Finding a Rhythm

As the school year is starting to get into the flow of the third week, I am definitely finding myself getting into a rhythm of teaching and just generally life here in Tacna. I have my schedule for running and step class, have planned out an entire week ahead of time (although I am still trying to get a feel for what can and what can´t be accomplished in my 45 minute and hour and a half blocks of classes), have found a regular lunch vendor (instead of trying to brave the hordes of kids and parents around the school door trying to pass lunches back and forth only to eat at a street cart or the same chicken everyday at the women´s house who sent us food last year, I and my good friend Juan have settled on having one of the kids mother´s send it into the school for us), and perhaps most important, have begun to feel like a real teacher.

Other than that, not too much else new to note. In our community, we are struggling/discussing the issue of whether or not to invite neighborhood kids over to the house to perhaps hang out, or cook something, or play guitar (and I still harbor hopes to learn myself how to play during my two years here). There are many issues at stake (the privacy of a home, Peruvian versus American culture, worries about the kids becoming dependant/infatuated with us, etc), and I think a number of us in the community feel really strongly about it. We have handled it really well (yeah for Community - and yes, with a capital c) and are discussing the issue with multiple perspectives and advice from others.

On a perhaps more interesting note, the most popular band in Peru came to Tacna on Sunday. I really wanted to go, but partly because of the fear of it lasting until like 4 in the morning I did not. As evidence of why this might have been the case and just generally more Peru craziness, the ads about the city were split between some saying it started at 3 pm and some saying 6 pm, but as of 6, there was no one even in the venue (and, apparently at these types of concerts, the opening act and the main act can go on for like 3 hours each - yikes). Also, this group - they are called Grupo Cinco and play cu-cu-cu-cumbia (said like the bird that goes I´m cu-cu-cu-cu-cucu for coco puffs) is just generally hilarious and here is a picture of them if you want a good laugh: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKldJSuhmkYO2_PnpfZoUdNj0HkfrBnnedo7XWXjoUAUkTfwDcmf3LijXYwMuYu2lMvH4hD4QfOFbR1HfUg2M6pTid5KVGSMK0aB2ZT9tnLFiv0FRfj_fFFL8Etm6IHR0kj1TN1x77jn6/s400/grupo5.jpg