Two Months in Peru- Nov. 13th

I've been here a few days short of two months, and I've gone through a roller coaster of emotions, thoughts, and homesickness. Life here is at once much easier and much more difficult than life in the States. I am constantly working to be able to communicate, and yet the daily routine is so much simpler. I've felt incredibly excited, ready and prepared, and the next day felt lost, useless, and co-dependent. I'm not sure how much training has really helped me prepare for what life will be like in my site, but I know I've needed the transition time to learn the language a little more, and build a network of support in the other Trainees. I'm going to really really miss a lot of the people here in Training that are being sent to other parts of Peru. Our Junin/Pasco group is going to be very isolated, I fear.

My site is very cold. While there, I was constantly wearing two pairs of socks, leggings under jeans, a long sleeve under a t-shirt. I always had my sweatshirt, beanie, and gloves with me to put on when not in the direct sunlight. Also, my site is at very high altitude. I was easily exhausted most of the time there, and couldn't muster much energy to be spontaneous. However, the people in Vicco are very nice. They all love Briana, and don't want her to leave. It was hard being there with her because of it, but it was also nice to see the end of a great two years of service. It was also very hard for me to understand the Campo accent. The campo being the country; they speak very differently. I think its because of the Quechuan mixing with the Spanish. I learned a handful of words in Quechuan my first night there and was able to pull them out and impress all the people I met after that. They got a kick out of the fact that I did know a couple words in Quechuan when I couldn't even fully speak Spanish. 

Because of that, I very much look forward to learning more of the language, as well as picking up knitting and weaving. These are all very Sierran cultural things, and I want to learn and participate in it as much as I can. Plus...its not like theres a whole lot to do in my site after dinner. I do have an adorable puppy that I've posted a picture of. My family is pretty interesting, the mom and daughter are very much characters. Also, while I was walking around on my own, I met a very sweet older lady who invited me in to get to know me. While showing me her rudimentary garden in the backyard, she invited me to live with her or come over whenever I wanted. That felt really encouraging and touching, 

Overall, I'd say that I'm very much excited to start working on projects in my site. I have tons of great ideas for future work, and I can't wait to start. I don't want to have these last two weeks of training that feel so useless and draining. On the other hand, I love being back here in Santa Eulalia's warmth with other Trainees. I'm very much not looking forward to LIVING in my site. Hopefully, that outlook will change when I start getting closer with the people, and develop my routine with a comfortable living space. I definitely need more warm clothes like thermal layers in order to achieve this and better appreciate my site.