¿Cómo se dice... everything?

Sorry about the several things that I’m sure overlap with some previous posts, but here is a final summary of my Peru experience.

         Lima, Peru.  It is one crazy experience that I will never forget.  I remember worrying about just about everything before the trip.  How I was going to function in a foreign country that spoke a different language, how I would spend my free time, and especially my living situation.  I didn’t know who I was living with, where I was living, or even if anyone spoke English.  I was horrified.  However, leaving home, I was relaxed and ready to start my journey to Lima.  I arrived in Lima after a very enjoyable plane ride, in which I watched four movies that I had really wanted to see.  Then, my horror set in that I would soon be meeting my family, requiring me to use Spanish.  I didn’t know how I was going to greet them, or even communicate anything complex with them, especially after such little sleep the previous two days.  The anticipation was killing me for what seemed an hour of grabbing our bags and going through customs, but we all set out to find our families in the crowd.  Finally, I met my brother David, who at first tried to speak to me in Spanish and extremely fast, only picking up a few phrases and words here and there.  After a few times failing to comprehend what he had said, he finally began to speak in very good English.  It was like music to my ears and at that moment, all my fears were gone.

            The next day, I met the whole family. The dad, David, loves swimming and talks in a monotone, impossible to understand accent.  The mom is a great cook and loves to talk about new experiences in Peru.  David, the eldest of the two brothers, loves to surf, loves nights on the town, and loves to eat.  Kevin, the youngest brother, loves his soccer, loves nights on the town, and loves his news.  The first two weeks the whole family was here and we shared every meal together, a few days at the beach, and lots of other activities.  After the first two weeks, the parents then returned home in the South where the dad works.  This left David, Kevin, and I to enjoy a house to ourselves.  However, we did not have to fend for ourselves thanks to Victoria, a woman who came every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to clean the apartment and cook our meals for the week.  My room was very big and spacious with my own desk and set of drawers, however, I did not have any hangers to hang up my clothes with like at home.  I did have my own corner of the apartment only sharing walls with two bathrooms.  The mornings were noisy for a while as it was summer here in Peru until March, making the kids eager to get up early and jump in the pool.  The nights were also very hot making it a little hard to sleep.  Buying a fan for my room solved both of these problems.  Easily the best purchase I have made here in Peru.  I couldn’t have picked a better living situation.  I loved having David and Kevin as roommates and I will miss them a lot.

            It was different from home in that I actually had someone to cook me food instead of cooking my food myself, but it was like living to of my friend roommates.  They were always down to go out or hangout with friends and were just really fun to be around.  When the family was here, there was definitely a different family dynamic than in the United States, different than my family especially.  We always ate at the dining room table instead of in front of the TV, the mom did virtually everything; cleaning, cooking, laundry, dishes, without much help from anyone else (she wouldn’t even let me do my own dishes), and we did a lot of activities as a family while they were there instead of hanging out with David, Kevin, and their friends.  Also when the parents were gone, David was the king of the household, to the point where Kevin listened and did just about everything David said.

            I had not met nor did I know anybody besides Luke coming on this trip, so the friends I made were the other students from Kearney or friends of David, Kevin, and other students’ families.  We didn’t meet a lot of people at school itself besides conversation partners that were assigned at the beginning of the trip.  However we met a lot of good friends through David and Kevin that were able to take us out to places at night, even places that required us to be on a list.  Brian was the first good friend we met while going to a club with David.  He was really funny, knew a bit of English, and LOVED to dance.  We went out with him quite a few times and he introduced us to other friends (some very cool, others a little too “forward” with the girls) who got us in another club that would normally cost a lot to get into.  Other than that we made friends with people in our English classes and Spanish classes, but never got very many opportunities to hang out with them outside of class activities.  It was very tough to approach people outside of these groups due to the language barrier and the little time spent on the campus outside of class time.

            UPC was a very small campus with not too many people until all the students returned in March.  While there weren’t quite as many people as Kearney or Lincoln, it was very compact, making it hard to find a place to stand without being in the way let alone sit down.  The classes were four days a week, three hours each day, giving us much more free-time than at home to allow us to explore the city and experience the culture.  The classes only consisted of the twelve students from UNK, making for a very small class size.  However, there weren’t very many large classrooms that could hold over one hundred people that could be found all over UNL.  Most of the class sizes seemed to be around twenty to thirty people.  The English classes that we helped out with were very small only containing around fifteen students.  It was definitely nice only having class for three hours a day as compared to some days at home having class and lab for six or seven hours in one day.

