Yanacoto

Since arriving in Peru last friday I have been in constant motion due to the extensive peace corps training and my host family´s four young children. After the first 2 days of training in Lima I thought that training could not be more tiring (waking up at 7:30 and attending classes till 5...then eating and going to discotechas until 12 with the other peace corps volunteers). However, I could not have been more wrong. After meeting my host family on sunday and departing with them to the city of yanacoto, peru i had the mistaken perception that i would finally be able to get a good nights rest. HA...wrong again. After putting my bags down i immediately began to talk to my host father walter about american politics, peruvian politics and the influence of chavez in south america. Then we immediately transitioned into a quick dinner before heading off to chosica in order to find me an alarm clock and get a tour of the city. While touring chosica and el parque principal i had the pleasure of seeing a dance off between two aspiring hip hop dance groups who pranced around to michael jackson songs. Although i thought this was enough entertainment for the night i did not realize that hours later i would be holding up a poster for a peruvian pastor to read. I am not sure how to transition into my first peruvian mass experience however i will say that it was quite a show. It reminded me of my days at notre dame high school combined with a hint of the film borat where people in the front rows throw themselves around in odd manners. QUITE THE EXPERIENCE! After mass my family decided to go to dinner once again with other church members where i gorged myself with endless food until it was finally time to say goodnight. Following a short sleep i woke up the next morning exhausted and not ready to start my first week of real pc training in chaclamayo peru. What started as a peaceful breakfast quickly turned into a mad scramble to get to the training site on time. As my host mother and i rushed to the buses i failed to remember the recklessness of south american bus drivers. Consequently after stepping into the bus i was greeted with a quick burst of speed resulting in my quick fall to the ground right in front of a bus load of peruvians...talk about making a first impression in my town...After make disgraceful fall my host mom and i showed up to the training site 10 minutes late to the looks of...really...late on the first day...Well what can you do...as my host mom said i finally transitioned into the peruvian lifestyle of showing up late to all important things. Well i could go on about my last two days however i feel that they fail in comparison to my first day in yanacoto so i will end my first post right here.