Arrival: September 4

dearest special kids, dearest family and wonderful friends,

well guys i am safe and sound.. with nothing more than a flight delay to Cusco arriving here today at about noon. this is not as i had imagined... and is more like Cuba than Africa.. i was thinking it rural.. it is not .. the day is clear and sunny, about 65 i am guessing.. the streets are small and miandering with no real pattern and the drivers simply push their way into places, honking at pedestrians and with no apparent traffic lights.. the cars are tiny . . meg, your back pack fit like a person in the front seat and brian, the blessed young soul that met me at the airport, myself and knapsack nicely filled the backseat. the senor drove me to maximo nuvel to meet the team.

....the town is set in the middle of mountains .. with clay coloured roofs that spatter up the mountain sides that lead from the city center. flying in the place looks like a brown and khaki quilt with all the land used even under the trees... the streets are lined with coloured houses, some with iron gates, some with full walls, usually not pretty or kept i have a great shots flying in which will be cool in a slide show if tony you will help me... and neat shots of the city so that all of you will know what it looks like from above.. i filmed the drive in so this is cool too..

so now, we jump traffic and wander into an open air building, with iron gate and little rooms that merge off each side.. and then up some old worn out steps to the office where i met jonathon the person in charge of volunteers here and a few young women who told me ..monday at noon is our introductory day where we learn what we are doing, about spanish classes, schedules and planning trips. then, brian, asked me if i ever had coco tea.. no.. anyway it is for altitude sickness, tastes kindof like that awful tea we have on the whirlygig, and made me a cup. then we got in another cab, zooooommmed through the streets to find my family.. casa nadia. my address is jose maria arguedzz j11, cusco. Nadia´s cell phone number is cel telephono 984761211 and home phone is 254504.

we passed the market where guitars are about 35 dollars for a good one.. at the last minute there was no way i could manage the load with the guitar so buying one is my option.. and the hospital where nadia´s husband works .. he is a doctors o we have zero worries about the care i will have here.. also mom, i have great health insurance and can come home if i get sick or need to get home.. yeah!!!!so i got a great rundown of the place and it has everything i need.. computer room where i am working now, an open air place with tables for spanish lessons, a snack and coco tea place and bonus the office is in the heart of cuso , so safe to be here. brian says that the city is safe,, don´t pay more that 2,50 sols for a taxi ride and 3 sol = 1 $ us.

now back to nadias casa.. nadias is kindof off the beaten path, but close to the hospital and in a very nice area of houses... the defining difference is the houses are more freshly painted, there are taller metal gates and there is foliage and trimmed trees along the sidewalks, still not beautiful but noticibly nicer than the majority of homes ...anyway in her house, which really reminds me of your place in guelph kate.. there is a similar staircase that leads you up to the rooms after you enter and pass through the entrance. to the left is a modest living room with a gigantuous television, two dining tables and a full glass door where there is a tired looking yard and small gray doggie..nice. the kitchen is humble too with a small wooden table in the middle .. and long thin window above the sink..the family has children but i haven´t seen them yet and i am thinking that this whole house is just for volunteers as i am in a room with three other twin beds, a gigantic window facing a little plot of ground with a grand old tree with sprawling branches (thank God) .. i really thought i would be in some familys´home out in the countryside where i would get dirty and have sponge baths every day... this place is clean and basic. the water in the shower is cold so i did the routine renovation scrubdown and feel all sparkled up. the routine is as we thought, 7¨30 breakfast, bag lunch and dinner at 6¨30 not 8¨30. wayyyy better. this is the plan til next week and i am relatively on my own for the next few days so i will find a guitar , a watch and maybe a tee shirt. it is not cold here very nice like september on a warm day. people wear full shoes and dress like us. there are men in business suits as smashing as those banker guys on Bay.. well almost.anyway, i am comfortable. not worried or afraid. it is so perfect that everything got finished at home , thanks meggie for giving me your holidays to get the place ready for tara and derek , our two good people at home. and thanks katie kate kate for downloading all my music.. and tony for my movies.. there will be time i am sure when somethings gotta give will hold my yearning to be home at bay.

the stars have all lined up. you are all my gifts. i love you. be happy. i am carrying you around in my pockets. til tomorrow. kkissssesss and hhhuggggsss to the clan i do that with.