There’s daily life, and like in Austria there are always things happening during that. It is never just the same every day, and especially here there are lots of events and holidays (even though we don’t really attend many of them).
Last week we had a big party at our school. It was “Children’s Day”, and of course there were no classes. But nevertheless we went to school, even earlier than usual, because we were supposed to prepare fruit salad (that was sponsored by our organization) for all the kids. So Maria and I, and our two English teachers sat in the classroom and cut fruits for hours – you need a lot of fruits if you want to make 200 kids happy. Outside everybody was waiting since the whole party would start with that fruit salad. It was quite some work, but we had fun and the fruits were delicious! When we finished there was a short speech about AUFWIND and then we served the fruit salad. After that our “work” was over and we could enjoy the party. Everybody was gathered on chairs in the yard, there was a clown, music and all kinds of snacks and drinks were given out to the children (we also helped with that, and so I learned how to serve 15 cups of chicha morada at once). There was a lot of dancing (it’s amazing how even the young Peruvians can dance already) and it was just a big, crazy party. It was definitely one of the moments where I just felt happy to be able to be here, and experience this country and its people.
In the afternoon we had a little adventure, which was to change the gas bottle that runs our stove. We just wanted to cook and enjoy our free afternoon, when the stove just stopped working and we realized we were out of gas. Julia was still in Lima, so we were by ourselves and those gas bottles are kind of suspicious to me. We called her, and asked what to do, and talking on the phone in Spanish is something I really don’t like to do. But then we decided to try our best, and find a place where they sell those bottles – how to change it was another story. But we got lucky, and besides that everybody laughed at the two gringas trying to buy gas, everything turned out to be easy. The guy from the store took us back to our house, in a minivan full of gas (not scary at all) and changed the bottle for us. I’m really glad I didn’t have to touch that thing, and that our adventure had a good ending, including some delicious broccoli soup after we were able to use the stove again.
That weekend we had a long weekend because of some holiday and whenever we have time like that we try to use at least one day kind of “productive”. Since on Saturday we had a lot to do for work and were kinda stressed out because there was a lot going on we had to deal with, we went out at night. Our Argentinian couchsurfer was also here for another night, but he didn’t come with us.
And like it usually is after going out in Peru, Sunday ended up as being a really lazy, sleepy day. Only in the afternoon we went to get some hangover food (French fries, piccarones, and a strawberry milkshake) and went a little restaurant to hang out with our couchsurfer, who had just watched an important Argentinian soccer game. Later I went to the hostel, because one of my friends had just gotten back from Lima and it’s been a while since I’d been there (usually I hang out there quite a lot).
But on Monday we had planned to go hiking, and we actually got up early and took a colectivo to that small village, where I started my hike the first time too. The weather was perfect, which is something that doesn’t happen very often anymore since rain season has started and it usually rains every day in the afternoon, and it gets more and more, so nights and mornings are rainy too.
Anyway, on that day there was no single cloud in the sky, and we were happy to have some time we could use to go up into the mountains. After a while we reached the entrance of the Huascaran National Park and from there on it was supposed to be only 1 ½ hours more to a nice lake. We got up pretty high in altitude, and walking got more and more exhausting – and after more than two hours there was still no sign of the lake. We were exhausted, and not knowing how much further we had to walk didn’t make it better. But after a while we finally reached a little house, and a sign pointing out a small path up to the lake. We were so glad we finally got there (we were about to turn around..) and the lake, though it was small, was really pretty. The water had a unique color of some milky-turquoise and right behind it was a snowy mountain reaching up into the sky. Exhausted as we were, we first sat down and ate our lunch. The we went to the little sign that gave information about the lake and the altitude – kind of proud we realized that we got up higher than Austria’s highest mountain, and even for Peru 4,500 m are not that bad. But you could definitely feel the altitude – the air was thin and it got cold. When we were about to leave and go back to Huaraz, we ran into some friends from Lima that were spending their long weekend here and with who we already went out and played a huge game of Jenga (the one who loses has to drink a shot of coca liquor) a few days before. They had just gotten to the lake, and were here with their car and some food. So we decided to stay a little longer, since they could also take us back and we wouldn’t have to walk another 5 hours. We played a game, and started to cook until it got really cold, and rain and hail were starting to fall. Our attempt to build a shelter wasn’t too successful, and so we decided to go to the little house and see if we could go in. The keeper of the house was very nice, and let us come in and finish our cooking in his kitchen. We ate, and then realized that it was time to go back. Even though everybody was cold, and we had to sit tight in the back of the car, it was a great day and we had lots of fun.
Last week we had a big party at our school. It was “Children’s Day”, and of course there were no classes. But nevertheless we went to school, even earlier than usual, because we were supposed to prepare fruit salad (that was sponsored by our organization) for all the kids. So Maria and I, and our two English teachers sat in the classroom and cut fruits for hours – you need a lot of fruits if you want to make 200 kids happy. Outside everybody was waiting since the whole party would start with that fruit salad. It was quite some work, but we had fun and the fruits were delicious! When we finished there was a short speech about AUFWIND and then we served the fruit salad. After that our “work” was over and we could enjoy the party. Everybody was gathered on chairs in the yard, there was a clown, music and all kinds of snacks and drinks were given out to the children (we also helped with that, and so I learned how to serve 15 cups of chicha morada at once). There was a lot of dancing (it’s amazing how even the young Peruvians can dance already) and it was just a big, crazy party. It was definitely one of the moments where I just felt happy to be able to be here, and experience this country and its people.
