Trabajadora del Campo

uummmm...I think someone forgot to tell the Sun that it is supposed to heat things up here on Earth

As I re-read my last post I can hardly believe I forgot to mention the absolutely frigid conditions I found myself in when I arrived in Tulsa.  As we landed, the pilot in his closing of the flight commentary, mentions that it is 22 degrees...yes my friends 22 degrees.  I can imagine that many of you are laughing at me and thinking "what do you expect, it IS winter," but winter where I am from (as of late) is no colder than 65 degrees (and that is only a couple of nights a year).  Thankfully my father and my brother were also cold and ready to get back in the car and hit the road.  Thank goodness for HEATERS!

After some great time with my family in Knoxville and Fayetteville, I headed to Little Rock, AR.  There I caught up with an old friend from ECHO.  She introduced me to her 5 month old son and her husband.  It was such a wonderful time to catch up and to enjoy being outside (all bundled up, of course) and even getting a chance to see Santa. 

 

From Little Rock I headed to Starkville, Mississippi.  It was my first time really driving through Mississippi, besides the little bit along I-10.  Although winter was upon the landscape, the beauty of the countryside passed pleasantly by me as I drove.  In Starkville I stayed with another friend from ECHO.  We had been interns together in 2003 and have remained good friends since then.  Since being in Peru my friend has married and I had the pleasure of meeting her husband.  Our time was filled with good conversation, games, movies and great food. 

 

From Mississippi I headed back to Florida.  13 or so hours later I arrived in Fort Myers, where I will spend the holidays.  In the New Year I will head north again and then head west.  I am like a migrating bird who had lost track of the seasons.  Lets hope this bird will find good traveling weather and clear roads for the next leg of her journey.

Arkansas

After a non-eventful flight I arrived in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where my father and my brother were waiting in what is now my car.  So as silly as backwards as it sounds, I flew to Tulsa, so that we could drive to Knoxville, Arkansas where my aunt and my grandma live and do a car exchange with my dad.  You see I am buying my mom's car and my mom and dad are buying my grandma's car, thus a reunion in Arkansas!!!  It has worked out very well, being able to get some wheels and see my aunt, my grandma, my other aunt and uncle, my dad, my brother and my cousin and her family. 

Tomorrow I am headed to Little Rock.

Back in the USA

I'm back!  Sweet deal, no?! Well I hope that now I am back stateside to be able to update my blog a little more frequently, especially as I make my way once again across the states from Florida to California.  My adventures will begin on Tuesday as I travel to Arkansas (by plane) and then back again to Florida (by car).  I will rest a couple weeks in Florida and then head north to what is now becoming a wintery wonderland.  I have not really ever experienced winter driving, so as you can see an adventure is definantly in store.  For now I am enjoying balming 80 something degrees here in Fort Myers (as you can see I am living it up (me, Bill, Mary Ann, Pat, and Jim)).

Misión TEC Video

Recently, Misión TEC put together a brief video to illustrate some of the things they are doing.  And since I have the privilege to work with them, much of what you'll see I participate in some way. You can view the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SErqGe00Sy4

In other news, life is moving along at its rapid pace once again.  I can hardly believe that it is the end of September and that I have just over 2 months left in Peru.  Some things are starting to fall into place for my return home.  Yet I still have a few things to iron out and soon I hope to share with everyone what is next.  In that same vein of thought, I will also be looking for a job (yeah job searching!). I do not have a clue as to what I want to do next, but if you stumble across anything that has "Rachel" written all over it, feel free to send it along.  For a couple of months I should be fine without a job, but after that, well, I'll need to start fending for myself.  You can only mooch for so long before others catch on (okay I am kidding, I can probably mooch for a couple months longer than that (hehe)).   

As much as I am looking forward to seeing everyone on stateside, I am still here in Peru.  For me it is very important that I remain focused here and on the things that God still has for me in this time.  I am excited about being able to participate in Club de Chicas, teaching another workshop for mothers of the community, another agriculture class and other things in between.  And in that light, 2 months seems like too little time.  We are each given moments, long or short, to make the best of.  That is my goal, for the Glory of the King.

