Cusco

Waking up this morning was bittersweet. Having to say goodbye to everyone who was left at the house was hard. We had had such a great time last night playing cards, eating microwave popcorn, and waiting for the new arrivals. We were rolling on the floor laughing so hard at times, and we were not even drinking any alcohol. So, this morning I ate my final roll with jelly at the house and bequeathed my box of Frosted Flakes to a grateful Matt (especially since he lost his ATM card on his excursion outside of Lima).

My flight to Cusco was delayed by an hour, however the 1 hour and 20 minute flight somehow took us only 50 minutes. Warning #1 to travelers aiming to visit Cusco: The flight in is absolutely gorgeous as you are flying over the Andes almost the entire time, however the descent is rapid, bumpy, and you swerve constantly to hit the wind right as the plane has to precisely land between peaks. It was interesting to say the least. The hilarious thing is that this entire two weeks I have consistently slipped into French when I get flustered with the rapid Spanish. I was soooo excited, then, to be sitting by a family from France on the flight! The funny part is that as I was speaking to them in my intermediate French, I kept slipping into Spanish! I would answer yes in Spanish instead of French and so forth. Oh, the irony!

I was worried upon my arrival about altitude sickness. I was very lucky today, though. I feel absolutely fine. I have taken some altitude sickness pills, and other than shortness of breath if I stand up too quickly or ascend a series of steps, I feel good. I hope I am not jinxing myself as I speak. So warning #2: Be prepared! Drink lots of water beforehand and no alcohol.

Of course, instead of taking it slowly since this is my only day in Cusco, I was speed traveler. At first daunted since this is the first time I have actually been in a foreign non-English speaking city completely by myself, I sucked it up and trudged onward. Wow, is this the city of churches! I went through at least 4. Warning #3: You can get passes to visit multiple sites on one ticket. Of course, I found this out about my 3rd church in. Also, the Cathedral is pricey, but you can get a guide to take you through for a few soles' tip. My favorite church to go through (I did love the Cathedral for its architecture, but its gawdy figures were a bit creepy and overdone in my opinion) was Santo Domingo. I would recommend this to anyone. It is a beautiful area built around old walls built by the Incans. Here is a picture of an Incan doorway leading onto the courtyard. Many of the churches do not allow pictures, so I loved that this one did. Also, I would recomment going into Santo Campana to climb up the bell tower for pictures overlooking Plaza de Armas. Stunning! I would also recommend walking down past the Art Museum to the ancient wall made from very odd-shaped stones that fit perfectly together like the one in the picture below with 12 sides!

Warning #4: This town is completely a tourist trap. Everybody stands outside peddling their wares and services from massages to Incan textiles to pictures with domesticated animals. Yes, you read that correctly. There are women and children in Quechuan dress walking all over the place with little lambs wrapped up to their chests. They ask for money to take a picture of them. I got duped once, but I was not so foolish when the children with the llamas approached me. Although I really wanted a picture with one of the said llamas, I was not ready to hand over my camera to these children, particularly the one who pretended to cry when I told him "no thanks." So, I walked on and then turned and took a picture as they walked away. Over the course of just about 2 hours, I turned into a not-so-polite person. My "no thanks" soon just turned into an adamant "No!" with a fervent shake of the head. One kid walked up to me to ask me what I was doing in Cusco today. I told him that I was just walking around on my own. So, he said, "Aah. Peace and quiet." When I nodded, he then replied, "You are peace, and I will be quiet" and continued to walk beside me before he abruptly tried to peddle his "paintings" that he "made" that look eerily similar to the other 50 small children who showed me the same pictures. I have learned to finally say no to people (those who know me well would be proud).

I finished my afternoon by walking almost the whole length of Avenue de Sol to the Incan market. I returned to the main square to meet Mila and Joy, two other volunteers who arrived in Cusco yesterday. We had a lot of fun. We went to an organic restaurant right off the square. It was delicious. We then walked around to a few shops along the square and ended at the Inka Grill for dessert and cappuccino. The Inka Grill is another of my recommendations. The staff is all so friendly. Since this was Mila and Joy's third visit in two days, they knew who they were. The decor is neat, and there was live entertainment that consisted of two men playing native windpipe instruments and horns. I loved it. We finished in time to watch the fireworks over the plaza.

So, here I lounge in bed in a room that I do not have to share with anyone. I am watching TV for the first time in 2 weeks (it's Project Runway if you were wondering; I love Tim Gunn). And, I am looking forward to Machu Picchu tomorrow. I have an early train, so I have to sign off for now.

Last day in Lima

For my last day in Lima I chose to go to the Mother Teresa Home for the Dying and Destitute. Although my initial reaction was one of sadness for these disabled people who had nobody else, my reaction soon changed to one of hope, inspiration, and joy. Truly, how can you look into the eyes of a disabled child who smiles back with such joy at the simple task of you helping them to eat and not feel love? And, as I looked around, disheartened at the beginning that these individuals will spend their entire lives in this home, I saw friends greeting one another, nuns kissing the children, therapists high fiving their patients, and school child after school child volunteering to make the residents' lives the best they can in the situations in which many of them were born. I felt truly blessed to have been there today to meet all these wonderful people.

