Day 1 and 2 in Ayacucho

I don´t even really know where to begin here... so much has gone on in the past 2 days that its hard to absorb everything. I guess I´ll start by saying that its amazing here. Its a busy, dirty, loud city surrounded by the giant mountains and I am absolutly in love with it. Getting here was an exhausting 24 hours total of traveling, but definitly worth it so far.
Our first day we finally got to our homebase around 9am. I slept for 4 hours and then the very first thing we did was go to a local futbol game which was far more exciting then any soccer game back home. Then we explored the city a bit, but ended up passing out pretty early. Me and a few of the girls did manage to make it to a little bar restaurant to try out pisco sours tho! Its like the national drink here... DELICIOUS. I will be trying to smuggle some pisco home with me because it is the first hard alcohol I have sincerely liked in a long time... actually, ever... its the only hard alcohol I´ve ever really liked.
Anywayyy, today was very eventful. We visited some of the worksites that we´ll be volunteering at, had a short orientation, and then did a city tour. I have a shitload of pictures that I don´t plan on uploading till I get home, but you will all see them in a few weeks. Ive been trying to video tape but quickly realized that I suck at it. I watched some of my footage and its so bumpy and all over the place itll probably just make people nauseaus. Oh, one of my favorite discoveries of the day: coca leaves. I´ve been chewing those babies all day. They´re supposedly miracle leaves... I´ve heard they cure altitude sickness, nauseau, headaches, reduce hunger, improve concentration, digestion, energy, and much much more. I just find them oddly addicting. Everyone walks around with a massive wad of chewed up musshy leaves under they´re lip. I believe when I come home in 3 weeks, I will probably miss the leaves.
Everything is really cheap here and thats fantastic because I want everything. There is so so many artisan markets and little stores with amazing handmade stuff. I´ll be bring something home for everyone... I have yet to see a damn charango yet though, which confuses me because I read it was like THE instrument of Ayacucho. Another suprise is I haven´t found any llamas... I thought Peru was filled with llamas. I´m actually a little dissapointed about that... hopefully soon I will stumble upon this mysterious creature. I´m sure I will have time to do that... the days are very long here, I can´t beleive its only been 2 days actually.
There is ample time to do everything. From what the CCS staff and other volunteers have told us... this is how my days will go: breakfast 730am, work at clinic 8am to 12, lunch 1230, siesta (freetime for most... naptime for me) 1 to 3, then from 3 to 6 is free time but I will most likely go to the orphanage, spanish lessons at 6 2 days a week, then dinner around 7.
I start work tomorow and I´m excited and very ready to meet everyone. The clinics have been slow because there is a strike going on with the education systems and ministry of health, but people think that will be over soon. I can´t wait till thats over because apparently the american volunteers here are taught alot and allowed to do things that no volunteer in the states would ever do. One girl who has as little experience as me was giving shots and doing stitches by the end of her first week. I can not wait.
So all in all, I am so happy to be here, food is good, I´m sleeping easily and well, and enjoying the people and the city alot. I´m running out of time in the cafe here so I better get going. I don´t miss you guys YET, but don´t worry I will soon
Adois, Hasta Luego, Buenos noches.

PS- there are so many cute kids and babies, I´m literally dying all the time, and the best part is everyone wants the gringa to hold their baby... which I am happy to do. However, today, I´m so embarrassed, and feel so bad... ok so I was holding this baby and he like wiggled out of my arms and I tried to put him down but did it badly and he fell and hit his head. He was ok but I wasnt. I almost started crying cause all these Peruvians are watching me and I like drop the baby! I felt so stupid but they were ofcourse all very nice and kept saying "esta bien gringa esta bien!" I saw the same baby with his mother a few hours later and they were again very nice. ok long ps, sorry bout that. Í´ll be back in a day or two!