We woke up at 6 this morning to go step grapes at a Bodega. We cleaned our feet then stepped in the grapes the traditional way, in a cement square hole that dripped into another cement square hole. It took a while to figure out how to do it correctly and you had to be careful not to step onto bees (I stepped on and got stung by 2. On each foot). The grapes reached just below our ankles and they kind of irritated your feet. Once we did that for about 20 minutes, they had us switch into a huge cement hole with 5,000 kilos of fresh grapes. We jumped in and immediately were up to our waists. The pile was twice as tall as us and we had to hold ropes so we didn't sink too much. You can only step fresh grapes for about 10 minutes because of all the acid in them. My legs were so red after stepping out. Juan toured us around the Bodega and showed us the next steps in the process. The juice is fermented for either 2 or 11 days. Then they boil it and direct the steam into cold water where it condensates. It comes out at the end as pisco. The workers opened a bottle for us and gave us about a fourth of a shot each. It was really gross and sour.
School went so well today!! Me, Katie, and Nisty brought in a bunch of national geographic magazine and had the kids make collages. It kept them all engaged and in their seats which was nice for a change. We also had a big photo sesh and all the kids kept taking my camera and taking pictures of me and their classmates. They actually turned out really well and some of them were very creative.
After a nice hour long siesta in a hammock looking out at the Andes mountains, everyone trekked up and out of the town to pre-Incan ruins for a beautiful sunset hike. On the way, we tried to walk along a wall in the middle of a corn field but as we were on it, Luke stepped on a loose spot and the wall came tumbling down and he almost got really really hurt. We finally got to the 1600 year old city. It had been destroyed by a landslide. We all sat on the ancient walls and listened to Pepe talk about the history of the culture and why it was beneficial to have the city where it was. As we got up to explore, the first thing we saw was skulls. There were bones strewn about the ruins. The view of the valley was amazing from the mountainside. On our way back, me, Juan, Pepe, and Nisty lagged behind and stopped at another one of Juan's friend's houses. He had a dog that jumped like a kangaroo and I got a great picture of it. The man also ran a villa (where we should stay when we come visit Lunahuana and Catapalla, parents) which was so much nicer than our accommodations.
We ended the day with dinner in the city and we hitchhiked our way there and back.
Friday, April 8, 2011
5th Day Adventures
One of the girls got really sick this morning and that was not at all comforting to me. At the school, Katie and I had the kids watch Planet Earth and then translated the names of the animals into English for them. They made really cute posters afterwards of all the animals in the movie. Luke and Nisty taught them fútbol and really wore them out. When we were watching the movie with the younger grades, two girls (both 6 and both named Carla) got into a fight. Carla #1 shoved a dead bug in Carla #2's face. Carla #2 didn't like that and punched Carla #1 in the face really hard. Other than that, we didn't have as many problems with the kids today as we did yesterday. The teachers don't know a single word in English so they ask us how to say simple things like hasta mañana in English. While we watched Planet Earth, I had the kids repeat after me the animals in English and the teachers were also repeating with me. It was really cool to teach the kids AND the teachers while at the same time learning Spanish from them. Thats how I know that we are being useful when even the teachers are learning. Its so cute whenever we leave the kids just yell our names and tell us they can't wait til tomorrow. They have so much fun during weeks like these and that makes everything seem worthwhile.
These twin 4 year old girls were leaving the school as we were so we walked them home. They live really far away from the school and they make the walk all by themselves everyday. Ruth held Juan's hand as we walked and Elena held mine. They lived way past our bungalows so everyone else went back to our stay while we walked on. On our way back, we stopped at the house of an old friend of Juan and Pepe. They were some of the richest people in Lunahuana yet they still had dirt floors and no doors in their house except for the front door.
After that, we left to go to the orphanage. We walked for a good 10 minutes before we got to an actual paved road. There we waited for another 15 minutes before we hitchhiked a ride to the orphanage. The 7 of us sat down in the grass and started coloring. Eventually, the kids warmed up and came to draw with us. I played with this one boy who was 3 named Christian. He was too scared to come join the group. I think he was new to the orphanage and had been removed from his home. He had bruises on his face and his forehead was very swollen. It was so sad but it was rewarding being able to help a toddler like that. When we left the orphanage, we stopped a mototaxi (a "motorcycle taxi", basically a motorcycle with a carriage with wheels added onto it) and all 7 of us plus the driver piled in, the four girls in the back (that seats 2) and Juan and Luke on the back. Pepe drove and the actual driver hung on the outside of the mototaxi. It could barely make it up hills with so much weight. We joined a pick up soccer game with some of the local kids but it quickly turned into dodgeball, Juan and Pepe against everyone else.
