Working hard in Ayacucho

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Monday Feb 20

I don’t think I got the entire diary posted; I’ll try to put in the missing pieces tomorrow. The computer at the shelter is awful, all the keys stick, and it’s slow. Plus it’s a long walk, which I suppose it good for me…..but I do a LOT of walking!!
Phew, I just answered the door, which is always a bad idea when you don’t speak the language!! It was a woman who wanted information about the English lessons here at the school. I tried to explain in Spanish that the director wasn’t here, and I didn’t know the price for the classes. It was really funny because she was under the impression if she spoke LOUDER I would understand better, and that’s not quite how it works! I know I was saying things like “director no in house, telephone tomorrow.” Finally she left a note for him, but part of the mixup was, I was saying he would telephone tomorrow and she was saying could he call tomorrow- see- telephone or call- you wouldn’t think it would all be so complicated!
4 hrs later-
Thijs came home and one of the other teachers came and we went back to work on the curriculum. That is getting really old. I hope it will be done soon. I get so tired my eyes are crossing, and I have to say “para” STOP!
I told Thijs I needed more help finding groceries. Actually, what I said was, “Thijs, I’m having this little problem with food-I can’t find any!” I have no idea where that market is we went to-I think it was quite a ways away. The last couple of days, I have taken a walk around looking in the shops, but the small groceries really don’t have much in the way of real food. You can get coke, potato chips, and shampoo, but none of that is real food! I have come to know a nice bakery, and the woman that works there knows me now, so at least I can have a fresh piece of bread every morning with my coffee. I did eat that chicken from the market earlier today, and I am not dead yet, so I guess it is OK!! I boiled the heck out of it.
Tomorrow my water is coming- I get my own “cooler” only not refrigerated- I think it must be about 10 gallons. No one, even the native Peruvians drinks the tap water. I will have to pay about $10 for it, but that’s cheaper than the small bottles of water.
It is late and I am tired. I am just rambling on about nothing. I miss everybody.
Much love, Kathy

Tuesday Feb 21

Hi everybody
It seems weird to be writing February when it is so warm. Everybody here was complaining about how cold it was today, but I was sweating in a long sleeve T shirt and jeans. Another wild day- each day seems to get crazier than the next. As usual my 3 hrs of Spanish lessons in the morning, then my Spanish tutor and I went out to buy the stuff to make a cake, since I had the cocoa powder that I bought by mistake when I was looking for something to make hot chocolate! Shopping is a real experience when you can’t read the words on the packages. I have more or less given up dairy products- no butter or milk anywhere, except irradiated milk which tastes like powdered milk. Anyway, back to the cake- the recipe on the cocoa pkg is in metric, and I have no way of weighing out the flour and sugar, etc. That’s the first problem; the second is the oven has no numbers to indicate temperature or a thermometer, so I guess it’s going to be trial and error. I was too tired to attempt it today, but I made some Spanish rice with the rest of my groceries.
We went to this part of town with blocks and blocks of stalls where you can buy all kinds of stuff. It was wild, next time I go I’ll take my camera. I can’t begin to describe it, once again I was staring with my mouth hanging open. Beds, pots and pans, clothing. hardware, jewelry, shoes, all kinds of toys and trinkets, you name it. We went into a couple of hardware stores- the merchandise was just piled everywhere, all over the floor, and high on all sides. There was a narrow path to get in and kind of wade through the dishes, lamps, pans, etc. We went into more than one to find one that wasn’t outrageously expensive- though I really dress down, I think my hair and skin scream money, somehow. If only they knew! It was all so colorful and NOISY- the streets were just crammed, it was hard to even walk in places. Poor Roxana- trying to keep track of me, making sure I don’t get run over, and always on the lookout for pickpockets. She points them out to me- mostly very fast children, scruffy looking, in groups kind of scanning the crowd.
Now here’s the funny part- Thijs is trying to scare up more customers for the school, so he bought these long sleeved polos for us to wear with the school/shelter logo on them, and gave us flyers to hand out telling about the language program. I couldn’t believe I was standing on street corners handing out flyers. Finally I got tired of that and we left and came home. Then more curriculum work, and to top the day off the power went out when I was in the shower. It was very dark. I had to feel my way to my room, shivering, and feel for my flashlight which I keep handy. I’ve only been here a week, and the power has gone out twice. Both times the entire city was black. Eerie.
So that’s the report. I’m going to go get a banana and go to bed. Once I start teaching, my first class begins at 7! The evening class, I will have to take a taxi to this business, where a group of businessmen want to learn English, or improve their English.
Buenos Noches, K
Ps We did get our internet hookup today, but only in the office which is a pretty busy place except at night. Easier than walking to Los Cachorros, though. I’m told we’ll get a connection in the apartment in Sunday- that will be so great.

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Comments

[Rick Yurick]

no photos
There is one or two photos for the whole blog. None in the last posts on the 20 and 21. Your a brave woman, Kate. I miss you muchly. Rick