Winding Down

January has flown by. We are on are last week of the month, and I am on my last week here in Cusco! I have decided to move on from Cusco and Yanapay for a while, for various reasons. I am very sad to be leaving, but at the same time I know I am ready. I have done what I need to here and accomplished a lot. I have learned even more and experienced more than I ever expected. But I feel good about me and I trust the choices that I am making right now, I know that I am following my heart.

The past few weeks have been very busy for me as I took on the position of administrator in the Yanapay Restaurant while Yuri was on vacation. I needed a little bit of money and they needed help, so I jumped in!  It was so much fun, I am so glad I was able to do it. I love the workers, and I feel like we really bonded well. The restaurant did pretty well under my control, too! I only wish I had had more time to work there, I enjoyed it so much.

I have realized (again) recently how emotionally trying it is to work in an organization that has a constant turnover of people. Every single person that has come through the project has contributed such wonderful things, and each one has such a unique perspective. So many beautiful people pass through Yanapay and every time it is hard to say goodbye. It doesn’t get any easier. There are some that I know I will see again, but it is never certain. The memories they leave with me are precious, and the love that remains in my heart will never be forgotten. A song, a picture, a scarf, a phrase… those little triggers that bring a smile to my face in reminder of the special people that have been a part of my life these past months.

I only wish it were easier to stay in touch with everyone… some will write, send pictures, chat on Facebook, but it’s hard.  Even with all the technology today it’s impossible to keep everyone important in your life updated on everything you do and everything that you feel.  Maybe this is why blogs are more and more popular. You put it all out there, and those that care can keep themselves informed.  But isn’t that too impersonal? Doesn’t that assume the blog writer only cares about what he or she is doing because there is no one-on-one connection, asking questions and being concerned about the readers on the other end of the World Wide Web? Well, I hope not, because here I am writing a blog.  I guess for me it’s easier to keep people informed in general and any further communication can be more personalized… Otherwise I’d be writing the same thing over and over again dozens of people! I hope if you are reading this you send me a message and tell me all about YOUR life!

Well, this week I have decided to be a tourist in Cusco. I have lived here a total of eight months and have only set foot in one church and that was to sponsor a girl as her godmother, not to view the sights and take pictures. So this week I am going to carry my camera around everywhere, take notes in a little notebook, buy a tourist ticket, and go into the museums.  I might even take a ride on the new double-decker Tour Cusco bus!  Probably not. My girlfriends here realized today that I have never been to their two favorite restaurants so that is on the list.  I may visit a few little towns in the sacred valley as well since the countryside is so beautiful and green right now… And I have the afternoons free!  My other goal is possibly to start making some jewelry and headbands to sell… I need a bit more money and those things sell so well here! Especially headbands I think since it is a niche that not many are in to.  Everybody and their grandmother makes jewelry here, but headbands are rare.  So it might be successful!  I’ll give it a go.

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Happy 2012!

Wow, it has been a long time since I have written!  I am going to make this short and sweet as I hope to make it more of a habit to post frequently to actually keep people updated on my life :)

I just made the strangest dinner I have ever made, but it is quite tasty! It only cost 3 soles, which is just over a dollar, so that's the real fact I'm focusing on.  I had a package of angle hair pasta which I overcooked so I have pasta mush covered with a strange sauce of carrots, squash, tomatoes, garlic, leftover pesto from a jar and oregano.  Not bad! I should have cooked the carrots longer and pasta less, but it will do and it is filling me up. I was too distracted by my music and taking advantage of having the hostel kitchen to myself so I was singing and dancing instead of really paying attention to my cooking.

This past week I started working nights in the Yanapay restaurant to earn a bit of money but I have been quite tired out at the end of the day with school in the morning with my kids as coordinator and work in the evening as administrator.  It is nice to have the extra experience and money though, that's for sure.

Our Christmas at Yanapay was fantastic. We painted faces and got all dressed up for the kids. The general atmosphere was very crazy and lots of fun.

A lot of old volunteers were there along with other visitors from Cusco and people passing through which made it extra busy and fun filled.

Yuri got all dressed up as usual and pretended to be a Christmas character (an elf I think, with stripes?) and the kids just loved that.  It was very entertaining.

 

After passing out presents we had music and dancing, hot chocolate, and finally, fireworks.  it was very successful and very tiring.

