Blog numero veinte.

Ayer Miguel y yo intentamos a enseñar nutrición y primeros auxilios otra vez, pero no tuvimos alumnos otra vez.

Por eso estoy triste.  Yo quiero enseñar.  Yo tengo información importante, y también lecciones completado con interacción y participación.  Tengo espacio, marcadores, sillas, 2 mesas, té, y llevamos nuestros mandils medical.  Solamente nos faltaban alumnos.

Entonces, estaba recordado que la cosa mas importante por un taller es estudiantes.  Si tiene el mejor plan sin estudiwntes tiene nada.

En consecuencia Miguel y yo estamos pensando en como podemos atraer alumnos.  Vamos a cambiar el día por domingo.   Vamos a publicar nuestro clase por facebook.  Voy a invitar mis amigos, mi familia, los otros voluntarios, los doctores, los enfermeras.  Todo el mundo.

Yo querría enseñar.

Yo quiero enseñar.

Tal vez voy a prometer comida.  Cada clase con comida sana.  :)

Ok, hay mas en mi vida.  Miguel y yo vamos a tener un trek por un sitio arqueologico se llama Choquequirao.  Mas grande y mas rural que machu picchu, tendremos 4 días por este trek.  Después sus padres van a llegar el 19.  Todavía estamos planeado.... Voy a escribir mas cuando yo se mas.  Seguramente vamos a lago titicaca, puño, Arequipa, y tal vez Nazca.

Con la escuela Yanapay tendremos una grande festival de arte.,  Miguel y yo estamos con la misma familia.  Cada familia tiene un proyecto para mejorar Cusco.  Nuestro proyecto es para cambia las mentes de los cuzqueños.  Queremos pedir infraestructura para hacer manejando bicicletas mas popular en la cuidad. Vamos a grabar entrevistas de los niños, tomar photos, hacer  peticiones, enseñar como arreglar bicicletas, y crear un club de los bicis por la gente.

Tenemos trabajo.

Trabajo bueno.

Hasta luego

Amor/amen siempre.

Stewart

------------------------------------------------------------


Blog number twenty.

Yesterday Michael and I tried to teach nutrition and first aid again, but we had no students again.

So I'm sad. I want to teach. I have information important, completed lessons with interaction and participation. I have space, markers, chairs, 2 tables, tea, and we wore our medical coats. We were only missing students.

So, I was reminded that the most important thing for a workshop is students. If you have the best plan without students you have nothing.

Consequently Miguel and I are thinking about how we can attract students. We will change the day to Sunday. We will publish our class facebook. I will invite my friends, my family, the other volunteers, doctors, nurses. Everyone.

I would like to teach.

I want to teach.

Maybe I'll promise food. Each class with healthy food. :)

Ok, there is more in my life. Michael and I are going to have a trek through an archaeological site called Choquequirao. Larger and more rural than machu picchu, we will have 4 days for this trek. After his parents are going to get the 19. We are still planing.... I'll write more when I know more. Probably going to Lake Titicaca, Puno, Arequipa, and maybe Nazca.

With Yanapay school will have a large art festival.  Michael and I are in the same family. Every family has a project to improve Cusco. Our project is to change the minds of Cuzco. We ask infrastructure to make riding bicycles more popular in the city. We're going to record interviews of children, take photos, make petitions, teach how to fix bikes, and create a bike club for the people.

We have work

Good work.

Goodbye

Love / love .
Forever.

Stewart

Blog numero diez y ocho.

Yo pienso.  Tal vez.



En la semana pasada yo empecé mi trabajo como el director de salud pública de Aldea Yanapay.  Tenia mucho estrés y yo no era muy divertido.

Nosotros abrimos "la casa cultural," donde los adultos pueden ir para aprender nuevas habilidades.  Es como un "centro de la comunidad" en los estados.  Hay clases de portugese, inglés, percusion, dibujando, y salud.  Porque era la primera semana no había mucho alumnos, pero mis clases eran casi lleno (hasta sábado....)

Por la casa cultural yo tengo un calendario muy....difícil.

Cada lunes, miércoles y viernes yo tengo un clase de baile.  Casa mates y jueves enseñó ingles.  Cada sábado y voy a enseñar nutrición, primeros auxilios, y salud reproductivo.  Porque la casa acaba de abrir, hay muchas cosas en mi calendario que son mas difícil que deben ser.  Por ejemplo.

 No hay internet en la casa cultural.  Yo no tengo un laptop, solamente un tablet.  Usualmente este no es un problema, pero sin internet mi vida era una pesadilla.  Era casi imposible a descargar canciones y videos para enseñar mis alumnos.  Por dos días yo luché con el internet en mi casa para aprender como descargar canciones (estoy un poco avergonzado por eso...pero no estoy tan inteligente con el internet.  :)  ). Por fin miércoles pude descargar sin preocupación.

Yo trabajé mucho la semana pasada para preparar mis lecciones de nutrición y primeros auxilios, pero el sábado yo no tenia alumnos!  Que triste.  Entonces, voy a usar este semana para preparar mas lecciones.  No te preocupes, voy a decirte mis planes.

La otra cosa muy emocionante es con Yanapay nuestrs tema de la semana es "proyectos para mejorar Cusco!"  Migiel y yo vamos a trabajar con la cultura de bicicletas.  :)  nuestro presentación a la ciudad de Cusco es el 14 y 15 de deciembre, entonces tenemos solamente 8 días para trabajar!  Eeek!  Vamos a presentar a 8000 cuzqueños!

Ahora Miguel y yo estamos trabajando con planes de viajes, voy  a decirte los cuando son ciertos.

Ahora, las cosas mas grande para mi son
1) escribiendo mis lecciones
2) escribiendo nuestro articulo de investigación
3) escribiendo un articulo sobre Yanapay
4) planeando los viajes con los padres de miguel (ellos van a llegar el 24 de deciembre!)
5) yo querria comprar un a camera DSLR.  Si alguien tiene sugerencias o una camera que quiere vender, digame!

Amor/amen,

Siempre

Stewart

----------------------------------------------------------


Blog number eighteen.

I think. Maybe.



Last week I began my work as the director of public health Yanapay Village. I was stressed out and was not very fun.

We opened "the cultural center," where adults can go to learn new skills. It's like a "community center" in the states. Classes are portuguese, english, percussion, drawing, and health. Because it was the first week there was not much students, but my classes were almost full (until Saturday ....)

For the cultural house I have a very .... difficult schedule.

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday I have a dance class. House mates and Thursdays taught English. Every Saturday and I will teach nutrition, first aid, and reproductive health. Because the house has just opened, there are many things on my calendar that are more difficult than they should be. For example.

 No internet in the cultural house. I have not a laptop, but a tablet. Usually this is not a problem, but without internet my life was a nightmare. It was almost impossible to download songs and videos to teach my students. For two days I struggled with the internet at home to learn how to download songs (I'm a little embarrassed about that ... but I'm not so smart with the internet. :)). At last Wednesday I could download without concern.

I worked hard this week to prepare my lessons in nutrition and first aid, but on Saturday I had no students! How sad. Then, I'll use this week to prepare more lessons. Do not worry, I'll tell you my plans.

The other exciting thing is with Yanapay nuestrs theme of the week is "projects to improve Cusco!" Migiel and I will work with bike culture. :) Our presentation to the city of Cusco is december 14 and 15, then we have only eight days to go! Eeek! We will present to 8000 Cuzquenans!

Now Michael and I are working with travel plans, I'll tell them when they are certain.

Now, bigger things for me are
1) writing my lessons
2) writing our research paper
3) writing an article about Yanapay
4) planning to travel with the parents of Michael (they will arrive on 24 december!)
5) I would like to buy a DSLR camera. If anyone has suggestions or a camera that wants to sell, let me know!

Love / love,

Always

Stewart.

Blog numero siguiente.

Fotos de Gloria aca
Fotos de Quillrobamba aca

El parte Segundo.

Gloria

Miguel y yo estamos viviendo con una familia cuzqueña, y nos parece que cada día nosotros encontramos nuevos familiares, como nuevos tíos, tías, primos, etc.  Uno de nuestros tíos, se llama Abel, tiene una granja.

Gloria es el nombre de su granja.  Es 12 horas lejos de Cusco, a traves de las montañas y adentro de la selva.

Es el lugar perfecto.

Miguel, nuestro hermano Fabrisio, Abel y yo salimos de Cusco a las 230 de la madrugada.  Yo dormí mucho, pero me desperté para ver la montaña Veronica.  Tengo ganas a subir esto, porque es la mas hermosa de todo mi vida.  Temprano voy a publicar photos, esperen con paciencia por favor.  :)

El calle era imposiblemente torcido, y el tío maneja su coche como un hombre loco.  Casi salimos volando 2 o 3 veces.  Pero era tan impresionante a ver el cambio entre la naturaleza de las montañas y la selva.  Muy lentemente había mas arboles, mas arbustos.  Seguramente yo me acosté eventualmente, pero cuando yo desperté todo el medio ambiente había cambiado.

Después 4 o 5 horas nosotros llegamos en Quillrobamaba, el cuidad de mangoes.  En serio, en este ciudad casi cada arbol es un arbol de mangoes, y en este estacion los mangos eran maduros.

Que.
Delicioso.
Suerte.

Abel tiene un pequeña granja en Quillrobamba tambien, y allá nosotros cosechamos tantos mangoes y paltas para traer a Gloria.

Para hacer este usamos un grande palo (como 10 metros de longitud) con una bolsa para agarrar los frutos.  ¿Que astuto, no?

Después esta pausa, nosotros continuamos a Gloria.

Nosotros llegamos a Gloria a las 3.  Inmediamente comenzamos explorando y por favor, permite me contarte como bonita es Gloria.

Había patos, cuyes, pollos, colibrís, loros, tucans, varias aves sin nombres (o, mejor, con nombres que yo no se).  Habia bosques y rios y vines y flores.  Habia peces y nadando y paz.  Habia arboles de mangoes, carambollas, naranjas, limones, y cacao.

O dios mio cacao.

Es la fruta perfecta.

Tienen pulpa con un sabor perfecto.  PERFECTO.  Te puedes hacer te de las cascaras de las semillas, y con las semillas puedes hacer chocolate.

Perfecta.

Dormimos como piedras esa noche.

Miguel y yo nos quedamos en Gloria hasta las 3 del jueves.  Por martes y miércoles pudimos hacer cualquier cosa que queremos.

