d never imagine would make me so happy, but it did. Santa was good to Davis too – lots of soccer
gear and race car sets and other knick knacks.
BC bought me a lovely, hand-painted Peruvian jewelry box and a silver
necklace with Wayruro seeds. Google
it. <o:p></o:p><br />
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Everyone was happy.
Then on Christmas night, my parents arrived from the USA. Their first time to step foot in another
country (except for Canada but that doesn't count) and while they looked only a
tiny bit shell-shocked when they came out of customs at 11:45 pm, they were
smiling. Davis greeted them with a giant
hug and lots of love and Merry Christmas each and every one.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
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So now you’re caught up through December 25<sup>th</sup>. The next post will be about my parent's visit – I have
lots of great pictures and observations.
Look for it. <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span> <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
Oh, and <i> my Christmas tree is still in my living room fully decorated. </i> Oh the shame! I'll get to it eventually. I'm a procrastinator in most aspects of my life, but I'll show you some greatness....just you wait and see. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBJ35qYmDpb_-sSURNIdN8H4lsdeDt4Dc_mAkxd-TiWPEmwElpOmwm_kRMluSU4U6ffXPatJRUxUBBppLjK6UP-qSCwOcmLglOp_2LfOW5MUQ3u44gWcBKZZB0-V9RV_gM1G8KraJ3wH0/s1600/Beeeeeeeeeets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBJ35qYmDpb_-sSURNIdN8H4lsdeDt4Dc_mAkxd-TiWPEmwElpOmwm_kRMluSU4U6ffXPatJRUxUBBppLjK6UP-qSCwOcmLglOp_2LfOW5MUQ3u44gWcBKZZB0-V9RV_gM1G8KraJ3wH0/s320/Beeeeeeeeeets.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This random shot of cooked beets is important because of no reason whatsoever. BC makes the best beets in the world. People who don't like beets even like them. He even won a cooking beet-off back in Little Rock. <br />(I needed an excuse to use the term beet-off in my blog.)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKkHbhN5FmCQhXzqJM95uZUfrNPTepu0gs_a7umB-2ErxL-zCpip6gL5y6Ly9UMBe8igQOzOYfCHqwRY_dO2UgfwA-7YMao_pFxXkYHpztT68qFE5h2TaSUSvclT7wDSSNZvFFjlfJGIM/s1600/DSC01208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKkHbhN5FmCQhXzqJM95uZUfrNPTepu0gs_a7umB-2ErxL-zCpip6gL5y6Ly9UMBe8igQOzOYfCHqwRY_dO2UgfwA-7YMao_pFxXkYHpztT68qFE5h2TaSUSvclT7wDSSNZvFFjlfJGIM/s320/DSC01208.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We also had this chicken - which is also randomly placed in this blog post only because it was so freakin' delicious and a lovely photo.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qouvKNlqE2vTtvu8CVMqL5G3x0tUdNrXrzmkS34vbR3Jzz_EnRCIEzlZ4RRFKHy8OzBiGT1TFb_JV5u4_brNPF5EtA_hyIkbp2-JOUr_vA0ecCazzJzAQqAmiV4z_H71cre_pnb9Zvk/s1600/LTC_4794-b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qouvKNlqE2vTtvu8CVMqL5G3x0tUdNrXrzmkS34vbR3Jzz_EnRCIEzlZ4RRFKHy8OzBiGT1TFb_JV5u4_brNPF5EtA_hyIkbp2-JOUr_vA0ecCazzJzAQqAmiV4z_H71cre_pnb9Zvk/s320/LTC_4794-b.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And this one is just pretty.<br /><br /><br /></td></tr>
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Jessica Hughes Cliftonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283215483717474304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638760227309672207.post-77728685244426261752012-11-29T09:34:00.001-08:002012-11-29T09:34:09.794-08:00Good GriefFYI for anyone paying attention. My son is the luckiest person in the world. I think next time the lottery is half a billion, I'll let him pick the numbers. <br />
<br />
Bryan was walking home Monday afternoon and saw our neighbor's maids talking with a woman outside. The woman they were with was walking to each house around the park talking to people about something she'd found in the park. Bryan's understanding of Spanish is limited, but he perked up when he heard the word "bicicleta."<br />
<b><br /></b>
Yep. Davis bike has been recovered. We revealed it to him on Monday night and Davis flipped out. He was so shocked and happy. He ran to jump on it and I stopped him: “WAIT. NO SIR. You lose your bike
privileges for two weeks for losing it.” Then he was sad again, but not
as much. <span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><br />
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Davis kept saying
“Thank you Mr. Bryan, Thank you, Mommy.” I crossed my arms and furrowed my brow. And I was like “No Davis.
Don’t thank me. You need to get on your knees and thank GOD that you have
your bike back. Because (S)HE is the only reason you have that thing.”
(And I don’t drop the God bomb without just cause.)</div>
<br />
<b><br /></b>
Okay y'all. This doesn't happen here. Stuff that gets left in public spaces gets gone. My only guess is that the collective sympathy and hope radiating from friends and family back home moved the Universe to work in Davis' favor.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<i>(Some of you even offered to donate to a "Davis bike fund" - Wow.)</i><br />
<b><br /></b>
Our family was reeling at the loss of his bike. It was/is a means of transportation for us, not just fun. We weren't sure what to do about getting around. So I'm happy it returned. It makes life so much easier for us.<br />
<br />
All the musings I made in my last post still stand. It's the same, but it's different. Personally, I had come to terms with the idea of letting him fail and had embraced the powerful lesson it would teach him. So I'm just<b> </b>shrugging my shoulders, shaking my head and then just smiling because he is happy again. <br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />Jessica Hughes Cliftonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283215483717474304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638760227309672207.post-72817488255815727522012-11-26T19:23:00.000-08:002012-12-06T10:05:46.419-08:00Mother Nature's SonSo my little man is growing up. He's not just getting physically bigger, he is maturing. And boy is it tough.<br />
<br />
I've mentioned before how there is a park close to our house that we can access via a gate that we lock and unlock when we want to go to a from. We are in a very safe and secure neighborhood filled with lots of families and new friends. Davis quickly became popular with many of the kids, their parents, and nannies. One day in our first weeks here I came home from work and witnessed an interesting scene before making my presence known: I stopped near the entrance to my home when I heard people yelling Davis' name. Then I saw 4 or 5 kids and one maid standing near the park gate yelling "Dah-vees! Dah-vees!" Why were they yelling for him? Almost instantly I saw Davis burst out out of the front door and run out to them. Then I made myself known and joined Davis with these other kids. They were trying to tell him that he left his bike in the park. It was parked under the farthest tree and had been out there all afternoon. The kids were heading home and wanted to tell him about it so he wouldn't lose it. And even though the nanny only spoke Spanish and mine was terrible then, I had no problems understanding her lecture to us both. <br />
<br />
Here is what she said even though I don't know what she said:<br />
"You and your son need to do a better job of keeping up with your stuff. His bicycle was left out here and if we weren't here to watch it for him then someone could easily steal it. That is a nice and expensive bike and he just left it there. And his helmet!<i> (handing me the helmet) </i> This is a nice helmet and is was just laying on the ground! You both need to be more responsible in this park and do a better job of taking care of your things."<br />
<br />
I could be overstating it, but I know a butt chewing when I get one, no matter what language it is in. And she chewed me out. <br />
<br />
Actually though, wasn't that nice of them? Yes it was. And it allowed me to teach Davis a lesson and for us to establish a household rule early on here that you can't leave your stuff in the park. He was saved by the goodness of strangers with good hearts.<br />
<br />
Lesson learned? Not quite. After all, he was 8. I know that when you're 8 and you're craving strawberries (This was his excuse for leaving it outside) it might be easy to forget your belongings. Lord knows that when I was his age, I lost and forgot stuff all the time. I. Was. The. Worst. My poor mother.<br />
<br />
Karma.<br />
<br />
Weeellllll, flash ahead 5 months, now he is 9, to this past weekend. I have some bad news: Davis left his bike in the park on Sunday night and on Monday morning when it was time for school he drew a very scared blank look. He ran outside to the park and it wasn't there. He burst into tears. The bike is gone. We are all upset by this. We don't have a car here and biking was a big part of his life. No more riding to school, no more rides along the Malecon, no more loops around the park, no more bmx track, no more bike. <br />
<br />
Super sad face.<br />
<br />
OKAY. The reason I'm sharing this story with you is more for me and my parental processing than for entertainment value. When Davis hurts, I hurt with him. It is involuntary. My maternal, mommy-kisses, gut feeling when Davis first burst into tears after discovering it was gone was to wrap my arms around him and tell him that everything would be okay and we'd get him a new bike. <br />
<br />
But I know that isn't best. He won't be getting a new bike anytime soon. If he wants a new bike, he has to earn it. This will be a great lesson for him in the long run.<br />
<br />
Sometimes it takes losing something valuable to recognize that it was ever valuable to you in the first place. We had fair warning from the universe when the good Samaritans returned the bike the first time. The lesson and dangers were thoroughly discussed and analyzed. He knew that if it happened again, he probably wouldn't be so lucky and that mommy and Mr. Bryan wouldn't bail him out. And while it hurts my heart to say this....I'm going to have to let Davis hurt right now. I don't know much about anything, but I think this is what growing up means. <i>(Am I talking about him or me now?)</i><br />
<br />
This is a lesson for us both. He is going to have to feel the pain and responsibility of losing something so valuable. And I am going to have to feel the pain and responsibility of letting my son fail so that he can ultimately succeed.<br />
<br />
This year is about so much more than Peru...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv_tLsjVkEH7WHt4bKpW0Lsm04Kp5_Uf7otpT7o0fSjvU2FkKQOIbodGIi1Eqvat1CvErsAwriBcv4PgLPu5CqXu-MAyt4_41wbbYtBraHuWM0U9i3jMeM7k3kJzDVC2dnbaKSDZt3GQs/s1600/iheartmybike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv_tLsjVkEH7WHt4bKpW0Lsm04Kp5_Uf7otpT7o0fSjvU2FkKQOIbodGIi1Eqvat1CvErsAwriBcv4PgLPu5CqXu-MAyt4_41wbbYtBraHuWM0U9i3jMeM7k3kJzDVC2dnbaKSDZt3GQs/s640/iheartmybike.jpg" width="420" /></a></div>
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I'm attaching a song that we've always loved and that I sing to Davis often at night before bed. The cadence and softness of this song remind me of him. Click <a href="http://youtu.be/YeWq_rgUhSg">HERE.</a></div>
