Home is where your heart is...

Alright, so I have been home for almost 2 weeks and it definitely doesn't feel like home anymore. What once was a home I looked forward to coming home too, eating dinner with my family, taking a long hot shower, choosing between hundreds of options for lunch, relaxing on my comfy bed and seeing my best friends is no longer what I want for my life. For most of you that know me or read my blog, it is probably hard for you to understand why I feel this way...I am going to try and explain something that I fully don't understand.

I have always known that I was meant to be helping people. Whether it was serving in a soup kitchen or tutoring children, I found my niche early on. In all honesty, I couldn't have been happier when I needed to look at other options than Fordham for this school year. Secretly, I knew once I purchased my plane ticket on June 21st that this year in Peru was going to be life changing. Boy, was I right.

From the day I said goodbye to my Mom and best friends, walked on that plane, cried reading the amazing letters from loved ones, put my foot down on South American concrete, took an 8 hour bus to Huancayo, experienced homesickness, taught 3 weeks of english, followed my heart and traveled back to Lima, arrived at the Hogar, met a saint, ate breakfast with 57 children, fell in love with a baby, never felt so much happiness in my entire life, became friends with incredible volunteers, took countless naps with children and became a godmother (twice)...I realized this is what I am meant to be doing. I wake up every morning knowing that my passion and love is right down the stairs.

I have experienced things in the last 4 months that most people won't be able to in a lifetime. I am incredibly grateful for everything I have seen, done and felt. Being back here in Ohio, doesn't compare to anything I have felt within the last 4 months. I guess you could say I am experiencing reverse culture shock, which I wasn't expecting to be this difficult. It is not only hard to relate to people in America but even my best friends. It's not that we aren't best friends anymore or that I don't love them...but we are now living completely different lives. I have been to the most poverty stricken areas of Peru and experienced a lifetime worth of love and passion when my friends are studying for finals and going to parties. Neither life is right or wrong...just different. After being back for less than 2 weeks, I know where my heart is...

Most people don't understand or agree with my decision to volunteer in Peru for a year...and now they're even more confused how Peru feels like home. Being a Mom for 57 children, eating the same thing everyday, sleeping in a room with 4 girls smaller than a dorm, waiting in a hospital for hours, helping with homework, learning a new language, having a baby fall asleep in my arms, running up and down the stairs at least 40 times a day, watching movies, going to the park, hand washing my laundry, going to mass with everyone and knowing that this is what God has called me to do...FEELS LIKE HOME :]

I came back to Ohio for 2 reasons. One, because I was homesick in Huancayo and bought my ticket to see my family and friends. And Two, to research, apply and visit colleges for the upcoming year. I made a commitment to return in May and go back to college in August. I can't be sure of what I will be doing next year or even tomorrow for that matter...but I know where my heart is. I know what God has called me to do and I am following his calling in Peru. Maybe in May I will feel as though my work is done, but right now my heart is on fire for these children and I want to serve God for the rest of my life. After coming back and telling former teachers, Mount Notre Dame students, friends and strangers about the last 4 months of my life...I get the same reactions. "Wow, you're amazing." "What about school? You need to get your degree." "Isn't it hard living in Peru?" "Are you making money while you're there? You can't just be volunteering?" It's hard to explain to people how I am feeling. To put it bluntly, I don't think what I am doing is amazing at all. I am simply doing what God has called me to do and living out my dreams of committing my life to service. I know that I need my college degree, but I can get my degree at any point in my life. Hundreds of thousands of people are attending college to receive their degrees and get a job. How many people feel called to leave the first world behind and commit their life to poverty stricken children in Peru? Whether I stay in Peru until May, two years from now or forever...this is my calling and I am stickin' to it.

So forever or just for now...my heart is in Peru.

And Home, well that's where my heart is ♥


Ps. Someone asked me what my favorite memory has been so far in Peru. I remember the day vividly. I was holding John Pierre as he was falling asleep in my arms and a boy named Ronald asked me for help with his homework. I sat and helped Ronald and then helped Maritza and Lourdes with their homework. An older boy, John, passed me and said, "Mami Cristina" (Mommy Christine). My heart melted. I knew on that day that these kids have changed me forever. Love :]

To the 5 of us...

