Shots

From Iain: We had our shots yesterday.  Each of us had two in one arm and one in the other.  No-one cried although I came close.  I was just happy I didn't pass out as I did once before when receiving multiple shots, pulling down a cart full of medical supplies on top of me as I fell off the gurney.  The doctor said we had to have ice cream afterwards (or, presumably, the shots wouldn't work), so we did.  Bethany and Sierra picked "chocolate caramella" (with turtles - not real ones).

Ouch!

Party/fundraiser

From Iain: We had a farewell party and fundraiser for Kusi Kawsay on Saturday evening, which went really well.  Here's a picture of the Moving Mosaic Samba Band, who were kind enough to play at the party (you can just about make out Marcelo Goncalves, Sierra's teacher, at the back-left.

Moving Mosaic Samba Band

We also had live music from David Feldman & Friend, as well as a couple of short videos about Kusi Kawsay and Terence Buie showing some of his photos from multiple trips to Peru.  You can view the 7-minute documentary about Kusi Kawsay that I showed here.  I'd like to thank everyone who made the event possible, including the musicians, Terence, the Nelson Waldorf School (where we held the party), SelfDesign High (who loaned me a projector), and SaveOn Foods (who donated most of the food and drink).  I had worried about people showing up since there was a lot going on in Nelson at the weekend, but I think there must have been more than 50 people there altogether.  We raised $553 for Kusi Kawsay on the night and I hope we can raise as much again through online donations from those who couldn't make it to the party.  It's easy to donate using Paypal by following this link.

Counting Down The Days

Trip Stuff

From Iain: 18 days until we leave on our great adventure and everything is falling into place.  The rough plan is to spend four months in Peru then two months in Guatemala and Belize.  While we're in Peru, Bethany and Sierra will go to Kusi Kawsay, a Waldorf inspired school based on local Andean traditions in Pisac, near Cuzco.  Tanya and I will do volunteer work wherever we can while the girls are at school.  The last few months have been a mad scramble to get everything ready for the trip.  At first it seemed like an overwhelming morass of arrangements needing to be made.  However, now it feels like the never-ending tasks, previously expanding and multiplying and remaining resolutely incomplete, are coalescing into some semblance of order.  So far we've bought our flights, renewed passports, started to learn Spanish, organized coverage for Tanya's class for the fall term (thanks Carron!), and found people to rent our house while we're away (thanks Michelle and Veronika)!.  Still to do: getting shots for yellow fever, hepatitis A, typhoid, tetanus, and diphtheria; picking up anti-malarial tablets and mosquito nets; buying and stacking one more cord of firewood for when we return in the winter; organizing a farewell party and fundraiser for Kusi Kawsay; and packing!