Family News - June 2008

Benjamin

Benjamin, apart from a couple of tummy bugs, has been doing well. He looks as though he is shooting up in height and is chatting away non-stop. He has been eating well ever since we stopped his cows milk. He is very attached to a Barney soft toy dinosaur he had for his birthday and now also to a monkey that we bought him at the agricultural fair the other day. He now has Barney, Monkey, Dogger, Dumdy Bear, Winnie the Pooh and Rabbit is his bed at night and there isn't much room left for him! He is also very attached to his little friend, Joel, and his other friends from toddler group. Two of his common phrases at the moment are 'more Joel house' and 'Joel house today?' I have just begun to take him to the two year old class at Sammy's school once a week to see if he will settle in for a couple of hours without me - the idea is that I help a bit with English in one of the older classes while Ben plays with some little friends. We'll see - he's very clingy still!

Sammy

Sammy is also growing fast and eating lots! He also had a tummy bug and had to have a week off school but is fine now. His Spanish is getting more sophisticated and he is beginning to learn his letters. He is generally very good with his little brother, although there are frequent arguments over toys. He still loves playing and riding his bike in the park opposite with the neighbours' children. He is beginning to look forward to our visit back to Britain now and still remembers lots about home even though we left before his third birthday.

Jenny

With the boys both being ill we have been rather exhausted as we were up in the night so much with them, and I've not been 100% either. However, there have been some highlights in the last month or so. Today was Inti Raymi in Cusco, the re-enactment of the Inca winter solstice ceremony on a huge scale with hundreds of participants dressed in colourful Inca costumes and thousands and thousands of spectators. It is said to be the second largest festival in Latin America after Carnival in Rio. It is amazing to just be able
to walk 10 minutes from our house and see things like this! Last year we watched the procession and some of the ceremony (from a distance) up above Cusco. This year we managed to get a spot in a cafe with a balcony in the main plaza and watched the part of the ceremony which took place there. Work-wise the main things for me has been starting up the afternoon children's club at the mountain. It has been really rewarding so I hope we can get enough volunteers to keep it running each week.



Roland

Roland has continued to help the micro-finance project move forward and has also been helping UK charity Tox Box to find a source of Peruvian hats, scarves and gloves. A family who live on the hill above us have been able to knit what is required. He also continues to advise our friends Rachel (with her card project) and Jed (with his business plan for a cafe here). He has been doing really well with going running regularly for the last few weeks and we've finally been able to try out the new running track.