            There were several differences in the country of Peru itself.  For one, while it was snowing in Nebraska, we were sweating in the Southern Hemisphere looking for relief from the heat in any way we could.  It also rained maybe three times in Lima the entire time we were here, and by rained; I mean it spat for maybe five minutes.  While other parts of Peru have more precipitation, Lima is extremely dry.  The high temperature also varied about three degrees for the entire trip throughout Lima.  However, now that it is winter, the nights are much cooler than before.  Arequipa had a very different climate than Lima, becoming very cold at night and shortly after we left from our trip there, there was a terrible flood due to the large amount of rain.  There are also a large number of elevations differences throughout Peru, from the beaches to the jungle, to highest parts of Cuzco, contributing to various different climates.

            There are definitely a variety of people found in Peru as well.  They are all very understanding and will help you and work with you through anything, especially if they are selling you something.  They are very nice, especially with people from different countries.  However, when it comes to getting on the road with one, it’s a different story.  The driving here is CRAZY!  Weaving in and out, slamming on the brakes and slamming on the gas, there is no such thing as a comfortable ride.  Also 99% of Peruvians drive stick shifts, and due to their extreme rush, don’t make their shifts or change in speed gracefully.  I absolutely not want to have to drive anywhere here.  Another difference between Peru and the United States is that if you happen to get pulled over by the cops or get in trouble, it is possible to pay of the policemen for a small fee to get out of trouble and a ticket.  Meaning these drivers have no fears.

            There are also many differences in importance of certain things here in Peru.  The biggest example of this was punctuality.  Whether it was when we had to leave for a tour or deciding when we were going to meet to go out, a thirty-minute grace period was given to every situation.  Littering is also a very large problem here in Peru.  When trying to find a trashcan, you can often walk two street blocks without finding one.  I have had to walk by a giant pile of trash across the street from a construction project everyday here in Peru.  However, they have several “city cleaners” that are all over Peru that sweep up streets and sidewalks.  Security is also very important, especially in Lima.  All houses and apartments have some sort of fence or wall with barbed wire, an electric fence, metal bars, or even broken glass on it to keep people out.  There are also several security guards all around Lima, sometimes one on every corner in certain parts.  Water is very important here as well due to the poor drinking water.  Twenty-liter boxes of water are very common to have around the house.  Saving electricity is also very important, leading to the unplugging of just about everything not in use, the most common being chargers and the microwave.  Religion is extremely important here in Peru.  Catholicism is practiced throughout and several of the festivals and church services are very extravagant attracting thousands and thousands of people.  Churches and their preservation are very important as well.  However, I believe conserving resources, the land, and history is the most important here due to the lack of clean water and the beauty of the land around them.  Peru has a large amount of precious resources and minerals; however, they refuse to harvest these resources due to the possible contamination and ruin it could bring to the beautiful land and rich history.

            There are very many rich histories here in Peru along with several, diverse, people.  This becomes very obvious when comparing the different people in different economic levels.  There are several poor people here in Peru that make their living begging, performing on the street, cleaning the streets, and selling things on the streets.  One big difference between here in Peru and the United States is that tipping is not very common here, especially tipping large amounts.  Often people are very rude to food servers as well, almost like they are looked down upon.

            However, at times due to speaking a different language, it is possible that we also came of as rude.  That was one of the biggest problems we faced.  We tried to communicate certain, often complex, things to people without coming off as rude or disrespectful.  We also learned a lot of differences between the Spanish we are taught and the Spanish used in Latin America.  It also didn’t help that we looked different from everyone else here, often attracting more attention then we want.  We tried our best to fit, learning even some slang so we could try to be the most Peruvian as possible.  This fit in with differences in learning Spanish in class and living it.  We were often told certain phrases or even conjugations were not used here in Latin America.  We obviously learned more commonly used phrases and more vocab outside of class while we learned a lot of technical skills in class.

