Photos

Fun from my birthday party with the Cubas´, the students coming over to wish me a happy happy, and a little first communion baptism in the host family. We had the despedida last night and though I did not get emotional, it is starting to hit home more that I am leaving in two weeks. Very very soon. But I am absolutely loving the present and am enjoying every moment I am spending with the wonderful people of Peru.

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.

A Short Update

As the month of Halloween, the unofficial start of the Christmas season down here (I only say this because the delicious dessert of panetone - like a good fruitcake - has made its reappearance on store shelves) begins, there are many updates to bring. Right now, we have a week of vacation between our third and fourth bimester, which I am taking advantage of to visit many people, reconnect a bit with the school I taught at last year, and share some photos with you all.




So, firstly, in the middle of September, I went on a camping trip with Seamus, Maureen, and my homeroom of 27 16-year-old kids. It actually ended up being a whole lot of fun, though it was a little rough because we were sleeping in our sleeping bags on cement and trying to get that many kids to do stuff is always a bit of a struggle. I am putting up a couple photos so you all can see what the town was like (its called Locumba, and was actually celebrating its feast day, when lots of people do a walking pilgrimmage there to touch the state of Nuestro Señor de Locumba. That is why there are lots of tents). There are shots of how the kids cooked our food (on an open fire on the side of a street) and how we slept too.
One funny moment - at least in retrospect - was when the students pulled out boxing gloves on Friday night. As soon as I told them I was going to take them away, they started whinning and complaining and trying to tell me that I was sucking all the fun out of their campamento. They also made the argument that they would just end up fighting anyway and hurt each other much worse (that reason almost made me laugh). But outside of that, there were very little problems and some of the kids came up like champions (one was out in a blazing sun for three hours frying all the chicken over an open fire on Saturday for lunch). I think it really is those outside of class moments, especially when certain ones really shine, that hold the most meaning for me with the kids.















This shot is of the Cubas family, who I have become really close with over me time here. One weekend, they took me to the bosque - basically like a big municipal park (and really the only one in Tacna) - to see the zoo and pasear (which basically means hang out). They are very special to me and it will certainly be very hard for me to say goodbye to them in December, though I know we will remain in touch.











As part of the celebration of Dia de la Juventud (youth day), my school did a kite contest with elementary school kids that I was able to judge. It was a blast to see all the families out there in the sandy pampa trying to get their kites up. Some really suceeded, though a lot of the best ones ended up losing the kite as it flew off into the wild blue yonder.

Tacna Day 2.0

This past Saturday was the 81st anniversary of Tacna´s reincorporation into Peru. Down here, each city gets together a big celebration for its day, and Tacna´s is especially intense considering its patriotism and civic pride. In both my years here, it has been a really enjoyable time to share with the people of this wonderful city.

This year, the festivities included a parade filled with dances and floats (my housemate Cara danced the traditional Saylla - she had almost roped me into doing it too, but it is an intense dance, so I stayed away from this one), an actuacion at school that had everything from kindergarden kids dressed as stuck-up, early 1900s folk to a procession with a big Peruvian flag to a marching contest (that my fourth year students were very upset to lose) to a sharing of traditional picante (made with cow´s stomach - not very appetizing, but the dish´s flavor is good), a Daddy Yankee concert (that I attended. Quite simply, it was a lot of fun, even though I am not a big reggaeton fan and they had separate entrances for males and females that meant I had to wait on line by myself for a long time), a parade down the main street with a humongous Peruvian flag (held only by women, since they were the ones during the years under Chile´s rule who celebrated in secret), and some more picante.

Then, as a community, we took a trip down to the beach for a four day retreat on social justice. It was a great chance to relax a bit, talk about issues of justice that we see (particularly the treatment of women in Peruvian society - though we did get into the different cultural and societal contexts that affect our views of such issues too, and how we have and use privilege as white, relatively wealthy Americans) and enjoy each other´s company.

Anyway, I´ve added some photos of the fun to give you all a little more of an idea of all the fun over the last week.

Cara is dancing in the back right of the group. This picture was also right before they grabbed me from the sidelines and pulled me out on the street to dance with them.

Though this kindergardener is a little odd in class (she will randomly scream nonsense), she was absolutely adorable dressed up for the actuacion. I had fun imagining that all the drama of the reincorporation into Peru really went down amongst 5 year olds dressed like this.

My tutoria of fourth years starting their march (very militaristic) for the contest.

The big Peruvian flag going down the main drag. It literally takes up the entire width of the street.

This is one of the ¨alfombras¨ that they make out of flowers and different materials on the morning of the parade. No one can walk over them until the flag passes down.

