Hello Hello

I hope everyone is well!

Thought Id mention some things about the traditional Peruvian Party I went to. I was last saturday to celebrate the "sagrada corazon de jesus" (sacred heart of jesus) and during the morning there was mass at the church and they walked a statute of jesus through the streets in the same way as they do the Virgin Mary in Spain. We didnt go to all that as the family I am staying with isnt religious, we just went for the party!!

When we got there everyone was sitting around with beer and the singer in the band there welcomed everyone over the microphone, with a special welcome to the people "from other countries for not wanting to say foriegner", saying that we would be recognisable because we are white and very tall. Was quite sweet because the guy was saying it in a nice way, but it was true that quite a lot of the afternoon we felt a little like animals in a zoo with people always wanting to talk to us and sometimes even take photos... The volunteers bought some beer between us for the party and Juan and Patty told us how drinks were served at parties. You stand in a circle and the man holding the beer bottle would serve all the women to his right one by one, only using one glass so you would drink and then hand the glass back so the next woman could be served. Then once all the women had drunk the man serves himself and hands the bottle to the next man. Once that man has drank he gives the other man the glass and it goes on. So women do nothing but drink! Only problem was that I hate beer and thats all there was. To make things worse locals kept offering me drinks and its very rude to refuse!

Later in the Afternoon the main part of the ceremony begins. There were two trees which had been taken from elsewhere that same day and planted into a whole in the ground outside the party. The tree was filled with gifts like tshirts and blankets. Then the music started and we all danced around the tree taking it in turns to chop at it with the axe. When it falls down everyone scrambles to grab whatever they can from the tree. I dont think I have ever seen people move that fast!! The catch is that if you deliver the final blow, you have to pay for the tree the next year and its really expensive. When the second tree fell down, the next person in line to chop was one of the volunteers and for a while the party thought it had been him and Patty went mental because she would have to pay. But that was resolved and all was well. The photo shows a couple of the other volunteers taking a chop at the tree.

Then the party continued with more beer and dancing. Really nice atmosphere with a lot of people wanting to chat to us and ask us what we thought of Peru. I told these 2 students I was talking to that I was from Spain (just seems so much easier and explains why I speak Spanish), and one of them said "So what do you think of the robbery that Spain committed agains Peru?". I gave as diplomatic an answer as I could, but people really have a chip on their shoulder about all of that over here, apparently its worse in Cusco and all the tour guides do is say how the Spanish destroyed Peru and its culture. Im going to experiment between being English and Spanish when I get there and see what happens.

The school is going well though I am the only Spanish speaking volunteer now so most of the explaining, telling off etc comes down to me which can be very exhausting. I dont only have the kids asking me for stuff but often the other volunteers asking me what the kids are saying. The other volunteers definately try though which is great and generally between broken spanish and hand gestures they tend to get the idea. Sometimes it can be hard though, especially seeing how dirty the children are and the younger ones often wet themselves and there is no one there to clean them up and no change of clothes. One of the kids got really ill one day with a fever and we couldnt get him to wake up. We took him home and the next day Patty and Juan went to see if they needed anything like money for medicine. Most families have 8 children or more and medical care can be a bit of a luxury. We were worried it was pneumonia. Turns out the kid was fine but some kids often dont turn up because a sibling is ill. Its especially worrying with swine flu considering they are the age group most ar risk.

The 2 photos are of inside the school and outside where the school is located. The school is the blue building.

I have decided to leave the project a week early so that I can have more time to see Cusco. I have spoken to some volunteers who say its a wonderful place with loads to do. Its not that I dont like it here, but there isnt that much to do other than working at the school and I feel like I have gotten out of it all that Im going to. Maybe Ill be able to work at an orphanage next week which should be great.

Im going up a glacier trek tomorow on horse back :) Going to see some glacier lagoons etc which should be great. Update on that to come!!

xxxxx