Dad's visit! And other tales.

My amazing Dad was just in Ancash for a quick weekend visit. We had a cuy feast with my host family in Tumpa, a picnic at the glacial Laguna Llanganuco, strolled through the outdoor markets, and indulged in a spa session in Huaraz. 

He also accompanied me to my "hair salon" where I got an ob

noxiously short hair cut (they shaved my neck!) for 5 soles... you get what you pay for, I guess! We had a blast, and I was sad to see him go. One lesson of the weekend was that it is SO EASY to visit Peru, even for a long weekend! Flight prices are super low and fly direct from JFK. Just saying...

Just before Dad was here, my counterpart Feliciana and I attended a Peace Corps conference in Chiclayo called Project Design and Management. We designed a project called Escuelas Saludables, or Healthy Schools, that we will implement in 

Tumpa over the next 6 months. The main objectives are to train student health promoters to educate their peers on healthy hygiene and nutrition practices, to make the school a greener place by planting more vegetable and flower gardens, to educate the students and teachers on environmental protection, to construct a micro-landfill to bury the school's trash instead of burning it, and to install large jugs of drinkable water in every classroom to keep those kids hydrated and parasite-free! I'll also work in the lower school on a self-esteem workshop with a motivated teacher over the next 6 months. It will be fun and refreshing to work with the little guys. So I'll start those projects right when I get back from an unexpected trip to Lima...

One of the major frustrations of my experience has been getting sick. The beginning of my service was characterized by unending gastro-problems. Besides the constant diarrhea and vomiting, I was treated for giardia and bacterial infections. In Canada, giardia is more commonly known as "Beaver Fever," because the hikers drink from seemingly pristine lakes, and unknowingly consume Beaver feces. The side effects aren't fun. But lately, it's been sinus infection after sinus infection.  Being sick in Peru is so much more inconvenient than in the States. It means I loose a lot of time being out of site, which is a bummer. So I'm heading to Lima to see a specialist so I can return to site in good health and focus on my projects! 

That's all for now. Thanks for reading! As always, sending you lots of Peruvian love.