Hola Peru!

Well, after spending eight hours in the Lima Airport, we arrived in Arequipa, Peru at around 6:00 a.m. last Sunday morning. Arequipa is a beautiful city of around one million people nestled ina valley surrounded by snow peaked mountain guardians. We met the country director Carla and headed for our beautiful hostel Casa de Avila to rest up. This entire week we have been taking Spanish classes and taking it easy in Arequipa. The food at the hostel is amazing and is prepared by Felipe, a tiny older man whose kindness is expressed through the food he prepares for us each day. Arequipa has historically been a very wealthy part of Peru and has numerous buildings made of white stone brought from the volcanoes. Further, the cathedral in the plaza is breathtaking and is considered to be one of the most beautiful (on the outside) in South America, pictures to follow. Also, I must mention, there are some incredibly gorgeous women here but no, I have not met any yet :). It has been nice to rejuvenate this week but I am ready to start teaching again. We will be teaching in a community outside of Chivay. The altitude is quite high (3700 meters) as we are at the beginning portions of the Colca Canyon, twice as deep as the Grand Canyon by the way! We will be teaching in a project that has just started and it is an exciting time! The state has basically passed this school off and given up on funding it, so, that is where GVI comes in. Also, we will have the chance to teach in a school even higher in elevation than the one near Chivay. It is called Ampi and is located 4800 meters above sea level, or around 15,000 feet! Crazy huh? Off to do some biking tomorrow and then we'll head off to Chivay on Sunday. Also, one of my best buddies, Ryan Jobe, is coming to see me starting on Tuesday in Chivay. Can't wait to see him and hike through the Colca Canyon with him next weekend!