Helllllllllo family and friends!!!!
Since I wrote last, I've been doing A LOT of moving. This post and the following are probably going to be all over the place, but I hope you'll find them enjoyable!
The Trip North from Southern Chile
------------------------------------
Ever heard of the Atacama Desert? Well, it's very large, very hot, and VERY unchanging. We're talking days here folks... I rode 3 overnight buses in a row to get from Valdivia, Chile, to Arequipa, Peru. Not kidding you, that trip through the dessert made the idea of driving west on I-80 through Nebraska seem like a scenic dream. There was nothing but grey dust for about 28 hours. Luckily, one of the bus attendants broke up the monotony when he found out that I spoke both English and Spanish and asked me to translate the song 'White Flag' by Dido. He was thrilled. I was amused. Win-Win.
On the trip north, I met a couple nice French girls my age who had been volunteering in Arequipa (the city to which I was headed) who offered to share a hostel. I spent the next couple days with them waiting for my brother Brice to arrive and wishing I spoke French! (I also got my coca leaves --which grow in abundance in Peru-- read by a fortune teller.... no worries, she says I'm all good ;)
Brice Arrives to Peru!
-------------------------
Once Brice got into town, I wanted him to do as much cultural stuff as possible! So, on day one we went to eat at a traditional Peruvian restaurant and ordered cuy chactado.... which is guinea pig... never have I (or has Brice, I'm assuming) regretted eating anything so much in my life! It came out with all its parts... eyes, teeth, legs, hair... not my thing. While in Arequipa, we also went to the city market where we saw a man hacking away at a full cow head and a woman selling alpaca fetuses to be burried under one's house for good luck amongst other interesting things. We also went for a day hike to a lookout point and on the way saw a man plowing a field with a single blade pulled by an ox of sorts. We were amazed!
In order to get as much out of our days as possible, we decided to take an overnight bus from Arequipa to Puno and then start our tour of Lake Titicaca the next day. This may have been a less than awesome choice as we got the VERY back two seats of the bus and probably slept for a total of 45 minutes. It made for a pretty long following day. Once on the lake, however, we got to see some pretty amazing sights! The first stop was at the floating island of Uros. This island and all other structures on the island are made of reeds. The people of this island use the reeds to build the ground on which they stand, the houses in which they live, and the boats from which they fish. They also eat the squishy inside part of the reed which we got to try while learning about their way of life. It was pretty darn interesting. The women of the island are very skilled at cross-stitching and hand make beautiful tapestries that show the story of their people. The men are fishermen. One man said that he works on the island during the day and fishes at night. I wonder when he sleeps. He looked pretty tired.
After leaving Uros, we had a two hour-ish boat ride to the island of Amantani where we met our host family and made our way to our home for the evening. Daniel and Eugenia, our host parents, are the actual parents of six sons, three of which still live at home. Our bedroom, although simple, was by far the nicest room in the house. Before eating lunch with the family, we kicked around a semi-flat soccer ball in the dirt courtyard with the two youngest boys. They were so sweet and smiley. Lunch was comprised of fresh (and absolutely delicious) trout from the lake and rice and potatoes. They're serious about their starches in Peru - at least two varieties with every plate! After lunch we met up with the rest of the tour group and started up the island's small mountain. At the top was a roofless, stone temple used only once a year for a worshiping service. From the top, a person can see for miles and miles across the lake in all directions. Although it was foggy and a bit cold, the air was SOOO fresh and the view was amazing! We saw our host father, Daniel, at the top as he is one of the leaders of the community and was there with his whip protecting the temple. Luckily, no one was doing anything out of line!
Once back at the house we were supposed to have dinner and get ready for the dance of traditional music and dress, but it started pouring cats and dogs (or possibly llamas and alpacas) and didn't stop all night. Instead of braving the rain, we stayed in and played cards by candlelight with the two youngest boys. We discussed teaching them how to play gin rummy, but decided it might be too difficult. So, we asked the boys to teach us a game they knew, and they taught us something very similar to gin rummy. We could hardly contain our laughter. We also played Guerra... WAR! The boys ended up winning as they'd keep their aces on top and play them every hand! We laughed and laughed... who needs rules?!
Regarding the idea of tipping our host families, the guides suggested that instead of giving them money we should buy them some simple groceries. So, before heading home for dinner on the first night, we stopped at the store and bought some oil, rice, jam, sugar, salt, and some other goods I cannot recall for about 7 USD. When we gave Daniel and Eugenia the groceries, they looked so happy and told us that they felt blessed to have us as their guests for the night. Little did they know, that we felt just the same. I bet if you ask Brice, he'd tell you the same, but in my opinion, staying with them that one night was the best part of the trip. They were so genuine and funny and the food was wonderful! We felt so lucky!
