Off on the right foot...

First day of the new year, 2014... and it's raining hard in Huamachuco. Here's my Plaza de Armas (main square) and even though the weather is feo/ugly, it's still a beautiful site. Huamachuco has one of the largest plaza de armas in Peru. There are topiaries in different shapes (including a cuy/guinea pig) and beautiful flowers, some of which I have never seen before. Way to go, Peru.

 

 

For New Years, went climbed in the back of a neighbor's pick-up truck and spent the next two hours coughing and getting covered in dust as we off-roaded it to Yanasara, a small town about 2 hours outside of Huamachuco. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention their main attraction is there hot-springs.



 

I feel guilty describing the thermal baths... they were hot and relaxing and I felt rejuvinated for 2014 needless to say. We also did some siteseeing in the town, and Oscar took me by an old Hacienda house (like a Plantation), which I really apreciate seeing these old buildings that still maintain their antiqueness/integrity. We had lunch and then headed back to Huamachuco (and real life, boooo).

 

 

January 7th was my birthday, and we had about 11 people over at my house. Of course snacks were involved. And cake. Let me tell you about this cake. I know they have delicious cake in the States, but I was never a fan of the too-sweet frosting, and here it's like a fluffy pillow of amazingness. And I am being modest about this cake, too. Sweet (not sour) lemon filling, delectable creamy white cake with a texture to die for. And it had my name on top.. how could you not love it? Sorry, I don't have a picture :-(

 

 

Needless to say, my host mom and dad were missing from my birthday celebration. My host mom fell down the gap between the staircase of a flight and a half of cement stairs in our house. She had a lot of bleeding from her head and she broke her collarbone.  She went to Trujillo, our regional capital, and waited in the waiting room for (GET THIS) 10 days. No joke. Ten days. There were no beds in surgery. After 10 days, the doctor came and said "Well you know, this will heal itself, there's nothing I can do." I had to hold my tongue when they told me the story. I didn't agree with ten days waiting (and still don't), but there was nothing I could personally do.

 

On a lighter note, my regional coordinator and one of my doctors Suni (yes, we have a team of 3 amazing doctors who take care of us), were in town and stopped by. Good times were had by all (and too many cheesetris to count). Here's to year 26!

 

Sandra, me, Suni Su

 

Oscar and I... how incredibly lucky am I?

Summer school starts in a few days... I've got a neat program put together making recycled crafts (weaved basket using old newspaper, making our own paper, etc.) while secretly working on critical thinking and creativity skills. Wish me luck!