Jessica Hughes Cliftonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283215483717474304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638760227309672207.post-24937753955180213182012-11-21T14:46:00.001-08:002012-11-21T14:46:29.569-08:00Don't believe the hype - The answer is blowing in the wind<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">They don't celebrate Thanksgiving in Peru. Duh. (I can see some of you going "oh yeah, I guess not!") </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The pilgrims didn't have lunch with the Indians on the western side of the South American continent. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> So this year, it is imperative that I learn how to celebrate it in my heart with my new family and in our own way. My hubs doesn't really dig the origins of Thanksgiving anyway (and neither do I fully, but that's a whole 'nother topic. Especially since my ancestors are of European <i>and</i> Native American descent.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZzJAepqPVpZ5QWWtCP_R31iK1h5uwbe5hy_5dLj2AebWsgkSfJOHxpVIl_vWIaGQvtSjKVjpzrJZLuEzIdYAkmvJsF_CLErBY4aj__Twnq2iliERxk5E45y1apwzay3d9dPgOXDRwe7w/s1600/guyonwall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZzJAepqPVpZ5QWWtCP_R31iK1h5uwbe5hy_5dLj2AebWsgkSfJOHxpVIl_vWIaGQvtSjKVjpzrJZLuEzIdYAkmvJsF_CLErBY4aj__Twnq2iliERxk5E45y1apwzay3d9dPgOXDRwe7w/s400/guyonwall.jpg" width="311" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They have beautiful "graffiti" all over Lima. This was taken by BC from a taxi.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I won't bore you with what Thanksgiving should be about - we all have our own reasons. But I've been reflecting on what I like about it- and frankly, what I miss. Unfortunately, most things that I like about Thanksgiving are not in Peru. Which then makes me further reflect on what I should TRULY value.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Here is what I like about Thanksgiving and how it will be different for me:</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1. <b>Cold weather</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*NOT IN LIMA. It is coming upon Spring here now. Southern hemisphere.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2. <b>Food.</b> I love t</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">he perfect ratio of dressing, cranberry sauce, giblet gravy and turkey all on one spoon in one bite. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*FOOD IS DIFFERENT HERE. They don't have turkeys on sale or stacks of cranberry sauce piled up in grocery stores. "Traditional" Thanksgiving food is hard to find except for lots of potatoes.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiahyphenhyphenaIw7YeUcmj5XnGHS8lemvB6gb0VsjFYzggk0pP8etHDRN0uzFQhFUFPSzndtBJfwVsM109sRifhew0jlux0-2xb7bybEod1Pw_-i8q31qjpiGzIJnl66QOKE7HJ_NLj1j3Gd-yEA8/s1600/chicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiahyphenhyphenaIw7YeUcmj5XnGHS8lemvB6gb0VsjFYzggk0pP8etHDRN0uzFQhFUFPSzndtBJfwVsM109sRifhew0jlux0-2xb7bybEod1Pw_-i8q31qjpiGzIJnl66QOKE7HJ_NLj1j3Gd-yEA8/s400/chicken.jpg" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They do have this though. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3. <b>N</b></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>o presents </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*THIS IS ACTUALLY THE SAME.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4. <b>Thanksgiving hype </b>- I like how the whole USofA gets collectively excited about the holidays rolling around. I don't dig the Black Friday crap or the other marketing onslaughts, but I love the spirit of the season and the drive towards Christmas. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*NOPE. Not in Peru. There is Christmas stuff everywhere now but it just feels totally different without having Thanksgiving be the kickoff. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5. <b>Doing nothing all day</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*NOPE. I have to work. This city and country roll right on through the day. No existe. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">6. <b>Family. </b>For me this is usually at Petit Jean Mountain with the Byrds, Omar, the Prohls, and occasionally other random folks that need a place to spend the day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*DIFFERENT. For the first time, my present "family" is just us. Bryan, Davis and me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And guess what I now understand and am embracing? #1 through #5 don't mean anything. The only thing that matters is Family. Family Family Family. That's all I need. And I've got a great one. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I knew when I came here that holidays would be different. I knew that I'd get some new perspective on my own customs and ideas. This is one of them.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Perspective? Check. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">More importantly, the best lesson I'm learning comes from the greatest little man in the world. Davis. He is so happy here. He misses nothing (and has even told me this). Most of the time all he cares about is being with his mommy and playing futbol. I draw a lot of energy and inspiration from his contentment here. Him being happy and not caring about #1 through #5 or any other self-imposed tradition makes my life easier - and it is my hope, prayer and intention that because we are on this adventure, his life will always be easier too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Of course, I'll miss my extended folks and parents and cousins and the tacky decor in the Petit Jean lodge, but they'll be there next year. They'll all be on my mind on Thanksgiving day and are forever in my heart. This year I'm just going to sit around my small kitchen table with my two handsome boys and eat something like chifa or ceviche or maybe even KFC since <i>they deliver here</i>. It won't be cold outside and it will be after a long day of work and it'll be totally different. But I'm going to love every minute of it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Happy <strike>Thanksgiving</strike> Day to you all.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6w3QRvqq7pn3ScJp-th7hrpQha1ZjWGbeWFdjg9n6F1gx5d-omBkDEWigSQ_B93Ab-DC0Iq9aEBGWaGGqxzBSwpIdiQheIRv_ajRdUZMNqrLdzXLWsKxHCTMYQSEGy6HVH0BKxeFXerw/s1600/tumblr_laapgrtn4L1qdo41n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6w3QRvqq7pn3ScJp-th7hrpQha1ZjWGbeWFdjg9n6F1gx5d-omBkDEWigSQ_B93Ab-DC0Iq9aEBGWaGGqxzBSwpIdiQheIRv_ajRdUZMNqrLdzXLWsKxHCTMYQSEGy6HVH0BKxeFXerw/s400/tumblr_laapgrtn4L1qdo41n.jpg" width="342" /></a></div>
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Just to throw you off a little, I'm sharing a slightly different style of music to honor a different style of celebrating Turkey Day. Click <a href="http://youtu.be/9vQaVIoEjOM" target="_blank">HERE</a> - and then since....</div>
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...most of you may not like that I'll offer another to close out the day. It's arguably one of the best songs ever written and one of the greatest voices to touch a mic. Listen to the WHOLE THING. You are welcome. Click <a href="http://youtu.be/CC9FUELvl6A">HERE.</a></div>
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Jessica Hughes Cliftonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283215483717474304noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638760227309672207.post-60848173845453233162012-11-19T06:58:00.001-08:002012-11-19T07:01:32.408-08:00Southern Cross<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I got to see the Southern Cross. Know what that is? If not, click </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crux" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. It is a constellation that can regularly be viewed in the southern hemisphere and nowhere in the USA. I like looking at stars. My Dad always talked to me about constellations - his Dad knew them too. My Dad was born in Alaska and his birthday is the same day that Alaska became a state. Alaska's flag has a significant constellation on it - the Big Dipper. Every time I look at the stars I look for the Big and Little Dipper. After moving here my Dad asked me if I'd seen the Southern Cross and I responded with "What's that?" He was appalled. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And then I saw it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I haven't really traveled to too many places in my short 30 years on this planet. At least, not compared to many of my co-workers and people I've met since in Peru. I've been to a lot of places in the USA, touristy spots like Cozumel, Canada (which don't count) and to Hong Kong and Nepal. When I was in Asia, I was really just soaking up the fact that I was in a foreign country and focusing on a Heifer assignment. Here is different. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My second day and night in Puno were the very best 24 hours that I've experienced since I have been in Peru. I mentioned before how I crossed Lake Titicaca to Soto Island on day 1 of my trip to carry supplies and prepare for the group's visit. On day 2 we made the trip across again. Remember when Forrest Gump says </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"They invited me to the White House. So I went...again. And I met the president of the United States...again."</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> That's how I was saying it in my head. "So I had to cross Lake Titicaca....again. And I had to meet a bunch of awesome people...again. And I had to take a nap in a boat...again."</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yeah, I was totally digging my job and my life.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">We arrived on another part of the island where the official "port" is. We were welcomed by members of the community in a beautiful ceremony. It was so lovely and kind. They offered us blessings and prayers and gave us beautiful floral wreaths to wear around our necks. They gave us coca leaves to chew on so we wouldn't feel sick. We went inside their community building and had some breakfast. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOMFfEFPVDUfbCcAgwsLRegF0QZMFeqt1OxzIMJXDD3P76o4I4FCkA9YzZaKUN4UB4fZTOlH_4uyQO3kwgjaQnumAjQac6AE6Vzbq_5hw3Scj76pRLE6Ishv5Puo1dNzmUsAwLyX_6FSw/s1600/IMG_1125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOMFfEFPVDUfbCcAgwsLRegF0QZMFeqt1OxzIMJXDD3P76o4I4FCkA9YzZaKUN4UB4fZTOlH_4uyQO3kwgjaQnumAjQac6AE6Vzbq_5hw3Scj76pRLE6Ishv5Puo1dNzmUsAwLyX_6FSw/s320/IMG_1125.JPG" width="277" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">These people were wonderful.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTVEwDUjkBqzC2A4QiOwcckYJGP0NmA69Rz7mcA9CyjAc4vTC9FhvrDLOfiFyPdO87pmEY6BIfho5yiYfXFG05SrwiFzt-7Fx8YkFyf0JFt0c8RrIQqOjztB_1XHPSpGrJ7CW0iPUdwNo/s1600/IMG_1118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTVEwDUjkBqzC2A4QiOwcckYJGP0NmA69Rz7mcA9CyjAc4vTC9FhvrDLOfiFyPdO87pmEY6BIfho5yiYfXFG05SrwiFzt-7Fx8YkFyf0JFt0c8RrIQqOjztB_1XHPSpGrJ7CW0iPUdwNo/s400/IMG_1118.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our blessing and coca leaves.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1wCAUrO0cieN4Zhp80S51rrWh8gCReJO3okrSW0AX6pZ0eRsKDhWZp_tolq5cxccEL0IksiDsiErZ1sfWFRKevN1qL3JRmoOhyphenhyphenLIsiEVtaNUFN7f7kZgDuiwX_umnHFHkQZ94vyJ1SOA/s1600/IMG_1147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1wCAUrO0cieN4Zhp80S51rrWh8gCReJO3okrSW0AX6pZ0eRsKDhWZp_tolq5cxccEL0IksiDsiErZ1sfWFRKevN1qL3JRmoOhyphenhyphenLIsiEVtaNUFN7f7kZgDuiwX_umnHFHkQZ94vyJ1SOA/s400/IMG_1147.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our lovely welcome</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ZcgNnF5n7yNVQIz1ulLaMi1A3dtThC-G5HwN8j6e20VsdM2ZcduxIoWJGHR-ZoX9kQj9TyIebceHLelVo7KsW9ZptgSjvnTNijPKVRexYf5Un-V4iT-WIeonV2D6aGMSCvk8JQjwC6Y/s1600/IMG_1130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ZcgNnF5n7yNVQIz1ulLaMi1A3dtThC-G5HwN8j6e20VsdM2ZcduxIoWJGHR-ZoX9kQj9TyIebceHLelVo7KsW9ZptgSjvnTNijPKVRexYf5Un-V4iT-WIeonV2D6aGMSCvk8JQjwC6Y/s400/IMG_1130.JPG" width="282" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Inside the community building.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMwySiUJw8_gXe6L6YdvSRA1H3oGLulP64oaebgM2cJ-GWLy-VzIBPrTH7ZHAV92dXzTTqI05mVE1OehdlrK2O0ij1HutMNlg5swHJsbAxSA5BSeaDR3r4FeuNAtzdhF8FjprUu5M8_g/s1600/pancakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMwySiUJw8_gXe6L6YdvSRA1H3oGLulP64oaebgM2cJ-GWLy-VzIBPrTH7ZHAV92dXzTTqI05mVE1OehdlrK2O0ij1HutMNlg5swHJsbAxSA5BSeaDR3r4FeuNAtzdhF8FjprUu5M8_g/s400/pancakes.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quinoa pancakes</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsR7pkrBnVscPUC0oUfLf7jfX_YDUc14qFMow-LIE8pr9qGF6_rvpk62wuGRWhpVYeHAuqgCDH1zThi3Tc7fexxfMmkdfyGCIgqismIWU3sN7EC2Xd8rnBowWejvANBHn3SuSEPphmc9M/s1600/IMG_1137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsR7pkrBnVscPUC0oUfLf7jfX_YDUc14qFMow-LIE8pr9qGF6_rvpk62wuGRWhpVYeHAuqgCDH1zThi3Tc7fexxfMmkdfyGCIgqismIWU3sN7EC2Xd8rnBowWejvANBHn3SuSEPphmc9M/s320/IMG_1137.JPG" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I can't remember the name of this tea, but it was so delicious. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Then, we all got back into our boats and headed to the camping spot. The ride from the port to the other part of the island was so bouncy</span><span style="line-height: 16px;">. It was awesome. The boat was probably bouncing 6 feet in the air at the bow. I was right there hanging on for dear life and loving every minute of it. Mom will be furious for this, but here's a video of the ride and me bouncing around. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><i>(WARNING: Half-way through the camera gets turned sideways so you'll have to turn your head.)