Cuzco update, May 1, 2010

Hola Amigos,


I tried to update my blog a couple of days ago, and for some reason, it was erased! So, I'll try again today. I have to admit that I am speaking so much Spanish these days, that the words don't flow as well in English...

We have been in Peru for nearly 6 weeks now, and in Cuzco for the better part of the month. We finished our last day of two weeks of volunteering with Aldea Yanapay http://www.aldeayanapay.org/. This past week, I spent in the younger kids' gameroom, playing puzzle, Uno, and board games with kids ages 4-7. Sage and Rebecca were in the room with me. After games, we played "store" and "restaurant" in the courtyard. River spend most of his time in the artroom, making paper mache projects. Every Friday, there is a show in which the kids display art projects, present new learning, sing songs, etc. All in all, the project was a lot of fun. I admire the aim and work of the project: to provide a warm, fun and educational opportunity for kids in Cuzco. The project teaches values such as tolerance, respect, and non-violence. Most of the volunteers are other travelers which makes for a worthwhile service experience. The greatest part for me has been to see my kids connecting with other kids in meaningful, fun ways in Spanish!

We just returned from visiting and dining with Natalia, the Quechua friend of Rachel's here in the Cuzco area. She has a 4 year old son who played with River, Sage, Rebecca and Arlo. Natalia and her husband Alcides treated us to a delicious stew and we brought chocolate cake! It is really nice to spend time in someone's home and really see how they live, their interests and values, etc. I look forward to more such experiences in the second half of our stay.

We have enjoyed city life in Cuzco: the beautiful plazas, cathedrals and churches, cobble-stone streets and Incan stonework. We are used to crowded streets, exhaust, colorful vendors and too many street dogs. We are at ease in a crowded bus and even with crazy taxi drivers. Nonetheless, we are ready for a more tranquil spot, so tomorrow we leave for Pisac. We successfully negotiated a house rental for our family and Rachel and Paul's family. It is a quiet, secure spot and we're looking forward to the amenities of a home compared to a travel hostal! River and Sage are going to go to the Pisac Waldorf School (in Spanish). They will spend their mornings there. It looks to be a great opportunity. This will be the first time River and Sage, who have been homeschooled, will go to school daily. I think it will be fun and will give them the chance to learn Spanish and meet other kids. We'll give a full report once it begins!

Those of you who know my passion for yoga may wonder if I'm connecting with other yogis on the trip or teaching any asana. Actually, I am simply enjoying doing my own practices and considering parenting and doing volunteer work my seva (service). It feels more like a time for personal practice (sadhana) and less a time for teaching. Perhaps this will change as time goes on...

What I really enjoy is connecting with other people and seeing life from their perspective. Life is much more simple here in so ways. Smaller homes, less possessions, more ease. Even in the busy city, it still seems that life is more relaxed here. I hope I can absorb this and keep some of this relaxed attitude when I return home. I love, for example, that my kids don't have their rooms full of toys, so that they make do and play with what is available, like empty water bottles (they can either become swords, or pins for bowling!). Kids simply play in the streets here with whatever they can dream up: hide and seek, rhyming games, maybe an impromptu soccer game. Many people live in homes with only a few rooms. For example, Natalia whose home we just visited, is only two rooms: one bedroom and a kitchen. The bathroom is outside. I also love that our family has only the clothes, books and possessions that we brought. It is easy to keep track of it all, and I'm not missing cleaning my house in Olympia or maintaining the car!

Of course, one could also glamorize this simplicity, and I don't mean to do that either. There is a lot of poverty here: poor living conditions, limited opportunities, poor hygiene, nutrition, etc. There is education and work to be done to improve this, of course. And, there are many opportunities to get involved in service work, education, and more. This next month, Steve and Rachel's students will begin their independent projects which can involve research, volunteer work or internships. Even though I can't be in all places at once, I find it exciting to learn about al their different projects. I look forward to becoming involved in some local projects and the school in Pisac.

More adventures ahead, amigos!

Hasta luego!