            The biggest difference in Peru was the culture.  Besides what was said earlier, there are several differences between the culture here and the United States.  One of the first things we noticed was the fashion here.  It was almost like we were back in 2005 with all the huge Oakley sunglasses, the Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister, and shoe styles.  Next, we noticed how just about everyone is selling you something, whether its a ride in a taxi or bus, ice cream, or even brooms while walking down the street or even sitting on the beach.  Everyone wants your business.  Also the nightlife is amazing here.  There is so much to do here and several clubs that are extremely fun to pass the time in.  Even if some of the guys are a little too persistent.  Lastly, the biggest difference is the huge amount of history preserved through ancient languages, dances, art, buildings, and the land.  Peru is so rich and so proud in their history and has preserved a great deal of it.  They have displays of it on everything, whether it’s an artisan craft, a jersey, or a family heirloom.  They love being Peruvian and are very passionate about their country.

            Overall, I couldn’t have asked for a better trip.  I got to experience so much of this beautiful, historical country and loved every second of it.  I would love to come back here in the future with family or even my kids.  I couldn’t have had a better living situation, I couldn’t have had better luck with all the trips and places we got to see, and I couldn’t have had a better time with all my new friends from UNK and from Peru.

             Finally.  The trip that the whole group was waiting to see, Machu Picchu, and it did not disappoint.  However, Cuzco had plenty to offer as well.  We arrived in Cuzco bright and early to get settled at the hotel with a nap, drink some coca tea that tasted like fresh cut grass clippings in water, and head out to our first set of tours.  Here we met Marco, our first tour guide who was excited to show us the several historical sites and had a joke for just about everything.  However, in between asking questions and then building anticipation for the answer, he had several problems with the listening equipment.  These problems all had to do with the fact that he didn’t turn it off in between talking.  This allowed us to hear his several murmurs under his breath in Spanish saying he was hungry, had to go to the bathroom, and other things while talking on the phone to his fellow companions.  Even on the way to the bathroom he forgot to turn of his audio.  Luckily the bathroom was out of range.  But this just added to the great experience we had listening about all the different paintings with hidden messages and history behind these historical places such as Saqsaywaman, the only name I remember because Marco said also remembered as “Sexy Woman.”  The most interesting part of this first set of tours I thought was the way the Incans made such perfect rocks fit together and stay together for so long.  It was very cool to see how they carved the rocks into “male stones” and “female stones” that fit together perfectly like Legos making the walls extremely strong.  However, due to the reliability of the Peruvian Airlines not being reliable, we had little time after our tours to do much of anything besides rest for our early day to Machu Picchu.

            Finally, the next day it was our time to see a wonder of the world!  It started early, earlier than needed due to our tour director saying we needed to be ready 30 minutes before the bus was even ready to leave, but we were ready to get started on the long way to Machu Picchu.  After three buses and a beautiful train ride, we finally made it.  Even though we got stuck with some fairly old couples that were extremely slow as our tour mates, nothing was going to ruin this awesome experience.  After getting a cool stamp in our passports, we headed up to see “The Viewpoint” and it was just like all the pictures you see in post cards and even more.  All around us there were views of streams and mountains in almost 360 degrees.  While we took plenty of pictures, we learned a lot about the vacation homes of the rich in Cuzco.  We also learned about several of the rocks and the reason for their placement such as the sun temple receiving light perfectly on the beginning of the Incan calendar and even a rock that marked the four cardinal directions.  I even took a taste of the water from a water system the Incas had put in that was still running from the top of the mountain just for a taste of the Incan culture.  One of the most interesting facts being that 80% of Machu Picchu being original, due to the Spanish not finding this historical site, making it one of the most important sites for Incan culture.  We then finished our trip with a delicious buffet lunch, some pisco sours, 3 more bus rides and a train ride.

            The rest of our trip in Cusco was also lots of fun.  We saw some more sites along with an animal rescue shelter where we saw a puma, some other native species, and three condors up close and personal.  We also enjoyed some food from the US at a cool cafe, some drinks at a pub in the main plaza, and got quite a bit of shopping done. 