Entonces, martes por la mañana nosotros aprendemos como cultivar cacao.  Que temperatura los arboles necesitan, que necesitan sombra para crecer, que si tu tienes un árbol perfecto (con muchas frutas grandes y sin enfermedades) tu puedes injertar ramas para hacer cien clones del árbol perfecto.  Aprendemos que el mejor organización para un granja de cacao es plantar plátanos en filas ordinado el año anterior, y después tu puedes plantar cacao entre los grande arboles de plátano (que están haciendo sombra, y también delicioso plátanos).  Antes almorzar fuimos por el río para nadar y disfrutar.

Y, la cosa mejor, había piedras planas y el río era calmo.  Pude saltar piedras.

Este es una de mis cosas favorita en todo el mundo.  No se por que, pero puedo hacer lo por horas y horas.

Después almuerzo nosotros ayudamos en la granja.  Con machetes. Por 4 horas.  Estábamos sudando tanto, y trabajando mucho, y después tuvimos ampollas grandes de las manos.  Pero disfrutamos tanto.  A nosotros nos encanta trabajar, especialmente con machetes.  :)

Por la noche fuimos al río con linternas.  Era mágico.  Y, yo estaba recordado que si tu puedes tener conversaciones muy importante en cualquier lugar y tiempo, pero en un lugar importante, o impresionante o especial es 10 veces mas fácil a tener convercaciones importante, o impresionante, o especial.

Miércoles fuimos con Fábri por el grande río para explorar y después nosotros tumbamos un árbol con machetes y un hacha.  Tuvimos mas ampollas de los machetes y hacha.  :). Por la tarde fuimos al río para nadar otra vez pero este vez Miguel y yo andamos al union de nuestro río para nadar y el grande rio (que exploramos por la mañana).  Caminamos por el rio.  Al unión vimos una cosa increíble.  El grande río era muy sucio con polvo, pero el río para nadar era perfectamente claro.  Cuando los rios juntan hubo un pared de polvo que parece un nube, constantemente moviendo, creciendo, cayendo, cambiando. Era muy muy impresionante.  También, tengo fotos.  Sea paciente.


Jueves.  El dia de gracias.  Para ser honesto, nos olvidó que este día era un día especial.  No se porque, pero completamente nos lo olvidó.  Pero, tuvimos un día espectacular. Nosotros fuimos por la mañana con Fabri para explorar la selva.  Llevamos machetes y cortamos nuestros camino a traves de vines y arboles, siguiendo un pequeño río hasta su origen.  Yo me caí en un estanque con un fondo como arenas movedizas.  Yo me hundí hasta la cinturón, pero yo sobreviví....apenas.

para almuerzo comemos pato.  Era el pato mas rico de todo mi vida (y comiendo pato sin intención en el día de gracias...que suerte, no?)

Con muchas ganas para regresar Miguel y yo salimos después almuerzo y empecemos un viaje hasta Quillrobamba.  En nuestro camionetta hubo un hombre con un brazo roto (pero yo no lo supe...no se porque pero estaba completamente inconsciente de esto). Empero por este razón tuvimos el derecho de pasar por adelante de cada fila.  ¿Pero, puedes imaginarte - un viaje en calles de tierra, por 4 horas, con un brazo roto, sin medicamentos?  Increíble.

Después evitando un derrumbe (añadiendo 2 mas horas a nuestro viaje), llegamos en Quillrobamba.  Nuestro plan era comer mangos, comer tortas, comer helados, y visitar cascadas.

Estabamos victoriosos.

El viaje desde Quillrobamba hasta Cusco era terrible (tan incomodo), pero con consideración de todas cosas, yo quiero volver.

Por
Su
Puesto.

Hasta la próxima

Amor
Siempre

Stewart

------------------------------------------------


Blog number next.

The second part.

Glory

Michael and I are living with a family Cuzco, and it seems that every day we meet new families, and new uncles, aunts, cousins, etc.. One of our uncles, named Abel, has a farm.

Gloria is the name of his farm. It is 12 hours away from Cusco, through the mountains and into the jungle.

It is the perfect place.

Miguel, our brother Fabrisio, Abel and I left Cusco at 230 am. I slept a lot, but I woke up to see the mountain Veronica. I have goals to climb this because it is the most beautiful of my life. I'll post photos soon, please wait patiently. :)

The street was impossibly twisted, and uncle was driving his car like a madman. Almost we flew off 2 or 3 times. But it was so awesome to see the change between the nature of the mountains and the jungle. Very SLOWLY had more trees, more shrubs. Surely I eventually went to bed, but when I woke up the whole environment had changed.

After four or five hours we arrived in Quillrobamaba, the city of mangoes. Seriously, in this city almost every tree is a tree of mangoes, and in this season they were ripe mangoes.

What.
Delicious.
Luck.

Abel has a small farm in Quillrobamba too, and there we reaped many mangoes and avocados to bring Gloria.

To do this we use a big stick (about 10 meters long) with a bag to catch the fruits. How clever, no?

After this break, we continue to Gloria.

We arrived at Gloria at 3. We IMMEDIATELY begin exploring and please let me tell you how nice it is Gloria.

There were ducks, guinea pigs, chickens, hummingbirds, parrots, Tucans, several birds without names (or, better, with names I do not know). There were forests and rivers and vines and flowers. There was fish and swiming and peace. There were trees of mangoes, starfruit, oranges, lemons, and cocoa.

O my God cocoa.

It is the perfect fruit.

they have pulp with a perfect flavor. PERFECT. You can make tea from the seed husks, and the seeds can make chocolate.

Perfect.

We slept like rocks that night.

Michael and I were in Gloria until 3 on Thursday. On Tuesday and Wednesday we could do anything we want.

So Tuesday morning we learned how to grow cocoa. we learned that the trees need a certain temperature, they need shade to grow, if you have a perfect tree (with many large fruits and without disease) you can graft branches to make the tree one hundred perfect clones. We learn that the best organization for a cocoa farm is to plant bananas in organized rows last year, and then you can plant cocoa between large banana trees (which are making shade, and also delicious bananas). Before lunch we went to the river to swim and enjoy.

And the best thing, there were flat stones and the river was calm. I could skip stones.

This is one of my favorite things in the world. Do not know why, but I can do it for hours and hours.

After lunch we helped on the farm. With machetes. For four hours. We were both sweating and working hard, and then we had large blisters on the hands. But we enjoyed both. We love to work, especially with machetes. :)

At night we went to the river with flashlights. It was magical. And, I was reminded that yes, you can have important conversations at any place and time, but in a place important, or impressive or special it is 10 times easier to have convercaciones important, or impressive, or special.

Wednesday Fábri and we went to the big river to explore and then we cut down a tree with machetes and an ax. We had more blisters from the machetes and ax. :). In the afternoon we went to the river to swim again but this time Michael and I walked to the union of our river for swimming and the Great River (which we explored in the morning). We walked in the river. At the junction we saw an amazing thing. The great river was very dirty with dust, but the river for swimming was perfectly clear. When rivers meet there was a wall of dust that looks like a cloud, constantly moving, growing, falling, changing. It was very very impressive. Also, I have pictures. Be patient.


Thursday. Thanksgiving. To be honest, we forgot that this day was a special day. Do not know why, but we completely forgot. But, we had a spectacular day. We went in the morning to explore the jungle  with Fabri. We carried machetes and cut our way through vines and trees, along a small river to its source. I fell in a pond with a bottom like quicksand. I sank to the belt, but I survived .... barely.

For lunch we ate duck. It was the tastiest duck in my life (and eating duck in unintentionally Thanksgiving ... How lucky, no?)

Eager to return Miguel and I left after lunch and begin a journey to Quillrobamba. In our minibus there was a man with a broken arm (but I did not know ... do not know why but I was completely unaware of this). But for this reason we had the right to pass in front of each line. But, can you imagine - a trip on a dirt road for four hours, with a broken arm, without drugs? Incredible.

After avoiding a rockslide (adding 2 more hours to our trip), we arrived in Quillrobamba. Our plan was to eat mangoes, eat cake, eating ice cream, and visit waterfalls.

We were victorious.

The journey from Cusco to Quillrobamba was terrible (so uncomfortable), but considering all things, I want to go back.

Of
Course

Until next time.

Love
Always

Stewart

Blog Numero siguiente.

El blog de tantos dias

Fotos de Tipon aca

Tantos días han pasado desde mi ultimo blog, y entonces tengo tanto que tengo que contar ustedes.

El blog va a tener dos partes.  Antes Gloria, y en Gloria.  Gloria el el nombre de la granja de nuestro tío.

Antes Gloria yo tenia una otra semana en el hospital y con la programa Yanapay.  En el hospital yo decidi que no voy a quedar me en los quirófanos mas.  Son aburridos.  Hay solamente 4 salas y hay 8 residentes.  Entonces en cada operación hay 2 cirujanos y 2 residentes, por el mínimo.  Lunes voy a juntar Miguel en el departamento de emergencia.  Allá voy a hablar con cada paciente que puedo, y en esta manera voy a aprender mas español.

Miguel y yo completamos nuestro primer aplicación por exencion de irb aprobación.

Estábamos triunfales!!!  Tenemos aprobacion para hacer nuestros investigación.  Entonces cada martes y jueves vamos continuar a trabajar con los pacientes con leishmania.

Con Yanapay yo estaba el jefe de juegos y "el conductor de mi familia."  Ese significa que los directores tienen confianza en mi, y por eso estoy tan feliz.  :)

La otra cosa mas emocionado sobre Yanapay es que hace desde 2 semanas soy el director de salud publica!  La programa es usualmente para los niños, pero en la semana que viene vamos a empezar nuestro "centro de cultura."  En el centro vamos a enseñar adultos y adolescentes muchas cosas.  La idea es que en Cusco no hay una cultura, hay solamente turistas.  In lugar de una cultura real hay drogas, machismo, abuso domestico, violencia, y bebiendo.  Si hay un cultura real de Cusco, tal vez habrá menos de la cultura mala.  Esa es la idea.  Voy a enseñar bailando y ingles.  Con eso espero que puedo ayudar con cambiando la cultura de Cusco, lentemente por su puesto.  Este va a afectar salud público indirectamente.

Pero, tengo un oportunidad afectar salud público directamente.   Habrá sábados de salud, y soy el director.  Cada sábado voy a tener 3 talleres: nutrición, salud sexual, y primeros auxilios.  Tengo lecciones por 12 semanas, 4 horas cada semana.

