I'm home!

Well! I made it home last week! I tell you what, the traveling was exhausting! I was traveling for over 30 hours this time. And it is so hot in Utah! I swear I'm burning to death! haha

It was really weird at first to hear English everywhere. I got so used to hearing Spanish all the time. For a while, before I had a conversation with anyone, I would think in my head how to say it in Spanish. But then I would realize that everyone speaks English, so it doesn't matter! haha One thing though, is that I plan to keep working on my Spanish. I really hope to become fluent someday.

It's been a bit of a culture shock since being home. I didn't have culture shock when I got there, but I have since being home. American culture is so fast paced and loud. It has taken me a while to adjust back a bit. But it's alright, it's really nice to be home. :) I also really miss Peruvian food, but I guess I will just have to learn how to make it! Anyways, I can't express enough how grateful I am for my experience in Peru. Thank you to everyone who helped me out to be able to go to Peru! I am forever grateful for you! Thank you so much!

Well, this is it...

I can't believe that I'm leaving in the morning. Has it really been six weeks?? It doesn't feel like I'm leaving, yet. It just feels like I'm going to stay here in Peru for forever. Today is my last full day here, and I plan to make the most of it. This morning I have been making lesson plans and workshops so the team here can continue teaching female reproductive health after I leave. And then later today we are doing a health screening in a village called Porcon. This screening is special cause it's for the kids. We will be assessing if they are growing properly. The kids here are so malnourished. It stunts their growth, and it's really hard to tell how old they are. A kid might look like he's seven or eight years old, but is actually eleven or twelve years old. It breaks my heart.

The other day, I bought a couple of mantas. A manta is the type of blanket that the mamas here use to carry their babies. Or anything heavy really. But since I don't have a baby, I filled up my duffle bag with heavy stuff and carried it on my back instead! haha It's surprisingly comfortable! More comfortable than a back pack. I might just use mantas all the time for everything! I used it a lot yesterday. I carried the supplies for English class, and then later I carried my groceries home in it.

But, I have definitely decided that I am going to carry my kids in a manta. Who knows, maybe I'll start a new trend in America? haha There are a few different ways to tie a manta, but I'll save that for a later post.

So there is an amazing thing here called manjarblanco. It's basically the Peruvian version of caramel. It's sooooo good! Last night we made a late night trip to the panaderia (bakery) to gets donas (donuts). Now, these aren't just any old donuts, here, they fill them with manjarblanco. And if you want, you can ask for una dona caliente. That means they will warm it up for you! But you have to be careful not to burn your mouth from the manjarblanco. They are so good! I just love the panaderias in general! haha

Well, I guess this is it! The next time I post I will be in America! I have loved my time here in Peru. The people of Peru will always have a special place in my heart. Siempre recordare Peru! Cajamarca siempre sera un hogar para mi.

Thank you Dad!

Being in Peru and living on my own for the first time had really made me appreciate my family. Especially my dad. There have been times that I been sick this week when I really wished that my dad could give me a priesthood blessing.

"Father is the noblest title a man can be given."

-Robert L. Backman

I am so grateful that I have been blessed to have such a good father. He's such a good guy. He isn't prideful, or rude, or selfish. He is one of the friendliest people I know. I swear he has friends everywhere! haha We have been on the freeway and have had people in the car next to us start waving to us, cause they know Dad.

If there is one thing that I have learned from my dad, it is to be kind. He is so nice to everyone! It's no wonder that he has friends everywhere he goes. My dad is just a genuinely good guy. The world would be a much better place if there were more people like my dad. So, Happy Father's Day from Peru, Dad! I love you!

I've been sick

Having a cold combined with the altitude that I'm at, isn't a good combination. I haven't left the house for a few days, so I've been working on stuff on my computer instead. For instance, I've been making lesson plans for health workshops. Today I'm planning on creating a schedule for the female reproductive health lessons, so that way, after I leave next week, the volunteers that are staying can still teach. I also need to make copies of my lessons. So even though I haven't left the house for a few days, I'm still working. It's just a little frustrating though, cause it's not how I planned to spend my last week here. But I guess I just have to make the most of it!

My team here is amazing! They've all been so wonderful to me while I've been sick! They've gotten me orange juice, given me back rubs, and so much more! I know that I have made some lifelong friends here in Peru. I will miss them so much when I go home and we all go our separate ways. But, I can't wait to see what's in store for everyone when they go home. I'm curious to see how everyone's lives will unfold after their experience in Peru.

Also, if anyone is interested, I know of a company that sells handcrafted artisan items from Guatemala. Delmi Co. sells ties made from corte, as well as bracelets, bags and purses. 

