Hola everyone! I finally made it! I spent a whole day on airplanes on July 3. I arrived at LAX around 4am. I like being in airports because I always wonder where people are coming from, where they are going, why they are going, who they are with, etc. The sound of the luggage wheels rolling on the floor, kids running and crying, and the sound of snores and various languages being spoken.
My first stop was in San Salvador and I only had to wait about an hour until I got on the plane for Lima. If the layover was going to be during the day, I was going to book a day tour, but because I was scheduled to land in Lima around 8pm and the flight for Cusco was departing at 5:45am, I thought I was going to have to stay at the airport by myself. Luckily, I met a group of 3 friends from the SF Bay Area, and they were on the same flight as me. They were going to go and check out Lima before our flight in the morning. So they invited me to join them. I´m glad I got to explore Lima for a little bit. We went to the Miraflores area which is right by the beach, and ate dinner at Pardo´s Chicken. Tried some of their chicken and potatoes and their ¨chicha¨, which is their corn beer with a hint of cinnamon. It was pretty good. We passed by a little bar/club called Mama Batata, and decided to go check it out because they were playing some old skool hip-hop like Kris Kross! LOL. They also played some of their local pop music, too.
In the early hours of July 4th, we made it for our flight and we landed in Cusco around 8am. I was picked up by people from the organization that I´m working with Maximo Nivel along with other volunteers that were just arriving. They took us to their offices for a brief overview and we were then transported to our accommodations. I kept hearing about how most people will need a day or so to adjust to the elevation and may get altitude sickness. Cusco is about 11,000 feet above sea level. Luckily, I´m doing fine and haven´t been affected by it. Most people drink coca tea to help with the adjustment.
I´m staying with a wonderful and sweet family in the Wanchaq barrio (neighborhood). Americo is our host, and he lives with his wife, daughter, and son. Their house is right next door to a volunteer house, but I think it´s great to stay with a family to practice my Spanish and to learn about their local culture. RJ: I think the place I´m staying at is right next door to where you stayed at! I have 2 roomies: Jamie is from Texas and Marisa is from Minnesota. I arrived to the home Sunday morning and after getting settled in, Jamie and I went to check out Plaza de Armas, which is the nerve center of this modern city. Two flags are displayed: the red / white Peruvian flag, and the rainbow-colored flag of Tahuantinsuyo, representing the four quarters of the Inca empire. This plaza used to be the heart of the Inca capital during Inca times. After a snack and checking out some of the stores, we headed back home to meet Marisa and take a much needed nap. I was knocked out until dinner time.
After dinner, the 3 of us went back to the Plaza thinking there may be some sort of event going on for Americans celebrating Independence Day. We found this one bar, The Le, and they had red, white, and blue decor. They had a live band playing, and the lead singer was an American woman. There were quite a few Americans there. It was fun!
That´s all I have for now. I´m going to my orientation soon to find out the exact location of where I will be volunteering. I posted some photos up, but be sure to check back for more photos/videos and descriptions. I´ll organize them better for your viewing pleasure when I get more time. Please excuse any spelling/grammar typos due to time constraint and I´m still trying to adjust my sleeping/eating pattern. So far so good...the people are very friendly and helpful. I can´t wait to be with the kids! Miss you guys! Hugs.
Love,
Jen
