My surroundings

These photos show the corners of the valley in which I live. The thriving metropolis of Tiraque is the “urban center” with about 2000 people. The surrounding lands, referred to as “el campo,” or simply rural areas, contain hundreds of small communities. Subsistence farming in the name of the game in these tiny villages. People live in one-or two-room adobe dwellings, often with a corral for the sheep attached to the houses, which also helps to retain heat in the cold winters (I’m assuming so, anyway. That is what the peasants used to do in the Scottish highlands, and it makes sense that they do the same here).
Last week I went to one of these villages on an errand and got a glimpse into the lives of the campesinos, or rural inhabitants. They grow their food, which is almost exclusivley potatoes. During the day they wander with the sheep (a dozen or so) in search of pasture and then return with them in the evenings. While their sheep graze they sit in the dirt with a wad of wool and spin it into thread which they will then use to make their clothing and blankets. Even in Tiraque I often see old women sitting by the side of the street spinning wool. Many of the campesinos still barter with goods rather than money and thus have virtually no money at all. What little they do have comes from selling their crops, livestock, or woven items. Water is scarce and they must share it with their livestock. All that I say here are simply based on observations that I have made, so keep in mind that as I learn more, things could change.