And if the artisans in Guatemala are anything like the artisans here in Peru, they could use some help. The artisans here in Peru get ripped off by local vendors who don't pay fairly for the time and effort that it takes to make their goods. It's heartbreaking to see them work so hard for their families, but still live in poverty. It's a vicious cycle that they can't get out of on their own. We work with artisans here in Peru to get their goods sent to the United States to be sold for fair, good prices. Just like what Delmi Co. is doing. Feel free to message Delmi Co. on their facebook page if you're interested!

I promise I don't sell blood!

Yesterday we had some more health screenings up in the mountains. I don't think I will ever get tired of the Andes. Some of it actually reminds me of Utah. It's kinda interesting. There are some valley areas where it's really flat and brown. But most of it is really green.

There was a little bit of a miscommunication yesterday for the health screenings. We thought we were doing them at a school, but apparently it was in a little building across from a school. But we didn't know that, so we sat on the grass of this school for at least an hour just waiting. But eventually, a man found us and took us to the right place. 

And then once we got everything set up, this one woman was really concerned. She was talking so fast that I couldn't understand her. So Christina started talking to her, and we had Julie go through all the stations so they could see what we would be doing. Afterwards, Christina explained to me that the woman thought we were trying to get their blood so we could sell it. I was not expecting that! haha That was definitely a new experience for me! I'm used to people not liking me cause I'm the one who pricks their fingers and stuff. But that was something else! But at the same time, you can't blame her. We are a bunch of Americans coming in and kinda telling them what to do and that we know better. So I definitely don't blame her for being apprehensive. We just need to make sure that we are taking the time to get to know them and develop their trust. We need them to know that we aren't barging in to hurt them, we want to help them. And sometimes there are miscommunications and things like this happen. But it's alright, it's all part of the process.

Have you ever seen the new Cinderella movie? I love how Cinderella tells us to "have courage, and be kind". I've definitely learned the importance of having courage and being kind while here in Peru. I have done lots of things that have required courage, but it is ever so important to also be kind. I've gotten out of my comfort zone with the intent of helping others. I've learned that once you get comfortable, you stop growing as a person. The only thing we should be comfortable with is being uncomfortable. Heavenly Father didn't put us on this earth to live and then leave as the same person. He put us here to grow and learn and become better. Take a risk! Grow! Try something new! Be uncomfortable! It might start a chain reaction of you becoming a better person than you were yesterday. What do you have to lose? If you fail, you learned something. So you didn't really fail. Now, go out and do some good! The world needs you. :) 

Just talking about the uterus

I have started teaching female reproductive health classes for the last little bit that I am here. And I absolutely love it! For those of you who don't know, I am pursuing a career in midwifery (delivering babies) so this was right up my alley! It amazes me how much the women up in the mountains don't know about their own bodies.

So I created a lesson, and one of the girls on our team, Christina, translated for me. It was so cool to see the women be so interested. And it was so much fun to answer any questions that they had. The lovely Julie Davidson took the picture below.

This workshop went so well, that we are coming up with other female health classes to teach. The lesson I taught covered female anatomy, personal hygiene, and the menstrual cycle. Other ideas for classes that we have are: cancers (they kept asking questions about that one), breastfeeding, female diseases and disorders, STI's, and menopause. 

At the end of the workshop, Christina and I explained to the women how important all this information is. Mamas need to know their bodies so they can stay healthy. They need to take care of themselves in order to be able to take care of their families and do what they need to do. I am so excited for the next workshops! It's gonna be so good!

I had no idea I was eating ground donkey!

There is this little hole-in-the-wall burger place where we like to eat at night. It's called Burger Chef and it's only open late at night. They have the best hamburgers! I never really liked hamburgers back home, but everyone kept telling me how good these burgers were. So I decided to try it. And I love them! Also, they are pretty cheap. You can get a huge burger for about 4 soles, so that converts to about $1.34 in American money. I love how they make the patties. They squish them out so it's flatter than patties in America. They are seriously so good!

We were sitting at the table eating dinner last night, and one of our country coordinators brought up the burgers at Burger Chef. She mentioned that the patties aren't made of ground beef, cause ground beef isn't a thing here. Apparently she tried to find some and she couldn't. So we asked her what they are made of, and it turns out that they are made of ground donkey. I've been eating ground donkey, and I had no idea! I guess that explains why I like the burgers here better! haha Ground donkey is really good! haha I've eaten so many weird things here while in Peru. I've eaten ground donkey, guinea pig, pig intestines, beef heart, raw fish, and who knows what else! At least it has all tasted good! haha

Well, since today is our day off, we are planning on doing some shopping. We're going to go to the mercado to buy souvenirs. I figured I should actually start buying souvenirs since I am coming home next week. Up until now, I've been window shopping to figure out the best prices. One of the things I really want to buy is the blanket that the women use to carry their babies in.

