Failure/Pumped Up/New Camera

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Hola Family and Friends,

So I definitely spoke too soon about the camera. It completely crapped out yesterday and I bought a new one today. I did two things without a camera and it was driving me crazy to watch other people take pictures while I couldn´t. Everyone told me they would send me there photos but it´s just not the same. Besides, I don´t know if the people in Peru have a ¨special¨relationship with the people in Korea but my camera was pretty cheap. Hopefully it lasts to take photos of the mountains.

This morning the time at Mother Theresa´s FLEW by. The sisters had us working hard at folding what was probably 20 loads of laundry. Twice a week we strip all the beds, wash all the matresses/floors/etc. Everything was going well until we were nearly finished when some of the women working there came by and started refolding everything we had done. Apparently I am a folding failure. The part that was the most ackward is that they were refolding it right infront of us. They could also fold about three times as fast as I could. Too bad I never had a retail job. Thankfully my partner Erika and I laughed it off. I think we´ll stick to chores that require a little less skill 😉 Later in the morning we went down and hung out with some of the old men that live at the hospice. They are really cute and a few of them have a few english words too. One of them, Juan Edwardo, even taught us a special handshake today, which looks like something he learned on fresh prince of belair. Also, Peru just like Canada hasn´t won any medals at the Olympics yet. The old men don´t seem too upset about it.

This afternoon we headed off to the Museo de (la) Nacion (I keep inserting french pronouns everywhere and nobody understands a word I´m saying. Also I´m not sure if I mentioned that in my spanish class I told my teacher my dog´s name was ¨Es¨ because I was trying to say my dog IS and apparently I messed up all the verbs. Spanish is hard). Anyways, the museum was really cool. We learned a lot about Peruvian history from before Christ to the Incas and saw lots of really neat art. We also saw a whole exhibit about the Shining Path aka the Maoist communist guerilla movement in Peru and the 20 years of violence that went down in Peru from 1980 to 2000. Embarassingly, I knew very little about this at all before coming to Peru and taking this tour. It´s definitely something I want to learn a lot more about when I get back. It helps to explain a lot about the culture here. It´s also really interesting that all of this didn´t happen that long ago. Fortunatly Peru has set up a Truth Commission and they talk about everything that happened so that they can avoid problems like this in the future (very progressive). Also, I was TOTALLY interested to see the super active role that women played. Also very progressive.

Well I am on my way out for dinner for Chifa (chinese food) for one of the girl´s last night here and then we are going to a high point by the ocean in Miraflores. It´s supposed to have a good view of the city. Tomorrow morning at 330 am we are leaving for Cuzco. You have to fly early in the morning because by the middle of the day the winds are too strong over the Andeas and a lot of flights get cancelled. We´ll be in Cuzco for 3 days and we´ll be back on Sunday. Yipee!

Lots of Love,

Nicole/Pokey
xo

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Comments

[Aunt Krys]

Proud of you
Well dearest Pokey.........I am very proud of your journey/work in Peru. That is something I have always dreamed of doing after my trip there a few years ago..so many poor and neglected children and you are right their biggest need is to be loved !!! You will have made a difference in at least a few chidren's lives.... I know you will love Machu Pichu...a very spiritual place !! Can't wait to hear more about your trip when you get home. Lots of hugs and kisses..Aunt Krys