  

We also had a party with the workers to exchange Secret Santa gifts, and on Christmas Eve we had a volunteer Christmas party with the same objective followed of course by lots of food and lots of dancing.  Another successful party but we were all quite exhausted by the end of the week!

For New Year's I decided to go a lot more slowly and take in the New year sans parties and festivities.  So, I decided to go to Arequipa with Leo. It was great decision and we had a lot of fun.  We went to Mollendo, which is a small beach town right on the coast about two hours from the city of Arequipa.  The waves were gorgeous, the water was warm and it was mostly overcast but I still got sunburned... We pitched a tent right on the beach though so it was completely worth it.

 We even got to see a wedding!  Leo totally got right in there and crashed it in his bathing trunks.  He was crawling on the sand taking pictures, right up in their space.  Very awesome, and the people didn't seem to mind.  They were the ones who chose to have on the beach after all. Plus he got some great pictures!

Well, now I am back in Cusco, hanging out at the hostel and the schools and the restaurant, as usual, pining the loss of many great volunteers that have left in the past few weeks.  It seems so empty without them!  But, that is the life of working in a volunteer organization.  People come and go so quickly and the leave wonderful impressions on our hearts but have to go on with their lives.  I wonder when I will move on with mine...

Aldea Yanapay

My third week in Aldea Yanapay is about to begin, and I can hardly believe I ever left.  It was a fairly easy transition back into the routine of going to the schools, working with the children, and helping the project.  The added work of being the volunteer coordinator has been a little more difficult to juggle, but I am getting the hang of it, and I actually really enjoy this part of the project.  I get to know all the volunteers really well, they look up to me for advise and problem solving, and I am able to have a little more control over the educational side of the project.  I recently realized that I had not been utilizing the knowledge I have of teaching to the best of my abilities, and since then have been able to deal with some of the behavioral problems with a lot more ease.  I am trying to pass on my teaching techniques to the others as well, and I think it is going to make a big difference.

I have already bet some extremely wonderful people this time around.  Ana, from Spain, is an excellent team member… she is in charge of the business and finance side of the project, while I am in charge of the volunteers and the schools, and we share the marketing responsibilities.  It works out really nicely, and already the project is undergoing some major changes.  We are going to have the new internet site up very soon, with a new email system, a new blog (run by me, of course), a new donation system, and all of it will be much more easily accessible and internationally friendly.  Ana has been working in the business field her whole life, and is much more knowledgeable about how to run an organization than either Yuri or I are, so it’s great to have her on the team. She has a great sense of humor as well, and is just a lot of fun to work with.

The cultural center Aldea Yanapay has also recently opened, which is another great improvement.  It is open most of the day, and is particularly for adolescents and adults.  Once the children turn 12 or 13 is more difficult for them to come to the schools in the afternoon because they may have classes, work, or other responsibilities.  There, they can take computer classes, crafting, photography, theater, and other manual labor classes to develop life-skills.  Mothers and fathers and other family members are also welcome, of course, and there is a psychologist that helps deal with domestic, mental and psychological issues within families and groups.  With this part of the project finally open, it really feels like we are able to reach out to many more people, and we can continue working with the children until they reach adulthood.  It’s hard to send kids out into the world at 12 with the values we’ve instilled in them and expect them to be able to hold onto them in the midst of the crazy opposite culture that they are being thrust into.

On another note, I have become quite a bit more spiritual since my arrival here.  I have been meditating a lot on life, and my purpose within it. Also, I have been surrounded by many people that are “freakies,” as Ana puts it.

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  In other words, they are very connected with themselves, and with the other side. I had a meditation session with Ana where we sat for an hour and half and explored my subconscious.  I also had a session with a woman (from Minnesota!!) named Barbara who has a spiritual center in Arizona.  I was able to connect more deeply with my inner thoughts and, I believe, able to communicate with my angels.  Not like, I talk and they respond, but more like I just listen to my intuition, listen to my heart, and feel a stronger sensation of being surrounded by goodness and love.  It’s been an interesting few weeks, but I am feeling so happy and ready to tackle whatever comes at me in the future.

My dear friend Abby also recently sent me a lovely email with a blog post about joyfulness.  I have been remembering that the past few days, and trying to find little things to make me happy every day: A chocolate, a few minutes in the sunshine, a delicious coffee, a heartfelt talk with a friend, ten minutes of yoga, a reason to laugh… and so many more.  My kids at the school have been one of the biggest reasons for my joy since I have arrived.  It is heartbreaking at the same time, since I know their backgrounds and what they go home to every night, but it is good to know that I can help bring them joy and laughter for a few hours every afternoon.

