wonders of this place

As I was looking back through pictures and souvenirs bought over the past few months, I not only realized how quickly my time here is coming to an end, but also all the amazing adventures I have been able to experience over the past four months. The past few weeks of traveling have truly lead to some incredible memories and stories. My adventures first began with a trip to the beautiful, but very touristy town of Copacabana in Bolivia and touring some native floating islands on Lake Titicaca, each one home to about five families. The people of this tribe were forced to the islands (on which they have to keep laying down new reeds every few years, so they will not sink into the lake) by the powerful Incans, and have lived there ever since in their small, single-room, reed constructed houses. The children travel by rowboat every morning to a different island, where they have one school. Because of tourism, the people here have begun to learn Spanish, but it is not their native language and they embrace their own tribal culture and religion, rather than that brought on by the Spaniards. The next magnificent adventure I got to be a part of was a four day trek to Machu Picchu. However, it was not all hiking, though we did get to hike part of the Inca Trail; my friend and I elected not to do the whole thing because of the diversity we would be able to experience with this other trip (including biking, hiking, rafting, and zip lining). Our group was just so wonderful and diverse, made up of a man from Italy, who taught me how to properly eat spaghetti, a Polish guy from France, who has lived in China the past several years, and who I believe has visited the most countries of anyone I have ever met (he gave me lots of advice of all the places I need to travel to next), an incredibly intelligent guy from Ireland, who has had job opportunities with credit card fraud and processing companies, my friend from North Carolina, who is currently living in Lima and working with a surfing-missionary program, a girl from Washington DC, who is spending about six months down here traveling and writing for her NPO, and a girl from Germany, who had been teaching in Chile for several months and we picked her up in one of the small towns along the way, as she was attempting to take a bus to Machu Picchu, but none of them could make it through because of the recent sixteen landslides, and of course our awesome, knowledgeable, Cusquenan tour guide. The first day was all biking, beginning at 14,275 feet on a nice paved road and ending with us racing through the mud on a narrow back road in the mountains. The following two days we hiked through mud, straight up steep hills, on the sides of cliffs, under and over landslides, and waterfalls, through the beautiful diversity of the Inca Jungle. Along the way, we encountered hundreds of different plants, including coffee, cocoa, coca, avocado, ketamine, and many more. We learned about the history and culture of the mighty Incan People and the glimpses that still exists in parts of Peru to this day. We finally made it the third day to the town at the base of Machu Picchu, called Aguas Calientes, where we were able to enjoy the relaxing, natural hot springs. The following morning we woke up at 4am to begin our hike to the top. The first bus leaves at 5:30am, so if you want to beat the crowd, you have to hike the straight-up trail from the bridge right outside town (that opens at 5) in less than an hour. So we booked it. Being one of the first few people to arrive up there in the morning, drenched in sweat but feeling somewhat accomplished is just such a magnificent and beautiful experience, as you catch glimpses of the ancient ruins and timeless, huge mountains through the fog. Because we were within the first 250 people up there in the morning, we were able to hike up the mountain right behind the ancient city after our tour and enjoying some coffee. It was another steep climb, but the view from the top was like no other. We sat at the top for several hours just admiring the hugeness, yet detailed work of God´s creation and the unimaginable intelligence and work that it took to create this ancient home of the Incas, while we enjoyed our fresh mangos and avocado. The rest of the day was spent wandering around the ruins, getting chased by a llama, encountering an old Incan Bridge on the trail hovering over a cliff, and racing back down the path from the top to see if we could beat the bus down, all the while focusing hard not to twist an ankle. This place, though a mind-blowing wonder to see (obviously, as an average of 2,500 people visit it every day), is so much more than that to the people here. They feel such a connection to it and their ancestors, and they will all tell you of the “energy” that it possesses. My Cusquenan sister even went to visit for a weekend because she was going through a difficult time. Even though our guide has been there hundreds of times, you could see his excitement as we got closer and he told us that he felt like he was being called home. I am grateful to get to experience a little bit of the true culture here and to have gone on this absolutely unforgettable adventure, but I am also just excited to spend time at my home back in Cusco with my family and my dear friends that I have made here, as I make the most of my time here over my last two weeks.

