I’ve been back from Peru for just over two weeks, plunging into playing hostess to an important house guest immediately upon my return. Between all the D4RT prep, the epic journey itself and family obligations that followed, it was as good a time as any to put some distance between myself and the internet, plugging in mostly to keep up with current events and reference-hunt for articles. I can’t say that I’m back now – I’m still working out the degree to which I want to return.
Major focus-shifting is happening, big changes which mean a lot of work ahead. All this requires getting a ton of obligations out of the way, drinking gallons of green tea, reading, surrounding myself with inspiration and listening to lots of music – right now I’m submerged in Ólafur Arnalds’s Living Room Songs – which he’s made available for free download here and which our dog hates with the unique spite she reserves for violin music alone. It’s beautiful and you should give it a listen.
Cliff Martinez’ Drive and Contagion soundtracks are both wonderful as well, and get me through task days with speed and efficiency. Aaand one of my favorite defunct groups, The Great Tyrant, have released an incredible EP which I was lucky to receive in Mp3 format, for lack of record player. If you possess such a device, you can listed to There’s a Man in the House the way it was meant to be heard. Excellent October music, actually.
Photos have, of course, accumulated and I’ll be letting them loose here, as time permits. But first, D4RT coverage! I’ve written three articles about this incredible experience, with myriads of my favorite photos from the trip arranged into corresponding galleries:
- Jungle Orchids and Lost Dogs – Moyobamba to Uantaló and Back
- Dreaming Big in the Amazon – Luis Vasquez and Yantaló Peru Foundation
- D4RT Launches in Yantaló
This is such an uplifting story.
I hope you are able to make it back there next year.
Thank you for sharing your journey with us.
Zoetica,
I am utterly thrilled that you are doing this! It is wonderful to see someone with passion trying to make a difference in the world, rather than simply caving in to the sweeping apathy and self-worship that permeates this culture.
Much Love.
D.
This was lovely to see! I missed reading your articles and have been excited to hear about your experiences in Yantalo. It has warmed my heart to see what a difference you made to those children. It reminded me of the art workshops I used to stay after school for as a kid. I was really shy and the lady there encouraged and supported my love of drawing and creating.
Congratulations for giving something back. I really hope you do return next year!
All the best, you star.
Wonderful photos and articles. I love reading about your D4RT mission. Also I am so glad that you too experienced Ólafur Arnalds’s Living Room Songs. He is incredible!
I was looking forward to this.
I’m so glad that the experience was such that there are plans to return to Yantaló.
(Calvin & Hobbes and Mafalda? Yay :) !)