In the afternoon we had a little adventure, which was to change the gas bottle that runs our stove. We just wanted to cook and enjoy our free afternoon, when the stove just stopped working and we realized we were out of gas. Julia was still in Lima, so we were by ourselves and those gas bottles are kind of suspicious to me. We called her, and asked what to do, and talking on the phone in Spanish is something I really don’t like to do. But then we decided to try our best, and find a place where they sell those bottles – how to change it was another story. But we got lucky, and besides that everybody laughed at the two gringas trying to buy gas, everything turned out to be easy. The guy from the store took us back to our house, in a minivan full of gas (not scary at all) and changed the bottle for us. I’m really glad I didn’t have to touch that thing, and that our adventure had a good ending, including some delicious broccoli soup after we were able to use the stove again.
That weekend we had a long weekend because of some holiday and whenever we have time like that we try to use at least one day kind of “productive”. Since on Saturday we had a lot to do for work and were kinda stressed out because there was a lot going on we had to deal with, we went out at night. Our Argentinian couchsurfer was also here for another night, but he didn’t come with us.
And like it usually is after going out in Peru, Sunday ended up as being a really lazy, sleepy day. Only in the afternoon we went to get some hangover food (French fries, piccarones, and a strawberry milkshake) and went a little restaurant to hang out with our couchsurfer, who had just watched an important Argentinian soccer game. Later I went to the hostel, because one of my friends had just gotten back from Lima and it’s been a while since I’d been there (usually I hang out there quite a lot).
But on Monday we had planned to go hiking, and we actually got up early and took a colectivo to that small village, where I started my hike the first time too. The weather was perfect, which is something that doesn’t happen very often anymore since rain season has started and it usually rains every day in the afternoon, and it gets more and more, so nights and mornings are rainy too.
Anyway, on that day there was no single cloud in the sky, and we were happy to have some time we could use to go up into the mountains. After a while we reached the entrance of the Huascaran National Park and from there on it was supposed to be only 1 ½ hours more to a nice lake. We got up pretty high in altitude, and walking got more and more exhausting – and after more than two hours there was still no sign of the lake. We were exhausted, and not knowing how much further we had to walk didn’t make it better. But after a while we finally reached a little house, and a sign pointing out a small path up to the lake. We were so glad we finally got there (we were about to turn around..) and the lake, though it was small, was really pretty. The water had a unique color of some milky-turquoise and right behind it was a snowy mountain reaching up into the sky. Exhausted as we were, we first sat down and ate our lunch. The we went to the little sign that gave information about the lake and the altitude – kind of proud we realized that we got up higher than Austria’s highest mountain, and even for Peru 4,500 m are not that bad. But you could definitely feel the altitude – the air was thin and it got cold. When we were about to leave and go back to Huaraz, we ran into some friends from Lima that were spending their long weekend here and with who we already went out and played a huge game of Jenga (the one who loses has to drink a shot of coca liquor) a few days before. They had just gotten to the lake, and were here with their car and some food. So we decided to stay a little longer, since they could also take us back and we wouldn’t have to walk another 5 hours. We played a game, and started to cook until it got really cold, and rain and hail were starting to fall. Our attempt to build a shelter wasn’t too successful, and so we decided to go to the little house and see if we could go in. The keeper of the house was very nice, and let us come in and finish our cooking in his kitchen. We ate, and then realized that it was time to go back. Even though everybody was cold, and we had to sit tight in the back of the car, it was a great day and we had lots of fun.
The rest of the week was quiet, and there wasn’t even really much to do at school because the village where the school is was celebrating its anniversary and only a few kids came to school. So on Wednesday we gave up teaching 5 children after 20 minutes and on Friday we put two classes together because there were only so few students.
On the weekend we for once did something else than only going out, because we were invited for a “late brunch” by Maria’s Spanish teacher. We had chips and guacamole, and some Apfelstrudel (this time it already turned out better than last time) and it was nice to be around some girls instead of hanging out with guys all the time. So we had a really nice evening.
But still, I’m hanging out at the hostel a lot, and it’s fun to talk to all different kinds of people from all over the world. We can also borrow books there, which makes me a happy person – so when I’m at home I got something to do besides writing and drawing and sleeping. But it’s actually really nice to have those quiet days too, like today, where it’s been raining pretty much all day and I’m just sitting in my bed with a cup of tea and some music. It’s great when you have nothing else to do, and the stress at work also got a little better.
Good life! J
On the weekend we for once did something else than only going out, because we were invited for a “late brunch” by Maria’s Spanish teacher. We had chips and guacamole, and some Apfelstrudel (this time it already turned out better than last time) and it was nice to be around some girls instead of hanging out with guys all the time. So we had a really nice evening.
But still, I’m hanging out at the hostel a lot, and it’s fun to talk to all different kinds of people from all over the world. We can also borrow books there, which makes me a happy person – so when I’m at home I got something to do besides writing and drawing and sleeping. But it’s actually really nice to have those quiet days too, like today, where it’s been raining pretty much all day and I’m just sitting in my bed with a cup of tea and some music. It’s great when you have nothing else to do, and the stress at work also got a little better.
Good life! J
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