Continuous recovery:

The aforementioned illnesses have mostly receded, save for a persistent sore throat and cough. I am eating cough drops like candy, but I have a feeling it will also pass with a little more time.

The youth development volunteers have been split into groups to plan and complete 6 week programs for different schools in the community. My group has 4 members and we were selected to do a group at a catholic mission that houses disabled children that are recovering from surgeries. We arrived and were commissioned to ensure that we were allowed to perform the group and that we would actually have children to participate. This proved difficult in Spanish. I was chosen to be the main speaker, of which I was less than thrilled. As we met the nuns and toured the facility we were quite excited. After discussing logistics about the group it seemed everything was set until the end of the tour when the nun mentioned that only one of the dates worked because the children have physical therapy at the exact same time we wanted to the do group. Wonderful. So, for now, we will try to work out schedules on different times each week to do the group, but it is yet to be determined what will happen. I remember reading in an orientation manual that volunteers need to be extremely flexible, it seems I am being tested early. Hopefully it will all work out.

The weekend is coming to a close with, yep, another fiesta. Apparently a cousin or niece that I have never met was turning 5. This of course meant a massive family gathering was in order. To be truthful, it was quite fun and relaxing. They even rented a trampoline (of which I showed my mad flipping skills) and a very, very, large inflatable slide called “wave of fire”. It was quite intense. All I know is that my 5th birthday was not nearly as exciting.

While here I am continually awed by the hospitality and genuineness of the people of Peru. There have been several fiestas for volunteer’s birthday where all of the united statesmen were invited to a house, served dinner, and encouraged to speak in English because it was more comfortable for us. Amazing. Few people I know are willing to invite an entire group of people they know nothing about to their house for a party. My host family is also an example of extreme hospitality. There is nothing that I they wouldn’t give me it they thought it would make my stay easier. My host mom even boils hot water in the morning so I do not have to take a cold shower (I try not to accept but sometimes I give in for a warm shower).
hope all is well,

peace.