Uffda en Español: Life in a small town...

So life is a funny thing. When I envisioned going to Peru, I was thinking I would be in the mountains, rasing guinea pigs, and being one with nature. Instead I living in a small-mini America. For example, last night I was watching "American Pie 3" with my 73 year old abuela who is straight from the sierra in peru. Sometimes I just have to laugh at my situation, but sadly no one understands why I´m laughing. Everyone has cell phones here also and some houses even have have wi-fi. But who needs warm, clean running water when you have unlimited access to facebook? At times I feel like things are backward, I suppose that´s just the way things are.

My town, Chacrasana, and my family, however, couldn´t be sweeter. Just yesterday I was walking around and starting talking with my neighbors, where upon they invited me to go to the park with them later. I then walked up to another volunteers house, where her family gratitiously invited me over to sing kaoroke. And yet again, I was invited over to a birthday party last night of one of the volunteers brother.

Now in Peru, it´s common to be offered drinks or food when you come in. In this case, we were offered dinner complete with beer and wine. I wasn´t about to tell them that I had already eaten dinner, so when in rome....I ate. This was also the second time that day that I had eaten double meals. Just 5 hours earlier, I was offered two lunches. My abuela was cooking up a storm outside and making this traditional soup from the sierra complete with a wood fire in our backyard. I thought that was what I was going to eat for lunch, but instead I was served beets and fish. I didn´t think anything of it until everyone else was eating the soup. I then understood (more or less) that they were afraid I would get sick from the soup since I´ve only been here one week. Only after I finished cleaning my plate did they offer me some soup....so again, I ate.

Like I said before, I was invited to a birthday party last night. Me and some other volunteers went, and I the family couldn´t have been happier. What I have noticed with the peruvian families, just how close everyone is. After dinner and some conversation, we cleared a dance floor and all started dancing...kids, parents, and teens. From my observations in the states, I think teens want little to do with their parents for fear of looking bad in front of their friends (Sorry Mom and Dad). But in Peru, everyone is happy to be together. Being around such a warm family, only made me miss mine more.

Now for some photos...