MG found home

Did you know that the mattress on my bed is magical? I really don't mean that in a dirty way. Exactly one week ago, I laid down on it for the first time in 10 months and it was like my tired, sick, parasite filled body was infixed in it's fibrous memory as it enveloped my bones into a state of complete comfort and peace.

I'll break down the week. It's one worth breaking down. It all starts at my surprise goodbye party.

Wed 6/1 - After school, I went out to lunch with the profesores. Paolo, who doesn't eat meat, was given a plate with a chicken part and a piece of steak. I looked over at him with a confused face, he smiled and pointed to his girlfriend, Paola. I remember thinking about how much I'd miss the fearless eating style of the Ecuadorian women as I watched her finish her plate and Paolo's meat.

That same evening, my friends threw me a surprise party. I danced my heart out. My high school students were there along with my friends from the Baha'i community. Even Mauro came in all the way from the coast! Near the middle of the night, they paused to present me with a gift... a beautifully hand carven wooden case. After, they all took turns to say something to me. I cried when Valerie started to speak. She looked and me and just said "I don't think there's really any words" and just like that the first tear rolled off my cheek.

Thur 6/2 - My friends left. The biggest heartbreak of my life. We were all in tears... so much sadness and so much love. AH I miss them so much. They went to the coast for a meeting along with Jose Luis, the counselor. I haven't been able to get in touch with them since... The next day I said goodbye to the kids at the school, Geoconda and Bahieh.

Sat 6/4 - My last day in Otavalo. I woke up with a stomach ache... which soon turned into throwing up and a lot of pain. My buddies, the parasites, came back for my despedida. But I had already said my goodbyes to everyone the couple of days before, so I basically was confined to the house. Which sucked... but what can you do. I said goodbye to Kendy and Dagmar and left at 2 am for the airport.

Sun 6/5 - Sitting in the Houston airport after talking to Avianca on the phone about my lost baggage stuck in Colombia, a middle aged man comes over and asks to borrow a pen. It took me a minute to realize he asked me in spanish. He was traveling back to San Salvador. He had been living illegally in Texas for 18 years. He spoke of the turmoil he saw growing up in his country, of the general loss in morality he sees happening now in the world, of the pain from war and the need for action to put the ourselves back together. I wasn't even home and I was already using my spanish to have a conversation of significance, of meaning. How's that for confirmation, Musonda? Yellow birds anyone?

My parents, Layli, Caleb and Jessica met me at the airport with signs and hugs.
I was so tired and exhausted - mainly from traveling for 20 hrs and from the parasites - that the moment I took my shoes off and stepped bare footed on the carpet, my legs turned to jelly.
Mazzie gave me kisses.
I showered feeling gluttonous using so much water.
I accidentally spoke to the receptionist at urgent care in spanish the following day.
I gawked at the prices of soap at Target and played the piano for a good two hours.


So. How do I feel? I have no idea. I'm still processing it. I do know that I miss it. It = Jose Luis's guitar, Edgar's smiles, Mauro's friendship, Valerie's companionship, Julian's jazz, Martin's hugs, Rosita's eyebrows, Alejandro's brother (lol), Geoconda's laughs, Jose Luis A's advise, Freddy's faces, Danny's chokes, Kendy's eyes, Dagmar's attitude...

But it is nice to be home. The Layli Monster has mounted a horse and is now galloping around in ancient middle times as my brother occasionally glances over from his world of smash cuts, voice overs and dialogues to chuckle as she dies for the 5th time.