Bubbles...

Had a bubble moment......the best bubble moment ever!

hating it...to maybe....

Have been here for almost a week, and in that time, have met up with Richard who works for Bruce Peru, but obviously it is called Bruce Chile. Helped him work in a High Shool doing a drama workshop, and practising Greece, very entertaining. Went to a community centre for a meeting, and the rest of the week wondered in musuems and sky lifts. Am beginning to become accustombed to the city life, and the nutters that come along with it. We went for a drink in Bebiste on Tuesday evening, and after watching a group of boys tease an old druken man, who then decided to return with a skinny two metre long bamboo stick.....Boys had a field day, threw him on the ground and then starting kicking his head in. All right next to us. For those who know me well, will know that I can´t cope with fighting....got up and in the sweetest spanish I could manage without losing my cool, asked them to stop, by basically putting myself in the middle of it all. Richard, I think, thought I was an absolute nutter, but I would rather be the one losing my life than watch someone else lose his. So we waited for an ambulance, and then legged it before we were the next target of head kicking.

All happens here, not as carefree as good old Peru.

Facts about Santiago

• The Metro is great, fast, smooth with rubber wheels...not sure what that means....
• There is a disgusting massive cloud of smog over the city
• Feels like any big city, with people in suits and ties
• Classical music in the street
• Good good red wine
• And, it is soooo chilly in Chile!

All in all, it really is just a city, and being here has made me realise how much I don´t want the city life. Yet I am so not wanting to leave South America, gosh I can feel myself turning into an emotional girl again.

Santiago!

Well I though s for Santiago, will mean S for simple. But things never are in conny moments! Arrived at midnight, got a transvip, small van that takes a few people to their hostals, hotels or homes. All seemed so easy! Got to my hostal and it was shut, no one was opening any doors.....by now it is after one. Did think about sleeping at the airport, got back into the van, and driver drops off everyone else. Have now decided sleeping at the airport would be a good idea.....and waiting for the next morning. Driver, however thought otherwise. He was very concerned that I was not concerned about not having a place, and kept telling me I was far too calm. By now it was after two.....who has the energy to stress. Anyway, very sweet man that he was, continued to drive around, stopping at three hostals....each one was full. Why will nobody share their bed with me! The airport was definitely becoming a better option. Why did I think it would be any easier than this. Got to the last hostal......and yes a bed free in a mixed dorm. So I had to share with five very smelly boys....did hope there would be one girl....but no. Five smelly boys. Hostal ended up being great, hot hot water......free tea and coffee whenever, massive sofas and big t.v with movies all day, books, music, kitchen.....and great great people.
Was so wired up from the whole evening, had a boiling hot steaming shower, a cup of tea, and checked my mail....oh yes free internet..... Got to my bunk, and surprisingly passed out, till sunlight streamed into our room the next morning.

Tomorrow

I leave at some silly hour tomorrow morning and wonder what has happened to the last four months. Everyday has been amazing, some challenging, some painful, yet not one day have I regretted coming here despite some of you thinking I am absolutely mad. I went to the salt fields today, they were so well designed, walking home in the sun I felt such a strong emotion for this place. I look at the ladies with many babies, the market men, the people selling postcards or anything in the plaza and my heart breaks. Somehow Peru has become home, and I don´t know why. I try to think of what I have learnt about life, about me, and I don´t think I have learnt anything, yet I have enjoyed all my days. I loved working with my kids, that are still being very naughty I hear...need to go back and sort them out. How I would love to. But it is time to move. I have been such a mess this evening, trying to pack, which is becoming a nervous disaster. I tried to eat some chicken, instead cried, turned it into a take away and gave it to a man in the plaza who was in absolute heaven as it was still warm. That made me cry more! I have made so many lovely friends and I pray that they last beyond Peru. Inside I feel like a bundle of nerves that is about to fall apart, yet I know that I can´t, and I find that so hard, so hard to keep it all together. Just tonight, I wish someone else could pack my bags, someone else could sort out my life, that someone else could be stronger than me. I know that I will more than likely not see my kids again, or the people I have met here. The man from the market that gave me a necklace, the lady who chats like a bullet, the hostel owner that sings happy birthday, the taxi man that buys us oranges and bananas for our trip, making us realise we have paid far too much. The last four months have been so different, so welcoming, beyond what I expected. Tomorrow that ends, I leave, and despite working in Santiago for a week, I know that it won´t be the same. Tonight I will try to stay awake as long as I can, think about the memories that make me smile, the ones that make me laugh and I will also try to think about tomorrow and the friends I am about to see. Maybe tomorrow will be a good day, maybe it will make me smile, maybe all I will do is cry, but tomorrow is tomorrow, and I will think about it all tomorrow.

Just Realised...

I have just worked out why everyone is sleeping when I call....Britain has turned their clocks forward....so that means I am six hours behind. A big apology to all those who want to skype and I keep missing them....I finally know why!

The Jungle

Gorgeous, devine and very green, with many many mozzies that seem to like the idea of chowing ones feet. We stayed in this devine little place with a crazy cook that definitely made each moment worthwhile. After deciding he liked me, our food was the best ever. Fruit with yoghurt, pancakes, veggies, salad....each meal just got better and better. I managed to do some river rafting...did not need a knee for that...great fun. Would hate to be in grade five rapids, these were big enough, and feel like the river and I have a mutual understanding now.
Also, I went, not sure what to call it, but where you slide on a rope from one side to another, about 100metres high, very exciting! Did not need knee for that either. Had to cycle though from one village to another on a very gravel road. That was slightly tricky, and did hurt, but had dosed myself with painkillers beforehand and then largly afterwards, was high most of that day.
Saw a few different birds, insects, and water things, not very good with names of that kind of stuff...BUT I did see the most beautiful and biggest butterflies ever. The brighest blues and oranges, along with striking black or white that seemed to contrast their colours. They were everywhere, fluttering passed you, then coming back as if they were trying to tell you something you didn´t know. They really were beautiful, and each one was more amazing than the first. I kept thinking how beautiful they were, and then wondered if my awe of their beauty was returned. Do animals think we are great?
The road home was very similar to that of Santa Theresa. We had three major major landslides where we had to change buses, and then one part that meant alot of walking uphill in very mucky mud. My trainers now look like they belong to a boy! Then our combi had a flat tyre. Finally made it back to Cusco, sharing with a Canadian girl who was working in the Jungle. It really was a great few days with many funny moments, that I am sure I will edit into this blog, when I have the energy. This is one of the Landslides, the whole road has just vanished.