Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Our copy system

We get emails to give to the District Pres. and also need to print our talks.  So instead of trying to find a printer and figure out how to work it all the time, we go to this internet store after we email ourselves whatever we want printed.  We have this girl help us print and then always tip her.  She loves to see us coming!  Notice the cooler with pop?  It's never plugged in.

Friday, March 26, 2010

Our own version of Home Depot and Walmart

 
There are a number of small shops like this one all over in Nasca.  It's amazing what they can cram into so small a space.  We did find a Home Depot in Ica to get weather stripping to go on the bottom of our doors so the dirt doesn't blow into the house so much.  I had made one from sewing plastic bags together and stuffing them with other plastic bas to make a tube, but the real ones work much better.

Rauolito's is our Supermarcado.  We can find tuna fish, peaches, mushrooms, and fruit cocktail in cans.  Our milk has the date of July when it expires and comes in a box(not refrigerated).  We get mayo in a bag that is also not refrigerated.

Fruit stands like these are on the streets and also all kinds of juice, food(which we don't eat or drink from the street) and clothing stands.

Learning the language

This week I am practicing giving directions to our taxistas.  This is necessary because one day Elder Jones helped me into the taxi, closed the door and went to get in on the other side.  Meanwhile, for some reason, the taxi driver took off.  Here I am tapping on his shoulder, pointing backwards and saying over and over "mi espouso, mi esposo."  I had no money to pay him wherever we were going.  Finally it dawned on him that he might have forgotten someone.  He threw the taxi into reverse and backed up into the oncoming traffic for about a block.  So now I have learned "pare" or stop!

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

District Conference

We attended District Conference in Marcona.  On Saturday morning we started out visiting families with member of different auxilliary presidencies.  It was interesting that the leaders that didn't show up to visit got replaced during the conference.  I got to visit 4 families with the District Primary President.  She didn't speak English and neither did any of the families and of course, my Spanish is limited.  However, I think I found out one sister had surgery, one had a child living in Chile where the earthquake was, but they were ok.  I'm never quite sure what I am told or what I tell people.  I found out I told someone my Bday was April 1.  It's kind of scary what else I might have told people.  The visits really paid off with lots of the people attending the conference.  We are finding a lot of the less active members just need to know they are cared about.

Another trip to Marcona

Here's another hidden picture to find.  There is an oso(bear) and a dolphin in the rock formations.  See them?
We are in Marcona for a District Conference and had a break Saturday afternoon.  Hermana Manning, her daughter and a friend and I took a quick trip to view the elephant.

                                     I even got to wade in the ocean and gather some seashells.


We passed this cemetary on our way back from the ocean.  We didn't pass it on the way there so we were probably lucky to find our way back!
They stack the vaults four of five high.  It might all be above ground because of the sand drifting.  This is the first cemetary we've seen, so I don't know for sure.


Notice the yard boundaries on this housing development just outside town.

These communities spring up outside towns and after so long the real owners lose their property, somewhat like homesteading.  When there are enough people the nearby town provides power and schools.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Los Misioneros

The people here are great.  We make a lot of visits to less active and part member families.  We are    also working with two families that are not members.  We work in 3 branches in Nasca and two in Marcona, which is an hour away.  We were excited to see 3 of our families at church on Sunday.

We love Ica!

Elder Hess and Elder Huerte met us for lunch.  With the promise of Pizza Hut once a month or so we might make it.  Last time we were in Ica we got stuck there.  We called these missionaries and they came to our rescue.  Elder Hess is also from Malad and will return home in April.

Trip to Ica

Not a living thing to be seen for lots of miles!
We took the Cruz Del Sur Bus to Ica on P Day to get a few supplies.  Last time we took the bus to Lima it was on the Soyuz Bus line.  The Cruz Del Sur is like taking an airplane - nice soft seats with foot rests, blankets and pillows.  The Soyuz was a little different, not quite like the chicken bus, but close!  Plus we got stranded in Ica because there was no bus going to Nasca until the next day.  Thankfully, the Elders came to our rescue and got us a room to stay.

I guess there is some green along the river bottom.  The highway is in the foreground.  I would hate to be stranded  out here.  But as always we would be taken care of.  Our faith is growing as the Lord takes care of us in our trials and tribulations.

Another cumpleanos!

Jose and Naomi shared a B-day cake and we played scrabble in Spanish.  They are the children of our branch president, President Alarcone.  He and his wife have been very good to us.  Jose turned 19 and is getting ready to start on his mission papers.

Instant Green Thumb


We found a home delivery nursery and decided to see if we can grow anything in the hot sun here.  Also, we are trying a fence to see if it will stop the garbage from blowing in every afternoon.  We get a mini whirlwing by our front door.


This week I was also bitten by a dog and had a lesson in Peruvian cooking.  The dog's teeth only bruised, not broke, the skin on my leg and the cooking lesson was successful.  Elder Jones even sampled the arroz con pollo.  We put cilantro and spinach in the blender and then put it on the rice while it was cooking.  Then we added peas and carrots and chicken that we fried after it boiled a bit.  Along with onions, garlic and boullion cubes, it had a very good flavor.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Building boom

.There is a lot of construction going on here in Nazca.  Piles of sand like this are along the streets everywhere.  They use it to make the mortar for the adobe.  After they do the adobe, some people will cover it with cement or tile so it looks nicer.You don't see alot of ground level construction, but add ons at upper levels.
                         This is the same building in the above picture but taken several weeks later.



We've had  a few earthquake tremors and I don't think I would like to be on the staircase for one of them.

I don't know where they get the trees for their 2 x 4's , but they are very innovative in using what they have.
You will see part of piles like this along the street as they begin building.

Glad I didn't have to go!


We got brave and ate at a little restaurant by the park plaza.  I was glad no one else had to use the facilities either while we were there eating!

Checking out the neighborhood


Our neighbor(our house is just off to the left) has a business in front of his house.  They do welding and iron work from about 6:30 in the morning to 8 or so at night.   The  area is not zoned for commercial use and the authorities came to serve them a notice they had to move the business.  However, we decided we would rather have them there where someone was watching our house all day than have an enemy for a neighbor, so we spoke up for them.  So now we are all friends - we take them drinks and mangos from our tree.

Monday, March 1, 2010

Trip to Marcona

  • We had a few minutes between meetings and caught a moto taxi out to view the ocean. 




                              Can you find the pictures hidden in the rocks - elephant - sea lion - turtle?

The other coves have sea lions and penquins.  We hope to go there next time we visit Marcona.  We travel over from Nasca in either a van or old chevy type car.  You ride with about 6 in a car or 12 in a van. You go to the round about and catch a ride over and the same to get back. You just have to wait until your vehicle gets filled to leave.   I thought the wind would blow my glasses right off my face and out the window. I will never view a trip to Pocatello or Logan the same.    We stayed overnight as we made visits to six families.   All six of the families were at one rama or the other Sunday when we visited the branches.

Feliz Cumpleanos



We attended our first fiesta or birthday party.  Hermana Tarque had a birthday so we ordered a cake to take over.  It was quite a process.  We asked Hermana Katty about it - she took us to Yudina's where we called Hermana Gloria, who knew someone who would make a cake.  We waited for a half hour there for her to come take us to the cake place.  There were closed, but she knocked on their house door and ordered our cake, which we picked up at 7.  We had juice at Yudina's while we waited for Gloria.  Everywhere we go we have drinks and crackers of some kind.  We hope the drinks come from bottles or boxes.  The milk is in boxes and the expiration date on ours is July.  We can't drink tap water here.

Hermana Gloria took us to meet five families on our way home. She is a great resource.   We are making a map to try to help us find people again.