I didn't learn Spanish, but...

I did learn:

Shaving is overrated -- unless you are interested in women

I can work harder at being a better person

Argentina is where God goes to vacation

How important being Present is

Not only is it possible, but it may be far more effective, to speak English with a local-accent than to speak the native language with an American accent

There’s no correlation between a life of abundance and happiness

How to let go of a loved one but still remember them fondly

Complaining does no good

Giving of your time is more beneficial than giving of your money plus it’s more rewarding to you

You can lose & yet not be beaten

Personal-space is not the same in South America as in North America

True confidence shows itself in humility

I’m comfortable telling people I love them or how important they are to me

To be more aware & respectful of emotional boundaries that exist

If you drink a dozen beers at sea-level or 12k feet, you still have a foggy hangover

A smile is the equalizer for cultural differences

My salsa dancing gets better the closer I get to the aforementioned dozen beers

There is a need for service everywhere in the world

Bring It Machu Picchu

There are many ways to get to Machu Picchu. You can train or bus it. You can stay at a hostel, camp or luxury hotel. Then there is trekking; which offers quite a few options as well. My plan from the beginning was to trek the famous, Classic Inca Trail, which is a 4 day trek mostly along the original trail leading to the Lost City. Unfortunately due to a couple work-stoppage strikes, my best laid plans were put to rest, but I was able to arrange a trek along a little less popular route - Lares. Seeing the goal is to see Machu Picchu, I wasn’t too concerned in the means I need to take to get there.

Thankfully we (a small group of 8: a young couple from NYC, two retired Texans, two Chinese sisters, the guide, Neko, and myself), set out on Friday morning starting with a dip in the hot springs. Once we were nice & relaxed, not to mentioned fed, we started walking in the valley leading away from Lares, towards Condor Pass. Hiking over 12k feet (heading towards the peak of 13,500ft on this trek) was fairly simple for my lungs as they had been acclimatized by the months in Cusco. Equipped with my new walking stick bought at the market, I was able to enjoy the surreal beauty of the Andes.

The High Andes are striking; the mountains we walked on were remarkably soft & green, their peaks seemed to sky to the clouds but their peaks rolled gently to the next massive mound. The grass, where the abundant Alpacas & Llamas hadn’t buffeted, was long and swayed with the constant breezes from the east. There were plenty of waterfalls that carved through the countryside rushing the melted snow & fresh rains down to the creeks & rivers. Standing guard over the soft mountains like their disapproving big brothers were these jagged beasts, with razor edges, covered in white powder and sharpened by the harsh winds. Even the stout clouds that passed through could not serve as a screen to their authority; it was all I could do to not stare at them.

With that, we trekked for three days, up & down switchbacks, covering kilometer after kilometer of the softer, yet challenging, peaks while the big brothers glared down on us. The highlight point was the Condor Pass, as we broke camp at 12,250ft, and within 3hrs, cleared the summit of over 13,500ft. I was fortunate enough to lead the group on this excursion, and the joy I felt once I reached the top will be chronicled with any other of my “accomplishments.” Eventually we made our way to Aguas Caliente (the town just below Machu Picchu); this after two nights camping in the below zero temps, wonderful food (I even enjoyed the soup & hot chocolate), and me carrying my own equipment - the time was finally here - Machu Picchu.

We woke before 4am and were standing at the gates by 6am; the city guarded by a hybrid of the mountains we’d just crossed. All around the city this imposing bowl of peaks that stretched to the heavens but instead of white caps, these were adorned with thick vegetation; you could take a swatch of mountain and easily find two different dozens plants co-existing. Alas, once the gates opened and the sun started to cress over the peaks, its rays exposed those big brothers again, sitting not too far in the distance, letting the morning dawn strike off its white with great passion. The whole range awoke instantly.

