Yes, I know it's been a while since my last blog, but honestly it's just been business as usual here in Huancayo, well, except for one thing... we're all (or have been) sicker than dogs. I'll start from the beginning.
On Saturday, Sarah, Lena, Scott, Callie and Spencer hiked to the top of a snow-capped mountain. Honestly, while I would love to do a total 7 hour hike, I know that my knee would hate it and as a result hate me, so Emily and I decided to stay behind and have a lazy day of walking around Huancayo and sunbathing on our roof. When they got back, they were all in pretty good spirits, which was surprising since Sarah was just getting over a head cold.
Sunday, it was off to the Sunday Market, AKA: my playground. For those of you who know me well enough, you know that I might as well be a basset hound when it comes to sniffing down a good bargain, and being in Huancayo has only heightened that spidey-sense of mine. I may need to be institutionalized for my habits here, but then again, I haggle my way so I don't end up spending that much money (yes, Dad, I'm still definitely the cheapskate daughter... and Al, you know by now not to argue that statement). Unfortunately, Sarah had a stomach bug that morning, but rallied quickly and went with us to the market. That night, those of us who felt up to it, went to try a Peruvian staple, Chifa. Chifa is a type of restaurant that specializes in Peruvian-Chinese fusion food, and they are everywhere. All in all a great experience, at least at first.
The next morning we were off to Daniel Carrión hospital to do rounds, and one by one we were hurting. I woke up with a pretty gnarly head cold that was tolerable, then Scott, Spencer and Lauren felt pretty bad by lunch with a stomach thing. While all eight of us made it to the hospital in the morning, only 5 of us made it to the HIV shelter that afternoon. That night we had a lesson on charts and vital signs, and I'm not going to lie we were all pretty dead. However, we all suited up to go to dinner with Dr. Suazo and Dr. Yumpo, our favorite doctors at Daniel Carrión as a token of our appreciation for their hospitality. It was a great meal, but we all left two by two in a parade of sickly gringos, however the doctors did get a real kick out of us trying to diagnose ourselves. I'm not going to lie, put a bunch of medically interested early twenty-somethings in a room, throw in a sick person and they'll be entertained for hours by the possible ailments.
By Tuesday the numbers were dwindling. Waking up with a pounding headache, the fact that my sense of balance was nonexistent and that my sinuses were beyond congested made it so I was unable to make it to the hospital to do rounds... and then there were 4. Yes, I called Jefrey's spit bubbles and drool beautiful. However, my own snot, not so much. Spencer and I rallied by the afternoon to go to El Rosario orphanage, but unfortunately Callie fell victim to the stomach bug and Scott was feeling even worse. The kids were energetic as per usual and again, I had a face full of stickers, apparently the new norm for my time there.
Today was definitely a day we've been looking forward to for a while. It was St. Peter's Day and everyone had the day off, so we couldn't do rounds at the hospital, but we had a much better alternative planned. We decided to take all 17 of the kids at the HIV shelter out for a day full of fun at a local rec center. Little did we know that we would end up at three different rec centers but the kids loved it, and as long as the kids are happy, we're happy. At the final rec center all the confusion and ceased and we enjoyed the boats, horses, four-wheelers, the amazing arroz con pollo prepared by the moms and each other's company.
Then reality set in, Sarah and Lena were leaving today (this was planned) and that everyone else leaves on Friday. The eight of us have become a family, and the thought of everyone being gone this weekend and then meeting a whole group of new people on Monday is just not kosher. Don't get me wrong, I'm ecstatic that I'm here in Huancayo for a longer period of time, I'm not ready to leave this place yet. Honestly, I probably won't want to leave next Thursday (Mom and Dad, planning that trip was a good idea, because seeing your lovely faces, and yours Al, are three things that would actually get me on a 7 hour bus ride back to Lima). But the idea of being here without my seven brothers and sisters just doesn't seem right. And I have to meet, get close and orient the other people coming to Huancayo and then jet off to Lima right when the awkward barrier gets broken. We all know that I'm not a crier, but if today was any indication, I'm going to have to be packing some kleenex for goodbyes to my FIMRCers on Friday, and all the little kiddies at El Rosario, the HIV Shelter and the Special Needs School next week. My only question is, when the heck did I become such a sap? If I'm not careful I'm going to be crying at spaghetti sauce commercials and American Girl doll books (love you, Mom).
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