The Peruvian commandos who later paraded. Can you spot the camo one?

The community on retreat. Relaxed and renewed.

Some Not-As-Exciting-As-I-Was-Hoping-Photos

Here are a few fun shots from last weekend´s dancing.






Here is a shot of the end of the mass for the Fiesta de las Cruces in the Cathedral. There were over a hundred crosses parading out.










The four of us friends dressed up before heading out to dance. Seamus and I are Mistis, while Cara and our friend Karina are Cholitas. The costumes were quite wild.







We had to wait for hours before dancing, so to handle the anxiety, Seamus and I played around a bit in our crazy costumes. By the way, the whole idea of our role in the dance was to be real high energy, scream a lot, and to coqutear (or flirt) with the crowd. If I haven´t made it clear yet, I had barrels of fun.

Travels Across Northern Peru

Photo essay style! We ended up travelling through Lima to Trujillo and its beach and then down through the sierra to Huaraz before heading home. A recap is to come, but here are some photos to whet the appetite.








The male contingent of JV Peru 2010 posturing for the camera. Next to me is Seamus and then Nate.









Some shots of the snow capped mountains peaking through the clouds in the beautiful cordillera blanca.












Just a remarkably beautiful view in this national park. The lagoon is in the foreground with towering cliffs on either side.










Though it doesn´t look like much in this photo, this is overlooking the town of Yungay, that was completely destroyed (25,000 died) in an earthquake in 1970 when a chunk of the glacier that is behind the hill you can see came off and then slid down and covered the entire town like a blanket. It is a very tragic and eerie place: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yungay,_Peru






Me, the Plaza de Armas de Trujillo and an early early Sunday morning.














The lighting is a little off, but this is us at the beach Huanchaco by Trujillo.











The nighttime show at the Parque de Aguas (which has some Guiness record for most and biggest fountains)












Inside the Tunnel Fountain (I think I had been wearing those clothes for like three days straight because of all the overnight buses that we took)








Last, and almost certainly least, is a picture of this creepy clown they made out of the trunk of a tree and put randomly in a park in Lima

Quick Photo Update

The whole community together in Sama when we went to visit Nate with Cristo Rey. They are building the staircase you see in the background, although the day we went there were some kids just sitting on the side playing cards. Very different from last year.........










My attempt to participate in the JVI Tacna male´s beard growing context over Mes de Mision. I think I only had some success with the ´stache.











At the clausura on the last day. The women in green was our wonderful cook, Olga.










My group and I (on the right) planting some corn. It is a pretty simple process and actually was some of the best work because you could do a lot, talk while working, and see what you accomplished afterwards.







I promise more to come, though maybe not soon. Sunday starts a five day silent retreat (which I am very much looking forward to. I definitely enjoy silence and time to reflect) and then we are traveling northward to Trujillo, Piura and whatever spontaneity throws our way.

Photos from October Site Visit

Now you really get to see my reality of teaching in Viñani - so feast your eyes. This is the ¨classroom¨ that until yesterday I was using to teach secondary.










Here is me working with some primary students (fourth graders)












Me with some spellbound fourth graders. I like how it even has a girl nicely raising her hand in the corner. Beautiful teaching picture.











This is me with Meghan (the director, duh duh duh) on the way to my school. This is just outside our house in Habitat.











The COMMUNITY on retreat at the beach. It was a great, relaxing, and enlightening time.

Photos!

This is the cake that they bought for the occasion. I don´t know about you, but I love the taste of the Bible....

















Here is my ahijada with her aunt, Edith. Christa and I were the godparents.

A celebratory reception lunch at the restaurante campestre El Patroncito, with the ¨poor girls¨dancing with the band in the background.

More Photos - Yay!

This is a good friend Rosa - who works selling breakfasts at the market near Viñani and who also cooked the wonderful wonderful food for us at the Reorientation retreat. She is a kind, loving woman and this was for her birthday.










Chelsea posing with Rosa while Nate feasts on Arroz con Pollo (which I also ate like three plates of and was amazing).









At the local corner store where we get a lot of our day to day needs. The womans name is Carmen and she is another amazingly kind woman who treats us very well. She also gets up every morning at 3ish to go to the market - and I went with her once in July to see what it was like (I had a lot of fun).







A day of Tacna picture (that is the mayor of Tacna to Caras left) - simply ridiculous the whole situation.












The famous artistas - as Carmen Rosa, my host mother who is to the left - loves calling us. Her sister, Wittis, is to the right of her. I had a lot of fun changing my Cusco shirt to a Tacna Pride one with some masking tape (though it isnt so visible in this shot).