Greetings to my friends, family, and kindred spirits!

Thank you for taking the time to stop by my blog to check in on the next leg of my journey. It means a lot that you have an interest in what I have to say through the lens of how I view the world. I like to think that the subjectivity of life is a gift that we have as individuals and to share what role perception plays in one another’s lives is a continuation of that gift. We have the ability to connect and learn with others in a way that leads us to seek understanding and openness. Regardless of the skeptical nature of the common good in pockets of the world, kindness, compassion and empathy are available through the relationships and conversations we have as a globalized society. The challenge is putting those words into action.

As an American, my heart has been heavy with sadness and frustration over how current events have steered the conversation into a really tough place of  a skewed understanding of the human experience. It is so important to share these concerns and to make sense of what the political and social situation means for each one of us. This entry is not to discuss this further, but to honor the collective hurt that many Americans are experiencing and to say that I support and love you through this time and others. If there is a way that we can discuss this in an open environment, I am happy to listen. I bring this up because I am leaving the country for just over 9 months. Although I am looking forward to getting away for a little bit, I am also conflicted because of the state of this country and the people that I love who feel these hurts on a daily basis. I am hopeful that the conversations that we have add to the energy of this world and that it is important to replace the general negativity into something constructive and uplifting. Life is too short to harbor so much hate.

Tomorrow, Wednesday February 22nd, 2017, I am leaving New Jersey where I have been with my parents for the past week to head to Quito, Ecuador en route to Cosanga, Napo, Ecuador. This experience is the culmination of my masters studies in Global Youth Development and will last until the end of November (possibly longer?). In the next months I will be working with an organization called Sustainable Roots that works with the small community of Cosanga to help facilitate programming that aims at the sustainability of their culture and the empowerment of seeking the chance to expand futures with a focus on school aged children. I will be an education volunteer as well as an eager learner. Through utilizing my mental health facilitation certification, art education experience,  among other criteria, I am over the moon with having this opportunity to work alongside a group of people who believes and supports a community that has overflowing potential.

Cosanga is situated in the Cloud Forest of Ecuador as the land transitions from the high peaks of the Andes to the thick jungles of the Amazon rain forest. Cosanga is about 40 miles below the Equator, about 2 hours from Quito, and less than a two hour drive from South America’s water sport capital, Tena. Cosanga receive 9-15 feet of rain per year! Good thing I have some good rain gear! There are volcanoes that sporadically make their appearance throughout the mountains and waterfalls that cascade through the wilderness arriving in different indigenous communities along rivers like the Rio Cosanga or Rio Napo. I can’t wait to learn more about the biodiversity and the historical stories of the individuals who know the land well.

As I am packing up my final clothes this afternoon, I am hoping that I didn’t pack too much!! The longest I’ve ever traveled to another country was for 2 weeks and now I am looking 280 days square in the face. I was told to be prepared with enough stuff to last my stay and that was quite the task. I don’t know how quickly I use up tooth paste or shampoo! I will find out. I did make sure to bring my essentials as well as my camping gear, colored pencils and ukulele. It was difficult deciding which art supplies to bring, but I think it is easier to carry those items rather than paints and my keyboard (which I almost did).

I will learn even more as I arrive to the town and the organization that currently has a large team of volunteers throughout the weekend. I heard that there are gardening projects and other projects around the house including painting and sprucing things up… which works for me! I can’t wait to get my hands dirty and create a comfortable and rejuvenating space for myself and co-volunteers.

With jitters in my stomach and excitement buzzing all around me, I am ready for this adventure and eager to see where the next months will take me. I hope to keep up with this blog as well as daily personal journals. I would like this to be a space where I will share photos and learning experiences among anything else you would like to know about! Feel free to contact me through this portal or through my personal e-mail at kpeterson310@yahoo.com.

Until next time,

With love,

Krysta