Over the River and through the Woods to Grandmother's House We Go!

On Saturday the Sulca-Gomez Family loaded up, yes the Peruvian station wagon (I am not lying it is a small white station wagon) and headed for the hills. Literally we went over the river and through the woods to Grandma and Grandpa Sulca-Gomez's house. It is in the hills that over look Ayacucho. This is where my host dad Habacuc grew up with his 10 brothers and sisters. Habacuc told me that he was number six, his twin brother Micais is number five. Habacuc's parents are Victor Sulca and Julia Gomez. That is where Sulca-Gomez comes from. Victor is a farmer. Their house is in parts. One building was the kitchen and the other was for sleeping.

When we arrived we tried to find a shady spot (good luck on top of a mountain!). As we turned the corner on the dirt road that lead to the house...wouldn't you know it...right in the middle of a crop field/cow pasture...there it was ...a soccer field, complete with cow pies, an irrigation ditch for the field down below, and a manure pile!! Only in Latin America my friends.

So we spent the afternoon at the grandparents' house (abuelos in spanish). We even had a picnic. The men played soccer (I was told women here do not play soccer. For those of you who know me, can feel my inner pain at hearing that!). The women play volleyball, and are quite good. I am well average. They tell me I try to kill the ball everytime I hit it or I try to grab it like a goalie?! Hmmm wonder why?!!

So in order for us to play volleyball we needed a court. We had the net. The women were not about to ask the men to sacrifice a portion of their precious field so they drew one out right next to the manure pile. They said "All we need to do is move a little of this." They had one shovel and a burlap sack. I looked at my host Rosa when she said "Lisa, just use your hands." I looked back and said "To move this?" Ahhhh the things we do for relationship building.

I was thinking this had better be one fabulous volleyball game. Cows, guinea pigs (aka Cuy), and dirt. The worst smelling compost pile this side of the equator.
...and what visit to Grandma Julia's house wouldn't be complete without a picnic. Chicken, salad, and of course POTATOES. Julia's sister had some canchita's she was selling. They are liked puffed corn with a little sugar added right before they PUFF!! They are more like Honey Smacks (remember Dig 'um) than popcorn, and are more healthy or so the Peruvians say. The corn kernals here are bigger too.

This trip to the Abuelos happens about twice a month if not more. Alot of the people there were from the church, and some from Rosa's family.