Job?

Valparaiso, Chile

I have a job! And it might involve seeing palm trees every once in a while! 

One of the farmers I emailed up North responded! With a no. Hendrik doesn't have a place for me on his farm right now, but he sent me the contact information for one of his friends, Laura, who lives on a farm nearby. She would probably be able to receive me (this was a few days ago). I thanked him and emailed her right away. No response. 

I decided to call. I was using the house phone, and unfortunately calling from landline to cell phone in a different region in Chile seems to be a complex process. I called Tio Juan's son, Juan, to help me. And he did. He was able to get ahold of Laura from his cell phone, give her my number, and FINALLY I received her call last night (on MY South American cell phone). 

She lives in La Serena, on the coast. 

She spoke spanish slowly for me, and 

she seems very eager to receive me! 

She said I can come to her farm in La 

Serena whenever is best for me, just to 

call her the day before. I asked how 

long she would be needing my help. 

As long as I would like to stay would 

be fine, she said. Depends on how I 

like it there. I will be staying with her 

and her daughter.

The farm is located just across town 

from the beach.

I don't know what my duties will 

include yet. But I am looking

forward to living on a farm again.

I leave tonight on a bus for Copiapo.

Just me and my backpack.

I will arrive in the city early Tuesday

morning. I don't have a place to stay yet.

I'm just planning on spending a few 

days up there. A few days to explore the North

on my own and FIND SOME FLOWERS before I take a bus

                                back down to La Serena. 

After much consideration, I will be leaving my computer here at tio Juan's house, along with my luggage. 

It's heavy. I don't want it to be stolen or damaged. I actually look forward to being free of it. When I don't have a computer to come back to each night, I spend more time getting to know people and places. 

I look forward to this journey.

I am not the first to leave tio Juan's house this week. 

Carolina's son back in Peru is very sick. They are unsure of his illness, but the symptoms are serious. Carolina is from the jungles of Peru, la selva, where quality medical attention is hard to come by. She's on her way to take care of him now. It will take her multiple bus rides and hours of walking to get home. Since the trip is so costly, she will be spending at least a few months in Peru. We miss her already. Her laughter filled the hollows of this house.

She sat here on my bed a few nights ago and helped me pick out my outfit for a birthday party I was attending. When I showed her the little bag of earrings we had to choose from, she was astonished. She neatly laid them on the bed pair by pair. She carefully counted them, organized them by size, and fixed all those that were broken. Apparently I have 35 pairs of earrings. 

I wanted to let her choose a pair before she left, but Carolina left unexpectedly while I was out. I didn't get a chance to say goodbye. I'm thinking of her now and wishing her and her son the very best.

That's the update from here. I leave on a bus in a few hours and I still need to pack. Goodbye Santiago!