day by day

The last several months have truly flown by and I can hardly believe that I only have about three weeks left in this wonderful country. For the past month or so, I have been working at one of the government run Centro de Salud´s in Cusco – a complete 180° change from the private medical clinic I was at before (which I did have the luxury of staying in this past weekend with an IV in my arm, recovering from salmonella and several other bacteria found roaming in my stomach and small intestines). These "centro de salud" health centers are the places where the general population of Cusco and the surrounding highlands come for any kind of health care, from pediatrics and obstetrics to needing a tooth pulled by the dentist (there are very few fillings done here because they are too expensive; instead if you have a cavity or a tooth that is giving you pain, they just pull it out). We have seen patients ranging from 8 days to 96 years old. When I arrive in the mornings around 7:30 or 8:00, there is a line wrapped around the outside of the building. Before entering into the main waiting room, every single patient must first go through “triaje”, where they obtain their weight, height, blood pressure, pulse, and temperature. It is a way for the doctors to be able to observe the patients´ general health, since no one goes in for check-ups or physicals after the age of 7. After just a few hours have passed in the morning, I will have easily taken over one hundred different blood pressures. I have also been assigned to work in “topico” a good bit, in which we give injections (lots of antibiotics, which you can purchase without a prescription and penicillin as well) and care for any wounds or injuries. We get to see such a range of patients here, including a little boy stabbed in the corner of his eye with a pencil (yes, this one was very difficult for me), a man with a dog bite in his arm that cut deeply through the muscle, a 16-year old girl having the stitches from her recent cesarean section removed, and an elderly woman (she only spoke the native language, Quechua) who´s toenail was almost completely ingrown and had to be removed. The people come in for minor injuries as well that simply need to be cleansed and cared for because they do not have medicines such as iodine, hydrogen peroxide, or antibacterial ointment available in the convenience of their own homes. I have really enjoyed getting to work at this place, meeting the Peruvian medical students doing their rotation here, getting to know other volunteers from Canada, Germany, England, Australia, and the US, and being able to build relationships with the wonderful doctors and nurses at this place.

Another big addition to my daily schedule over the past month or so is an afternoon volunteer position with the missionary organization called Project CORASON. Along with about four other volunteers, I travel in the afternoon a little ways out of the main city, to a more rural area. As we are walking up the dirt road to the church building where we hold our afternoon “club”, we are greeted by children running up to us, embracing us with hugs, calling out, “Hola, hermana!” The major purpose of this afternoon club for the children of this rural area is to keep them busy and entertained, so they do not get involved or drug into bad situations. Every day is a different activity, some days we just play soccer, volleyball, Frisbee, basketball, and jump rope outside. With the older kids, we will do an activity like wood-working, cooking, or making some craft out of leather. We have English classes and Bible lessons a few days throughout the week as well. The children race up the hill everyday as though it is their first day coming, and the joy that they bring is just so beautiful and encouraging.  I learned about this program through the small church that I recently found through some crazy connections. After several months of truly learning what it means to be somewhat alone and without community, having to turn to and rely on God alone, and not another person, I was provided with this incredible group of Christians that hold a church service every Sunday night. I was told about this church by my Spanish teacher who´s boyfriend is a teacher at the University here and happened to have a student in his class who is a missionary from the US, but has lived here about 15 years now. The people I have met through this all have incredible stories about the work God has done in their lives here in Peru. One family lives in the rural hillside, about an hour outside of Cusco. They have eight children, biologically, two adopted from Peru, and at the moment 40 foster children living in their orphanage that they started here years ago. They are originally from the US, but the father is German, so all the children speak English, German, Spanish, Quechua, and whatever other language they chose to study in school. There are several families here who have left their lives at home to come serve in this country, as well as many students taking a gap year after high school or college, or just desiring a break from their jobs at home. So many of these people saw a need that simply needed to be met and generously donated time, money, work, or knowledge. So the most common question asked here, is “So, what are you doing here, what is your story?” Often times, if you are going to church and are from a foreign country, people will assume that you must be a missionary working on a project here in Peru. After hearing this question many, many times, I started to think about it more and about the term “missionary”, which by definition means one who is sent to witness and share their faith to all peoples of different cultures.  And, isn´t that what we are all daily, called to be: in our speech, actions, and interactions with all different types of individuals. Why do we have to have the term pinned to us, be in a foreign country, or be on a specific “mission trip” to be living our lives this way? Because you meet so many incredible people here, but know in the back of your mind that you very may well never get the opportunity to see them or talk to them again in this lifetime, it truly makes you want to chose your actions when around them, as well as your words and topics of discussion wisely in order to make the most of every moment.

welcome to the JUNGLE

I was so excited to visit my friend who had been volunteering in the jungle for several weeks, and to have the opportunity to see another diverse, beautiful area that this country has to offer. The adventures of this trip in the jungle began the Thursday night before, as I was packing and preparing for a 4:30am departure. The coordinator here in Cusco called and paid a visit to the house to drop off some mail that needed to be taken to the Reserve in the jungle because there is no post office there. When she brought the items to me she also explained that there would be a complete change in the four day itinerary, and I would not be riding the public transportation bus or be picked up there by my friend and a guide, but instead would be arriving there in one of the later days of the trip. I have quickly learned that Peruvians do not really do plans, it´s just not their thing. The whole trip was kind of just going with the flow because I never really knew where we would be going next, but there was never any stress about the situation at hand. This lack of stress is clearly portrayed by the lifestyles of the people here day in and day out. It is even evident in the clinic where a systolic blood pressure above 120 or 130 causes the doctors to be nervous and to have the patient come in on a regular basis for it to be checked because the´normal values´ are so much lower here. In the US, many patients come in with pressures over 150. The relaxed environment of this place can even be seen in my own bad habit change resulting in having long fingernails for the first time in my life.