The city itself is a wonderful tribute to the power of the Andes. We learned in our tour that the Incas believed in the power of the Andes, themselves Gods, and they need to be worshiped, showed respect & paid a high reverence to. The whole city of Machu Picchu is dedicated to the mountains; there are dozens of carvings in the likeness of the peaks, depending on the time of day & year, the sun will cast shadows all over the city paying homage. We kneeled at a couple of the altars in the temples dedicated to Water, Earth, Wind & Fire where llamas were sacrificed. We saw the advanced vegetation terraces, the experimental terraces where they tried to see what food & plants would grow under what circumstances. We walked through the housing that had indoor plumbing (a significant numbers of Peruvians now don’t have indoor plumbing), the lookout towers, and main square. Everything built to precision, large granite stones tucked neatly & tightly against each other. Where you thought you saw a mistake & notice a stone protruding from a wall, you quickly learned there was purpose - this was where they had tied down the straw roofing to the stone beams that used to hang overhead. The entire massive structure, step after step, worked in unison; it was breathtaking.

The city wasn’t completed when the Incas abandoned it the early 1500s, yet what was left stands as strong today as many structures around the world. I took on the challenge of climbing Waynu Picchu, the peak that sits to the southwest helping to protect the city. This is no easily climb, its straight up, but I reached the summit (35.49), and quickly remembered I like climbing mountains but hate heights. I nestled my way onto the edge for a photo-op, took in the stunning views for a few moments, and then retreated to where my heart would stop racing to continue the view.

I was there for nine hours in total, and saw most of the city; I even allowed myself a couple hours or R&R on a terrace as I soaked up my South American trip. It doesn’t really matter how you get to Machu Picchu or even why you are there, just get there. See a Wonder of the World while you can; just don’t let those big brothers intimidate you.

Present in the Amazon

What a blessing getting sick can be sometimes (and I don’t just mean missing work). At first when you are sick it rips through you and removes your spirit & personality from you; you think the world is over & the plans you laid are all to rest. You compound the aches with anger for something you can’t even control.

In the Amazon Jungle, my top tenant on my to-do list here in Peru, I was struck with Montezuma’s worst Revenge; it was as though he was scorn by a woman. I laid in my bungalow without a fan (no electricity) as the heat & humidity crept in to stay & watch over me. I felt the temperature rise as I was shivering with chills but thank goodness the bathroom was private and I had no roommate. As I laid around I was upset at first but then realized I was still in the Amazon - just sick in the Amazon. Not everyone gets to experience such a thing.

It was a few hours before dawn & the jungle was awake. I took comfort through the wet air from the fact the River was a few meters from me rumbling along, the nocturnal predators were lurking & the constant whistle of the jungle was singing me to sleep (which it needed to do about every 90 minutes, if you catch my drift).

Day two was much the same without as many visits to the outhouse. I was fatigued & still ill but enough meds in me to stop a locomotive. As the day progressed I made my way to my enclosed porch where two hammocks swung; my new bed. As dusk rolled around it brought the most magnificently raucous clouds who had a light & sound show in store for me. Typically not a fan of the rain, but watching the lighting burst the sky & expose the wild jungle was thrilling. I swung as the storm strolled down the river helping me forgot how I was feeling.

I think the storm brought with it some special healing seeing soon after I felt I could have the tradition jungle dinner (chicken & rice cooked in a banana leaf…think jungle hobo packs). Afterwards, the highlight of not only this trip, but maybe the entire trip thus far, I went on a boat ride down the Rio de Madre looking for alligators. I saw a couple, but what was really special was the guide turned off the motor & his light, redirected the boat towards the lodge & just let the current take us home. I was incredibly present as we drifted down the massive river, the canopy of stars bright as I’ve ever seen. The magical storm was well down the river but it still cracked bright for us every few minutes to illuminate the beauty even more.

Such peace, enough to reaffirm your faith & only experienced by being truly present. I am thankful I fell ill; I know I missed somethings but slowing down I found something else.

