Before arriving in Chalhuanca, everyone had predicitions about life in a small Andean community that worried me a bit. They told me that it would be freezing all the time and that the lack of oxygen at high altitude is incredibly difficult. Well, I am happy to say I have amazing weather, although sometimes it get really hot in the direct sun, I can breathe just fine, and there are plenty of shops where I can get groceries. I'll admit life in Chalhuanca can be a bit boring or lonely at times, but I've since learned to embrace the slower pace of life and enjoy the calmness.
A typical weekday begins at around 5:45 a.m. when I wake up to a combination of my alarm, the nearby river, and an annoying dog that constantly barks on the other side of the river. After getting ready, eating some eggs and drinking coffee, I head off for my morning commute to the high school where I pass women selling sandwiches and emoliente from carts, random stray dogs and shop owners setting up their displays. Most of Chalhuanca is arranged in a line along the Avenida panamérica that runs through the town, so from the center, where I live, I walk 20 minutes in basically a straight line to work and then 20 minutes back.
