This past monday my host dad, sister and I decided to go to Ayabaca, a small city high in the Piuran sierra so that I could conocer/see the regional capital for the first time since arriving in Sicchez. Although I knew that the climb to Ayabaca would be strenuous, I had no idea that it would be 5 hours of military style marching with limited breaks. After about 3 hours of hiking the Peruvian Mount Everest, I thought my heart was going to beat itself right out of my chest. Moreover, delirium took over the last part of the hike as I started to imagine Ayabaca as a Peruvian Mecca, complete with fountains of gatorade and an endless assortment of food. Obviously both cant be found in the Piuran sierra no matter how far globalization has come...However, thankfully our journey up the mountain came to and end 5 hours later in the form of a magical mototaxi that brought us to the center of the city (Plaza de Armas). Upon reaching the Plaza de Armas I found the nearest bench and began to count my blessings (during my delirium I would find myself dangerously close to walking off the edge of the trail...which would have consequently resulted in one less PC volunteer in Sicchez). After regaining my senses my host dad informed me that we would be going to visit his brother in the Peruvian jail in Ayabaca. Although many people would take a pass on entering a jail (be it foreign), I thought it would be a great story to tell, not only in my blog, but also to my kids and grandkids (I mean how many people can say they have visited a foreign jail). After walking another painful twenty minutes (at this time my feet felt like the were going through the wood grinder like in the movie Fargo) we finally reached the prison, whereupon we knocked on this big metal door, which reminded me of the giant gate in the Wizard of Oz. As a result of which a Peruvian prison guard opened a small hatch to enquire the reason (especially my reason) for us being at the gate. After informing them that we came to see one of thier inmates and that I was not hopped up on drugs, they allowed us to enter the premises. Although I was a bit scared (my only knowledge of prisons in Peru comes from Locked Up Abroad and in the episode I watched they showed the notorious prison in Lima, where stabbings and murders are more common place than my bowel problems...) all my worries vanished when I realized that this particular prison had to have been constructed for the Martha Stewarts of Peru. Not only did the inmates not have to wear uniforms but they also were allowed to hang out freely with the guards and host cock fighting matches in the yard. In fact, my first experience watching two male chickens fight was in this particular prison! Following the cock bloodbath (no cock died, however there was definitely some blood spilled), I offered to take my family to a restaurant where I suggested that they order whatever thier hearts desired...Although I though this would not be noteworthy event, my sister´s mannerisms made me realize how sheltered she really is from the urban world. In fact, upon arriving to the restaurant my sister would not walk in the door. Whether it be from the embarrassment or fear she just would not enter. I actually had to give her a gentle push and some words of encouragment to get her to enter the restaurant. Although I am not sure what caused this change of character (she is always extremely loud at my house especially among her friends) it did trigger a realization that this could have been her first restaurant experience (there are no ´real restaurants´- only houses that serve food as a side income- in our town). While I hope this was not the case, her reaction made me realize how truly blessed I am because there are so many people in the world who have never gone to a restaurant and been able to choose what they wanted to eat...Oh how truly blessed I am to have beenn born in the first world and to a set of parents that have always been able to provide for me...probably too much in some instances...
Well until the next blog (or I should say until I get internet again...internet in my site is as hard to come by as a day without soup in my family...) I wish everyone the best and I would like to send an early birthday wish to my old roommate Brett "Big Country" Jackson...Happy birthday Hank...
Well until the next blog (or I should say until I get internet again...internet in my site is as hard to come by as a day without soup in my family...) I wish everyone the best and I would like to send an early birthday wish to my old roommate Brett "Big Country" Jackson...Happy birthday Hank...