My day began by feeding two children, Maximo and Frank. I am not exactly sure what their disability was, but they had very limited mobility. I then traveled down with another volunteer to the lower floor to work with the adult males. Most of the residents here have been left for homeless or abandoned by their families. The Vatican helps to fund the center, but volunteers are desperately needed. The nuns (from Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity order) run the show, but there are physical and occupational therapists that come everyday to help the residents function better in their lives. The nuns have willingly taken these people in, even sought some of them out. The male children will continue to live in the center but will be moved downstairs sometimes in their 20s (usually). For the female children, they will get moved to a center in Cusco, which is the nearest center for adult women. Their disabilities range from spina bifida to paralysis to Apert Syndrome. They have limited mobility and some mental limitations.

Downstairs, I helped transport residents to the physical therapy room. I met an English-speaking man named Ray who had gone to school in Canada in the 60's. He played several sports including tennis and golf. He claims that once in Miami Tiger Woods told him he had a nice swing. He also said Tiger needed to practice a bit more. He was hilarious, talking to us about everything from Twilight to Toronto to his car accident and loss of family. I loved him instantly! I also met a man who sat and spoke Quechuan to me for about 5 minutes. I didn't understand a single word, and yet I wished he was my grandpa. They were so sweet.

After that, I moved back upstairs to observe an occupational therapy session with three of the girls. I spent the bulk of the rest of my time with an occupational therapist working with the boys. For over an hour, I rolled play-doh with them and worked on their motor skills such as drawing circles, pointing, and counting on their fingers. I fell in love with a boy named Gabriel. He has limited speech, but he could be quite demanding as he kept commanding me to sit by him, pointing at the seat next to him quite adamantly. It was such an incredible experience. I feel like everyday here I learn something new. Surprisingly, though, it's not just new things about a novel culture; I have learned so much about people and the infinite compassion and love individuals have for others. I am so grateful for all that I have been able to see and do here.

After lunch and our final feedback session, a group of us really wanted to visit the historical cemetery here in Lima. It is where the former presidents are buried and is full of mausoleums. Unfortunately, Kique (although he could not forbid us from going) warned us so direly that things tend to happen to tourists there, particularly fair people who do not have black hair. He said if we insisted on going, he would insist we wear hats and not take cameras. So, we decided not to go. Instead, Amy and I went back to Barranco to walk around in the daylight. It is an amazingly beautiful district. We traveled the same route as the night before, from the Bridge of Sighs to the pier onto the beach. They had a market set up with crafts, and Amy and I of course did some more shopping. Who could have passed up a $1 bracelet? Obviously, not me! I also got a red embroidered belt with a blingin' buckle. We then walked along the main street to a park that opened up onto an overlook of the ocean again. It was just so peaceful walking along, talking as two strangers in a strange land will. It was a good final afternoon in the city.

After rousing games of cards and one last trip to Plaza Vea, we had the most incredible dinner. The cook, Lucinda (?), made us these beautifully delicious stuffed potatoes. She boils them, skins them, mashes the inside, and then lightly fries them after filling them with egg, black olives, chicken, cilantro, and other lovely ingredients. They were so flavorful. We are now making her a hand-made thank you card. She is a lovely woman who is always so happy, polite, and glad to see us. She told us this evening when she left that we all need to come back to visit our new Peruvian family, and she will cook us whatever we like. Mmm...heavenly.

So, now I'm off to teach the Canadians the card game of Golf. After I own them, of course, we have all decided to make an early night of it because most of us are departing tomorrow. Some of them are leaving at 3 in the morning. The good-byes just continue. After saying our farewells to Corey and Carol today (tear in the eye), we had to part from Kique and Aida. Then, Jorge made an appearance to say good-bye, and Juan Carlos just stopped by to wish us well. It truly is like a family, and it would be hard to never see them again. Well, I'm off to Cusco tomorrow!!

Second to last day of placement

I did not go to Wawi Wasi today. Instead, I returned with Carol and Andrea to the house we were building yesterday. The family, Juliano, Maxine, Mariana, and Franco were so grateful for our help. We worked for about 3 hours, and it was very rewarding. We had to dig holes in the dirt with a trowel, a crowbar, and our hands for the posts. Then, we basically nailed makeshift walls of wood to the posts to create two rooms. The roof consists of tin panels that we just lay on top of the walls. In the meantime, the family has two chickens that are constantly underfoot, and one even bit my hand today. It took a long time because Juliano is in a wheelchair due to a leg amputation, so he would direct while we worked. He and his wife changed their minds frequently. Plus, none of us are carpenters. So, Tony from Martincitos, we volunteers, and Juan Carlos (our driver) basically winged it as we went. We were up and down ladders, nailing boards together and then taking them apart again, and maneuvering long pieces of lumber and roofing around a very small area. I absolutely loved it. It reaffirmed my dream to do a Habitat for Humanity project someday.

