Stace
Stacy Thurman Joined: August 9th 2005
Logged in: April 6th 2006
Logged in: April 6th 2006
Travel Blog Posts
Hola Amigos! I wanted to write one more entry before I came home to the good old U.S. I am sad to leave, but looking forward to the comforts that can only be found at home. I ended up having my last day at the Wawa Wasi yesterday, because it is closed today. Once a year all the wawa wasi moms have a fun day without kids, which is much needed! So I had to say goodbye to Julia and all the kids yesterday. It was a very sweet send-off! They showered me with hugs and kisses as if they understood that they wouldn´t see me again. I was strong. I didn´t cry, but I might as I am writing this. I took lot´s of photos so I can introduce you all to them. So today ... read more
llamas
I went on the llama trek this weekend that I have so been looking forward to. It was quite an experience! We drove two hours to the base of a mountain where we gathered our llamas and horses. We didn´t ride the llamas, but had the choice of riding the horses if we got tired. The llamas were there to carry our bags, and for ambiance I guess. The hike was only three miles, but with the altitude, it felt like much more. We went up to 14,500 feet, the highest I´ve ever experienced. It´s amazing how quickly you lose your breath and even get dizzy. I rose to the challenge and was pretty proud of myself. On the way to the top of the mountain, we experienced rain, snow and even hail. It got cold ... read more
Woman with flowers
Hello everyone! Believe it or not, today was my favorite day yet. We took a trip with Care Corps to see more of their influence in action. We loaded into two vans and took off out of the city of Ayacucho into the countryside. First of all, the roads in Ayacucho are not great, to say the least. Often, you are riding on a small, two lane road a foot from the side of a huge cliff. But the scenery is so beautiful, you almost forget to be scared! We drove and drove and drove, and just when i thought the road couldn´t get any smaller or bumpier, it did. We went on roads in those vans that I would be afraid to drive Ian´s truck on. It was certainly an adventure! The first stop we ... read more
stone carver
Oh my gosh! I wasn´t going to write in my journal today, but I was reading all of your wonderful comments and had to respond! Thank you so much! I am still having a great time in Ayacucho. It´s actually starting to feel like home more and more. We are teaming up with Care Corp and seeing how they work with people living in poverty. They have many programs all over Peru to help bring money into the economy. We hiked up a mountain today through a ¨neighborhood¨to visit local artist. These people make their home their studio. We visited weavers and stone carvers. They sell their products for next to nothing. CARE is trying to find ways for them to market their work to bring in more money. Again, I am inspired with the talent ... read more
Plaza de Armes
Hola amigos! I just wrote a very long entry, and when I tried to add photos to the travelblog, everything froze and I lost it all! So here it goes again. I am still having a great time in Ayacucho! I went to my job placement yesterday at the wawa wasi. It was not what I imagined, but not in a bad way. There are several of these daycares located outside of town in a very poor area. They are run by the woman who lives in the house. Everyday women in the community will drop their children off before they work. My wawa wasi is run by a woman named Julia. She doesn’t speak any English, so when I was dropped off, we spent several minutes staring at each other. Finally I took out my ... read more
one of the landmarks in Ayacucho
Hola! I made it safe and sound! The flight was long, but well worth it! Ayacucho is like no place I have ever seen. I imagine it is a lot like Mexico but smaller. It is very dusty. The roads are paved, but extremely bumpy with holes in them the size of cars. The buildings that line the streets are like brick skeletons and sometime only have a curtain for a door. The people are freindly and very curious about us. We are the only white people around. The children yell for the ¨gringas¨and laugh when we ask them questions in Spanish. Speaking of children, I am in love with them! They are so thirsy for our attention and love to have their pictures taken. So I will have a lot of photos of kids when ... read more
I will be leaving for Ayacucho in THREE DAYS! I've decided to keep this online journal in the hope that it will motivate me to record my experience. I also want to keep you folks at home informed about my trip, for those of you who are interested. Afterall, without your encouragement and support, I would not be making this journey. Monday I learned my job assignment for the two weeks that I will be in Peru. I will be working at a Wawa Wasi (Baby House) which is a community run daycare for families living in extreme poverty. A woman will volunteer her home for other families to bring their children and the government provides her with a small amount of food and toys. As a volunteer, I will mainly be taking care of the ... read more