 

 

So, I wake up bright and early, eagerly peaking out the front door for the 15-passenger bus to arrive and pick me up. And I wait, and wait, and wait. About 45 minutes later, I see a woman running down the street to come take me to the car about a block away; this is Peruvian time. And so we begin what we thought would be about an 8 hour ride to Manu. Traveling in the bus I got to meet 10 wonderful volunteers from the US, Canada, and Australia. They are also living in Cusco and volunteering in different areas of interest including construction, teaching, & medicine. They all live together in a big house; I kind of got an image of a Real World house in Peru when they described it to me. But, I was so thankful to have other companions to travel with and to be able to speak in English for a while. We all tried to sleep most the morning away, but the one-lane, bumpy, dirt road did not allow for very good rest. The bus came to an abrupt stop around lunchtime and we were instructed to gather all of our things and start hiking down a trail. There had apparently been a landslide, leaving no passage for vans or buses. So after hiking down a steep, slippery trail carrying our bags and heavy boxes of food, we were greeted at the bottom by two other small vehicles and we all squeezed in. At this point, I had no idea where we were going, if I would get to see my friend, where I was staying that night, and if I would even be able to get home on Monday (everyone else was planning on staying for at least 10 days). We piled into the two cars and continued the drive on. The road was constantly interrupted by waterfalls and creeks that the cars had to pass through, but eventually, 12 hours later we made it to the Reserve, where we were staying for the night. We hiked down another short trail and found ourselves at a briskly moving, large river. There were two cables running across the river and a platform to sit on, as someone on the other side pulled you across. The area was beautiful, full of life and surrounded by green and colorful plants. The courtyard of the reserve had lime trees and rescued animals, including some very friendly monkeys running around. After covering ourselves in bug spray we enjoyed a dinner by candlelight because it was pitch black dark by 6:00 and there was no electricity. Later, we crawled under our mosquito nets and got ready for a good night^s sleep before waking up at 5:30am to hike to a waterfall. The most amazing thing to me about the whole tour through the jungle was not only the beauty and hugeness of all the plants and wildlife, but the knowledge that the people of the jungle have about all the uses of everything there. Our guide lives in Cusco but was born in Manu and grew up there with her family, and through that learned all the many uses of the jungle plants. We passed by and learned about trees that are specifically used for inflammation. The sap is placed on wounds and the tea is drunk for any type of inflammatory problem within the body. There were plants good for digestion, the liver, infection, respiratory, and any other problem one can think of. Bamboo is also common in this area of the jungle and serves many uses for them, including: hunting, obtaining water, and they also believe that washing your hair in bamboo water will make it grow quickly. After a delicious breakfast of yogurt and fresh fruit we headed on to visit a coca plantation, a bird reserve, tour other small towns, go on a hike, and enjoy a 3 hour bumpy car ride to the next Reserve that we were staying at that night. On the way we stopped in Pilcopata, a small town (that does have internet) and our driver told us that he would not take us any farther because the roads were so bad. So, we waited for about an hour (you can walk around the whole town in about 15 minutes) for another car to come pick us up so we could continue on our journey. On the way, once again we crossed through the waterfalls, large streams, over rock piles, through herds of sheep and cattle, and through deep mud -- only getting stuck and having to push the car out one time. Around lunchtime the road ended into a large river and a small town with two working telephones. From there we took a boat upstream about 5 minutes to the Reserve on an island where we would be staying the next two nights. I finally found my friend; we had arrived at the reserve she had been volunteering at for several weeks, but she was feeling sick because of something she had eaten the night before so had to spend the day in her tent sleeping. So along with our guide, another volunteer at the reserve, and the newlyweds from Poland, I headed off in the afternoon to explore the nature of this jungle. We rode the boat further down the coast of the island where we encountered a small plantation of bananas, pineapple, ans sugar cane. Our guide, equipped with her machete bushwhacked through the thick brush until we came to a trail winding through the trees. I tried some of the most interesting foods this day, beginning with a mint-tasting termite at 6 in the morning. We ate fruits of all varieties, some type of sweet, fuzzy beans (which are apparently a monkey´s favorite food, over bananas), a type of wild tomato that had a sweet and sour taste to it, mushrooms, and berries. The following day we woke up around 4:30, headed out on the boat, and traveled downstream for a while until we arrived on an island shore facing a rock wall. Early in the morning hundreds of parrots and other birds come to this wall to lick the minerals off of it. So as the sun was rising over the river, we watched these beautiful birds and enjoyed our breakfast. Following this, we put on our tall boots and trekked through deep mud into the midst of the jungle for some more hiking around. We saw all kinds of magnificent wildlife and plants, including a gigantic tree thought to be over 300 years old. We had the afternoon free, so I decided to climb up the waterfall near the kitchen and was able to enjoy the solitude in being surrounded with even more of God’s spectacular creation.

