tidbits

The food: My love for quinoa remains. Quinoa soup is a staple before lunch. It is prepared with veggies and herbs. I think I will bring back to the states two traditions I've learned to enjoy here in just a week: Lunch is the biggest meal of the day and tea (or "matte") follows every meal.

I did indeed eat guinea pig the other day at a "cargo" or party! It is a delicacy here, so I had to try it. It tasted like...chicken with the texture of duck? Check.

The festival finally ended. It was amazing to see all of the costumes and dances (after a morning run, I even found myself processing with the dancers on their way to the plaza). Though I will admit, it's nice not to wake up to cannons at 5am!

The history and traditions are rich and woven into all aspects of this Incan culture. We are surrounded by ruins and are learning all about how the Incans communicated and lived hundreds and thousands of years ago. Last night a gentleman spoke to us about Quetchua, language and legends.

We started building a playground at a local preschool. We are painting, sanding, digging...It feels good to have a routine. Tonight we head to some hot springs where we will celebrate good health (GI issues have been abundant in the past few days), our work, and discuss leadership styles and global issues.

It's work, but it's fun! The kids keep us laughing all day long. I am so grateful.

For more details on what we've been up to each day, you can go to: http://stannes-peru-2011.blogspot.com/

Hasta pronto!!