Food--Inspiration--FO

One of the absolute best things about Peru is how cheap the fresh, organic, local produce is. It is abundant and delicious.. Just today I got 3 bananas for 1 sol on the corner of the street where I live. Thats .39 US cents.. wowza, right? 

Interesting inside of a kiwi

Day's harvest

Mac and Cheese! US Classic Peruvian style.

I made a friend from Cusco named Ronald. On the roof of his building there are shards of bottles cemented into the border for protection. I thought it was pretty and innovative.

One great thing about my place is the gorgeous view in the mornings. And being able to cook for myself. I've been having bacon, eggs and bread with jam and coffee every morn. I love the ritual. But I'm gonna switch the bacon out for veggies soon... :(

Tuna melt and cucumbers.. On delicious bread that is so gourmet style but only 5 for 1 sol. 

!

Jodpers.

View from a window where I was writing one day.

This week has been nice. Solidifying plans for a trip coming up. Writing a lot and getting inspired by the marvelous Frank Ocean. 

I tend to get obsessed with things I'm inspired by. A movie, a memoir, a painting, an album or another body of work.. but it always leads me to a person.  I become largely inspired by not just the minor artwork of one's physical creation, but the larger artwork of their existence on this earth. 

Their lifework.

 I've gone through this with many artists such at Jean-Michel Basquiat, Patti Smith, Robert Mapplethorpe, Earnest Hemmingway, Woody Allen, Charles Burnett, Lady GaGa, Derek Cianfrance, John Lennon, Christopher "Alexander Supertramp" McCandless.... and now Frank Ocean. 

Welcome to the gang, we're all here!

Lately I've been noticing as I'm growing older and changing though not fully present through the shift since it's so unconscious how all of my experiences leave remnants that slightly change the mold of the person I am. Sometimes it may be barely noticeable, other times it might leave a huge imprint, but they're all metabolizing in me- creating assumptions I don't know I'm forming, opening my heart a little more, gaining courage, losing faith. Many don't see that every decision is leaving an imprint, creating a new person over time. Until the change has arrived, and you ask yourself "how did this happen?" or "wow, this is who i am?"

It's kind of amazing. And great to be aware of. So at least in the moments when I remember, I can choose. As best I can. That day. 

It's different from an "intentional shift" you make in your life. Because already there is a huge assumption or expectation. The changes that happen unintentionally based on impulsive decisions are the building blocks in shaping who you truly are rather than the idea of what you are. When acting from the idea of who you are, you make "PC" decisions so to speak. What you know to be acceptable and correct. And so, how do you marry the idea of who you are, perhaps the person you desire to grow into, with the reality?

Enjoying the work, not lusting after the rewards.

I love how in life the same rules apply for everything.. a lot of times.. Existence has so many analogies in itself so no matter who you are, on some level you might be able to understand. How cool?

Till next time . . .

Moved..

It has been so long.. again, sorry Mom. These pictures are from about 2 weeks ago when I first moved to my new place in San Blas. The day I moved in I walked down to Wanchaq where there's a nice selection of supermarkets. It was not the Cusco I was used to seeing, much more modern and Western feeling.

 

These are the most modern buildings I've seen yet.

Walking home. . .

Back at the place I made guacamole!

And a key ring. .

And then went up on the roof!

It's so breathtaking up there.

Aldea Yanapay student

A gathering with fantastic music in the Plaza de Armas

happy Mom?

Love ya!

Halloween

This past weekend was pretty fun. I actually socialized with people my own age, can you believe it!?

All the volunteers as Aldea Yanapay are young people with adventurous from all over the world. Thus far I've met people from France, Spain, Australia, Canada, Belgium, Holland, New York, Argentina, Germany and more. On Halloween we took the kids out for a parade and had a great time.

Yuri, founder and director, with some of the kids

Friday was dia de los muertos here and on my way to the restaurant that funds all these free programs for the usual Friday night Buffet, there was a parade type thing going on

Then to the restaurant!

Everyone started playing all kinda of drinking games, which I don't do, but it was super fun to watch! They played musical chairs and BANG! which is a theater game. So funny! If you got shot, you had to drink.. Then we went out dancing which was a super good time. 

The next day was a Halloween party that Yuri hyped up to the max. It's one of the only places in Cusco where gay men can be themselves. We met up at the restaurant before hand. I was some kind of flower/ garden.. just whipped up what I could find. Made the top that day.

Good times. Also, the rainy season has officially begun. It's really not that bad, but from what my iPhone told me, I was really worried.. At least it's not raining all day every day.. just for a few hours here and there.

Still getting trained to teach yoga starting next week. Going to read all the yoga philosophy books I can find. Though I know I'm not going to be a "real teacher," this opportunity could open up to me getting official training one day at an Ashram or something. You never know!

Aldea Yanapay

It's been a while- Sorry Mom!

This was my first week volunteering four hours a day, five days a week for Aldea Yanapay and getting trained to teach yoga every morning. So I've been busy.. I spend the time I have in between writing, eating, reading and when I come home I've been knitting and watching films. Aldea Yanapay- what a place. When I first arrived it was pretty overwhelming since we had half the volunteers they usually do and the kids are cray. I was assigned to teach art and care for the youngest children, the two most difficult jobs there are. I was pretty nervous and overwhelmed by the kids themselves and on top of that I can be shy when I first meet people so it was kinda tough.. BUT I'm settling into the program, making friends with the other volunteers and am excited to start teaching yoga. Lucky me- they are are gonna let me volunteer for only 2 hours a day so I can teach my 6pm yoga class. YIPPEE!

 Pictures from Friday's show

As I've mentioned, I've been knitting a lot and watching great movies that I've always wanted to see and never have or that I saw when I was young and don't remember well. I was on a major Tom Hanks kick watching Apollo 13 and Philadephia (and Forrest Gump with Sakira before I left). I've also watched Sylvia, The Invention of Lying by Ricky Gervais, Frida, A Serious Man, A Single Man and lots more..  A Single Man is by far my new favorite movie, a complete inspiration. It's nice having the time to do these things, especially because I have so many irons in the fire employment wise so I don't feel like I'm wasting time.

I do feel incredibley shy though. I've always had the tendency to observe more than speak, to try to be accommodating and out of the way doing what's asked of me rather than making judgments and jumping in to help. While this quality is nice in some senses, it's also quite troubling in others. I guess I just have to trust myself and have faith and confidence in being inside the present moment, acting when I feel I should act and being of service as much as I can. 

Saying things and doing them are two completely seperate things, but they are steps on the way...

“Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny.”

-Ghandi