</i></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span><object class="BLOGGER-picasa-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzVcZhZZLoA0iekxfly3W1Z8dJ5BlxmV1gFquhVnEqkvtSQ1oYHZ_TfbND7buFhgY0ptKei0Kh0W8cuR63InSZe7RvESWogeazBcEs18AWwlzOIcf8Qw6q6qkTkxmoXBkwaM8dJsfH5ZA/s1600/IMG_1159.MOV" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?videoUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fredirector.googlevideo.com%2Fvideoplayback%3Fid%3D553137a1afcbed97%26itag%3D18%26source%3Dpicasa%26cmo%3Dsensitive_content%253Dyes%26ip%3D0.0.0.0%26ipbits%3D0%26expire%3D1355783021%26sparams%3Did%2Citag%2Csource%2Cip%2Cipbits%2Cexpire%26signature%3D3626DA0BFFAE47557579E449E6484F469B57503A.A13DC835BC46066E35D9532DE767A494108178E2%26key%3Dlh1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?videoUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fredirector.googlevideo.com%2Fvideoplayback%3Fid%3D553137a1afcbed97%26itag%3D18%26source%3Dpicasa%26cmo%3Dsensitive_content%253Dyes%26ip%3D0.0.0.0%26ipbits%3D0%26expire%3D1355783021%26sparams%3Did%2Citag%2Csource%2Cip%2Cipbits%2Cexpire%26signature%3D3626DA0BFFAE47557579E449E6484F469B57503A.A13DC835BC46066E35D9532DE767A494108178E2%26key%3Dlh1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgUrpoF09AOVcxD-CPYO_g_8kxna6JqK9IsOiUsbZxAt73Y6hONCbpcnV99lAG92s7S5j8CzOzRoDz9Srkbmm_zgM7S1LLmh79DROUzf8QiEJMBj9ik3Lg118x5Z8bVBAUwOI-rIYi7fQ/s1600/IMG_7118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgUrpoF09AOVcxD-CPYO_g_8kxna6JqK9IsOiUsbZxAt73Y6hONCbpcnV99lAG92s7S5j8CzOzRoDz9Srkbmm_zgM7S1LLmh79DROUzf8QiEJMBj9ik3Lg118x5Z8bVBAUwOI-rIYi7fQ/s400/IMG_7118.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With my lovely flowers.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Finally one of the women in the boat asked me to get down because I was making her nervous. After arriving on the island the group starting doing their filming and documenting while the other staff and I met with the community and set up for the evening. The community members cooked us lunch and we all sat around on the ground and had tuna, vegetables and potatoes. Dee-lish. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWRhT_8YFmzKuH5g-IXwOHxkJHfULEYd_WnbnBiYuRHWqlImr_qRfTR09OOFvwR5Oc04ACmGVhvpjgA1vpwRR0pUTeEzAbmG8jvBNMBsFOUUBI8l5DVUTV8IjBR16DTXrU2VLg7AXgeVY/s1600/IMG_7137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWRhT_8YFmzKuH5g-IXwOHxkJHfULEYd_WnbnBiYuRHWqlImr_qRfTR09OOFvwR5Oc04ACmGVhvpjgA1vpwRR0pUTeEzAbmG8jvBNMBsFOUUBI8l5DVUTV8IjBR16DTXrU2VLg7AXgeVY/s400/IMG_7137.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch with some some folks in the community. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Set up was fun and hard. The air mattresses needed to be blown up for the night so I started that - using a hand pump. Fifteen of them. Yeah. What was hard was hand-pumping 15 mattresses, but what was fun was that some of the men from the community were totally fascinated with the mattresses and the pump. They even offered to help! So I let them. And then after about 25 pumps, they were like, "This is hard!" I was like, "I KNOW."</span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Then I started "helping" the cook. I don't really know if I was actually helping, but I like to think I was. </span><span style="line-height: 16px;">Johnny was the name of our cook and by the end of the trip had earned the name "Johnny Rocket" for all of his culinary creations and general goodness. He made us pancakes and smeared chocolate cream on them for a snack. I think I ate like seven of those things. I'm glad pancakes are in Peru. The below picture is</span><span style="line-height: 16px;"> me grinding some cheese on a rock. That's right. Grinding some cheese on a rock. Just another day at the office.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh885HrmrHId95SIC9eRg-cYnW01wdVZUmOhOpcAvU5eDeylIxBlh0-5XEoammN-galHK3S2S_YTTSY_i08en1bz8p7vIISOpwR8h91dUPSqqdI9IfavtKxPvP-_CtMZfp0VPzG3fMGbIA/s1600/IMG_7147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh885HrmrHId95SIC9eRg-cYnW01wdVZUmOhOpcAvU5eDeylIxBlh0-5XEoammN-galHK3S2S_YTTSY_i08en1bz8p7vIISOpwR8h91dUPSqqdI9IfavtKxPvP-_CtMZfp0VPzG3fMGbIA/s400/IMG_7147.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This rock was found in the lake and has been used for generations by one of the women in the community.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnbl7y6hZREs_mnVDbGrEu3weyOLsEatZrU5eZFEmy_7sdDlmvRGPR6psTS4OJj91IUmklwGhtGaDkcIoYJUGe5Y37PeaHD3jG_UcZOFOYTgql2VKS_A8DElKRFFo2lna3q8QFcKdw6Aw/s1600/IMG_1172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnbl7y6hZREs_mnVDbGrEu3weyOLsEatZrU5eZFEmy_7sdDlmvRGPR6psTS4OJj91IUmklwGhtGaDkcIoYJUGe5Y37PeaHD3jG_UcZOFOYTgql2VKS_A8DElKRFFo2lna3q8QFcKdw6Aw/s400/IMG_1172.JPG" width="326" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peruvian pancakes with manjarblanco cream.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">All the setting up was strenuous. Just like when you go camping in the woods in the Ozarks. Lots of prep and lots of work - all just to eat, sleep and use the bathroom. But man, it was great. I was sweaty and tired and a little dizzy from the altitude but for some reason, it felt so good. Like my body needed me to push it a little further after weeks of sitting at my desk.</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We took a break and a few folks even took some naps on my mattresses.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGsJiTlIh2_K2-fYJD2f_irwOprSkBHCS7knXrdz8XjLOJy8-OPTSAqg5vgStWG1uwkNs_07wGj3gbFKzn4ljqb7LrrL7bRy_HfDsBEd6m9F5889pUtg2bR4RQiJc_RxPXInoN0sBGr6A/s1600/sleeping+group.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGsJiTlIh2_K2-fYJD2f_irwOprSkBHCS7knXrdz8XjLOJy8-OPTSAqg5vgStWG1uwkNs_07wGj3gbFKzn4ljqb7LrrL7bRy_HfDsBEd6m9F5889pUtg2bR4RQiJc_RxPXInoN0sBGr6A/s400/sleeping+group.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">Then I decided to just go sit on the shore of the lake. I don't have a picture and I can't describe it adequately. But for me, there is something about being by water. Always has been. I love it. I love the sound and the motion and the smell and coolness you feel from it even when it is really hot. Rick, the film maker dude, joined me later and we skipped rocks. He was cool even though he is from Texas. ;-) </span><br />
<span style="line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Later it was time to set up the tent. Ever put a tent together? If so, you know it's hard. Ever done it alone? Harder. (Mostly. Sometimes putting a tent together with a person can lead to a pretty big argument.) It takes thinking. And logic with yourself. And some trial and error and a few curse words. I'm not bragging about being able to put a tent together. What made this particular experience special is that not only did I put that damn tent together, I did it with FIFTEEN Peruvians watching me, closely. Weirdest thing ever. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">The whole group had dinner together by candlelight and made fun of each other for all the crazy stuff we did during the day. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sunset on Lake Titicaca from Soto Island</td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tent is secure, beds are blown up, bellies are full and the sun goes down. We are at the top of the island and all you can see is the dark sky and stars and tree tops and all you can hear is the sound of the lake crashing against the shore in the distance. The sweetness of that sound - no car alarms, no neighbors, no traffic, nothing. It's rare and difficult to find yourself in a place anywhere in the world (especially in the USA) where you can't hear any man-made noises. I've only found it in a few places, ever, and here I was again. I pulled my mattress out of the tent and just laid it on the ground and looked in the sky. I saw FOUR shooting stars (and like, totally awesome ones that last forever) and then I saw it, the Southern Cross. </span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This was a big deal for so many reasons, but two of the best ones are.... </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">1. I can't see the stars in Lima. Too much light from the city and too many clouds all the time. For this Redfield girl, stars are important. I took them for granted when I didn't live in the city and seeing them at this altitude and enveloped by the silence calmed me. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">2. At the moment I was gazing into the stars, I knew that my Dad, the star guy, was probably also looking at the sky but at totally different stars. See, my Dad was working on Pump Station Four on the Alyeska Pipeline above the arctic circle in Alaska while I was in Puno. Alaska - where he learned to read the stars and where he "takes vacations to work." Thousands of miles apart. We were both situated under the sky, "working", and probably thinking about how good life is sometimes even when it's hard and we're away from those we love. And Davis, we were probably both thinking about Davis. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">The calm I felt that night has stayed with me too. There are a couple of places I "go in my mind" when I need a mental break - and now Soto Island at night is one of those places.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">After it got just too dang cold to be outside anymore I crawled into the tent with Katia, Rosaluz and Rick. Long night short - let's just say we all know each other a <i>little bit </i>better now. We were woken up bright and early around 4:00 am by a lovely rooster. </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">We kept trying to sleep until eventually the sun was so bright (it gets brighter there earlier) that it pulled us out of the tent. Do you know what I look like when I crawl out of a tent after a long/short night of camping crammed like sardines with three strangers after a rooster woke me up at 4:00am and I really just need to use the bathroom but am dreading it because I know that it means squatting behind a tree? I don't know what I look like either, but my 15 Peruvians friends do. The were gathered 'round the tent, staring as I crawled out. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">SOOOOO, bright and early. We packed up all our goods and gear and left the extra food with the community and began hauling our load back down to the boats. The folks from the community helped us and that was so nice. One load per person. We said our goodbyes, promised not to forget each other and climbed back in our respective boats. Joining me in my boat this time was Augustina. Lovely woman. Somehow she and I managed to have a conversation. She has 9 children to my one. Been married 35 years to my 7 months. She told me about the four different cultural groups on the island and how it is so hard to raise animals there. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Everything. The people. New friends. The Island. The work. The tent. The water. The stars. Man, this is what I love about my job. Sitting by women, riding on boats, pumping up mattresses, looking at the sky, and learning stuff about others - and myself - that you can't learn any other way.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>Jessica Hughes Cliftonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283215483717474304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638760227309672207.post-22151353758789579092012-11-03T16:17:00.002-07:002012-11-03T16:17:20.265-07:00Of no real importance whatsoeverRight before I left for Peru, I cut my hair. My sister Megan cut it and did a great job, she always does. But I wish I hadn't cut it. I have naturally curly, unruly hair and Lima's weather and my hair don't get along. <br />
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Sooooo, Bryan, Davis and I are ALL going to grow our hair out while we're in Peru. It's kind of like a one-year challenge. Doesn't everyone do this when they move abroad? Come back with long shaggy hair? Well so are we. We (well, I) decided this as soon as we got here and now I'm telling you. <br />
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Here are some "before" pics just in case you don't know what we look like.<br />
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JESSICA and DAVIS <b>BEFORE</b>:</div>
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BRYAN <b>BEFORE</b>: </div>