I will try to update this blog frequently, please write me whenever you can!  I miss you all very much, and hope all is well at home :)

Love love love

Maia

Back to the land of snow and ice... :)

I'm back in Minnesota, and it's quite cold to be honest.  But I am happy to be here to get ready for the holidays.  It's nice to see my family and friends, and nice to be able to cuddle with my cat while reading a real book by the fire.  Lots of people all out and about finishing up shopping for presents, but I have been nicely tucked in at home trying to stay warm. I am happy that I finished all of my Christmas shopping in Peru, even though it was hard to bring it all back home...  I would not want to go out shopping in this weather, especially not out driving.

Mostly, I am posting this to let you all know that the PayPal account is finally up and running successfully!  I have put up a button here on my page, and there is one on the blog page for Aldea Yanapay as well.  Plus, the new Aldea Yanapay website should be up and running very soon.  If you didn't read my last entry about the project and why they are accepting donations now, please do read it, I would very much appreciate any help that can be given, especially during the holidays.

I wish everyone of you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  I also wish you a Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, and Happy Whatever Holiday Or Special Occasion You Celebrate At the End of the Year.


Love to everyone,
xoxo Maia


*UPDATE June 25, 2012*

Unfortunately Aldea Yanapay is having management issues and the PayPal account is not working. Do NOT donate money at this time.  If you have been donating money please be aware that the funds are in limbo and may not be arriving at the planned destination.  The problem is being investigated and any future notifications will be added to the blog. Email me with further questions, please. Thanks.

The Holidays are Coming...

First of all I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!  I had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day, mostly thanks to my beautiful Peruvian family and all of the love that they showed me.  Every day I spend at the school fill me with gratitude and love for the opportunities I have been given, and for the opportunities I am able to give to the children at Yanapay.

On Thursday night I was actually quite sad, and I was talking Yuri about missing my family and friends when I started crying.  He comforted me by asking what it is we normally eat on Thanksgiving and apologized for not realizing how much it meant to me.  Half an hour later we were all on our way to the Yanapay restaurant, where I said I feel the most at home, with the closest of my friends here accompanying us.  I walked in, and immediately got all teary again.  The people at the restaurant, per suggestion of Yuri, had set a very nice table with candles and a little sign that said, "Happy Thanksgiving Maia, from your Peruvian family, Aldea Yanapay."  We shared a bottle of wine and were served a delicious customized dinner of chicken stuffed with veggies and breaded, beet salad, and mashed potatoes!  And of course our dessert was delicious apple pie with vanilla ice cream.  I was so happy, and so grateful to my wonderful friends.  We went around the table before eating of course and each said something that we were thankful for.  We listened to Christmas music, sang along, and were all extremely full at the end of the evening.  It turned out to be a very memorable Thanksgiving.

As the holidays approach, I am reminded of my gratitude more and more often.  I am so thankful that I was able to come to Peru and help with this amazing project.  My live has been greatly impacted by the work that we do here, and by the love and dedication that I see radiating from the other volunteers and workers.  Since I am leaving soon, I am starting to wonder how I will be satisfied with my life without the daily involvement in the lives of these children.  Luckily, I am deeply involved with the marketing and online promotion of the project, so I know that I will be informed of everything that is happening while I am away.

However, the most important thing that I am going to do while I am at home is to encourage my friends and family members to make a monetary donation to the project.  In lieu of asking for presents for Christmas, I have decided to ask my loved ones to donate to Aldea Yanapay.  Lucy and I have set up a PayPal account for Aldea Yanapay to make this possible.  Everyone close to me already knows about the social project, and I think the fact that I have been intimately involved will be an encouraging factor for many.  For those that are unsure, I will include the following information about the accountability of all those involved with the social project.

Every day I learn more about what is needed to run the project and how much work is really put into improving the lives of approximately sixty children every week.  There are two business that help fund the project: The Café Restaurant Aldea Yanapay, and the Hostal Mágico.  With these two operating at full capacity (which rarely happens, especially during low season), the costs for the schools are taken care of, and extra money is set aside for the Cultural Center.  The management of the Restaurant is more than a full time job, as is that of the Hostal.  Yuri ends up taking on unexpected responsibilities quite often, especially since successfully marketing the two businesses is still a work in project.  Now that Lucy and Janek are here for a year, the workload is getting a little more manageable, but there are always new projects popping up.