One of the most memorable parts of this voyage was the return trip, lasting a total time of 21 hours, only slightly longer than the predicted 8 hours on the bus. The bus stop is in Pilcopata, and we were planning on leaving around 1 or 2pm so we could arrive home by 11 at the latest. However, after waiting for a while, we soon realized that this bus was not coming and we would have to take the bus leaving at 6pm. So we had lots of time for exploring this small town and the river nearby. But finally after killing time in this pueblo, we were on our way and the ride was going rather smoothly with only a few stops in small towns to pick up other people. Around 11:00 we reached the edge of Manu, and were greeted by several policemen rushing on to our bus and yelling at specific people to open their bags. Apparently this drug bust for cocaine is fairly normal because my friend and I were the only ones who seemed shocked by the whole situation. The coca leaf is one of the largest crops produced in this area of the jungle; it is full of nutrients and the tea is great for individuals trying to adjust to a higher altitude. However, the leaves are also used for the production of cocaine. So because of this, there is a limit put on the amount one can carry out of the jungle at a time. After the police had thoroughly searched the bus and carried one woman off with her bags, we were on our way once again. The next awakening did not come until 4:30am, when we jolted quickly to a stop.  Through the thick darkness, we could barealy see that a large truck carrying wood had gone off the side of the mountain, but not completely, leaving the one-lane road blocked, not permitting anyone to pass. So we waited there for 3 hours, in the middle of nowhere with no cell phone service, and at least 2 hours away from any town with communication. By 7:00 there were six buses waiting full of passengers all trying to get to Cusco. At this point they agreed it would be best to take the one other road that leads in the direction of Cusco. However, the problem with this road is that it’s in the process of being built right now and they are using dynamite on it, so we were not sure if we would even be able to get far at all. Our first stop was at the Government Transportation Office because we had to get permission to go on this road, as it is not open yet to the public. The drivers also had to convince the workers to go ahead of us with the bulldozers so that they could clear the road, if there did happen to be any problems. Well of course there were; we drove around a corner and found ourselves facing a gigantic pile of rocks, which lead to more waiting for about two hours while they cleared off the road. We encountered a second pile later on that had to be cleared as well. But, finally we made it to a small village only an hour and a half away from Cusco, and all the passengers were just so thrilled to be almost home. However, here we had another encounter with the police. Though we all tried to explain that the bus had already been checked, they insisted and in fact found that the driver was carrying a ton of coca leaves. He was being questioned by the police, and it turned out that he did not have official documents (or a license) to be driving the bus. So he ran, yes he just ran away and all of the passengers were left stranded with a bus, but no driver. There were two taxis that people raced to claim, but we were too slow and missed this opportunity. So there was more waiting, but finally a sketchy combi pulled up and we all squeezed in with our bags and made our way to the outskirts of Cusco where we were able to take a taxi home. Whew …HOME at last, I was not sure if we would make it at all. But overall it was such an incredible and memorable trip being able to explore the incredible Manu Jungle ...the true Peruvian way.

vida en Cusco

It is hard to believe that four weeks have already passed since I returned from traveling around Peru. I feel like I am finally settled in this wonderful city of Cusco, knowing my way around, which busses to take, etc… however, I am beginning to realize that no matter how good my Spanish is or who I am friends with, it will be difficult not to be seen as a tourist and foreigner.  But, over the past four weeks I have had the opportunity to make some incredible friends with the locals here through work, salsa dancing, church, and playing volleyball on the weekends. The clinic I work at is quite possibly one of the nicest buildings in the outskirts of Cusco. It is privately owned and consists of many knowledgeable doctors covering nearly all branches of medicine. I was placed here to work on the language within the hospital because most of the doctors are able to speak a little broken English from having to care for so many tourists from all over the world. Though my Spanish has improved immensely, I had forgotten that there is a whole different dictionary of words to learn just within the work at a hospital, anatomy, and diseases.  It is not exactly what I pictured when I thought of working in a medical clinic in Peru, but it has truly been a great experience to learn and be prepared for future work or volunteering. I have been able to assist in the operating room, emergency, intensive care unit; with  x-rays and ultra sounds, draw blood from patients and observe it in the laboratory, inject and start patients on IV’s, distribute medicines, care for wounds, and just spend time talking with the doctors, nurses, patients, and the other two students from Germany.  The nurses there are the most hard-working, caring individuals; always concerned for others 12 hours throughout the day or night.  They were always willing to teach me and had such patience. We enjoyed learning new words in each other’s language and they loved to ask me about my thoughts on Peruvian guys.  Though some days there were not many patients, I was still able to learn a lot from the clinic and it has been wonderful to see that everything I am learning now is preparing me for more work that the Lord has planned for me in the future. 

