October Vacations

So, although my vacation week started off a bit slowly (though not in a bad way, I very much enjoy just spending time with my host family and friends here in Peru), it ended with a whole lot of movement.

On Thursday, I took a trip with Seamus and my host mother up one region to Moquegua to visit its capital. Known for its avocado and hot sun, we spent a wonderful day walking around, taking silly photos, talking about why we are volunteers, and enjoying the good craziness that is my host mother Carmen Rosa.






If you do not believe me, check out her poses in each picture and then keep in mind that at least three random dance parties broke out during the day.
















After that, we returned to find our house flooded (though a neighbor had seen water pouring out under the door and had turned it off from outside) because a tube going into the bathroom sink had broken. The cleanup left Seamus and I quite tired and with little ganas the next day for an adventure. But, in the afternoon, after calling the son of the local store owner and finding out that he was planning to make the pilgrimage to a statue of the Virgen Mary called Virgen de las Peñas in northern Chile, we got ourselves up for the challenge.

After a couple hour bus ride, crossing the border, visiting the Walmart-like megastore and being astounded in Arica, then hiking for over three hours in the dark, we finally arrived. Though the trip was tough, the walk was especially enjoyable for a number of reasons. For one, it was neat having to find our way along with hundreds of other Chileans in the dark (it was like a giant treasure hunt). I was also really blown away to arrive at 3 in the morning to dancing and music and lots of energy in the little town (which is not accessible by road and celebrates - soberly, since alcohol is forbidden - for three days straight). Lastly, people of all shapes, sizes, and kinds made the trek; along the way, we saw elderly people, overweight people, babies being carried, and even a group of what our friend called ¨chico chicas¨- flamboyantly gay Chileans. These other photos show where we slept for four hours after waiting an hour and a half to saludar the Virgen when we arrived (a must), the church with the dancing at 4 something in the morning - including the people sleeping on the floor, and Seamus and Nate waiting on the line and partaking in a snack of Chocolate Cheerios that we had been saving for a special occasion every since my mom brought them down. Sorry that the photo is sideways.

Anyway, it was a hectic (we only spent 10 hours in the town, and so in the matter of around 36 hours did the whole bus trip there, the hike up, slept for four or five hours and then came all the way back to Tacna) last few days of vacation, as it will be a hectic and fun-filled October, November, December and January. But life is good - so who am I to make any complaints?
Also, bought my ticket and February 4th will be the end of the wild ride as I set foot on American soil once again. Woohoo.