Day 10 - University Performance

Today (Friday) we had a performance scheduled at the National Engineering University here in the norther part of Lima. We needed to be there by 9:30 to set up and get ready, so we got the kids up early, ate breakfast, and hopped on a University supplied bus which looked like a classic yellow bus with University branding on the outside panels. The Engineering University is one of the largest in Lima, with the campus literally being 3 or so miles in length and about a mile in width. It was originally a university focused on the engineering sciences, but has expanded to include arts and other disciplines. We were hosted by the art director. The performers got into their costumes quickly and then went out to the campus to do some impromptu advertising. The girls had never heard so many whistles before in their life. No surprises later when the auditorium filled with 80% boys.

The auditorium held around 450 people, and there was standing room only so we played to a full crowd. The stage at this location was rather small, and was very slick because we had several accidents and slips. Andrew and Rachel gave us a scare during "Swing". One of the lifts in Swing has the guy pushing the hips of the girl forcing the girl legs high into the air so she is almost doing a headstand on the guys shoulders, but she doesn't go all the way over. On this stage however, Andrew's feet slipped a bit causing them both to be off balance at the height of the lift. Both came crashing down, and I thought Rachel had broken her arm for sure. As it ended up, it was Andrew that was out for the rest of the show with a hurt back. Later in the show, Erica got knocked out by an errant foot or fist. No one was really sure. Erin earned her stripes this trip with kids being sick, injured and in need of loving care.

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The group did really well adjusting to people being sick, injured or out of sorts. Back stage was crazy as everyone was trying to figure out who was going to cover for who and whether a number could even be pulled off at all. But all-in-all the show to a full house came off and the crowd loved what they saw. If you remember, the show is 2 hours long. For any crowd to stay seated for two hours, there has to be something they like going on in front of them.

We finished the show, packed our boxes and headed to a hosted lunch a block off campus. During lunch we found that the students of this school are able to attend for free all four years, but they have to pass a very hard entrance test and provide their own room and board. As I think about the costs of the next 15 years of sending my kids to college, I think Peru might have the best model of all.

After lunch, we said goodbye to our new University friends, and headed to a park that over looked the Pacific Ocean and played games for a few hours. It was a great time to relax, recharge and just talk and interact. Lima is almost always overcast during their winter season (now), as cold air from the south collides with warm air coming from the equator, so the views of a sunset over the ocean were not the same as we Californians are used to, but it was still a great close of the lit part of the day (Peru only gets 12 hours of sunlight a day).

We headed back for home on foot with a planned stop at the Inca Market, an huge area of little shops full of Peruvian crafts and treasures. Our path took us through the heart of the Mira Flores area of Lima so were passing by large department stores, American food chains like Chili's. Papa Murphys, and Starbucks. We also walked through a couple large parks bustling with activity, vendors and street preachers standing on impromptu pedestals. After an hour of shopping we headed back to our now familiar Lima HQ Villa Hostel.

Tomorrow we head south to Canete and Nazca. We don't know what exactly to expect, but we do know the economics will be much different than we have experienced here in Lima.