Return to Yanacoto

So, you remember that crazy little town I lived in outside of Lima last year during training? I returned. Last month I joined the new volunteers of Peru 19 for a week of their training in Lima before bringing them up to La Libertad. While there, I stayed in Yanacoto with my host family from training. The week flew by pretty quickly, but was a lot of fun. It was strange in ways I cannot explain. Just weird to see our old host families now belonging to other people. Amanda's dog is now someone else's. Richard's host-nephew twins are almost two and they are saying the new trainee's name. Weird... in a good way of course, but weird all the same. 

It was really nice to get to know the new volunteers there and spend some time with them. I love how the Yanacoto trainees all value their time there and seem to really appreciate their training living assignment luck. Strange place, but special in a way that you only really understand if you've lived there. 

Not a lot has changed around those parts. Same cool people, same scary dogs. My host brothers and sister keep getting more awesome. They have a great trainee with them this time around who was excellent company during my Lima week and also during our FBT trip up North. She's going to make an awesome volunteer. 

It was very sweet to see who remembered my name and who took time to catch up with me. It surprised me. I never really thought they liked me that much. So to come back a year later and feel the warmth and hospitality that I did was touching. Peruvian people are so kind in so many ways. 

What was funny for me was the fact that I visited a few host families apart from my own and all of the moms I talked to commented, within the first 2 minutes of talking to me, on how I had gotten fat. Haha. Good to see you guys too ;) With my host mom, her immediate follow-up to, "You've gotten fat!" was "Someone's finally eating animals!!!" Hahaha. That was just too good to be offended by. 

I didn't take any pictures this time around. Bummer for you guys, those little host brothers are still adorable. This will be a photo-less post. Need those every now and again. Don't be too sad though, I'll be returning to Yanacoto later in the month when Lima calls us all down for annual med-checks. This time I'll be with my Yanacoto gang from Peru 17. It was so strange being there without them. Funny to think about where we all were a year ago and where we are now. Can't believe it's been almost a year since we left Yanacoto and went our separate ways throughout the country. Will be interesting to see the rest of Peru 17 soon for med-checks. Stay tuned for a recap on that one next month...