Tuesday, November 9, 2010
730 Mark
I don´t have much time to write with all the craziness going on with new volunteers coming tomorrow and Maureen´s birthday as well (we have a few good surprises in store). Nevertheless, I felt like noting that it is indeed my two year anniversary from stepping off the plane in humble ole Tacna, Peru. Everyone always said it would fly by, and it has, but don´t forget, there are still two months of fun to go!
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Halloween Weekend
Halloween weekend was a blast down here in Peru - and in retrospect, a great mix of cultures. Interestingly, in order to combat the external cultural influence of Halloween, the government here made October 31st Day of the Cancion Criolla. It didn´t stop us - and many businesses, nightclubs, and little kids - from having a little spooky fun though.
To start, despite high expectations from last year´s successful Haunted House (the students have been asking about it all year round), we pulled off a great one this year. We raised money for the upcoming Mes de Mision by turning our house into a dark, spid
erweb-filled, scary graveyard (thanks partly to a neighbor who set up some dark lights and strobe lights that he usually rents out for parties). I took on the role of a dead person who the crazy scientist (Mo) was operating on. My guts spilling out were made of red food dye, oatmeal and spaggeti - and after the three hours of kids coming through and having this goop just sitting on my stomach, I was very much ready for a nice shower. Nate was a gravedigger, Cara a mummy, and Seamus some sort of goblin-like character that everyone joked looked like a tomato. The kids were very scared and enjoyed their little american candies we gave them at the end (some came through many times just to get more).
Sunday itself was more tranquilo as we went to the Dia Familiar for Cristo Rey (basically the big school celebration). There was good food, some good dances (the best were definitely the traditional ones, instead of the moderny Hip Hop types), good company (we went with Martin, Edith, Carmen Rosa and ran into many friends there), and good relaxation.
Monday - and All Saints´Day - was another impactful cultural experience for me. I went to accompany Martin and Edith to the cementary to visit Jason´s grave. Usually, it has been a very
peaceful trip for me personally, but on Monday, the cementary had almost a party feel to it as many people (especially those from the highlands) were visiting and celebrating the life of those in their family who have passed on. Many of these groups (some of which had upwards of twenty people) were putting flowers, manna (a sweet kind of popped corn), a special kind of ¨dead¨ bread, and other trinkets on the grave while drinking and chatting around it. I think it sort of disturbed Martin and Edith because for them it interrupted the tranquility and sacredness of the cementary, but I at least enjoyed seeing what it was like and being able to be there with them.
Now, in less than one week we have the seven new volunteers descending on Tacna (a little gringo invasion) and life is planning and preparing for that. It will be another great time and really make this next month and a half fly by as I say goodbye to Tacna and its wonderful people.
To start, despite high expectations from last year´s successful Haunted House (the students have been asking about it all year round), we pulled off a great one this year. We raised money for the upcoming Mes de Mision by turning our house into a dark, spid
erweb-filled, scary graveyard (thanks partly to a neighbor who set up some dark lights and strobe lights that he usually rents out for parties). I took on the role of a dead person who the crazy scientist (Mo) was operating on. My guts spilling out were made of red food dye, oatmeal and spaggeti - and after the three hours of kids coming through and having this goop just sitting on my stomach, I was very much ready for a nice shower. Nate was a gravedigger, Cara a mummy, and Seamus some sort of goblin-like character that everyone joked looked like a tomato. The kids were very scared and enjoyed their little american candies we gave them at the end (some came through many times just to get more).
Sunday itself was more tranquilo as we went to the Dia Familiar for Cristo Rey (basically the big school celebration). There was good food, some good dances (the best were definitely the traditional ones, instead of the moderny Hip Hop types), good company (we went with Martin, Edith, Carmen Rosa and ran into many friends there), and good relaxation.
Monday - and All Saints´Day - was another impactful cultural experience for me. I went to accompany Martin and Edith to the cementary to visit Jason´s grave. Usually, it has been a very
peaceful trip for me personally, but on Monday, the cementary had almost a party feel to it as many people (especially those from the highlands) were visiting and celebrating the life of those in their family who have passed on. Many of these groups (some of which had upwards of twenty people) were putting flowers, manna (a sweet kind of popped corn), a special kind of ¨dead¨ bread, and other trinkets on the grave while drinking and chatting around it. I think it sort of disturbed Martin and Edith because for them it interrupted the tranquility and sacredness of the cementary, but I at least enjoyed seeing what it was like and being able to be there with them.
Now, in less than one week we have the seven new volunteers descending on Tacna (a little gringo invasion) and life is planning and preparing for that. It will be another great time and really make this next month and a half fly by as I say goodbye to Tacna and its wonderful people.
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