I feel like a new person! I left the hospital last Saturday, and after a few days of rest, I was ready to roll! I finished up my last week of the kindergarten, which was definitely bitter sweet. I am excited to be doing more medical stuff, but I really did grow fond of the kids! I got in the habit of reading them stories every day after lunch. It was so much fun to have all the kids pile on top of me and reading them different fairy tails in Spanish.

These are the kids I worked with most of the time. Thy were the youngest group, so they ranged from 1.5-2 years old!

This is Maya. I know you aren't supposed to pick favorites, but she is my favorite.

These two little ones were always hugging! 

This week, another volunteer started at the kindergarten! Her name is Magdalena and she is from Sweden. She is here with her mother for three weeks. Her mother is a doctor who is volunteering at the hospital I start at tomorrow. We became quick friends and have explored the area together a few times! I have really enjoyed talking with Magdalena and her mother about life in Sweden, compared with life in Peru, compared to life in the US.

Me and Magdalena!

We decided to get dessert and a drink (Pisco Sour, a drink very popular in Peru) at a reastaurant in the Plaza de Amas.

On Thursday night, we went to an Irish Pub (I know, in Peru...), called Paddy's Irish Pub and had a beer from Cusco called Cusquena!

And some nachos :)

On Friday, after my last day at the kindergarten, Abdon drove Andrea, Irma, and I to their house in Urubamba. Urubamaba is a city about an hour and a half outside of Cusco. It is at a lower altitude, so it is a lot warmer. The drive there was incredible! I can't get over how beautiful this country is. There are speed bumps all along the roads here. I was sitting in the front so that I had a good view of the drive, but my job was also to look out for speed bumps, and say "ROMPE!" when I saw one, so that Abdon would slow down. It was an ongoing joke the whole trip, because I was too distracted by the scenery to notice the speed bumps, so I kept forgetting and Irma would yell "ROMPE!" from the back seat.

The drive to Urubamba!

There is a lookout point above Urubamba that we stopped at on our way into the city!

Abdon left the three of us there for a ladies night! As soon as Abdon left, Irma joked that we were going out tonight to find three handsome men! We walked to the plaza in Urubamba and along the way ran into a parade for the anniversary of one of the schools in the city. Then we went to a little restaurant and had some sandwiches. The restaurant was really more like a women's house where she would cook for you! We sat in her living room while she prepared our sandwiches and juice. And there, sitting at a table across from us, were four men. Irma whispered in my ear, "there are our men! Two for me and one for you and Andrea!" She is such a riot! We sat in the restaurant laughing and sharing stories and pictures.

This is the parade we saw!

Quite a crowed had gathered.

Andrea, Irma, and I at the restaurant.

Fresh squeezed orange juice!

Andrea is disabled, so she uses a wheelchair when we go out, and crutches in the house or for very short distances. I learned during our trip that night, how difficult it is for Andrea to get around cities in Peru. The roads and sidewalks are very bumpy and there are practically no accommodations for handicap people. As I pushed her wheelchair through the city, I was saddened by how uncomfortable the trip was for her, and how frustrating it was for her to do things I take for granted. We decided to take a motorcab home, which is like a motorcycle with a little cart attached for passengers. The three of us squeezed in the back with Andrea's wheelchair on our laps. We had a laughing fit about how cramped it was, and they thought it was hilarious when I tried to take a picture of the situation. 

The picture is dark, but this was the situation in the motorcab. That is the driver and the wheelchair is smushing us!

The next morning, we woke up and had breakfast. I sat in the sun for a little outside in their garden.

Abdon came back to take us on a long drive in the surrounding areas. It was absolutely stunning! We drove through this little town and Abdon saw these women selling "Chicha" , a drink made of corn that is special to Peru. He pulled over and talked with the people in the little town and had a drink with them.

We then went to this restaurant in the country for lunch. It is a restaurant that the family has been going to for years! Every time the family goes, they bring a piece of candy for the owner's son. While we waited for our food, we played a game where you try to toss a coin into this board, and each space is worth a different amount. Andrea kept score while Abdon, Irma and I played. It was hilarious because the board wasn't marked well with the point values, so Irma won, but we think Abdon was cheated out of some points. Irma, Andrea and I had a laughing fit about this when Abdon was in the bathroom.

This is the restaurant we went to.

This is the game we played! 

This is what I had for lunch.

That night, we returned to Cusco.

My host sister, Andrea, my host mom, Irma, and my host dad, Abdon!

Pictures from the drive home.

When we got home, Juan Diego (who is in grad school and had class that day so he couldn't come for the trip) and I made Pisco Sours for the family. We sat around drinking and listening to music together. It was a perfect end to a wonderful day!

Peluso, dancing to music with Juan Diego :)