            This past week was holy week, giving us a chance to do some homework (not very successful) and just hang out as we got some days off to enjoy family, friends, and some much needed sleep.  I got my monopoly fix and caught up on some tv shows from back home as well.  We also had some fun at the club with Luke’s host brother and sister where we danced the night away.  I definitely missed my family over the Easter break and I’m excited to return home to celebrate the several holidays we’ve missed including my dad’s, mom’s, and Stephen’s birthdays.  I spent my Easter Sunday playing monopoly, watching the season finale of The Walking Dead, and watching the season premiere of Game of Thrones, treating myself to a candy bar and some apple-Os I bought at the gas station.  Things are definitely winding down and I’m excited to come back and see family and friends, but I might squeeze a little more out of Perú yet.  Until next time! ¡Cao!

          Well it has been quite the week with two trips to Ica and Iquitos.  Despite the few trip ups, it was tons of fun!  Our first trip to Ica started with an early morning, but wonderful, bus ride with air conditioning and movies.  We then arrived at Las Dunas, a really cool and huge resort with air-conditioned rooms and huge beds.  After a short nap we were off to our evening activity, dune-buggying and sand boarding! The first 15 minutes of the trip consisted of us riding in a dune buggy like a rollercoaster going down super steep dunes while the girls screamed on just about every one.  Next we got to sand board down three different dunes, the first on our stomach, and the other two standing if we wanted.  After a couple of crashes and cheers we got back in the buggies for another round around the dunes, one dune in particular that Luke and I did not enjoy due to our whole bodies lifting from the buggy and the ill-positioned seat belts. 

            Then after a night of relaxation, we headed out early to the Ballestas islands.  Here we saw thousands of sea lions, many of which were sprawled out on rocks taking naps.  We also got to see several baby sea lions, which was very cool.  We also got to see thousands and thousands of blue-footed boobies.  There were cliffs full of them and they didn’t mind pooping on passengers of passing boats.  Luckily I only got a splash while others were not so lucky.  We also got to see a cool Nazca-line like formation on a side of a hill that was very cool since we don’t have the time or money to actually see the Nazca lines.  On the way back we also stopped at a winery where we saw the processes of making wine and Pisco (A traditional Brandy drink of Peru).  We also got to taste several different wines and piscos that were delicious!  We then had a fun night of swimming, playing cards, and listening to music.

            A two days later we were off to Iquitos!  This started with another extremely early morning (3am) to catch our 6 o’ clock flight.  Once we arrived in Iquitos we were greeted by our guide, Ashuca, who throughout the trip we found out was an expert in everything, as he would tell us any chance he could by referring to himself in the third person.  “Ashuca is an expert in trees and Iguanas.”  He also showed us a science research book in which he was acknowledged for being such a great guide so we thought ourselves very lucky.  After seeing the small market next to the dock full of caiman and piranha that were roasting on the grill, we were a little scared of what we were going to be eating all trip long.  

            We then started our boat trip to the resort, but first made a stop at a wildlife spot where we saw caiman, piranha, arapaima, macaws, parrots, and some turtles.  We actually got to feed the piranha and see just how crazy they were about food.  I also got to display my magic by simply waving my hand above the water making them jump while whenever anyone else tried, they couldn’t get it to work.  After this short trip we finally made it to our resort in the middle of the Amazon.  It was very cool with bridges to each room and even a room full of hammocks to “hang” in.  We then took a trip into the jungle where we encountered a tarantula, which crazily enough I let Ashuca put on me as the first volunteer.  It was really cool and I could even feel the pointy ends of his feet through my shirt.  We also came across some species of frogs that were really cool.  Ashuca, also an expert in jungle bridge building, loved showing just how easy it was to make a sketchy bridge to get over any small body of water. After dinner, we headed on a night walk in the forest looking for snakes.  First we found some really big spiders with really cool webs and a scorpion-like bug that Ashuca coaxed down from the tree to show everyone. While there were tons of bugs and the girls screamed at just about anything that touched them, it was still fun once we finally saw a snake at the end of the walk.  We also saw a banana spider that was gigantic and could launch itself, which the girls were really not happy about.

