History
Happy belated Valentine`s Day!
A very wise man, dear friend and adopted big brother once told me that my second month abroad would be the hardest. Now, while I`ve been in Perù for longer than that (my god! 5 months now!), February is my second month alone in site and I am struggling through it. Much of my time is spent thinking about home - how amazing washing machines are, how nice it is to be able to just hop in the car - any car - and go, the mind boggling variety of food and the ease of getting that food, what I`m going to do for a job, how I will spend time with family and friends, where I`m going to live. In short, how things are going to be when I get back. Its a good thing February is a short month!
I still have moments where I am torn, floating, not sure where to settle. While I`m making progress here, this still isn`t home, but neither is Colorado anymore.
I´m still knitting my heart out and 6 scarves later, I´m getting ready to branch off into things with a little shape. Like hats. And, once I find a pattern I like and buy the supplies, I´m going to learn to crochet my very own afghan. I´m not going to pretend that the thought hasn´t crossed my mind that I will make a handful of afghans which will become treasured family heirlooms. Of course, the first one might be the last and I´ll pay the ladies here to me me a handful (the truth is, I already have one on the way).
I continue to amaze myself at how long I can really go without bathing. When once 2 days without a shower was 1 day too long, my average is now around 7 days. Boiling the water to take to the Health Post so I don´t have to shower in 50 degree water is a hassel and uses a lot of gas on my stove. And, really, why bath when, even at 7 days, I smell better than most of the people around me? That is not to say, however, that I don´t take full and frequent advantage of a good hot shower when I can get one!
Things with my host family have not improved much, unfortunately. I thought we had a break through the other day when Doña Chavela asked me to help her cook something different for her family for dinner. We cooked tomato sauce with carrots and onions for their noodles. They didn´t like it. Maybe it was a bit too strange to them to begin with. At times, I get the feeling that they see me as a stubborn cash register that only wants a little more coxing (i.e. whining) to spring open and shower money everywhere. A large part of this - asking for things and the whining - is part of the culture. They do it to each other constantly. Still, I find it offensive and have decided to work my relationship with them as a business relationship only. There are other families that I can bond with (Natalie´s host family, Don Crispin and Doña Paulina - for one) and I continue to strengthen my friendships with the nurses at the Health Post.
A little on the history of Jocos. The story goes that the name comes from the sound cattle make when they are walking in mud (which there is a lot of during the rainy season) - as their feet sink into the mud it makes a "ho" sound and as their feet come out of the mud it makes a "coes" sound. So you have Jocos!
In the 70´s, Jocos had a thriving and rather famous dairy. The cheese, milk and manjar blanco (a caramel-like sweet) coming out of Jocos is rumored to have some of the best. But then the terrorists moved in. They took control of the dairy and the community, killing a lot of people. Jocos has never recovered. The dairy - or Hacienda - sits mostly in decay, though some rooms are still used as classrooms. Its is still beautiful, though! The barracks and feeding stalls and cattle runs are all still there. As are the rock walls and gateways indicating the outlying pastuer lands. These are now used as farmland. An attempt was made - with a lot of help from Natalie - to get the Hacienda up and running again. Unfortunately, the attempt failed - I think the memory of the terrorist´s actions is still too fresh. A couple of people have broached the subject of trying again with me so perhaps they are ready for the Hacienda again.
Thanks to everyone for all your support over the last few months! You have no idea what your emails and comments mean to me!
A very wise man, dear friend and adopted big brother once told me that my second month abroad would be the hardest. Now, while I`ve been in Perù for longer than that (my god! 5 months now!), February is my second month alone in site and I am struggling through it. Much of my time is spent thinking about home - how amazing washing machines are, how nice it is to be able to just hop in the car - any car - and go, the mind boggling variety of food and the ease of getting that food, what I`m going to do for a job, how I will spend time with family and friends, where I`m going to live. In short, how things are going to be when I get back. Its a good thing February is a short month!
I still have moments where I am torn, floating, not sure where to settle. While I`m making progress here, this still isn`t home, but neither is Colorado anymore.
I´m still knitting my heart out and 6 scarves later, I´m getting ready to branch off into things with a little shape. Like hats. And, once I find a pattern I like and buy the supplies, I´m going to learn to crochet my very own afghan. I´m not going to pretend that the thought hasn´t crossed my mind that I will make a handful of afghans which will become treasured family heirlooms. Of course, the first one might be the last and I´ll pay the ladies here to me me a handful (the truth is, I already have one on the way).
I continue to amaze myself at how long I can really go without bathing. When once 2 days without a shower was 1 day too long, my average is now around 7 days. Boiling the water to take to the Health Post so I don´t have to shower in 50 degree water is a hassel and uses a lot of gas on my stove. And, really, why bath when, even at 7 days, I smell better than most of the people around me? That is not to say, however, that I don´t take full and frequent advantage of a good hot shower when I can get one!
Things with my host family have not improved much, unfortunately. I thought we had a break through the other day when Doña Chavela asked me to help her cook something different for her family for dinner. We cooked tomato sauce with carrots and onions for their noodles. They didn´t like it. Maybe it was a bit too strange to them to begin with. At times, I get the feeling that they see me as a stubborn cash register that only wants a little more coxing (i.e. whining) to spring open and shower money everywhere. A large part of this - asking for things and the whining - is part of the culture. They do it to each other constantly. Still, I find it offensive and have decided to work my relationship with them as a business relationship only. There are other families that I can bond with (Natalie´s host family, Don Crispin and Doña Paulina - for one) and I continue to strengthen my friendships with the nurses at the Health Post.
A little on the history of Jocos. The story goes that the name comes from the sound cattle make when they are walking in mud (which there is a lot of during the rainy season) - as their feet sink into the mud it makes a "ho" sound and as their feet come out of the mud it makes a "coes" sound. So you have Jocos!
In the 70´s, Jocos had a thriving and rather famous dairy. The cheese, milk and manjar blanco (a caramel-like sweet) coming out of Jocos is rumored to have some of the best. But then the terrorists moved in. They took control of the dairy and the community, killing a lot of people. Jocos has never recovered. The dairy - or Hacienda - sits mostly in decay, though some rooms are still used as classrooms. Its is still beautiful, though! The barracks and feeding stalls and cattle runs are all still there. As are the rock walls and gateways indicating the outlying pastuer lands. These are now used as farmland. An attempt was made - with a lot of help from Natalie - to get the Hacienda up and running again. Unfortunately, the attempt failed - I think the memory of the terrorist´s actions is still too fresh. A couple of people have broached the subject of trying again with me so perhaps they are ready for the Hacienda again.
Thanks to everyone for all your support over the last few months! You have no idea what your emails and comments mean to me!
posted by Kellie | 10:18 AM
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