Estoy tan emocionado por este reto, y voy a empezar con todo el lunes.

Por favor, oren para mi - tengo bastante responsibilidades, y espero que puedo ayudar un poco.  Tambien, si alguien de ustedes tiene recursos que tal vez yo puedo usar, por favor enviarlos a mi!


Esperen, hay mas.

Estoy aceptado a una programa de salud pública en ecuador.  Voy a empezar el 14 de Enero, y voy a trabajar en Schell, Ecuador, por 2 meses con los pequeño pueblos cerca la ciudad.  http://inmed.us/international_public_health_certificate.asp

El domingo antes salimos por Gloria fuimos a Tipon, un sitio arqueológico cerca Cusco.  Fue tan impresionante, porque había "aqueductos funcionados."  El simbolismo con agua era muy importante a los incas, y con este sitio yo pude ver el respeto y simbolismo perfectamente.  Estábamos casi listo para salir cuando nosotros encontramos un otro camino.  Seguimos este y después un Kilometre encontramos un otro sitio, casi escondido!  En Tipon había otra gente, pero acá estábamos solos, sin otras turistas.  Era perfecto.  Nosotros exploramos, y encontramos un pequeño río que pudimos seguir hasta la autopista.  Entonces, bajamos de Tipon a través de el campo, libre de otra turistas.  Encontramos un trabajador arqueológico y el nos enseño mucho sobre el trabajo de los sitios, como el puede reconstruir los paredes inca, y como conocer la diferencia entre un mural rustico y un inca.

Después, por fin, Miguel comió cuy.  Y a el le gusta lo mucho.  :)

Nosotros llegamos en punto a dormir, porque le próxima mañana fuimos por Gloria.

Y este es el cuento por el próximo blog.

Hasta pronto

Amen/amor
Siempre.

Stewart

-------------------------------------------------


Blog next number.

The blog for so many days

So many days have passed since my last blog, so I have so much I have to tell you.

The blog will have two parts. Before Gloria, and Gloria. Gloria is the name of our uncle's farm.

Before Gloria I had a another week in the hospital and the Yanapay program. In the hospital I decided I'm not going to get me in more theaters. They are boring. There are only four rooms and eight residents. Then for each operation are two surgeons and two residents, for the minimum. Monday I will join Michael in the emergency department. Here I talk to every patient I can, and in this way I will learn more Spanish.

Miguel and I completed our first application for exemption from IRB approval.

We were triumphant! We have approval to do our research. So every Tuesday and Thursday we will continue to work with patients with leishmania.

With Yanapay I was the head of games and "the driver of my family." That means that directors have confidence in me, and why I'm so happy. :)

The other thing is more excited about Yanapay from two weeks ago that I'm the director of public health! The program is usually for kids, but next week we will begin our "cultural center." In the center we teach adults and adolescents lot. The idea is that there is a culture Cusco, there are only tourists. In lieu of a real culture there are drugs, sexism, domestic abuse, violence, and drinking. If there is a real culture of Cusco, maybe there will be less of the bad culture. That's the idea. I will teach dancing and English. With that I hope I can help with changing the culture of Cusco, of course SLOWLY. This will indirectly affect public health.

But, I have a chance to directly affect public health. Health will be Saturday, and I'm the director. Every Saturday I will have three workshops on nutrition, sexual health, and first aid. I have lessons for 12 weeks, 4 hours each week.

I'm so excited about this challenge, and I'll start with everything on Monday.

Please pray for me - I have enough responsibilities, and I hope I can help a little. Also, if anyone of you have resources that maybe I can use, please send them to me!


Wait, there's more.

I accepted a public health program in Ecuador. I will start on January 14, and will work in Schell, Ecuador, for two months with small villages near the city. http://inmed.us/international_public_health_certificate.asp

The Sunday before we went to Tipon by Gloria, an archaeological site near Cusco. It was so awesome, because there were "functioning aqueducts." The symbolism of water was very important to the Incas, and with this site I could see the respect and symbolism perfectly. We were almost ready to go when we find another way. We follow this and then a Kilometre find another site, almost hidden! In Tipon were other people, but here we were alone, without other tourists. It was perfect. We explore, and find a small river that we could follow to the Hwy. So we went down to Tipon through the field, free of other tourists. We found an archaeological worker and taught us a lot about the job sites, how he can reconstruct the Inca walls, and how to knowing the difference between a rustic and an Inca wall.

Afterwards, finally, Michael ate cuy. And he likes it so much. :)

We arrived in time to go to sleep, because next morning we went for glory.

And this is the story for the next blog.

Soon

Love (imperative) / Love
Forever.

Stewart

Por fin, hay photos!

1) Desafortunamente este album debe ser 5 o 6 albums.  Pero....no lo supe, entonces este es lo que ustedes consiguen.

Primero tu tienes mi tiempo en Lima.  Habia una muestra de luz y fuentes, una chica tan bonita (su espiritu) de mexico, una cena en el mejor restaurant en todo peru (#25 en todo el mundo) y cena con los estudiantes de mi escuela.  Despues, hay fotos de mi escuela y professora de espanol, cuando econtre miguel, y un poco de cusco.  Luego, tienes photos de nuestro primero viaje en el campo con fabri.  Fuimos por el templo de la luna y un cueva/rio se llama "el balcon de diablo."

Despues hay fotos de mi ninos!  estabamos disfrazando para un passacalle para protestar terrorismo.
(blog 9)

despues yo encontre un desfila una noche, con bailando, cantando, y disfrases.  que lindo!

Por fin, miguel y yo fuimos a "maras Moray" y los mines de sal.  tengo un blog sobre estos, #12.
Pics acá

2) salkantay trek.  blog 14.  increible.
Pics acá

3) un dia en el campo con nuestros hermano Fabri.  Nosotros Siguemos un rio y nosotros encontramos cuevas.
Picos acá


_______________________________________________________________


Finally, there are photos!

1) Unfortunately this album should be 5 or 6 albums. But .... I did not know, then this is what you get.

First you have my time in Lima. There was a light show and fountains, a pretty girl (his spirit) from mexico, dinner at the best restaurant in all of Peru (# 25 worldwide) and dinner with students from my school. Then, there are pictures of my school and of Spanish profesora when Miguel had settled, and some cusco. Then you have photos from our first trip in the manufacturing field. We went through the temple of the moon and a cave / river is called "the balcony of the devil."

then there are photos of my children! we were dressing up for a "streetwalk/parade thing" to protest terrorism.
(blog 9)

Next, I found a parade one night, with dancing, singing, and costumes. How nice!

Finally, Michael and I went to "Moray" and salt mines. I have a blog about these, # 12.

2) Salkantay trek. blog 14. Incredible.

3) A day in the field with our brother Fabri. We followed us a river and found caves.

Blog 15.  Los Dias de cosas buenas

Cosas han estado yendo mi direction.

Esta blog va a ser un colección de cuentos buenos, con un poco de las historias sobre cada cuento

1)  un cuento viejo.  Un dia hace 3 semanas yo llegué a la hospital.  El la hospital tiene guardias en cada puerta, y ellos permiten doctores, pacientes, y enfermeras entrar, pero ellos paran las familias de los pacientes (sin esto los trabajadores de la hospital no pueden mover, habrá a demasiado gente).  Yo llegué llevando un chaqueta.  La guardia no reconoció que yo era un doctor, y el me dijo "usted no puede entrar." Cuando yo dio cuenta que estaba pasando, inmediamente yo quite mi chaqueta y dije "todo esta bien, soy un doctor!" Después, el me permitió entrar.

Cada día después, esta memoria me de feliz.  Ustedes conocen porque? :)

2) por fin yo encuentre un doctor quien tiene interes en enseñando me.  Voy a ir a el departamento de emergencias mañana por la mañana y el me dijo que si habrá operaciones un poco sencillo yo puedo entrar y ayudar.  :). Por fin

3) ayer Miguel y yo damos cuento que si todo esta perfecto con nuestros proyecto podemos publicar 3 artículos.  También, estamos aprendiendo sobre la "camino para publicar," y con eso estamos aprendiendo mucho.

4) encontré un anestesiologo muy amable.  El tiene 2 bicicletas de la montaña y la próxima semana vamos a manejarlas juntos.  :)

5). Yo he hecho 3 entrevistas sobre la programa "Yanapay" todavía, y la próxima semana después clases yo voy a tener un otro.  Espero que yo puedo encontrar un profesor de salud pública quien puede ayudarme escribir mi articulo sobre esto para publicarlo.  De todos maneras, estoy aprendiendo mucho sobre como puedo hacer un programa simlar, con sostenibilidad y un presencia muy fuerte en la comunidad.

6) tengo muchos opciones de programas de salud publica entre que yo puedo elegir por el tiempo después mi programa en ecuador.

7) mis niños tenían un presentación hoy.  Estaban perfecto.  Hicimos un pirámide.

8) yo vi ecchinococcus y el operación (laparoscopic) para sacar los quistes.

9) voy a empezar planeando los lecciones por "sábados de salud" - un programa para enseñar nutrición, responsabilidad, y general salud a los padres de mis niños de "Yanapay."

Amor/amen
Siempre

Stewart


-----------------------------------------------------------


Blog 15. The days of good things.

Things have been going my direction.

This blog will be a good story collection, with some of the stories about each story

1) an old story. One day I arrived three weeks ago at the hospital. The hospital has the guards at every door, and they allow doctors, patients and nurses in, but they stop families of patients (without that hospital workers can not move, there will be too many people). I arrived wearing a jacket. The guard did not recognize that I was a doctor, and he said to me"you can not enter." When I realized what was happening, I IMMEDIATELY remove my jacket and said "it is all right, I'm a doctor!" Then he allowed me to enter.

Every day after this is a happy memory for me. Do you know why? :)

2) I finally found a doctor who is showing interest in me. I'm going to the emergency department in the morning and heentold me that if there will be some simple operations I can scrub in and help. :). Finally

3) Miguel and I realized yesterday that if everything is perfect with our project we can publish three articles. Also, we are learning about the "way to publish," and with that we are learning a lot.

4) I found a very kind anesthesiologist. He has two mountain bikes and next week we will ride them together. :)

5). I've done three interviews on the program "Yanapay" so far, and after classes next week I will have another. I hope I can find a professor of public health who can help me write my article about it for publication. In any case, I'm learning a lot about how I can make a simlar program, with sustainability and a strong presence in the community.

