Leaving Huancayo

Today is my last day in Huancayo - really! I delayed my departure by three days because I felt like it would be too rushed to leave right after my last day of work, but I have my ticket in my hand and I'll be off tonight! On my final day at the office we had a Pachamanca, which was wonderful and a perfect way to wrap up my stay here.

We spent the morning making humitas - dekerneling the corn, grinding it up, preparing the dough with spices, oil and raisins, and filling the corn husks with dough.

We made enough humitas for 150 people to eat 4 each - whew! I am happy to say that they were delicious (even though I couldn't say whose specific humitas I ate, I'm sure that I am a humita queen by this point).

While we prepared our corny snacks, other staff members were preparing four ovens and filling them with potatoes and meat. So much meat that I was full for the next two days, but it was great!

We ate in the CIP fields under a warm afternoon sun and laughed and reminisced about my stay here, which has flown by.

Then we danced the day away with live music!

I have been so fortunate to have such a wonderful experience here in Huancayo, and I am going to miss this place and everyone who I've met. It seems strange to leave now, but I'm sure that I'll have a wonderful time with the adventures that are coming my way. I'm off to Chiclayo and the archaeological site of Kuelap now, and will be heading to Bolivia in just over a week to meet up with my friend Kelly and then up to Cusco to spend two weeks with my mom. It will be great!