well, here it is february already. a few of you have written and wondered where i was....sorry! i have had a busy january with some work and two friends here from EEUU. but now there is a vacation until march 1st, so i am in trujillo and now visiting my friend ramon's family with plans to head north to a beach called mancora, north of piura, for those of you with a map. i have the computer with me in an unobtrusive bag and a near library with me in my backpack. i have been busy writing up more classes, and trying to create a presentation about the project in sipascancha, but i didn't know with laptops you got a different type software package, so there is no power point! damn! and i am stil making a few more 'collars' (coyares) for the women in the village to help keep track of their cycles; it helps with the rhythm method of birth control. so lots of projects. i was telling ramon's mom this is the sort of job i need to stay self motivated about. with not really having a boss and things just being the way they are in sipascancha, so much is just up to me.

but with it all, i am lately overwhelmed with the poverty. my friends family really struggles and where they live, i am surrounded by it. sometimes it is like watching a movie and sometimes i feel like i am in the movie. so yes i wish i could help more...but all i really do is buy food and when his mother fires up the grill to make chicken dinners to sell, i wait on people and wash the dishes. my beingthere attracts abit of attention. in the part of town where they live, there is not a gringa for miles! and of course i play with the kids. there are 4 of them now, lets see, pierro, eduardo, emily and one other, and i can't remember his name. despite how they struggle, this is a family who all care for the kids. so they are fat and loved and really happy little guys.

so about the month. claudia and brigido came from astoria for a month long visit. we traveled quite a bit around the sacred valley and south to lake titicaca and then into bolivia. we tired claudia out! and she was sick. but there was time for everything: music, dancing, lots of buses, work, ruins, hikes, cervesa, rum, etc! and of course the not so great peruvian cuisine. i did get them to try ceviche but here it can be on the hot side...we got alot of photos, so when i return and get my internet connection, i will be able to download them from the apartment.

so i may add more while on the road but for now will close. its HOT here and i need to get in the fresh air a bit. i think i will get some ice cream and a cold coke and ask for a glass and a straw so i can have an ice cream soda...

later, love you all and of course still missss you!
Laur