So, that's the start... coming next is the description of the adventure of the Inca Trail!
abrazos
wendy
Friday, January 20, 2012
Saturday, December 17, 2011
A poet? Probably not, but it sure is fun to pretend!
Hola!
Here is a silly poem that I wrote for my mama while camping in Cochamo! Enjoy!
Here I am so far away,
Never closer than today
You send hugs and kisses oh so true
Keeping me from being blue
Most all my adventures are in my mind
Some seem a bit crazy but most are kind
I am learning to breathe, to stretch, to speak
To love each day and accept life as a geek
I will not pretend; I won't lie to your face
It's not always cake to be here in this place
So often alone with no one to hug
I have only a bag that I must lug
I miss the fam, my friends, and my boo
I miss even the pup. Believe it? It's true!
But, I will not complain; I won't waste time
It's already flying and look, I can rhyme!
Here's to you for being so grand
and sending your love as I explore this land
Because while here and there I do roam
In my heart I keep my home
I love you more than I can express in words
More than ice cream, more than dancing, and more than cheese curds
"Cheese curds" seems like a good way to end
So in an email this poem I will send
To tell you I love you, to show you I'm fine,
To brighten your day with some South American sunshine
Tell the ladies at coffee I'm avoiding bugs
Give Grandma and Grandpa some whopping good hugs
Thanks for the chance to write you these lines
While I'm up in the mountains surrounded by pines
"Come on, Wendy! Is it over yet?"
I'm 'windy', remember! You musn't forget!
I miss you and love you and want you to know
It's because of you that my heart does glow
Not literally, of course. That'd mean I were ill
And have to swallow a big, ugly pill
I'm almost done, hold on to your britches
We need not lose patience like other crazy witches
I am not a singer nor a poet
That is clear, and now we both know it
I am, however, a daughter, sister and friend
And yours I will be til the very end!
abrazos!
wendy
Here is a silly poem that I wrote for my mama while camping in Cochamo! Enjoy!
Here I am so far away,
Never closer than today
You send hugs and kisses oh so true
Keeping me from being blue
Most all my adventures are in my mind
Some seem a bit crazy but most are kind
I am learning to breathe, to stretch, to speak
To love each day and accept life as a geek
I will not pretend; I won't lie to your face
It's not always cake to be here in this place
So often alone with no one to hug
I have only a bag that I must lug
I miss the fam, my friends, and my boo
I miss even the pup. Believe it? It's true!
But, I will not complain; I won't waste time
It's already flying and look, I can rhyme!
Here's to you for being so grand
and sending your love as I explore this land
Because while here and there I do roam
In my heart I keep my home
I love you more than I can express in words
More than ice cream, more than dancing, and more than cheese curds
"Cheese curds" seems like a good way to end
So in an email this poem I will send
To tell you I love you, to show you I'm fine,
To brighten your day with some South American sunshine
Tell the ladies at coffee I'm avoiding bugs
Give Grandma and Grandpa some whopping good hugs
Thanks for the chance to write you these lines
While I'm up in the mountains surrounded by pines
"Come on, Wendy! Is it over yet?"
I'm 'windy', remember! You musn't forget!
I miss you and love you and want you to know
It's because of you that my heart does glow
Not literally, of course. That'd mean I were ill
And have to swallow a big, ugly pill
I'm almost done, hold on to your britches
We need not lose patience like other crazy witches
I am not a singer nor a poet
That is clear, and now we both know it
I am, however, a daughter, sister and friend
And yours I will be til the very end!
abrazos!
wendy
Friday, December 16, 2011
Pear me? No! PER-U!
Hola!
Let's get up to speed here: it's December and I am in Peru and Brice, my brother, is arriving in two days! Wahoooo!
Last month was my "Adventuring with Ned" time in Chile. What a beautiful place! I arrived in Valdivia just before Thanksgiving and was able to celebrate potluck style with a bunch of students from Ned's study abroad program. I was instantly impressed with the group as all the fixings for a traditional Thanksgiving celebration were present and delicious!
After properly carb-loading at the T-giving celebration, Ned and I left for the small town of Cochamo in the Chilean side of Patagonia to embark on a 4.5ish hour hike up to a camping ground in a mountain valley. I can hardly believe that Ned didn't leave me somewhere along the trail. I am quite the noisy hiker! ha. Believe it or not, I am not the most skilled person when it comes to foot placement on tricky paths. With every misplaced step I'd let out a "woo" or "wah" or "phew"... I sunk into the mud a couple times and found that the most important thing was to come out the way I went in in order to keep my shoe on! We were hiking through the jungle and November is the beginning of their busy season so the trails weren't always so clear and we'd have to make some guesses. At one point we found ourselves next to a barbed wire fence and a lagoon of sorts. I started out trying to inch along the fence, but upon slipping and naturally reaching for the closest thing in sight and missing stabbing my palm with a "barb" (if that's what you call them ha) by about a centimeter, I decided my new hiking moto was "better muddy than bloody" and opted for the lagoon. Once we reached the valley, we pitched Ned's tent and made our first of many delicious meals: instant potatoes flavored with dry soup mix. In order to conserve washing time, we ate out of the pot with spoons. I think I may start eating all my meals this way... so quick and easy not to mention luxurious! For the next week we slept under the millions of stars in a cow pie filled pasture, ate instant oatmeal for breakfast, pb&j tortilla "sandwiches" (aka pb&j tortilla mash due to the effects of the sun and their positioning in the daypack) and cookies for lunch, and instant something or another for dinner. I "bathed" (without any sort of cleansing solution) in the freezing cold but amazingly clear and refreshing river a couple times. Someone could have used my hair as a mirror. It was a bit greasy. ha Each night after dinner I'd grab my book and sit outside moving from place to place with the sun until the whole valley was in a shadow and then go to bed. It was glorious. I foresee many more camping and hiking trips in my future!
