A Life Simplified?

Yellowstone

Am I traveling light? Hardly.  Some of you may recall that the reason I departed Brighton, MI and the USA in general was to "simplify" my life.  I sold or gave away most everything I owned and left behind a very small number of personal items in storage. I paid off all my debt and packed two suitcases to move to South America. For a long time I didn’t have a computer and used the local Internet cafes.  I didn’t have a cell phone, a car, a house or apartment, a TV or even a toaster!  I lived out of a suitcase at a local hostal and when it was time to move into a small apartment, I packed my too suitcases and walked the three blocks it took to arrive—unpacking and moving into my new place in less than an hour. Then I settled in and didn’t return to the US for almost three years.  

Wyoming or Idaho?

How times and circumstances have changed. My simple life becomes more complicated yet rich and and fulfilling with ever passing day. With the infinite wisdom that only comes with advanced aging, I choose to fall in love with a man from Australia!  Finding someone in South America or maybe somewhere in the US apparently just wasn’t bizarre enough for me. I now have clothes and shoes stationed in Iquitos, Peru; Perth, Western Australia; and Brighton, Michigan.  My US address is my brother’s house Michigan, my shipping address is at a friend’s house in Brighton, my mailing address is in Peru, and my favorite man and weather is in Australia. To complicate matters more, I go and get breast cancer, have it treated in Australia then follow up in the US. I now have oncologists in both countries and my suitcase is more full of paperwork and medical records than clothes or my favorite consumables--which I can’t get in either Peru or Australia.

Cultural Adaptation

I now have a laptop, a cheap flip phone, and IPhone, a Kindle, a camera, a toaster oven, a blender, a TV, and and an Internet in Peru that’s slower than dial-up (for those of you old enough to remember dial-up!). Is my life more complicated, essentially living part time in three countries on three different continents?  For sure!  Is it the most exciting, fulfilling and adventure packed life I could lead? Absolutely!  Am I happier and more at peace than ever before? No doubt! I love my family, my friends, my man, my work, my opportunities and my ability to have found the world again through fresh and exciting eyes.  Yes, it’s complicated but as in all things, one day at a time.

Hmm, can't remember!

I’m heading back to Australia for December then Peru on New Year’s Eve.  It will give me great joy to be back home as I ring in the New Year.    I consider 2013 to be a “reboot” year for my health and my attitude.  My goals and interests haven’t changed but the cancer has put a finer point on the subject and I fine myself not wanting to lose any time doing all the things I want to do, see all the people and places I want to see, eat all the yummy food I can enjoy, and reach as many of my professional goals as possible.  Thanks for going along on this ride with me—as we all know, it’s not the destination but the journey and the company you keep along the way!

Life Is Wonderful!

Finally, James and I took a wonderful trip out West for the month of October.  We visited eight states, saw countless mountain ranges and enjoyed endless natural beauty—and in so doing put 7,000 miles on our rental car. I’m so happy to know that these irreplaceable wonders of nature are being preserved and maintained by our federal park system. In the meantime, we did eat in a lot of restaurants and enjoyed a variety of interesting meals.  As you may recall from one of my earlier posts, I found Australia to offer outstanding cappuccino virtually everywhere you go.  Not so here in the US, at least in the Brighton area  and the Midwest—although it can be found here and there.  When James and I did find a cup of cap, we started rating them, the name of the café or restaurant and in what town.  Our list and ratings are as follows and will give you an idea of our October journeys:

