Hello World! Hmmm…let’s see…well, really my life is kind of boring so I will try to pick something and make it into a real story with twists and turns and a grand finale. We harvested the crops in April and May (watch the video of harvesting barley). First you cut the barley stocks with a scythe and then you stamp on it to break the stocks and knock off as many seeds as possible. Next you beat the stocks to remove all the seeds and then you have to sort the broken bits of straw from the seeds. The farm work is super tiring and tough! I sometimes like the challenge and sometimes hate it because no one is their right mind really likes that kind of work for several hours. Let’s face it…I was never know for my incredible power and stamina in manual labor. I think every single one of my friends who has moved my things will agree. This month is fairly relaxed as the harvesting is done and then planting starts again in late August and continues through September. I envision long weeks of all day labor but it shouldn't be every day (please, right???).
My work life is actually progressing quite a bit. Everyone wants the classes at night, at preferably six o’clock, all of them, so at night I’ve been quite busy. I wish I could do more in the day partly to keep busy and also because it is freezing at night right now but it really isn’t how my town works. In my most exciting work related news, I have one single student for a youth entrepreneurship class which old me would be frustrated with but new me is glad the class has gone so well. We have finished 10 classes out of 14, and are finishing the rest this month. It is incredibly hard to get that type of commitment usually. I ask you dear American would you really show up for some random course 14 times in a row and write a ten page business plan? Maybe but I would guess most people anywhere wouldn’t. Another cool highlight is that I am starting to work after hours with the English professors of my school to improve their lesson plans, try to get away from translation focused activities and get the kids speaking and participating more. We just started our first class and they all showed up, even on time! As I have work and meetings in Arequipa city a few days this week, we are meeting next week again and I am really excited for that. I also have been doing some business consulting for a gentleman that produces small farming equipment and he has been experiencing some direct benefits from our work already! I really feel like the work has been picking up, as Peace Corps always tells us it will. I am ready to knock out another year and see what we can get done J