After placement and lunch, we went to Pachacamac. The city is named after a two-faced god that was worshipped by the four various tribes that had resided in the area over a span of hundreds of years - the Lima, the Wari, the Ychsma, and the Inca. The name means "creator of the world." The residents themselves lived outside of the religious area. The religious area today is an archaeological dig site that has unearthed dozens of temples. Each civilization just built upon those built by their predecessors. We also saw a cemetery, which looks like a terraced mass burial ground on the hill.

We ascended (by van) up to the Temple of the Sun by the Incas. The temple had been six terraces high, but unfortunately it is only four now due to earthquakes and looters. The priests used to live on the top terrace and used the temple as an astronomical observatory. People would sacrifice guinea pigs and llamas as offerings to the sun god. The area is a perfect location. It's on a river, so there are agricultural fields around for crops. It's near the ocean for fish and shells. And, it's built into hills in the desert. The Temple is on the highest site of the city.

The last area we saw was a Allacawasi/Mamacino, which is near the Moon Temple. It housed older women and virgins. These women produced goods there such as food and textiles. Some were concubines for the Incan nobles. They would travel with offerings to the Sun Temple. They were most often the prettiest and most intelligent women in the Incan empire. The building is very prototypical Incan with trapezoidal windows and door frames. Although it is now all stone, it was covered with gold and silver hundreds of years ago.

It was an amazing day. We even saw the infamous Peruvian hairless dogs. I myself would never own one-they are quite ugly, and I don't really like saying that about any animal. We are going to go to Barranco tonight for one last night of all of us being together. Most of us volunteers currently at the house are leaving for home or Cusco this weekend. There will only be a few left until the new group gets here on Sunday. So, we all have to make our farewells. Thank goodness for Facebook, though, we won't be far!

Peruvian Independence Day

So, on this date in 1821, Jose de San Martin, an Argentine general declared this land independent of Spain. So, here I am wearing my red and white ribbon, feeling a bit like a real Peruana, and am disappointed. Today and tomorrow are official holidays here in Peru, so many places are closed. However, we woke up today to realize we missed the fireworks in downtown Lima last night, and that most celebrations today are seemingly families getting drunk together.

My placement was open today. At Wawa Wasi, we embarked on our third day of painting the exterior window frames, doors, and railings green. It seemed like our longest day of work yet, but then about an hour and a half in, we turned on the radio. We found a station that was claiming to be playing all 80's music. This apparently includes "Great Balls of Fire" by Jerry Lee Lewis and "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor, but we were happily singing along (especially to the U2 and David Bowie songs) as we worked. It made our time there pass much more quickly. It also made our work much sloppier. I returned to the house covered in green paint from my hair to my shoes.

We got picked up from our placement early, though, to help another group of volunteers tear down and rebuild a house for an older couple. Apparently, their house was located next to a building site of a business. Well, today the business owner demanded the family's house was on his property and that their house needed to be taken down. A large group from the neighborhood came out and rose in support of the family. So, the house was torn down and moved over a bit to satisfy both parties. The family live in poverty, and the house is virtually all they have. They have very few possessions, and it only took us about 10 minutes to move everything back in. When we left, the house was not completed yet, but they had part of a roof up for the night. The family was so grateful, and it made me so sad for them. I truly felt like I was giving something to someone who needed it so desperately. I loved it, and I hope we get to go back to finish it tomorrow.

We ate a very good lunch of pork ribs, corn, potatoes, and salad. Then, we went to the Museum of Anthropology, Archaeology, and History of Peru. It is the largest collection of native artifacts in the nation. Our guide, Enrique, was very knowledgeable about the native tribes, and I learned so much about pre-Incan history (for example, did you know that Inca is actually what that tribe called their kings, not their tribe?). The museum was full of ceramics, artisan work like metalcraft, and weapons. It was very interesting to see how the artifacts differed from time period to time period based upon both the era and the geographic resources. The colors used on ceramics, for example, were vastly different. Some tribes used only 3 colors, whereas others like the Nazca used 11 colors in their art. The relics have withstood the test of time and are so well-preserved that it really gives you an insight into the historical eras of the owners/makers. The artwork expressed a lot of the people's religious views and gods, especially the sacred animals of snake, puma, and condor. Of course, many of the pieces were utilitarian, and you realized again and again how innovative they truly were even thousands of years ago. For example, we saw skulls that had been recovered from tombs. These skulls show that lobotomies (craniologies) were performed in b.c. times, and they covered the holes with gold plates. In many cases, the skull grew back and the people lived but without their tumor, infection, etc. affecting them any longer. To one indigeneous tribe, seashells were worth more than gold or silver. To yet another, how many heads of your enemies you wore clipped to your belt showed your strength and power. It made me yearn to travel all over Peru to see all the amazing places from which these tribes hail. I definitely cannot wait to see Machu Picchu (which means "old mountain"), especially considering the Spanish never found this site. It took an American archaeologist, Hiram Bingham, to discover it in 1911.

