Depends on how you look at it:
As we all know there can be many different sides to an argument or look at an object. Well here is one I’ve been pondering: what is good parenting? In the states a child without a parent nearby is considered abused or is lacking in parental control, here in Peru children learn to be self sufficient at a very young age. There is this little boy Jorge, I think he is 3 years old and when I see him most often he is by himself playing in the road. This morning on the way to teach he is about 300 yards away from his house around the curve, hiding in a tree. Now does this just not blow your mind that a 3 yr old who is still developing in every way shape and form, is alone or when not alone he is with other children under 10? Here in the campo there is no such thing as a daycare or babysitter but the fields aren’t going to work themselves either, so what do you do with the youngsters? If they are still little enough they carry them on their backs, but in Jorge’s case he has a baby sister who gets that coveted spot. Are we to protective or are they to careless? All I know is I’m way to crazy and obsessive to ever let my kids that far away from me at that age. Sorry future kiddo’s your life is going to be on a much shorter leash.
Did someone put my hand in cold water while sleeping?
So today is Tuesday, January 24, 2012 it is official. A 22 year old gringa went to Chota after teaching her English classes. The day passed pleasantly, didn’t get hit by any water balloons although one was thrown at her. Finally hit up Serpost while the ladies were there because they can’t be bothered to be there every day at set hours. Received not one but 2 packages from home and my medicine from Peace Corps so needless to say she was ecstatic! Here in Peru bathrooms a hard to come by. It is like looking for a needle in a haystack. So the poor gringa held it in and went to find a ride home. The day was still treating her well…found not only a car but a combi with nice comfy seats that was willing to go without being full (another oddity). The driver wasn’t very familiar with the road so hit every big pot hot possible and drove at a normal sedate pace= to crawling along for most here. Yet finally arrived home and the rain was coming but still hadn’t started and one of the powerful men in the community walked part of the way to her house with her. Here is where God gave a blessing and got a fully belly laugh at the same time: she continues on thinking I’m almost home, I can hold it as long as no one stops me and starts talking. I can hold it three more houses to go. I can hold it two more houses to go…………I can’t hold it……….I can’t hold it. Of course she is in one of the few places with no trees and two houses kinda close together but this is where the luck literally runs out because these are two of the houses she is thinking of doing latrine projects with cause they don’t have one!!!!!!! And there in between the two houses she has to decide wet your pants or pullem down and hope nobody walks by or sees you. Yet it took her to long to get her belt undo and this 22 year old started to pee her pants like a 3 year old until she finally got her pants down. So God got a belly work out right then but only by His grace did no one pass by and as far as she could tell nobody saw. This was rather fortunate because when she passed the last house on the way to hers with her pee pants the family was working in their garden just a little down the hill from the road but she waved and just continued on. Yet the day continued to be good to her because her family wasn’t in front of the house where her room is either. Then she got to open her packages which completely wiped away an embarrassment by happiness. PS Thank you Amanda, Aziz and Jenna!!!!! Love my beef jerkey, new shirt, and positivity passed through love. Ha ha.
Which since I’m obviously going to air everything…my bladder hates Peru. I’ve always got to go at the most inconvenient times, meaning I’m a old lady and have to get up and go at night. Which is really really bad luck because the latrine is so far away and you’ve got to hold it long enough to get TP, flashlight and boots on then walk there without peeing yourself when a dog or other animal in the dark starts making noises. Ha ha. Oh how comical is my life right now.
Learning the meaning of back breaking work:
Today, Wednesday, my family cut their oat field. So since we are in the dark ages still after then cut it the oats still have to be beaten off their stems. This turned out to actually be a lot of fun. I beat the straw with this huge stick while my family stood back slightly afraid haha. They all the stocks were inspected to see if they still had their heads and if so pull or rub them off. I did the easy parts meaning not the actual cutting and I was still tired after. Haha. So sad that I’m that out of shape, although running in these hills that they don’t consider mountains---haha---are really kicking me into better shape. PS Jenna that jump rope is kicking my butt, forgot how much work they are. Haha. But fun!!!
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