Aside from the monthly rent, electricity, Internet, salaries, taxes, food and sanitation costs, there are quite a few other things to worry about at the end of every month (especially November).  Right now there are Christmas presents to be purchased for all of the workers and students involved with Yanapay.  There are parties to host, which require more food and drink costs, decorations, and often location rentals.  There are extra marketing promotions that involve hiring graphic and web designers, printing thousands of posters and fliers, and paying workers to spend time campaigning. 

With all of this, Aldea Yanapay has remained self-sufficient and independent for over six years of operation.  Yuri has always been adamant about funding this project entirely by himself and with the profits of the businesses he has created.  This is partly because he has a great mistrust for many non-profit organizations and for the government to which they have to report.  Countless volunteer projects overcharge their volunteers and never tell them exactly where their money is going, which means they are probably not using their money wisely or with as much care as they could be.  Another reason Yuri has never sought out or accepted funds or donations from outside sources is because many big companies and organizations that would give the project money would only do so with certain conditions and requirements, many of which Yuri does not agree with.  Finally, the most important reason Aldea Yanapay has been self-sufficient for so long is due to Yuri’s firm belief that everyone is capable of making a difference in their world with hard work, determination, and dedication to a dream.  It is not acceptable to use the excuse “someone else will do it;” each one of us has to take the responsibility to make a difference in the world, realize what it is we believe in, and take action to positively support that belief.

The difference this year is that Yuri is ready to push the project to the next level and open up a cultural center here in Cusco.  The reason for the Cultural Center is simple.  The current Yanapay schools are excellent and serve their purpose in that the children receive an additional education and are exposed to the positive example of the adults that work with them.  However, the problems that these children face every day are not going to go away until more of the society is exposed to positive change and realistic solutions.  Once the children reach age twelve or thirteen they have to attend regular school in the afternoon and are no longer able to go to Yanapay.  Also, many of these children will never receive realistic job training skills, just as their parents did not.  Finally, the social issues such as machismo, discrimination towards women, and domestic violence are very hard cycles to break when only the youngest generation is receiving the appropriate education.

The aim of the Cultural Center is to change all of this, and promote positive advancements of social change for all generations.  There will be communications programs that will include typing and writing classes, a literature and classics library, and a media library with influential movies, online periodicals, and access to essential Internet resources.  Additionally there will be arts and expression programs which will include anything from salsa classes, to martial arts, to circus workshops, to music lessons, and whatever else can be taught using the volunteers and resources that are found.  Finally, there will be practical classes that are relevant to the positive development of teens and adults.  These will include classes on money management, job skills, resume building, sexual education, human rights awareness, and other programs for the advancement of women and children and families.

The Cultural Center is scheduled to open within the month of December.  Yuri has been planning and saving for this moment for a long time, and all of the funds are in place to keep the center up and running for four months.  But after that, the center will need to either bring in a profit on its own, or the business in the restaurant and hostal will have to explode.  The plan is to keep Aldea Yanapay growing and impacting the world, and in order to do that in a time-efficient manner, the social project is going to start accepting donations from friends, family, and volunteers.  We know that Yanapay has made a positive impact on many people around the world and we hope that will inspire many to give a donation in support of the continued growth of the project.  Yuri still prefers to involve only those that have been a part of the project either as volunteers or friends and family of volunteers; he would rather not ask for help from people that have not experienced the program vicariously or in person.

So please, in the spirit of the holiday season that is quickly approaching, please consider what Aldea Yanapay means to you, and what it is that you could do to help.  If you can spare a few dollars, or a few presents from mom or dad, please consider donating to Yanapay for the Cultural Center and the advancement of the Peruvian society that we all love so much.  If you need a reminder of how the children in Peru live, visit my other blog (http://solotoperu.blogspot.com) and read the post on Thanksgiving.  I am incredibly thankful that I am here in Peru, spending my time and money in a way that gives me great joy and sadness at the same time.  I will always consider this to be one of the most valuable times in my life, and there is nothing else I would rather be doing in my life right now.

