The Beauty of Immersion

Santiago Day:

    On my way to Andahuaylillas, I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to feel. I was unsure about living in a new place and forming relationships with new people. I never could have imagined how easy it would be to cultivate friendships with strangers on the street and continue to hold conversations with them every day of the week. There is something really cool about viewing life in a different perspective with an alternative mindset. As soon as I got to the small town of Andahuaylillas, I started to see the beauty of being in a new place.  From a first-hand point of view, I have been welcomed into a kind and loving community of people as well as culture. 

    Being immersed in Peruvian society has allowed me to view a culture of unmatched traditions. In my short time here, I have learned there is beauty in stepping out of the comfort of your own culture. For example, I am learning to speak Quechua just by having small conversations with people. I love talking with all the friendly faces in the Plaza (the city center), in the Parish kitchen, and even in the San Pedro Apostol de Andahuaylillas Church. Through these conversations I have learned to say phrases like “khuyakuyki mamay,” or I love you mom. 

    When we go to Urcos for groceries, I love conversing with the ladies at the tiendas.  It was through dancing around the market where I learned “Tusuy,” or dancing in Quechuan. Me asking the ladies what the word dancing meant in their language immediately brought a huge smile to their faces. A simple gesture of interest. When leaving Urcos, I would speak Quechuan and make the taxi driver laugh as he would also claim to be “El Ultimo Inca,” or the last Inca. Showing interest in learning and extending oneself to growth, even by picking up a few phrases in a native dialect, has helped me form meaningful connections and further immerse myself in this beautiful culture.

    Extending myself to develop my Quechuan skills has brought a lot of joy to the locals, but it has also allowed me to form a relationship with one of the kindest women I may possibly ever meet. My favorite phrase of all is “wawakaparish,” or baby tantrum and this was taught by the most caring woman ever, Julia. Julia is one of the women in the parish that works as a cook for one of The Project’s initiatives, serving meals to over 150 people. After my day working at the high school, I head over to help her with the meal program. She jokes around with us, laughs when we dance, and feeds us almost every day with lunch. I have found our relationship has grown through the conversations we share about words in Quechuan and think it is safe to say we both enjoy these shared interactions. I don’t think our relationship would be the same without a shared willingness to teach and learn. 

    On our first Sunday while being here, we got ready and headed over to the Parish for mass. A crowd of people with white outfits, Peruvian style textiles, and carrying either an instrument or a dead llama walked into the middle of the mass. Curiosity of this tradition lead us to learn about “Señor de Qoylloritiy.” This group of singers practices singing and playing songs for their hike up a mountain at 4 in the morning to honor God and further a centuries old tradition. Being in Peru has helped me see my life with a different perspective and with much more curiosity. It's the little moments spent with these people in this town that have made me so content with my decision to immerse myself in this different environment and different perspectives. 

    Through the ability of being able to teach students in the Fe y Alegria Primaria and Secundario, I can see the beauty of freedom and happiness of the children here. We spend the day singing songs, learning English, jumping together in circles, and smiling so hard because we are having the time of our lives. It’s hard to leave the school at the end of the day because I am being surrounded by the hugs of the children, who are saying “No te vayas,” or don’t leave. Although my day at the high school ends around noon, I have gained so much from deciding to stay longer or further immersing myself in this community.

    There is so much to learn when you put yourself out there and step out of your comfort zones. Slowly, I am learning about the beautiful love of the world and different cultures that are in it. I am happy to be able to immerse myself in the small world of Andahuaylillas, putting myself in new situations to gain the complete experience of community, and be a part of the Quispicanchi Project. I can confidently say that through this experience I am continuing to grow in my abilities to speak Castellano and Quechua while also learning about the culture and traditions by which I am surrounded.