JanaLee

I realized today just how little time we have left here, not only in Huancayo, but in Peru. It´s hard to believe we´ll be home in exactly one week, which will mean that an entire month has passed. Megan and I sometimes wonder what exactly we´ve missed while gone, and I´m sure we´ll have to readjust to American culture. It´s amazing how quickly we became ´peruvians.´Today we were discussing how nothing grosses us out anymore, and how our immune systems are so beefed up with foreign antibodies, we may never get sick again. (although right now, we are both suffering severe head colds). But it will be weird to leave. At this point we are no longer adjusting to routines or getting surprised or shocked about what we see. We´re used to it all. A man ... read more

So things here have been mostly mellow lately. we´ve really settled into a routine with the orphange and our days. the excitement comes in little things, like near death bus rides and not-hell days. we have been taking spanish lessons, which led to the discovery that ´baja´does not in fact mean stop. it is like ´get down´or ´get off´. which explains why the little angels ignore me or laugh when i´m always yelling ´baja.´ wow. This week we not only had ´kite day´but we also had a fiesta for Saint Rosa of Lima. it was really fun. they set out a giant table of cheesepuffs and popcorn and candy and jello cups (which actually looked like jello shots) and we got to dance outside all morning to spanish versions of Barney songs. and the english version ... read more

This entry is basically just about some things totally peruvian that we have noticed since being here. Pervians are short! The average height for men is around 5 feet and women are shorter. everything is built to accomodate these little people so bus seats are tiny and our legs don´t fit. Also the buses are short, so even my head hits the roof, and Megan has to practically bend in half. But they are strong. The women carry babies and giant loads on their backs in these woven, brightly colored striped blanket. Traditionally, Peruvian women wear poofy, pleated skirts with knit tights, and a sweater tucked into the skirt. they wear their long black hair in two braids down their back and a flat brimmed hat with a ribbon around it. and of course the blanket ... read more

So today was another wonderful day at the orphanage. First, the bus to the school. it was a mini van-bus that would probably seat around 15, but they packed 30 people in. i was sitting on a stack of plastic stools,but people were just packed and packed in. standing and sitting and my head was crushed against the side, with my chin to my chest so i couldn´t see where we were going. there were even about 4 people hanging out the side door, and the driver was speeding and passing people on a two lane road. it was pretty horrifyingly amazign. When got got to the school the children were outside in thier lines, looking oh so cute in ties, sweater vests, and matching dresses. they were singing the peruvian national anthem (which is 8 ... read more

We thankfully get the weekends off and this one we went on an adventure into the jungle. Friday night we took a five hour bus ride north of Huancayo to La Mersai, which is a small town near the jungle. we didnt get into the town until two am and it was like something out of a scary movie. all the stores and homes were gated and barred shut. only a few stray dogs wandered the streets. it was hot, humid, damp, and dark. shady men stared out from dark corners. seriously creepy. luckily though, we found a hostel and didnt have to sleep on the street. we had to go up about seventy thousand stairs to get to our room, but it had four beds and cost about $5 per night. Drawback though, it was ... read more

When i made the decision to volunteer at an orphanage for a couple of weeks in south america, it seemed so simple. clearly, i had no idea what i was getting into. or dragging megan into. Do not get me wrong, i know i made the right decision and am having an amazing and eyeopening experience, i simply mean that unless you have seen poverty like this and worked in a facility such as this, there is no way to comprehend the intensity of it all. There are so many things about the orphanage that will never leave me. The smells. outside, the air is thick with pollution and smoke from fires, and inside, it is stuffy and smells strongly of fecies. seriously, it smells like poop. The kids clothes and faces and bodies are covered ... read more

Today was our first day of work at the orphanage, and when I say work, I mean it. The orphanage has two components, one for abandoned slash street children and provides a home, family, food, ect and the other is for those families who work all day and have to leave their kids unattended, so the orphanage takes them in and feeds them, up to five years old. It is with the extremely poor kids with families that we work with. I am with the five year olds, and megan is with the two year olds. it is intense. all the children are extremely dirty, and very, very wild. At 730 Am We take a super scary packed minivan-bus about a half hour in the morning to the village of Sicaya. this village is totally dilapitated. ... read more