We then went directly to the elementary school for the town meeting about what rustic pathways is planning to do to the school in the summer. We asked them for their input because they know what they need in their town. We had to drag ideas out of then but they were all good and positive. Then, 2 drunk guys came in halfway through. They were very rude and were telling us our ideas were crap and they had no idea why we were even trying. Their idea was a medical center, something completely not feasible. It would take so much money to get the supplies to run a medical center 24 hours a day that was better than the one provided by the government and they just didn't understand that. Juan and Pepe got so mad because they were calling us all stupid and then the villagers went at it with them. It was so chaotic and crazy because people just don't want to try to even understand. This week, we're here to help the kids and make them happy, which we have succeeded, not save the world.
Food was awesome as always. For breakfast we had fried cheese and fried yuca. For lunch we had sandwiches where the bread was mashed potatoes and the inside was chicken salad. Dinner was amazing as always. My second favorite meal. A squash soup (which I surprisingly LOVED) and rice with a meat sautéed in onions, tomatoes and French fries. I asked Juan to help me get the recipes and he's going to try and have the cook give us some cooking lessons!
These twin 4 year old girls were leaving the school as we were so we walked them home. They live really far away from the school and they make the walk all by themselves everyday. Ruth held Juan's hand as we walked and Elena held mine. They lived way past our bungalows so everyone else went back to our stay while we walked on. On our way back, we stopped at the house of an old friend of Juan and Pepe. They were some of the richest people in Lunahuana yet they still had dirt floors and no doors in their house except for the front door.
After that, we left to go to the orphanage. We walked for a good 10 minutes before we got to an actual paved road. There we waited for another 15 minutes before we hitchhiked a ride to the orphanage. The 7 of us sat down in the grass and started coloring. Eventually, the kids warmed up and came to draw with us. I played with this one boy who was 3 named Christian. He was too scared to come join the group. I think he was new to the orphanage and had been removed from his home. He had bruises on his face and his forehead was very swollen. It was so sad but it was rewarding being able to help a toddler like that. When we left the orphanage, we stopped a mototaxi (a "motorcycle taxi", basically a motorcycle with a carriage with wheels added onto it) and all 7 of us plus the driver piled in, the four girls in the back (that seats 2) and Juan and Luke on the back. Pepe drove and the actual driver hung on the outside of the mototaxi. It could barely make it up hills with so much weight. We joined a pick up soccer game with some of the local kids but it quickly turned into dodgeball, Juan and Pepe against everyone else.
We then went directly to the elementary school for the town meeting about what rustic pathways is planning to do to the school in the summer. We asked them for their input because they know what they need in their town. We had to drag ideas out of then but they were all good and positive. Then, 2 drunk guys came in halfway through. They were very rude and were telling us our ideas were crap and they had no idea why we were even trying. Their idea was a medical center, something completely not feasible. It would take so much money to get the supplies to run a medical center 24 hours a day that was better than the one provided by the government and they just didn't understand that. Juan and Pepe got so mad because they were calling us all stupid and then the villagers went at it with them. It was so chaotic and crazy because people just don't want to try to even understand. This week, we're here to help the kids and make them happy, which we have succeeded, not save the world.
Food was awesome as always. For breakfast we had fried cheese and fried yuca. For lunch we had sandwiches where the bread was mashed potatoes and the inside was chicken salad. Dinner was amazing as always. My second favorite meal. A squash soup (which I surprisingly LOVED) and rice with a meat sautéed in onions, tomatoes and French fries. I asked Juan to help me get the recipes and he's going to try and have the cook give us some cooking lessons!
4th Day Adventures
We started the day off with fresh juice and tamales. The school was about a ten minute walk down the road from the bungalows. I was so excited to get to teach and play with the children!
The school was absolutely hectic. Me, Katie and Luke taught English to the 4-6th graders in the morning. They were very well behaved and eager to learn. They told us they want to learn English, dancing, futból, and about animals. Then, the three of us tried to teach the 1-3rd graders but it was a disaster. They were climbing all over us and yelling and fighting and wouldn't listen to us at all. Giving them silly bands was the worst idea ever. They kept trying to eat them and got really mad if another kid had more than them. One of the little girls stole the bag I had and took all of them so I had to sneakily steal them back.