I have blogged about almost everything since I left in August...moments, miracles, being homesick, best days of my life, funny stories, saints, my spirituality, love, happiness, the worst week ever and so much more! But one thing I have yet to talk about are the other amazing volunteers I have met while being at the Hogar. So, as I am preparing to return to the States on Thursday and leaving the other incredible people I have come close with...this post goes to them. Love you guys! 

It just so happened the 5 of us arrived within a week of each other and all are leaving in December. Jake, Leah, Alexa, Amber and I were the most random group of people ever that had such a great time together. I never thought that after 3 months of volunteering at the Hogar with the 4 other long term volunteers, we would all be such good friends. It really made volunteering here so much more enjoyable with people that I could go dancing with, make brownies, go on late night snack runs, talk in English, laugh hysterically, be myself around and be introduced to 4 new perspectives on life. 

The 5 of us have such distinct, different personalities that it made volunteering together comical. Jake was known as the awkward one, Leah the doctor Mom, Alexa the chill potty mouth, Amber the serious one and me the innocent happy one. What a funny combination of people :] Of course, there were other volunteers...but they only stayed for one or two weeks. After living with these crazy nut cases for 3 months, I have to say they are some of the coolest people I have ever met. 

I learned lessons from these people that I would have never been introduced to if I was taking the normal college path. Leah, a fourth year medical student was definitely the Mom of the house. Typical Mom coms, comforting back rubs, consoling words, Mom outfits and not to mention that she went to MIT and now Dartmouth...makes her one of the nicest people I have ever met. She put up with so many of my antics when I had lice, listened and talked to me while sleep talking every night, was right by my side for my horrible week (just like my mom), shared all of her secrets rum afternoon, helped with the kids' math homework for hours and was the best partner ever watching Grey's Anatomy. Thank you Leah for making my 3 months here better than I could ever imagine :] And as I told her countless times while sleep talking..."Leah, you're just such a nice girl....."

Alexa just graduated from Georgetown and is the "chillest" person I think I have ever met. She makes decisions on good vibes and if things feel right. Definitely wish I had some of her chill personality! Alexa started to open up after being with us a month when we realized she is really willing to talk about any subject hahaha :]  I give her so much credit for being the only one to do crafts with the kids because we knew they would just end badly...but she would always try anyways. Alexa is still unsure of what she wants to do after life at the Hogar but whatever she does do, she will be great at! :] 

Amber was my roomie since the beginning and now knows all of my secrets because of my nightly sleep talking. Amber is finishing up her final year at USF meaning she is taking classes, writing her thesis and organizing a medical brigade to Ecuador. Although she approached every question and problem seriously, we never had a bad night chilling in the room together. Especially with all the funny roommates we had throughout the 3 months ;] Amber and I got along solely because we have polar opposite personalties. It was comical how much or lives, thoughts, feelings and views differ but that's exactly what made us funny roommates :] Good luck on the DAT Amber! You'll do great...and NYU will be lucky to have you in dentistry school.

Last but not least, Jake. Jake was the only guy out of the 5 of us...which probably was the reason he was always so awkward. Jake has an incredible way of edging movie quotes into any conversation which I never understood. The kids thought Jake and I were dating the entire three months which meant the whistling, kissy faces and trying to push us together while washing dishes never ended. Quite humorous :] Jake is one of the few guys I have ever met that is so open about his faith and relationship with God. Thank you for making my 3 months so incredible, not just by volunteering but by helping me find God within my life. "Now, don't go dyin' on me now..." 

These 4 volunteers have not only made my time at the Hogar better, but I am honored to have gotten to know these crazy, random people. Even though we are parting ways...club storage will never die :]

So, I'll end with this. Out of the five of us...who is most likely to blog about the 5 of us and make it cheesy, inspirational and corny? 

Love :]