Returning to hometowns

Since the state of emergency began in our country, we have very often seen news of people and even entire families desperate to leave the big cities, mainly the coast (even more so in Lima), to return to their places of origin, to their people, to their community.

The reasons: there is no more work, there is a lot of contagion, there is no where to live, etc. The strange thing is that these people are not heard to say that they want to return to their hometown because they miss the farm, the humble, simple, healthy life. It seems that only the fact of not having more cash, work or a rented house, is the only reason, because not even the fear of contagion seems to be so great: many people have even been infected along the way.

It is known that many people walked for weeks; others received humanitarian aid. The government has invested large sums in tests for the virus, in shelters and food to support these families, these people, during the mandatory quarantine that they had to keep when they arrived in their villages.

And that's where the concern comes from, not knowing if when all this calms down or ends, people will continue to make their way back, or if those who managed to get to their towns and communities will stay there to work the farm, to help the parents and grandparents; or if, on the contrary, as soon as they manage to get together enough money for the journey they will return to the coast, to the big cities, to suffering in exchange for some Soles.

But the people are generous, the community receives, patiently awaiting the return of the ones who left. And it will always be waiting.

Those of us who live in the city, who go to the farm only to visit, we are missing that peace of the small town, the fresh air, the silence. We miss the good, hard-working people, who leave for the farm very early and return carrying the blessed fruit of the earth. Those clean places we can't go back to now.

I am looking forward to going to Mama Yola's farm! I really want to go to Ichocán!

Lola Paredes