Learn.

Fun Fact No. 53: Funerals Texas-style. Sadly, a small airplane crashed the other day and 13 people died, including some major people in Iquitos’ current administration. Today was the funeral and pickup trucks packed with mourners standing or sitting on plastic lawn chairs in the beds head out to the cemetery today. All they needed was a Lonestar in hand and they would be Texans. Strange but true.

Fun Fact No. 54: Who needs prom? College graduation? Formal gown. Dude, way WAY over the top. And yet really, really fun. More below…

Do not despair, dear reader, for I will become better about regular blogging. I know that I’ve said that lots of times, but this time I promise because Elise told me that she looks to see if I’ve updated it every day, and I feel guilty so I will keep it up.

Speaking of Elise, Elise Pelletier and Patrick Carey were here for a week and it was just mah-vellous! We had a splendid time! (Since when do I use the word splendid? Hee hee…) They got here on Sunday, May 20 and stayed until the wee hours of Sunday, May 27. First of all, they couldn’t possibly be more easy going guests. And super enthusiastic about everything, even lazy days in the house napping and watching movies. Beyond that, we had adventures together that were just terrific. We started the week by listening to This American Life and then went to Zúngaro Cocha. Despite coming here for four years, I had never actually visited the floating city, Belén, when the water is high. Mario Luís called to say that he and his best friend who was visiting, Reena, were going to head out there. We joined them and went for a lovely canoe ride around Belén with really nice tour guides and it was pretty amazing. Perhaps the best part was when we passed one of the grade schools and the parents were waiting outside to pick up their kids in canoes. I just got a kick out of that! Pat is 6’4” and for the first time here in Iquitos, I wasn’t harassed once. You should see the look on the little guys’ faces when they see Pat. It was great fun. We ate cebiche and guava and tacacho and all the other necessary jungle foods and we bebopped around the market and ate ice cream and visited a little village. They took a quick jungle tour and saw caimans and monkeys and gigantic lily pads. We went to a vegetarian dinner party at Martina’s (the loud Italian) house and then kicked it with Explosión. All in all, it was a wonderful vacation right here in Iquitos.

On Friday night, Mario graduated from college with a degree in international business and tourism. The ceremony was quite boring, as per usual, but the party was something else. Here in Iquitos, graduating classes are small and tight and they organize their own parties to celebrate. I know everyone from Mario’s graduating class just because I’ve hung out with them tons since being here. The small (13-large) class of international business rented a really huge restaurant complete with a cheesy band, yummy dinner, and beer donated by the local brewery. Friends, family, girlfriends, and boyfriends (and the occasional gringa, constituting friend and family) were in attendance. And the graduates were dressed up to the nines! These girls were wearing formal, full-length gowns! I think I wore a dress for my college graduation only because it was hot and those damn nylon gowns are so sticky. Regardless, there was nonstop drinking and dancing until 4am. I’m getting too old for this crap, but I had a great time.

Yesterday César and Graciela got back after being out of town for some months, and we just sat around and drank tea and watched “Shrek 3.” I think now is the time to let you know that I’ve never been so happy here. My research is going well, I’ve shed unnecessary ties with crappy people, and I’m strengthening the friendships that I do have. The motorcycle issue remains unresolved, but other than that, things are just great. I was in such a rut for such a long time that I am thrilled to be back in the saddle and terrified that I’ll fall out again. Wednesday, May 23 was the six year anniversary of my mom’s death, which blew, as per usual, but at least I was better prepared than I would have been two months ago. I can’t believe it’s been six years. I feel like it’s been six months. Or less. It seems impossible to think that my mom hasn’t seen (well, I know she’s “seen” but it’s not the same) the things that I’ve been doing: selling my soul to the stationery biz, moving to Texas (an abominable sin in the book of any good New Englander), living in the Amazon, turning 28 (I find it hard to believe that I’m on the cusp of thirty. Wasn’t I seventeen yesterday???)…and so on and so forth. It really sucks when I meet someone with whom my mom would get along splendidly (there’s that word again!) or when I realize that the majority of people I do know don’t know my mom, whereas that was different six years ago. My mom and Michael O’Brien would be two peas in a pod, slinging cynical remarks and exchanging literary criticisms of one sort or another. My mom and April Prince would just chat the night away, learning about each others’ culture, far North and deep South. I think they would get a kick out of the opposite accent (my mom says cahhh instead of car, etc.). And Mom would be thrilled by Monica and her never-ending enthusiasm. Point being, I’d like to imagine that my mom would love everyone who is in my life right now. And they would love her right back. Anyone who’s met Phyllis Marie Ledoux has been infected by her insanely huge smile, wonderful patience, spontaneous silliness, big hugs and generally sweet nature. Plus she’s pretty much a genius.

After that long, long rant, I’ll share some wisdom my mom always shared with me and my brother:

Everyone knows something you don’t. LEARN from them.