            The next day we had planned to go piranha fishing, but being in the rainforest, it rained all morning and afternoon, so instead we went to Monkey Island.  Here we got to see and hold tons of animals.  Right when we arrived, a monkey ventured out of a tree and came near us.  I, thinking there was no way, said “I wonder if this little guy would climb on me” and as soon as stretched out my arm he jumped up on me and just sat on my shoulder.  Needless to say I was extremely surprised as was everyone else behind me.  We then arrived at the pavilion where we had the opportunity to hold more monkeys, macaws, toucans, an anaconda, a turtle, a caiman, and even a SLOTH!!!!! The sloth of course being my favorite.  I mean who can say they have gotten to hold one of those let alone monkeys and anacondas as well!  That was definitely one of everyone’s favorite parts of the trip.  This was followed by a trip to see pink dolphins.  While we saw a few dolphins, they were all grey, but we did get to swim in the Amazon!  While it was a little creepy at first, the water was actually fairly warm and nice.

            The next day we got to finally go piranha fishing, however, all of them were about two inches long, making them impossible to catch.  One of the girls did catch a small catfish though measuring in at a whopping 4 inches.   We did get to some snakes in the water and in the trees along with an iguana, which made the trip worthwhile.  We then visited an Indigenous tribe that lived 15 minutes from the resort where we got to shoot a large blow dart gun, participate in some traditional dances, and buy some of the crafts that they made.  After this, the problems started.

            We got onto the boat to catch a glimpse of the floating markets and head to the airport to catch our plane.  After a couple problems with the boat engine, we arrived at the floating markets after a 3 hour boat trip only to see them for a minute.  We then headed to the airport to fly home for some much needed rest from the several early mornings and numerous bug bites plaguing our bodies.  After an hour delay we finally got onto the plane.  However, due to a problem with the windows in the cabin, after sitting in the plane for 45 minutes we were asked to get off.  After waiting another 15 min, we were told to pick up our bags in the luggage claim and wait in line to receive new tickets.  With the hope of still returning that night, we waited in line for an hour to get tickets for a flight later that night only to find out that that flight had also been cancelled.  This forced us to stand in a different line that had already formed to receive vouchers for a hotel.  Finally after what seemed like an eternity, we got our vouchers and money for transportation at around 1 o’ clock am.  Finally we got settled in at the hotel after eating dinner at 2 and were ready to go home.  After our flight was delayed an hour the next day, we finally were on our way home.  However, we then had to make an unexpected stop at another airport on the way home, which didn’t make any of us very happy.  Then we took a cab that took an hour and a half to get home that should have only taken about 45 minutes to get back.  On top of that as soon as I got home, I felt awful and had a night that consisted of a lot of throwing up of what I can only assume as food poisoning.  However, after a day of rest I am feeling much better and am ready to take on our next trip to Cuzco on Thursday!!!!!

            Overall it has been quite the week for experiences and I am loving every bit of it! There are plenty of experiences yet to be had and I plan on trying them to the full extent.  The next blog should be really great visiting the heart of Peru, Cuzco and Machu Picchu! Until next time! ¡Cao!

I know it has been two weeks since my last post, but this one will be a twofer.  We have had a fairly busy last two weeks dealing with trips, celebrations, a bit of drama and keeping up with stuff we need to get done.  Two weeks ago we had a very eventful weekend including a movie night, a night out, and a trip to the beach to surf.  First we had some students come over to watch some movies at the apartment, followed by a sleepover at Luke’s.  We then went to see the new movie Mama, which was a very creepy and extremely loud movie.  We also got to enjoy some movie theater popcorn and giant pops that we got for only a fraction of the price they would have been back in the states.  That was then followed by an early morning of surfing where I finally stood up! I ended up taking 4 waves, one almost resulting in a crash into someone else.  Those close encounters will be avoided once I am actually able to turn.  Hopefully I can figure it out next time. 

            While the beginning of the weekend was a blast, it didn’t end well because of a little drama with Whitney and her host family.  So after some arguments back and forth with her host family, she did not feel comfortable going back.  I thought I’d do anything I could and offered for her to stay at my apartment as long as she needed.  She ended up staying in the spare bedroom for the rest of the week until Sunday when she could meet her new family.  It really felt good to lend a helping hand because I really hit the lottery with my host family.  David and Kevin were happy to host Whitney for a short bit, while I was more than happy to split my giant meals and some living space for her suitcases.  Whitney and I also became really good friends throughout the process and it is nice to know everyone is in this together.  Just yesterday I even received a thank you note from her parents that I thought was very cool and thoughtful.  She is now very happy with her new family and I couldn’t be happier that everything worked out.

