Karma Doesn´t Want Me in the Kitchen

The title of this post goes along with a story, of course. So to start off, I am right-handed. Last Friday, after spending the previous day cutting down a lot of dead overgrowth from a rotunda with a pair of pruning shears, I felt very strong. I was told the next day to go ahead and just have the job of helping out in the kitchen. I had been bothering Sidantha, the volunteer coordinator, for days about working in the kitchen because I LOVE to cook. I excitedly go in and start washing some dishes and there´s a cast iron pot--a witch´s cauldron if you will--sitting there that needs washed and I stare at it and go, oh...I don´t know if I can lift that on my own. Then, my tiny little voice in my head says, OF COURSE YOU CAN, KALI! I decided to listen, and lo and behold, I lift the pot up and my left hand slips, my right hand thinks it can still hold it up instead of letting it go and my thumb pops out of place. HOW UNNATURAL FEELING IT IS for a thumb to pop out of place. Immediately, pain shoots up my arm and I start crying in front of my buddy Ramanuya, a funny Hare Krishna whose response after getting me something hot and cold to alternate it with, says to me, ¨Karma didn´t want you in the kitchen.¨ This, which normally I would take very lightly, made me cry even harder. Ah well, today my thumb is already much better and I got to work in the kitchen. Ramanuya pointed out that I have two other scars on my right hand, and I explained that I´ve gotten those from washing dishes also, so he said that in my past life I must have done something mischevious in the kitchen that I´m paying for in this life. I said, ¨This is like a game of Clue! Kali, in the kitchen, with the wash cloth...¨ Karma, take it easy, I´m trying.

Now, today was our first day of clear skies and pure sunshine! We´ve seen the sun here and there, but not for an entire day. Katrina ended up leaving because she needed to go up north for a little more sunshine. I decided to stay just to enjoy the peace. We´ll meet up in Lima by the weekend and then we´re off to do a bit of sight seeing towards the south. I´d like to stop and see the Nazca lines, Arequipa, and we are going to Lake Titicaca before Cusco for the Inca Trail. Until then, I am still a humble servant of the Eco Truly Village. Last night they had a Bhagavad Gita lesson in English for us about sacrifice. I thought to myself, I didn´t go up to the beach and get some hot showers so I could sit here with you fine people...That´s sacrifice, right? Just kidding. No, the showers I´m getting more used to and the food is fantastic. I´m happy just to be in a peaceful place. I am happy that I came here and am learning more Spanish and more about myself every day. Even when I am awoken by peacocks in the morning and I find a piece of mulch from the compost in my pantalones... I feel good inside.
More from the fields later, my friends.

Love,
Kali