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And just because....here is what I expect Bryan to look like by next July...</div>
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<br />Jessica Hughes Cliftonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283215483717474304noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638760227309672207.post-20452582049081996272012-11-01T12:10:00.000-07:002012-11-01T12:10:00.858-07:00"Lord knows when the cold wind blows it will turn your head around"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.294118); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 24px;">Puno - Moho - Conima </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.294118); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 24px;">Day 1 </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.294118); font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">I traveled back to Puno this week. It was kind of an unplanned thing for me, but a really cool visit. I was assisting the Heifer office in hosting a group called Ripple Effect. They visited Peru to document for us some stories of specific women and livelihoods of Heifer partners - to tell the stories in pictures and from the mouths of the women. They do cool work. With their group were three people: Annie, Renee, and Rick. Groovy people who weren't afraid to get dirty, work hard, lose sleep and just kind of "rough it" for the sake of Heifer, it's work and their art. They kept saying, "Let's go make some art" and I liked that.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.294118); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 24px;"><i>(I'll share more about the women and the photos and everything once Ripple has developed it all) </i></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Rick, Annie and Renee</span></td></tr>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;">Quick caveat to this post: I forgot my gal-dang camera and had to use the trusty iphone. So the pics aren't the greatest of quality. But you'll get the picture. Ha.</i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.294118); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 24px;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;">I left Lima </span><a href="x-apple-data-detectors://0" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;" x-apple-data-detectors-result="0" x-apple-data-detectors="true">on Monday evening</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"> for Juliaca with another Heifer employee, Katia and our translator for the whole trip, Rosaluz. Rough flight. I always forget that I hate flying until right before the wheels leave the ground and my sense of control is lost. But we arrived and I'm alive. The city of Juliaca was having some party so it took about an hour to find our hotel through the closed roads and traffic - we met up with Ripple and our chauffeurs and meticulously planned our week over pizza and beers in the restaurant hotel. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Katia y yo</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;">We got up at the butt crack of dawn and headed out from Juliaca to Conima right on the shores of Lake Titicaca. Departure </span><a href="x-apple-data-detectors://1" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;" x-apple-data-detectors-result="1" x-apple-data-detectors="true">at 6:00 am</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;">. Lake Titicaca is so beautiful from every angle. My eyes just soaked it up. It reminded me of Lake Tahoe. In Conima, we visited a Heifer pa</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;">rtner named Sophia.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"> She was awesome, still is. She was so excited for us to visit her home and to show us how Heifer has helped her and how happy she is now. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;">(More on Sophia later via Heifer)</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqBpn4yDA57Zrl_TjxtJC9XWn_PdTEC5d8P93wBoDB9KaILeNgb67h3cNGt_wGKPQQMhOEoVR1MfQJLQx658Nu3TNPLw5rHcmsq14WFRHHJQWRSbajQrgNxneAn6n6Mzz0elQfjgOydPk/s1600/conima+plaza+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqBpn4yDA57Zrl_TjxtJC9XWn_PdTEC5d8P93wBoDB9KaILeNgb67h3cNGt_wGKPQQMhOEoVR1MfQJLQx658Nu3TNPLw5rHcmsq14WFRHHJQWRSbajQrgNxneAn6n6Mzz0elQfjgOydPk/s400/conima+plaza+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGBTl0lN3jUdft4TIINvYnAs6gMXqCKmLd72GlXkNehpXOyWms9L9IdIY62Z-nGcL5VSpGDTzlW-quq_WNbbz7xORHvQI4kf60eTgrW1a7mnk2jNCSYVpf32fb06RpxbwV1hITQVHwmV0/s1600/conima+plaza+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGBTl0lN3jUdft4TIINvYnAs6gMXqCKmLd72GlXkNehpXOyWms9L9IdIY62Z-nGcL5VSpGDTzlW-quq_WNbbz7xORHvQI4kf60eTgrW1a7mnk2jNCSYVpf32fb06RpxbwV1hITQVHwmV0/s400/conima+plaza+1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">These are in the plaza in Conima looking out on the shores of Lake Titicaca.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;">While the film crew was interviewing and photographing Sophia - Katia and I took all the camping equipment, food and other supplies across the lake to the Soto Island - in preparation for the next night's stay. Soto Island. Talk about amazing and intense. Not so much the island itself, but all the things it stirred in me. I will forever remember it and be grateful for what it opened in my mind and heart. Soto Island is in the middle of Lake Titicaca. It took a little over an hour from port to the rocky beaches of the Island. We were in a wooden boat that most of the locals use to get to and fro. It had an engine, but we passed several other boats rowing their way along. If you row from the port to Soto then it takes 4 hours. Can you imagine that commute?</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6_N8A3tyFrZC2BluOOjIM-Ju0ndTuGyVHGo9cosHx8A92NJJNEOO6nRuY-H5DNA4NCdFjN1fq9A4wbsmtQJin33SBoLc4lOstZRZfXTxNzbZyng7wSebvKXh9x_9l1Ld06ZM-tFr9Ys/s1600/me+in+boat.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6_N8A3tyFrZC2BluOOjIM-Ju0ndTuGyVHGo9cosHx8A92NJJNEOO6nRuY-H5DNA4NCdFjN1fq9A4wbsmtQJin33SBoLc4lOstZRZfXTxNzbZyng7wSebvKXh9x_9l1Ld06ZM-tFr9Ys/s400/me+in+boat.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.294118); font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 24px;">You can also see the shores of Bolivia from where we crossed. The pictures don't do the experience justice and neither does my description, but let me tell you - it was good for my soul. The movement of the water, the sun shining on my face, an occasional splash of frigid water on my skin, a cold wind, the hum of the motor engine and the steady rocking boat invigorated my senses. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"> It's the first time I've felt that way since being in Peru. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"> And not because it reminded me of home (which it did) but just because I let it feel good right at that moment.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG5-myr0x4n3C_CB-Aw7S_7lN9EhyVRC9H0dRrNc4E844U-Zu_S6RmP98lnzNQfl-2Yxl4TxptGoJ3si9m3jsvXdwrp_WBtor5X2tL5AnCf2Q-olUayF7_SiHBO3CA-JT1Uj1WqZoQIx4/s1600/crew.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG5-myr0x4n3C_CB-Aw7S_7lN9EhyVRC9H0dRrNc4E844U-Zu_S6RmP98lnzNQfl-2Yxl4TxptGoJ3si9m3jsvXdwrp_WBtor5X2tL5AnCf2Q-olUayF7_SiHBO3CA-JT1Uj1WqZoQIx4/s400/crew.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wilbert, the hired boat driver and Percy on the ride across the lake.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Crap. This is the crap we packed, loaded into the trucks, unloaded into the boats, hauled across a lake and unloaded at the island. We used every bit of it and I'm glad we did it, but crap!</span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqHQW8dvvq_BLQstzYPnft3Nw8vXSWI_Dvdd51zfE6_IgCL3bFfBxu3zOM06bs_GGxujwSGDTFOQqx7jexzSOBRKm6NoVU-GXiUWsc4NsODDnlIAW2j1GDZ9m4kb9nQXjBtNYjOftoxc8/s1600/alpaca-old+boat.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqHQW8dvvq_BLQstzYPnft3Nw8vXSWI_Dvdd51zfE6_IgCL3bFfBxu3zOM06bs_GGxujwSGDTFOQqx7jexzSOBRKm6NoVU-GXiUWsc4NsODDnlIAW2j1GDZ9m4kb9nQXjBtNYjOftoxc8/s400/alpaca-old+boat.JPG" width="311" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;">This is what I love about my job. Alpacas and old boats and beautiful shores and sky. </span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYL-1WxMaMKAkCTKrSnvMHHSztwTu-K4E8lGuBRwTYRFXVtBYlQ_FURswIOCrUamgs654oQj-yofeHVhh76UNVYal1skjtj2rQme5dpdrDQy1eNMGBdD40sCHd4Ss2MB_zZ-WK5dlHPag/s1600/port.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYL-1WxMaMKAkCTKrSnvMHHSztwTu-K4E8lGuBRwTYRFXVtBYlQ_FURswIOCrUamgs654oQj-yofeHVhh76UNVYal1skjtj2rQme5dpdrDQy1eNMGBdD40sCHd4Ss2MB_zZ-WK5dlHPag/s400/port.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.294118); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 24px;">We arrived at the island and unloaded everything. Let me just tell you, I worked my ass off for a hot minute unloading enough food to feed 30 people three times, tents, toiletries, a small gas stove, giant bottles of water, a generator, everything... And at this altitude - I thought I might just die and was practicing the use of my favorite four-letter words under my breath. Of course, UNTIL the universe smacked me with perspective again when I passed a woman on the same path wearing no shoes and carrying two heavy pails of water from a well near the beach all the way up to her house. Touché.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqJ7q3_dHsL4PBwf8wpgSABT0e5I1bF5LP94SaeSxTKCU_41dwK7cx2fh95SVwi2Yocfyak-gXdfg6UnuuPNch8ciGpDhzC441yiokaK0mlYzOLLgqLi2uicy97j_0z_SdLBGunBRqvyI/s1600/vieiw+from+lake.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqJ7q3_dHsL4PBwf8wpgSABT0e5I1bF5LP94SaeSxTKCU_41dwK7cx2fh95SVwi2Yocfyak-gXdfg6UnuuPNch8ciGpDhzC441yiokaK0mlYzOLLgqLi2uicy97j_0z_SdLBGunBRqvyI/s400/vieiw+from+lake.JPG" width="352" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">On the island. This is the view from where we set everything up for the next night's stay. And this is also the hill that I climbed a dozen times loaded down with crap. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQBTB9xGGYP71pTEofrqGo8DcAF39Wq32ncXN93Qy7yIB0gcJH6PeKM820-Rb1yerlWi2pCVF5iQBZSZpcyYTlUpFmIO1Ct-_pzhtPq3NJxG449lY-msQVhRiBF5j5DSDmJ9yfHyJyRYU/s1600/dude.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQBTB9xGGYP71pTEofrqGo8DcAF39Wq32ncXN93Qy7yIB0gcJH6PeKM820-Rb1yerlWi2pCVF5iQBZSZpcyYTlUpFmIO1Ct-_pzhtPq3NJxG449lY-msQVhRiBF5j5DSDmJ9yfHyJyRYU/s400/dude.JPG" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;">I wasn't the only one tired. This man helped too - we all needed water and a breather after that load.<br /></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxLLsTQCrlv9wZhF25KixpgRYPTpXITdSsyo4mLHSbUd01FOVGmJSJ-pUaCgqEkcTGdKKF3LJEvyDM1DC6LmwdNU0r8iKqqmvRdDpOK6-yB0EhFF1_Rhb1LW-bdR7uc8nnR1E3L51z-Ns/s1600/bano.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxLLsTQCrlv9wZhF25KixpgRYPTpXITdSsyo4mLHSbUd01FOVGmJSJ-pUaCgqEkcTGdKKF3LJEvyDM1DC6LmwdNU0r8iKqqmvRdDpOK6-yB0EhFF1_Rhb1LW-bdR7uc8nnR1E3L51z-Ns/s400/bano.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;">Gotta go to the bathroom? Have fun!!</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.294118); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 24px;">So we set everything up, took a breather and a few photos and headed back via boat to meet the Ripple crew back in Conima. The water was really smooth and I was exhausted so I climbed onto a pile of nets and tarps and slept most of the way. I've learned to sleep anywhere. (And now I have a sexy little sunburn on one side of my face.)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.294118); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 24px;">We arrived back in Conima in the town square and had some lunch. While we were waiting on the crew to finish, the Universe gave me another awesome gift: a thunderstorm. Thank you sweet baby Jesus. In a previous post I mentioned how I missed rain and storms in Lima. Well I got one. Lightning, thunder, hail, wind - I was one happy girl - and only got a few odd looks from the locals and my travel companions for being so damn happy because of rain. In the big, open sky at this altitude you can see a storm come and go (kinda like in Wyoming - Go Pokes!) It started raining pretty hard so we all climbed into the truck, shared a Coca-Cola, I had my first granadilla fruit and then we all sort of dozed off to the sound of the rain on the truck roof and windows. I was in heaven.