I am unfortunately unable to access the internet everyday and even when I do get online, the internet that I use cuts in and out so much that sometimes I don’t even get to respond to emails! Very frustrating, as I’m sure you can appreciate.
Since I last blogged, I have moved into my homestay, which is in Cuzco…and only a 10minute walk from the Maximo Nivel Office and a 15minute walk from the main square. It’s the home of a mother and daughter (21). The mother, Joni, doesn’t speak English, but Wendy, the daughter speaks it fairly fluently. When I moved in there were 3 other volunteers, (Rachel, 34, UK; Kristen, 20, USA; Bethany, 20, USA) during the week we have had Rachel and Kristen leave and Mary, 21, USA and Nathan, 20, USA, (TEFL teachers) arrive.
Last Saturday night I was able to see one of from friends, Tess who was here with some friends to do Machu Picchu. Our visit only lasted for a few hours, as her group was leaving to Lima that night, but it was so good to see someone familiar and chat! So so good.
I also cancelled my Machu Picchu trek. I will trek at some stage, but I didn’t think it wise to do so, whilst I was still adjusting to the altitude and getting over the flu (NB: which I am STILL getting over L). When I went to Llama Path, to ask that my deposit be transferred to another time/another trek/something, the lady behind the desk was like “you look fine to me”, meanwhile, I’m thinking, “uhhh I don’t care how fine I look, I feel terrible, so it’s not happening!” After a little bit of debate and not much negotiation, I left, with my half-paid for trek being non-refundable. Whatever, I was so over it by that stage.
When I got onto the internet next, I emailed Dad and told him, who then proceeded to investigate it further. Over the days that ensued he was able to secure a portion of the deposit to go towards another trek. Which is a much better result than when I dealt with the office, but still not ideal. Whatever happened to full refunds hey!?
OHMYGOSH, so I had to move into my homestay on the Sunday, and also attend church. I was supposed to be out of my hostel room by 10am, and I had timed it well so that I would be able to do all three of those tasks. It was going to work…had I not stayed up til 4am and then been woken up by the cleaning lady trying to open my door at 10:30am! I like leapt out of bed, ran to the door, told the lady “5minutes 5 minutes” and then rushed around packing and getting ready for church! It was fairly miraculous that I made it downstairs and to the front desk at 10:45am. AHHH! I took a taxi to Maximo and dropped off my bags then jumped into another taxi to take me to church. The taxi I caught had NO IDEA where he was going and took me like all the way up the other end of the city! I kept being like “no, no” haha and he’d say all this stuff in Spanish and I’m like, man I don’t know what you’re saying, but I know we’re not going the right way! After about 15minutes, I just got him to pull over and I got out. Not happy. I hailed down another taxi and got him to take me to the chapel, which he was able to do…unlike the last driver. I ended up getting to church at around 11:30am! Little bit late. Haha. For the half hour that I was there (it was Stake Conference), I just read my scriptures, as it was all in Spanish and I still don’t understand the language!
Anyway Anyway, for this past week, I’ve just been exploring the city (as per usual), and going around with Rachel doing touristy and Maximo stuff, before she left.
I was able to accompany her to her project, up on the moutain (a school house, with three rooms – that house approx: 50kids in each). It was a killer, there is no oxygen up there! I was dying. Huffing and puffing as we walked and walked and walked up the hill. Oh my goodness. It was ridiculous! When we FINALLY got up there (after a 30minute bus ride and 30minute walk) I had to sleep, on some wooden chairs for a few hours, just to get my head to stop spinning and my breathing to regulate. Haha so soft. I’m hoping that my project won’t be up in the mountains! We were there to help organize the school supplies for the year – put them all into backpacks, ready for the kids to pick up, to start the school year…pens, paper, glue, paint and the like. It was a big job and the small venue was bustling with volunteers. It was really cool. Freezing, but I was glad to be involved, even after the killer walk up the mountain.
Later on the in the week, Rachel and I went to Tipon to view these Incan aqua-ducts, that are still able to provide water from the mountains to the towns below. They were really cool. Amazing to think that they were built hundreds of years ago, and look so perfect. They are all perfectly in line, extremely functional and have hardly been affected by the years at all. These aqua-ducts were only discovered back in 2001/2002, so they aren’t very touristy yet, as the conservation process, is still underway. Tipon is also famous for ‘cuy’, which is guinea pig. Yeah. Guinea pig. We walked down to this restaurant (which is pretty much someone’s dirt backyard) and ordered. The look of it completely freaked me out, it gave me goosebumps, just to look at it, there was NO WAY I could even touch it…not even for a photo. Bleughhhh. It came with some roasted capsicum and salted pasta. It came out whole, and the son cut off the head and quartered it for us. Mmm. I still couldn’t touch it, so I had to get some of the meat out, with a fork. The texture is exactly like that of the dark meat of chicken. It’s a veryvery rich meat and overly greasy. The meat tastes like smoked bacon at first (keeping in mind the texture is like chicken) and then it kind of tastes like veal or duck.
I have put pictures on Facebook. I warn you though, the guinea pig can look quite gross.
I’m going to try and do some shopping today. I’ve found this private school uniform cardie, that I want to buy. It looks pretty cool. Preppy. Vintage. Haha and I do need to buy slippers, socks, beenies, all that cool market stuff. THEN I can try and work out what to buy for other people. Gosh. My list is so long, I have no idea how I’m going to fit it in my bags, THEN cart it around the USA THEN bring all my spoils from both Peru and the USA home. Man oh man oh man.
As I mentioned previously, I am still getting over the flu. It’s definitely in the later stages, but just not leaving yet. I’m also not quite adjusted here yet. The days drag on and it seems like my time just isn’t getting shorter. Everyone’s like “Oh the time goes so fast” – yeah, not yet.
On Monday I start Spanish classes in the morning, and then attending the orphanage in the afternoon. That should be interesting and hopefully keep me busy…actually, I’m sure it will.
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