1.   Petals & Perks, Frankfort, MI--3 ½ stars 

2.   Brass Café & Saloon, Mt. Pleasant, MI--2 stars

3.   Wooden Spoon, Brighton, M--2 stars

4.   Afternoon Delight, Ann Arbor, MI--2 ½ stars

5.   Diana’s on Main, Rockford, MI--3 stars

6.   Bean & Leaf, Royal Oak, MI--3 1/2 stars

7.   Gandy Dancer, Ann Arbor, MI--3 ½ stars

8.   Common Grill, Chelsea, MI--1 star

9.   Starbucks, DTW Airport, Romulus, MI--4 stars

10.        New Moon Café & Bakery, Nederland, CO--3 ½ stars

11.        Yellowstone Hotel, Yellowstone, WY--4 stars

12.        Old Faithful Inn, Yellowstone, WY--3 ½ stars

13.        Cowboy Coffee, Jackson, WY--4 stars

14.        Higher Grounds, Kamish, ID--2 stars

15.        Le Café de Paris, Boise, ID--5 stars Perfect I

16.        Shivers & Jitters, Venal, UT--3 stars

17.        Sweet Cravings, Moab, UT--3 stars

18.        Mon Ami Cabi, Las Vegas, NV--5 stars Perfect II

19.        Crema Café, Cottonwood, AZ--3 ½ stars

20.        The Avalanche Café, Silverton, CO--3 ½ stars

21.        Mountainview Mall & Café, Chama, NM--3 ½ stars

22.        Lamberts, Toas, NM--4 1/2 stars

23.        Midtown Bistro, Santa Fe, NM--4 stars

24.        Root Down, Denver, CO--4 ½ stars

25.        Steve & Rocky’s, Novi, MI--3 stars

Cody,

Our system was one to five 

Wyoming

stars. Only two were perfect they were both found in French cafes.  What can we say, the French simply do some things better than anyone else!

See you again in the New Year as Perú beckons one more time :)

I Just Keep Moving

Sam & some Peruvian friends

Oops—a long break between posts.  When last I posted it was early July in Perth, Western Australia.  Now I sit in Brighton, Michigan with two months of Iquitos, Peru in between.  I’ve become quite adapt at shifting in cultures with different foods, money, procedures, measuring systems, cultural expectations and, of course, language.  To be sure, I am never bored and often in a state of wonder!  What a joyful life my path has taken me.

Sam & Fred, the anteater

Arriving in Iquitos was a bit of a hard landing.  After being yanked away so expectantly for over seven months, I simply couldn’t wait to return.  But once in town, I found myself having doubts that returning to the jungle, my job and my life there was the right choice.  However, after about two weeks I was back in that place where I loved every waking minute of my day and knew returning to Peru was the right choice.  Getting back to CONAPAC and seeing all my co-workers and Pamela was wonderful.  My first day back found me attending a surprise party in my honor with cake, balloons, songs, photos, etc.  Everyone in the office attended and I was truly touched.  I decided to arrive the first day at work without a hat or scarf.  The first time since the start of chemo that I’d gone bare-headed but this is why I love Iquitos.  Everyone just took it all in stride and I’m sure those on the street just thought I was another loony “gringa” with a nearly shaved head.  How empowering!  My neighbors and friends quickly turned up and within a very short time, life in Perth faded in the background and the liveliness of the rainforest took hold.

A lot happened during those two months with visits from donors, students from the

Jack Attack!

University of Colorado, doctors and med students from Michigan State University, and may daughter, Samantha.  Between catching up on all the work news and friends; inventory and orders for 2014 Adopt A School; and a serious search for additional donations, my time in town absolutely flew by and I found myself back in the US of A in no time! On that note, more to come but it has been great to see so many family and friends and especially my grandson, Jack—who with his mother, Erin, will be coming to the rainforest in February to experience the adventure of a lifetime!

CU-Boulder Water Audit Team

So what did I find changed in Iquitos after seven months? Not a whole lot.  The weather was just the same, which I love.  The massive municipal sewer project is still not done nor close to being connected or operational. There was an odd new restaurant here and there. Also, there does seem to be a few more autos on the roads and more glass windows and doors in the shops so the city seemed a bit more prosperous.  I continue my battle with the Peruvian government to settle up the dispute over my medical absence.  Seems they’re not sure I really had cancer and the necessary treatment but rather that I’m scamming them in some way.  I suppose until we come up with the right bribe, it will continue to be up in the air—ugh! More to come on that issue, I’m sure. 