            This past week, however, started with a huge let down.  While we were expecting to leave early Thursday morning for our trip to Cusco, the embassy notified us that there had been several kidnappings in Cusco and that we would not be able to go.  After finding out that we lost a lot of our money that was already invested in the trip, we decided to try to make the most of the weekend.  We ended up having our class Thursday class on Wednesday morning so we had an extra day for our weekend. After some relaxing days, fun nights and a ridiculous amount of spaghetti, we went to a paint party for the Carnavales celebrations on Friday at a retro bar.  There were hundreds of people packed, sweaty, and ready to get hit with paint while listening to “MMMBop” by Hansen, some Backstreet Boys, and some rock music that several people in the group were not enjoying.  After several drinks were spilled on us and just about everyone in our circle became pros at boxing strangers out to claim our turf, some people in our group had had enough.  At this point I decided to be the person to make sure they got back safely, while most of the others stayed.  Ten minutes after returning to my apartment with Whitney, after walking one of the girls home, in walk Luke, Lanisa, Haley, and Kevin covered in paint from head to toe like Jackson Pollock paintings, really making me regret leaving early.  However, it was still a fun night and all of my clothes weren’t ruined. 

            We then capped off the weekend with a soccer game and shopping trip to some markets in downtown Lima where I finally bought the one thing I really wanted to come back with, a big, hand-carved, hand-painted, wooden chess set.  I couldn’t think of a better way end the weekend.  Except with the news that Kevin and David love to play MONOPOLY! I mean I can’t think of a better family to get placed with.  This weekend will hopefully be filled with more chess, some monopoly, soccer, and most likely a night out.  I haven’t taken many pictures these last two weeks so I will get on that for the next blog.  I am also trying to get into better shape and have lost around 10 pounds since I’ve been on the trip as Luke and I continue to hit the gym.  Time is flying by and I can’t believe we are over halfway done down here.  There is still so much to do here and I can’t wait to see all Peru has to offer.  Hasta la próxima semana! ¡Cao!

Well better late than never.  It was a long weekend for most of us in Perú as we embarked on our first big trip to Arequipa.  And it was an early one.  We started our trip at 2:30 in the morning after a hopeful hour and a half of solid sleep.  I awoke particularly early (at Luke’s house so we didn’t have to walk alone at 2:30am) so I could get my much needed morning shower in only to realize I had forgotten my passport at my apartment.  So after a 15-minute sprint, I arrived at my apartment.  Then came the hard part.  I had to make a sneaky trip to my room (where Kevin was using my bed due to a guest being over) and open my drawer to retrieve my passport.  After a rollover scare, I was finally sprinting back to the bus to start the trip.  After our hour and a half flight, we finally arrived in Arequipa.  Once I stepped foot outside, it was a heavenly 60 some degrees that could not have been any more perfect.

            After what seemed like an eternity, (around an hour and a half wait in the airport) we were picked up by our Stephen Currie-like tour guide, Gonzolo with plenty of jokes, plenty of hair, and plenty of love to show on the bus.  After deeming the group, The Latin Lovers, we were off to enjoy Colca Valley, a place with amazing views and even better food.  On our way we saw several vicuña, alpaca, and llamas, while Gonzolo continued to quiz us about which is which.  We also got a taste of the culture when we were able to buy coca tea and coca candies, the peoples cure to drowsiness and altitude sickness.  While the tea tasted like hot grass water and I failed to finish even a fourth of it, the candies were sweet relief from the eventual bit of sickness that fell on us all.  Finally we arrived at Chivay were we treated ourselves to a buffet of various local foods including my personal favorite, lomo saltado de alpaca, a stir-fry including alpaca meat.  While it was quite salty, it was just about the only thing I enjoyed besides the toothpick size pieces of pizza that ran out every minute.

Finally we were allowed to take a nap after our twilight zone feeling bus ride and headed to some hot springs located right along the river.  After that Luke enjoyed another wonderful nap before dinner.  After another joke from Gonzolo about the restaurant being 45 minutes away, we arrived at the restaurant five minutes later to be surprised by a live band in colorful ponchos and two dancers displaying various traditional dances.  After the first two dances, the two ventured out into the crowd to pick two unlucky and unwilling volunteers.  Lucky I saw this coming a mile away and as soon as they made the motion towards the crowd I immediately broke eye contact and tried to put as much lemonade in my mouth as possible so I would look occupied.  As soon as she looked Luke’s way, I knew my worry was over.  As soon as she took Luke from the table I gave him a big smile and I could hear him telepathically telling me, well played brother. 