So, tonight we are going to travel downtown. There is reportedly some dancing that takes place in the main square for Independence Day. Tomorrow, I am going to work at Martincitos, a center for senior citizens. Then, on Friday I am going to work at Mother Teresa, a home for disabled individuals. Hasta manana!

Tuesday's Work

At placement today, we painted more of the exterior of the Wawa Wasi. It was not quite as cold today, and it's supposed to get warmer as the week progresses. We learned yesterday that this past five day period has been the coldest in a very long time here in Lima. Of course they have :-).

After placement, we again had a Spanish lesson. Then, Rebecca, Amy, and I went to Miraflores, the district on the beaches of the Pacific Ocean. Miraflores is located on clifftops overlooking the ocean, and it is absolutely beautiful. It is one of the wealthier districts in Lima, and the disparity between it and the district in which I work is startling.

We started at Larcomar, the shopping mall. We then walked along the clifftop path to Parque de Amor (Park of Love). This park is stunning. It is full of cement structures (benches and such) covered in mosaic tile. It has gorgeous views of the ocean, including the men surfing in this cold!! We had fun taking pictures and admiring the views. We walked down to the lighthouse. On the way back, we got to see people hang-gliding off the cliffs. I am seriously considering this. I think it would be breathtaking and so much fun.

Tomorrow is Independence Day here, and I cannot wait to see the festivities. Each building is mandated to fly the national flag, and it seems so patriotic here - even in the poorest districts. We are having a special lunch, and we might check out the parade. We'll see manana!!

Back on the Job

Jessica and I returned to Wawa Wasi today. The children were not there today, but the kitchen was still open for the neighborhood families. We, however, painted. For 3 1/2 hours we painted the exterior doors and windows green (we are fondly calling it ninja turtle green). It was very tedious work. I was wearing my Columbia jacket today, and the man who was in charge of our painting job indicated to me several times I needed to take it off and that he did not have a smock for me. So, I painted outside in a t-shirt in about 57 degree temperature. My fingernails were purplish blue by the time we got picked up. It was good, though. Jessica and I spent the entire time talking about our families, our goals, etc. She is great. She just graduated from UCLA and is heading to graduate school in space physics. Her father is Indian, and her mom is originally from Mexico. Her grandfather is currently living with them, and he only speaks Punjabi. I learned a lot about her mixed cultural household.

After placement today, we returned for another very good lunch and a guest speaker. The guest speaker was Kique's partner, Lucien Chauvin. He is a journalist for The Economist, and he has also contributed articles for Time and the Washington Post. He is originally from Rhode Island. He spoke to us about the demographics and history of Peru. I learned so much.

Peru itself is roughly the size of Alaska and is the 20th largest country in the world. It is such a dichotomy of everything. It has the world's driest desert and yet has 20% of the world's fresh water. In fact, Araquipa has never had rainfall in human history. It is the largest silver-producing country in the world, and it is now the largest drug exporter as well (over 300 metric tons of cocaine a year). Its economy is steadily growing, but there is still a lot of poverty. Only about 15% of the population have a stable job that is taxable for income. Those same 15% then are the only ones who get governmental benefits such as a social security pension. The government does provide some services to the poor but very, very few. The idea here is that those who pay in get something out. Firefighters here are only volunteers, and they have to provide their own equipment and uniform. Police are paid about $250 a month, but they have to replace anything from their one original uniform provided to them, and they have to pay for their own bullets.

Peru is about 60% cool but Rebecca is 100% awesome!!!! Yes, I put my computer down for a second.... Anyway, Peru is 60% jungle, 30% Highlands, and 10% coastal desert. There are 4,000 varieties of edible potato grown here!! Peru has produced the most domesticated crops than any other country. It is the original home of paprika, spineless artichokes, etc. 50% of the population is under the age of 25! 45% of the population is indigenous. There are only about 350,000 people from Amazonian tribes left, but they speak 52 different languages. This country is an anthropologist's, an ecologist's, and archaeologist's dream.

I learned a lot about their government system. They have been a democratic republic since their independence in 1821. However, the election of 1985 was the first time a president was democratically elected to replace a democratically elected president. I know...it sounds a bit confusing, but if you think about it, it gets to the heart of the problem here. The government tends to be very corrupt. For example, during World War II, Peru started out as a pro-German country. But, about halfway through the war they realized this was not the side to have chosen. So, as a gesture to the Allies, the Peruvian government arrested 2,000 Peruvians of Japanese descent and sent them to Texas so that the US could use them in exchange for American POW's in Japan. I cannot believe that, but then again look what we did to our Japanese Americans at that time.