My days here have been filled with work, school, salsa dancing at night, and trying not to get run over by the vehicles flying through the city streets.  I have yet to mention the driving situation that occurs here. If you have ever been the least bit nervous about my driving or a certain pole vault coach at University of South Carolina, you would absolutely have a heart attack riding in a taxi or combi here.  There may be lines in the road, but no one heeds to them. When a road is supposed to be three lanes, there are usually about five cars lined across. There is constantly weaving in and out, and drivers stop approximately ten centimeters behind the car in front of them; I am amazed that I have not seen more accidents. I don’t believe that there is a speed limit, probably in part because none of the speedometers in the cars work anyways.  The majority of cars are very old, rattling stick shifts and though the drivers are more than competent, they constantly stall out over the speed bumps. The most important rule to learn about the driving here is that pedestrians absolutely do not have the right of way, and cars will not stop for you to cross the street. The combi’s are the typical mode of transportation for the Peruvians here. It costs 60 centimos (about 20 cents), or 40c if you are a student to ride anywhere you want, ranging from three minutes up to an hour or two.  These combi’s are about the size of a 10-passenger van but on the regular, approximately 15-25 people are squeezed in at one time. You are lucky if you happen to get one of the newer vans that you are able to stand upright in, but normally you find yourself bent half over, squished up against five other people.  One of my best moments in a combi was during one of my first weeks here. The road where I would normally take the combi from was closed because of a festival (a very normal thing around here), so I walked around until I saw another bus stop. Luckily, right away I saw my favorite combi “Zorro” come by and knew it would take me straight to my house. However, apparently I got on it going in the wrong direction; I rode for about an hour continuing to go up and up into the pueblos above Cusco where they only speak Quechua. Every time I thought about getting out because I realized I was not heading towards my home, I looked around and saw no taxis, only gardens, run-down houses, and sketchy looking stores. Once we reached the top of a large mountain the driver told everyone to get off …uh-oh! I told him the stop I was trying to get to and of course this lead to much laughter between him and his companion. They let me stay on and I enjoyed the rest of the ride back to my house; in conclusion, this was my 60 centimos, hour-long tour of the outskirts of Cusco, truly unforgettable.  Another favorite experience of mine was when I was riding an unusually semi-empty combi to class one afternoon and a little boy was walking up and down the aisle when he decided to come climb up in my lap. He sat with me the entire 30-minute ride as we stared out the window and named the objects passing by.

My recently found love is for the dance of salsa and it has been entertained by the fact that possibly every single person here was born a natural, incredible dancer. This culture too just embraces the beauty of dance and the discotekas (clubs) have only salsa and meringue from 9-11 every night; it is a better workout than the classes at the gym! Cusco is full of festivals, and festivals always mean bright-colored costumes and dancing through the streets. The most recent “carnival” consisted of a parade of dancing, as well as water balloon fight amidst the whole city. This week of celebration, and particularly the specific day of “carnival” is every child’s dream. Literally, everyone runs around throwing water balloons and buckets of water at each other, and you are not allowed to be upset by it. All festival-goers are equipped also with a can of foam spray which always leads to sneak attacks and battles. The beautiful thing about this day is how much joy everyone has; it is a day solely for enjoyment for children and adults, as well as tourists and Peruvians alike.

I will be leaving for the jungle, Manu tomorrow morning at 4:30 to visit a friend who is volunteering there (and of course to enjoy the beauties of the jungle). When I return from this trip next week, I will begin to work in Ttio Hospital: a more rural, poverty filled place. I am excited to see all that the Lord has in store for me there; the things I will learn, be exposed to, and be able to share over the next two months.