I’m now heading out West for a month-long road trip covering Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico with a focus on the national parks. And finally, I can use my Spanish while here in America!

Perth, I'm Going to Miss You!

Just thinkin'

Well, the day has finally arrived and I return to Peru!  After an unexpected six-month stay in Perth, Western Australia, I’m heading home.  Life in Perth has been exceptional!  I can’t say enough about this city.  My first impression, when I was briefly here in August 2011, was way off base.  What I thought I saw was a quiet, non-descript, homogeneous, boring town.  How wrong I was. 

Perth public spaces

Perth, on the farthest edge of the continent, is as isolated from the rest of the country as in some ways is Iquitos.  Yes, you can get there by road from Sydney or Melbourne (unlike Iquitos which you cannot arrive by any roads) but why would you?  Even by air, it’s a five hour flight from Sydney and there’s not a whole lot in between.  For this reason and for many years Perth remained somewhat a big country town—but no more!  The population has swelled to about 2.2 million and growing.  There are now restaurants, bars and cafes at all levels of price and quality.  Public transportation (by bus and rail) is clean, convenient, affordable and widely available. The cultural scene is world-class with concerts, traveling art exhibits, museums, plays, and foreign film festivals. The weather is like San Diego which means lots of sun, green trees and flowers blooming all year long, miles and miles of sandy public beaches, countless public parks, foot and bike paths, plus numerous playgrounds for kids and walkable neighborhoods with shops and cafes in every suburb. Shopping is excellent with many small dress boutiques still viable in the era of big box stores and generic shopping malls.  Then the very best thing about Perth is the cultural diversity.  I feared coming here I’d stand out as an American in a sea of Aussies.  Not so.  There are large numbers of Indians, Africans, Asians, Muslims, Greeks, Italians, and of course oodles of Brits—and even Peruvians!  They influence the food scene with countless ethic cafes and restaurants. There are lots of specialty shops for homesick ex-pats all of which only increases the interesting things that are now Perth. When James and I take our daily walk and pass others on the footpath, barely one in four overheard conversations are in English! And then don’t forget the Aboriginal population that is finally being widely recognized, embraced and included in the larger public life of white Australian culture.

My favorite neighborhood cafe

My time here has also allowed me to understand the political system which is parliamentary.  I didn’t know much about it before but it seems fairly sensible.  There is hardly a noticeable “election season” and there are few political ads as we are endlessly bombarded with in the US. Oh there’s lots of vitriol as the world has just seen with the ouster of Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Australia’s first female PM, but it’s done in such a matter of fact way, that is seems to leave few hurt feelings behind.  Yes, there are big egos and much to be potentially gained by being in politics but it certainly seems to me that most politicians are truly in the game to be public servants.  And when their time is up, they have other “real lives”  to return to and enjoy. The thing I like the best is how the federal government does its budget.  There is no party wrangling and endless years with no formal budget in place as in the US.  Instead, each year the party in power decides on and presents a budget—Done!  It’s good for one year and spells out where revenue is expected to come from and where it will be spent.  If they should deem taxes go up or down, programs should be added or cut, unusual events should be paid for then so be it.  The budget is presented--period, case closed.  Sometimes there are deficits and sometimes not but overall it’s a sensible, practical, professional and adult approach to managing a whole country as fine and livable as I’ve found Australia to be. Oh, and PS, voting is mandatory.  You don’t vote then you pay a fine.  The system works hard to be sure everyone is part of the process not excluded. How refreshing!

Perfection!

Last but not least, perhaps the thing I will miss most is a quality cup of cappuccino.  You simply cannot get a bad cup of cap anywhere in the city, from the lowliest milk bar to the finest restaurants. Real baristas are trained and employed everywhere making for a wonderful experience each time a cappuccino is served—and always in a real china cup and saucer, too. America, the land of the bottomless cup of coffee, could find some real inspiration here.

Now on to Peru….a posting to come in a few weeks once I’ve figured out where things stand and what’s new and exciting in the Peruvian rainforest.