Ding-dong...Round 2

The last paragraph of my previous blog was a little white lie. Most of you now know that I didn't actually go to Laos. I did, infact go back to Downpatrick for a surprise visit home.  The only person who knew about this was my sister, Donna.

I'd had it planned since I booked my return trip to South America as my flight leaves from Heathrow. My RTW flight ended in London, so I thought it would be a good idea to call home for a while. One of the main reasons to go home was to stand as a God-parent for my lovely niece Grace, who was 2 weeks old the last time I saw her. Now she is 10 months old and is just adorable.  Mind you, she nearly missed out on her big day. I jumped into my sister's car and advised them of a short-cut to get to the church (which is in the arse hole of nowhere here in a place called Ballycruttle) as I drove past the road everyday to get to work. We got lost and just about made it in time (speed restrictions were broken, as were several near accidents on windy, county roads). I could've sworn I knew the direction of the place. Now, I'm getting all sorts of abuse from my sister and her partner and various family members that go like: "Here's the girl that travels all over the world and doesn't get lost; then she comes home and can't find a place 5 miles away from her own house" - new nickname 'Sat-Nav' (cheers Gary)

The last 2 weeks have been so busy seeing friends, family, relations, colleagues and the school children again. It has been great seeing everyone and catching up. It feels like the last 10 months of travelling didn't actually happen - like a dream within a dream. After a few sleepless nights deliberating over what I should do, I decided to take an extension to my career break from teaching for another year.  The school has been very supportive, so hopefully my job will be there when I return next year.

So, yeah, I've got another year and lots of people are asking what I will do. Last year, I was very organised and knew when and where I would be at certain points of the year. Now, I don't have a clue. Well, technically, the first 6 weeks are planned. I know I'll definitely be learning Spanish back in Cusco. This time next week, I will have no doubt, failed my Spanish 'induction' test again (like I did the last time) as I've forgotten most of the stuff I learnt back in October of last year and will be back in the dopey beginners class again.  Hopefully this time, I'll understand a little bit more than being able to write my name and the date on the exam paper.

In fact, I'm so disorganised, I haven't been able to sort out how exactly I'm getting from Lima to Cusco (which takes 22 hours on a bus). Flights are way too expensive, as most internal flights are in South America, so that is out the window completely. Some famous person once quoted that: 'A good traveller has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving' - I'll agree to that for now (?)

I really want to learn Spanish properly and I want to be able to work with the children over there and actually converse with them by stringing a few sentences together. I have been in contact with a volunteer organisation that is based 30kms outside Cusco, high in the mountains of the stunning Sacred Valley, in a place called Huambutio.

Unlike other 'volunteering', this place doesn't charge you hundreds of pounds to actually help them, or where the money you give them tends to line the pockets of the fat-cat directors. All they ask for is 20 Soles a day (£4). This will house and feed myelf and will also help towards the running costs of the scheme/workshops. They need volunteers and teachers for remedial education programmes.  Obviously, I hope to teach but also help with environmental awareness, reforestation and improve houses by re-building them (that should be fun as the only house I've ever built was with Lego blocks as a child).  The area is very poor. Children and families have a poor quality of life. Some residents live in areas of social unrest where services have been neglected by the local municipality.

One of my friends who I met travelling the last time I was in Peru, (Grainne - the one who had the hair disaster with me) is also travelling over to South America. She'll be working in Arequipa for 4 weeks and will make her way up to Cusco when I finish my Spanish lessons.  I'm looking forward to catching up with her and she's up for volunteering and joining me travelling for a couple of months around South America, which will be great.

She did, however, say that she has a contact near Lima that could give us some work teaching there.  Get this: it's a priest who says that we can help teach/volunteer with the children - sounds great. Our accommodation?? - a convent. Seriously, what is it with me gettting stuck in convents in South America (this will be the third time if it occurs, the last 2 occasions I managed to get locked in with another girl on some random tour of a city).  Sister Grainne and Sister Mary - has a nice ring to it...not.  Not sure if we'll deifinitely do this, but stranger things have happened.

I am looking forward to my round 2 of travelling, especially going back to Cusco and Peru.  When will I be back home?? The answer to that will be: when my money runs out/when I've had enough of moving around and living out of a bag. I can't see myself lasting a full year with my budget (unless I find paid work somewhere) as I won't be getting my teaching job back until September 2013. But, for now I'm quite happy to continue on with my little adventures.

However,  I will be up for ALL offers of employment of doing absolutely anything when I return home.

Grace on her big day

Godmother and Godfather Decky

Grace, Carla, Niamh, Daniel & Stephen

Jammin session with Leona

with Regina, on one of my many nights out