Time To Go Back Home

I spent the past 3 weeks in the U.S. visiting friends and family, taking clients, seeing students, celebrating Thanksgiving and remembering the life I used to have before I upped and moved to Peru. It was an amazing life and I did my best to live every moment to the fullest. What I didn’t realize until my first trip to Peru last February was that I wasn’t really happy. But I wasn’t UNhappy either – I was just sort of going through life enjoying what I could enjoy and ignoring what I couldn’t. It was working just fine until I stepped off the plane for the first time in Cusco. I really had no idea what was in store for me other than some volunteer work and Spanish lessons, but my life got turned upside down and when I left Peru at the end of the month I felt like a new part of me had been awakened and now wanted attention – and it wasn’t going to be satisfied until I came back to Cusco.

I was confused. I was depressed. I didn’t know what to do with myself other than work. I took on more clients than I should have and tried to ignore the nagging feeling that I didn’t belong in Washington anymore. Thanks to some amazing energy work and self realization, I made the decision to make a more permanent move back to Peru. I told everyone that it would only be for a few months – I’d be back before they knew it – but those who knew me well suspected that my trip might last a little longer. And they were right.

This posed a major problem. I was married. And while I won’t air any details here, I was married to an amazing man but had a feeling that our relationship (as husband and wife) was coming to an end. I left for Peru separated but with his full support to follow my soul and we agreed to divorce a few months later. This was one of the hardest things I’ve done in my entire life, mostly because I still love him. We are just not meant to be married anymore. But thankfully, we are meant to remain friends – and good ones at that. Thank you, Universe.

So, my first visit back to the U.S. was great. There were some awkward moments with someone who is no longer a friend and seeing my soon-to-be-ex in his new life dating and being single, but I was able to get through it without too many breakdowns (really just one). I spent time with former students of mine, took clients a couple of days and then spent Thanksgiving with my mother. It was a cleansing, re-energizing experience.

And now, back in Peru. Because I was willing to give up my seat on my flight back to Lima on an over-sold plane, I was upgraded to Business Class and still got on the flight! That gave me a few restful hours in a very comfortable, reclining seat and I arrived in Lima with just a few hours to wait for my flight to Cusco. I landed around 7:30 and Humberto met me at the airport with a big smile, a huge hug and kiss. He hadn’t slept much the night before either, so we crashed at my house for almost the entire day and night. I think reacclimatizing makes me tired, but thankfully no altitude sickness.

It’s day two and I’m slowly readjusting. It’s good to be home.