The PayPay account is all set up and very secure.  The money all goes directly to an account solely created for Aldea Yanapay.  Within the next few weeks a new website will be launched for the project.  The website will include an entire page dedicated to the costs and expenses for each month of the year.  That way, if you decide to donate, you will be able to see exactly where your money is going and how you are contributing.  This is part of the system of honesty that Aldea Yanapay firmly believes in and actively promotes.  Whether or not you are able to contribute financially, please know that I am grateful for your support in whatever way you can provide it.  I am grateful to you for just reading this post and thinking of me for a few minutes.

Thank you, happy holidays, and lots of love.

From all of us to you

Happy Thanksgiving... :)

Hello friends,

I just thought I'd share a few quick stories with you in light of Thanksgiving.  I haven't been updating very much lately, partly because I am now in charge of another blog, the blog for Aldea Yanapay.  It was a lot of work to set up, and now that it's up and running, I have been trying to keep that one updated and have since run out of time for this one.  However, I would be delighted if you would go and read that one as well, I've put a lot of work into it!  Here's the link: http://aldeayanapaycusco.blogspot.com.

So last night, Diana and I wanted pizza so we walked to the nearby pizza oven and asked the kind old man if he would deliver our pizzas up to our hostel.  We knew he had done it before, and he gladly agreed to bring them in about fifteen minutes.  So, Diana and I went back up to the hostel and started watching TV while waiting for our pizza.  A little while later the hostel bell rang and he was there, smiling and waving at the gate, holding our pizzas.  I ran to let him in, took the pizzas, and handed him 2 soles for a tip (about 60 cents, really) for bringing them up to us on foot.  In that moment, I have never seen anyone more excited and surprised.  He just gasped when he saw what I gave him, and giggled with a big smile like a little boy.  I laughed with him, said thank you again, and went back to the room with our food and just sat down, rather astounded by what had just happened.  

I know that it's not really customary to leave tips in Peru, even though we usually do anyway just to be polite.  But, this man had gone out of his way to deliver our pizza, and was so astounded that I'd given him extra money for his service.  I don't really know what to think about that...  It kind of broke my heart.  It really made me think about the poverty here, and how grateful I need to be for what I have.  Given that tomorrow is Thanksgiving, I am even more aware and grateful of what I have.  I see our poor children every day, often wearing the same dirty clothes all week, coming with just a piece of bread for lunch and dinner, scared of being touched because they are worried they'll be hit...  I thought of all this just because this little old man was so excited about getting a tip for a pizza delivery.  It's incredible how happy he was, and how sad I was all of a sudden.  It made me sad to think that this was probably the best thing that had happened to him all day, possible all week.  It also made me wonder, why can't I be that happy over something so little?  Maybe because it's not something little for him.  Again, that's the poverty of Peru.

So, there's my story.  I don't really know why it affected me so much, but it has.  Another short story:  Roxanna, the lady who helps Haydee cook and clean, is currently in Arequipa waiting for an operation.  She was taken in by Yuri several years ago with her daughter Diana because she was being badly abused by her husband.  Since then, she has worked for Haydee, and Diana as attended the Yanapay schools.  For a very long time, Roxanna has had a problem with her lungs.  I don't know exactly what, but she has a hard time breathing, and has had an operation on one of them before.  Now for a while she has needed this other surgery, and last weekend we helped her raise money for the operation by hosting a pollada at the hostel.  Polladas are very popular here in Peru: basically, the hosts cook a bunch of chicken and make salads and french fries and sell tickets to their family and friends for 7 or 8 soles.  They sometimes include beer or live music, but ours was quite simple with just food and chicha morada (a purple corn drink) and iPod music. 

Anyway, we helped Roxanna raise money because she needed to travel to Arequipa because apparently the hospital here in Cusco didn't have any thread.  Now, you may think that thread should be a requirement for any hospital claiming to have surgical capabilities, but apparently it isn't.  Yuri also said that it may not be the lack of thread that is preventing them from operating on her, but just the fact that they don't want to take the risk.  It's a dangerous surgery, and it's possible that the hospital here doesn't have the right insurance in case something goes wrong.  So, poor Roxanna had to buy an overnight bus ticket to Arequipa and go all by herself to the hospital 10 hours away in a strange city.  She left Monday night, and was supposed to have the surgery on Tuesday right away, but now I've learned that it didn't happen because they didn't have enough of her blood type in stock for the surgery.  So now they have to wait for enough donations (or deaths??) before they can operate.  It's so incredibly astounding and frustrating that this can happen.  The poor lady is already scared of not surviving the surgery and now she's had to wait even longer...  Luckily some of the workers from Yanapay are going to be with tomorrow I think, and one of them is going to donate blood.  I am going to find out tomorrow if my blood would be useful to her... maybe I'll skip school a few days and go to Arequipa.  Either way, it's so devastating that this is a common occurrence and no one is very surprised.  I know there are worse conditions out there as well, but this is the first up close and personal experience I have had, and it's always a little harder to handle that way.