            After the long day, we finally settled into our cold beds in dead silence and enjoyed the best sleep we’ve had in Lima yet.  We awoke at 6, stuffed down some bread, the staple breakfast food here, and headed to the Colca Valley.  Here we took several pictures of the beautiful hillsides.  After a disappointing trip to the Cruz del Cóndor (cross of the condor) due to the immense amount of cloud cover, we headed to the last few viewpoints where we saw three condors.  However, they were extremely far away, but we were lucky nonetheless.  Finally we finished with another buffet lunch in Chivay and headed to Arequipa.

            After defending my monopoly crown and getting settled into our hotel rooms, we were pleased to find out that we could use the kitchen of the hostel!  After suffering from our terribly expensive meals that were forced on us from the previous two days, we thought we’d have a meal college-style; four boxes of mac and cheese and sandwiches.  And oh what a meal it was.  We then played some card games with some rum and coke and headed out to the clubs.  There we danced for hours and had a blast.  We awoke by eleven the next day to do some much wanted shopping (I was with seven girls and of course Luke) where we enjoyed some laughs due to it being carnivales, where young kids run around with buckets of water and spray foam, and due to the ruthless haggling skills of a couple of the girls.  Later we headed to the airport to say goodbye to our favorite destination yet. It was a long and enjoyable weekend for all of us. 

            Our next trip is CUZCO on the 21st!  My Spanish is continuing to improve everyday; I even spat out a five-minute story about our trip to Matucana that I had neglected to practice before class.  However, my nerves of speaking in front of people, especially in a different language, continue to cause me problems outside of class; another thing to work on along with my Peruvian tan.  I have also decided to say icksnay on growing out my hair and have decided to go with a Peruvian hairstyle (Shorter on the sides and longer on top).  I would love some input.  I was thinking like Christiano Ronaldo messy faux hawk, but I am not set on anything.  Well anyways, until next time! ¡Cao!

            Mornings seem to come earlier and earlier, especially thanks to the new renovations going on downstairs and a young boy downstairs who I believe just cups his hands and yells “¡Papá!” in my window in spurts of five at a time.  I have probably heard “papá” 147 times since I first arrived including the eight times this morning.  And the days I can sleep in and manage to sleep through the numerous noises from outside and downstairs, the maid never fails to vacuum right outside my room as soon as she gets here. However, her cooking is great so that’s ok.

            The week went by without much excitement.  We planned our trip to the Amazon and I helped with my English class on Tuesday and Wednesday where we watched a video about students having a stoop sale (as in apartment).  I wonder if the videos we watched early on in our Spanish career are as cheesy and as exaggerated as the ones students here are watching.  We also met our other Spanish-speaking partner on Wednesday who was really funny and LOVED to talk.  She taught us many common phrases used here in Perú along with several Top Secret phrases that we weren’t allowed to tell our teachers about. 

            Finally it was Thursday, the end of our school week. After a nice workout with Luke and the long three-hour class, it was time to relax, swim and hangout at the pool.  We headed to the rooftop pool that overlooked the city with great anticipation.  However, for a second time, the pool was closed and our hopes were dashed.  I almost filled up a bathtub because I wanted to swim so badly, but I haven’t even seen one since I’ve been here.  So, disappointed, we went downstairs and made the best of the night by playing some bull “crap”. 

            I got a good night’s sleep after waking up fairly late the next day and headed to the mall to get some necessities.  I got a towel for my workouts and, after almost five weeks, I FINALLY bought some cologne because I forgot to bring mine from home.  You don’t understand how much of a lifesaver this is because not only can I wear something twice before I have to wash it, I can finally stop smelling like cooked food.  The laundry room, not equipped with a dryer, is conveniently located next the kitchen and when your clothes are hanging to dry, that delicious food smell turns into your worst nightmare.  After finding the cologne for really cheap, we met up with Haley and Whitney’s conversation partners and took a walk through Barranco, a historic area in the South with several fancy restaurants, great views, and historical landmarks.  They then took us along the beach where we ate cow heart that was delicious and chicken gizzards that were quite the opposite.  Lastly, we headed home after stopping at Vivanda for wine and late night snacks.

