On Wisconsin!

by Alisha & Micah

After a seemingly endless application process, we are excited to know where we will be headed when we complete our Peace Corps service in a little under 3 months. Alisha will be studying law and Micah will be studying Hispanic Literature at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

When we left Wisconsin in April 2008, we didn't know if we would ever live there again, so we are very excited and happy to be returning to such a great state.

Holy Week, Ayacuchano Style

By Alisha

Micah and I spent a few days before Easter in Ayacucho. Located in the central mountains of Peru, Ayacucho is known for its traditional celebration of Holy Week. The city boasts 33 churches, one for each year of the life of Jesus Christ, and takes religious processions to a whole other level. There are amazing murals done on the streets around the plaza and bulls that run through the streets (to some extent- since they are tied to ropes and led by horsemen).

Murals made with sawdust line the streets
One of the many churches in Ayacucho
A gigantic retablo - traditional folk art usually depicting religious scenes
The Virgin Mary as past of the Holy Thursday procession
Pachamanca - a traditional dish of the area cooked with the use of hot stones in an earthen oven. It includes chicken, pork, lamb, sweet potatoes, corn on the cob, potatoes, green lima beans, cheese, a tamale, and some spicy aji (pepper) sauce. What you see is the serving for 1 person!

The Sunday morning Easter procession is the most impressive. People crowd the plaza to see the an image of the resurrected Christ leaves the Cathedral and goes around the main plaza one time before returning to the Cathedral for Easter mass. The icon sits atop a two-story structure made of wood and covered in white paper and candles and is carried by about 200 men.