As for the goverment, the presidents have historically read the constitution however they wanted to. The latest version was written and ratified in 1993 in order for the president at the time to be able to be re-elected. Previously, a president could not be re-elected until they had taken a term out of office between their own terms. Now, though, they can be re-elected right away. The President is elected for 5 years. Each presidential candidate has to fill the ballot with members from their party for every open position, including Congress. So, when Fujimori was elected in 1990, his secretary at the university at which he taught became the Speaker of the House, and his barber became a member of Congress! The previous president presided over a 2 million% inflation rate, so Peruvians just wanted a change. It is such an odd system.

There are currently 27 registered political parties on the national level, and 1200 registered parties that can run on the local level. A party has to get at least 4% of the votes to get seats in Congress. The Congress is unicameral and consists of 120 members. The Supreme Court consists of 23 judges, and they hear cases en banc. There are not jury trials here, and there is no death penalty (except for treason) and no life sentences. The awesome thing (in my opinion) is that voting is mandatory! Every Peruvian is provided a national identity card, and if they do not vote, they get fined. They can vote at the age of 18. I'm not sure how high the fine is, but they have a very, very high voter turnout. This could be why the campaign ads are everywhere here - even for President although the election is not until next April (inauguration is July 28, independence day). Recently, Peru and the US signed a free trade agreement, but the Democrats who pushed it through the Senate mandated that Peru create 99 new laws in order to create and regulate labor and environmental guidelines. Peru is lacking behind in these areas. They are one of the few countries who still allow high levels of sulfur in their fuel (which right now costs about $16 a gallon here), which produces what's known as the "marine layer," the grayish air around Lima.

I also learned a lot more about the Shining Path, which wanted to make Peru the People's Communist Republic of Peru. They arose in 1980, but since they were not a registered political party, they sought appeal with the peasants in the Highlands. They created military schools and taught the principles of the 4 pillars - Marx, Lenin, Mao, and the Peruvian leader of the party. Unfortunately, they wanted the indigenous people to no longer speak their native languages. Eventually, resistance by the peasants due to the Shining Path's form of justice (public trials that usually resulted in stonings, public beheadings, etc.) and their attempts to change the culture led to violence. By 2000, there were 69,000 dead or missing, most of whom were peasants/indigenous from the Highlands. The violence just grew and grew. Peru even had to legislate a vehicle curfew at 9 pm in hopes of decreasing the number of car bombings. In 1992, members mobilized their forces upon Lima in hopes that the US would invade and then they could overcome the US military and be known as the liberation army. Their mindset is really not sane (good thing there are only about 600 members left). Earlier this year, Peru released an American woman who has been imprisoned for her role in the Shining Path as a "tribute" to Obama. Like Obama really cares, but...anyway she is most likely going to be extradited to the US soon. This is such a different world from ours. The corruption here makes our own political blunders look very mild (this coming from a woman from a state who has governors in prison).

We ended the day with another visit to the Incan (Indio) Market. I bought things for the nieces and nephews because everything here is truly so cheap. Also, I love my move to the Australian Wing. It's warmer, the room has carpet, the mattresses and pillows are thicker, and it's quieter. Rebecca and I share a six-bed room, so there is a ton more space as well. Well, I'm out for now. Another day of painting tomorrow!!

Sunday

Today was a slow, long, cold day. The morning was spent simply reading, messing around on the computer, and just chilling (literally). Then, this afternoon a small group of us went to the National Museum. The top floor had a special exhibit on the Shining Path guerilla group/movement and the violence that took place primarily from 1980 to 2000 (although there was a recent occurrence in April of this year). The exhibit was truly touching. We spent almost an hour walking through each room that documented the chronology of the turbulence. Again, it's just so sad because most of the violence has ironically been targeted upon the peasants and indigenous people - the irony being this is a so-called socialist organization who wants the proletariat to rise. However, just when you think the Shining Path is the "bad guys," there is documentation of the military and government-sponsored "rondos" inflicting just as much violence and genocide. It was a very ugly time, and the varying causes of the violence just seem to be compounded by various social, political, and ethnic factors that are far beyond my comprehension. I had been warned that those of us who work in Villa El Salvador should not mention the Shining Path, and the exhibit today discussed how the lieutenant-governor of that district was assassinated by the guerillas in 1992. I suspect it is still a very troubling memory that the residents prefer to move past.