            Finally it was the day I had been waiting for since I got to Perú, a trip to a surfing beach!  We woke up at 8 prepared to leave and, in normal Peruvian fashion, we headed out a couple hours late.  We were able to rent surfboards, wet suits, and get a quick lesson on how to paddle for only $10.  We were out on the water for around three hours and I had about as much success on my first attempt as I did on the last 15, none.  I did make it a goal of mine to ride a wave in to the shore by the time I leave Peru, however I have to be able to stand up for longer than two seconds first.  After a nice two and a half our nap, we went off to a club we have been to multiple times.  It was here I realized just how sunburnt and hot I really was.  Instead of drinking the two beers I had, they were devoted to cooling down my face for most of the night.

            On Sunday I got to sleep in again and had a relaxing day picking up the week’s food and some aloe vera with David and Kevin.  Then we got to watch the Super Bowl on a giant screen in a casino and of course my girl Beyoncé killed it!  The game was also close towards the end making it a much more interesting game than the first half.  Minus the bit of homework I had to do, it was the perfect end to the weekend. 

            The beginning of this week I had a beautiful tan as I continue to get closer and closer to my Peruvian tan. However, today I began peeling terribly on my face.  After looking in the mirror today after class I decided that my “little orphan Annie” look I had going with freckles of dark peeling skin on my face was not working so I gave in and bought my first bottle of lotion.  Hopefully it goes away soon and I can begin to work on my tan once more.  Well I think I may have written a little much but it was an eventful week.  Next week will be all about our trip to Arequipa so it may be just as long.  Until next time! ¡Cao!

I finally got to see some historic sites in Perú!  The first site we got to see was la Iglesia de San Francisco (The church of Saint Francis).  It is located in the center of Lima, surrounded by several interesting, old-looking buildings.  The church was massive and had a lot of really cool rooms.  The library and the massive sanctuary were the most exciting; we also got to see a nice garden and the catacombs under the church.  It was pretty crazy to see all the bones.  They organized them according to the bone, and even organized into circles in some rooms, making a design.  The girls also didn’t appreciate the heartbeat sound I was making to add some drama.  We also got to ride the metro (large buses that have their own lane) for the first time.  While it was cheaper than getting a taxi, it took about twice the time and we had to do A LOT of walking.  We also got to see Plaza de Armas, which I think is like some sort of military place, however we could not go inside.  Around the church we also found the shops with all of the knockoffs that we will definitely have to hit up later.

        The following day we got to see another part of history, la cartera de Antankallo.  This waterfall, along with others near it, falls from a natural lagoon at the top of the Andes.  It is also linked to a mito, legend or folktale, about an elegant cowboy who builds the lagoon to provide water for the city in exchange for the most beautiful girl in the region.  It took a 14 mile trek to get there and back, but it was worth it to get under the waterfall and make sure we got all of our photos taken.  Luke and I also worked together to make a bouquet of flowers for our teacher Marta, who was celebrating her birthday that day.  We also got the opportunity to meet the mayor of the surrounding districts and received books explaining the history of the town.  However, we were so tired it was hard to do anything but imagine sitting down in the comfortable looking chairs.  They were begging us to sit down.  I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to sit down more in those moments following the hike, but finally after we were finished taking pictures with the mayor, we were able to sit down.  I then treated my self to a bistec y papas.

            This week I also began helping with English classes here at the university.  While it’s a little early, having to wake up at 9, it’s nice to feel smart in a class.  So far I have helped with two classes, both level 1, as they work through several basics that are easy for me to explain to them.  One of which being phrases that they answer with:  ”Really?”, “Oh wow!”, and “Are you serious?” while trying to use different inflections to get the point across.  It’s really quite dramatic.  We are also working with conversation partners to help improve our Spanish, however, when we ask them to speak slower, they do it for about 3 words, then continue to speak at the speed of light.

            I have now taken more pictures than I have in my entire life, and I am trying to be in them more often.  I am also continuing to work on my tan, and the tanner I get, the more pictures of me I will post.  But for now, here are a couple photos from our adventurous weekend.