Aww...Venezuela

We arrived in Caracas on Thursday morning, the 29th at around 8 in the morning. The airport in Caracas is right by the shore. It almost felt as if we were going to land in the water. Then the shore came in sight. We landed and the newness of what we were doing finally hit me. "We are now in Venezuela" was all I could think. We got off the plane and headed for baggage claim. I expected to at least lose one suitcase and be held up at customs but nothing of the sort happened. Although, Cassie got sick and Kirsten left her sweater at the airport.

We didn´t know if anyone was coming to pick us up at the airport. We started going through customs and Brett saw a sign on the other side. It said, "Team YES." Although they were holding it upside down and it was small, he was able to make it out. About five people were there. We shook hands, said hello and headed for the van. We got in this old beat up yellow van for about ten people, with our luggage blocking the view out the back, and started for Charallave. We drove up endless mountains, I wasn´t sure the van would make it sometimes, through tunnels and dodging traffic the whole way. I was sure we were going to get hit several times. I loved it all. I took this picture overlooking a section of Caracas and the sea. Then I took a nap, which is a pretty amazing feat in itself, considering how Venezuelans drive.

The mountains in Venezuela are covered with houses that they call rancheros. This is view from Charallave. We are down in a valley surrounded by mountains like these. Dani and I have to walk up one to get to our home. However, it is like a small hill compared to this mountain.

A view from my house. The church is somewhere down in the valley. My house is like an apartment with two apartments above. My host mom´s sister lives in the top one and her father in the middle. My host mom is crazy. She calls herself La Gorda, which is the fat one in Spanish. I think she wants to fatten Dani and I up and tells Dani that she doesn´t eat well. I apparantly do...I am not sure thats a good thing.

We have not really been given any direct jobs to do here. Most the time we sit, talk to people and eat. Brett, Cassie and Jeremy went to the market today and bought syrup for their pancakes. I think the Venezuelans thought they were crazy. Who wants syrup when they can have cheese, butter and ham? We were given a tour of part of the city but there is so much going on at once and so much I don´t understand. But we´re all learning and taking it one day at a time. I am really enjoying this vivacious and new place.



written by: Alyse