my time

Since being back from the Amazon, we have had two work days. We built stoves in an Indigenous community. Before, the people of the community were using stoves without chimneys; the walls of the kitchen were black and charred from the smoke. At first, the service seemed miniscule, but after learning that almost 2 million people die a year from breathing inside smoke, I realized how necessary this project actually was. The black smoot released from the previous stoves is also said to be 700 times more harming to the atmosphere, in terms of global warming.

Other than that, I have been dancing the night away at the discotheques. I also went to my host grandma's 92nd birthday last night, which was pretty wild. It was like a family reunion; there were family members flying in from France and Amsterdam. I exchanged e-mails with the relatives that live out of the country and scored a future place to stay when I travel.

I know it seems like every time I write, I just drank a huge glass of endorphins. Of course I love Peru and everything has been so exciting, but I think I am starting to get used to life here a little more. As always, time bring frustration and I guess I should probably write about some of the more unpleasant things I have experienced so that my whole visit in Peru doesn't seem like one big fairy tale (although it is quite close).

I really don't have much to complain about, just weird little nuisances that seem to get under my skin every now and then. Like with every relationship, the longer you know someone the more you start to notice the little things and develop pet peeves. The thing that has been most frustrating for me is not having my own time. I have gotten so accustomed to living by myself that I like to do what I want, when I want. If I don't want to do something, I simply don't... but here it's different. I can't tell my family I don't want to wake up early on my day off to go to a mass I hardly understand, or that for the 40th day in a row I don't want to eat chicken, rice, and potatoes. It would be insulting to my family, so for the most part I have just been going along for the ride with a smile on my face. It hasn't really bothered me until now, as my days left are quickly diminishing. For example, today we went on a two hour car ride just because. Also, we crammed 6 people in the car for those two hours. Not exactly what I want to do with my free time here.

Although my time in Peru is just about coming to an end, I am excited to travel after and have my time back again. Traveling after will be the happily ever after to my fairy tale.