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu6iE89W_b79qJ9EIwQWz8K5_XutoW_Ejmjhw331ikacNBLgex13JFJlIq8PHVt0iisnpcfjt9WMPepOmcXbhAUCJl6dT_0CwaCnFj7WJ2cNqIEsOTFTohEbUcy35aPSGhJrfKQW3zjlQ/s1600/granadilla.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu6iE89W_b79qJ9EIwQWz8K5_XutoW_Ejmjhw331ikacNBLgex13JFJlIq8PHVt0iisnpcfjt9WMPepOmcXbhAUCJl6dT_0CwaCnFj7WJ2cNqIEsOTFTohEbUcy35aPSGhJrfKQW3zjlQ/s400/granadilla.JPG" width="393" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is a granadilla fruit. Interesting. It had an okay flavor, but you're supposed to put your mouth over the hole and suck out the seeds and stuff. The flavor was decent but the texture was just more than I could handle. I think that will be my last granadilla fruit.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here it comes....<br /></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sweet, yummy, smell good rain.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Time to close my eyes and sleep.<br /></span><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Eventually, the rain passed and we all headed back to the town of Moho to our hotel about 30 minutes from Conima. Shotty accommodations but whatever. I'm not complaining, (just providing context.) (And by shotty I mean this: stained bedspreads, no electricity during the day, no shower curtain, no towels, no toilet paper and no hot water. I'm not even sure how they legitimately call themselves a hotel.) I got to take a cold shower! With no towel to dry off with! So I used yesterday's clothes! In case I wasn't sure before, I was reminded that the only time I like taking cold showers is never. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;">THEN, to make the hotel experience even better, I went to use the bathroom - I was one of the lucky ones because I had a toilet seat - I closed the door behind me, did my business, washed my hands, went to open the door and wouldn't you know? I was locked in. No door handle. Just a hole where it should've been. But, oddly enough, it did have a lock. Go figure. So I was locked in to the bathroom with a door with a lock but no handle. ??? Thank god the girls were also in the room to hear my pleas for assistance but they couldn't get me out. We tried everything short of knocking down the door. Rick, the guy with Ripple, was summoned to help and come to find out, when he opened the door to HIS hotel room, the door handle just fell out in his hand. ??? Rosaluz went to get someone who worked at the hotel but was told, "he is at dinner." ??? God help us all. We tried everything. More four letter words. I felt, and probably looked, like a jackass. Finally, the dude with the hotel finished eating and came with a screw driver and popped me out in three seconds. <i> (A fun picture of me exists in someone's camera somewhere from this trip of my eye peeking through the hole in the door - I'll submit as evidence eventually.)</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.294118); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.294118); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 24px;">Good times. Not my finest hour, peeping through a hole in the door from a bathroom. Frustrated as hell. At least I had somewhere to sit. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.294118); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.294118); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 24px;">That night we all gathered again for dinner, had some cerveza and just chilled out replaying the day. Good stuff. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.294118); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.294118); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 24px;">So, that is day one. It was long, exhausting and awesome. James Taylor was this trip's background music and I can't get Fire and Rain out of my head. "Been walking my mind to an easy time, my back turned towards the sun." Lord knows, when that cold wind blew on my face across Lake Titicaca, I turned my head around. And this time, it felt good. And for whatever reason, I let it. I saw a sunny day that I thought would never end. And then it did. It brought me a thunderstorm. And that was even better. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLD5r__0ESrD7N3zZ_-jpt3ryLkxAe1UIhQDuUYP4uNpcTdOOcPA5mnzNGGW_lAm7eS39imPtQeRLxhJc3mZNyos02bPCFu3xFSwU20gHoeCvUCAGP_RQ4aY1EXRlMnW_qZ9XCo8gDVrk/s1600/me.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLD5r__0ESrD7N3zZ_-jpt3ryLkxAe1UIhQDuUYP4uNpcTdOOcPA5mnzNGGW_lAm7eS39imPtQeRLxhJc3mZNyos02bPCFu3xFSwU20gHoeCvUCAGP_RQ4aY1EXRlMnW_qZ9XCo8gDVrk/s400/me.JPG" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Me. On Soto Island in the middle of Lake Titicaca between Peru and Bolivia. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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</span>Jessica Hughes Cliftonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283215483717474304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638760227309672207.post-15673082537260478132012-10-12T15:35:00.003-07:002012-10-12T15:35:49.577-07:00I Got This<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Alright. So the last two or three weeks have been totally awesome and have totally sucked. I haven't posted in a while for both reasons. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Why have they sucked? Basically I have been throwing myself a pity party. I've felt like crap physically and mentally and I've done nothing but whine and focus on the negative. I certainly didn't want to bring you all down with my Debbie Downer crap (no offense, Mom). But I also just didn't feel inspired to write. I've had these odd panic attacks when I think of missing things like half-n-half in my tea instead of condensed milk. Or when I see pictures of people on Facebook with their families - and I just burst into tears.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">What's interesting and stupid about this is that I am here in Peru working for Heifer to help make a difference in the world. And the people that I am helping have way bigger problems than me. I live in a developing country and I don't have to look far at all to see people struggling and real poverty. I bitch about having to always take a taxi or bus because I don't have my precious Avalon - all while I'm watching people walk to work because they can't afford any of those. </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">How ungrateful am I?</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My last post was true, I've really had my eyes opened about humanity.</span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> I've got "perspective" looking me right in the face all the time. </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> But over the last three weeks, I haven't been looking back at it. I've tucked my head down and hidden from it. I've cried a lot and felt sorry for myself and had a shitty attitude about everything. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">SO FINALLY, I'm done with that. And here is why the last three weeks have been totally awesome:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Bryan went to Columbia last week for a photography job leaving me solo for the first time in Peru. Talk about scared. I didn't have my parents or army of friends to help me with Davis to and from school. I still had Spanish classes in the morning blah blah blah lots to do. BUT, my coworker Mariela (who I've mentioned before) came to the rescue and her nephew Heinz stepped up to help with D. Check that off the list. He was awesome. Then, we found out that Monday and Tuesday were holidays so no school and no work. Two free days that I didn't have to harness the universe! Another check. And then the following Monday was a holiday too. Wow. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Providence totally moved my way, again. Like it always has and will because that's what it does. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">For those three days where I had to take D to school alone, find a new bus route to work, work, come home and cook dinner for him, homework/bathe/bedtime/love - it was hard. But it also occurred to me that I'VE DONE ALL THIS BEFORE. ALONE. And by God, I can do it again if I have to. I was a single mom for almost 5 years before moving here and if I could do it then, I can do it now. I've got the same kind of support here from new friends. The time between Davis and I felt like it used to. Just us doin' our thang. And it felt good. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Then, even after that good week I still let myself sink back down into the dumps. I whined on Facebook and received a plethora of supporting words. The amount of love I feel from my family and friends back home has been truly amazing. But/and, I got one random text from an old friend saying this, <i>"Quit bitching on Facebook about being homesick and your stomach hurting because of it and whatever. You're a ****ing soldier and it's unbecoming in a bad-ass like you."</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">So there you have it. That's what I needed to be reminded of. That's what got me here. Those words, combined with dozens of other messages of love and support, did it. I'm done being homesick. Done. I won't let it get me down any more. Three months in and I am actually starting to understand the language. I'm more committed at work. I'm more committed to Spanish class. I'm more committed to myself.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Moving forward, my posts will be about Peru and not sad feelings about missing Dr Pepper or cheesedip. They'll be about the awesomeness of this country, my life, and the amazing experience I've been blessed to have.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I got this.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>I leave you with three things. </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The first is my favorite quote that prompted me to move here and was weaved into my wedding vows:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back - Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth that ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">~Goethe</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The second is a song that I've been rocking to today that just feels good:</span><br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/9UzZDOBWGro" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Click here.</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And the third is a picture of me when I came out from under my rock for a minute and went to a German bar in downtown Lima with my coworkers.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Jessica Hughes Cliftonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283215483717474304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638760227309672207.post-61617858242557614392012-09-21T07:12:00.000-07:002012-09-21T07:12:14.252-07:00You're My Blue Sky, You're My Sunny Day<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div style="color: black;">
“Lord you know you make me high when you turn your
love my way.”</div>
<div style="color: black;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black;">
This song has been in my head for five weeks.
I read Greggory Allman's book (stellar read, I loved his writing style) and he
talked about this song. (It's actually called "Blue
Sky" and was written by Dickey Betts - who also sang it. The two don't speak now but whatever.)<br />
</div>
<div style="color: black;">
</div>
<div style="color: black;">
I was reading his book when I was in Puno. He
was quite the dude. Lots of drugs, music, sex, marriages, death, Cher...</div>
<div style="color: black;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black;">
I don't know why, but a lot of what he said
resonated with me (I mean, most of it. I've never done heroin or
Cher). Maybe it is the fact that he is from the South? I
love me some South. </div>
<div style="color: black;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black;">
<i><u><b>OR</b></u></i>, maybe it’s just because he is a human being.</div>
<div style="color: black;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black;">
While I was in Puno and since I’ve been in this
country, I’ve been really lucky to meet all kinds of people: staff in
other NGOs, farmers, moms, dads, kids, taxi drivers, maids, other
ex-pats. And you wanna know what the NUMBER ONE thing that I am learning
about living here is?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One clue: it isn’t