Once back in Valdivia, I was so lucky to be welcomed into Ned's group of study-abroad friends. I attended their final group dinner at a cerveceria (brewery), went kayaking, and joined in on some asados (bbqs) and ultimate frisbee games. What a great group of people! It definitely reminded me of my study-abroad days in Costa Rica with so many inside jokes and everyone being so happy to have met one another and so sad to be saying goodbye.
Ok, well I am going to quit now so that I will continue my thoughts about Peru tomorrow! Consistency is key. I'll get the hang at some point!
Love to all!
abrazos
wendy
Let's get up to speed here: it's December and I am in Peru and Brice, my brother, is arriving in two days! Wahoooo!
Last month was my "Adventuring with Ned" time in Chile. What a beautiful place! I arrived in Valdivia just before Thanksgiving and was able to celebrate potluck style with a bunch of students from Ned's study abroad program. I was instantly impressed with the group as all the fixings for a traditional Thanksgiving celebration were present and delicious!
After properly carb-loading at the T-giving celebration, Ned and I left for the small town of Cochamo in the Chilean side of Patagonia to embark on a 4.5ish hour hike up to a camping ground in a mountain valley. I can hardly believe that Ned didn't leave me somewhere along the trail. I am quite the noisy hiker! ha. Believe it or not, I am not the most skilled person when it comes to foot placement on tricky paths. With every misplaced step I'd let out a "woo" or "wah" or "phew"... I sunk into the mud a couple times and found that the most important thing was to come out the way I went in in order to keep my shoe on! We were hiking through the jungle and November is the beginning of their busy season so the trails weren't always so clear and we'd have to make some guesses. At one point we found ourselves next to a barbed wire fence and a lagoon of sorts. I started out trying to inch along the fence, but upon slipping and naturally reaching for the closest thing in sight and missing stabbing my palm with a "barb" (if that's what you call them ha) by about a centimeter, I decided my new hiking moto was "better muddy than bloody" and opted for the lagoon. Once we reached the valley, we pitched Ned's tent and made our first of many delicious meals: instant potatoes flavored with dry soup mix. In order to conserve washing time, we ate out of the pot with spoons. I think I may start eating all my meals this way... so quick and easy not to mention luxurious! For the next week we slept under the millions of stars in a cow pie filled pasture, ate instant oatmeal for breakfast, pb&j tortilla "sandwiches" (aka pb&j tortilla mash due to the effects of the sun and their positioning in the daypack) and cookies for lunch, and instant something or another for dinner. I "bathed" (without any sort of cleansing solution) in the freezing cold but amazingly clear and refreshing river a couple times. Someone could have used my hair as a mirror. It was a bit greasy. ha Each night after dinner I'd grab my book and sit outside moving from place to place with the sun until the whole valley was in a shadow and then go to bed. It was glorious. I foresee many more camping and hiking trips in my future!
Once back in Valdivia, I was so lucky to be welcomed into Ned's group of study-abroad friends. I attended their final group dinner at a cerveceria (brewery), went kayaking, and joined in on some asados (bbqs) and ultimate frisbee games. What a great group of people! It definitely reminded me of my study-abroad days in Costa Rica with so many inside jokes and everyone being so happy to have met one another and so sad to be saying goodbye.
Ok, well I am going to quit now so that I will continue my thoughts about Peru tomorrow! Consistency is key. I'll get the hang at some point!
Love to all!
abrazos
wendy
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
I'm alive and done being shady! :)
Hola!
I am alive and well! For the last two weeks I have been living at Eco Yoga Park in General Rodriguez, Argentina and avoiding technology almost entirely... sorry! Ok, so I am headed to El Bolson in southern Argentina later this afternoon. 22 hour bus ride! WOOOOOO HOOOOOOO! Good thing I purchased an audio book that boasts 21 hours of pure spoken joy!