So, I'm very sorry to post two sad stories on the eve of Thanksgiving, but I find it ironically appropriate.  After all, I am here in Peru for the sole purpose of recognizing that I have more than enough in my life and that giving my time and resources is the least I can do for these wonderful people and children.  I have never been more thankful for what I have, and what I have been given so freely my entire life.  Not just resources, food, a house, education; I have been given love so freely from my parents, my sisters, my entire family, my friends, my teachers, my neighbors, even from complete strangers.  Believe it or not, the children I see every day are not that lucky.  Many of them never feel loved by their parents or their families or their teachers.  They don't hear from anyone that they are unique and special.  They don't go to bed at night feeling safe and protected by the people they live with.

The only place they feel safe and loved and wanted is at our school.  And I am so incredibly thankful that I am able to provide them with that feeling of security, the feeling that they are wanted and special and that someone loves them.  That someone will give them a hug and kiss and a warm smile every day without fail.  That someone will pick them up and cuddle them if they fall or get hurt.  That someone will encourage them with their homework and tell them they did a good job.  That someone will miss them if they are gone for a day.  That someone will tell them everything will be ok when they make a mistake.


Now that I'm crying, I want to say that I love all of you, and will always be so incredible thankful that you are in my life.  Thank you for letting me take this journey.  Thank you for being supportive.  Thank you for understanding and helping me with my dreams.  Thank you for being there for me when I need you most.  Thank you.

Love love love,
Maia Jo

Dreaming of Snow

I am very happy to hear that there is SNOW on the ground in Minnesota!  YAY!  Hopefully we have a lovely white Christmas this year.  Here is Cusco, the rainy season is really starting to set in.  We have rainy almost every afternoon, which is nice because it's so dry here way up in the mountains.  Usually the rain doesn't last too long, which is nice, but it often rains really hard.

This week I am in the school again which is nice.  Last week a few of us long term volunteers had the week off since we had an excess of volunteers for that week.  It was great for the school, and it was nice to be able to have the whole day free.  I worked hard core on some marketing things with Lucy.  I set up a new blog, which you need to read:  Aldea Yanapay Cusco.  I will be updating that blog probably once a week, just describing more or less what we have done during the week with kids in art, games and family groups.  You should subscribe!

So this week I have a new family: Tigres, who are more or less 5 and 6 years old.  They are very cute, but they can be a handful, of course.  It's nice to be in a new class though, I love figuring out their personalities and how they are best kept interested in what we are doing.  Yesterday I took a bunch of pictures and just want to add them here so you can see how adorable my kids are :)

 

I'll write more soon :)  Not a whole has changed around here; I'm just trying to get the most out of every day and every moment that I spend with the children.  I miss everyone at home, and I hope you are all doing well!!  Lots of love,

Maia Jo

November 1st...

Well it feels like a Minnesota fall day here in Cusco on the first of November.  It's not actually that cold, but compared to days when it is sunny and dry, it is quite chilly and damp right now.  Plus, it's raining.  After an awesome Halloween weekend, it is nice to have an excuse to stay inside at the hostel here, drink hot tea, read, and rest all afternoon. 

So, this past week at school we spent the week talking about recycling.  Yuri decided that we would take the kids out on Friday evening to hand out candy and celebrate Halloween.  In order to dress up in costumes we each would have to collect recyclable materials to create handmade costumes with our students.  I was in charge of the Dolphins again, the four and five year olds, and we were going to use plastic bags to create our costumes.  I brought in plastic bags and wire with the idea of making fairy wings for the girls and we all decorated the bags with glitter and paint together.  Unfortunately, that was about the most that my little ones could do as far as being useful in the creation process.  Even that was pushing it since I definitely had to tell one girl in particular at least three times to stop putting the glue in her mouth.  I didn't even let them anywhere near the wire since when I brought it into the classroom one boy immediately grabbed for it and nearly stabbed his eye out.  I had to keep the scissors in my pocket as well since two boys were fighting over them and they ended up flying across the room.  I lost my voice again that night.

