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?