Life & Whatnot

I would like to say something about this experience, outside of the day to day goings-on. I’ve only been in Cusco for 3 days, and in Peru for a whole 6, however I can honestly already say I am beginning to understand how big this is. I was at the festival today and then at the CTTC in Chinchero and I had this thought, that I wanted to weave with these women all day, for weeks and weeks. I want to dye with them for as long as they’ll let me. I want to share their community and their history and their stories… I know this requires me to speak the language well, and it’s coming. I’ll get better as I take more classes and as I am immersed in it for a prolonged period of time. Maybe I’ll even pick up some Quechua along the way. So far it’s been a good experience, but a tough one. I am so fortunate to have this grant, but I don’t think most people can really understand what all this entails for me. The people I encounter here even, who speak English and are traveling abroad with a friend or partner, they don’t understand how I can strike out alone, to an unfamiliar place, to people I don’t know. A guy the other day was like “you must be very strong.” My response was “and stubborn!” but really, he has no idea. I miss tap water and hot showers. I miss pilates classes and raw carrots and strawberries. I miss my girlfriend and my family and my friends. Skype is no replacement for seeing the people I care about in person. So here’s the real test—I thought I had done a pretty decent job figuring myself out while I was in Detroit, but this will show what I’m really made of.

The more people I meet, the better it gets. And there’s always weaving. And spinning. And dyeing… The familiarity of these, even if the techniques or the materials are different, is a comfort. And who knows, maybe I’ll finally get good at knitting (these women are badass knitters). Maybe I’ll travel into the Amazon to finally do an indigo dye with real indigo. And then there are 13yr old girls who sit down around you at fountains to ask in rapid Spanish about your Nook and your clothes and your hair and where you’re from and what you do and what is your name and don’t you miss your family and then tell you what you’re wearing when you say you only speak a little Spanish, and then tell you you’re beautiful, that they want to touch your hair, and run off shouting Nos Vemos. There is an archeologist to follow into the ruins of Incan and Pre-Columbian civilizations, and a Spanish instructor who I get to finally meet in person after a year of lessons, and some seemingly over-zealous well meaning persons who believe they really can change the world all by themselves. I haven’t said no to an invitation yet to go somewhere or meet someone and I plan to make it stay that way.

I got to see some real stars tonight. Nilda pointed out the southern cross on our way back to Cusco. To top it all off, I get 10ms of southern constellations. Muy bonito.