Canine Fashionista

As one can see by the canine representative, it is easy to live a posh and decadent life in Cusco.

This morning I enjoyed a late breakfast in a rather famed Swiss restaurant, Granja Heidi ('Heidi's Orchard-Farm'). I sat in a window balcony surrounded by geraniums (the geraniums here are more like geranium trees - they are so healthy), in a light filled adobe room. Breakfast: muesli (like mom makes it), fresh orange juice, coffee, and a chocolate-filled croissant. For $4.00 U.S. Sweet.

I have joined up on a new project now, so I am working with my kids at the clinic in the morning, and then on afternoons I don't already have Spanish class, I am working at a safehouse for girls ages 13-17 who used to be prostitutes (primarily it seems because their parents needed more money for the family). The girls are truly like typical rambuncious teenagers who want to know all the details about boyfriends and jewelry and makeup. We are teaching them English and mostly just hanging out with them. I am thinking about creating a little art studio for them to take part in while I am here, but I think I will wait until after Christmas because right now is prime craft making time - every time we go to their house we are bombarded with frightening foam angels, candles, wreaths, and other extremely cheesy Christmas decorations, all for sale.

Joel, my child project from the clinic - the one I have been helping learn to walk - has been silent since he first came to the clinic a few months ago. He doesn't make any sounds, he rarely smiles, and he hardly makes eye contact with anyone, and he also doesn't reach out to people, mostly he just looks serious and bored. Friday, after spending the morning playing with him and practicing walking, I put Joel in bed for a nap, turned away, and he started playing with his toys and making sounds! The first time in three weeks! Today was a big annual party at the clinic with music and dancing, and when I arrived at the clinic, Joel zipped up to me in his wheelchair and patted my leg to get my attention. Whoa. I took him out of his chair (I refuse to let him use it when I am there) and we spent three solid hours playing outside - truly groundbreaking play in my book. He is learning the concept of jumping, so we played a lot of jumping games (huge for a kid who just started walking about two weeks ago), and he also spent most of his time giggling loudly, smiling, and making eye contact with me and the other volunteers. When he was tired, I would hold him in my arms and he would wrap his arms around my neck and hug me hard, and sometimes he would just lay his cheek against mine and we would watch the dancing together. What an incredible difference in this child in such a short amount of time! I might see if he can fit in my backpack come February.

Tonight is a big concert at the Jardin de Cerveza (Garden of Beer). Grupo Cinco is the biggest music craze in Cusco at the moment, and they are playing tonight for about $5. Jana and I are debating our attendance as tomorrow we are going river rafting! At 9am we are heading out to the Urubamba River for a day of rafting with four other girl friends. The woman at the tour guide office signed me up for an XL wetsuit but quickly said it wasn't because I was big, it was because I was tall. I will also mention that when I was riding in a taxi yesterday, in the front seat (the taxistas require you to wear a seatbelt if you sit in the front seat, whereas there are no seatbelts in the backseat...), I had to put the seatbelt on but it was locked in the fully unfurled position. I had a hard time getting it on because I had a backpack on and a raincoat, and the woman riding with me said I was too big. I quickly corrected her: no grande, alta! I am not big, I am tall!