The closing ceremony for the Primary(Elementary) school was this morning and I was invited to hand out diplomas. Totally nerve racking cause I should say something inspirational to each student, but pretty cool to be a part of.
After the ceremony all the teachers (that had moved to the town to teach for the school year) moved back to Arequipa for summer break. So, when they invited me to ride with them to the city I packed a bag in under 5 minutes and decided to surprise my boyfriend for the holidays.
Mid ride it started to rain, as it is the rainy season here that is to be expected. But, then it started to downpour. By far, the hardest rain yet this season. The beautiful little droplets started tearing up the steep walls of the canyon pulling small mountains of loose earth over the road. We were forced to stop driving and wait for the deluge to pass. Of course, the teachers had suitcases on the roof of the van that we decide to bring inside so the clothes inside wouldn't get wet. We piled about 15 sopping wet bags on top of about 10 people in a 6 person van. Quickly the storm disappeared behind the foggy window pain and all we could do is listen and wait. Some kids and I started playing the little game where you count the time between the lightening and thunder and they got a mini lesson on light and sound travel (yup, i'm always on the job, it's pitiful). As my jeans absorbed moisture from the bag on my lap the temperature continued to rise int he van. Then one of the professors from a neighboring town and I started making jokes about getting out and walking to the nearest town (Chivay). We decided we wanted to stretch our legs. But, once we got out of the van, we never got back in. We grabbed out bags and just started hiking towards town. The rain had slowed, and their weren't rocks falling anymore. The road was covered in light saturated mud that the cars couldn't get through, but our boots sure could. It was probably the most beautiful hike I have taken, to date, in the canyon. The huge clouds crawled over the sides of the canyon and purged more and more sparkling droplets over the dry terraced fields.
Somehow, I have learned to always be self sustaining in the canyon. You never know when you are going to get stuck somewhere for days. So, my bag is always a little more weighted than one would like, but I am never without. Well, never except today. My little emergency pack always has a granola bar or cookies in it. Of course, today that stash hadn't been replenished. I had yogurt for breakfast, it was 3 o'clock and my tummy was grumbling. I wasn't the only uncomfortable one. The teachers I was hiking with were in their business attire. Fortunatly my hearty boots got me through when the mud engulfed my leg up to mid calf, but the teachers weren't so lucky in their loafers. Somehow, and very fortunately, everyone was in good spirits and laughing through the whole experience. Perhaps it was the beauty of the rain that carried us as we passed car after car stuck or waiting for the rains to pass. Or perhaps we were just a group of crazy adventurous types. Haha. When we got closer to the city there was a van waiting for the rain to pass to head out of Chivay. We convinced him to give us a ride to Chivay and come back (I might have threatened to eat him if he didn't take us, I was SO hungry).
Celebratory, we arrived in Chivay before the early afternoon bus to Arequipa parted. As we went up to buy our tickets the vendor shook her head, it was 15 minutes until the bus would leave and all the seats were full. Vanquished! We would have to wait for the midnight bus. Well, maybe not... there were a lot of people trapped on the road to Chivay that probably had tickets and wouldn't make it. We decided to play "stand-by" with the busses. I was flashed with memories when Mama and I were travelling home for the holidays a few years ago and our flight was cancelled so we bounced around from gate to gate trying to squeeze on a plane. I remember convincing the flight attendendent my dogs' bladder would be full soon and we had to get on the next flight and she got us on! This time it didn't take as much coaxing. Because most of the folks int he terminal were tired and testy, I think the woman working the door took to me and the other professors goofy, lighthearted attitude. Joking with her about her putting us in the under-cabin where they transport the llamas or on the roof where I could get a rain-bath (because I surly stank after my week at site without showering) convinced her to wave us over when they got a phone call and a couple seats opened up.
What a journey! And in the end I got to see the delightedly surprised face of my loving boyfriend at the bus terminal in Arequipa. It was then that I realized I left the small bag of Christmas presents for him and his family back in Madrigal! Vanquished again! It will have to be a Christmas wrapped in the gift of loving care and yummy food!
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