So, I am currently writing from the apartment of not even my Peruvian host family, but their extended family here in the city of Arequipa. All I can say is that I am definitely feeling like I am playing the role of the mooch a bit, but they did invite me to stay a day longer, so I must be entertaining them/pulling at their heart strings at least a bit.
The last couple of weeks I traveled with my community mates to Puno to see the fiestas de la Virgen de la Candeleria - which is quite an experience as everyone is dressed up in interesting clothing and dancing in the streets and the beer is absolutely flowing (I will put up some fun pictures when I return to Tacna) - then I took part in a five-day silent retreat here in Arequipa (which after a month with the adolescents was quite nice. I spent a lot of time just reflecting on life - deciding I am very happy and ready for the new school year, but must enter it with more patience and willingness to not have as complete control of my classroom as I had in Harlem at St. Al´s), and am now visiting some of the sites and eating well with the extended host family. Yesterday I had ricotto relleno - which was absolutely amazing and had peanuts in it, which I adore - and shared much good conversation, Cusquena Malta beer (my favorite), and Pisco. I also helped them make a cake, but had my self-esteem as a cake baker shot down when I learned that one of the family used to work as a bread/cake maker. Oh well. The family is super interesting though because there are 11 brothers and sisters in total and are very proud and long-established Arequipenens. They are very gregarious and four of the families still live in this big old house (with a new wing) in an old part of town that couldn´t help make me think of ¨One Hundred Years of Solitude¨.
Anyway, Arequipa is beautiful and has this volcano that overlooks the city. I am a little ready to get back home to Tacna, but I am also really enjoying the vacation time and meeting new people. I did go into a giant supermarket they have here the other day and was pretty overwhelmed. I am growing much more accostumed to the little corner stores and markets (where I could spend hours just looking around). The other day I almost bought frog juice (they literally just have live frogs in a tank that they are ready to plop in a blender and serve to you. It´s supposed to be good for the brain), but decided instead on a coca-cola zero. I felt pretty boring afterwards to be honest, but I swear one day I will take the plunge.
Thinking back on Mes de Mision, I think it was just very tough mentally for me to be 24/7 with these kids and especially having them constantly complaining (and constantly comparing their food, work, priveleges with other groups) and mocking my Spanish. One lesson I will try to take out of it is definitely to be able to constantly laugh at myself. Some of the best moments were definitely when I could share in a hearty laugh with them (and make fun of myself). By the time next January comes around, I will be looking forward to it again, I think.
Just as an update, I will return to Tacna tomorrow, begin going to meetings at my school (though there is so much up in the air there that we will have to see how things will play out for the new school year - which is part of the reason I am not rushing back), and then the school year should start in early March (it is summertime here and the year begins in March and ends in December). Keep checking in for some neat picture updates!
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