Funeral for a little one

Funeral for a little one, originally uploaded by jtobiason08.

I really wish I knew more of what was going on in this picture, but all you can see is all I know. I was helping the CAMBIALO kids film each other in La Oroya and looked up to see this small group of people carying these flowers and the smallest coffin that I have ever seen. It was one of those moments that shows what life is really like.

Unused Scales

Unused Scales, originally uploaded by jtobiason08.

In November, 2009, I got to visit Erika in Ayacucho while she was volunteering for the Casa Hogar Los Gorriones. This was just too picturesque for me to pass up.  I don't know what brought this situation to be set up for me.  But for me it represents the way that Peru and especially Ayacucho, just stopped the world and had it ripped away during the period of violence between 1980 and 2000.  Life was hard, but it just disappeared and there are only fragments which are being used to be the building blocks for the future.

Stateside for 2 weeks, where did it all go?

I case you haven't heard, I came back to the US on July 27th.  If you read this, I would love to hang out with you at some time.  My cell phone is the same as before.  If you don't have it, just send me an email.

But it is strange to be sitting at my parent's house writing this email looking out on my Mom's garden and listening to the newest Vampire Weekend album on my stereo which I set up in the family room upon returning.  This led to this short exchange:

Mom: "having music is great, I should have used it more often."
Joe: "It has only been set up for an hour and a half"
Mom: "oh......"

Joe and Erika after Sounders game

Since getting back to the US, I have gone out to Mexican food at El Charo (the best Chicken Mole ever!), had friends over for an epic welcoming, relaxed, family reunion, a week in Seattle, more friends over, a Peruvian dinner, a Mariners game, a Sounders game, hung out in Seattle and tomorrow head off to Vancouver for Cherise and Cory's wedding.  My life has been pleasantly busy.

But where did it all go?  I have this sentiment often when I travel where upon return, I feel as if it were all a dream.  I know that it isn't.  I know that the memories are real.  I can hold the negatives which prove that I took this picture, but it just went so fast.  And it is strange that it is the same season as when I left because it feels as if the world just paused here.  This is compounded by the fact that I am not in Spokane or at Whitworth now.  I am spending more time in Seattle.  My college friends are around, but not down the hall.

Vanesa, Lady, and Jhohana from CAMBIALO

But there are the things that make me remember it all.  I use a picture of Vanessa, one of the kids from the CAMBIALO project as my bookmark to remember those kids and what they mean to me every time I sit down to read.  Every article of clothing I purchased in Peru brings back memories whenever they slip over my extremities.  I was blessed by 14 people coming to a small celebration of my year at my parent's house last weekend of which I got to go through pictures, music, stories and some food (still eating those leftovers).  Of course my facebook is every other between english and spanish comments and photos.  It is still real.

So that is the dichotomy that I get to sit between.  I have said before that, to me, "home" is not a location, but rather the place where you feel connected to your community and now my "home" spans 2 continents.

So, I will continue to blog off and on.  I will not send the email updates as I have during my time in Peru, with exception of more important things.  This blog will still be full of my thoughts and experiences and pictures.  Thank you for yours this year.  Lets keep it up!

Smiles

Smiles, originally uploaded by jtobiason08.

La Oroya, Peru, Kentmere B/W 400 film

Children in the city of La Oroya crowd around the camera. 97% of them have elivated blood lead levels. To see how they are trying to move out of that situation, please check out www.kidsforlaoroya.org/