Allow me to sum up the last couple weeks for you! Every morning I woke up around 5:50 am and shimmied down the ladder of my hut and ran across the garden to use the restroom. Timeout... yes, I did just say the ladder of my hut! For the last two weeks I lived in a hut on stilts! It was joyous! I'm telling you right meow that if there were a fully functioning bathroom with a hot shower outside, I could live in a hut forever! I slept so well and was awoken each morning by the sunrise and the sound of the birds on the roof that also called my hut their home! Breakfast was at 8:00 every morning and consisted of hot oatmeal, fresh fruit, and homemade buns! Delicious! After breakfast every volunteer was assigned a job for the day. The options included gardening, cooking, watering, constructing, and cleaning. I tried them all out during my two weeks. I made garden beds, pulled weeds, planted tomatoes, picked vegetables, grated, chopped, minced, peeled, sanded, varnished, painted, and constructed a shelf and a table out of bamboo and recycled wood and tiles. At 11:00 each morning we'd stop for a short mate break and then get back to work until 1:00.
After work ended we'd have lunch and then free time until music therapy at 4:00 and yoga at 4:30. At music therapy the park residents would play different instruments and chant mantras. We were welcomed to join in but as the mantras were in sanskrit they were rather difficult to follow, and it was more enjoyable for me to just listen. Yoga was taught in Spanish by different members of the community. The community practices a type of yoga called hatha that focusses on the holding of different poses for various lengths of time. I have learned so much about yoga and flexibility and soundness of mind in the last two weeks. One of the teachers said that if your mind is calm it can become your best friend and all the poses will become simple, but if your mind is racing it becomes your worst enemy and all the poses become very challenging. I did my best to focus on this and have become much more flexible and am able to hold poses that I thought I would never be able to do. For example, I can now sit on the ground and put my right foot on top of my left thigh and my left foot on top of my right thigh and then place my hands on the ground and hold myself up! It feels great and I am so excited to continue learning and growing in the practice. The simplest moves can make you feel so much more alive and calm simultaneously.
After yoga we'd gather for a small snack and then either play frisbee for a bit or head to the cinema to watch a movie or documentary. One film called "What About Me" had the most spectacular music! Check it out!
Dinner was at 8:30 each night. All the food was vegetarian and vegan. They made the most delicious pizza! Oh man, I wish I would have gotten that recipe! It had sunflower seeds and other funky stuff but tasted awesome. Having woken up so early I went to bed following dinner
almost every night. Early to bed early to rise. It was so different from regular life, but felt really great!
One of the highlights of my time at the park was when Hernan, and acroyoga teacher from Mexico, came to visit. He spent the whole afternoon guiding us in how to make downward dog pyramids, plank bridges with multiple people, and a human floor on which the volunteer could do anything he/she wanted. (Pictures to come!)
There were volunteers coming and going from all over the world... Sweden, Germany, the UK, all over the U.S., Mexico, Malasia, and more. It was so fun to hear the different accents and travel stories. There were always language exchange classes going on somewhere in the park.
All in all it was soooo wonderful to get out of the city for a bit and exchange the sound of cars for that of birds. I have learned that practicing yoga and gardening are two activities that I definitely want to continue in my homeland! I hope you won't hold it against me for avoiding technology and being a bit shady on my blogging for awhile!
I hope all is well at home!
Abrazos!
wendy
I am alive and well! For the last two weeks I have been living at Eco Yoga Park in General Rodriguez, Argentina and avoiding technology almost entirely... sorry! Ok, so I am headed to El Bolson in southern Argentina later this afternoon. 22 hour bus ride! WOOOOOO HOOOOOOO! Good thing I purchased an audio book that boasts 21 hours of pure spoken joy!
Allow me to sum up the last couple weeks for you! Every morning I woke up around 5:50 am and shimmied down the ladder of my hut and ran across the garden to use the restroom. Timeout... yes, I did just say the ladder of my hut! For the last two weeks I lived in a hut on stilts! It was joyous! I'm telling you right meow that if there were a fully functioning bathroom with a hot shower outside, I could live in a hut forever! I slept so well and was awoken each morning by the sunrise and the sound of the birds on the roof that also called my hut their home! Breakfast was at 8:00 every morning and consisted of hot oatmeal, fresh fruit, and homemade buns! Delicious! After breakfast every volunteer was assigned a job for the day. The options included gardening, cooking, watering, constructing, and cleaning. I tried them all out during my two weeks. I made garden beds, pulled weeds, planted tomatoes, picked vegetables, grated, chopped, minced, peeled, sanded, varnished, painted, and constructed a shelf and a table out of bamboo and recycled wood and tiles. At 11:00 each morning we'd stop for a short mate break and then get back to work until 1:00.