about toilets flushing the opposite direction or how to say “How much does this cost?” in Spanish or how to get a taxi or what fruits are the best or how to fix
my hair with this humidity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div style="color: black;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black;">
It’s this <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(and
bear with me because I’m not articulate enough to say it like Goethe): <span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></i><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Humans are the same everywhere.</b></span></i></div>
</div>
<div style="color: black;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b> </i></div>
<div style="color: black;">
Sound the alarms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Jessica has had an epiphany.</div>
<div style="color: black;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black;">
Yeah yeah yeah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We’ve all heard it before and YOU have said it before. We post quotes
on Facebook about it and we spout it
from our presidential stumps and our parents tell us all about it at the dinner
table and you learn about it Sunday School (some).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You hear it all the time a thousand ways. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know I have. Mother Theresa and Oprah and
Mister Rogers and Lady Gaga. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it isn’t
that I’ve never believed it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sure I
did. And do.</div>
<div style="color: black;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black;">
HOWEVER, being here has shown it to me in a
different way than I expected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You might
think that meeting a woman or farmer in the countryside who is very poor and
struggling and now has new-found empowerment because of Heifer would
show me the power of humanity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it definitely
has shown me a lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I think it is
something else, at least right now, that is teaching me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div style="color: black;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black;">
You see, I cannot understand what most people are
saying to me when they talk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t
understand the bus driver or my supervisor or the woman trying to tell me about
her struggles before Heifer gave her help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Because of the language barrier, I have to rely on a whole new set of nonverbal
clues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Intonation, tone of voice, body
language, context, eyes rolling, eyebrows, what other people in the room are
doing with their bodies and hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
it helps me understand what is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really</i>
going on even when I don’t understand the words. I am seeing so much more than I ever have.</div>
<div style="color: black;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black;">
If you haven’t stopped reading out of boredom
at my "epiphany", here is why this is important: You may have already guessed or know, but<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I am one generation away from the equivalent of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayberry" target="_blank">Mayberry</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> (I'm including the link for the non-Americans reading this blog. Could the Russians please reveal themselves?) I'm from a tiny town best known for it's greasy spoon restaurant called the Mammoth Orange. It has one 4-way stop, no red light and a population of just over one thousand. "Humanity" was our next door neighbor, the preacher, the truck stop, the hair salon, the full service gas station where men drank coffee/told lies in the mornings, the ballpark, <a href="http://www.reserveamerica.com/campgroundDetails.do?subTabIndex=0&&contractCode=nrso&parkCode=tarc" target="_blank">Tar Camp Park</a> and Jr. High "Redfield Lion" basketball games. This was my world and my normal and the lens through which I saw the world. And even though I've been to college in a far away state, gotten married a couple of times, have a kid, lived in a few places and work for an international organization - this is still where my understanding of life took root. And, not that there is anything wrong with a small town perspective, but for me it has taken moving to another hemisphere and to a developing country to realize just how alike all humans are. That Harper Lee was on to something when she said through Atticus that </span>"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his
point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."</div>
<div style="color: black;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black;">
Well holy hell. I might not be walking around in Peruvian skin, but I am paying attention to the world around me now. And it's different y'all. It's bigger than me and it doesn't revolve around me. Imagine that. Mom was right.</div>
<div style="color: black;">
</div>
<div style="color: black;">
You name it. Women, just like me, go to lunch every day and talk about men and their kids. Groups of women huddle together in corners at parties and talk shit about other women. Kids on the playground are embarrassed when there is something different about them. Couples fight before the server comes to their table and they quickly straighten up to order as if nothing is wrong. The janitor is frustrated because no one seems to think it is important to pick up the paper towel off the floor when they missed the trash can. Moms pull their daughters back by the hand when they are about to walk into traffic. Men hold their chests high in the taxi when they tell you about how they are sending their kids to college in the United States when he has no formal education. <i>This kind of stuff is everywhere.</i>
So much, man. I am seeing so much for the first time. I am regretful too and kind of ashamed that it has taken me so long.</div>
<div style="color: black;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black;">
Well now I'm paying attention. It's amazing what you can learn and see when you keep your mouth shut.</div>
<div style="color: black;">
</div>
<div style="color: black;">
So what does this have to do with Gregg Allman and "Blue Sky"? Nothing really. Except that when I was on my way out of Puno and passing Lake Titicaca, I was listening to this song on my iPod. I was sitting next to a Peruvian woman who looked very tired. A female tourist sitting in front of us was trying to take pictures out the window of the van and the cold wind was blowing in our faces and I was kinda pissed at her for being so inconsiderate. <i>It was like 25 degrees outside</i>. So I lightly elbowed the Peruvian woman next to me and nodded towards the tourist and made a look like "she sucks." The Peruvian woman just rolled her eyes, nodded her head, and sighed. We smiled at each other. I gave her one end of my iPod ear buds and we jammed to the Allman Brothers for 45 minutes on our way from Puno to Juliaca. </div>
<div style="color: black;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black;">
And we were like best friends in the corner talking shit about another woman. </div>
<div style="color: black;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; text-align: left;">
Humans are the same everywhere. </div>
<div style="color: black;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK4ehIVa1k-6u83N_2MJLrcVOX9LpmLOy9gJAU5pcZqknYKGn07APBoq_v3mV9nqqGolMiK2na38_QjIeRhFPSbe-hfNpWnpGPHJiRGCf6Y8mcWt8-rQHQ4qPZHn2UIFgQY3Z5IgWv8fw/s1600/DSC00256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK4ehIVa1k-6u83N_2MJLrcVOX9LpmLOy9gJAU5pcZqknYKGn07APBoq_v3mV9nqqGolMiK2na38_QjIeRhFPSbe-hfNpWnpGPHJiRGCf6Y8mcWt8-rQHQ4qPZHn2UIFgQY3Z5IgWv8fw/s400/DSC00256.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="color: black;">
<i>This is on the edge of Lake Titicaca. Not a great shot, sorry. But I urge you friends, plug in your computer headphones and <a href="http://youtu.be/DEC5s3nzVzo" target="_blank">click <b>here</b> to hear this great song</a>. Imagine yourself in this picture with a cold wind in your face and you're there. </i> <i><br />
</i></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="color: black;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
Jessica Hughes Cliftonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283215483717474304noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638760227309672207.post-43460615478388571712012-09-19T07:40:00.003-07:002012-09-19T07:40:40.618-07:00 Heifer Field Trip - Part deux. Now on the Heifer BlogThanks for coming back for more!<br />
<br />
<br />
Part II of my Heifer field trip to Puno is now posted on the <a href="http://www.heifer.org/blog/2012/09/passing-on-the-gift-in-puno-peru.html?msource=magento" target="_blank">Heifer blog</a>. <br />
<br />
Again, go take a look! It has more pictures and some great video of a Pass on the Gift ceremony.<br />
<br />
Heifer's work is totally amazing and the whole world needs to know it. <br />
<br />
Comment! Share on Facebook! Tweet it! Donate! Whatever! Just tell someone!<br />
<br /><br />Jessica Hughes Cliftonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283215483717474304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638760227309672207.post-39151948704143439022012-09-18T07:31:00.000-07:002012-09-18T07:31:15.947-07:00My first field trip - now on the Heifer Blog!Hey everybody!<br />
<br />
Remember an earlier post where I mentioned that I visited a Heifer Project in Puno? Well, Heifer International has used my story on their blog! I hate to send you to another link, but I have to, so <a href="http://www.heifer.org/blog/2012/09/pigs-potatoes-and-progress-in-puno-peru.html?msource=magento" target="_blank">here it is. </a><br />
<br />
It's called "Pigs, Potatoes and Progress in Puno, Peru"<br />
<br />
Please go check it out! Comment! Share with your friends!<br />
<br />
Heifer is doing some great work, y'all. I am proud to be a part of it.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.heifer.org/blog/2012/09/pigs-potatoes-and-progress-in-puno-peru.html?msource=magento" target="_blank">Again, here is the link.</a><br />
<br />
Go take a look!!!<br />
<br />
Now!!!<br />
<br />Jessica Hughes Cliftonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283215483717474304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638760227309672207.post-41829343698393704352012-09-02T14:23:00.001-07:002012-09-02T14:23:14.917-07:00Waking up<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">
<div>
Lima has an interesting version of cold. We don't have a heater in our house. It feels like the temperature is just under comfortable. Like when you take a nap. You seemed fine walking around, but then you realize when you lie down on the couch that you need a blanket. Your hands and feet seem to freeze even though it is probably about 64 degrees. And even when you cover up, your nose and eyebrows and earlobes still kinda wish they had something over them too. It's humid cold. Southerners know this. It's different. It seeps into everything. Clothes, bed sheets, your hair, towels, the wood floors, my makeup brush. But unlike Arkansas, here you cannot shut the doors and windows and crank on some heating mechanism to dry the air's moisture. I can feel the light glaze of wetness on Bryan and Davis when they come in from outside. The only thing that consistently warms you to a level of comfort that allows sleep is the closeness and touch of another warm body.</div>