At the corner store down the street from us we saw kids from the school and we picked up supplies. We then went back to the school to clean up the damaged room. We spent 3 hours just cleaning it and taking everything out of the room and into the courtyard. Katie and I swept the place and it was so filthy! We ended up having 10 buckets full of dirt and dust. Stuff was piled all over the room (I'll post pictures on Facebook) and we ended up finding a scorpion under a bunch of posters. Then we found a bag full of old volleyball uniforms which were bright orange and green speedos. We put them on and continued to clean. All the kids and locals who were passing by busted out laughing at us. We did an amazing job getting the project started for the students this summer.
So far my favorite thing about Peru is the food. Which is really really really surprising. I've been eating soooooo healthy. For lunch we had lettuce, hard boiled egg, avocado, potato, and chicken covered in a yellow pepper sauce. It was seriously the most delicious thing I've ever had. For dinner we had chicken noodle soup and some kind of marinated meat over rice. On the side we had mashed potatoes that were very runny because they had a lot of milk in them. We ended the night perfectly with a bonfire by the river and I saw the milky way for the first time.
The school was absolutely hectic. Me, Katie and Luke taught English to the 4-6th graders in the morning. They were very well behaved and eager to learn. They told us they want to learn English, dancing, futból, and about animals. Then, the three of us tried to teach the 1-3rd graders but it was a disaster. They were climbing all over us and yelling and fighting and wouldn't listen to us at all. Giving them silly bands was the worst idea ever. They kept trying to eat them and got really mad if another kid had more than them. One of the little girls stole the bag I had and took all of them so I had to sneakily steal them back.
At the corner store down the street from us we saw kids from the school and we picked up supplies. We then went back to the school to clean up the damaged room. We spent 3 hours just cleaning it and taking everything out of the room and into the courtyard. Katie and I swept the place and it was so filthy! We ended up having 10 buckets full of dirt and dust. Stuff was piled all over the room (I'll post pictures on Facebook) and we ended up finding a scorpion under a bunch of posters. Then we found a bag full of old volleyball uniforms which were bright orange and green speedos. We put them on and continued to clean. All the kids and locals who were passing by busted out laughing at us. We did an amazing job getting the project started for the students this summer.
So far my favorite thing about Peru is the food. Which is really really really surprising. I've been eating soooooo healthy. For lunch we had lettuce, hard boiled egg, avocado, potato, and chicken covered in a yellow pepper sauce. It was seriously the most delicious thing I've ever had. For dinner we had chicken noodle soup and some kind of marinated meat over rice. On the side we had mashed potatoes that were very runny because they had a lot of milk in them. We ended the night perfectly with a bonfire by the river and I saw the milky way for the first time.
3rd Day Adventures
This morning I woke up super early. The only other person awake was Juan's dad. We put fresh papaya and lime and water in the blender and made some tasty juice. Then we boiled tamales. That's not the pepper kind of tamales but a mashed up concoction of green peppers and corn and cilantro wrapped in corn husk. It was really really good with slices of onion and a local orange pepper with a vinegar sauce. I'm eating really weird but really healthy foods and actually developing a taste for fish.
After everyone woke up we decided to have a nice relaxing day on the beach. A few of us layed out on the beach and I AM SO BURNT NOW. The ocean was really cold but it was my first time swimming in the pacific ocean!
Around 3 we packed up and took a taxi van to Cañete and switched taxis to take us to Lunahuana. It was a beautiful drive. The city is located on the western fringe of the Andes mountains. Along the way we got to see pre-Incan ruins and a lot of unique architecture. We are spending the week in little bungalows in the annex of camapaya on the edge of a river full of rapids.
We went into the city for dinner and I tried yuca root for the first time. Everywhere around Lunahuana there are yuca plants and grape vines for making pisco. Tomorrow will be our first day doing service. We are helping teach about 40 students from grades 1-6 in the morning in a 2 classroom school. Then in the afternoon we will travel to another local school destroyed by an earthquake many years ago and begin the renovation project that will be completed by other rustic pathways students this summer.
After everyone woke up we decided to have a nice relaxing day on the beach. A few of us layed out on the beach and I AM SO BURNT NOW. The ocean was really cold but it was my first time swimming in the pacific ocean!
Around 3 we packed up and took a taxi van to Cañete and switched taxis to take us to Lunahuana. It was a beautiful drive. The city is located on the western fringe of the Andes mountains. Along the way we got to see pre-Incan ruins and a lot of unique architecture. We are spending the week in little bungalows in the annex of camapaya on the edge of a river full of rapids.