6) I have many options among public health programs that I can choose the time after my program in Ecuador.

7) My kids had a presentation today. They were perfect. We did a pyramid.

8) I saw ecchinococcus and the operation (laparoscopic) to remove the cysts.

9) I will start planning the lessons for "health Saturdays" - a program to teach nutrition, accountability, and general health to the parents of my children "Yanapay."

Love / love
Always

Stewart

Blog 14: los Dias despues Machu Picchu

:)

No puedo parar sonriente.

:)

Mi viaje fue completamente increible.

No puedo creer cuanto yo aprendí sobre mi mismo.

Ok.  Antes la viaje yo estaba muy frustrado con la hospital.  Era muy difícil hacer un horario con los doctores y pacientes con quien yo queria trabajar.  Ahora espero que lunes podre empezar con un cirujano (querría trabajar lunes, miércoles y viernes con solamente un cirujano para hacer un relacion muy fuerte).  Desafortunadamente, no estoy seguro todavía que podre hacerlo.  :(

Pero, mañana Miguel y yo vamos a completar nuestros protocoles y podremos empezar con la investigación martes.

Eso es que yo estaba haciendo antes la viaje.  No necesitó decir que estuve listo por un vacación.

Miguel y yo salimos muy temprano el sábado, a las 4 de la mañana.  Yo había acostado me a las 3:30 porque tuve que escribir muchos respuestas de facebook y correo sobre los elecciones... ¡3 días mas!

Todo el mundo:  tiene que votar!!!  Voten!!

Como consequencia yo estaba cansado cuando me desperté, pero llegamos en punto y subimos nuestros autobús de aventura!

Después 3 horas manejando, llegamos a la pueblo de donde empezariamos.  Encontramos nuestros grupo (10 en total, 2 de israelí, 2 de Australia, 1 de Canadá, 1 de Inglaterra, 2 de sudafrica, y nuestros guía de Cuzco, se llama Edwin.  El primer día caminamos por un calle rural desde el pueblo hasta nuestros acampamiento.  Por la primera noche dormimos dentro de un grande edificio en carpas - pareció un poco raro tener carpas bajo de un techo, pero cuando hubo lluvia por toó la noche estábamos feliz.  Nosotos llegamos a las 3, y tenemos té a las 430.  Como tu sabes, cuando Miguel y yo tenemos tiempo libre, tenemos que explorar.  Nosotros oímos que había un grande lago arriba cerca la glacier, entonces por su puesto salimos después té para conocerle.  Desafortunadamente, fuimos la direccion incorrecto por 45 minutos.  :) casi subimos la montaña!  Al final Miguel dijo que había visto "Cairns" en la otro direccion, y fuimos izquierda.  Hubo 2 o 3 colinas muy empinadas, pero con la final colina (tenemos regresar porque fue a las 630 y no hubo luz), finalmente nosotros encontramos el lago.  La ultima colina era un precipicio, y 200 metros directamente abajo fue el lago.  Lo tenia el color de leche en la noche, y le sentimiento de descubrimiento fue increíble.  Completamente increíble.  Me sentí como Luis o Clark.

Mas, yo encontré personas de los otro grupos muy interesante.  Por ejemplo, encontré un hombre d belgium quien es un guía de las montañas allá.  Entonces, la próximo vez que estoy un Europa voy a visitarle y subir algunas montañas!  Este viaje me recordó - un grande parte de viajando es encontrando nuevos amigos de cada pais.

Por todo de estés razones me encanta viajar.

Dormí feliz la primera noche.

Día segundo.

Nos despertamos a las 5 para salir a las 7 para subir a la lugar mas alto en todo nuestros viaje.  Pudimos ver la montaña salkantay solamente por 30 o 40 minutes por los nubes, pero los minutes fuieron perfecto.  Nosotros hicimos un ceremonia muy tradicional de los incas.  Yo aprendí que los incas hacían calles entre todos de sus ciudades importantes y tenian mesajeros quien pudieron correr de Cusco a manchú picchu en 3.5 horas, o de cusca a lima en ~14 horas (cada 10 kilometres los chaskis pasaron la mensaje a un otro chaski quien continuó corriendo).  Por su puesto Miguel y yo siempre estábamos explorando y por eso siempre estábamos detrás los otros de nuestros grupo, pero por eso pudimos ver glaciers, lagos, barrancos y rios que los otros no pudieron.

Después la montaña bajamos por la selva.

Que increíble la selva.  Con frutas y arboles y mosquitos.  Taaaaaaanto mosquitos.  Yuk.  :)

Llegamos Nuestros campamento a las 4 y que surpresa, la tienda cerca vendió cervezas.  :)  después té Miguel y yo fuimos explorando y bajamos por el río.  Encontramos el cascada mas bonita en todo el mundo: muy pequeño (2 metros) pero el río golpeó un grande piedra con un plano casi horizontal, y por eso la cascada parecia 100 pequeñas estalactitas.  Nos quedamos allá, incapable de moviendo, cuando de repente 1000s de luciernagas aparecieron.  Ese fue la primer vez en 15 años que yo había visto luciernagas.  Me sentí como un niño otra vez.  :)  eran en todas partes.  No pude creerlo.  Estaba tan feliz.  :).

Luciernagas con una cascada mágico en un valle de un rio en la selva de Perú.  Increíble.  No tenia palabras.

Yo dormí bien otra vez.

El tercer día despertamos y continuamos caminando en la selva.  Yo encontré y comí frutas, bayas, otras frutas... :)

Habia flores y mariposas y aves.

Al final, fuimos a algunas aguas termales.  Nos quedamos allá por 2 horas i yo parecido un pasa.

Ese noche yo tuve una pequeño fiesta con un otro grupo, y hice nuevos amigos de Italia, Alemania, España, y suiza.  

El cuarto día caminamos al lado de un ferrocarril hasta aquas calientes, el pueblo inmediatamente bajo de Machú Picchu.

Llegamos a las 2 y yo no quise descansar (como todo de los otros de mi grupo), entonces yo subí la montaña al lado de machu picchu.  Hubo escaleras tan alta, y había lluvia.  Era un poco peligroso, pero de la cima pude ver manchú picchu!!!

Oh aun de muy lejos manchú picchu es muy (casi demasiado) impresionante.   Estaba tan emocionado conocerle en la mañana.

el ultimo día.

Despertamos a las 4 para subir 1748 etapas (mas de 500 metros) para llegar a las 6 cuando machu picchu es abierto.  Los otros de mi grupo tenian una tour con nuestros guía, pero yo corrí inmediamente a la "puerta del sol" para ver amanecer. Casi me murió, , pero la vista valió la pena.  Completamente.  Yo era casi solo, con vistas perfectas de machu piccho por detrás y amanecer barba de las montañas delante. Increíble.

Después yo me reuni con mi grupo y terminamos nuestros tour.  Fuimos a la "puerta del sol" juntos (el segunda vez para mi), y después los otros fuieron para subir huanapicchu (un montaña al lado de machú picchu).  Miguel y yo tenemos ganas de subirla también, pero para hacerlo necesitamos boletos, y cada día hay solamente 400 boletos.  Intentamos pagar los guardias, pero no pudimos.  La misma cosa hizo con la otra montaña se llama "machu picchu montaña."

Entonces estábamos triste porque no pudimos subir la que quisimos subir, pero de repente nosotros aceptamos ella verdad y recordamos que todavía podríamos conocer la ciudad.   Entonces, intentamos encontrar los lugares mas secreto y privado en todo machu picchu.  Cada día hay 2500 turistas en machu picchu, y por eso aveces la ciudad puede sentir demasiado llena, un lugar de turismo mas de un lugar de historia.  Entonces nosotros encontramos los lugares sin otras turistas.  Conozco 2 o 3 lugares donde puedo sentarme por 30 minutos y no oír o ver un otra persona.  De este lugares pudimos imanigar la vida de los incas.  75% de la ciudad era para cultivando maíz y papas.  La casa del rey era casi el mismo tamaño de los otros, pero tenia piedras muy regular en comparasion de las otras casas.  Los incas tenían pies pequeños (las gradas eran tan pequeño!).  Hay lugares de donde tu puedes ver machur picchu y las 2500 turistas parecen hormigas.

Ahora, yo conozco machu picchu.  Los otros han lo visto, pero yo lo conozco.

Nosotros quedamos allá por 11 horas.  Explorando, andando, aprendiendo.

Tenemos que salir a las 5. Llegamos a nuestros hogar en cuscco a las 3 por la mañana.

Un viaje grande y bueno.

Casi no puedo esperar salir por un otro.  :)

Ayer yo jugaba pictionary con mi familia.  En español.  Mi equipo gano.  :)

Esta noche vamos a una fiesta de halloween.  La tema es "gothic." Voy a disfrazarme como un "flying butress." :)

Hasta pronto chuskis.

Amor/amen
Siempre

 Estuart.

------------------------------------------------



Blog 14: The Days After Machu Picchu

:)

I can not stop smiling.

:)

My trip was absolutely incredible.

I can not believe how much I learned about myself.

Ok. Before the trip I was very frustrated with the hospital. It was very hard to time with doctors and patients with whom I wanted to work. Now I hope I can start Monday with a surgeon (would work Monday, Wednesday and Friday with only a surgeon to make a very strong relationship). Unfortunately, I'm not sure I can still do it. : (

But morning Michael and I are going to complete our protocols and we can start with the investigation Tuesday.

That's what I was doing before the trip. Needless to say, I was ready for a vacation.

Miguel and I left early on Saturday, at 4 in the morning. I had gone to bed at 3:30 because I had to write many email responses on facebook and elections ... 3 more days!

Everyone: you have to vote! Vote!

As a consequence I was tired when I woke up, but we got on our bus and climbed about adventure!

After 3 hours driving, we arrived at the village where we would start. We found our group (10 in total, two of Israel, two from Australia, one from Canada, one from England, two from South Africa and our guide of Cuzco, called Edwin. The first day we walked along a rural road from the village to our campsite. On the first night we slept in a big building in tents - seemed a little weird to have tents under a roof, but when there was rain in the evening we were happy too. nosotos arrived at 3, and have tea at 430 . As you know, when Michael and I have free time, we need to explore. We heard that there was a big lake up near the glacier, then of course we went out after tea to meet you. Unfortunately, we went the wrong direction for 45 minutes.: ) almost climbed the mountain! In the end Miguel said he had seen "Cairns" in the other direction, and we left. There were two or three very steep hills, but the final hill (we return because it was at 630 and there was no light), finally we found the lake. The last hill was a precipice, and 200 meters directly below was the lake. What was the color of milk at night, and it was amazing sense of discovery. Completely unbelievable. I felt like Luis and Clark.

