These two towns are reached by a 14-hour overnight bus ride from Lima through the Andes mountains. Chalhuanca, the larger of the towns, is the service home of Connor. Connor split his service work between teaching English at a local school and working in a medical laboratory at the local hospital. However, a nationwide teacher’s strike in July meant that he didn’t get to teach English during his last weeks of service. A 30-minute taxi ride from Chalhuanca is Caraybamba, a small Quechua village with the distinction of being surrounded by an extensive network of some of the oldest terraces (pre-Incan) in Peru. Hans does his service assignment here, working with his family in their farming plot as well as teaching English at the local school.
[Some photos supplied by Connor and Hans.]
A view of Chalhuanca from the top of the mountain near Connor’s house.With his host brother Erick.With Erick, host mom Lidia, and Xiomary.Connor says his host sister is the cutest kid every.Connor works in the laboratory at the Chalhuanca hospital.Connor runs tests on urine, blood, and stool samples, as well as drawing blood and doing other tests.Hot on the trail of some devious parasites.With his supervisor in the lab.Maria gets her hemoglobin levels checked by a pro.This little patient doesn’t care that Connor is a pro. She is not amused.The school where Connor teaches English.One of his classrooms.An earlier picture with a group of students at the school.Connor says: “During the first week I got to join the queen of Chalhuanca on top of her float and parade around the entire town of Chalhuanca. Probably my best story from service.”The village of Caraybamba, at 10,800 feet, during the rainy season.The steamy dish is a dessert made from the corn starch of purple corn and a local fruit.Hans plays a lot of chess with his host sisters. Connor comes to try his luck.The school where Hans teaches English.With some of the teachers and students at the school.An earlier picture with some of the students from his school.Hans walks home through the Caraybamba streets with his host sister Meyley.Hans host dad said a part of this flying insect is a delicacy.You can take the boys out of the playground, but not the playground out of the boys.Hans with his host family, including dad Adolfo and mom Silvestra, and host sisters Mayley and Charmely.Eating the trout he caught with a friend.Hans helped his dad make adobe bricks.