[after two strikes, a missed orientation, and a change in route, I am finally leaving for Machu Picchu tomorrow. Much love everyone]

Adios Argentina

I have said adios to Argentina & to my traveling pals as I prepare for the final stretch on my trip. The last week in Argentina has a bit more luster on it than most other weeks I have lived. First the dramatic landscape change in the northern region towards Iguaza was so striking I still see green. The air was moist, yet not sticky, the dirt was red clay, the white from the rapids and falls, and the trees were these emeralds that soaked in the sun. We watched the sunrise on the bus without a cloud to be found, as the green rays shined back at us letting us know that things would be different for a few days. [See the pix for explanation]

Once we got our fill of the jungle, we returned to our first love of Argentina, Buenos Aires. As fortune would have it, our hostel was smack in the heart of the action -- El Centro, the theatre district to be more exact. It’d be like staying on Broadway with dozens of restaurants, shops, theatres, bars, etc all within a minute walk. For those times we needed to venture even further, our beloved metro was only blocks away (I think we all loved the metro so much because it was so different than the sardine cans we rode in Cusco). Along with the fantastic location, we picked up a third travel partner, Jenny J., who as Janelle’s friend, flew in from San Francisco. Not sure how I got so lucky to travel with three wonderful woman -- must be the beard.

In BA we did it all (except a Tango show) -- the cemetery, La Boca, a futbol match, a drag show, the bars, steak house, lamb/veal/hot dogs (they love them there), the Port, wine, etc. The lifestyle is designed to over indulge; dinner around 10pm, a show & then you go out until 5 or 6 in the morning. We tried our best to be real Argentineans!!! With modesty I must say the food was rich & abundant, the wine was cheap & delicious, the people were friendly, the woman were stunning & had no interest in me, the architecture was remarkable & you just felt think you were in a city where the people were happy. One of our most subtle of experiences were watching these 3 older men (70s+), sit together eating pizza having a beer & chatting at 11am. And although the city & people obviously care about appearance & perception no one came off as pretentious.

So in two week I saw Mendoza, Cordoba, Iguaza & Buenos Aires -- and I wish I had two years to do it again. The ladies headed south to see the rest of the country as I returned to Cusco for the Amazon Jungle (hoping I see a jaguar!!!!) & then Machu Picchu although it wont be on the Inca Trail due to a strike. Nonetheless, coming to Peru to help build schools was a great decision on my part, being able to go to Argentina was my reward.

Argentina TipOff

On Tuesday I got my second South American passport stamp, this one of Argentina, I will say I had to wait a bit longer than I had hoped. We -- Janelle, Jenny, and I, were stranded at the Lima airport for nearly 12hrs as we missed our flight due to weather; this actually was on an appetizer to my lengthy travel times, as 10hrs will be the shortest bus ride I take in Argentina, 22 being the longest. Nonetheless, we didn’t let the late arrival water down our excitement any & with an abbreviated day in Buenos Aires, we made the most of it by heading to Hollywood (naturally a hip part of town), eating veal for lunch, riding the metro & soaking up some sun at a plaza near midtown. In the few hours I was left to explore, it was apparent to me, that I was in love with BA; and not just the gaggle of jaw-dropping woman that roamed the streets.

BA, is nothing like its western sister of Peru. Peru is beautiful for its simplicity, poverty, and diverse landscapes that is was blessed with; almost like a gorgeous woman that was born into a can’t win life situation. You stare at her in awe, but much of you feels extreme sympathy towards her. Argentina has a much more developed feel; not that there isn’t poverty & struggle here, but the sense I get from BA to Mendoza to Cordoba, is confidence, progress and a lack of contempt for where they stand today. Each of the cities I have visited so far have a striking beauty of an old world still respected, gorgeous trees and parks, but a refreshing gasp of contemporary air. The contrast between Peru & Argentina is remarkable, nonetheless, I am happy for the reason I came to each - one needing more hands in the dirt to help and the other to participate in the development of a strong country.

Thus far the bulk of our time has been in Mendoza; the town reminds me of The M Streets in Dallas, or the Fab 40s in Sacramento or Westchester in Bakersfield; each house had a distinctive personality, and it has been flaunting that personality for decades. As much as I would care to rattle on about the incredible trees and the beauty they offer the city, we were there for one reason; wine. Mendoza is the wine capital of South America (not sure if Chile would agree) and there are many ways to choose to explore. We decided on saddling up to a couple street cruisers and ride a 30k loop and experience the best Argentina has to offer.

