An (informal) e-mail update to a friend...

What's good?


I'm just hanging out in the computer lab at the parish here. We're opening up a library, a "ludoteca" (game room), and a little cafe where artesnal foodstuffs and edible treats will be sold by local women to tourists. This is all to say that, now I have some swanky internet access.


Also, I can video chat now. It's cheaper than phone cards. Sundays after 10 p.m. my time are preferable. I'd love to see you and anyone else who happens to be...with you at your house, or from wherever it is that you chat me.


Well, last week I met the Jesuit provincial for Perú. He's a really cool dude. We had a mass with him on Thursday and two of my community mates and I orchestrated all the music. We played with a select few from our 'pastoral juvenil' choir. It's cool because we have a mini guitar orchestra too now, and percussion that's lively.


This week the Italian ambassador to Perú is coming to our valley and town. We will be hosting her in some moment, and my community mate (who is in charge of the chorus) will be taking her around as a personal tour guide to all of the different 'Templos'. It should be pretty cool to say the least.


Life here is truly incredible most of the time. I just walk around our cobblestone streets and say what little Quechua greetings and phrases I know to the neighbors. They do appreciate it. They're also very helpful and especially interested when they know I'm trying to learn it.


I can't wait to have some of our community members over to our house. I tell them in Quechua, "Huasita chayllasa"--something about the fact that we're going to have a housewarming. We're almost done with our house; the rat feces amassed in the oven was a trip to clean. I had to take it apart and we're scrubbing it thoroughly. The kitchen has ended up several different shades of a seemingly toxic orange paint.


Today, we went to a food festival the town over, and we enjoyed some smoked trout. There was a brief hail storm and the day solidified itself as a glorious afternoon. Rainbows appeared off in the distance as we drove home, and the storm briefly followed us. It has started to grow cold.


This week I hope to share a few words in Italian, approach the three German lady volunteers up the hill (so that they can teach me German), and to speak some French with more French tourists. And, due to the -- let us say overwhelming -- success that is co-teaching kids English via music, we will continue this as well.


Welp, I have to go help cook the cow kidneys we were gifted by the cooks here. I hope that you take care!