So anyway, we spent most of his visit hanging out in my oh-so-exciting (NOT!) site. Then, last Wednesday my grounding was lifted and we decided to visit my volunteer friend Laney* in the Oriente (Jungle). We left Friday night for Cuenca and spent the night there. Then on Saturday morning, we prepared ourselves for a miserable bazillion-hour bus ride to the jungle. It is very small and extremely remote, but I fell in love with it immediately. Laney is pretty unhappy there (and with reason, it isn’t a good match for her on-the-move personality), but it was so gorgeous. S
unday morning my State-side friend returned to Cuenca and Laney and I went on a 2 ½ hour hike through the knee-deep mud to visit another PCV who has ‘gone-native.’ (Gone-native means PCVs that are so integrated in their community that they probably will never leave and, even if they do, will have a hard time fitting back into American society.) It was a difficult hike and extremely muddy, but so worth it. They scenery was just breath taking!
unday morning my State-side friend returned to Cuenca and Laney and I went on a 2 ½ hour hike through the knee-deep mud to visit another PCV who has ‘gone-native.’ (Gone-native means PCVs that are so integrated in their community that they probably will never leave and, even if they do, will have a hard time fitting back into American society.) It was a difficult hike and extremely muddy, but so worth it. They scenery was just breath taking! I left for Cuenca Monday morning. It was sad to say good-bye to my friend, knowing that I was leaving this pristine jungle and going back to my hot, dirty, smelly, banana-infested life on the other side of Ecuador. I know, I know I love my life here… but, sometimes it gets to be too much. I arrived in Cuenca in the afternoon, but unable to bare another bus ride… and the impending heat, I called another volunteer friend in Cuenca and asked if I could crash at her place. She agreed, and we spent a lovely evening chatting/gossiping and walking around the city.
All good things must come to and end, as so must my vacation. Forced to accept the inevitable, Tuesday morning I boarded a bus for home. As soon as I returned, I was pushed/pulled back into my normal volunteer life—kids visiting me every few minutes, people requesting my help, the librarian chattering to me about something, etc. I must say, it is nice. As much as I loved the jungle, this is where I belong; this is where I am needed.
*I changed her name. So sue me :p
1 comment:
Hi Kaitlyn! It's been over a month since you've updated! Let us know what you've been up to lately. :) Is the reading group still going well? Have you started any new projects? I miss you and hope you're doing well. Let's try to talk before you come back to the States. Love you!
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