I believe this is the first Thanksgiving I’ve spent away from home.
I could certainly think of worse places to be than where I am now instead of home, but my mind keeps drifting back home as the days pass. At this time of year, my mind innately enters the holiday season mentality. I am certainly one for traditions and time spent with my family, bundled up under a blanket, with kitty cat lap warmers, watching a movie we’ve seen a hundred times, eating homemade cookies, surrounded by the decorum of Christmas. The house always smells so good, with hints of evergreen, cinnamon, and delicious homemade meals.
My mom has recorded festivities from each year. The albums are always out about at this time to revisit years passed. No matter where we were, we were together. I always try to make it home in time to help decorate the Christmas tree. Usually I have to come help bring it in from outside, too. However, I am finding it harder to be at home in time as each year passes and the further I move away for my studies. In the back of my mind, I keep thinking, ‘I hope that the Andes of Chile is as far away as I get’. I try not to be too nostalgic about not being home in time for the start of the holiday events: Thanksgiving, baking casseroles and sweets, eating casseroles and sweets, Black Friday, decorating the house for Christmas with Nat King Cole, Henry Conic Jr., and Bing Crosby playing in the background, Christmas Eve caroling-driving around looking at lights- around our neighborhood, and of course Christmas morning. I will be home just in time for Christmas (flying into SA-town on the 23rd), so I won’t miss the best parts.
Grand Canyon, Thanksgiving 2007
Nasrim and I have been working nonstop since Thursday, November 18, having splendid success, as we are already up to 16 individuals from 2 colonies after only 4 days of trapping. The weather has been fabulous, save for the one afternoon with hail, and we pass the time when we are not handling the animals watching distant herds of horses grazing, lizards racing and birds flying about us. The Andean condors pass overhead regularly. The beetles are usually in a hurry to get to nowhere. And all taking little interest in our presence, making for excellent photo op’s. The view really can’t be beat up here.
The road to Farillones
Nasrim and I took the holiday, Thanksgiving, off. Not only did we take it because I wanted to recognize the day, but we NEEDED it. We had downright exhausted ourselves hauling the gear back and forth, digging holes in the ground and working under an intense sun for 7 days. So, we slept in, then hiked down to the nearest town called Farillones, picked up some groceries (¡que carro!), and stopped for lunch at a pizzeria. We sat on the terrace which had an exceptional view and munched on our pizza while eavesdropping on the people behind us who were from Brazil and somewhere from Western Europe.
After we filled our stomachs, we began our way back to the cabin. It only took ½ an hour to reach Farillones going down, but it took at least an hour getting back up to La Parva. We stopped several times to take advantage of the ‘miradores’.
Splendid views along the road
Just about near death, we finally reached the cabin, downed some water and flopped on the couch to watch a movie. Afterword, we hiked out to the field site, feeling the wear of the afternoon’s walk up the mountain, only to discover at least 30 people camped out on top of Colony B! We went and spoke to them. Well, Nasrim spoke and I just nodded when I understood and agreed with what they were saying. We discovered they were from a university in Santiago, studying eco-tourism. I was thrilled to learn that they would be leaving shortly after 9 am the next morning. I was certainly glad we had chosen to take the day off.
After an eventful day, we had a simple dinner of salad and pasta and then watched another movie before bed. As I turned in, I thought of my family and how much I wished I could just pick up the phone and call to tell them I was thinking of them.
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