Mike Update and Leaving Peru

Well folks, we are coming up on the halfway point of my trip. This is both sort of shocking and comforting to me when I think about it. 

I feel like I have been living this travel life for ages, I often feel quite disconnected from things going on at home and the people I might normally be keeping in better contact with. I miss a lot of people and things, just the normal experiences of life at home, and in general I feel like my life here is on a very different wave length. I am thoroughly in it here but do have my moments of longing for home. 

I have found especially that I miss working, which was the primary focus of my life these last few years. Not just work in general but specifically my school, my coworkers, my students.  The relationships and complex dynamics that became so familiar and so comforting that even when I was sick I would sneak into work. 

But on the other hand I am loving traveling. I love seeing new things, meeting people, learning about stuff. It's super exciting to run into a person and then hang out all day because why not share the experience?  

It's lovely getting to know new words and phrases, to figure out the riddles and patterns, to have something click and be hilarious. 

I feel fairly healthy, mentally, physically and emotionally. I am not being too hard on myself, and enjoying the times when I get to be creative or funny or smart. I am laughing off mistakes, mishaps, and other irritants (minus that last post). 

I feel like I am making progress with the things I set out to do, even if it's slow.

My personal goals:

I am in better shape.

I am writing and occasionally drawing.

I am learning Spanish slowly but steadily.

(I have not learned to play an instrument yet)

My public goals:

I've seen and fully experience 3 beautiful countries

Columbia

Bogota👍

Zipaquira👍

Villa de leyva👍

Barichara 👍

Santa Marta👍

-minca👍

-tayrona👍

Cartagena👍

Medellin👍

Cali👍

Did not see

Popayan

San agustin 

Guatavita

Salento

Ecuador 

Quito👍

Ibarra👍

Mindo👍

Otavalo👍

Mitad del mundo👍

Banos👍

Guayaquil👍

Cuenca 👍

Ingapirca👍

And now Peru (decided last night to skip ahead to Bolivia without seeing Puno or the sites in the area). 

Peru 

Chiclayo👍

-ferrenafe👍

-tucume👍

-motupe👍

-pimentel👍

-lambayeque👍

Cajamarca👍

-otuzco👍

Chachapoyas 👍

-kuelap👍

Trujillo👍

-chan chan👍 Huanchaco👍

Huarez👍

- chavin👍 Laguna 69👍

Lima👍

Arequipa👍 Colca canyon👍

Cusco👍

-manu national park👍

-Machu picchu👍, 
Aguas caliente👍

-sacred valley(pisaq👍, urubamba👍, ollataytambo👍, moray👍, salininas👍)

Did not see

Puno

-sillustani

- cutimbo

I reread part of my personal journal last night and felt that I had grown since some of my earlier experiences.

In general I feel like it's been a good trip so far.

As far as working abroad, this has been the biggest challenge that I wasn't expecting. I guess I just assumed it would be easier to find work in places I wanted to work. So far that hasn't been the case.  I have inquired at a few agencies and asked around and done some research on the internet, but for the most part I have found dead ends with the exception of big cities like Lima and Bogota. A few days ago I applied to a teacher recruiting agency in Chile. The agency will hopefully find some schools in Chile who are interested in having me and then send me job offers likely for Feb or March of next year.  The agency asks whether you would like to work with school age, university or adults and I said all three (but secretly I'm hoping for an older population -at least teens). 

Applying does not mean I will get a job, nor does it mean I will stop looking as I go but I like the idea of making some progress, and at least with an agency they are sending out my resume for me.

So... Good trip so far - fulfilling goals. Mostly good with a slice of homesickness and a desire to be productive. 

Sounds like a Mike kind of a trip.

People keep asking what's my favorite spot or experience - which is choosing your favorite child... But I guess looking back -here are some of my highlights thus far:

Parque Tayrona in Colombia felt like a turning point in my mood. An opening of my heart to explore and be moved. I was walking miles by myself and just started singing and praying and what not. It felt right.

Immediately following in Cartagena and then in Medellin I met some nice folks who I had lots of fun with. Mostly just joking around, but lots of learning too. 

Biking in the pouring rain and seeing the waterfalls in Banos was absolutely miserable. If someone asked me to do it again I'd say no, but I am so glad the guy I was hanging with convinced me to do it.

Chiclayo and the surrounding area was really special for me. Lots of new experiences, mixing of different parts of myself. I got reminded that the world and the people in it are trustworthy and good. Life felt miraculous for a few days.

I don't know why, but I really liked Trujillo.  I think it was just the mixture of so many vibes, Huanchaco beach life, mixed with massive historical complex (Chan Chan), mixed with colonial downtown and the university and the mall. 

Arequipa and Cusco have been really special to me because of the people I've met and how beautiful the surroundings are. The cities are rich with culture and history and sacredness... But then to be able to share that with  people who make me laugh or think or want to be creative - well that has been special.  

So yeah I thought I'd be in Peru for a month and it turned into about 6.5 weeks... And I've LOVED it.  

Loved loved loved 

And judging by that check list -seen and done a lot too. 

Tomorrow night I head for Bolivia. On the 20th I will be halfway through my trip, and on the 23rd exactly 3 months from when I left Minneapolis. 


(Wow this turned into the episode where they show old clips from past shows)