9/14/06 (Day 2): Patience, Humor and Flexiblity

"We sang and danced, wrote poetry and told stories... one group even made a sculpture out of one of the staging staff. We are prepared with water bottles to keep hydrated and healthy, journals and cameras to capture the moments and memories, a sense of ownership of American culture, an open mind ready for new sights, smells, tastes, and sensations.

Two gems of knowledge were passed on to us today as we put closure on our brief time together in Washington and get ready for our long journey south tomorrow:

First... patience, humor, and flexibility will be the three most important characteristics of a successful volunteer. And secondly, Chad, our main staging supervisor told us of two important people we would meet in Peru -- one whose life we'll impact dramatically, and one who will be the best teacher we've ever had.

We are ready for the next step. Tomorrow evening we will arrive at a retreat center north of Lima for our first set of shots and cultural training on what it will be like to live with a Peruvian family.

I am no longer numb to this experience, rather I am like a sponge, soaking and soaking. Eager for more. Yearning to be wrung out and resoaked. Saturated at some point far in the future -- a time I can't even imagine.

We take this step by step, day by day. Cheers to the next 27 months!