But I found another group of people very interesting. For example, I found a man who is a d belgium guide the mountains beyond. Then, the next time I'm going to visit one European and climb some mountains! This trip reminded me - a big part of traveling is finding new friends in each country.

For all the reasons you love to travel.

I slept happy the first night.

Second day.

We woke up at 5 to leave at 7 to climb to the highest place throughout our trip. We could see the mountain salkantay only for 30 or 40 minutes by clouds, but the perfect fuieron minutes. We made a very traditional ceremony of the Incas. I learned that the Incas made their streets between all major cities and had mesajeros who could run from Cusco to Manchu Picchu in 3.5 hours, or lime cusca in ~ 14 hours (every 10 kilometers of chaskis passed the message to another chaski who continued running). Of course Michael and I were always exploring and so we were always behind the others in our group, but that's why we saw glaciers, lakes, canyons and rivers that others could not.

After we went down the mountain through the jungle.

What incredible jungle. With fruit and trees and mosquitoes. Soooo mosquitoes. Yuk. :)

We reached our camp at 4 and surpresa, sold the store near beers. :) Then you Miguel and I went exploring and down by the river. We found the most beautiful waterfall in the world: very small (2 meters) but the river hit a large stone with a nearly horizontal plane, so the waterfall seemed 100 small stalactites. We were there, incapable of moving, when suddenly appeared fireflies 1000s. That was the first time in 15 years that I had seen fireflies. I felt like a kid again. :) Were everywhere. I could not believe it. I was so happy. :).

Magic fireflies with a waterfall in a valley of a river in the jungle of Peru. Incredible. I had no words.

I slept well again.

The third day we wake up and continue walking in the jungle. I found and ate fruits, berries, other fruits ... :)

There were flowers and butterflies and birds.

In the end, we went to some hot springs. We were there for 2 hours i I like a skip.

That night I had a small party with another group, and made new friends from Italy, Germany, Spain, and Switzerland.

The fourth day we walk next to a railway to Aquas Calientes, the town below Machu Picchu immediately.

We arrived at 2 and I did not want to rest (like all of the others in my group), then I went up the mountain next to Machu Picchu. There were stairs so high, and there was rain. It was a little rough, but I could see the top of Manchu Picchu!

Oh even from afar Manchu Picchu is very (almost too) awesome. I was so excited to meet you in the morning.

the last day.

We woke up at 4 to climb 1748 steps (over 500 meters) to reach Machu Picchu in June when it opened. The others in my group had a tour with our guide, but I ran IMMEDIATELY to the "Puerta del Sol" for sunrise. I almost died, but the view was worth it. Completely. I was almost alone, with perfect views of Machu Piccho and sunrise behind the mountains ahead beard. Incredible.

After I met with my group and we ended our tour. We went to the "Puerta del Sol" together (the second time for me), and then the other to climb fuieron huanapicchu (a mountain next to Machu Picchu). Miguel and I look forward to also upload it, but to do so we need tickets, and every day there are only 400 tickets. We tried to pay the guards, but could not. The same thing with the other mountain was called "Machu Picchu mountain."

Then we were sad because we could not climb up that we wanted, but suddenly we accept truth and remember that she could still see the city. Then, we try to find the places most secret and private all over Machu Picchu. Every day there are 2500 tourists at Machu Picchu, so the city can sometimes feel too full, a tourist over a place of history. Then we find other places without tourists. I know 2 or 3 places where I can sit for 30 minutes and not hear or see one another. This places we imanigar life of the Incas. 75% of the city was for growing corn and potatoes. The king's house was almost the same size as the others, but had very regular stones comparasion of the other houses. The Incas had small feet (the steps were so small!). There are places where you can see the 2500 Machur picchu and tourists look like ants.

Now, I know Machu Picchu. Others have seen it, but I know him.

We were there for 11 hours. Exploring, walking, learning.

We have to leave at 5. We arrived at our home in cuscco at 3 in the morning.

A great and good trip.

I can hardly wait to leave for another. :)

Yesterday I played Pictionary with my family. In Spanish. My team won. :)

Tonight we are going to a Halloween party. The theme is "gothic." I will disguise myself as a "flying butress." :)

Chuskis soon.

Love / love
Always

 Estuart

Blog 12.  Or 13 talvez.  Yo no sé

El día de filosofía.

Hoy Miguel y yo nos reunimos con Dr Montoya y nosotros hicimos nuestros horarios.  Voy a estar en la hospital cada mañana hasta 12.  Lunes, miércoles y viernes yo voy a trabajar en la quirófano.  Martes y jueves voy a trabajar con los pacientes con leishmaniasis.  Escribimos nuestras protocoles, ahora solamente necesitamos empezar con entrevistas.

Pero, estoy mas emocionado por el proyecto.  Yo llegé cuando Yanapay estaba creciendo.  En las proximas meses vamos a ir a 10 otro ciudades y 5 otro paíces para empezar nuevos escuelas como aldea yanapy.

Hay yo vi el hora mas impressionado en todo mi tiempo acá.  Estando hablando con los niños juntos (todo de la escuela, 70 niños y 15 voluntarios) sobre responsabilidades.  Estamos hablando sobre experiencias de sus familias cuando sus padres eran irresponsable porque estaban borracho.  Cada niño tuvieron un cuento.  Cada niño en esta escuela tiene ropa, zapatos, y comida.  No parecen pobre.  Pero casi cada niño tiene un cuenta tan triste y asustado.  Eso es la cultura acá.  Donde una mujer con un bebe en su espalda tiene que ir a los bars para  buscar su esposo.

Pero, la cosa mas impresionante fue cuando Yuri pregunte los niños sobre que van a hacer.  Los niños, con uno voz, dijeron "tenemos que vivir un vida diferente, y si me siento seguro, tengo que hablar con y enseñar mi familia esta otra forma a vivir.

No pude creer que algo tan sabia venia de niños.  Eso es por que me encanta esta programa.  El programa mueve niños pero también el me mueve.

Ok.  Por filosofía.

Voy a hablar sobre la frase "entonces que tengo que hacer." Mas temprano yo escribi sobre esta mantra y me pregunte sobre las limitas.

Hoy, yo voy a mostrar que no hay limites por esta mantra.  Anteriormente la aplicada solamente cuando yo identifico alguna problema.  Siempre yo me digo "ok stewart, hay una problem.  Entonces que tengo que hacer?"

Pero, ahora pienso que el frase es mas grande que eso.  Piense - si te preguntas esta pregunta cuando no hay una problema que puede identificar, que es tu respuesta? Creo que nosotros tenemos algo que tenemos que hacer con nuestras vidas.  Tenemos un propisito.  Cada persona tiene un propisito.  Si no sabes que es tuyos, es un grande, grande trabajo.  Tienes que pensar y descubrir tuyos.  Cuando tu sabes tu propisito, vas a estar libre y feliz.  Conoces porque? Vas a sentirse libre y feliz porque cuando no hay una problema tu vas a saber la respuesta a la pregunta "entonces que tengo que hacer.". Sin un propósito tal vez vas a hacer nada.  Ahora, si sabes tu propósito, sabes que cuando no hay problemas tu debes (o mejor, puedes) trabajar por tu propósito.

Por lo tanto, la mantra "entonces que tengo que hacer" siempre tiene una respuesta, y por eso siempre tengo que preguntar la pregunta.

Tal vez el mas fácil es decir: tener tiempo libre es una problema. :)

Amor/amen
Siempre

Stewart
-------------------------------------------------------------

Blog 12. Or maybe 13. I do not know

Philosophy Day.

Today Michael and I met with Dr Montoya and we made our schedules. I'll be in the hospital every morning until 12. Monday, Wednesday and Friday I go to work in the operating room. Tuesdays and Thursdays I work with patients with leishmaniasis. We write our protocols, now we just need to start with interviews.

But I'm more excited about the project. Yanapay I arrived when I was growing up. In the coming months we will go to 10 other cities and five other paíces to start new schools as yanapy village.

There I saw the most impressionado hours throughout my time here. While talking with the children together (whole school, 70 children and 15 volunteers) responsibilities. We are talking about their families' experiences when their parents were irresponsible because they were drunk. Each child had a story. Every child in this school has clothes, shoes, and food. There seem poor. But almost every child has an account so sad and scared. That's the culture here. Where a woman with a baby on her back has to go to the bars to find her husband.

But the most amazing thing was when Yuri asks the children about what they will do. Children, with one voice, said "we have to live a different life, and if I feel safe, I have to talk to my family and teach this other way to live.

I could not believe that something so wise came from children. That's why I love this program. The program moves the children but also moves me.

Ok. By philosophy.

I'll talk about the phrase "then I have to do." Earlier I wrote about this mantra and ask about you limit me.

Today, I'll show you that there are no limits for this mantra. Previously applied only when I identify a problem. I always say "ok stewart, there is a problem. Then I have to do?"

But now I think the phrase is bigger than that. Think - if you ask this question when there is no problem that can identify, what's your answer? I think we have something we have to do with our lives. We have a PURPOSE. Each person has a PURPOSE. If you do not know it's yours, is a big, big job. You have to think and find yours. When you know your PURPOSE, you'll be free and happy. You know why? You'll feel free and happy because when there is not a problem you are going to know the answer to the question "then I have to do." Without a purpose maybe  you will not go to do anything. Now, if you know your purpose, you know when you have no problems you should (or rather, can) work for your purpose.

Therefore, the mantra "then I have to do" always has an answer, so I have to ask the question.

Perhaps the easiest is to say, having free time is a problem. :)

Love/love
always.

Stewart

Blog 12.  El dia de salud.

Me siento mejor.  Completamente mejor.  Yo escribí miércoles.  Por eso voy a contar sobre 4 días, mas o menos.  Pero, la primera cosa que necesito contarte es que mi hermana quiso a escribir un poco conmiga.  Entonces, habrá algunas frases sin palabras o sentido.  Esas frases son la trabajo de ella, quien tiene 5 años.

