Connection. If we were to name our primary intention in volunteering for three months in Peru it would be about connection: connection with each other, connection with a community, connection to the broader culture, connection with our own sense of meaning. It was never about some lightly-thought out charity effort or to feel good about ourselves. It was always about the giving of ourselves, our gifts and our time to achieve that connection we sought out.
Why was connection such a big deal for us? Because in the months before we left, connection was the furthest thing. In the months leading up to our departure, with both of us working multiple jobs, living on different schedules and generally stressing about whether our trip would happen or not – we were anything but connected. It was a hard slog just to get to a place where we could be ready – at least practically – before we left.
Our time at Qosqo Maki enabled us to get back to what we valued, which is presence to one another and to the world around us. Our world slowed down. It wasn’t a race to get everything done, rather, in the simple act of showing up, we were reminded of the importance and value in being with people.
The ultimate litmus test came last Friday night, our last night volunteering at the project. Our students organised a farewell, featuring local desserts and Celebrity Heads. The connections we had built up with the students and the school were made obvious when our students gave honest and moving speeches of how much our time there had meant to them.
We’re not saints, we’re barely even teachers, but we had accomplished what we had set out to do. We’ve made Qosqo Maki our home while we’ve been here. The students have become our community and family. And to that point, it almost doesn’t matter how much we were able to help our students improve their English. What we were able to build with our students was far more valuable: relationships.
Regardless of what you do and where you find yourself during the day, connection with yourself, your world and others is possible. The challenge is about shifting priorities. And here’s the secret: pursuing relationships doesn’t have to conflict with your to-do list. If we were to look back on our time before we left, it seems silly that we were missing each other as much as we were. Presence is the key. When you send that text or make that call to a loved one, or when you consult with a peer about a work issue, or when a friend asks you how you’re going: all of these are situations where the temptation exists to give the minimum required response because of “I’m busy”. Yes, these moments can require time and certainly a degree of effort, but that level of presence is far more rewarding and up-building to you and to those in your life.
Basically, in a phrase: show up. Show up to more than your workplace or study or gym or any other place that features prominently on your daily schedule. Show up also to people, to your relationships and especially to yourself. Whatever you have to get done can still be done if you seek connection and presence. In this sense, we can all be "volunteers" as we volunteer ourselves and our time to those people or things that we value most in our life.