The day was grand - you’ve been wine tasting (if not, what are you waiting for?) - so you know how this went. We visited five wineries and after the first two tastings we abandoned the ~$15 pesos fee & just started splitting bottles. I’m not sure what we’ve done in this world to deserve this, but we found ourselves sitting in a century old winery, the vines a few meters away, tree lined streets that seemed to touch the clouds and the Andes cropping the picture for us as we shared a bottle of sparkling wine. As much as I like traveling alone, I was filled with delight to toast away with J&J and share stories all afternoon. For an encore, we took our three person show to the fabulous park in Mendoza on our second day where we had a picnic, played black jack, rode the carousel & swings. side note: I was on the carousel & the conductor kicked me off the horse that goes up & down and stuck me on a stationary donkey; I suppose all of South America isn’t for grande sized mean. Those two days of soaking up the rich and relaxing culture of Mendoza is worth any length bus ride, without question.

Things I like about Argentina so far:
-Beer is about $1.50USD per liter
-Although I am only doing it b/c of the girls; the hostels have treated me well (so far)
-If there is a stereotype that Argentinean woman are gorgeous it is justified & probably has been too humbled worldwide
-When we’ve eaten, I’ve eaten meat; today had a meal with beef, lamb & veal

More later as the trip heads to the Brazilian border to see the Iguaza Falls; 22hr bus ride is already having my restless-leg-syndrome flare up. Early Mother’s Day wishes to my fabulous & supportive mom, the other moms who all helped raise my unique ass, my friends who have become mom’s of late & a special shout to Amy Tackett who will soon be a fantastic mom!

Peruvian Reception & An Audible

As my trip progresses I find each week more beautiful than the previous. The joy of each week increases but so does my own edification on new cultures and situations. I couldn’t resist the temptation either of calling an audible and adding two weeks in Argentina to my itinerary, so this Tuesday I will be flying out with two new friends, Janelle & Jenny. I have gotten out what I wanted from Cusco & I am getting a little restless so we will be seeing the Iguaza Falls, Salta, Mendoza & Buenos Aires. Once my two weeks are up, I will head back to Cusco to see Machu Picchu & the Amazon Jungle.

As for this past week we finished the project at the school in Chinchaysuyo; I was working with the girls, Conor & our boss, Marcos. The final days were spent painting the logo -- seeing Marcos had told Conor & I we paint like we are drunk, and the girls can’t draw or cut a straight line if money was at stake, this made for the highest levels of comedy. Now add in my strong lack of desire to be on the scaffolding that was balanced by rocks, just painting the Peru Flag (my job) was a exercise in terror. Nonetheless we finished the job (see pix) and were able to play with the ninos for a couple hours afterwards. I don’t think we will see any Peruvians in the NBA anytime soon, but they do love to be swung around by their arms until they are so dizzy they fall over.

On Saturday two of my favorite friends, Mark & Lorin, were married in North Carolina. Missing their wedding was one of my only regrets about my trip; I desperately wanted to be there. Instead of making the actual event, I hosted a Peruvian Reception for them; we had a cake made, bought some champagne, beer & rum, and decorated a little bit. The girls in my house were really excited about the idea, and contributed by making garter belts for the ladies, and bow ties for the fellas, plus they put together a beautiful bouquet from flowers I bought at the market. We had about a dozen or so people come over, had cake, toasted to the couple and then we partied the night away. Some of the highlights were the fireworks we let off, the bouquet toss (tossed by yours truly & caught by Janelle), and the drinking games that led to the many different ways bow ties could be worn. Once the booze ran dry and the Alanis Morriestte sing-along began, we quickly headed to a favorite bar, 7-Angilitos, to dance to some live music. It was without a doubt the most fun since the trip began & I want to wish Mark & Lorin the best marriage possible.

This morning, all operating on about 4hrs of sleep, worked our hangovers off & headed to a futbol match. The game itself was fun but the pizza afterwards was a huge hit. I’m wrapping up my time here in Cusco tomorrow with a little pub trivia & showing the new volunteers the ropes. One of the constants here is change; volunteers come and go in weekly increments, and it’s interesting to think that now I’ve been here long enough to be able to walk people around town & pass along the advice given to me (its like The Wire; the game never stops, no matter who the players are).

I’m looking forward to red meat & wine in Argentina, learning a little about another culture, traveling with new friends, and finishing East of Eden. Home is only a month away; it keeps getting closer & closer while I wish time would just slow down.

Sundays.