Por ejemplo:
Kfrtfr

OK, la primera tema de este semana es que yo conocí mis pacientes.  Todos son agradables y les gusta hablar.  Tienen que sentarse por 2 horas cada día para tomar tratamiento de leishmaniasis con amphotericin b, que parece como koolaid con sabor de banana.

Ayer Miguel y yo escribimos nuestros protocoles para nuestros investicaciones sobre leishmaniasis acá.  Esperamos que podemos trabajar con los pacientes 2 veces cada semana, examinando y entrevistando para aprender el curso clínico y epidimiologico de esta enfermedad en esta ciudad.  Por los otros días yo voy a trabajar con un cirugano 2-3 dias cada semana y aveces voy a hablar con los directora de Aldea Yanapay para aprender como el proyecto funciona, con los finanzas y como el proyecto es sustentable.  Querría aprender como hacer algo así este, como mantener algo así este, y como mejorar algo así este.

Xcvvvbb

Ademas, Miguel y yo podemos ir a la selva con Dr Montoya temprano. Ggyjklkjgkk.LJJJD

Jueves los niños de Yanapay tenían un desfila.  Cada semana los voluntarios enseñan algo.  Esta semana nosotros enseñamos sobre el tiempo de terrorismo en Perú.  Todavía hay ~5000 personas perdidas y hay un organización que esta las buscando.  Las mujeres de esta organización llegaron miércoles para enseñar los niños.  Jueves los niños y mujeres (y los voluntarios) teníamos una desfila a el centro para demonstrar a la gente de la ciudad que nosotros, el futuro de Perú, jamas vamos a permitir algo como este otra vez.  Nosotros estábamos cantando (paz paz paz, queremos paz, y amor alegoría, el pan de cada día).  Los niños habían hecho carteles y todo el mundo estaba mirando.  Fue una noche mágica.


BNJJKLd,hgf

Ese noche yo encontré nuevos voluntarios.  Me encanta esta programa por la salud publica, pero también por los amigos.  Hasta hoy yo he encontrado chicos de California, australia y suiza, y chicas de alemania, Míchigan, inglaterra y suecia.  Cada martes es la noche de bingo y cada viernes es la noche de bufet.  Viernes siempre se volví a un grande fiesta de bailando y juegos al fin.  Estas personas son fantástico, y estoy tan feliz que podré trabajar con ellos.

 hh
,
Nddgdui

Sábado Miguel y yo fuimos al mercado se llama "baratillo."  Fue ridículos.  Era 7 calles completamente lleno de tiendas a carpas, todas vendiendo algo roto o viejo o robado.  Nosotros compramos cosas para ir de excursión, porque vamos a macchu picchu el fin de semana que viene.  ¡Vamos a la montaña se llama "salkantay" por 5 dias!  Estamos tan emocionado.

 G gifnbcdhdghfnjg b

Hoy, fuimos a "maras moray," y las minas de sal cerca alla.  Esta día fue increíble.  No tengo palabras.  Simplemente estar en un lugar con tanto historias y cuentos.  Pude imaginar las incas trabajando  a mi alrededor, cultivando sal, yuca, maíz e, y papas.  "Moray" era un lugar para investigar modas para cultivar mejor.  Era un grande laboratorio agricola.  Tan tan tan impresionante.


Uhkññlkgkk

Ahora voy a salir por una fiesta de los otros voluntarios.  Mañana empezará los investigaciones medical.

Esta noche, voy a bailar. Seguramente.


Fgsfgfñkg¿FstrdjgygdhjjvgSbbgj

Amor/amen
Siempre

Stewart

-----------------------------------------------


Blog 12. The health day.

I feel better. Fully better. I wrote Wednesday. So I have about four days, more or less. But, the first thing I need to tell you is that my sister wanted to write a little conmiga. Then, there will be some words or phrases without sense. These phrases are the work of it, who is 5 years old.

For example:
Kfrtfr

OK, the first theme of this week is that I knew my patients. All are welcome and like to talk. They have to sit for two hours each day to take treatment of leishmaniasis with amphotericin B, which looks like banana flavored koolaid.

Yesterday Michael and I wrote our protocols for leishmaniasis our investicaciones on here. We hope that we can work with patients 2 times each week, examining and interviewing to learn the clinical course of the disease and epidimiologico in this city. On the other days I'm going to work with a Surgeon 2-3 days each week and sometimes I will talk to the director of Hamlet Yanapay to learn how the project works with the finances and how the project is sustainable. I would like to learn how to do something like this, and keep something like this, and how to improve something like this.

Xcvvvbb

In addition, Miguel and I can go to the jungle with Dr Montoya early. Ggyjklkjgkk.LJJJD

Thursday Yanapay children had a parade. Each week volunteers teach something. This week we teach about the time of terrorism in Peru. ~ There are still 5,000 people missing and there is the organization that is looking. The women of this organization came Wednesday to teach children. Thursday children and women (and volunteers) had a parade to the center to demonstrate to the people of the city that we, the future of Peru, never going to let something like this again. We were singing (peace peace peace, we want peace, love and allegory, the daily bread). The children had made posters and everyone was watching. It was a magical night.


BNJJKLd, hgf

That night I found new volunteers. I love this program for public health, but also for friends. So far I've found guys from California, Australia and Switzerland, and girls from Germany, Michigan, England and Sweden. Every Tuesday is bingo night and every Friday is buffet night. Friday always turned to a big party at the end dancing and games. These people are fantastic, and I am so happy that I can work with them.

 hh
,
Nddgdui

Saturday Michael and I went to the market is called "sales." It was ridiculous. 7 blocks was completely filled with tents stores, all selling something old or broken or stolen. We buy things for hiking, going to Machu Picchu because the weekend is coming. Let the mountain is called "Salkantay" for 5 days! We are so excited.

 G gifnbcdhdghfnjg b

Today, we went to "maras moray," and the salt mines near there. This day was amazing. I have no words. Just being in a place with so much history and stories. I could imagine the Incas working around me, cultivating salt, cassava, and maize, and potatoes. "Moray" was a place to investigate trends to grow better. It was a large agricultural laboratory. So so so awesome.


Uhkññlkgkk

Now I'm going out for a party of the other volunteers. Tomorrow will begin the medical research.

Tonight, I'm going to dance. Surely.




Fgsfgfñkg FstrdjgygdhjjvgSbbgj?

Love/love
Always

Stewart

Blog 11. El dia de actividad.

Hoy yo finalmente pude salir la casa.  Yo salí ayer, pero fue una idea mala.  Pero, hoy no tengo dolor, no tengo flema, no tengo ningún enfermedades.  Ok, estoy un poco enfermo todavía, pero nunca he lo permitido retardarme.

Entonces, hoy yo fue al la programa de niños y coge un mil mas besos y abrazos, cual son probablemente completamente llenos de virus es y bacteria, pero no me molestaban.  Ojala.  :)

Hoy día yo escribo para hacer un desafío.  Cada día yo aprendo algo. Si yo no lo escribo, se me olvide inmediamente.

Entonces, mi desafio.

Por favor comiencen escribiendo lo que has aprendido cada día.  Empiecen una nota del red, del "google docs," o una cuaderno.  Empiecen cualquier cosa, pero empiecen algo.

Por ejemplo, hoy yo aprendi que los doughnuts largos acá se llaman "la lengua de suegra."

Yo aprendí que aveces niños van a calmar con solamente un poco de contacto.  Con un abrazo.  Aprendí que niños estarán aburrido después 10 minutos en un Actividad, y por eso necesito planear 3 o 4 actividades antes la clase.

Aprendí que niños responden mejor cuando yo digo "necesito ayuda con (algo)" que cuando yo digo "quieres hacer (algo)"

Aprendí que puede conocer alguien bien por mensajes del internet si los dos personas quieren hacerlos.

Amor/amen
Siempre

Stewart


_________________________


Blog 11. The day of activity.

Today I finally was able to leave the house. I went out yesterday, but it was a bad idea. But today I have no pain, I have phlegm, I have no diseases. Ok, I'm still a little sick, but I have never permitted retardarme.

So today I went to the children's program and take a thousand more kisses and hugs, which are probably completely full of bacteria and virus, but did not bother me. I hope. :)

Today I write to make a challenge. Every day I learn something. If I do not write, I forget promptly.

So my challenge.

Please begin typing what you learn every day. Start a note en te internet, via the "google docs," or a notebook. Start anything, but start something.

For example, today I learned that long donuts here are called "mother tongue."

I learned that sometimes children will calm with only a little contact. With a hug. I learned that kids will be bored after 10 minutes in an activity, and so I need to plan 3 or 4 activities before class.

I learned that children respond best when I say "I need help with (something)" that when I say "want to do (something)"

I learned that you can know someone well for internet messages if two people want them.

Love / love
always

Stewart

Blog 10 el dia de enfermidad

Things that went poorly today:
I am sick.  Sore throat stuffy nose muscle aches etc.
The doctors of Peru are on strike.  All of them.
My doctor in specific had an emergency surgery over the weekend and will not be at work until Thursday.

Things that went well today:
Michael started in the hospital and did amazing things.
I slept 10 hours.  That's on top of normal nighttime sleep.
I am in peru, and life is good.

Sick stu, signing off.

Love
Always.

El dia de las postres

 Primero...voy a comenzar escribiendo mis blogs en español y traducirlos a ingles por ustedes.  Si no puede entender la traducion, es porque estoy un nuevo estudiante de espanol....o porque tengo un "autocorrect" muy feroz.

Ok.  Tengo que decir ustedes sobre 3 dias.

Viernes:  por la mañana yo dije "Chau" a mi buena professora.  Ella me dijo donde podemos encontrar el mejor cuy (edible guinea pig) en todo de Cusco.

A las 11 Miguel y yo fuimos a un reunion con los voluntarios de "Aldea Yanapay," el proyecto con que he estado trabajando desde miercoles.  Por 1.5 horas el jefe (se llama Yuri) hablo sobre las problemas aca en Cusco: machismo, abuso domestico, alcoholismo, corrupcion, y el hecho que Cusco es un ciudad para turisticos, no para la gente.  No hay una cine, no hay una cultura de Cusco presente, solamente una cultura de turismo.  Por eso hay casi nada a hacer excepto beber alcohol y vender cosas a turisticos como yo.  Eso es la cultura aca.  Y ademas, Cusco no puede cambiarla simplemente con una nueva cine - Porque es la cultural la gente necisita cambiar, poco a poco.  Pero primero, la gente tiene que querer a cambiar.  Luego, nosotros escuchamos a Yuri sobre el projecto y como esta ayudando la comunidad.  Yuri empezo Aldea Yanapay hace 8 años para enseñar una otra forma de vivir a los niños, y pronto a sus padres tambien.  Nosotros estamos intentando a prestar oportunidades a las familias para aprender cosas como nutricion, cociendo, y salud.  Yo voy a empezar con los proyectos de salud publica pronto.

