Getting Settled, Adventuring, and Planning

Getting settled into my apartment.

Greeting everyone!

My apologies for the lapse in posting lately. I have been taking some time to regroup and get myself settled. This will be a quick update on what has been happening and what is to come.

As you are aware, I arrived to find Peru in political turmoil which required me to hit the ground running. Things are calm now, and I am finally settled into my apartment. Unpacking my bags and setting up the apartment has felt good after living out of a bag since October.

My first visitor, Clive is a pilot and made a slight detour to Cusco. It was a short visit but we made the most of it.

My visa situation has been hanging over my head and that has taken a lot of time and energy. It has also slowed my progress in making plans for this project. It’s had me in a state of limbo as it has been difficult to make decisions and schedule things not knowing if I am going to have to leave the country.

The paperwork is completed and the bureaucratic hoops have all been jumped through. I am waiting for a decision now. As long as it is approved, I will be able to remain for up to three years. I am not sure how long I will actually stay, but it gives me the ability to stay that long, and I can come and go from the country without the worry of not being permitted back in.

With my language teacher, Sandra. She is mean, but I like her. My Spanglish is coming along nicely.

Hilaria, who I met during the Tantarcalla eviction, has been assisting me with obtaining my work visa. Meeting Hilaria and her offer to help has been one of many serendipitous moments that have occurred since making this life change, and I am extremely grateful for her help.

Hilaria and her husband, Ider have a tourism company that takes people to lesser-known places in the region.

They asked me to join them on a hike to a new area they are developing, and I jumped at the opportunity. It was a grueling three-day hike but it was incredible. It was filled with natural beauty, Inca ruins, and authentic Quechua culture. I felt honored to be part of it, and I was one of the very first foreigners to ever visit the area.

A few pics from the hiking trip.

I did some photography and video to help them promote this new hike. Unfortunately, the weather was not very cooperative, but the beauty of the place still comes through. I was hoping to have the video edited already to include with this post, but you know how time goes. I will share the video with you when it is completed in the upcoming days.

Things are going to get very busy in the coming weeks as there are many events and festivals taking place throughout June. I look forward to sharing the photos and stories from these with you soon.

Thank you, everyone. I hope you are all doing well wherever you are.

Best,

MB

*Since writing this post yesterday, my visa situation changed again. Just when I thought everything was completed, the government changed the visa regulations last week, presenting me with more bureaucratic hoops to jump through. I have until July 3rd to comply or my application is being rejected and I will need to leave the country.*