Anyway, Wednesday and Thursday we had extra classroom time to allow the students to complete their costumes, but as I said my kids were not exactly helpful, so I sent the two other teachers out of the room to finish the process.  They ended up making really adorable wizard's hats for the boys, and finishing the fairy wings with great success.  I, meanwhile, was stuck in the classroom trying to teach the little crazies about the importance of recycling and the meaning of Halloween.  I ended up letting them each tell me a story about a witch that apparently has been seen by all of them in their respective houses and made them scared but they were all brave and they scared her away even though she made one girl take her grandma to the hospital... at least they have good imaginations!

Friday was a stressful day.  Not all of my kids showed up, which of course was too bad, but also a slight relief.  With fewer kids, each of us three teachers were able to take a child in each hand once we went out to the streets.  If we had had more children, I probably would have tied a rope around each one's waist to keep them together and in a line and away from the streets.

 

Here are my little chuskis... so adorable!

 

Here you can see their wizard's hats... they didn't stay on very well, but that's okay.

 

This family reused cardboard boxes and were "aliens and robots."  So cute!

 

 

 

Here is Yuri showing how the giant dragon will be used.

 

This little girl was just precious.

 

Juan P, I think he's supposed be waiter??  

 

 

 

My little Illa (ee-ya).  She is just precious, but at times can be a little terrorist as well.

 

We made it out of the hostel and down through the streets, stopping first at Plaza de San Francisco and letting the kids practice their circus tricks.  In two other main plazas we stopped and made a big circle, letting each family of children parade through the center to show of their costumes, and of course, letting the older children show off their circus tricks (diabolo juggling, regular juggling, swirly things called spinners I think... etc).  We had big groups of people around us, taking pictures, asking questions and applauding.  We handed out fliers, and all of us volunteers that could were telling locals about the program.  It was fun to see so many people interested and excited about what we were doing. 

 

Here is Milton, one of the older kids showing off his spinning skills.

 

This is Sheyla, another adorable spinner.

 

 

Lucero and Diana showing off their skills.

 

Andres, throwing the diabolo up into the air with mad skill.

 

Here he is again, soo adorable.

 Finally, after parading around and showing off some more, we ended up at the Yanapay restaurant.  We went in one family at a time to receive our goody bags and take a family photo.  They we began the tiring walk back uphill to return to the school, walking slowly for the little ones to keep pace.

It was an amusing evening, and I'm very glad everything went so smoothly.  We were all exhausted though, I especially felt the tension I had been holding in my shoulders.... all the worries and concerns of the afternoon made me so tired suddenly.  We all returned to the hostel though to quickly change and get ready for our volunteer party at the restaurant.  The theme of the evening was "Out of this World" so I dressed up as a star with a white sparkly shirt and a handmade star shaped headband made out of pipe cleaners, keeping with the theme of recycled costumes.

The party was quite fun; we had our delicious pasta dinner buffet with apple pie for dessert, and then we played some awesome games that Igor and Montse had prepared for us.  One of the games was called Psychologist and poor Diana was the psychologist who had to figure out what was wrong with the rest of us.  As a group, we were given a disease and certain rules we had to follow.  Basically, we were going to be asked questions by Diana and our job was to answer as if we were the person to our right, meaning that as a group we had "Multiple Personality Disorder".  If we answered untruthfully however (according to that person), he or she would say "psychologist" and we would all change places, meaning that if Diana asked us the same question again, our answers would likely be different.  It was hilarious but Diana was so confused, and quite frustrated.  She and Juan P finally figured it out, but not until we'd all had quite a few laughs.  The other games of the evening were also very entertaining.  Around 11:30 we all headed out to have a few drinks and go dancing.  We had a blast, as always, just dancing in a big group and staying out until 2:30.  It was a great start to a wonderful Halloween weekend.

