Day 3

So the International womans Day celebration was really interesting. We were presented with a slide of all the outstanding Peruvian woman through the years, and then a group of three artisans did a truly eye opening presentation. They told us about their dreams when they were young, of going to school and becoming nurses and lawyers, and how they had to give them up and work for the family in order for their parents to be able to afford raising the rest of the family. It is weird to think that they have so little options, while I could decide what I want to do, find scholarships, and take student loans and go in which ever direction I choose. These woman gave up so much, yet are able to be happy raising their family and selling their creations.

Every day i step outside and am astounded by the mountains surrounding us. It feels like they are not even real- like a painting surrounding us. Its truly incredible.

[Tina & Myself midway through stove 2]->

My group for the projects started off with the wood stoves today, and I am proud to say that Tina and I finished 2, where as everyone else only completed one. I know its not a race, but it is a good feeling after being ill yesterday, and worrying i would not be able to keep up with everyone else.
The families we are working with are so kind, and we've found the easiest way to get around the awkward confusions with language is to laugh about it. The idea of the project is to work with the families, not just put the stoves in their homes. They helped us a great deal with the burro (a mud glue sorta thing that cements the stove together), filling the buckets as needed and getting us water. In the first house they had to carve out part of the wall so the chimney would go up straight and lead the smoke out properly. It is difficult work, but we're all so caught up in making the stoves properly, so that they can be as efficient and well working as possible we hardly notice the time and effort we apply.

[mostly finished stove 2 w/ family]->

Tomorrow we're back to the village to put in more stoves, and after we have a hike to the Chicon glacier. I'm thinking I won't have a chance to update tomorrow, but next chance I have, I will.