New Beginnings

I’ve always considered myself an adventurous person. So when my best friend showed up knocking on my window at 3 a.m. asking me to move to Chile with her, I did the reasonable thing and started packing. It’s not that I wasn’t happy with my life in Glendale, but we were both ready for something different. It didn’t take long to pack my things, less than thirty minutes and my suitcase was packed. I didn’t need much, some clothes, toothbrush and toothpaste, the necessities. Other than that, everything else could be replaced. The idea of a new start was exciting, and as long as I had Yelena with me, there was nothing else I needed. By 3:37 a.m. I was in the passenger's seat of her car, leaving behind the life I had grown used to.

The drive was long, but we kept ourselves entertained just fine. We stopped in Mexico City, then Guatemala. We stayed in Managua for two nights, then on to Panama City. It was the start of a new age. The excitement and adrenaline of leaving the country entirely consumed us. We were not necessarily young, both of us were 27. But I felt like I was eighteen again. Ready to start the next chapter of my life and on a path full of opportunities. When we finally made it to Chile we found a small hotel to stay in for the night. The next morning we looked into houses. We realized then that our planning had not been the best. We were running low on money and food, and the stress that caused made our relationship a little tense.

We eventually found a place in a small town called Curepto in the Chilean Province of Talca. We settled into our new home and spent the first few days resting and talking through some of the arguments we had during the trip. After being in Curepto for a week the tension had all but vanished. We found a small home, and started working with the neighbors to make a little money. It was a quiet life, very peaceful, and far different from what I was used to.

Not long after settling down we met the Rojas family. They ran a small farm, and kept mostly to themselves. They were hard workers, and loved their children more than anything. Every peso they earned went towards the care of their children. It hurt me to see them struggle, they were wonderful people, and they deserved so much more than what life had given them. Maria worked hard with the church, she cared so much for all the women there. Every morning I saw her leave with care baskets, extra food, or clothing she mended for the little boys that always play too rough. Her husband, Marco, worked as a farmer. He spent everyday out in the fields. I never heard him speak much, but his passion for those around him was evident in all he did.

Their three children were very well behaved, and quiet. The oldest, Estrella, was a lovely fourteen year old. She spent a lot of time drawing, and from what I had noticed she didn’t have many friends. After meeting her, I decided right away to take her in. I made an effort to talk to her, though it was not easy with the language barrier. Yelena had picked up on some Spanish a lot faster than I could, and Estrella spoke very little English. Her younger brothers, Juan and Marco, were rather rowdy, but meant well. They were sweet boys, and still full of optimism and joy. I looked forward to hearing their shouts and cheers as they played outside in the afternoons. Our life in Curepto was simple, we were close with the Rojas, and got involved in the church.

After being in Curepto for three years, Yelena and I realized there was widespread corruption, and the town was not as safe as it had been when we first arrived. My Spanish had improved greatly, and I spoke daily with Maria about what was happening in the community. She was worried about money, both for her own family and the rest of the community. They kept positive, never letting their children see how close they were to losing everything.

After two more months things were only getting worse. I had not realized just how bad it was until I saw the Rojas family had gone bankrupt. The two younger boys left to go stay with their uncle in La Serena, and Maria and Marco started looking for other work. After a long discussion with Maria it was decided that Estrella would stay with us. I had been working with her on learning English, and she taught me some Spanish. We got along well, and she was a very bright young girl. The three of us stayed in Curepto another three months, then decided it would be best to go back to the US. I was prepared to say goodbye to the Rojas family for forever, but Estrella was insistent on coming with us.

“Te quiero mucho Señora Rosa. Y me encanta mi familia y mi vida aquí. Pero creo que puedo hacer algo más! Quiero mi propia vida, no quiero preocuparme por comida o dinero.”

(I love you so much Mrs. Rose. And I love my family and my life here. But I think I can do something more! I want my own life, I don't want to worry about food or money.)

As much as I didn’t want to take her from her home, I couldn’t argue. There was nothing left for her here. The economy was getting worse, and jobs were hard to come by. Anyone with the means was leaving for something better. I took Estrella to see her parents one last time, and while she was saying her goodbyes, Yelena and I packed up all our things. Estrella had a passport already, her abuela had taken her to New York when she was fifteen. She seemed excited to go, and packed her things quickly. When all of us were ready, we loaded the car and left Curepto behind us.

When we got back into the states we decided that Arizona was no longer the place for us. After a couple weeks in different hotels we settled on a home in rural Kentucky. We were all very accustomed to a quieter life, and we didn’t need very much. Small town life was the best thing. We settled on Primrose, Kentucky and moved in on August 13. The first few weeks were a blur. Yelena and Estrella slept for much of those days. I tried to rest, but my mind was entirely focused on the events of the last three years. We had seen so much pain and loss, and all of it due to money. I wasn’t sure how, but I was going to make sure that never happened to me or to those I love. When Yelena woke up next, I decided to talk to her about what I had been thinking.

“Afternoon Ana, how’d you sleep?” I wasn’t exactly sure how to bring this up. It was a major problem in the world, and not something two people can fix overnight.

“Hey Rosie, ya know, I think I finally feel rested again. Something on your mind?”

“The Rojas family…” I paused hoping what I was going to say made sense, “Their entire family was torn apart because of money. Maria told me so much about their struggles, and I hate that we couldn’t do more to help them. I just want to make sure that never happens again.” Yelena nodded silently, I couldn’t tell if she was unsure or if she agreed and was just thinking of what we could do.

“Well Rose, the world is full of bad things. Lots of people suffer, and we won't be able to help them all. But I think I know what we can do right now.” She always had an answer, and I always felt better hearing what she thought.

One thing we had learned during our time in Chile, was the world can be a dark and scary place. Money causes corruption and can destroy families. Yelena and I decided then that we would do everything we could to protect those around us from this destruction. We started small, a community garden that we spent all our time maintaining and growing. We worked closely with the local church, found the families in need and formed a close knit group that became part of our family. We looked out for each other, we still do. The church we partnered with was slowly dying, as the congregation diminished, Yelena and I slowly found ourselves running the place. Our family grew, and in time we had the whole town working together to support each other. Just as we had always dreamed, we now ran a self-sufficient community that had no real need for money. All our food is grown in the community gardens, we have our own animals and markets, and most importantly we work together in everything.

Estrella has been with us now for twenty three years. She looks after the gardens now that it is harder for Yelena and I to get out. Yelena handles finances. While within our community we have no need for money, it takes some work to keep the public away from what we have. Letting in outsiders disrupts the balance we have worked so hard to create. The world is cruel and unforgiving, but here we take care of each other, and no one ever needs to leave. So, Yelena makes sure the right people get paid to leave us alone. She makes sure we never lack anything, and has also been working towards building a fence around our community. Anything to keep our family safe. I have always loved people. I preach on Sunday’s, and I keep up with everyone that lives here. Any complaints or problems are brought to me and I do my best to solve them in a way that benefits everyone, and keeps the peace.

Our journey to where we are has been long, and at times very difficult. But I would not trade it for anything. Yelena and I have a home, a family, a cause to fight for. We will do whatever it takes to keep that safe.