Ayacucho Hotels
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IN PERU!
Entry 10 of 12 | show all | print this entry |
HI!
I found internet! I don{t know how much time I have and the keyboard is really weird so excuse excessive typos. I´ll try to give you the rundown of the past while.
Flew to Lima and I love flying, I wanted to stick my head out the window! Take me on a plane anyday! However I hated Lima. Total shock for me when I got off the plane. The men there were terrible. I basically felt like I was being sexually harrassed the whole time. The danger there for us was pretty serious and I got the worst from the public. I never felt safe and was so scared to live three months like that. Lisseth left with her boyfriend too which wasnt cool because that left me alone. The city is really dirty too, garbage everywhere! So Lima was all bad for me! (sorry to start out bad, gets better!) A night in a hostel there (very very basic) and the next night we took a bus to Ica.
I love Ica! The coolest thing was that we went to an oasis, tiny lake surrounded by enormous sand dunes. Looks like paradise! Much safer and I was allowed to walk around alone during the day a bit which is a HUGE privilege for me! I went sandboarding and had an awesome time! I got a few good faceplants too. You wax the board and go super fast! I could live there! Lots of jewellery vendors too. And a pool! I got to swim for the first time in 3 months! HEAVEN!It was refreshing after Lima.
Then another long bus trip. The buses are not like ours. Packed, hot hot hot, and stinky, and bumpy like crazy. We had police at every time we had to switch buses because we were in some very dangerous cities. I didnt get sick but a lot of canadians did. I was too excited looking at all the amazing mountains! Its phenomenal!
We got to Ayacucho to a huge warm welcome from our partner organization here La Brigada. Went home immediately with our families. I love my family- so much better than in Canada ugh! My dad, Senor Juan is hilarious and loves lying to me and pulkling pranks on me when i dont understand. My mom Senora Hedy, is just super sweet and always takes really good care of me (sometimes a little too much!). I have a brother Julio who is the same age as me and SUPERCOOL! And two older sisters who are pretty wicked too. Everyone is so helpful and I can communicate and understand them fine. The house is half outside so when it rains its in and out which of course I adore! Dirt floors in my room, only icy water, boiled to drink, no appliances, clotheslines all over, toilet that doesnt really work and its perfect! I´m super tall and have to duck lights and hte showerhead is below my shoulders. My family also speaks Quechua, the native dialect here which I will learn. Language number 5 for this program! Ayacucho is less dirty and the people are less aggressive. I still get a lot of comments on the street but nothing scary like in Lima. One old man followed me vcalling me doll and asking where the door to heaven is that I walkled through to get to Peru! Kids grab my arms all the time and lots of comments about my hair and height. But I{m not scared here. We have a 9pm curfew and basically not allowed out after dark. I´m very cool with that though. This is the 3rd poorest city in Peru and its very evident. Its hard to see such poverty. So much different than studying this, I{m in total shock. But its important and good.
So then I got really sick. High fevers, very faint, couldnt eat and staying home. Didnt feel too worried though, just altitude sickness I figured. Senora was very worried and ordered Lisseth o take me to the clinic. We have one that our supervisors checked out for security and such. So we went. Before my exam I passed out and Lisseth said I was convulsing which is scary. I was really bad for the rest of the day and couldnt move much let alone understand spanish. So I was admitted to their hospital and hooked to an IV who became a really good friend. Only other tall, thin person here and we were both green. I stayed there overnight and was told Id be there til the 26th. My blood work said I had anemia and a stomach infection too. Woohoo! So with anemia it means you arent consuming enough iron. Problem is that I am but my body cant absorb it for some reason. Its hard to have a special diet here and my family cant afford special food. So im buying iron rich nasty drinks and cant eat much other than soup for my stomach. Oddly not hungry although its been 4 days since I ate a whole meal. I do feel a bit better, but always very faint. I{m sure it will get better and we´re reserching more about what I can do to change. The funny thing in the hospital is that because i was white they thought i always needed company so when i was alone they´d send these male nurses in who i dont know what they´re job was but they´d just sit really close and smile at me. I couldnt help but laugh a few times. they were very nice and awkward. I got let out early because i was the only person in the clinic.
So christmas dinner at home. here they countdown to midnight on the 24th then eat turkey and potatoes and junkfood. I ate a soda cracker and electrolight drink. they stay up late talking and the focus is all family. there aer no gifts. i learned spanish carols. translations are totally different! so the next morning (25) i woke up and had my own miny very teary christmas in my bed with a few gifts from my real family and some music from sherri (i needed those carols so bad- thanks doll!). and guess what! my family put my gift money to world vision and got a goat and two hens and arooster for families who need them! how cool is tha? the goat is shaaa baaaa and a hen is shannon. im a little concerned about that. christmas was superhard here away from home and i feel like they dont even celebrate here but i got through! now for new years where we dont slepp and dance all night non stop....
so those are the basics! dont worry about me because im feeling alright and everyone is taking very good care of me. i love you all and miss you all so much! three more months and this half promises only phenom! I cant believe how lucky i am to be experiencing this!
I havent figured out mail yet but heres my address. As far as I know that should do it.
Hedy Vivanco De la Cruz & JuanJulio De la Cruz Quispe
Shannon Lyon
Jr. Untiveros N 420 Magdalena
Ayacucho, Peru
Love and more, Shannon!
ps. Mom and Dad, here´s the candy I´m taking. And please sned this mail to the fam! I only sent to you!
cotrinotazol 800/100 (bactrim?)
doluxave25
maybe? bad doctor writing. plus my energy drink. I ate soup with veggies today, be happy!
ps. okay i really miss you all! if you get a chance to write a letter those are what keep me going when i want to quit! I brought all my first half ones here too and read them all the time! I want to hear about your lives and how canada is! cold eh? super hot here, about 25 but i can only wear jeans and long sleeves which sucks. i miss the snow! go put snow down your pants for me!
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