For some reason, Americans feel the need to buy some plastic du-hicky for just about every chore imaginable. I think I am mastering the art of doing everything with a rock and a stick. Bring in a trusty knife and we are talking mastery potential, but this can even be substituted with a stick sharpened with a rock.
When I couldn't get some caked mud off of the wood I am using for my ceilings, picked up a rock.
When I couldn't get my fingers under the rim of the tin coffee cup to clean it, grabbed a twig.
Small hole in the faucet? You can use either a rock or a twig for that!! It's like magic!
Today was my first day back from Arequipa City and my host father and I had planned on working on my ceiling together. But, I think I showed up at the house too late (9am), so he had left to work in the fields, so I was going to do laundry when I heard my name bounce off some adobe walls.
There is a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) here in town to teach thewomen how to build and cook with solar ovens to save money on gas and wood as well as minimize waste. Bolivar Inti is the name of the organization, they are a French organizationthat has worked in multiple countries to combat environmental destruction. I was extremely excited to be a part of the day's activities, but a little weary of the project at first. The 
Organization hired Peruvians to run the trainings here in town, while the carpenter that was helping build was amazing, the woman teaching how the oven worked laughed at herself when she didn't know what CO2 stood for. And they all kind of had this air of 'we are better than you' to them, which I have seen commonly in urban-lifestyle Peruvians when interacting or talking about rural-lifestyle Peruvians. And, I didn't think this was the wisest implementation. Will these women really drop their ancient conduct and start using these solar ovens? Will they keep the glass clean enough over time for the sunlight to enter and do its job? Doubtful, but maybe.But, working with the women was fun. Building, using my hands makes me happy. And, Seeing how adults can act just like the kids I instruct was equally entertaining.
I ducked out when they were learning how to cook with it and what greenhouse effect is, and headed home to do laundry. Then, cleaned the wood we will put in for my ceiling. The biggest joy in my life right now, my house sister, came home just as I was finishing washing and mending some of her laundry and she made me a fried tunafish and rice lunch. Can't stand the stuff, actually prefer alpaca, but warm food in the belly is always satisfying. The meal turned into English homework help which has become a pattern of late, and then I pulled a Peace Corps no-no. I cleaned the kitchen. When Roxana said that her mom was going to remain in the hospital for the rest of the month, my subconscious decided there was no one for me to offend per the Peace Corps concern, and I started. One of those, I will begin with this dish, but i can't put it on this rock because the rock is dirty so I will wipe the rock, well I can't just wipe part of the rock, I have to wipe the whole thing, but there is garbage and dirty dishes piled on the other side of the rock so I might as well clean that up... yeah, I might as well just clean everything. I took all the wood off their posts (shelving) and wiped years of soot and grime. Cleaned all dishes and cups. But I do have to say, the shelf of dead animal limbs remains as it was, but the stump we use as a counter actually cleaned up nicely, almost pretty. By then the sun was down and my hands were freezing from washing for hours in frosty water.
Now, I can reflect on a day that paired spontaneity with success beautifully.
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