Who am I? Or The Way of the Hof

The Hof turns rusty, bent nails into beautiful unique pieces of art and… it did the same

for me. You know when you get an overwhelmingly awesome soul calling that only you

can understand? Well I did not know where I was going or what I would be doing but for

a very long time my soul has wanted Peru. Nobody could understand why Peru happened

for me or why I even wanted to go but every plan worked out perfectly and with little

effort.

I was not ready for this trip at all. Emotionally, physically, and mentally, I was a wreck.

Up until the moment I got on our domestic transfer flight IN Peru did I actually realize

where I was going and for how long I would be gone for.

At the last breakfast I was having with my family, I still did not feel comfortable and

confident to do this trip alone. I was so ready to cancel the whole trip before my mom

announced that she was coming with me to do the biggest ‘school drop-off’ she has ever

done before.

I was so overwhelmingly grateful and felt so undeserving of this experience that I and

cried more than I have ever cried before. We were taken in as we were, with all our

worries and fears and desire to live outside of what we know and who we are. Everything

was so different, rugged and real that it was hard to accept it at first. I didn’t understand

my place and who I was and how to just be.

The true journey of self-development began once my mom left. I was able to learn how

little I know and how I was going to learn from being at the Hof. Every person had

something to offer and learn from someone else. The community environment made us

all work well together and strive for improvement

While I was at the Hof I primarily worked on the ‘Office’/‘Rock Café’ (I still do not

think we decided on a name). We all learned how to build using stones, soil, sticks and

soil. W took up the art of dry stone masonry and worked together through all the tears,

sweat and painful mishaps to complete the wonderfully unique building.

The thing I enjoyed the most at the Hof was learning how to take initiative. If you wanted

to do something you had to show that you wanted to do it. There are always new projects

and people coming through that you had to go against the crowd sometimes and do your

own projects and voice your opposing opinion.

I learned how little I trust myself and how little accountability I take for my actions and

words. At the end of this whole journey I realize that people can only start to accept you,

once you accept yourself. It is something I continue to work on to this day.

Thank you for showing me a new world and who I am to the world.