Following my heart...

Someone from MND whom I admire very much told me that I need to follow my heart. Regardless of what my head says or what may be most logical, when you follow your heart...you know exactly what you want. She told me it would be such a shame always wondering what my adventure would be like if I had just listened to my heart. My heart is beating loudly, and on Tuesday...I am following my heart.

It's funny. Parts of me are so logical. I don't over analyze, I am punctual and I am straightforward. But then there's the other part of me. I am emotional, caring, vibrant and a big push over. Making this decision is so hard for me, because my two sides collide. I am trying to follow my heart, but the logical side of my head gets in the way. What a mess! I know deep down in my heart...I can be doing more. I want to end this adventure knowing that I did the very best I could every second of the day and right now, I don't feel that way. I am following my heart...

I have made the decision to switch organizations this coming Tuesday. Some may think that this is a way of giving up, but I don't look it that way at all. I may be a lot of things...but a quitter is not one of them. It takes a lot of courage admitting that being in Huancayo may not be the perfect fit for me and that I want more. Before arriving in Peru, I thought the amount of time I would be volunteering would be plenty. I was excited for the chance to see the country, experience the culture and immerse myself in the language. But now, I realize I want to be doing more. I don't just want to volunteer 7-8 hours a day...I want to be a missionary for God. The excursions are amazing, but after being here...the children are what matter most to me. I realize now that it's not about me. I have to believe in something greater than myself to become something better. I believe, in the children.

On Tuesday, I will make the trip back to Lima to volunteer at The Hogar San Francisco de Asis. At the Hogar, I will be given the opportunity to volunteer 16-17 hours a day with children that have cancer, missing limbs, disabilities, cleft palates among many other issues. I will be living with the children at the Hogar and caring for them daily. I will still be able to teach, but will help with medical needs as well. I am beyond excited for this next part of my adventure and think that this change will be one I will never regret! I am following my heart :] Keep reading next week for an update from the Hogar!

This weekend was awesome! I visited Incan ruins, beautiful lakes and a wild festival! The ruins were amazing. I have never seen anything like them. The ruins were a few thousand feet above a town called Chupaca and the view was breathtaking. One big accomplishment, we had to walk up about 3,000 stone steps to get to the top...and I didn't fall! Woo :] I even stole a rock (shhhhh!!!) because the ruins are older than Jesus...like who wouldn't take something that's older than Jesus?! The lakes were amazing...crystal, clear blue water that I was dying to swim in! Look at the pictures at the end of the post!

The festival we went to afterward was crazy! Thousands of people dancing, singing, laughing, eating, drinking and having a marvelous time! There was so much love at this festival. I had some type of strange meat, rice, potatoes spaghetti, vegetables and BEER! Hahahahah :] The food was amazing and the beer was disgusting (don't worry the drinking age is 18!) But I had a great time at the festival! I didn't get to take any pictures there, because the festival was crazy and didn't want to risk my camera getting stolen. But, just imagine a small dirt area lined with tents with thousands of Peruvian people dancing and singing in traditional costumes. So cool :]

Also at the end of this post are pictures of my kids I teach. They really are the most amazing people I have ever met in my life and am beyond grateful to have gotten to teach them. They have changed my life. One of my best friends, Chelsea, asked me if I feel changed after being here. This sounds so cheesy and dorky...but I really do. The children have changed me. The people, the language, the poverty, the food, becoming closer to God, following my dreams, believing in myself and following my heart has changed me for the better. I am still Christine Anne Columbia...nerdy, weird, different, fun, happy, cool, strange and clumsy...but I am now living from the heart of myself so I can illuminate the world.

Life is Good. Peruvian Beer is nasty. Children are amazing. My friends keep me going. I love life.

-Teaner :]