The museum also houses artwork from paintings to ceramics to metal work from the varying indigenous tribes throughout Peru. We got so excited, however, to go out into the courtyard and find a market of indigenous crafts. Each stall was housed by a native of the tribe, many of them in ethnic costume. I bought pottery from the Amazon and a nativity scene from the Highlands. I loved just walking and watching the people actually performing their craft. Women were knitting, men were sewing bands onto hats, children were making belts and jewelry. It was a great thing to see and experience. You could also hear the different dialects of the people as they spoke to each other, but also some of them couldn't understand Spanish in that they primarily speak Quechuan (of course, it was my Spanish so that could be a factor). The market itself looked temporary, so I'm not sure if it was set up specifically for the independence week or if it is frequent. Either way, it was something not soon to be forgotten.

I absolutely love this country and its people. The poverty is heart-breaking, but the people are full of pride and warmth. Being here at the time of their celebration of independence has been serendipitous. Here is a people who are still trying to make their mark in a global economy and yet hold so much pride for their various cultural heritages. I will come back.

Pictures of the kids

Lunchtime! Diana (top right), Fabrizio, Jose, Diego, Yunzu, Two of the teachers dancing with the kids, Sebastion, Jefre, and Keimy, Janna, and Ariana (and Pedrito)

Saturday

Saturday was a fantastic day, truly an experience of Lima. A group of us started the day by attending mass at the Cathedral. The priest was possibly the oldest priest I have ever seen, let alone ever seen serve mass. He needed help to even stand. Of course, there was the language barrier, but for the most part we were able to follow along. The mass is the mass in any language. We loved it. We then walked around the cathedral and its adjoining museum in the archbishop's house. It contained religious paintings and Catholic artifacts from just about every age. The Cathedral was personally planned by Francisco Pizarro, and he is buried there.

After mass, we went to Santo Domingo, a church and the very first mission center established here in Peru (and possibly the Americas). The Dominicans came to the Americas with Pizarro to evangelize and convert the Peruvians. This church was very beautiful as well. It contained the skull of St. Rosa, the first saint ever canonized from the Americas, and St. Martin de Porres. It also contained relics from Peru's third saint, St. Juan something. Then, we got to go into the friory and catacombs area. We saw St. Rosa's and St. Martin's tombs. We also got to see the fountain where St. Martin performed his first miracle. St. Rosa could heal people, and apparently she kept mosquitos away while she prayed (still can't completely wrap my mind around this). She is the patron saint of all the Americas and particularly Peru. St. Martin turned water into brown sugar, and he levitated while he prayed. Since he was black, he was not allowed to be a Dominican at first. He swept the floors of the friory and became the friars' barber. Thus, he is the patron saint of hairstylists and barbers, and he is usually depicted with a broom. Eventually because of his miracles he was allowed to become part of the society. Sadly, he was not canonized until 1962. Our guide told us Peruvian Catholics had to fight for a long time for his canonization due to his race.

After that tour, we saw the changing of the guard at the presidential palace. I have been to Buckingham several times, and let me tell you - the Peruvians have the English beat hands down. The "show" was about an hour long and involves a military detail and a band. The detail march, change formations (choreographed), throw and spin rifles, chant, etc. It was so cool.

After lunch, we walked to Plaza San Martin and then on to the Art Museum. The entire downtown area is so decorated for the independence day festivities. Every municipal building flies a Peruvian flag anyway, but every building in Lima (at least it seems this way) flies a flag as well. Red and white everywhere! It was a gorgeous day - high 60's - and of course, I got sunburned in the winter here!

After dinner, 10 of us went to the fountain light park in the Miraflores district. It was absolutely amazing! The park contains 4 "traditional" fountains, one of which is shaped like a pyramid mind you, and then 13 amazing "magical" fountains that are individually synchronized to their own music and lights. I believe this park beat the Bellagio 100 times over. A couple fountains were designed for you to walk through/in. We came out with wet shoes and pants, but it was so much fun.

Then, we went to a Peruvian dance show. It was a special show this weekend due to the independence day. It showcased dances from all around Peru, including the "devil dance." In between dances while the dancers changed costumes, the floor was open to the crowd. So, of course Corey and I led our group onto the floor. It was so much fun! It was the best night I've had here so far.

On a side note, based upon hanging out late on Friday night (we even went to a club), my Spanish apparently improves in direct proportion to the amount of alcohol I consume. Among the group that I was with on Friday night, the people of Lima kept turning to me to translate what everyone was saying. What the heck?!! Hmm.... who knew?

Last day with the kids :-(

Today was my last day at placement with the kids. They have a two week break now for winter. I will still be working at the Wawa Wasi next week, but I will be painting and helping in the kitchen instead. Since my kids are so young, they did not understand that my "Ciao" today meant I would not ever see them again. And of course it being Friday, kids will be kids. They were a bit obnoxious today - fighting more than usual, being onery, refusing to eat, screaming, etc. It was a long day.

However, now it is the weekend! Tonight, some of us are venturing to Miraflores to go bowling. Then, tomorrow we are going to a Peruvian dance celebration for their independence day. Our weekend plans are quickly filling up with all we want to see around Lima.

