First off, a quick shout out to all of you, where ever you are, for reading these posts. You guys are great and so important to me. Also, thanks everyone for asking me questions that help me process and appreciate my experiences in Chile and elsewhere.
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| Puerto Cisnes, Chile |
After spending fours days away from internet, alarm clocks, and obligations I am happy to be home, although probably more exhausted than before. In four days, we traversed curvy unpaved roads, forests, beaches, rivers, glaciers, and lakes a plenty. The serene countryside was teeming with new life and as testament calves and lambs scamper around in the open pastures.
If you don't know already, then you probably should know now that one of my favorite musicians is City and Colour. I have become ever more aware of this as the crew inserted several references and jokes to remind me of my not-so-secret obsession.
I spent the weekend with three friends that I know from living in Coyhaique and teaching English. There's not that many young teachers and even less who are young and teach English. So anyways the group consisted of two boys, El Jefe/Boss Man and Nip the Sleepnificent, and two girls, Sweet Mass and yours truly JJ the jet/Mowgli/Jameish!/Washington. I'm pretty sure a splendid time was had by all, even though at times there was an excess of drama, which I take responsibility for. Basically, hopping out of the car with no money, no phone, no meeting spot, and no layers wasn't my most brilliant idea to date.
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| Puyuhaupi, Chile |
The weekend started with an overnight drive to Puerto Cisnes. After rolling into town and checking out the waterfront, we began asking around for places to camp. Once this was accomplished we listened to music and shared stories until eventually turning in for the night. On awaking, I couldn't help but be excited, this weekend's going to be great. I've been trying to get to Puerto Cisnes, since June, however I heard that travel would be difficult then because of rain, etc. Finally, we made it.
Skipping ahead after a quick breakfast and refueling in Puyuhaupi, we headed for our main destination. Raul Marin Balmaceda which is part of the Palena-Queulat Basin and faces the Pacific. I know I've said it before, but I have to say it again. I love being near the ocean and for that matter large bodies of water, they always remind me of home. It was the perfect time to think and just be as we were the only people around in the small town. That night once with our host Miriam was amazing. She told us how until a few years ago no one in RMB had cell phones and that to this day there's no full time doctor. Talk about rural.
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| Bonfire at the Beach: Sweet Mass and I |
A bonfire on the beach complete with dancing to grooves anyone who grew up in the 90's should appreciate (the Macarena!) was a great way to wrap up our short time in RMB. It was during this glorious dance party that I played a song by City and Colour. Earlier I was telling Sweet Mass that she might like his music. El Jefe, took this juicy nugget of information and threw it in almost every conversation. All in good fun, the jokes continued because El Jefe talks about Milwaukee as much as I talk about City and Colour. His fascination, Milwaukee's the country, right? As we explained that Milwaukee was geographically and demographically pretty far from what we deem country, his love for this industrious town remains unshaken.
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| Raul Marin Balmaceda |
We decided to leave early, so that we could head back visit some hot springs, and still spend a full day visit Queulat National park. Queulat has been on my mind since I came across it on the map, and our beautiful rain hike did not disappoint. When people think of Patagonia, they think Torres Del Paine. I'm sure Torres del Paine is amazing, but this region is just as beautiful. The relatively small amount of human traffic makes gives you a chance to take your time and admire the beauty. The rush of the rivers, misty rain, and wind welcome kindred spirits to get lost. At the end of the The Encanted Forest Trail was the following:
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| Glaciers |
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| Melting snow plummets and refreezes, what? |
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| Checking out the Greenery |
Don't Stop Believing
As much as I'm loving the adventures and geographical wonders of Chile, the highlights of the past few weeks have been more personal. As I talked to el Jefe prior to the trip, he asked a rather simple question: Why would you believe in God? Point blank, I really didn't know what to say to him. Although, I really don't know if it would've mattered because he also said that believing in God was like believing in unicorns.
Believing in something is hard to do, probably because it requires us to rely on something outside of ourselves and leaves us pretty vulnerable. Often undefined variables or traditions are central to beliefs. Now, I think I'm beginning to understand my own struggles and those of many
around me. The apparent success of individual effort, the lack of evidence, or on occasion the blatant failure of traditions work to foster skepticism and doubt.
But believing isn't a trait of the strictly spiritual. Human life depends on believing. Languages, math, and science all require believing. Lesslie Newbigin says, "One does not learn anything except by believing something, and --
conversely -- if one doubts everything one learns nothing. On the other
hand, believing everything uncritically is the road to disaster. The
faculty of doubt is essential. But as I have argued, rational doubt
always rests on faith and not vice versa. The relationship between the
two cannot be reversed." Think about Pythagorean's theorem. For some of you rocket scientist types it might've have been easy, but in my mind it was not. Yet I trusted Mr. G that the hypotenuse would equal the square root of the sum of the adjacent (squared) and opposite (squared) sides. I didn't know why it worked but it did.
It's hard to get on board with something, when there's no guarantee, but it's essential to our learning. The fact that we can communicate and figure out complex systems of understanding like geometry, proves that we can all do it. Doubt also has it's place, but to doubt something we have to at least consider that it can be true. In closing as Journey once said, "Don't stop believing, hold on to that feeling".
Well that's all for today. Til next time, stay pensive my friends.