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If the alarm on my cell phone doesn't get to me first, I am almost always woken up by pigeons outside my window. Those birds are so noisy. Whatever purring "coo" they make is so familiar to me now. I'll probably always recognize it and be reminded of my days in Lima. Along with the pigeons, I also know the routines of my neighbors. Our home is one of three houses linked together in a strip blocked off from the street. A, B, and C. We are B and thus, probably know A and C better than they know each other. A has the damn car alarm and usually leaves for work when I am getting up each morning. I hear his car being remotely unlocked from his front door and then his footsteps as he goes to get in. He is very nice. He speaks English and is always kind when we see each other. There are several maids rotating out of C and two children coming and going from school. I think they have a dog too. But their routine is less consistent. All the walls in our homes are made of concrete; we have very little access to the indoor lives of our neighbors, yet the windows are a thin glass. Privacy is different and a different respect for each other is required. Any open window or garden terrace is access to their lives. If anything happens or is said outside, it's shared between the three of us. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Inside of B we still haven't established a dinner routine. Maybe that is just something that won't ever happen for our family. I was raised in a family where you eat dinner when Dad comes home. Now it is me that comes home from work and I just ate three hours ago. Recreating a new version of family is hard. What does ours look like? What do we do for fun? How do we talk to each other? How do we argue? What do we laugh at? What are the rules? What stays the same about us as individuals and what do we change so that we become something new?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The answers are universal. And I think that as we answer them, we'll develop new questions for other phases and different situations. I guess this is life. I think I'm living it for the first time. I know this is good and probably healthy for my soul. But I feel very alone in this realization. I'm waking up to a new world each day on every possible level. Everything feels different. There is no one to blame or give credit to the situation but me. And at the same time, I know that I'm not in control. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0898438); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">Why has it taken 30 years? Or is this what happens as you grow older? It seems that I need new coping strategies, new ways of behaving, new methods of discovery. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0898438); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0898438); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">Or maybe I'm just superimposing a bunch of philosophical thoughts onto myself because I'm in a "milestone" year of my life and my subconscious is telling me that this is what you do.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
I am unsure of myself. I am unsure of my capabilities, my strengths, my weaknesses, my judgement, my tendencies. Are they each what got me here, or what holds me back? I am questioning everything that has always felt normal. I'm not sure why I'm doing this. I feel like I'm walking a balance beam, arms held out wide, wildly wobbling across the beam. I have to figure out just how I can remain steady and walk it straight without such a constant wobble. </div>
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<div>
In the intro to this blog I say "the name of the game? Change. Lots of it." Those words have never been more true. Now I must tap into that strength that everyone believes I have. I knew going into this that change was inevitable and that I needed it and thought I was ready. I knew that I needed to revitalize my soul and that it would require vast amounts of physical, emotional and mental adjustment on my part - with nowhere or no one to turn to but within. I knew it needed to be public so that I am not just accountable to myself. Except that, I am learning, being accountable to myself is probably the most rewarding of all.<br />
<br />
The journey continues. </div>
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Jessica Hughes Cliftonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283215483717474304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638760227309672207.post-4162223770320045802012-08-30T15:56:00.001-07:002012-08-30T15:56:21.726-07:00All these places have their moments...<div style="font-family: inherit;">
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I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last three weeks have been a whirlwind
for good, bad and sad reasons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ideally,
I would create three posts for three weeks – all full of witty creativity and
insights – but I can’t really do that this time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am going to just type and get it out
there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because that is what my soul just
needs to do.</div>
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<br /></div>
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August 12-16 I was traveling with Heifer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I visited a region called Puno.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were in the city of Puno on the shores of
Lake Titicaca.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was there with a
co-worker and the purpose of our visit was multifaceted:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Attend a Pass on the Gift Ceremony, meet with
local project holders and project partners, and for me to begin my research on
the impact of Heifer Peru’s work with women.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Immediately following my trip, I created a blog post about my experience
at the Pass on the Gift ceremony.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because
the trip was almost entirely Heifer related, I am waiting on permission from
Heifer International to share more of my experiences there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It may be posted on the Heifer blog if I’m
lucky and I will share it with you all that way. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can
say though, that it was a great trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
allowed me to see Heifer’s active work for the first time in Peru.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(For
those of you who aren’t completely familiar with my work here and where I am,
Heifer’s main office in Peru is located in Lima.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The actual “field work” where we provide
training and deliver animals and other inputs is located in the more remote,
rural regions of the country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I work
in an office, but will often visit the field to see, evaluate and monitor
projects.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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I gave a presentation – in butchered Spanish – to a group of
campesinas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I shared my experiences in
Nepal and compared the two countries and the challenges that women face in each
– there are many similarities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The women
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">seemed</i> to soak it up and appreciate
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I very much appreciated what
felt like my first small success/accomplishment with my work here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was good for all of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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The trip to Puno was a very good chance for me to connect
more closely with Heifer’s work here in a personal way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I needed it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I posted earlier about the stages of culture
shock and how I’ve been feeling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seeing
the face of poverty up close provides one with a good swift kick in the
gut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When an old man walks up to you
with tears in his eyes and says “Don’t forget us”….. you never will.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Once I returned from Puno I was more fired up about being
here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I returned on Thursday and went to
work for half a day on Friday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
weekend was great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My boys and I (thanks
to Bryan’s exploring) found the San Isidro market.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is between our house and the ocean and
just a short walk away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a great
find!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>HERE we can buy fresh fruits and
veggies, bread, paper goods, cereal, flowers….lots of stuff that is way
overpriced at the nearest grocery store.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Good to know.</div>
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<br /></div>
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So then back to work on Monday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All is good.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Then I get an email from my mom on Tuesday telling me that she
“hasn’t heard anything about Frances but I’ll let you know if there are any
changes.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is totally news to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew Frances was in the hospital recovering
from surgery, but what is this about?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Why the need for an update?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So,
of course the panic sets in.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Frances Hardin Byrd is the mother of my Dad’s best friend,
Paul Byrd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you know me and my family
you’ve heard me refer to the Byrds all my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Paul and his wife Jane were there when I was born and Jane boasts that
she was the first to see me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul and
Jane have five kids. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They named their
firstborn son Thomas Edward after my Dad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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*Here is where I need an editor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have no idea how to explain in words the
meaning and importance of the Byrd family in my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the sentence “Paul and Jane have five
kids” I could go on for years.*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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I’m digressing….</div>
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So Frances Byrd is special – to say the least.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As far as I have ever known, she is my
grandmother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve spent every Christmas
Eve, Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and a thousand other southern nights at
her home with her and her husband, former Justice Conley F. Byrd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They lived at 2711 Byrd Road in Redfield,
Arkansas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My hometown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
wasn’t until I was in my late teens that I learned that I wasn’t actually a “real”
cousin – whatever that means.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They Byrd
family was and is my family.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Back to Tuesday, the
email from mom, and my panic</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Apparently, Frances’ body had just had enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few weeks ago she fell and broke her hip
and was hospitalized.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of her sisters
had passed away on the day of Frances’ surgery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>During her recovery after the surgery in the hospital, her kidneys and
lungs just started shutting down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
suffered from emphysema and diabetes but was a damn tough woman and you would
have never known, usually, that she was even sick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, the last year has been harder on her body
and her mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But in the back of my mind,