I'm not sure what else I'm going to buy today, but I'm sure it will be fun! It's always fun to bargain with Peruvians, because they know you're American so they up the prices. But hey, I don't blame them, they're just trying to make money.

Also, since it's my day off, I'm going to try and take pictures today. I haven't been doing very well at taking pictures lately. So I need to get on that. Well, this is a really short post, but I think that's it for today. Hasta luego!

Sleeping in skirts probably isn't the norm!

It's been getting pretty cold here lately, even during the day. But at nights it's getting hard to stay warm. I think I need to buy another blanket. Most nights I have been sleeping with a long sleeved shirt, a hoodie, long pants, a long skirt over my pants, and socks. Oh, and I have my sheet and blanket. I feel bad for my roommate though, she came from Hawaii, and so she's freezing. She bundles up more than I do!

Speaking of my roommate, we got some new volunteers last week! We got two girls and a boy. They're awesome! I love how they all just jumped right into the projects. But now we have 16 people living in our house. It's filled to capacity! haha We had to buy more plates and bowls cause we didn't have enough. So we now have 13 girls and 3 boys. They are still really outnumbered! haha

This weekend we visited a community called Porcon to talk about setting up health screenings, business workshops, and health workshops. They were some of the nicest, most inviting people I have met here! After we set up a time to come again, they started showing us all the stuff the make to sell. They are some of the most talented artisans I have ever met. They knit, crochet and weave some of the beautiful and complex sweaters, ponchos, etc. that I have ever seen. It's crazy how much time and effort they put into their work, but how little they make off of them. Before they can start knitting or anything, they first have to hand spin and dye the wool. So we talked to them about working with an American company called Jane that will buy them for good, honest prices.

I can't wait to get started with the people of Porcon! They are such good people. Oh, they also fed us while we were there. They fed us corn and a type of root that kind of looks like a potato, but it's really bright. And they were so sweet! Much sweeter than sweet potatoes back home. 

I really love the people of Porcon. I just love the people of Peru! The people we have met in the campo (countryside) have all been so good to us. And we are supposed to be the ones helping them. But they are really helping me. Helping me to be a better person and to see what really matters in my life. I may not have the nicest things, but that's not what is important. Family and love for others is what is really important in this life. This is my last full week here in Peru, and I'm really sad about it. I wish I could stay longer. But I'm also curious to see how I will be back home. If I will be any different. I hope I have become a better person. I guess I will find out next week!

I love to see the temple

While we were in Trujillo, we wanted to make a trip to the LDS Temple there. So we did! We took a short bus ride that dropped us off right in front of the gates. Unfortunately, it was Monday, so the gates were closed. We knew that ahead of time, but we still wanted to go anyways. So we took pictures outside of the gates and wandered around the edge of the boundaries. At one point we all just sat down on the curb and just looked at the temple. Unbeknownst to us, the temple president and a temple engineer had been watching us. While we were sitting, they drove by us in a truck. They told us how they had been watching us, and even though it's a Monday, and the temple was closed, they told us that they would open the gates just for us. That way we could walk around the grounds for a little while. We were so excited!! We of course said yes!

We quickly made our way to the gates, and stepped onto the grounds. I will always love the feeling of stepping onto temple grounds. There is such a peace in and surrounding temples. It's nice to forget the world and feel the Lord's love for you. Unfortunately, we could only stay for a few minutes, because we had to check out of our hotel. I am so grateful for those people who let us in, even just for a few minutes. It made my day. I love how you can find temples all over the world. It's nice to feel close to Heavenly Father when you are so far away from home. I hope to come back and go inside the Trujillo Temple someday.

If you would like to learn more about LDS Temples and why we build them, click here! 

We went to the beach!

So we actually do get time off while we're here. We have Sundays and Mondays off to do shopping, sight-seeing, go to church, whatever. Well, this weekend we took a trip to Trujillo!

I was so excited to go to the beach, but then I remembered that here in Peru it is actually fall, not summer. So it was kinda cold. But we still had so much fun! 

I've decided that I like the way the ocean smells. For some reason I like the fishy smell. Oh, and the humidity did fantastic things to my hair! It was so curly! And fluffy! I had some pretty nice beach hair going on. 

I had a lot of fun taking pictures of the beach. It was so pretty! I love how diverse Peru is. It kinda reminds me of Utah in the fact that the nature looks different depending on where you are in the state.

