mother nature’s quite a lady, but you’re the one i need. November 8, 2009

The last week or so has been much less productive than I’d like. I can’t advance with my world map project (for now) because all of the teachers used my paint during the school’s anniversary, so I have to wait for more to be delivered. I got more bags and we planted 400 trees at the school and X more in the community tree nursery – which sounds like a lot, but really isn’t very time consuming. Since the kids missed so much of regular class during the week of the anniversary, the teachers have been more hesitant to let me into the classrooms during class time (since what I teach is technically off-subject). So I’ve been doing a lot of yoga again. I guess I’ve lost 8-10lbs in the last few months. Which is exciting, except that I am still currently 25lbs heavier than I was when I got to Peru. What. The. Hell.
Halloween was not very eventful – Brad, Jared, and I walked to a site we’ve been developing for the new volunteer that is going to arrive in a few weeks to find him a host family. It went really well. Then we made s’mores at Brad’s hobo house and watched the Dark Night. No costumes. On a scale of 1 to 10 I give it a 6. At least we were together
Dia de los Muertos was interesting to see here. Last year, this time I was still in training in Chaclacayo (weird – it’s been a really long year). Like the celebration I saw last year, there was a massive event at the cemetery – everyone brought flowers for their relatives and then got really drunk. But later that night, the town gathered in a central location to watch what they call “cortamontes”. This involves cutting down 4 eucalyptus trees that are about a year old – relatively tall (eucalyptus grows fast). Then they “plant” these trees in a row, using 2×4s… not even shovels… they pack them into holes in the ground with dirt around them. Everyone is mostly wasted by this point, so the really really drunk people and the children dance around these trees, which have been “decorated” with balloons. Several hours later, the men cut the trees down again. In the dark. Drunk.
I didn’t stay long because the sheer number of drunk men who finally worked up the courage to talk to me was unbelievable. I would be standing there minding my own business, when suddenly I would feel someone really really close to me behind me – definitely in my personal space. I look around and a creepy drunk man would say “oh! I’m so sorry! I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable! Gringa! Gringa! Dance with me, gringa!”. No. I’ve been here long enough to know that I don’t even have to do that anymore. Or. “gringa! I told everyone we would end up together! You’re going to have my babies, gringa!” No. No I am not.
Weird things a brewin.
One of the things I love most about my host family is that they are always buying baby animals. We have so many babies running around: 3 kittens, 2 puppies, a lamb, and 2 piglets – all under 6 months old. It’s freaking awesome. The kittens are like a month old. It kills me.
Lastly – Proyecto Huascaran has come to my town. What does this mean? It means that we are experimenting with having internet. It isn’t quite set up yet, but at the very least, when we have electricity, I should be able to go to the computer room and use the internet. They’re saying they’re going to install an antenna so that people can have wireless throughout the whole town, but I’ll believe it when I see it. At any rate, please don’t expect me to be any more accessible than I currently am, but the possibility exists that I will be able to have internet more frequently than once every 2 weeks.
That’s all folks!
Till next time.

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