Por la tarde, Miguel y yo leimos y estudiamos.  Hubo una fiesta para los voluntarios a las 8, y llegamos a las 845.  Despues cena los otros voluntarios y nosotros bailamos.  Voy a decir solamente que a hora, Miguel y yo conocemos los otros voluntarios muy bien, y ellos son personas muy buenas.

Sabado: yo comí demasiado mucho postres este dia.  Yo dormí hasta 8 (muy tarde para mi!) y despues you leí cuentos infantales para aprender nuevas palabras.

Por la tarde Miguel y yo fuimos al un choco museo y tomamos la mejor té en todo el mundo: té de cocoa.  Tenia un sabor de chocolate caliente, pero era solemente agua!  No te preocupes, voy a comprarla para darla.  Luego, fuimos a "christo blanco," una estatua de Jesus christo velando por la ciudad.  Nosotros vemos algunas ruinas de las incas se llama "sacsaywaman" (sexy woman - aunque el nombre significa "resting falcon")

Domingo: hoy Miguel, mi hermano Fabri, y yo fuimos por las montañas, por el templo de la Luna (de las Incas, hecho hace 600 años), y la final a un lugar se llama "balcon de diablo" - una cueva con un rio.  Nosotros Caminamos por 7 horas, y yo sentí que estabamos perdidos, pero Fabri siempre sabia el camino.

Nosotros vemos dos zorros Andean, y la cueva era muy impresionante.

O, tambian, yo estaba enfermo.  Todavia estoy enfermo.

Al final, nosotros vemos una pelicula Durante que pude entender solamente el niño que tenia 4 años.

Mañana voy a empezar trabajando a la hospital por las mañanas (en los quirofanos y con un proyecto de investigacion sobre leishmaniasis.  Por las tardes voy a trabajar con los niños a Aldea Yanapay.  Voy a trabajar 10 horas cada dia.

Una Buena Vida en verdad.

Vamos a ver si la traducion esta buena....

Hasta Mañana amigos!!

Amen
Siempre

Stewart


------------------------------------------


The day of the desserts

 First ... I will start writing my blogs in Spanish and translated into English for you. If you can not understand the translated, is because I am a new student of Spanish .... or because I have a "autocorrect" very fierce.

Ok. I have to tell you about 3 days.

Friday: morning I said "Bye" to my good professora. She told me where we can find the best cuy (guinea pig edible) in all of Cusco.

At 11 Miguel and I went to a meeting with the volunteers of "Hamlet Yanapay," the project I've been working since Wednesday. For 1.5 hours the head (called Yuri) talked about the problems here in Cusco: machismo, domestic abuse, alcoholism, corruption, and the fact that Cusco is a tourist city, not for people. There is no theater, no culture of Cusco present, only a culture of tourism. So you have almost nothing to do except drink alcohol and sell things to tourist like me. That's the culture here. And besides, Cusco simply can not change with a new movie - is cultural because people wanting some change, little by little. But first, people have to want to change. Then we hear about the project and Yuri as is helping the community. Yuri started eight years ago Yanapay Village to teach a different way of living children, and their parents too soon. We are trying to provide opportunities for families to learn things like nutrition, cooking, and health. I'll start with public health projects soon.

In the afternoon, Michael and I read and study. There was a party for volunteers at 8, and arrived at 845. After dinner the other volunteers and we dance. I will say only that time, Miguel and I know very well the other volunteers, and they are very good.

Saturday: I ate too much dessert this day. I slept until 8 (too late for me!) And then you read stories infantales to learn new words.

In the afternoon Michael and I went to one choco museum and take the best tea in the world: cocoa tea. I had a taste of hot chocolate, but was solemente water! Do not worry, I'll buy it to give. Then, we went to "white christo," a statue of Jesus Christ watching over the city. We see some ruins of the Incas called "Sacsaywaman" (sexy woman - although the name means "falcon resting")

Sunday: Today Miguel, my brother Fabri, and I went through the mountains, the temple of the moon (the Incas, made 600 years ago), and the end to a place called "Devil balcony" - a cave with a river. We walked for seven hours, and I felt that we were lost, but always know the road Fabri.

We see two Andean foxes, and the cave was very impressive.

Or, anyway, I was sick. I'm still sick.

In the end, we see a movie during which I could understand only the child who was 4 years old.

Tomorrow I will start working at the hospital in the morning (in the operating room and with a research project on leishmaniasis. In the afternoons I work with children Yanapay Village.'m Going to work 10 hours a day.

A Good Life indeed.

Let's see if your translation is good ....

Until tomorrow friends!

Amen
Always

Stewart

Blog number next.  Los Dias de Cusco

Ya llegé.

My first few days have been a whirlwind.  I'll give brief bullet pointed highlights.

Sunday.  You heard about it already.  Don't be greedy.
Monday.  Got picked up and hand delivered to mi escuela. Mi professora makes jokes about being addicted to coca cocaine (the tea made is coca, silly).  She doesn't think I am stupid (most of the time).  There is another student at school who I help teach after classes.  At school I pour hot liquid Spanish into my brain for 4 hours (with a cookie break), then walk 30 minutes home for lunch.  I eat a stupidly large lunch (I just love Latina American eating traditions!).  After lunch I play futbol with Daniella.  Soon after I help literally destroy their jardin (under the close supervision of my hermano Fabri) with pickaxes and saws (yes saws.  For the grass, dub) so that they can replace the grass with a brick patio.  You read that right.  Strenuous physical exercise on my first full day at 3400 meters and I only had to lie down twice.  Booya.

Tuesday.  Same start as yesterday, though I get to remind myself that people here likely do not speak German regularly, so when you think they are saying "ach tun!" its more likely yet another Spanish word you do not know.  After lunch I head to Aldea Yanapay, a totally awesome afterschool public health program focusing on teaching the niños a different way to live - with emphasis on dedication to schoolwork/reading/learning, confidence, morality, eating habits, security and the importance of stability.  I am supposed to start on Monday of next week, but I want to chat about sabados de salud - their nutrition program for the whole family every Saturday.  As it turns out one of their volunteers up and left for the jungle and they need another hand.  Which means I get to start tomorrow (as I am writing in a weird mix of past tense and present, this tomorrow means today.  Aka Wednesday)

At supper I learn that 20 years ago there was so much terrorism even in Cusco that the govt could not guarantee your safely after 6pm and until 6 am,  (don't worry mom, 20 years ago).  To signify the change in life state of safety they would play a specific bugle tone at 6 and again at 6am.  To play a tune is "Toca."  So what do these cusceñans do with it? They create a style of music called "toca a toca" which is so lively you will dance all night long, from the first toca to the last.  Crazy cusceñans.

Oh, this is the day that Michael was supposed to arrive, but his bag flew to mexico without him so he got stuck in Lima

Wednesday.  School is school. Today I spent half the day talking about peanut butter condoms.  Preservativos = condoms, preservos = preservatives, FYI.

They best part of they day is starting at Aldea Yanapay.  These kids are absolutamente insane, but at they end of they day they all line up for hugs and kisses because they already love you for being there.  But again, they are crazy, off the wall jumping, yelling, wrestling....its like parenting septuplets.   This place is awesome and please please volunteer there when in Cusco if you like joy and happiness.  My favorite part so far: they actually have staff psychologists who lead "games" intended to find which students have problems at home, are abused, don't get enough to eat, etc.  I love this job.

I will get to chat with Dr Montoya finally on Friday to discuss what I will do, but it looks like I will spend the mornings in surgery or researching leishmaniasis, go home for lunch, and then spend the afternoons with bouncing bundles of ADHD.  If lucky I'll get home by 8.  :) Such a good busy life.  I'll get to meet with the public health school Friday too in order to seed there is another project that I can help with while here.

To cap it all off, Michael is finally here!!!  We are already discussing which hikes to this weekend.

Philosophy of the day, courtesy of my professora: the minute you think you know enough, that you can stop learning, is the minute you truly die.

This gets a little bit at the purpose of life - it assumes that the purpose of life is to seek knowledge, and when you stop this you stop life.  However, I do think that there is micro and macro purposes to life. Micro of course being your personal, individual purpose - the thing that you are meant to do.  Macro being twofold: first; to find and pursue your micro purpose, and  second; to Love, always.

So I'd disagree with my teacher a touch.  But only in that there is more to life's purpose than learning.  I completely agree that the idea of being done learning is both debilitating and egotistical.

I'll get into the second half of my what then must I (we) do question next time... and one of these days I'll discuss the gritty of this seemingly mythical ideal of "love, always." But not today.

Love
Always

Stewart

Blog 7 el dia de mi familia

Today I met the family I will be staying with for the next 3 months at least.

I could not ask for a nicer location, in a nicer city, with nicer people.

Cusco is gorgeous, my host aunt owns a tour agency and will give me sweet deals, my Spanish teacher is picking me up at my house tomorrow, and today I played futbol with my 5 year old hermana.

She is the best person to play futbol with, by the way.  Everything that was not grass was a goal, every goal was worth anywhere between 3 and 100 thousand points, and every time I missed the goal she would push it in for me so she could celebrate a goal and dole out points like candy.

She literally fell asleep at the dinner table she played so hard.

This life is a good life.

Man am I lucky or what: I have amazing family in all the parts of the world.

This week I will investigate the programs of the city to see where my public health dreams will fit best.  I talk with my doctor contact tomorrow about what all I get to do in the hospital, and I'll talk with the children's program about what teaching I can do for the population.

Finally, and coolest of all, my family has told me many times how good my Spanish is.  This is the kindest thing they could say to me right now.

Which leads to the philosophy of the day: mind your expectations.  I have been so very down on myself because of my "flailing" Spanish vocabulary. They were impressed because I can speak and understand better than most students they host.  Nothing changed about my ability save for the comparison, the bar it was measured against.  So as I adjust my expectations I get happier.  Simple and ludicrously applicable.  So mind your expectations.  Obviously too low and you sloth around, but give yourself a break once in a while, eh?  I'll keep my expectations of self and others high (working the social norms angle, of course), but depression is a thing to be prevented and/or addressed.  This is a good place to start.

