by Shuntavi




Hello—
This last month has really been something else. I can confidently speak for everyone here when I say that we have fallen in love with Urubamba—with waking up to the mountains every morning, with the slower pace of life, with the rich culture, with the yummy new foods. We have made it a habit of attending salsa classes with our favorite local teacher, Raymi, of exploring new foods at the market, and of strengthening ties with our regulars (Los Ángeles, the pollo a la brasa place down the street, the churro spot on the corner, and the convenience store next door to Roca Fuerte). We have our group favorites, of course: locro de zapallo, arroz chaufa, pachamanca, and ceviche. We’ve been dabbling in soccer with locals and learning about local arts (silversmithing, ceramic techniques, Peruvian cuisine). I cannot express my thanks enough to those who made it possible for us to be here (my parents, Jessye, Dragons). It has been a remarkable few weeks and I could not feel more lucky to be here. Thank you!
This past weekend, we had our first excursion, visiting a high Andean community, Paru Paru. We entered the main house through an archway decorated with flower garlands. The brothers who lead the community, Mario and Celestino, shook our hands and gave us besos. Their wives threw flower petals over our heads. From the moment we entered into their home they treated us like family. Expressing their excitement to share a weekend together, they told us that we would be hosted as brothers and sisters. As we stood there in a circle, young kids ran around and in between us kicking a soccer ball. A younger adult lingered further back in the yard ruffling their hair whenever they would run into him. It was a sweet scene. Whether they were related or not they all cared for the kids and each other with much affection.
I have always been intrigued by the concept of community living and felt strangely at home. Growing up, I was part of an intergenerational Folk choir that my family and all of our family friends sang in. There was also a lot of overlap between our Family Folk Choral community (the choir) and Hineni, a Jewish spiritual group my family was a part of. This network of people has been central to my life and has shaped my value for cultivating and really cherishing my communities. Being in Paru Paru, miles from Boston and my family, I felt—in even these first few moments—that I had found a home away from home.
The weekend was full of highlights. We met one particularly rambunctious 4-year-old, Romario, with whom we played hours of tag and soccer. We learned how to make adobe bricks—and that it requires taking off ones shoes and walking around in the mud (in order to mix up the dirt, water, and hay). We dug for worms in order to fish in the pond and had the best friend trout (“trucha”) I have ever tasted in my life. We played a soccer game against Romario, Celestino, and a bunch of the other members of the community who hosted us. Mario and Celestino prepared a traditional dish for us, pachamanca, a feast of roasted potatoes, Cuy (which we learned to kill and skin ourselves), trucha, chicken, beef, herbs, pineapple, and plantains.
Walking away from this experience, I am left with a deep appreciation for communities like Paru Paru, which are so centered around community and family. I feel gratitude for the warmth Mario, Celestino, their families, and all the other members of the community showed us and feel blessed to have had the opportunity to share their vibrant, loving community.