from mountains to the desert to the sea

I have been dreading writing this next blog because there are really just no words to describe all that has happened the last few weeks and I have had the opportunity to experience so much that cannot be summarized in a few short paragraphs.  The week before last a friend that I met through my spanish school in Cusco and I decided to travel around Peru for ten days. It was incredible to see all the vast, magnificent elements that this country has - from the mountains to desserts and beaches (we did not yet make it to the jungle but hopefully will soon!)  This time was such an amazing opportunity for me to be able to just sit, relax, and enjoy God´s beautiful creation around us. We sipped smoothies in our hammocks, took our time to enjoy every (always delicious) meal and not rush through it, and we often found ourselves just walking around the great places we were visiting and simply enjoying life.  Our trip started out with a 15 hour bus ride south and towards the coast to a small town called Ica. I was still recovering from being sick the week before, so though we traveled through the night, I did not sleep much at all, instead was easily entertained by watching four movies in Spanish. A common theme we found when arriving in bus stations was that the taxi drivers and tour operators could easily spot the tourists right away and would bombard us with tons of options for transportation, hostels, and activities. We also learned farily quickly that it is much much cheaper not to succumb to any of these great-sounding offers. While in Ica, we visited a vineard where wine and Peru´s famous alcohol, Pisco is made. Sadly, however, it was not the season for picking and mashing, so we didn´t get to climb into the large tub to stomp the grapes with our feet. The tour was concluded with tastings of the different marmelades, wines, and types of Pisco made... shots of warm Pisco at 11am is definitely an interesting way to start the day. We did not stay in the town of Ica, but found a wonderful right outside on the edge of a beautiful oasis, surround by nothing but sand dunes. Huaccachina consists of a lagoon, surrounded by hotels for the tourists, restaurants, one big night club, and a few stores; one could easily walk around the small town in 10 minutes. The biggest attractions bringing in foreigners, other than the beauty of the oasis in the desert, are sandboarding and riding around the dunes in buggies. We ended up staying in Huaccachina a day longer than inticipated because of the relaxed, enjoyable atmosphere and people. The first day there we eagerly began sprinting up the sand dune behind our hostel, but this sprint quickly turned into a walk with many breaks along the way, as our feet sunk deeper into the sand with every step we took up the deceptively large dune. The following day we went sandboarding, which started our very enjoyable. Initially, everyone rides down the at least 400 meter long dunes on their stomach reaching speeds that I never have come close to sledding down our driveway in the winters. And then, for those that are feeling brave, you strap your feet to these planks of plywood, stand up, and ride on down. The first few dunes were short and not too steep so I really had no problem making it down, and then we reached the real dunes. Of course, me and my prideful self could not just stand and watch as the professional snowboarder from Canada made it look like a breeze, and so I strapped my feet in and got ready to zoom down the dune. Well, that´s the last thing that I remember until we were back in the buggie. However, I was told and reminded by the bruises and aches the next morning that I completely wiped out, blacked out for a few minutes, and got a concussion, not remembering where I was or why for a good 20 minutes. But, I thankfully, successfully recovered within the next few hours, and was ready to go out dancing later that night. The following morning we woke up at 5:30 to head towards Paracas and embark upon a boat tour to the national reserve of Ballestas Islas, the home of sea lions and over 150 different species of birds. After the beautiful boat ride, we headed on to the big city of Lima. With a population of over 8.5 million people, Lima is definitely large and I was very excited to see stores common to me (i.e. Starbucks), but even with the gorgeous, ancient plazas and buildings, it definitely doesn´t have the cultural aspect that Cusco does. While in there, we visited some friends that are living outside of central Lima in Chorillos and are participating in a mission organization that involves surfing. It was so encouraging to see the work that God had been doing through them there and the lives that had been touched by the love that they were freely administering.  After a few fun-filled days in Lima, surfing and enjoying the beach (though not enjoying my horrific sunburn that I received by not wearing sunscreen and experiencing the sun near the equator for the first time), we began another long bus ride up the coast to Trujillo. For the next few days, we stayed in a hostel about 30 minutes outside of the city right on the beach in Huanchaco. It was an exquisite place, filled with friendly surfers and travelers lounging in the hammocks, delicious food, and costing about $5 a night. While in the area we went surfing some more, receiving tips from the locals, made friends with the musicians and artists lining the shoreside street, and visited the second oldest church in Peru. The following day we rode horses through the ancient ruins (dating back to 300AD) of Huaca del Sol and Luna, as well as Chan Chan (one of the largest adobe cities in the world). Before leaving, we were also able to have dinner with a friend in Trujillo who is doing mission work there; again good to hear some encouraging stories about the work God is doing in this magnificent country. We didn´t want our time in Huanchaco to end because the people there were all so welcoming and caring towards everyone. But, we had to head back for one last night in Lima before flying to our newly made home in Cusco.

 

To me, one of the most creative and wonderful ways that God reveals himself is through the people we meet along our way.  And we certainly met some amazing people with endless stories of adventure, accomplishments, and failure. I was amazed at how many people had just decided on a whim to begin traveling and to continue to do so until they ran out of money and were forced to return to their homes and to work. From the locals working in the hostels and restaurants, professional sandboarders, and surfing instructors, to the individuals who had been traveling for years, everyone was unique. Just to mention a few of the people that we either ate with, stayed with, or traveled with along the way: there was a girl from New Jersey who left work, telling her boss she had to go to California for a week for her annual vacation and ended up flying down to Peru to travel around for a month. But, she was heading back two days after we left her because she said her boss back in Jersey was beginning to get suspicious of where she was.  She had been traveling with two guys that she met while hiking the Inca Trail up to Machu Picchu and they had left their home in Englad 10 months prior. The adventures included the countries of Egypt, India, China, New Zealand, Cambodia, all those in South America, and many more. We had the pleasure of a four hour bus ride with them to Lima in which we got to hear story after story. At breakfast one morning we met a man fluent in 5 different languages who after retiring, decided to travel the world for 10 years and teach English in whatever country he ended up in. We stayed in a room with two sisters from Philadelphia who had planned on staying in Huanchaca for about 3 days and ended up staying for 2 months, and still were not sure when they would be moving on. We were served in a cafe by a friendly woman from Sweden who had met her husband in Peru while traveling and ended up starting a family and never returning to her homeland. There were countless more who all had different reasons for traveling or living in Peru, but all were friendly and accepting. It was such a great experience because I believe that there is always something you can learn from every person that you come into contact with.  One of the greatest thing that I´ve been learning over the past few weeks in Peru, not only from the people we met traveling but also the locals here, is that one doesn´t have to be in constant drive to be productive. Though this is completely opposite of the way I have lived most of my life and very different than the view America pushes across to all those who desire to be "successful", it is incredible the things you can learn by simply "not doing" for a few minutes of the day and allowing yourself to freely live. Our trip was such an amazing experience and I´m so grateful that I had the opportunity to travel around, but it was also a great feeling to come back to my newly made home in Cusco, be welcomed by my wonderful family, and begin to do the work that I came here to do in the medical clinic.