After work ended we'd have lunch and then free time until music therapy at 4:00 and yoga at 4:30. At music therapy the park residents would play different instruments and chant mantras. We were welcomed to join in but as the mantras were in sanskrit they were rather difficult to follow, and it was more enjoyable for me to just listen. Yoga was taught in Spanish by different members of the community. The community practices a type of yoga called hatha that focusses on the holding of different poses for various lengths of time. I have learned so much about yoga and flexibility and soundness of mind in the last two weeks. One of the teachers said that if your mind is calm it can become your best friend and all the poses will become simple, but if your mind is racing it becomes your worst enemy and all the poses become very challenging. I did my best to focus on this and have become much more flexible and am able to hold poses that I thought I would never be able to do. For example, I can now sit on the ground and put my right foot on top of my left thigh and my left foot on top of my right thigh and then place my hands on the ground and hold myself up! It feels great and I am so excited to continue learning and growing in the practice. The simplest moves can make you feel so much more alive and calm simultaneously.
After yoga we'd gather for a small snack and then either play frisbee for a bit or head to the cinema to watch a movie or documentary. One film called "What About Me" had the most spectacular music! Check it out!
Dinner was at 8:30 each night. All the food was vegetarian and vegan. They made the most delicious pizza! Oh man, I wish I would have gotten that recipe! It had sunflower seeds and other funky stuff but tasted awesome. Having woken up so early I went to bed following dinner
almost every night. Early to bed early to rise. It was so different from regular life, but felt really great!
One of the highlights of my time at the park was when Hernan, and acroyoga teacher from Mexico, came to visit. He spent the whole afternoon guiding us in how to make downward dog pyramids, plank bridges with multiple people, and a human floor on which the volunteer could do anything he/she wanted. (Pictures to come!)
There were volunteers coming and going from all over the world... Sweden, Germany, the UK, all over the U.S., Mexico, Malasia, and more. It was so fun to hear the different accents and travel stories. There were always language exchange classes going on somewhere in the park.
All in all it was soooo wonderful to get out of the city for a bit and exchange the sound of cars for that of birds. I have learned that practicing yoga and gardening are two activities that I definitely want to continue in my homeland! I hope you won't hold it against me for avoiding technology and being a bit shady on my blogging for awhile!
I hope all is well at home!
Abrazos!
wendy
The rest of the trip!
After leaving the indigenous village, we hopped on a bus and rode to a small town outside of Iguazu Falls. We stayed in the Peter Pan hostel which had some great hanging furniture and a swimming pool! It was delightful! Shortly after arriving, we caught another bus to the Ciudad del Este in Paraguay. This town is basically just a bunch of shops and and street vendors selling plastic stuff that isn't all that cheap. Not really my style. While in Paraguay we did, however, enjoy some Chinese food and ice cream and get manicures and pedicures for less than 10 U.S. dollars. Not a bad deal.
After having a breakfast of toast and dulce de leche (a sweet caramel-like spread that is highly addictive and delicious), we got on another bus to the Iguazu Falls park. Once inside the park we picked up our maps and got to exploring. Throughout the very large park there are multiple lookout points to see all the falls. It was a beautiful sunny day and every stop along the path filled me with more and more joy! At one stop I felt like I was 13 again waiting on the bridge of the log ride at Valley Fair to get soaked ....not by the boat this time but by the mist of the glorious waterfall in front of me. The power of the rushing water and the multiple rainbows left me grinning and giggling all day. Yes, I did see a double rainbow, and it was magical. As a group, we decided that we wanted to experience all the park had to offer so we booked a trip on the boat. The boat took us right up to the waterfalls and soaked us completely. The rush was out of this world. I felt so small but so free! I shouted and smiled and woooooed and sighed. It was amazing.
I took a lot of pictures but must admit that the photos just do not capture the greatness of the falls. It was a perfect day. The photos are on my photobucket album so please check them out!
The next day we traveled to the town of San Ignacio where we stayed at a super cool hostel with a swimming pool, old school pool table, and ping pong table (on which I defeated many of the other volunteers and hostel employees... haven't lost it yet!)! The first night we went to a light show at the Jesuit ruins. The music and effects were great! The following day we went kayaking on the river that flows between Argentina and Paraguay. It was a gorgeous sunny day and everyone enjoyed paddling around and dipping their feet in over the sides of the kayak. We found out at the end of the trip when the driver showed us a piranha he had just caught in the river that we had been swimming with monsters. Naturally, I opted to hold this dead sharp toothed slimy fish. It seemed to be quite large to me, but i guess it was just "un chiquito" (a little guy).
Sorry this is so late. I don't know why I've been being so shady with my blogging!