So I can't remember what those boats things are called. But they use a boat thing that is made of out some sort of plant in Trujillo. As far as I know they use them to fish. Oh! Speaking of fishing! Sunday morning we were walking along the beach, and we noticed that a guy kept running to pick up something on the beach. After watching him for awhile, and then staring at the ground, I figured out that he was catching some sort of creature that buries itself in the sand. So I decided to catch one, and I did! So I went up to him to give it to him. His name was Juan, and it turns out that he was catching sand crabs. So for the next little bit I helped him catch sand crabs. Oh, and don't worry Mom, this type of crab doesn't pinch. Juan was so cute though. He had Grey take tons of pictures of us. It was so funny! Juan spoke a little English, and so between my Spanish and his English, we were able to talk a bit. He really was so nice.

If I ever go back to Peru, I am definitely visiting Huanchaco Beach in Trujillo. Even though it is pretty touristy, it was so much fun! Oh, it was kinda weird to see a lot of white people. I didn't realize how much I am used to not seeing white people. In Cajamarca you rarely see tourists. I have only seen tourists a handful of times. But anyways, even though it was cold, I would go back for sure! The seven hour bus ride to get there was so worth it! I just love Peru!

Dance parties are the best in the Andes!

I spent most of Saturday in the mountains. Peru never fails to impress me with its beauty.

We drove up to what felt like the tops of the mountains to a community called Combayo. We visited three blind children and one boy with autism. Each of the blind children sang a song for us. I had a hard time keeping my emotions in check. That was a powerful experience. After they sang, we sang I'm a Child of God in Spanish. That was definitely one of my favorite experiences here. Those people are so humble and kind. If I could have a fraction of the goodness they possess, I would be set for life.

After doing visits, we stopped by to see the Ventanillas de Otuzco. I don't know much about it, but I do know that they were tombs carved out from the mountainside. It's pretty cool! We had to hike up a bit to get to them. 

The rest of the pictures are from the drive home. It's kinda hard to take pictures in a moving van, but here's what I got! :) 

When we got home, we had about ten minutes to eat lunch, then it was out to the mountains again. This time we were doing health screenings in a community called Licliconga. The trip to Licliconga starts with a bus ride up the mountain as far as the bus can go. Then you have to hike down into a valley, and up the other side of the mountain. The hike takes about an hour. It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't for the altitude. The altitude here still gets me.

After we finished the screenings, we had some extra time. So some of us girls started talking to some teenage girls. We ended up playing some music on a phone and it turned into a dance party. It was so fun! They girls would teach us how they dance, then we would teach them how we dance. There was a lot of giggling! It was probably the most fun I've had since being here! It's so cool to see even though we have a language barrier, we can still find something we can connect with. For us it was music and dancing. We sang songs, danced, and played games. I will always remember those girls. It's moments like that that remind me that everything I do here doesn't have to be serious. Sometimes just giggling with teenage girls is all that matters for that day. Spreading hope and happiness is just as important as health screenings and visiting kids with special needs. I wish I could do this for forever. I love it.

  

Monster Aloe Vera, Truck Rides & Possessive Daughters

First off, the Aloe Vera plants here are huge! And they grow everywhere! It's not uncommon for them to be bigger than me! Don't believe me? Well, don't worry cause I took pictures!

Second, I really love riding in the back of trucks here. It's so fun! Even if you are zooming down dirt roads in the Andes. It's kinda dangerous, but definitely an experience to remember!

Most people stare at us wherever we go, cause how often do you see a group of gringos wandering around? Cajarmarca isn't really a touristy place, so it's not very common to see white people. But, holy cow! You wouldn't imagine how many stares we got when we drove back into the main city in the back of a truck. It was was pretty funny! I guess people don't see a truck full of gringas very often! haha

Usually at the health screenings, little kids like to watch me prick fingers for the blood glucose test. Most of the time they will either just quietly watch, or they will make funny noises when they see the prick. But, yesterday, a little girl did something that none of the kids have done before. I would guess that she was around two years old. She was sitting in her mom's lap while I was working on her mom. She was kinda apprehensive in the first place, which isn't unusual. But, once I pricked her mom's finger, she began to cry a little. Then she grabbed her mom's arm and pulled it away from me. It was so cute to see how she cared for her mom! She really didn't not wanting me hurting her mom. It was adorable. But she really hated me after that! haha I'm kinda used to it, though. Not many people like me after I make them bleed. But someone has to do it. :) It's for a good purpose. These mothers need to be aware of their health and how it can impact them, and their families. I love these mamas. They are some of the strongest women I've ever met.