A Typical Day in Cahuazhun Grande

I wake up at seven a.m. I walk quietly across the tile floor from my bedroom to the bathroom and prepare myself for the day. I say "Buenos días" to my host mom and enjoy a breakfast of bread, manjar (a delectable version of milk-based caramel), blackberry jam, tea and a banana shake. My housemates and I head out the door and take the massive flight of stairs to the university. We file onto a bus and enjoy the curviest and most breathtaking ride up a mountain for an hour and a half. Finally, we reach Cahuazhun Grande, a tiny community marked by one small road sign.

The children are frolicking on the concrete pad outside of the classroom building, young and younger mingling amongst each other. They're excited to see us, the youngest latching onto our arms and the oldest ready to play a game of soccer. We're excited to see them, too. I hear a chorus of "¿Como estás?" and "Buenos días, amigos!"

After our greetings, we all make our way to our classrooms. My groupmates Sam and Deidre and I go to the 9th and 10th grade classrooms, where we greet our teacher Maribel and several teenagers, in their blue uniform sweaters, long skirts and socks for girls and blue khakis for boys. Each day brings a new task: we teach them the digestive system, for example, or we explain American celebrations, our we take turns introducing ourselves in English.

After a seemingly short time in class, it's time for "recreo," or recess, my favorite part of the day. I get to see the chiquititos, the tiniest children. I spend a good part of recreo with the littlest ones, picking them up and twirling them around, chasing them and playing games like "Lobito," the little wolf game. I spend another part of it on a walk with some older kids, and I have conversations with them about their families and school.

When recreo is over, we finish class with some younger kids. Sometimes, they make crafts, like a heart keychain for their moms. Other times, they run and giggle and yell relentlessly, and I don't know what to do, and for some reason, that's okay.

We have lunch and I ask my peers how their days were. In fact, everyone's experience is very different than my own, but we learn similar things: the American concept of time and discipline is very different, and the people of Cahuazhun Grande are very happy.

We listen to a lecture by the teachers of the school on various topics, such as Andean cosmology, herbal medicines or Andean agriculture. We appreciate the sharing of ideas and we learn a lot from our partners at the school each and everyday.

I board the bus at around 2:30 p.m., absolutely exhausted. It was a good day in the community.