Day 1 in Pucallpa

Today we woke up at 3:30 in the morning to get to the airport. I set my alarm for 3am. But it hasn't switched over yet (so it was 3am Pacific Time instead of central time). Fortunately my dad's iPhone has switched over so we woke up early enough. The power was out at the Hostal las Fresas so we couldn't shower and had to use the toilet in the dark. We did end up finding our way downstairs and to our cab. We made it on time to our 5am flight to Pucallpa.

When we landed in Pucallpa, the sun was just coming up. Our backpacks were some of the first bags off the plane, but our suitcases took a while. Eventually I went to look for Jennifer myself and dad said he would get the suitcases. As soon as you start walking around in any airport in Peru, you will get at least 10 offers of a taxi (and they usually charge Americans too much). I got out of the luggage collection area and immediately some guys got my attention and pointed to a sign that read (first in Spanish, then English of course) "Do not accept transportation offers from non-group members". I thought "Great! No one will offer me a Taxi!" Then these guys proceeded to offer me a taxi.

I couldn't explain to them that I already had a ride, but thankfully Jennifer recognized me and called out my name. I saw her and told the guys, "''¡Amiga!" From there she gave us a ride back to the church. We got a mini tour of the place, had breakfast (fried eggs, rolls, and strawberry-banana milkshakes), and got to work. There were so many things she had planned for us today that we didn't make it through all of them but we:

- Cleared flower beds around palm trees and added new soil
- Took boards off the side of an old "cover structure" (four posts and a roof)
- Cleaned out the sewer down the road (here there are open sewers, resembling foot-wide moats along every street
- Replacing various windows (I got cut by glass at least 3 times but only had to tie up one of them)
- Traveling around town buying more plants, bark chips, and checking on various work that is being done for the church

Lunch was Peruvian rice (very similar to sticky asian rice, but with a better flavor) with papas fritas (French fries) stir fry on top (with other vegetables and beef) and lemonade. Tonight we're going to a restaurant that has a good Peruvian delicacy (fish, soaked in lemon juice and prepared with other vegetables and seafood). The "Peruvian delicacies" that we've had so far have been super sour. The other is Ahi. It's onions chopped up and soaked in lemon juice with some peppers in it (imagine picking an orange or some other fruit that wasn't quite ripe and getting the most tart taste in the world in your mouth. That's what Ahi tastes like).

Dad and I have also made some friends including two teenage boys Martín and Ulysses. I'll post pictures of them tomorrow along with pictures of the church. The pictures below are of the apartment above the church, Luz Divina, that we're staying in (believe it or not, but there is wifi in our room. It's really iffy though) and of me in the Pucallpa airport just after landing. There's also a picture of me and some children at the church (the closest to me us Cheyenne and she asked A TON of questions!). Also, there is the fish I ate called Cobina (I think). It tastes like trout, but with real flavor similar to salmon, but not too fishy. And there are some fried bananas in the picture. Bananas are eaten prepared any way with everything here (just like Ahi. Ahi here is as common as ketchup in the States, but it is eaten with everything)!