La Comida

 

For those of you who know my eating habits, you would be proud: I have tried more foods in the past few days than I probably have in my entire life... and loved it all (well most of it)! I was a little nervous coming into it, seeing that the national food of Peru is fried guinnea pig (cuy), originally eaten by the Incan king. I have yet to try this royalty cuisine, but I´m sure I will at some point over the next few weeks. The food here is always adventurous and a surprise! I honestly never know what I am eating but I do know that it most likely contains potatoes and/or corn. There are over 4,000 different kinds of potatoes grown in Peru. And one of the most traditional and popular foods eaten by the people here is purple corn - we even drink the juice that it has been cooked in - delicious with a little lemon! You can literally find every kind of food you want on a street corner or in a near by market ...my personal favorite are the fruit bars you can go sit down at and have some fresh squeezed orange, mango, papaya, pineapple, etc drink or smoothie for about $1.00. The markets are amazing with vendors selling all products from woven or wood carvings, to bread and cheese, fruits and vegetables, slabs of meat, rice and grains, fresh pastries, full cooked meals, dirt and flowers, cleaning supplies, dvds and cds, clothes, furniture ...literally everything; it is so wonderful like a Walmart but even better because you^re supporting local vendors. Another new, favorite expierence of mine is the incredible freshly baked pastries or dulces. These bakeries can be found on almost every street and so easy to spot or maybe I am just always looking. I have of course made it my new goal to try out each one and discover all the Peruvian sweets while sipping some delicious coffee. I am so appreciative of the time that I have here to simply live and rest...something I rarely experienced at home. It is so exciting to see the way God has revealed to me over the past few days that He has been desiring this time with me to simply live and not be so distracted by the things of life that normally surround me and that I allow to consume me. I have seen Him more alive in my life lately when I am doing nothing, than when I was involved in many different ministries.

Other than discovering new desserts, though, I have not had much opportunity to eat out and have not wanted to because mi mama is an incredible cook and always has food for us should we ever be the least bit hungry. I love my breakfasts of fresh bread, cheese, and avacado.  However, I had a hardcore hankering for cereal (it had been like 2 weeks since) so I went and bought some from the grocery and stopped by the Casa De Leche on the way home. How awesome ...a house of just milk and yogurt (cool I know!) The sign said all organic and natural so it sounded great to me! The young girl behind the counter dipped me out about a liter and put it in a bag for me. So I bring home my bag of milk and proudly show it to mi hermana who laughs and explains that it is fresh from the cow and is absolutely not drinkable as is. So we had to go through the process of boiling the milk and I ended up just having hot chocolate (very rich and delicious I might add) and dry cereal. My family drinks evaporated milk and the yogurt that they eat is stored on shelves and the bottles say that refridgeration is not needed!  I am positive that the people here truly have the strongest immune systems. We eat all of our meals together as a family (all seven of us), but the most grand and important meal of all is of course almuerzo around 2:00 every day. Almost all of the food prepared is topped off with very spicy piemento sauces. I have learned that I have to pace myself in order to simply get through the meal. It always starts off with a soup but not just the Japanese type broth soup. The soup usually contains potatoes, pasta, rice or quinoa and some type of meat and vegetables, usually including a half an ear of corn ...I literally could be full simply off of the soup alone. The first time I ate with my family I thought that it was the whole meal. But next, you are served a huge helping of the main course, always containing potatoes or corn (I am definitely getting the carbohydrates I need).  Though there are not excessive ingredients that are affordable and accessible to cook with every day, the meal is always extravagent and so very different than anything we have had before. After I stuff all of this down (partly because wasting food here is not an option and partly because it is so good), dessert follows, which I cannot pass up. My family^s personal favorite is ultra-sweet flan, but it is always delicious. I love how much they appreciate this middle of the day meal; not just the food but the time to take a break and rest, time to spend together and simply time they have to share and love one another.  

