Musings of a Valley Punk.

When I finally throw myself down into my tent at night, with every muscle burning from the day’s conquests, and my skin feels taut at the seams from multi-layered sunburns, mosquito bites, and blisters, it can be tempting to think back upon my former life, where I sat situated in an A/C bubble with every amenity nearby. But when the sweet, crisp air of condensation awakens me the next morning, and I step outside my nylon cave into the emerald belly of the jungle, I remember why we’re there. We are constructing a community that works with and for the soil it thrives upon. The Valley of Kalu Yala offers us this opportunity, and as I walk down to the Rio for my morning swim, each step is accompanied by inspiration and visualizations for the lifestyle we are cultivating for ourselves, for future generations, and for the deserving earth beneath us. That first morning plunge into the Rio never fails to revitalizes the senses, and as I drive my body through the wild waters of the jungle I discover purity at its most primary state, at once so simple yet so complex. To preserve this natural opulence is essential, not only for the integrity and health of this land but for the integrity and health of us. Our Valley will foster Sustainability by making the terms “preservation” and “development” synonyms rather than oxymorons. Its physical and conceptual configuration will evolve with the introduction of different individuals and generations, for Sustainability is an eternal state of progress. It will, however, remain aligned on its path to sustainability by striving to amalgamate forces that prove environmentally, economically, and ethically harmonious. Bursting my head through the glassy surface, the jungle encloses me. It peers down upon me, and whispers through the waterfalls and cricket legs a plethora of secrets and promise. I am eager to decipher this dynamic quest I have set out upon, and to help construct this community of resilience in an interconnected and ever-changing world.