Day in the Life: Ollanta, Peru
7 AM: First alarm goes off. Alarm time is still set to EST because it only changes on one clock on my phone (whyy) so the alarm actually reads 8 AM. Turn it off and wait for next alarm.
7:30 AM: Second alarm goes off. Look out window that doesn't have curtains at super bright Peruvian sun and mountains and Inca ruins. Think about this crazy view for a moment. Decide if I should shower. Decision made depending whether or not there is hot water, how cold it is, when I last showered. No hot water is deal breaker, or host mom that tells you you're not allowed to shower because you are sick and the reason you are sick is because you leave your hair wet. Silently think to self that's not how it works but not worth the argument. Tomorrow is day 6 of no shower, so hopefully I shower. If no shower, braids and a beanie. Put on clothes. Layers are key. T-shirt, long sleeve shirt, sweater, puffy green jacket. Yes I rock the jean shorts over leggings here. And sandals with socks. Get annoyed that I still can't find my black leggings.
8 AM: Eat breakfast of bread and tea. Get scolded for eating plain bread. Sometimes eat eggs or pancakes, fav. is granola with strawberry yogurt. Think it's weird that nothing is refrigerated. Not allowed to leave table until I finish my tea. Put heaps of sugar in it, think about my probably rotting teeth.
8:30 AM: Spend some time freaking out about a minor medical ailment. Back hurts: spinal cancer. Itchy head: allergic reaction. Pain in abdomen: apendicitis. Whatsapp text parents symptoms so that if they find my body they'll have some clues.
8:45 AM: Brush teeth with bottled water. Apparently tap is OK if you don't swallow. Gotten sick too many times to even want to risk it.
9 AM: Arrive at office after 5 min. walk. Take layers off cause you got sweaty walking in the sun. Put them back on after 5 minutes because it's freezing in the office. It's fucking winter in Perú. Fanacize about working from under alpaca blankets but being unable to do so because internet. Make plans to create a comfy and warm desk somehow when you get one. Chat with boss, T, to see if she needs anything done immediately.
9:30 AM: Move outside to sit in sun on balcony and take layers off again. Probably stare at ruins. Check email, facebook, whatsapp. Instagram if feeling bold and have no immediate work deadlines.
9:45 AM: Probably actually start some work. Edit an article. Post something to Facebook. Make a tourism information packet. Write a blog post. Fun day means you get to go on a tour to take pictures, or go with cooperative team to get some quotes. Getting promoted means underlings get to do the fun things now. Getting promoted means I can delegate the non-fun things now. Probably respond to some sort of insane Facebook message to org. because that is the norm.
10:30 AM: Marketing and Comm. Team check-in. Discuss up-coming deadlines, usually notified last minute. Deliberate if you want to put things in Bullet Journal bc: ONLY THE ESSENTIALS. Make to-do list.
1 PM: Walk home for lunch. Play with kitten while waiting for lunch. Eat lunch. Soup first course. Meat, rice, potatoes second course. Tea. Always tea. Chat with host mom about day. Feel awkward about having to ask her to buy more toilet paper. Think about how much toilet paper you use. Toilet paper goes in trash can, can't flush it. Damn that's a lot of tp. Probably examine poop too much, bc paranoid about worms/other things. Maybe drop something while examining poop, regret stupid decision to examine while holding something on shoulder/under armpit. Think about how everyone can hear your poops because bathroom window opens to hall. Hope they can't smell them.
2 PM: Walk back to work. Check emails. Send emails. WiFi probably stopped working. Leave office and walk to org. store. Secretly download a movie. Use excuse that Marketing and Comm. need the internet. Leave store because it's cold and uncomfortable. Go to cafe and purchase a coca cola regular. Maybe an oatmeal bar if they are available that day. Go on Facebook for "work" purposes. Do the same work stuff you did in the morning. Send lots of emails demanding things because that is secretly your favorite thing. People that receive demands probably know, it's not a secret. Pay in soles, hopefully they can break your 100 sole note (=$33) even though you only spent 8 soles. (If you stayed in the store and didn't go to a cafe, you probably still made a trip to kwik-e-mart where you spent S/. 2.30 on a mini coke and choco-soda crackers. It's an extra 30 cents cause the mini coke came from the fridge.)
4 PM: End work day if you feel like it, because, hey, you're a volunteer! If tuesday, take 30 minute combi ride to next town for 2 hour Spanish class. Other days, work more or head home. Be bored at home, watch movie or read or study Spanish. Maybe do some art. Play with kitten if she visits your room.
5 PM: Get bored enough that you leave house again and seek out wifi. Instagram creep for like forever. Look at cacti, bullet journals, hot men reading books, adventure cats, and food. Looking at food is important, especially sushi. Realize you are OK without all the American brands, but you really want a bagel with cream cheese or bubble tea.
6 PM: Secretly buy toilet paper and water at a tienda. Know that host bros drink out of the shared water jug with their mouths. Host mom keeps asking why I get sick... Hide purchases in backpack.
6:30 PM: Arrive home, bother host brothers by asking how their days went. Receive one or more sassy comments. May include one or more of the following: your room looks like a pig pen, what you are reading/writing is boring, give me your granola bar, do my English homework, stop getting sick, your accent is terrible, ladies can't say asshole. Sass them back to best of ability. Probably result to arm punching and/or tickle fights.
7 PM: Dinner with fam. Don't want to eat because it's so late, but scarf down some rice, potatoes, meat. Tea per usual. Watch soccer game or strange gameshow. Tease host Bros when mom falls asleep. Try to follow the conversation in Spanish. Maybe play uno or cards for a bit, but get fed up with cheating. Cheat yourself, get called out because they suck.
8 PM: Put on many layered pjs. Eye mask always essential, earplugs if too many dogs are barking/people are randomly partying. Snuggle under five alpaca blankets, get warm. Read for a bit with headlamp or write emails/messages to be sent tomorrow in WiFi. Write in Bullet Journal. Charge all devices in case of power outage.
9:30/10 PM: Start getting sleepy, snuggle in and fall asleep to the sound of water trickling in the aqueduct outside.
