It's been a few weeks since my last post mostly due to the fact that I didn't have a whole lot to update. However, I am very pleased to announce that I have made some progress since my last post and I must say things are becoming more and more real. First off, two weeks ago I got my vaccinations all updated including a typhoid shot, hepatitis A and B boosters (since I've had them before), a flu shot, and last but not least, the only actually required shot which is the Yellow Fever shot. My arms were rather sore for a couple of days afterwards, but they are now taken care of. The next exciting update was an email I got this last week to go in and discuss a research opportunity with a professor of anthropology and bioarchaeologist at Utah Valley University. His name is Dr. Haagan Klaus and he has been doing research at a dig in Lambayeque Peru for several years where he has dug up many skeletons and primarily analyzes how they died along with the sacrificial practices of the ancient culture. I saw a presentation he had given at a forum and found his research to be the most interesting of all those presented so I've been trying to communicate with him about the possibilities of joining him down there this summer. After entering his office he spent about ten mins telling me various reasons why he can't take me down there as one of his students citing lack of finances, space, and other logistics as reasons. I found myself wondering why he didn't just tell me he couldn't use me in an email, but just as I was about to lose all hope, he paused and said, "Now, that all being said, I'd love to have you show up anyway." You can imagine my surprise. He then proceeded to tell me that he'd love to have me come help them out in the month of June when they will be doing a lot of the work on the skeletons and he would show me the ropes and give me a taste of being a bioarchaeologist so I can decide if that might be a path of interest for me. He then gave me a list of about six textbook sized books to read up on before I meet them down there, you know, just some light reading. So that's probably the most interesting news I have to share so far. Also I have been given the opportunity to fly down to Buenos Aires to begin my adventure by meeting up with my wonderful parents who have been serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in that area for a little over a year now. So the plan is to spend a week or so with them as they give me le gran tour of that area after which I will decide what to do before I make my way up to Peru to meet with Dr. Klaus. Unfortunately due to the fact that it will only be a couple of weeks in between time I may have to fly to Peru from one of the larger cities in the southern region of South America in order to make it in a timely fashion. So that would mean that I would then do the rest of the hitch-hiking after the dig sometime around July.
On a different note it's been an interesting couple of weeks in regards to this trek as I've discussed it with a couple of people that have been nothing but supportive up until now. I am finding that for whatever reason people are only now beginning to express concern and doubts in regards to my sanity and my sense of responsibility. I feel as though many people are brushing this trip off as "just another one of Mike's adventures." or an avoidance of committing to something and rushing me to get home and be done with this and be "responsible". Others seem to be trying to get me to avoid certain areas or countries or to be a lot more cautious than what they know I will be. I will say this, I don't plan on being stupid on purpose as I might have done in years past, I value life, even my own believe it or not. However, you may all be comforted to know that I will not go where God tells me not to. Therefore you may find peace in knowing that whatever happens to me while on this journey is truly God's will and that good, will come of it even if it seems like none can. Know that I know in my heart that I am doing what is right for me right now and there is no one and nothing that will deter me from it save it be through inspiration from God himself. Sometimes in life there are people who are like the crabs in a bucket who upon seeing you attempt to aspire or overcome will pull you down back into the bucket. They may not do so unintentionally and they may even do so under the umbrella of love. However, if anyone tries to pull you down or keep you from being all you are genetically capable of being (a literal son or daughter of a very real God), then I advise you to sincerely consider what was said and acknowledge where it stems from (most likely a misguided or misinformed love), and then make a divinely inspired choice and adhere to it unshakably. I leave you with this until next time. May your dreams be what drives you and your God be what guides you.