Sundays are my favorite days in Cusco; I like the volunteering the best each day but that’s only for a few hours, so Sunday takes the blue ribbon for days. Each Sunday I down my breakfast of fresh juice, fruit, bread & one fried egg before I head out to walk about a mile up the valley hills to San Cristobal Church. No, I’m not heading to mass, I got my time in during Easter, this Church only services weekday masses. Like every other church in Cusco, it’s old, built of brick & stone, a rusty bell tower & aged crosses that signal the faith is still strong here in Peru. As far as churches go, this is one of the least impressive ones in Cusco, but to rest on the grass slopes that protect it, suits my purposes perfectly.

I typically am up there before 9am so I can hear the city wake up; the bells from the various churches start to ring in the believers, or wake the heathens, while there is barely a taxi horn in earshot. I love hearing the organ from the main cathedral as I read, watching the procession of students who march the streets each Sunday (I’ve seen 17 parades so far), a friendly soccer game being played in the square next to me, and eventually the tourist all coming to walk the ruins; I see it all unfold each Sunday.

This past Sunday was especially wonderful, after I flew through a few chapters of East of Eden, I returned home to meet a couple housemates, Connor & Ryan, as we were heading out to Pisac. This town is in the heart of the Sacred Valley, 45m from Cusco, which is where Quechuan people are found after the Spanish settled the area once they destroyed the Inca Empire. For Gringos, it houses an incredible market on Sundays; every exotic vegetable you can imagine, jewelry, pottery, clothes, art, antiques; if it is found or produced in the Andes, you will be able to find it here. We strolled the market for a while & then decided to head to see some ruin of the Incas.

There are two things I figured out this week; one I will not becoming a painter when I return (our incredible project manager on the site, told me in Spanish today I paint like I’m drunk) & I don’t think my lungs are made for anything over 12,000ft…10,000ft…the second level of Dodger Stadium. Seriously, the work of climbing these mountains is no joke; my legs are fine, but its stifling trying to catch my breath. I’m not going to let a little thing like oxygen depravation hold me back, so we pressed on, and made the summit where the ruins of The Citadel laid. The amount of effort it took to construct such a display is rightfully mind-boggling, but I can’t take my eyes from the view. The lush mountains stretched to the clouds on either side of us & left the narrow cranny for Pisac to be born, while on one side a river ran & kilometers of fields helped shape its fame. I sat on the edge of an ancient Incan room of worship, read, and relaxed as the sun set over the ridgeline while my mates kept exploring the complex.

We returned a few hours later, a sense of accomplishment, but a greater sense of hunger. Luckily there was a café open with balcony seating, as we munched on Alpaca Cheeseburgers & watched as the market shut down for the day. A taxi home lead us to staying up way to late, as we sipped on Pisco & Coca Cola Lites while we played cards with one of our Quechuan house attendants. Niyda, made up a game, that was news to Connor & I, until we figured out she could speak enough English to explain that she was cheating the whole time. Hustled in another language; I told her I’d teacher her poker next week!!!

Like I said - I love Sundays (aka Domingos). I’ll see what next weekend brings…

The Work.

With the past first couple weeks in Cusco behind me there is plenty to like; the food, the house I am able to stay in, the historic architecture, the prices of everything, but top prize has to be the work. Its only for a few hours a day, but I really enjoy the time outside building. Not to mention, it’s incredible to see what there is before we begin a project, nothing but barren land, and then to think how the ninos will use what we put together.

I first worked on a project that was nearing completion; 2 classrooms & adjoining bathrooms. From my understanding the crew began this project with only the aforementioned land, but they were able to level out the hill, grade it, put in electricity, walls, running water, etc. I came in on the flooring & plaster portions; let’s just say I am fair with a hammer, but I don’t think the newly laid hardwood floor was supposed to be covered with plaster. My favorite thing about working on this project were the “tools” and seeing what can be done with a little imagination. To build to fully functional classrooms, literally from the ground up, we had:

2 “shovels” but I didn’t know the metal face was suppose to be flexible
1 hatchet to shape the wood
3 hammers
1 bag of rusty nails
1 hand saw that would have difficultly cutting crust from a sandwich
3 buckets, each with holes in them
Some plastering equipment

If we needed anything else we used rocks, railroad ties, or anything else we could find. The crew of volunteers (usually b/w 4-7 volunteers & then 1-2 foremen) just loved what we were asked to do, and each day we thought, “there’s no way” and almost to the minute we would finish the project as designed and it looks great.