Saturday night, Diana and I were given an offer to model in a runway show at a bar.  The show was for a lady from Ireland who has a handmade clothing store here in Cusco.  Her products are expensive, according to Peruvian standards, but they are SO gorgeous.  I was at the shop earlier that day trying on dresses and found one that would be perfect for the Halloween party Sunday night, and she asked if I would like to model that evening in her show.  I said yes, she gave me a nice discount on the dress, and I convinced Diana to do the show with me (which was difficult, but she fell in love with a dress as well so in the end she agreed).  We drank quite a bit before the show so she wouldn't be too nervous, and we ended having an absolute blast.  The whole group was quite tipsy, the music for the runway show was upbeat, and the crowd was very energetic.  The theme for the evening was "Vampire Ball" so we all had crazy hair and makeup, which made up feel like we were just playing dress up.  It was awesome.  Plus, a bunch of our friends were there so we were given a great deal of support. 

 

Here we are before we modeled...

 

And we are at the end, dancing to Michael Jackson's thriller.... bomb!

I don't have any good pictures of the actual runway session, but there may be a few on facebook...

Sunday night's party was even more insane...we got our tickets ahead of time to go to a place that is simply legendary.  It's called Fallen Angel, and the owner is this extremely eccentric and artistic gay Cusqueñan who throws these amazing parties just four times a year.  He absolutely loves to have been go all out and dress up, so he requires a dress code with a theme attached.  Apparently he has turned away his own friends from parties before because they were not dressed appropriately.  This party's theme was Pop Stars, so you can imagine how many people went dressed as Lady Gaga. A few girls from the hostel and I went dressed as the Spice Girls, and I think we were unique in that aspect. 

 

Spice Girls!! There were two of us dressed as Baby Spice, but it was just fine.

 

Here's the whole group, just before we left!  Even Yanapay the dog wanted to join in the group picture.

So, the party was phenomenal.  We got to the party around 10:30 and went right in to be amazed at how gorgeous the locale is.  There are red and black plush couches and love seats, animal printed and heart shaped.  Half of the tables are made out of antique bathtubs covered by a sheet of glass and filled with fish, water plants and beautiful lighting.  The whole building is all stone with arched entryways to every room and gorgeous angel themed artwork all over.  The center courtyard has a huge silver statue of a male angel and the ceiling is a pyramid of glass.  The DJ was amazing, along with the lighting artist, who both directed everything from balconies on the second story of the courtyard.  After we danced for a few hours, still just amazed by the spectacles around us, we became away that there were several drag queens walking amongst us.  They eventually got up onto various platforms to just stand and model and be intriguing.  It was quite entertaining. 

 

Diana and Me!

 

Renzo and Raquel (she helped us with hair and makeup).

 

Yuri, Janek and Lucy, three people pretty much in charge of all Yanapay.

 

Diana, looking very posh and trying very hard not to smile.

 

CRAZY drunk lady that got kicked out of the bar at least two times...  Mia and Amy looking worried and confused about why she kept trying to join our group.

 

Here's a glimpse of one of the fish filled tables.

 

Me on a luxurious tiger patterned couch resting my very tired feet. 

 

Here come the drag queens!

 

This guy was my favorite.

 

Look at those shoes!  They were SO tall!

So, we didn't stay all night, since most of us were still very tired from the night before.  We left around 2:30 (which was early for this party) and went to McDonalds.  Shameful, I know, but we were starving for unknown reasons and really needed some delicious cheap food.

Well, this week at the Aldea I am going to be working very hard on marketing again, since the girl from England who will be taking over is here now.  Her name is Lucy (see photo above) and she is very nice, but needs to come out of her shell a bit.  So, I'll be working with her this week on making a schedule for what we need to accomplish and how.  We have a short week at the school this week due to the day of the dead and the day of the living yesterday and today.  We went to school today but only had about ten kids arrive, with twenty volunteers... so we put them to work and organized all the classrooms. 

Finally, I want to include a few adorable photos of my favorite baby here in Peru, Washington.  I put my sunglasses on him the other day and he was just so adorable I couldn't resist taking pictures.

 

Well, that is about all for now.  My life down here is wonderfully entertaining and soul satisfying.  Every day I learn so much and am so thankful for everything that I have.  I am constantly amazed by the opportunities I have been given and how lucky I am.  I hope you all realize the same and know that I am doing all I can to help these wonderful, beautiful souls here in Peru.  Sending you lots of love!

ps.  I have decided to renounce any claim on Christmas gifts in favor of monetary donations to Aldea Yanapay.  Hopefully by December Lucy and I will have a bank account for Aldea Yanapay set up via an international bank so making a donation will be very easy.  I'll keep you updated!

Love, love, love,
Maia Jo