Abrazos!
wendy
After having a breakfast of toast and dulce de leche (a sweet caramel-like spread that is highly addictive and delicious), we got on another bus to the Iguazu Falls park. Once inside the park we picked up our maps and got to exploring. Throughout the very large park there are multiple lookout points to see all the falls. It was a beautiful sunny day and every stop along the path filled me with more and more joy! At one stop I felt like I was 13 again waiting on the bridge of the log ride at Valley Fair to get soaked ....not by the boat this time but by the mist of the glorious waterfall in front of me. The power of the rushing water and the multiple rainbows left me grinning and giggling all day. Yes, I did see a double rainbow, and it was magical. As a group, we decided that we wanted to experience all the park had to offer so we booked a trip on the boat. The boat took us right up to the waterfalls and soaked us completely. The rush was out of this world. I felt so small but so free! I shouted and smiled and woooooed and sighed. It was amazing.
I took a lot of pictures but must admit that the photos just do not capture the greatness of the falls. It was a perfect day. The photos are on my photobucket album so please check them out!
The next day we traveled to the town of San Ignacio where we stayed at a super cool hostel with a swimming pool, old school pool table, and ping pong table (on which I defeated many of the other volunteers and hostel employees... haven't lost it yet!)! The first night we went to a light show at the Jesuit ruins. The music and effects were great! The following day we went kayaking on the river that flows between Argentina and Paraguay. It was a gorgeous sunny day and everyone enjoyed paddling around and dipping their feet in over the sides of the kayak. We found out at the end of the trip when the driver showed us a piranha he had just caught in the river that we had been swimming with monsters. Naturally, I opted to hold this dead sharp toothed slimy fish. It seemed to be quite large to me, but i guess it was just "un chiquito" (a little guy).
Sorry this is so late. I don't know why I've been being so shady with my blogging!
Abrazos!
wendy
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
What a trip!
Hola!
What a great trip! For the past week I have been volunteering and adventuring in northern Argentina often quite clueless of where I was exactly and what was coming up next. After sixteen hours on the road, we (10 other LIFE volunteers and I) arrived at our "half star motel," as the trip leader called it, had a little lunch and headed to the Peruti village. About 300 indigenous people, if I remember correctly, make up this village of red earth, shanty houses, and a school building/eating hall with "running water" (from a rain catching tank). We spent Monday afternoon and all day Tuesday and Wednesday at the village playing and working.
A little background info about the village: The people speak both Guarani, their native language, and Spanish, the language they learn in school. The majority of the village's men leave to find work and only return a handful of times throughout the year. Family sizes are quite large. Most Peruti women have a minimum of 6 children. I met a 12-year-old girl who was the youngest of 11 children. I also met the girl's niece, an 8-year-old girl who was one of 8 children. The people have almost nothing as far as things or school supplies, but the children are chock full of life and laughter.
On the first day, we prepared a snack of milk and granola bars and watched as 150 or so barefooted children lined up in front of the school house. Also on the first day, we set up a de-licing (sp?!) station with vinegar, large and small combs, and prizes (2 hair accessories for each girl) and got to combing. Just thinking back on the amount of lice in these girls' hair makes me feel itchy. With each pass through their hair came insects and eggs galore. Bleck. Needless to say, we all became a little more distant with our hugs and cuddles but continued nonetheless.
On the second day, we arrived early in the morning and set up the TOMS shoe station. We had an assembly line with a washer, a dryer, and a fitter. I was the dryer for awhile and saw hundreds of little toenails all filled with red dirt. It would have taken days to properly clean the kids' feet, so they all just got a quick soapy rinse. While a handful of kids came to the station with worn out flip-flops, most of them arrived barefooted and left with their first ever pair of shoes. Johnny, whose actual name is Axil, who is in many of my pictures showed off his new shoes to me about 10 times throughout the day. After the shoe drop, we prepared lunch for the children who each lined up with a bowl and spoon in hand and then went to sit on the ground and eat. After lunch all the volunteers and a couple handfuls of children took about a 15 minute stroll to the river across the highway. It may have been brown, but we sure did swim and it felt amazing. The kids had absolutely no shame in stripping down to their undies and taking a dip. We stayed for a couple hours and then headed back to the village. Unlike the barefooted children who seemingly flew across the steep rocks and jungle paths, we were much more cautious. I suppose they've had a little more practice.
On the third day, it rained and rained and rained and all the brand new shoes were first dyed red with dirt and then nowhere to be seen. On this day, we organized the donated clothing according to sex and age on tables inside the school building and the women and teens came in and shopped. Each woman was allowed to select one item for each member in her family. I am not sure how to explain my feelings about this shopping event, so I'll just say it didn't seem as though the women were all that thrilled with the whole thing.
Some of the children had mouths full of rotten teeth, but smiled with bright eyes all the same. The play was the same as always: jumping rope, spinning, dancing, and tag. The magic word, however, was 'foto' (picture). The kids loved having their pictures taken, but even more than that playing photographer. I was a bit hesitant at first to hand over my camera, but then decided I wasn't going to win the battle and gave in. I gave the following specific instructions: 1) you must wear the loop around your wrist when you are holding the camera and 2) you may not touch the lens or the flash. I gave it to one little boy, watched him have his fun, and then witnessed one of the cutest things I have ever seen. He (a 6-or-so year old boy) took the loop off his wrist, handed the camera to another 6-year-old boy and passed on my instructions, which the new mini-photographer followed perfectly.
