Í moved in with my first Peruvian host family yesterday. About that, these people are so nice. I´ll be staying with them for the next three months...the duration of my training in Yanacoto, a small community just outside of Peru. I can´t speak much Spanish, but they speak really slowly to me so that I understand. Today, they had a family member walk me to our training center and they also packed a lunch for me in my ¨lunchera.¨ After class, they had my host sister pick me up and walk me home. Then, my host dad helped me with my Spanish homework. It´s like kindergarten all over again! (And, sadly, I rather enjoy being taken care of.) The house sits up on a hill, so it´s a hike just to get down to take the bus to take me anywhere.
Last night, I took my first shower here. Oh...the things I miss! A hot shower! There is no hot water at my house and the water is absolutely frigid! I jumped in and out for maybe thirty seconds. Being that we´re in a desert area, there is not much water either. Truthfully, I sometimes do not wash my hands after going to the john, and that bothers me immensely, but I´m learning to adapt. The toilet also gets flushed once a day, so at night time, it´s a little jenky.
My bedroom has two ¨doors.¨ My host family live upstairs while I have a separate room downstairs complete with prison-like bars for doors. So each night, I will padlock myself in so that no one can get to me (or I can´t get to others...?)
After three months, I´ll be moving to another site and with another family who probably won´t take care of me as much. I´ll be without my 36 other volunteer friends and there might not be anyone to take me to work. By then, I should also be sufficient enough with my Spanish to not have class anymore. :(
As for money, each day, we get 8 soles, which equates to less than $3. We´re paid approximately as much as the people in our community. Today, I went over by 3 soles, because I bought two water, a phone card, some toilet paper, and crackers. Tomorrow, I will be more careful.
Otherwise, I´m a little dirtier and hairier, but healthy and happy overall. I wish you all the best in the States...Enjoy your warm showers! ¡Ciao!
Hello! It's your sister! Post some photos when you get a chance. And speaking of showers - you know they make those sun shower bags (i.e., large bladder of water that connects to a hose and small shower head) - you can fill them with water, then let them sit in the sun to warm up the water. And at the end of a sunny day, you have a shower that is not frigid! What do you think?
ReplyDeleteYou ought to post an address so that your friends and family can send you something if they want to.
You should ask your host family what Yanacoto means. I'm pretty sure it's based on the ancient Quichua language (dates from the time of the Mayans).
Take care, sister! I'm proud of you for being out there.
Amy