Para Mi, No Problema.

Halloween isn't a thing here. They haven't heard of it. They liked the concept though. My sister decided to dress as a witch and my dad as Superman. I made a new dinosaur head. They didn't get fully into it though, as there was no where to go in these ridiculous outfits, and the disfrazes were pretty half-assed in the end. It was a start though, Next year, I will have made it a thing. I also will have a pumpkin carving party. Which prolly means letting some market folk know months beforehand that I will be needing pumpkins...

The Day of the Dead/All Saint's Day, on November first, is a thing here however. It mostly just consists of everyone hanging out in the cemetery all day, lighting candles on the graves of dead loved ones. There was also a big Catholic mass in the cemetery that Ashley and I went to. That was pretty interesting.

There was another holiday here a couple of days before, where they set up 14 altars around town – the stations of the cross. They were beautiful and elaborate, with some even having gorgeous patterned “carpets” leading up to them, made of colored sand. They were only there for a few hours.

Being quiet while other people are sleeping is not a thing here, either. I like the things that I never before realized were cultural constructs. Like if you can't sleep at two am, you don't just decide to have a solo teenage dance party in your room, blasting music while your family is trying to sleep. This, it turns out, definitely a cultural construct. I have no idea why it has never caught on here. When the baby starts crying, you might think my parents would tell my sister to shut up, but no. Just not how it works.

A friend of mine in town went to Chiclayo last week and brought me back a six pack of Heineken. Me and Ash drank it on Halloween night, and told everyone we were dressed up as Americans for Halloween.

I remembered to take pictures this week:

Me and the Mayor

Me and my class of second graders.  I am actually "Profesora Courtney" here.

A few of the altars in the streets on random holiday:

Me and my sister out hiking, on top of Cotorumi:

I doscovered on top of the mountain that my radio station sends out its signals from this atenna at this little mud shack on the hill.  Super hi-tech.

If you look really hard, really tiny and far away, you can see my friend Ashley's pueblito:

Mangoes just came into season!  Market day with sis:

My dad trying to fly holding his Superman "S" I made for him up to his chest.

One of my artisans in a dinosaur head:

Me and sister Iris and friend Rosa and artisan Elida.

Sister in witch hat we made:

We love pictures posed like posters.  Jose and MJ:

Front gates of the cemetary fiesta:

Mass in the cemetary:

There were more, but I hate the internet right now.