Thursday, March 6, 2014

Home Away From Home


Post by Amelia Hall and Lindy Disman

The last few days have been a whirlwind of new experiences. We were both a little nervous about our homestay, but it has turned out to be one of the most rewarding parts of this trip. The generosity and hospitality of our family is so much more than we could have ever imagined. The second we came into their house which is on the Calle de Cien Ventanas we were greeted by the Latin kiss on the cheek from each of the family members (minus the eight month baby Lucenia), a three year old boy named Valentino, a nineteen year old daughter named Shura, Celestino the dad, and the ever-loving mother Anita. They have welcomed us with open arms, and we now know the truth behind “Latins show their love through food.” We are happy to now call them our “familia.”

Besides adjusting to the homestay our group has been doing a variety of activities around Ollantaytambo. For example, we have been doing service work in the mornings at the local school where we helped move 2,000 concrete blocks for the wall we are helping to build. We have also been going on different excursions, and this morning we were able to go to the Weaving Community in Patacancha. There were women of all ages, hand weaving all types of different patterns that would later become an array of wallets, tapestries, bracelets, scarves, belts, and hats. All their work is intricate, and takes hours to make. The whole group relished the unique experience. 

We don’t ever want to leave Peru!

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