jueves, 29 de abril de 2010

"He's not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy"

So, i finished my time teaching and thus also finfinshed my time with Projects Abroad in Peru, right. WRONG. I still had some time left; the reason that i only tought for two weeks was because the next week was Semana Santa. That means parties,processions and no school in Peru. Monday-Wednesday there was no school because all the teachers were attending a teacher training course in Cusco. Then they all have Thursday-Sunday off becuase it is a national holiday. So yeah. I didn't do any teaching. They had got another job for us to do during the time, which was to sort out all the teaching resources that they have in the office. It may sound pretty boring but we had a good time and we also a free lunch out of it on Monday because we had to go into Cusco after to watch a parade and meet up with the other vounteers so Tim, the director, bought all of us who live(d) in Pisac and Calca lunch. We went to the parade which was very interesting with lots of people and lots of bands and the occasional speech from a vicar in a church asking the statue that they were parading around not to distroy the place with earthquakes. (The statue was jesus and he was "our lord of the earthquakes" so it wasn't that weird) And Laerke was there! She came and met up with us and we wnet to the parade together.
Then we had some awesome times at the weekend. It all started on Good Friday. We had a TWELVE course lunch!!!!! Yes twelve. One for each Apostle. they are suposed to have it on Thursday to commemorate the last supper but most people have it on Friday because it is somehow easier. I'm guessing the twelve thing is because Jesus asked each apostle to bring a course and he would provide all the bread and wine that they would require. As you can well imagine, I was VERY full after 12 courses of Dina's delicious food. They didn't even scale the portions down; they just kept on coming. It must be a very important time for them because it is the only time in just over three months that i saw them say grace.

On saturday we had a rest; and ate the left-over cake that we made for "The Feast". Then in the evening they had a parade combined with a flower arranging competition. What happened was that they made carpets of flowers on the square and all along the parade route. Then they had the parade. It was Jesus in a glass coffin first and then the Virgin and the Magdalen after. The boys carried the boy and the girls carried the girls. My host family got involved in the parade properly. My host brother, Nilo, and my host dad, ... Nilo, both took a turn carrying the coffin. they also had the fire emgine and the rubbish truck in the square. I will explain why. At many point during the parade, the statues did a little bob up and down. At this point the people all crossed themselves and the vehicles all blew their horns and sounded their sirens. it made for a rather surreal experience.
The next day was Easter sunday proper. and if you were expecting chocolate eggs and little bunnies all over the place, you would have been dissappointed. None of that. Just an awesome chicken lunch. It was roasted with loads of herbs and sauces and Mustard smothered over it. It was GOOD. And that just about sums it up for Easter.
Next time.....
Maybe Machu Picchu!

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