It is still very cold. In fact, yesterday was the coldest recorded day in Lima in 40 years! Granted, it is definitely not as cold as Illinois in even November sometimes, but I did go and buy some cozy socks today to wear around the house and at night.

I am changing rooms this weekend as well. The Australians are moving, so Carol and I are moving to what has been dubbed "the Australian Wing." It will open up a lot more room for all of us, although it's on the other side of the house from those I have befriended.

Well, that is it for now. I will keep trying to post the pictures of the children.

Dia Quatro!

Each day at my placement gets a bit easier. I took video of the kids today, and they were in good form. I just jump into their routine now, and the two teachers and I get along so well. I love them! They fed me homemade apple pie and tea today, although we're not really supposed to drink their water because it's unfiltered. We can't even brush our teeth with the tap water. I visited the other two rooms where two other volunteers, Mila and Jessica, work. Mila's room is 3 to 5 year olds, and Jessica has 6 to 9 year olds. Oh, kids are kids everywhere. All three of us realized a universal truth today - all kids love spaghetti! That's what the kids had for lunch today, and it was a complete mess, but they loved it.

Lunch is the big meal in Peru, and again today our lunch was huge. The food they serve here at the house is sooooo good. We eat alot of rice and chicken, and we have fresh fruit every day. Each morning, we have fresh juice (papaya, pineapple, grape). It differs each day. Then, the house is stocked with snacks, and we are welcome to the fruit and leftovers all night long.

After lunch, a group of us (Sara, Rebecca, and Amy from Canada, Cory from New York, and Carol from Chicago) had Spanish lessons again. I moved myself down to beginner, and it went so much more smoothly. Of course, I slip into French every once in a while, and the tutor has a bit of a distaste for French, so she does not appreciate my mistakes. Anyway, after the lesson we went to the Inka Market. It was stalls upon stalls of handmade Incan goods, where you learn to barter well. I pretty much got my shopping done - a sweater, a hat, a purse, etc. It was so much fun and a bit overstimulating. Afterwards, we went out for Pisco sours. It tastes like a Midori Sour with a bit of margarita taste (of course, it is topped with egg white foam). It was tasty.

Tomorrow is my last day with the kids. They begin a two week winter/independence day break next week. So, next week I will be doing other things at the Wawa Wasi center to help. I am going to miss the bebitos. They are so quick to love, and they are so very easy to love in return. Well, I'm off for now. I have tried unsuccessfully to upload pictures. Maybe tomorrow.

Downtown Lima!

The volunteer placement today went very well. I walk in, and the little ones say, "Hola!" as if we've been friends for a while. I took pictures of them today, and they loved seeing themselves afterwards on the display. We sang and danced all morning!! I am going to video record them tomorrow or Friday. I finally have all their names down, and I have learned vital phrases with one to two year olds such as "sit down," "stop hitting," "share," etc. I seem to do a lot of comforting since they just like to steal each other's toys.

This afternoon we had to have a house meeting since last night a pretty large group of volunteers thought it would be fun to go out at 9. Some were back by 11, but some didn't roll in until 4:30 am. The one that showed up last showed up with a male guest. Fortunately, our security guard wouldn't let him in, which caused a ruckus. I have to remember what it was like to be 20, but I know I was never this blatantly disrespectful. Then, at the meeting the young 'uns got very defensive and basically said others were just going to have to deal with them wanting to have fun. Oh, the joys of living with 40 other people!!

This afternoon and early evening were awesome! We had a guided tour of downtown Lima. Although we did not go into the cathedral, we did get to go into San Francisco Church and down into its catacombs. What an experience!! We saw the original walls of Lima, and the cross that was put up by the Spanish on St. Christopher's Hill when they conquered. Lima is known as "The City of the Balconies," with over 1600 balconies in downtown Lima alone! A group of us are visiting the area again this weekend, and I will take the chance to go into the church where St. Rosa and St. Martin de Porres are buried. Also, to begin the week of celebration for their independence, the Fertility Fountain in the main square will have Pisco (a very strong alcohol) running out rather than water - and for all to drink - next Monday!!

No pictures yet...

We have to formally be in our placement a few days before we can take pictures, so I have none yet to post. I have taken a few shots of Surco, the neighborhood in which the house is situated, and of the neighboring mountains. I plan to take some along the route to my placement because I think many people in the US would find it hard to believe this city. It is a dichotomy of everything. Our house is located in a wealthier area directly across the street from a huge shopping mall. Yet, within 15 minutes of leaving the house en route to Villa El Salvador, the surroundings immediately change. As you leave the city center, you cross into more and more desert area.

Villa El Salvador rose out of the desert, in fact. Although it has some paved roads, most of the streets are dirt. Their hospital consists of a series of trailers parked together on the highway median. They do have schools, though. Most of the residents live in houses that extend up into the mountains. They have water trucked to them regularly, and sometimes there is no electricity. There are about 400,000 people living in this region of Lima. Along the way to the Wawi Wasi, we pass dogs everywhere. We also pass houses that do not always have intact windows (which in the winter, as now, makes the houses very cold since they don't have insulation anyway). You see the laundry on clotheslines on the roofs alongside satellite dishes and water tanks for storage. All the while there are campaign posters and ads splattered on every structure possible for the upcoming mayoral and city commission elections.

