About Me

I am in South America from October 3rd until December 17th! I am spending the month of October volunteering in a child care center in Quito, the capital of Ecuador. Then I have a month and a half to explore Ecuador and Peru!

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Thanks and Giving.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday! It is usually spent surrounded by friends and family eating, talking and just realaxing together.

This Thanksgiving was a little different.

I spent 6 hours of it on a bus. Then I arrived with CA 1, CA 2, CA 3 and Frenchie in Puno, found a hostel and went out in search of a Thanksvinging dinner. We found a cute little restraunt with some live music and a lively atmosphere. We poured our wine and cheersed to Thanks & Giving.

When our food came we all held hands, said a prayer and went around the circle and said what we were thankful for. Mine--for our family away from home.

It was a delightful meal. I still was not feeling 100% so I had a grilled cheese sandwich that costed 3 soles (about $1). I could not even finish all of it! haha...what a Thanksgiving! No one ate traditional Thanksgiving food but in a way it did feel like Thanksgiving. Sharing food, joking and laughing.


We have been hanging out in Puno and at our hostel alot. It is a very relaxed town beside Lake Titicaca. Yesterday we went to a market and I started taking with a woman in one of the booths. She was 45 years old and was knitting a pancho that would take her 3 whole days to make. I talked to her about the business, her family, my family, the US, and lots of other things. She was such a sweet woman! I bought a pair of gloves for myself (the took her 2 days to make), gloves for Olivia, a hat and one of her amazing panchos. The pancho costed me 30 soles. 30 soles! That is the equivilant of about $12. She worked 3 entire days to make it and sold it for $12! The total cost of my items came to a whopping 50 soles or just under $20. The woman was so thankful to me for buying all of those items from her! She was hugging me and kissing me and telling me now she can pay for the lights and the gas and food for her family.

3 days spent knitting a pancho seems like a long time to me. But her booth was filled with textiles that she had made. 3 days on one item was probably not very much for her. It is probably harder for her to find a buyer than it is for her to spend 3 days on a pancho.

Thanks and giving.

3 comments:

  1. That's really amazing that your purchases (only $20) will do so much for that woman's family. Here, $20 won't get you much, but for her it really pays the bills.
    I can't wait to see the pancho. Knitted items are so neat.
    Oh, and just curious - how is the wine there? I've heard good things about South American wines.

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  2. Erin, This is Dawn Miller...DJ's mom. It looks like you are having an amazing time. I've enjoyed your blog. It's like looking at the world through your eyes. Have a safe trip home.

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  3. I am so glad that I can share South America with you! It is a beautiful continent. Sometimes I just wish that I could teleport people from home here to see and experience it in person. But since I cannot, the blog is the best I can do :).

    Nicole, I have not had much wine but what I have had is amazing! My favorite thus far is Negro Gato (Black Cat). The most popular drink around this area is Pisco Sour. It is a drink made of egg whites, limes and Pisco (similar to tequila?). I also have discovered Mojitos.

    Wine is so cheap here! I dont know if I could put some bottles in my suit case or not? I am not legal in the US...

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