An End to Two Beautiful Years

I spent my last week in Huallanca saying goodbye to everyone and participating in the festivities of Peru’s independence day. Every year from July 27-August 2, Huallance celebrates Peru’s independence day (July 28^th) with huayno concerts, orquestra bands that literally don’t stop playing music in the streets for 5 days straight, four days of bull fights, a running of the bulls event (bulls are released into the streets and people run for their lives or hide behind things), marching, fireworks, and non-stop drinking and partying. Literally for five days straight! So I got to be a part of the madness during my last week and enjoy some fun in Huallanca as I said my goodbyes.  

We got to watch a reenactment of the Incas at some nearby ruins:

 At one of the weeks many concerts:

And the famous and immensly bull fights: (it's literally all people can think about and talk about during the week)

The bull fight is so popular that the arena gets way too packed and many people have to sit outside to watch from the hill.

Something that was really cool for me was getting to march with one of the schools that I work with. Every year for Peru’s independence day, each city and town holds a march in which each school and governmental institute march. The school where I facilitated the library project asked me to march with them as a teacher. I was scared at first and felt weird about it because the way they march is basically just like Hitler or like a communist and in the US we just don’t have that tradition. But then I realized that it was an honor that they had asked me to march with them so I agreed. And I can honestly say that marching with them in front of the entire town was one of my proudest moments in Huallanca!

 

And then of course right before I was about to start marching, I stepped in a huge pile of dog poop in the middle of the street.

Trying to clean it off with a stick

Marching!

One of my proudest moments in Huallanca. Everyone was cheering for me and calling my name, proud to see the gringa participate in a Peruvian tradition.

Finishing up with a very happy heart

On a different note something that was a bit traumatizing occurred during the running of the bulls event. A bull rammed into a man, inserting one of its horns into his stomach, lifting the man up, shaking him around in the air, and then slamming him onto the ground. The bull opened up the muscle tissue on the man’s leg, and literally tore his guts out of his stomach. And horrifically, the event organizers had no ambulance or doctors ready, so the man just laid in the street to his death. Come to find out, the doctors were on vacation that day, and the ambulance was out of town. I don’t know why I was surprised though since this kind of lack of planning and security stuff happens all the time in Peru. I was horrified about what happened to the poor man, but the Peruvians were more entertained and concerned about the man who ran streaking through the streets when they released the bulls. The rumor is that Huallanca's alcalde paid the man big money to go streaking during the event to ruin it because he was jealous that it wasn't his event.

"El calato", the streaker.

Now I have bid all my farewells to all my loved ones and community counterparts in Huallanca. I am currently in Lima, and I fly out of Peru tonight. It feels surreal. Mostly I can’t believe that my two years in Peru have come to an end. When I first started my service, two years seemed daunting. It felt like I would be in Peru forever and I was terrified. Then I got accustomed to life in Huallanca, formed great relationships with the local people, and got really into my work. And I became terrified to leave Peru and some days I didn’t want the two years to ever end….yet other days I was still cursing Huallanca and saying to myself “I can’t wait to get out of this place”. But I have come to the conclusion that my two years in Peru were the most amazing years of my life and the wildest emotional roller coaster ride that I ever dared to step foot on. I made some amazing memories, and had countless unforgettable experiences. I lived my two years to the fullest and I don’t regret a moment. And now it’s my time to go home and to begin my next chapter in life.  

Saying goodbye to the kids at the kindergarten.

I loved working with them because they were so sweet and loving. I was greeting by a giant group hug every day that I showed up at the kindergarten.

Our end of the year party for our youth sexual health promoters

Saying goodbye to my goddaughter and her family

Saying goodbye to my sweet girl Sunmy.

Saying goodbye to one of my good friends in site, Marleney

One last goodbye to my goddaughter and her family

My Araceli is so special to me

One of my students mom from the library gave me a guinea pig as a thank you gift!  I immediatley took it to my friend's restaruant and we cooked it and ate it. Here we are in my friend's restaurant.

Eating our fried guinea pig. This is one of my closest friends in Huallanca  who owns a restaurant and is a teachers. She is great!

Saying goodbye to the nurse at the health center that I spent a lot of time working with.

Our family photo. This is my Peruvian family. I love them so much and care about them immensly.

Saying goodbye to my sitemate Tyler was very sad. He has been like a brother to me during these past 2 years and surviving in Huallanca without him would have been difficult!

