“El tiempo vuela cuando te estás divirtiendo”

Hola amigos y familia!  I can’t believe it has almost been four months since I last updated this blog, and over six months since I finished Peace Corps and left Guyana.  As I reflect on everything since then, I am surprised at how much has happened, because really some days it just feels like nothing new is happening at all.  Time is tricky that way.  Let’s start from where we left off…

October

If we are friends on Facebook, you may have noticed that one of my best friends, Christian, came for visit to Ecuador. I guess he had this trip planned for a while, and wanted it to be a surprise to me, but as time got closer for his visit there were too many variables of the trip to keep me out of the loop.  Regardless, it still was a great surprise!  I had not seen him in almost a year, and from biking down volcanos in Quito to relaxing at mud spas in Cuenca, his Ecuador visit was a lot of fun.

November

This was a very exciting month for another one of my best friends.  Heather was a constant in my life when I lived in Salt Lake, and for a minute I thought she and I may end up together in old age – single, with a few cats, and a cozy place in Palm Beach.  Luckily for her, she managed to escape that dreadful fantasy by finding the perfect guy, who seems made just for her.  I was lucky enough, thanks to very generous friends, to make it back to Utah for her wedding.  I am so happy I did.  Not only was the wedding beautiful, but it gave me an opportunity to catch up with Utah family and friends.  From a food filled Friendsgiving, to helping with Christmas decorations, to Costco (several times), to (slightly awkward post-election) breakfast dates with family – I was reminded no matter how far, or how long we are apart, I will always have a connection to Utah and the people there.

As with most good things, however, the visit came to an end and I was back to Ecuador in a flash. Luckily, I had something to look forward to there as well.  One of my most favorite people I met through Peace Corps was coming to Ecuador, and would be living here for a few months, which meant I was going to get to spend some fun-filled time with her.  You never really know what you’re going to get with Michelle, but I knew one thing – It wouldn’t be a bad time.  Sure enough, the next thing I knew we were each getting our first tattoos!

And of course, in November, there was also the election…

December

Christmas time in Ecuador is pretty cool.  No shortage of decorations, lights, or parades.  Guyana also knew how to do Christmas, with special traditions of pepper pot and black cake.  I have really enjoyed experiencing Christmas in other cultures and the unique aspects they bring to the holiday.  As an early present for me, another friend from Peace Corps came to Ecuador for a visit in December!  This was perfect, as it meant Kelly, Michelle and I would get to spend the holidays together.

But not just us!  We headed to the Ecuador coast with my family, near where my parents and brother were living before the earthquake hit last April.  Spending Christmas and New Years by the beach was awesome.  Waking up to the sound of the waves and morning walks along the sand and surf was the best setting to end 2016.  Another great part of spending the Holidays on the coast was finally getting to meet the friends my family have been telling me so much about.  Needless to say, they have great taste in friends! It was a lot of fun getting to know the people who welcomed my family to Ecuador when they first arrived, and being able to include them in my Ecuador experience.

 

January

Following a perfect Holiday on the beach with family, the kids (Me, my bro, Kelly, and yes, Michelle) took off on an adventure of our own.  We had heard about a great beach town up north named Mompiche and thought we should check it out.  So here’s the deal – come to Ecuador, and go to Mompiche.  It is a truly hidden gem that is off the beaten path just enough to keep it special, and enough back packers and surfers coming through to warrant a few good restaurants and hostels.  The town has a pleasant mixed vibe of hippies and surfers, and we found the locals and other tourists to be equally friendly. I imagine unhappiness would be hard to maintain surrounded by the beauty Mompiche offers.  As a side note, you won’t find an ATM there, and the closest bank is nearly two hours away, but lodging and food are very reasonably priced.  So bring a little cash, and experience one of the best places Ecuador has to offer.

Something I will never forget from Mompiche is swimming in the perfectly warm ocean, surrounded by bioluminescence, in the middle of the night.  I had heard about bioluminescence, but until this point thought it was over exaggerated or even unreal.  Google it and you will see what I mean. Let me assure you, it is a once in a lifetime experience and something you have to see to believe.  Swimming in the crystal clear water at night, with bright lights flashing and following my every move, felt like I was swimming in a galaxy filled with stars.  Such magic in nature takes your breath away.

The magic of the universe really is all around us.  I was blessed to spend the end of 2016 surrounded by people I love, and to start off 2017 in one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen.

Then, just when you think you’ve figured out the balance of life, there’s a Presidential inauguration.

Shortly after this, during the last week of January, I was informed by USAID that the new President’s executive order on Federal employees has impacted my position – the training class I was to be in is now on hold, for a minimum of 90 days, but with no certainty it will proceed after that time either.

February

So here we are, caught up to the now.  In the 2^nd month of 2017, and I think it’s safe to say the world is changing, perhaps faster than it was 6 months before.  I do not believe that change in itself is bad. It’s natural.  Part of the universe.  And often a catalyst to something better. Can you think of one living thing that doesn’t change?  I believe we are in a collective time of change, and our responsibility to one another in how we respond to it is important now more than ever.

Admittedly, the election and subsequent potential change in my employment and future shook me.  It has been all too easy to be pissed off, angry, confused and afraid of what the future will bring. It was easy to lose my balance, to get lost in my head, to chase negative thoughts, blame, and fear in a loop that gets me nowhere.  There are a lot of things going on that I can’t control, but what I can control is how I respond to them.  Do I choose to be a victim of the world I see? Or do I choose to see opportunity behind the events, outcomes, or people who seem to obstruct?  The world I will see and experience is a reflection of that choice I make.

And that’s where I am at.  Constantly, daily, hourly reminding myself to choose again.  This life will be over in a flash, and in that sense, there’s really no reason in taking negative thoughts too seriously.  Will anything I’m concerned about now matter to me in 100 years? Obviously not.  And even so, what is 100 years in the whole scheme of time and eternity?  A drop in an endless ocean.  My fears and judgements about any situation or person alive now mean nothing in this context – why hold on to them?  So I’m working to let them go.

Instead of holding onto anger relating to current situations or events, I will look for occasions to be the change I hope the future holds.  Action – not anger.

Instead of holding onto fear about a job or the future, I will remain open to the path I am directed towards. Faith – not fear.

It’s easier said than done, and old habits die-hard, but I am trying. And this is where my innate responsibility to you comes in.  A responsibility to live by example, without being a victim of the world, and to empower a genuine peace in others.

So I am going into 2017 with optimism that things will continue to work out, and have a renewed commitment to do my part in creating a kinder, more understanding, and conscious world for all.

I will update again with future plans as they materialize, hopefully sooner than 4 months, unless of course I am having too much fun. 🙂 Until then…

Amor, Paz y Felicidad para Todos!