Movie Night in Huaripampa

Huaripampa, the small town between Sara Jane's site (Cashapampa) and mine (Yuracoto), is home to some great 5th graders (Seniors in High School) that Sara and I have been teaching for the last few months. And since these kids are about to graduate, they want to raise money for their class party. And to do so, we've decided to hold weekly movie nights. The kids make posters, and do radio spots on the municipality's public radio station, and Sara and I show up on Thursdays with the computer, projector, and speakers. The entrance fee is S/. 1.5, and includes a bag of popcorn.

I gone up the last two Thursdays, and what's our bottom line? The kids are at zero, and I'm in the red.

The first night started well. After I arrived, donated money to pay for the goods to make the popcorn, the kids got started cooking the popcorn and Sara and I got everything set up. We were scheduled to start at 6:00pm, but knew no one would arrive until 6:30pm. Just as it was about time to start the movies, the electricity in the whole canyon went out, leaving us stuck with a ton a popcorn and no way to watch the movie. Sara was having a bad day due to her puppy (Smokey) dying, and her host-family not really showing compassion for her loss, so I walked back to Cashapampa with her, where slept on the floor (she was nice enough to lend me some donkey blankets and her good pillow).

Here's a video before the blackout:

Here's Sara's room:

The second night, the kids canceled the movie, without really saying why. I arrived to find Sara waiting for me in the plaza, and no kids at the school. I suspect the long absence from school due to the strike, is making it hard for them to roundup their friends for the movie.

Here's Sara Jane and Peaches overlooking the valley, as we make 'the walk of shame' a second time back to Cashapampa (Sara only has about 5 more weeks left of her service, and so it was interesting to hear her talk about what she's thinking about as she reflects on her time here and what's next):

The third time is going to be the charm; I hope, otherwise I doubt there's going to be much of a graduation party. Also, do you find it a little ironic that both attempts at move nights either ended with us dead in the water, or doomed at departure??? Keep in mind we're trying to show the movie "Titanic".