Wednesday, December 23, 2009

You can find me down river

Most days I wonder why I still live in the States.  At least five times a day, I wonder why I'm not somewhere else, doing something else in some other country far far away from this place.  I truly do belong in another land.
If any of you need me,  I will be down river somewhere, lost in a world I so desperately wish to return to, attempting to find purpose in the day to day.
While I daydream, please dip into the photos that float me downstream, to my castle in the jungle:

Headed down to the Heliconia Lodge

Peaceful lagoon on the Amazon

The Heliconia Lodge, owned by the incredible Carlos Acosta


The Lodge rests up on stilts, like a tree house.  This is the hammock room, the best seat in the house during a nightly rainstorm.

another view of the hammock room

on the boat with some of the mentors of the group

we received a visit from a baby caiman

Building a new Library for Santa Rosa village.  Population: about 700


Painting the library








teaching about germs while making sock germ hand puppets


teaching the secondary kids


found a litter of puppies.  they had fleas. didn't care, held them anyway.  got flea bites.

the sweetest boy who ever lived and an early morning jungle hike with Amanda, our guide and myself


our farewell plaque to the village leaders


my boyfriend, Jean-Pier.  He gets bigger every year.

A super emotional farewell.  I cried the whole boat ride home


The amazing staff at the lodge.  All dear friends





The peaceful amazon


going...


going...


gone.


I pray everyday that my road of life will lead me back here. Til then, I have these photos,  my memories. and my daydreams.