Upon leaving the village for the final time around 7pm on Wednesday night, we blew the kids kisses and watched as they caught them and put them in their pretend pockets, smacked their faces, and ate a couple of them whole. Although exhausted and a little itchy, we all left with the same thought, "what darling children."
More posts to come regarding the rest of the trip! Please feel free to email me at wendy.nh222@gmail.com if you have more questions about the village. I understand that I am being a bit brief!
Abrazos!
wendy
What a great trip! For the past week I have been volunteering and adventuring in northern Argentina often quite clueless of where I was exactly and what was coming up next. After sixteen hours on the road, we (10 other LIFE volunteers and I) arrived at our "half star motel," as the trip leader called it, had a little lunch and headed to the Peruti village. About 300 indigenous people, if I remember correctly, make up this village of red earth, shanty houses, and a school building/eating hall with "running water" (from a rain catching tank). We spent Monday afternoon and all day Tuesday and Wednesday at the village playing and working.
A little background info about the village: The people speak both Guarani, their native language, and Spanish, the language they learn in school. The majority of the village's men leave to find work and only return a handful of times throughout the year. Family sizes are quite large. Most Peruti women have a minimum of 6 children. I met a 12-year-old girl who was the youngest of 11 children. I also met the girl's niece, an 8-year-old girl who was one of 8 children. The people have almost nothing as far as things or school supplies, but the children are chock full of life and laughter.
On the first day, we prepared a snack of milk and granola bars and watched as 150 or so barefooted children lined up in front of the school house. Also on the first day, we set up a de-licing (sp?!) station with vinegar, large and small combs, and prizes (2 hair accessories for each girl) and got to combing. Just thinking back on the amount of lice in these girls' hair makes me feel itchy. With each pass through their hair came insects and eggs galore. Bleck. Needless to say, we all became a little more distant with our hugs and cuddles but continued nonetheless.
On the second day, we arrived early in the morning and set up the TOMS shoe station. We had an assembly line with a washer, a dryer, and a fitter. I was the dryer for awhile and saw hundreds of little toenails all filled with red dirt. It would have taken days to properly clean the kids' feet, so they all just got a quick soapy rinse. While a handful of kids came to the station with worn out flip-flops, most of them arrived barefooted and left with their first ever pair of shoes. Johnny, whose actual name is Axil, who is in many of my pictures showed off his new shoes to me about 10 times throughout the day. After the shoe drop, we prepared lunch for the children who each lined up with a bowl and spoon in hand and then went to sit on the ground and eat. After lunch all the volunteers and a couple handfuls of children took about a 15 minute stroll to the river across the highway. It may have been brown, but we sure did swim and it felt amazing. The kids had absolutely no shame in stripping down to their undies and taking a dip. We stayed for a couple hours and then headed back to the village. Unlike the barefooted children who seemingly flew across the steep rocks and jungle paths, we were much more cautious. I suppose they've had a little more practice.
On the third day, it rained and rained and rained and all the brand new shoes were first dyed red with dirt and then nowhere to be seen. On this day, we organized the donated clothing according to sex and age on tables inside the school building and the women and teens came in and shopped. Each woman was allowed to select one item for each member in her family. I am not sure how to explain my feelings about this shopping event, so I'll just say it didn't seem as though the women were all that thrilled with the whole thing.
Some of the children had mouths full of rotten teeth, but smiled with bright eyes all the same. The play was the same as always: jumping rope, spinning, dancing, and tag. The magic word, however, was 'foto' (picture). The kids loved having their pictures taken, but even more than that playing photographer. I was a bit hesitant at first to hand over my camera, but then decided I wasn't going to win the battle and gave in. I gave the following specific instructions: 1) you must wear the loop around your wrist when you are holding the camera and 2) you may not touch the lens or the flash. I gave it to one little boy, watched him have his fun, and then witnessed one of the cutest things I have ever seen. He (a 6-or-so year old boy) took the loop off his wrist, handed the camera to another 6-year-old boy and passed on my instructions, which the new mini-photographer followed perfectly.
Upon leaving the village for the final time around 7pm on Wednesday night, we blew the kids kisses and watched as they caught them and put them in their pretend pockets, smacked their faces, and ate a couple of them whole. Although exhausted and a little itchy, we all left with the same thought, "what darling children."
More posts to come regarding the rest of the trip! Please feel free to email me at wendy.nh222@gmail.com if you have more questions about the village. I understand that I am being a bit brief!
Abrazos!
wendy
Sunday, October 9, 2011
I leave tonight!!! Wahooo!
Hola!