and perhaps all of her grandchildren, she was invincible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All she had to do was get over this one more
road bump and she’d be back in her chair by the window.</div>
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But not this time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Frances
passed away on August 22 in the early morning hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was 85.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Her children had had some warning and she was surrounded by love until
the very end.</div>
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My mom sent me a text saying “Frances has passed” at 8:36am
on Wednesday morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">This is where I take a
break from typing to regain my composure and dry the tears that seem to
constantly be on the surface these days…..</i></div>
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By noon on the same day – thanks to my wonderful,
resourceful husband and through the speed and graciousness of the Heifer
headquarters F&A staff - Davis and I had tickets to Arkansas on bereavement
leave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We departed Lima at 12:15am on
Thursday morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mom picked us up at
the airport and we drove straight to Redfield to 2711 Byrd Road – where I
stayed for almost three solid days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Frances also had 3 other children, 17 grandchildren and 15
great-grandchildren.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her obituary is <a href="http://www.memorialgardenssheridan.com/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o_id=1565581&fh_id=13128" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;">here</span></a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something
to notice when you read it (and if you don’t read it then I’ll point it out for
you) – is that my parents were listed as honorary children and my sister, Bryan
and I were listed as honorary grandchildren. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had the honor of speaking at her funeral
alongside some of her other grandchildren and children. </div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Deep breaths.</i></div>
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You see, I could write a novel about those three days in her
home and all the memories I have with her and her family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Actually, novels HAVE been written about Frances’
family, her sisters and brother and her own parent’s legacy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could write about all the stories that were
told, the raw emotion her husband expressed as he grieved the loss of his wife
of 63 years, the laughter that was shared when reflecting on some of her pranks,
the many reflections on how it was such the typical “grandma’s house” like how
her candy basket stayed full and no one ever saw her fill it, the dozens and
dozens of people that walked through the doors to offer condolences, and the
angst<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>that we all felt as we realized
that when we left for our own homes at the end of the weekend, that the place
would never ever be the same again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
this was the last time we would see it just that way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With her nick-knacks everywhere, her letters
and papers she stacked everywhere, the thousands of pictures she kept in albums
full of her family and friends, the books, the smell…so much. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is impossible to describe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was one of the greatest women that I’ve
ever known.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was “green” before green
was cool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was a writer, a teacher, a
farmer, a lawyer when her husband was sick, a campaign manager, a newspaper
editor, a chemist, a champion free-throw shooter, a fierce competitor, mean
checker play – a mother, wife, sister, friend and more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What she was best at (and this is according
to me – one blaring theme of the weekend is that everyone had a different
reason for Frances being special) was making every single person that knew her
feel like they were special to her for their own special reason.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That you and her had a special bond like no
other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That you were #1 in her eyes no
matter what.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFHNT9aYFOXosNztDm84OKz-PLlMRflM_kQ5D7YzTc9DTpbWVe9NHZlpjX-PRt0zMvJAZ9DOcz2jz7JpbCRoZ_ewxKJxVH88KdgxmgiqiW2AiZYw-RM25WQzkLoNUX4yxQBHUYbFVKtw8/s1600/frances.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFHNT9aYFOXosNztDm84OKz-PLlMRflM_kQ5D7YzTc9DTpbWVe9NHZlpjX-PRt0zMvJAZ9DOcz2jz7JpbCRoZ_ewxKJxVH88KdgxmgiqiW2AiZYw-RM25WQzkLoNUX4yxQBHUYbFVKtw8/s320/frances.JPG" width="250" /></a></div>
</div>
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Ms. Frances.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
believe that in a person’s life they can count, usually on just one hand, the
number of people in their lives that will love them no matter what.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like hard core love, through thick and thin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you make mistakes, they don’t care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For me, Frances was one of those
people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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When I spoke at the funeral, I read a letter to her that I wrote
a few days after she died.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was buried
with her in her coffin, along with a plastic Easter egg with one Peruvian Sole
(coin) inside of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She hid the same plastic
eggs every year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each with a dime inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Davis put a bag of turnip seeds in her coffin
from him and his Papaw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She loved my Dad’s
turnip greens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also spoke on behalf of
my father at the funeral.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is
currently in Alaska and couldn’t make it home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His absence was very weird.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Everyone kept expecting him to be in the back room somewhere drinking
coffee and telling stories. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At first, he
didn’t have anything he wanted to share at the funeral, but he changed his mind
at the last minute and sent it to me. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here is what I said on his behalf:</div>
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“Now that I can think better, I DO have something you can
say for me about Frances.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From Tom Tom,
from Alaska:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Frances had the house and home
where I could go and visit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where I
could jump off this fast spinning world we live in and just REST.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A place where I could go and listen to her
describe the people I would have loved to have met.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People like Alf Hardin, Walter Wolfe, Slick
Caw’ze, Orvel Clark and XL Carter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
could listen to her describe the farms that washed away and the people that
made things keep going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The timing in
her speech, that only she had, that went with the stories she told was like a
gift, like her.”</div>
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It was one of the most moving and intimate services I’ve
ever attended.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one gave a sermon to
save souls – it was just a few people who told their favorite Frances story or
special memory of her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
beautiful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So many people were there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She would have loved it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Family and friends – that was what was most
important to Frances. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And afterwards,
everyone went to her home and ate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just
like always.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just like she would have
wanted.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLET46Q6hQhJwpqCSDO3a7hhIIt3NpkjgFq1PsmdFV_0XMalfm9Q5uW0uDW-rGQFbl8IRYAzitV4Pgw-g9_mNP-9pXS9U_BN6hXBep4upaJIHHKigaitn5pizE8Tgp9dk8N4sat7uL3_0/s1600/byrd+living+room.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLET46Q6hQhJwpqCSDO3a7hhIIt3NpkjgFq1PsmdFV_0XMalfm9Q5uW0uDW-rGQFbl8IRYAzitV4Pgw-g9_mNP-9pXS9U_BN6hXBep4upaJIHHKigaitn5pizE8Tgp9dk8N4sat7uL3_0/s400/byrd+living+room.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2711 Byrd Road. This is what home looks like to me.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
SO.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am now back in
Peru.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Getting a dose of my family and friends in
Arkansas was a surreal experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was a great feeling to be in Redfield albeit for a crappy reason.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bittersweet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Everyone kept saying that – that they wished I wasn’t there but they
were glad I was there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt like I was
in some movie, like Fried Green Tomatoes or Steel Magnolias.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It felt like a dream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And now I’m back and I still feel like I’m in
a dream. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got back to my house in Lima
in the wee hours of Wednesday morning and was completely exhausted all
day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today, Thursday, is a national
holiday in Peru and we are home again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m
still dazed, still kinda confused, and still wondering just how my world works
without Ms. Frances being at the end of 2711 Byrd Road when I get back home
next summer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve ventured out once in
the last 24 hours – to the grocery store.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Turns out, life kept moving over the last week while mine seemed to
stand still.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Ms. Frances hated it when I travelled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d be so happy to tell her where I was going
next and always surprised when she frowned and said “But WHY?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She did not want me to move to Peru!</div>
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So, Ms. Frances, I’m sorry that I wasn’t home when you
passed. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sorry that I chose to travel
far away from home and that it worried you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And now you’re gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re up there
with my Papaw and my other grandparents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And while it is extremely hard for me to understand and trust, I know
that I’m going to be just fine in this country and on this adventure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And not because you’re looking down on me
from there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But because of what you
equipped me with when you were here. Thank you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
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Jessica Hughes Cliftonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283215483717474304noreply@blogger.com2