David and Johnny

As I peered into the almost full colectivo, I judged each empty seat by how comfortable I thought it would be. Normally, I’m not too picky, but I had a slight headache and my mouth was in pain after an emergency trip to the dentist to replace my permanent retainer that had half-popped-out two days … More David and Johnny

A Tale of Two Toasts

A toast. It’s a simple gesture, yet it can mean so much. We offer toasts to good health, to celebrate important events, to honor those not with us; the list goes on. Toasting is an extremely important part of Peruvian culture. Even in a normal day, it’s custom to cheers to a drinking companions’ health. … More A Tale of Two Toasts

Just keep running

“In through the nose, out through the mouth. In through the nose, out through the mouth,” I repeated in my head. I was at kilometer 14, the course was at a slight incline and I was struggling to keep my breathing steady. I was running much faster than I had anticipated, a side effect of … More Just keep running

Sunsets for Shalin

Often times, it’s those who are courageously facing death who remind us how precious and beautiful life is. It is those who know their time on earth is limited who share their peace with the world. At one point, Shalin was just a stranger in a group of 40 individuals with whom I’d be spending … More Sunsets for Shalin

Just be there

About a week ago, I received an invitation to an event at a nearby school. I wasn’t sure where exactly the school was, as it was in one of the 180 annexes of Olmos. I also wasn’t sure that I even knew anyone who worked at the school or attended it. While I was flattered, … More Just be there