I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend! Mine was pretty laid back as it was kinda rainy all weekend and I was trying to save money for my upcoming trip! This evening I am meeting about 10 other LIFE volunteers and a couple coordinators at the bus station to embark on a 18ish hour bus ride to an indigenous village in the jungle of northern Argentina. We will spend a couple days there playing with the children, making meals, teaching hygiene, giving out more TOMS, and distributing donated clothing. I will, of course, write more detailed blogs about that experience upon my return. After leaving the village we will make a few more stops befre going back to Buenos Aires that will include visits to a waterfall and ancient ruins. I am thrilled, not only for the specific events of the trip, but to get out of the city for a bit. I know this may sound a bit negative, but let me tell you that Buenos Aires has had some interesting effects on me.
First of all, many of you can attest to the fact that I am usually rather slow moving. In fact, some friends in college used to call me SPA (Slowest Person Alive). Since living in the city, however, my former wandering self has transformed into a crazy american girl with a blonde mullet (my hair has grown out quite a bit and is less than attractive) speeding down the sidewalk at a superhuman pace and waiting for the street crossing sign to change, not patiently on the curb as I did my first week in BA, but on the street with the locals. Why, you ask? Well, as you might guess, understanding public transportation in a major city is not a skill that I have. My city experience in Omaha did not teach me this much needed life skill, so instead of taking the bus or the subway, I walk. A lot. Miles every day. And quickly. So, I am ready for some SPA wandering in a serious way!
As I hoped I would, I have met some very nice and cool people while living in Buenos Aires. At the art and souvenir fair last week I met these two boys from the U.S. who came down to Argentina to work on an organic farm for a semester and then went back to graduate from college. While in Argentina, however, they were floored by the lack of spice in the food (so true, nothing is spicy... even the pollo picante "spicy chicken" that I ordered from the Chinese restaurant on my block the other night was mild at best), so they decided to return for about a year and sell homemade hot sauce called La Boca Roja "The Red Mouth" at the local fair. I bought a small bottle for 20 pesos (about $5). I also met a girl from Boston who visited Okoboji for the first time ever this summer and ate at Bracco, the restaurant where I was a waitress this summer. She just so happens to have a close college friend from Des Moines who finally convinced her to visit Iowa this year! Small world!
All in all, I am learning a lot but am beyond excited to get a little nature in my life. I will be leaving my computer in Buenos Aires for the week and should have many exciting stories and pictures when I come back next Monday the 17th!
Abrazos!
wendy
I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend! Mine was pretty laid back as it was kinda rainy all weekend and I was trying to save money for my upcoming trip! This evening I am meeting about 10 other LIFE volunteers and a couple coordinators at the bus station to embark on a 18ish hour bus ride to an indigenous village in the jungle of northern Argentina. We will spend a couple days there playing with the children, making meals, teaching hygiene, giving out more TOMS, and distributing donated clothing. I will, of course, write more detailed blogs about that experience upon my return. After leaving the village we will make a few more stops befre going back to Buenos Aires that will include visits to a waterfall and ancient ruins. I am thrilled, not only for the specific events of the trip, but to get out of the city for a bit. I know this may sound a bit negative, but let me tell you that Buenos Aires has had some interesting effects on me.
First of all, many of you can attest to the fact that I am usually rather slow moving. In fact, some friends in college used to call me SPA (Slowest Person Alive). Since living in the city, however, my former wandering self has transformed into a crazy american girl with a blonde mullet (my hair has grown out quite a bit and is less than attractive) speeding down the sidewalk at a superhuman pace and waiting for the street crossing sign to change, not patiently on the curb as I did my first week in BA, but on the street with the locals. Why, you ask? Well, as you might guess, understanding public transportation in a major city is not a skill that I have. My city experience in Omaha did not teach me this much needed life skill, so instead of taking the bus or the subway, I walk. A lot. Miles every day. And quickly. So, I am ready for some SPA wandering in a serious way!
As I hoped I would, I have met some very nice and cool people while living in Buenos Aires. At the art and souvenir fair last week I met these two boys from the U.S. who came down to Argentina to work on an organic farm for a semester and then went back to graduate from college. While in Argentina, however, they were floored by the lack of spice in the food (so true, nothing is spicy... even the pollo picante "spicy chicken" that I ordered from the Chinese restaurant on my block the other night was mild at best), so they decided to return for about a year and sell homemade hot sauce called La Boca Roja "The Red Mouth" at the local fair. I bought a small bottle for 20 pesos (about $5). I also met a girl from Boston who visited Okoboji for the first time ever this summer and ate at Bracco, the restaurant where I was a waitress this summer. She just so happens to have a close college friend from Des Moines who finally convinced her to visit Iowa this year! Small world!
All in all, I am learning a lot but am beyond excited to get a little nature in my life. I will be leaving my computer in Buenos Aires for the week and should have many exciting stories and pictures when I come back next Monday the 17th!
Abrazos!
wendy
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