Love.
Always.

Stewart

Blog 6.  El dia del autobus.

I learned something today.  From a movie.  In Spanish.  Which means..... :)

Sometimes I can understand movie Spanish.  Which is huge.

I was reminded of a way of looking at the world.  Namely, consider that there are only two types of people in the world.  Those who do good when possible and those who do bad when possible.  This obviates assumptions of character and personality based on religion, culture, history and instead enforces reliance on a study of action to draw conclusions of the person's self.

While not quite so simple as that, given no one can do good every time, I do believe that the concept can apply to a summation of instances and is a great place to start.

Maybe its cause I'm in a bus and will be for the next thousand hours, but I feel like elaborating.

I know a lot of this is obvious, but it is what I believe.  So if you already know it, at least now you know it represents me.

 So.  We will have to start by outlining the basics.  Humans are individually weak and pitiful. Isolated we are barely worth the Carbon we are made of.  Obviously I hyperbole, though slightly.  I speak strictly in comparison to our true power, that of relationship.  We have the power to affect each other, and through each other the whole world through all extant time.

Pretty cool eh?  This is the power of ideas, of inspiration, of interaction, of consideration and mutual devotion to the selfless quest for Truth.  Most importantly, this is a power we all have.  We all have relationships, we all are effected and equally affect daily.  Hourly.  I affect you by writing this.  You affect me by reading.

So become aware.  Recognize.  Understand. Embrace your innate power of humanity.  Most importantly, use it intentionally, use it hourly.  Know that no matter what you do you are using it.  When you are doing bad, good, or nothing you use it.

OK, so with this established we can see that the most important things for the world are those things we put in it.  Our beliefs form our concept of self and our  identity.  From this should come how we want to act.  From this should flow the blueprint of the effect we want to have on our neighbors, our society, our world.  From this blueprint should come our actions.  Everything we put into the world: words, print, action, inaction.

The next step is to note that part of your impact on your world is what proceeds you: how you will be received.  This depends on the perception of your personality and character, which brings us back to our first concept.  You are often battling stereotypes, preconceptions, connotations.   Acknowledge this, and take care of your reputation, which will hopefully be based largely on your previous actions.  Sometimes, if all goes well, it is all you've got.

So, to wrap it all up, we have three jobs at the end if the day.

First, remember that with every action and inaction you are defining yourself.
Second, remember that every action, inaction, and your carefully developed character does in fact somehow affect those who surround you. Perhaps magnificently, perhaps minimally, but everything has an echo.  Everything.  So act intentionally.
Finally, remember to give others the same benefit of action-based judgment.

So here I sit.  Inactive.  On a bus.  Still understanding movie Spanish.  Afraid of the future, though well excited to get on with it.  I hope that something here affects you, somehow, as you have affected me.

As always.

Love
Always.

Seriously.

Stewart.

Blog 5 la dia de la comidas incredables.

There is only so many times you can say "Spanish classes were hard but awesome today" before people get your point.  So this is not the story of today, though it certainly is true.

The story if the day is food.

I ate at two restaurants today.

The first cost ~3$ for juice, appetizer, entree with (possible)  complimentary salmonella.  It was good food.  I have no complaints and will return.

The second boasted water bottles that cost the same as the entire lunch bill.  Considered the best restaurant in Peru by some, it lived up to its reputation.  I experienced literally the best things I have ever put in my mouth.  I also paid the most I ever have for a meal (excepting Vegas, which is a whole other story).

I ate a curry whose delicate appearance masked individual vegetables with flavor so balanced that eating more than one at a time would be considered a culinary sin.  It was fickle, changing flovours once or twice as you progressed in every bite, yet was stabilized by a consistent, resonating, and full bodied curry.

There was a macaroon so good it made me like macaroons.  And I strongly dislike macaroons.

There was a piece of chocolate so rich that when I opened my eyes and realized I still had 2/3 left I felt afraid.  What if I had attempted to eat the nugget whole?  Would I have died?  Would my face have melted like in Indiana Jones when those foolish Nazis raided the lost ark?

There was a mango appetizer that was so nuanced I counted 5 different flavor profiles.  It was a cubic centimeter, with 5 distinct flavors.  That's like an appetizer clown car.  Filled with elephants and blue whales.

The presentation was so excellent that the shredded Parmesan pieces were individually placed to be symmetric and upright.

This was an excellent evening of food based debauchery.  I'd recommend it.  Without a doubt in my mind.

Need I say it again? Come visit.

http://www.astridygaston.com/web/pagina.php?pidscw=1&pidpsp=0&pidpag=3652

Blog 4: la dia de las Fuentes.

Nothing exciting happened yesterday.  Not that exciting hangs are supposed to happen every day, its just that blog posts which read "Today I spent 3 hours attempting to circumvent ABC's 'no international viewing' rules and failed miserably.  Meaning I still have not watched castle, and there for am depressed" have no place in this uplifting blog.

However, I did meet more people in my hostel anoche (last night), which leads to tonight's tale.  Turns out that when depressed by a lack of TV the last thing you want to do is go and talk in a language you barely know.  However, if you have been raised by a family valuing self awareness and improvement as I have (thanks family!), you force yourself into terribly scary situations for your own begrudging benefit.  Stupid mantras demanding acknowledgement and addressment of problems.

Also, addressment is your word of the day.

So last night I met some wonderful mexicanos who talked so fast my head span.  But I understood enough to know that these were nice people.  One in particular I talked to enough to know that not only what she nice, she was also a truly good person.

So enter today.  It started as most do: Spanish classes until my head is alternately swimming and exploding, then a small recreo, then more Spanish classes until I die.  Then lunch somewhere where I can eat a lunch to feed a king for the price of a pauper.  Also, someone in my life had better learn how to make cebiche, cause I am officially addicted.  Then I study in the park talking to old dudes. Today I mixed it up by finally being able to withdraw money after an honest 6 previous attempts.  Which means I could buy my ticket out of this gray, gray city to a greener, lovelier place called Cusco.

By the way, cities are not my scene.  Or suburbs.

So needless to say, things were looking up as I could finally spend money without worrying if it was the last money I would spend.

Then I went home.  I was chatting with my new (incredibly beautiful) Mexican friend when the gringas asked if I wanted to go to a fountain show.  If you are ever in Lima and are asked to go to a fountain show, do it immediately.  Not only do you get to hail, barter with, and then ride in crazy taxis (I swear they learned how to drive on the classic game "crazy taxi"), but you get to spend the evening swimming in Spanish, likely with a beautiful (and kind) mexicana teaching said spanish, and you will see the most spectacular light/laser/fountain show you can imagine, complete with 3D light people dancing the dance of their people.  You miiiight get to waltz to some background music if you are lucky.  You will also likely run though fountains and slip and fall and go swimming accidentally.  Twice.

Long story short: always go to fountain shows.

Things I learned: I really is better to bring money and change it at una tienda de intercambio NOT in the airport.

There are fruits which literally taste so good you shed a tear.  I now know one such fruit, but I don't yet know what it is called.

There truly are awesome people everywhere.  You just have to contrive to meet them.

Love
Always

 Stu

Blog 3: el dia de las ruinas.

I went and saw mind blowingly old ruins ttoday, called huaca pucllana.  I learned that there was a lot of turnover in south america: The Limas built it, were conquered by the Wari who were then overtaken by the Ichma, who fell to the Incas.  All, by the way, practiced human sacrifice.

I ate even more mind blowingly delicious cebiche today, as well as a giant avacado stuffed with veggies and aja (sauce).  It was a beautiful work of art until I destroyed it with my mouth, via a fork.

Suffice to say I don't have much if a mind left, and since I start school tomorrow this will likely prove less than ideal.

So to prepare let's repair my mind by delving into some philosophy.  You may be wondering why oh why this blog is called what it is?  What does "what then must I do" actually mean?

Well rest easy, I'll ease your troubled mind.

Made relevant to me by the great philosopher Fagrelius, the concept dates back millennia.  Perhaps most famously written by Fidor Dostoevsky, the mantra calls to mind that the appropriate reaction to an observed problem is to ask oneself how one can address said problem.  It pushes for action rather than just observation and acknowledgement

The generosity and benefit of such a mantra cannot be disputed, but I do like talking about the limits and boundaries if such a mantra.  Namely, does it represent a great and generous (optional) idea, or a duty of the human condition? Secondly, does it allow you to not do anything when you don't see a wrong, or does the call to action confer an impulse to do something even when you cannot find something to do? IE, never do nothing, find something to do!!

I'll discuss the first today, the second later.
I believe that there are two impulses to act: intrinsic and extrinsic.  Intrinsic can include things like ideas of universal moral code, personal codes and commitments, etc.  Extrinsic includes things like social norms, laws, Etc.  I personally believe in absolute truth and all that jazz, meaning there are tenants of a universal moral code, though I readily admit that it is a lot more disagreed on than agreed on (which negates the universality of the parts in question, no?). As such I believe it is a lot simpler than others argue (my version is .... can you guess....Love.  Always.).

Therefore, as we revisit the scope of Fidor's mantra, I remind you that there are a lot of things that are not recognized as "universally morally awesome" but are definitely recognized as great and generous optional ideas.   I contend that in this instance, should you desire to elevate the action to universal status, you cannot rely on changing every individual's intrinsic motivation.  It will be sporadic and will lapse.  Always (mostly).  However, you can rely on the extrinsic.  Namely, if you can change the social norms you achieve functional universal status.

So to answer the question: I believe that the application of this mantra is a duty for me, and I would like to see it universally applied.  To do so I intend to actively attempt to change my surrounding social norms by publicly expressing my expectations and disappointments.

Thoughts?

Blog 2: dia de los gatos

The pigeons here are doves.
The stray dogs here are cats.  Cute ones.
The beaches here are rocks.  Which means they sound like beaches at home.
The gringas here are British.  Cute ones.
The Argentinians here are impossible to understand. Probly everywhere, but here especially.
The melons here are tricky.  They make you think you can eat the skin but then you just look like an idiot eating a delicious dripping wet fruit trying to peel with your teeth what should be cut with a knife.  Tada.
The doritos here are wonky.
The air here is crisp with the sea.
The people here are kind and patient.

I like it here.  Come visit.  :)

Love
Always

 Stu