We went into the city for dinner and I tried yuca root for the first time. Everywhere around Lunahuana there are yuca plants and grape vines for making pisco. Tomorrow will be our first day doing service. We are helping teach about 40 students from grades 1-6 in the morning in a 2 classroom school. Then in the afternoon we will travel to another local school destroyed by an earthquake many years ago and begin the renovation project that will be completed by other rustic pathways students this summer.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
2nd Day Adventures
Today we woke up at 9:30 and had breakfast at the hostel. Then we drove down to the beach in Chilca to stay at Juan's parents' beach house for the day and night. I rode in the car with Juan and his dad and another girl on the trip, Katie. I learned so much about Peru on the short trip to the beach. Its amazing being able to see first hand the different stages of development of Peru. We learned all about Lima's history and how the eradication of terrorism allowed the province to boom economically. We saw everything from the nicest parts of the cities to the shanty towns where all the properties are marked with a distinct white line in the dirt and the walls of the huts are made of straw.
When we arrived the first thing we did was go to the local village and buy food for the rest of today and tomorrow morning. We went to a panaderia and a local fresh market where we purchased fish and fresh fruits and veggies. The people were so friendly and helpful.
We spent the afternoon walking the private beach and going in caves. There were so many different kinds of birds everywhere. It was really sad to see a lot of dead birds though. They travel to the quiet beaches to die in peace. The tide was freaking crazy on the beaches!!! I had no idea Lima was such an epic place for surfing. One of the guides, Pepe, is really into bird watching so we drove to the local wetlands and spotted about 30 different species of birds. Then we went around the city of Chilca and saw La Salinas, the salt beds that you can still get salt from. We ended up watching the sunset on a local beach and it was absolutely incredible.
Surprisingly, I enjoyed dinner. We had fish that doesn't have a name in English, Lima bean puree that looked kinda like mashed potatoes, and this super whole grain rice cake thing plus beans and potatoes. I've been trying to pick up Spanish from listening to Juan and Pepe talk to each other and I understand a little sometimes. A few of us went on a log walk down the beach late at night to go visit Pepe's friend and Juan's cousins. Then I had what was supposedly my last decent shower....
When we arrived the first thing we did was go to the local village and buy food for the rest of today and tomorrow morning. We went to a panaderia and a local fresh market where we purchased fish and fresh fruits and veggies. The people were so friendly and helpful.
We spent the afternoon walking the private beach and going in caves. There were so many different kinds of birds everywhere. It was really sad to see a lot of dead birds though. They travel to the quiet beaches to die in peace. The tide was freaking crazy on the beaches!!! I had no idea Lima was such an epic place for surfing. One of the guides, Pepe, is really into bird watching so we drove to the local wetlands and spotted about 30 different species of birds. Then we went around the city of Chilca and saw La Salinas, the salt beds that you can still get salt from. We ended up watching the sunset on a local beach and it was absolutely incredible.
Surprisingly, I enjoyed dinner. We had fish that doesn't have a name in English, Lima bean puree that looked kinda like mashed potatoes, and this super whole grain rice cake thing plus beans and potatoes. I've been trying to pick up Spanish from listening to Juan and Pepe talk to each other and I understand a little sometimes. A few of us went on a log walk down the beach late at night to go visit Pepe's friend and Juan's cousins. Then I had what was supposedly my last decent shower....
Saturday, April 2, 2011
The Adventure Begins
I've been flying for what seems like forever. I started with an afternoon flight to Hotlanta and then continued to Lima on a 6 and a half hour flight. The second plane was crazy. I could actually lay down in the seat and we got a 4 course meal with roasted duck breast and steak tenderloin and shrimp tons of other yummy stuff. My last ( somewhat) normal meal. Even though the seat/bed thing was super comfy I just couldn't sleep.
Baggage took foorreevveerrr but I was finally able to make it through customs and meet up with the group. Everyone seems pretty chill and the guides Juan and Pepe are super cool. We decided to go to the beach tomorrow instead of staying around Lima. Breakfast at 9:30 and then packing up and leaving.
Saying goodbye to everyone was pretty rough, especially to my parents and Tyler. I can't wait to see everyone again but I know I'm going to have the experience of a lifetime on this trip and I couldn't be more appreciative. I look forward to all of my adventures to come.
Baggage took foorreevveerrr but I was finally able to make it through customs and meet up with the group. Everyone seems pretty chill and the guides Juan and Pepe are super cool. We decided to go to the beach tomorrow instead of staying around Lima. Breakfast at 9:30 and then packing up and leaving.
Saying goodbye to everyone was pretty rough, especially to my parents and Tyler. I can't wait to see everyone again but I know I'm going to have the experience of a lifetime on this trip and I couldn't be more appreciative. I look forward to all of my adventures to come.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)