I am so glad we did the air bnb night. At first I wasn’t really sure what was going to happen and what the plan was but it was the best circus I have ever been apart of. I have no regrets about being a monkey, even though I had barely any sleep. That’s what days off are for, so I can sleep all day after staying up way too late. I mean I didn’t take a 5 hour long nap. I did readings and was a good student.

The best way that I can describe it was that is was like a family dinner. Everyone was together, making food, listening to music, eating, and laughing together. It was so sweet and I think that it brought us closer together. I think that a lot of people forget how important simple and seemingly mundane things like cooking together, sharing a meal, and singing together can be. They bring people together. In North America I find that many people do not do this type thing enough. It often only happens for special occasions when these types of things should be done regularly.

From the readings from this class and from others and from my experiences here in Peru I have noticed how indigenous groups in Peru specifically and Latin America in general live and act very communally. I was reminded of our lunch when we visited the Amaru community. We all sat down together and when we were eating Kelly said that the Amaru always eat lunch together when they take a break in the middle of the day. In North America people all have their separate houses where they go to eat, separated from their neighbours. Many people don’t even know or talk with their neighbours, instead having their own groups that require an invitation to join. At work a lot of people use their lunch break as time to be on their phones which is fine except that it leads to people being in their own worlds instead of inhabiting each other’s. I wonder what things would be like if people back home spent more time with each other doing things like cooking and eating together, and getting to know more people in their communities. Would they feel less isolated and would mental health be stronger? I guess you can’t know what you don’t know but it’s never a bad thing to have more people in your life. Strangers are the friends you haven’t met yet. I started this trip with strangers and I’m spending it with friends.