I love the kids! There are about 11 one to two year olds in the room in which I work. There is one little girl (I'm still trying to figure out the pronunciaton and hence the spelling of her name) who refused to smile at me yesterday and visibly cried when I walked in this morning. Thirty minutes in and I had her hooked today! By the end of my time there today, she and I were good friends. The other girls are so easy to fall in love with - Kiemby (who calls me "Mama"), Yunzu (who is a mix of Asian and Peruvian descent), and Ariana. My all time favorite (right now), though, is Sevastian. He is the oldest child in the class, and he is very smart. He and I have had English-Spanish exchanges, and he has actually corrected my Spanish! I just happen to be teaching him English along the way. In fact, they all loved Ring Around the Rosy today, and Kiemby kept saying, "Ashes, ashes" for half an hour afterwards.

This afternoon I had my first Spanish lesson. Somehow, I tested into the intermediate class. This was such a joke! I'm moving down to beginner on Thursday. I could not understand what she was asking me, and I kept falling into French. The other volunteers laughed at me when I said I enjoy spending my summer being free when I thought I was saying that I enjoy reading. Oh well. I tried at least.

I also got to get out and walk around the neighborhood this afternoon. Rebecca, a Canadian, and I went to visit the University of Lima. The neighborhood has several little gardens that are great to sit in and read (or be free, in my case). The sun even came out for a while, and we could take off our jackets!!

Well, that's about it for today. Quick question: Considering there are only 7 people out of 41 in this house right now over the age of 30, how do these college students afford to spend weeks/months in foreign countries? I myself am still paying for college...Hmm....

I'm Here...

We did not land last night until 10 pm. By the time we cleared customs, etc. it was after 11. Then, there was a 45 minute drive to the house.

There are about 41 volunteers here right now, and the house is very crowded. Some are from Australia, some from Canada, quite a few from New York, and then everywhere in between the two coasts of the U.S. Ages vary as well. I share a room with 4 other women, and I share the bathroom with 10 other women! It would be like college again if there was actually more than 1 toilet and 1 shower for so many people!

We volunteers started today with our placements. Some people have already been here for weeks, so we newbies had a little tour to all the placement sites first. My placement is in Villa El Salvador, a "town" within Lima. I am working at a Wawa Wasi, which means "Baby House." This center is run by an aerobics instructor who basically operates it on her own dime. The government supplies rice and oil. I actually help out in a room for 1 to 2 year olds that are suffering from severe malnutrition, which in Andean descent in seen by reddish hair and white spots on their cheeks. The parents of the kids that attend this center are mainly single moms. About 1/5 of Peru lives in "absolute poverty," which means that a family of four lives on less than $1 a day. The children, not surprisingly, had no problem with my lack of Spanish. However, the other women who work there do not speak English. We used a lot of mutual sign language today. The other volunteers have placements anywhere from a home for disabled people, a senior citizen center in a poor neighborhood, a health clinic, a day care center that is run by the government (much nicer than the one I help at), and a physical therapy center.

Some cultural revelations: 1)You cannot flush toilet paper down the toilets here (you can figure out what you do with it); 2) Lima is huge, the city is about the size of the entire state of Rhode Island; 3) My Spanish is in desperate need of improving; 4)the dogs are aplenty; they just run around on the streets; 5) the children attend public school in 2 shifts. One shift goes from 8 to noon; the other half of students go from 2 pm to 6pm; 6) Llama and passionfruit are actually really good tasting; 7) Lima is in a desert region on the coast, which means there are cacti and palm trees right next to one another. During their winter (right now), the humidity actually makes it cooler outside, and the sun is rarely seen.

Today was definitely an eye-opening experience. Everybody here is so nice, and I have met some very interesting people. More to come later.

Heading South

My flight takes off from Chicago O'Hare tomorrow at 9:40 a.m. I have learned that my placement in Lima will be in Villa El Salvador, where I will be working with young children (even babies). I will work with them (play with them) for five hours each day. There are 18 total volunteers the two full weeks that I am there, and there are an additional 23 volunteers already there! So, I will have plenty of people to get to know.

I learned yesterday that July 28 is Peru's Independence Day. I am excited that we will be there for the celebrations. I am feeling a bit nervous since I have never been so far away without someone else I know. I am very excited, though. I have never traveled to South America, so this a check on my list. And, from what I have heard, Peru is beautiful. I truly hope I get to visit the Amazon basin, but I am certainly looking forward to my visit to Cusco and Machu Picchu.

I will be hopefully keeping up with this as my adventure continues.