Day Five

Hola, it’s Annie. In the last few days my homestay partners and I have gone through some really different experiences in our home. Last night Sara, Anna and I walked in the front door of our house and found our “mama” walking towards the door telling us we were going to milk a cow. Although we were a little hesitant we followed her out of the door into the fields. We walked around in the dark for about 30 minutes, jumping at every sound we heard. We helped our family milk the cow, and then brought it home to drink with dinner. Today, we started our day with a basket-weaving workshop. Every student got the chance to weave their own basket for about 3 hours. We learned that William has a hot shower at his house and we are all giving him a hard time for it. After the workshop we had a lunch break then came back to the school to work. At the school we all hammered bamboo to put on the roof of the kitchen, then found rocks to make the floor. Fam, if you’re reading this, love you all and can’t wait to come home to a meal other than soup.

Day Six

Hola familias. It’s Andrew, or Gringo as most of the population of Piscacucho likes to call me. These past six days have been a ride. We’ve woven baskets, played futbol with the little niños, and rafted in sub zero degree water. So far today we have laid the last of the adobe bricks, established the logs as the structure of the roof, and currently we are placing the bamboo on top the logs. The trip has been a blast consisting of random stampedes of the Peruvian children and sincere bonding between our two cultures,and we’re constantly distracted by the little ninos and ninas seeing as they’re only a step away from where we are working (it’s too hard not to). I haven’t stepped in manure yet so that’s got to be a plus; all in all this trip so far has been a culturally eye opening and wonderful experience.

P.S.-  The mountains---- muy beuno

Hola – Es senora Wallace.  The kids are doing great and for the most part strong and healthy.  We have had a few stomach upsets, but so far so good.  Knock on wood if that is your thing please!   Yesterday the group had a bit of a low as the “honeymoon” of the homestays wore off, and kids were tired and longing for more familiar foods.  Plus our work day was very hard yesterday and the sun was blazing strong at this altitude.   But today, everyone bounced back with wonderful attitudes and we have done more work today than the rest of the days combined.   The team has been a total work machine today.    Today the instructors stepped back, and we put the kids totally in charge of the work with the Peruvian construction crew.  It has been amazing to watch them divide the labor, decide when we break, and negotiate the language barrier (no one learned the words for a level or ax pick in class!) Tomorrow we head to a festival in Ollantaytambo for a full day and return to our families.  Sunday and Monday, we will head out for our overnight Andes hike.   I am so excited to have a night in the mountains.   Anyway – you kids are really doing well.  I am so proud of them.  If my kids are reading this – I LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU!  And you too Paul! J