Team Rock Harbor

As some of you know, last week I was very busy.  I had the pleasure to be the teams coordinator for a work team from Southern California (Can I get a shout out!).  The team was from a church called Rock Harbor.  It was a very full time and I am still recovering from the long days of work and talking/translating.  I think my mind is still trying to unscramble the English and Spanish words that are running loose in my head!  However it was all totally worth it to allow this group the opportunity to connect their lives with those who live here in Pucallpa, Peru.  Through work and play, each day the members of the team were drawn closer into the family that is La Perla (one of the communities that FH supports).  The team created a webpage to cover their experience and to share what they saw through the lens of  a camera.  I would encourage you to check out their site welovelaperla.wordpress.com.  I have selected a few photos from their week here.  After spending a week with them, I feel as I have made some friends for life.  I look forward to seeing them again once I am in California.

the team's fearless leaders Stephen and Jenn

Kim

Pam (my roomie for the week)

Jason

Alfred

Cristi

and Katie!

And here I am bossing the team around!

New News

I finally have finished another newsletter!  Yeah! Here it is http://rachelcohen.typepad.com/newsletters/August2009.pdf.
Enjoy.

Nasca to Paracas

Recently I was able to take a short holiday.  A friend and I traveled to Nasca by bus to start our vacation.  Nasca is most famous for the Nasca Lines.  No one has any idea why the lines where created by the Nasca people thousands of years ago (before the Incans became prominent here).  To view the lines best you have to fly over them.  My friend and I, being the ever budget travelers, found that you could see 2 of the forms from a tower not far from town.

the Tree

the Hands

From the tower we went to visit a ceramic workshop that has been in one family for generations.  What made this workshop different from your everyday ceramics is that the family was replicating the style, technique and artistry of the Nasca people.  Through research and examination of the pieces found in archaeological sites, the family has been able to recreate beautiful pottery using only local materials.  Our guide, also the son of the man who started this workshop, was an incredible storyteller and demonstrater of his art.

From Nasca we took a collectivo (a car that carries several passengers) Ica/Huancachina.  We had originally planned on taking the bus, but as is common here, there was another strike.  This time the bus drivers were striking and thus no bus were running.

We arrived in Ica and then 10 minutes later we were in Huancachina.  Ica is a larger city on the coast of Peru that was in newspaper headlines 2 years ago when Peruvian coast was shaken by a large earthquake.  Rumble was still displaced along some of the roads we traveled, but life has continued and repairs and new building constructed.  Huacachina is a small oasis inland of Ica, nestled among incredible sand dunes.  Here we embarked upon dune buggying, sand boarding, and steep hikes up theses amazing sand mountains.

 

 

 

 

 

We also had to opportunity to visit a local winery where they made the famous Pisco of Peru and a sweet red wine.  Each year in February/March they harvest the grapes and then press them by feet and a large wooden hand press.  From there it is "cooked" and then distilled.  To store the liquid is placed in clay pots.  These pots are very old and are not fabricated anymore.  Our guide told us that many wineries not only faced structural damage after the earthquake, but also damage to these ancient pots.

 

 

From Ica we headed to the coast to a city called Paracas.  Paracas is well known for the Ballestas Islands.  One of the reasons the islands are so well known is for it's guano.  The bird guano is a very potent fertilizer and it is collected and sold to the agriculturalist around the world.  Another reason these islands are so famous...and why I wanted to go...is that they home to Penguins!

 

 

After our trip to the islands we had a few hours to kill before out bus left for Lima.  We decided to visit the National Reserve of Paracas.  At first glance the reserve seems barren, unfriendly and absolutely boring.  But my friend and I were surprised by how beautiful and diverse a place it turned out to be.  We could have spent all day there!

Truly there are Chilean Flamingos in this picture!  They migrate to the Paracas Reserve in June and July every year.

 

 

sand from the red sand beach

From the Mouths of Tigers

Girl's Club (ages 12-15): a Day at the Zoo

Exploring the Creativity of Home Gardening and using whatever materials on had to make a fence

"Prince" Cali in his throne

Life Recently

Cali as per usual sleeping the day away on Emma's Bed.

Girl's Club Girls.

Sunset on the Lake Yarinacocha.

Spectacular!

Celebrating with my little friend Cael on his 1st Birthday.

The Ag Class learning about the tractor.

HELLO 30s