Being a bedside nurse for over nine and a half years has been nothing short of amazing, but it is time for me to move on. There have been moments of joy, when patients recovered and went home, and heartbreaking days, when no matter what we did, we lost them. Those experiences remind me that life is short, sometimes idle, and always asking us to go out, work hard, and find meaning.

I grew up in a country where life was simple, almost carefree. Work usually ended by three in the afternoon, leaving the rest of the day for family, friends, or simply being. Freshness was part of daily life: produce from the market was ready for the table, fish caught that morning still carried the salt of the ocean, and chickens were slaughtered right in front of you. And weekends… weekends were something else entirely. Polladas with loud music, dancing, friends, family, and beer, always beer. Sometimes the parties began Friday night and carried on until Sunday morning, when we’d close it out with a fresh plate of ceviche, and maybe another beer.

But there was another side to that life. Education was expensive. Higher education was often out of reach unless your family could afford private university or you were exceptionally gifted and earned a scholarship. Otherwise, you settled for lower-wage work, or maybe, if you managed to grind your way through school, you became a secretary, front-desk clerk, or whatever job your looks could secure.

Still, Lima was beautiful. I loved growing up there. My siblings and I were inseparable, going to parties together, dancing, singing until our voices gave out. We lived fully. And then life carried me somewhere else. I married an American physician, moved across the world, and had three beautiful children, caring, intelligent souls. I consecrated my life to working and studying. I don’t know if the trade was fair. My marriage fell apart, and I raised my children alone, but that was never the issue; I’ve always done what I had to. The harder truth is that life here never felt as carefree as it once did.

I’ve spent 16 years in continuous college and built a career I love, but my life now is work, work, and more work. I miss the days when easiness was the norm, but maybe I adapted so well to this country because, deep down, this is who I am: a sharp individual who thrives on hard work and opportunity. I know some people move out of here chasing the life I once had, but that life is only good for a week of vacation. After that, my body itches to be busy again.

Maybe I traded ease for endurance, but endurance has carried me farther than ease ever could, and honestly, I love it because I was built for the grind.