The part of my work that I will miss the most, working with  my kids in the library

 After two years in the Peace Corps, I feel more confident in who I am and what I want in life and in my abilities. I literally feel like I can do anything now. I now know that I can take nothing and turn it into something amazing. These two years were not easy, but I not only made it through, I thrived. I am so thankful for my two years in Peru and for everything that I learned in the process. Two years ago I joined the Peace Corps and moved to Peru to change the world. But in reality, the Peruvians were the ones who changed my life for the better.

Thank you for an amazing two years Huallanca!

Huayhuash Trek

Get prepared for a ton of photos because I just did on of the most beautiful mountain treks in the world.

During the third week of July I hike the Huayhuash trek (pronounced why-wash). Most people do the trek between 8-10 days.

We were able to hike it in 8 days. The Huayhuash trek is a world famous trek and is known as one of the most beautiful mountain treks out there. People come from all over the world to hike Huayhuash and now I understand why! The trek starts from a town about two hours from Huallanca in a small town called “Chiquian” where a fellow Peace Corps Volunteer and my good friend Leland has been living and serving for the past two years.

 I hiked Huayhuash with 6 other Peace Corps lady friends-people that I have been with for the past two years in Peru! We have been stationed in all different parts of Peru for our service. It was so fun to come together and hike Huayhuash together. It was the perfect ending to an unforgettable two years in Peru! 

We went with a guide who is a very sweet man and a friend of Leland’s that she has known for the past two years in Chiquian. He has taken many Peace Corps Volunteers as well as hundreds of other tourists from all over the world. He grew up in the Huayhuash mountain range and even met his wife there while they were both grazing their animals. He has many countless stories of being in the area and of all the tours that he has done. Paying a tour guide included all of our meals (he was a great cook!), and donkeys who carried all of our gear. All we had to carry was a day pack which was a big relief. All the other hikes and treks that I have done over the past two years, we have always carried our own gear and food and it’s MUCH more tiring to hike with all that gear on your back. So I was quite relieved and thankful to our cute little donkeys! 

The trek had some days that were easier and other days that were long and difficult. We went over at least 1-2 passes each day besides one. At night it got very cold and even snowed one night. We had two days of rain, which was not fun because it blocked out view of the mountains and lakes. And hiking in the rain and freezing cold weather is never fun. But we had an amazing time! How could you not with an awesome group of 7 ladies that you have known and shared adventures with in Peru for the past two years :-)

We got to see beautiful snowcapped mountains and blue/green lakes every day. The camp site on day 4 even had pools of natural hot springs which felt great after 4 long days of hiking and being in the cold.

My favorite part was all the stunning sites, seeing the adorable donkeys, enjoying the company and stories from our guides, and the chats that we would have every night around the dinner table. Every night after dinner we would sit in our “dining room” tent and sip tea together, play games, and chat about everything and anything having to do with Peruvian culture, our experiences over the past two years in Peru, what we love about Peru, and also things that were difficult or that we had a hard time with about the Peruvian culture. It was the perfect reflection time. It will difficult if not impossible to have conversations with people face to face in the US who know Peru very well and have had similar experiences as me. I love my Peace Corps friends but we all live in different parts all over the US so I won’t get to see them very often. I will keep in touch with many via the phone and internet and some of them will be my friend for life. I am thankful to have had such a great reflection time at the end of my service. Like I said, it was the perfect end to an amazing and unforgettable two years!



Our campsite on the first night

Our campsite on the second night

AMAZING

Unfortunately, we had this view on one of our rainy days, so it wasn't very clear. But regardless, it was so stunning!!

Taking a lunch break while on the trail

Hiking in the rain

Our campsite on the 3rd night



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Go little donkeys go! They are so cute and strong.

Our amazing guide, Yoder.

Our campsite on the 4th day. All our stuff got wet from the first two days of rain. We were so relieved to have sun on the 4th day and to be able to dry out our stuff!

Our "dining room" that they set up for each day for meals.

Taking a break on one of the hardest days.

At the pass on the 5th day. So beautiful!

Taking a much needed break.

The most beatiful I have seen in my life.

Vicuña spotting!



Our campsite on the second to last night

The donkeys enjoying their salty treat

One of my friends had a sick stomach and had to ride the horse for half a day

At another pass

Incredible

My best Peace Corps friend, Emily, and I.



Our campsite for the last night

The sunset on our last night. What a treat!

Enjoying the sunset and trying to stay warm

Finished! Yay!

This trip was so special and something that I will remember for the rest of my life. My heart was filled with joy, nature, and reflection of the past two years in Peru.