Mi Familia

From day one, I was accpeted into my house with so much overflowing love from all of my family. I was immediately adopted as an hija, hermana, y tia. The first time I saw mi mama was walking out of the airport, thoughts racing through my head, just hoping they had received the information of my flight change, and hoping there would be someone there to pick me up. And then i saw a smiling, older Peruvian woman admist all the tour guides and daxi drivers trying to convince me that I need to go with them, she stood there looking so happy that she might just start jumping up and down, and was holding a sign with my name on it. I waslked towards her and was embraced by the most welcoming hug, as though I was one of her own children coming home after many years. You can see by looking in mi mama^s eyes that she has lived a long, hard life and is a very strong woman. When I first moved in she was taking care of a family of seven. She is constantly working from before the sun is up to make sure everything is done and everyone has what they need. The house is always spotless, there is always good food cooking on the stove, and all the garden plants are tended to. She washes all the laundry by hand (an experience in itself) and hangs it on the lines on our roof to dry. Yesterday, just after she had finished showing me how to wash my clothes (at least an hour long process), and we had hung them up to dry, it began to pour rain for the next 12 hours ...just an extra rinse I suppose.  Hours are spent preparing the meals, she begins to cook our big lunch meal as soon as the dishes from breakfast are cleared. The most admirable thing about mi mama is that she never gets tired of serving others. Her acts are always genuine and so filled with warmth and love. Everything that she does, all that she has sacrificed is for others that she cares so deeply for. My two hermanas are both such beautiful women from the inside out. They have both been hurt by difficult relationships that resulted in divorce or separation, but their love for others and God , as well as their joy in life shines through them daily. Tula (Tulita) is 32 and a teacher, she is absolutely the comic relief of the family. She always finds a way to make those around her laugh and put a smile on everyone^s faces. Her laughter travels to all those around and you cannot help but enjoy every moment with her. She overflows with patience and is always there to listen, even when the sentences coming out of my mouth may not make sense at all. The oldest sister, Sonia, is up at the crack of dawn and works until late at night so that she can take care of her beautiful daughter, Joselyn (Jose). She is one of the most driven people I have ever seen and you never hear a complaint muttered by her. Sonia is so calm, collected, and focused, but when she comes home at night, it is all about loving on and playing with Jose until they go to bed in the small room that they share. Jose is my precious little 7-year-old niece who will never let you get bored. With her innocence and pure sweetness, she is the light and joy of this family, whom everyone adores. Mi hermano, Joseph is 28 and a civil engineer. He will be moving to a small town in the jungle of Peru in March to start a new job there. He has truly been a life saver for me in learning the city because his English is very good. From showing me which busses are ok to ride, to teaching me the streets not to walk down at night, he automatically took on the rold of big brother and protector for all his family. Mi papa is not around much because he is working all the time (also an engineer), but when he is home you can see the respect that everyone has for him. He is dedicated to loving and providing for his family, and is a very honorable man, in whom his family puts much trust. Though my family here makes fun of me for how I am not able to keep up with the amount of food they eat, the way I cannot make an "rr" sound to save my life, and the fact that I don^t like to wear shoes in the house, they have already shown me so much love to make me feel as though I have been a part of this family for years. They all are truly a gift from God to make me feel welcomed in the place where I am a foreigner. One does not enter or leave the house, go to bed or ger up in the morning without a hug and a kiss on the cheek for all. My time spent with them has already taught me so much about how to love others, and has reminded me of how often I take those I love for granted and do not let them know how appreciated they are in my life. I am constantly being shown love and grace in my daily life, yet out of selfishness, apathy, or due to distractions I forget or refuse to display this same love and thankfulness for those around me... definitely something that could use some alteration in my life.

¡Buen Viaje!

Buenos noches! It feels so good to speak English even if just for a quick minute -- my brain has begun to think in half Spanish/English at nights before I fall asleep. I am not usually the type to blog and write about everything going on in my life... However, there are so many people back at home that I have wanted to stay in contact with and keep posted on my travels, but have not been able to. Many of the interne cafes don´t have the capacity to use Skype here. I have only spent four days in Peru so far and feel like I have learned so much but I know there is still so much more to see and experience. So, in a quick summary of the past few days, it has been simply incredible. After doing a sprint workout through the Miami airport to change my bags over to a new airline and print off a new boarding pass, resulting in almost missing my flight, I successfully made it through customs and immigration to Cusco, Peru at 7am. Stepping off the plane, I was immediately in awe of the gigantic mountains staring me in the face just meters away. What makes Cuzco such a rare place is not only the many ruins found displaced all around the city, the famous Maccu Pichu, and the llamas of course, but the simple existance of this beautiful, yet broken town in the midst of God´s power and hugeness displayed in the surrounding landscape.  I have not taken the chance to capture this yet for fear of looking like a tourist. There is, however, no blending in fo me here; having light skin and being taller than 5´4 makes you an immediate target for the vendors seeking out tourists to buy everything imaginable. But let´s be serious, those of you who have spent any time with me in a big city (primarily New Orleans) know how much I love being a tourist -- in conclusion, pictures will be coming soon.

 

The most interesting walk to take is from the area of town where I live with my amazing family (called Marcavalle) to the central area of Cusco near the Plaza de Armas and about 10 other plazas of which I have not memorized all the names yet. This 30 minute walk displays all the cultural diversion that exists here and how westernized the city has become. It is literally like entering a whole new world: switching from next to nothing to elegant Cathedrals and pricy stores full of alpaca coats.  It is not quite at all what I anticipated it to be or the picture that might pop up when one types in "Cusco" into GoogleImage search. The ancient culture is still ever-present and visible in the traditions and extended families. And along the streets, there are many women who have long braids reaching all the way down their backs and wear wool sweaters, skirts, tall socks, and sombreros. Many do carry their babies around in brightly colored, handwoven shawls and sell fruit or handmade trinkets in the streets. In the central plazas of Cusco, women dress up in their fancy, decorated outfits and bring their llamas so that the tourists will pay to have their picture taken with them. This is their full-time job, and is just one example of why the averave income here is $200 a year. The other side of the town is what gives me so many mixed emotions as I walk through these broken streets, surrounded by beauty but seeing little children who should be in school working dangerous jobs, twelve hours a day. One of the reasons I was so excited about this trip was to be forced outside of my comfort zone (which I have been already), but my time here has also reminded me of the comfort and stability that I have and have had my entire life. Stability in money, friends, family, school, sports, life. Yes, here, no one knows any difference because this  is all they have known their entire life, but how does that make it any better?