“By leaving your comfort zone behind and taking a leap of faith into something new, you find out who you are truly capable of becoming.” Anonymous
The time is here – time to step out of my comfort zone and into the totally unknown. Time to expand my perspective and travel to a part of the world I have never been with people I have never met! Holy moly what have I done! You know me, the planner (by nature and profession) always creating the time lines and logistics myself. Now, I am in the hands of total strangers for two weeks. Nothing gets further out of my comfort zone than that! But it is time to let go and embrace this new experience, and be open to the lessons to be learned around every corner. It is time to put away my “everything’s okay” mask and be vulnerable. Time to find out who I am truly capable of becoming.
I wrote the post earlier this week, and then yesterday had a mini-melt down after swimming laps, which usually puts me in my zen zone. So think how bad it would have been without my "water therapy." Guess it is normal on the precipice of change. It starts with: What am I doing? Seriously, what am I doing?!?!? Will the people accept me? Will I make friends? Can I give up control and simply follow? Can I stay positive in the children's cancer ward? Then on to the bigger questions: What positive difference have I made in my life...with my family, friends, community? What is looming around the corner, a healthy life or cancer recurrence and further treatment? What is next? But with the help of my family the insecurity and fear has subsided. This trip is next, and the next after that will just have to wait it's turn. No worrying or fretting about the next next step, time for me to embrace and accept this step and the change right around the corner.
To summarize my trip for you, I will be traveling to Peru with A Fresh Chapter. (https://afreshchapter.com/) We are a tribe of 20 cancer survivors joining together from all around the U.S. and Canada to connect, give back and reframe our own adversity following cancer diagnosis. I can’t believe I depart on Saturday…As the song goes, my bags are packed and I’m ready to go!!
During our two-week trip, I will be working at the Rebogliati Hospital located in Lima in the children’s oncology and hematology ward. Our principal objective is to generate happiness and fun. We will provide much needed one on one attention to children undergoing cancer treatment. Different crafts are scheduled each day, improving the children’s present moment while engaging them in creative activities, and creating memorable keepsakes. I have been learning origami and making balloon animals: Dogs and giraffes are my balloon specialty - origami is hard but I can make a fox and a fish!
My Spanish is very rusty since taking it back in high school (oh so many years ago), so I have also created flash cards for Spanish words and phrases – you know the important ones, "I don’t understand" and "where is the bathroom!" But seriously, my flash cards also contain words such as wheelchair and catheter – not your typical vocabulary words, but needed in a hospital setting. However, I know that smiling is a universal language and pointing to items also works in a pinch.
Even before the actual journey to Peru, the online curriculum has been awesome! Learning so much about myself and how I can create a ripple of good in the world – which I have tried to share with you all via my blog. Upon returning from Peru the curriculum will continue. First with a three-week reintegration series to explore new possibilities, followed by a 12 week ignite series to serve as a catalyst for change – focusing on my personal goals to give back to the cancer community.
I look forward to sharing this continuing adventure with you all! While in Peru I will have limited internet access, and I am very clumsy with typing on my phone – so the blog text will be limited, but be prepared for pictures!!
Quoting Dr. Seuss: You’re off to great places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, So get on your way!
Comments