It’s been almost 3 ½ months since I left my home in Iquitos, Perú to make this long-awaited trip back to “civilization”. It’s been a particularly good visit, both here in the States and on my stopover to Australia along the way. I’m seen old friends and lots of family, as well as, visited many sights while being a tourist here and in Oz. As expected, I’ve gained a few pounds as the food is just sooooo good! And I’ve done a bit of shopping, finding those simple, everyday items which are impossible in the jungle to obtain. Overall, I’ve slipped back into my Western way of life with little effort. However, no matter how long I’m here, I doubt I will ever get used to all the incredible levels of choice one finds in the stores—particularly the grocery store. I find it overwhelming, to the say the least. On the other hand, so frustrating as the opposite is true in Perú where there is very little choice. Somewhere there has to be a happy medium but thus far I’ve not found it. I did again stock up on Thanksgiving fixings. Although I’ll be in Michigan for Turkey Day and eating at my Dad’s house—YUMMY!—I’ll be back for Christmas in Iquitos and I’ll make a turkey dinner at Pam’s house in her new stove—yeah! And once again, pumpkin pie will be on the menu ☺Tonight I was scrolling through the endless channel choices on my friend's big, flat screen HDTV where I came across the Discovery Channel. They were showing the program “Walking the Amazon” with explorer Ed Stafford, the first man to walk along the Amazon River--from its beginnings in the Andes of Perú to the Atlantic Ocean in Brazil--in 860 days. What a trek!! It was fascinating but what it really did for me was made me homesick and long to be in the jungle that I love. Although it’s a harsh and unforgiving place, I have the luxury of living and working near it enough to thoroughly enjoy it but at a safer, more observant distance. However you look at it, it’s the most fascinating and fragile of places. I’m so glad I live in Perú, where much less primary rainforest has been cut, unlike Brazil where the destruction seems endless. There is only one Amazon rainforest—let’s hang on to this precious environmental treasure, shall we?
So the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, I’m off again for Perú. I’ve done some public speaking while here and met with donors. I’ve also kept in close cont
act with the staff at CONAPAC and written funding requests and letters of introduction about our NGO in the Amazon. Whether here or in Perú, the work continues. I consider this now the next chapter of my journey in my new and different life. The last three years have been about learning the job, the culture and the language. I’ve come a long way but there is much yet to learn and more to accomplish. I’ll be working with CONAPAC for the foreseeable future as I’m eager to continue the work I’ve started. I plan to continue my blog and keep the conversation going about the happenings in the rainforest. To all my readers and followers--whoever you may be--thanks for coming along on this wide and wonderful ride!