Last week we moved to a new location, where we were starting a bathroom facility at a futbol field that would also service as a bathroom for the school. We started a ditch that was 45ft in length, 3ft in depth at the high end and 9ft+ at the deep end. Five of us dug this with a couple picks and the famous flexible shovels. It was incredible fun; I don’t think I have ever been so dirty in my life. The main portions of the crew are Marcos (the foreman), my housemate Travis who as been working for 2mns already and 2 girls from Indiana - my girls, Jenny & Jenelle. We worked our asses off last week, laid the pipe (insert joke here) and then found out the funding wasn’t in for the actual bathrooms, we were just there to get the plumbing prepped.

Everyone’s favorite part of the work day is the transportation. We all meet at the language center and have to take a “bus” about 30m to the worksite. Well, these buses are old VW buses basically (not sure the brand but you can get a visual)…how many people if you really tried to fit in there could you squeeze in? 12? 16? What’s that…18.…if there is only 18 I am happy. We are usually b/w 22-28ppl…now, the crew loves seeing me in these buses b/c they just aren’t made for people my size. The Peruvians give me the endearing ‘gordito’ typically, I have been stuck twice, had 3 old ladies on my lap once, and once laid across the top of the seats b/c there was no room for me to stand. Everyone gets the best laugh each day, twice actually (coming and going); next time I am going to Hungry where bulk is built into the culture.

Not sure what our project will be this week and I don’t care. We are outside, banging out a sweat, and leaving a very real impact here in Cusco. I’m sure it will go un-noticed the work that is completed by the crew, but we all talk about how with just a few hours a day there’s running water, shelter from the weather, and a safe environment for all these kids now. And plus we get to play in the mud.

The Real World - Cusco!!

This is the true story... Of [eleven] strangers... picked to live in a house...work together and have their lives taped... to find out what happens... when people stop being polite... and start getting real...The Real World.

On Sunday I felt as though I was the newest member of the Real World; I was walking down the main avenue of Cusco, Peru on Palm Sunday with my oversized hiking pack on, going against the flood of Catholics in town for Semana Santa (Holy Week). I reached the language learning center, Maximo Nivel, that is the hub for my work here in Peru, where I met my first roommate, Jane, a 20yr old intellectual from New Hampshire. After a few minutes of getting to know each other, we hopped in a cab and were taken to the Arcopata Casa, my new home for the next 6wks.

The house is nothing what I expected; it is amazing and was only finished with a remodel six weeks ago. I am incredibly lucky as we have a comfortable sitting room, a reading nook, a fabulous kitchen that comes with the incredible accessory of 2 chefs, four bathrooms, and a patio that I sit on tonight. I naturally roamed around the house in astonishment and then met some of my housemates who were eating lunch. (we get three incredible meals a day; all prepared directly with from our chefs with all natural and organic Peruvian foods. The baker drops fresh bread off each morning for us, there’s baskets of fruit everywhere; only downside is we get all carbs and rarely protein; there are 3000 types of potatoes here and they are trying to get me to try them all I suppose.)

The first of the housemates I met were a lovely family from Australian, actually they are South African, but moved down-under 9yrs ago. The father, Daniel, who I have spent wonderful conversation with, sold his ice cream business and is taking the family around the world for one year. The mother, and two daughters (Jeanne-Marie & Karien) are volunteering with abused girls as they are staying in Cusco for one month. Soon after filling us in on the house, more mates returned from class (everyone is taking Spanish lessons and/or studying to teach English in foreign countries…hmmm):

Kate - a recent college grad who is from DC; has been traveling for a few months already, and volunteering at an orphanage for approx 6mns.
Leonnie - Australian in her early 30s who is traveling the world for a year, and is working at the zoo
Stewart - 30s Englishmen who loves the States (well NYC actually). He’s been here the longest & is about to receive his certificate for teaching
Travis - mid 20s who will be in Peru for 6mns and then the rest of South/Central America for another 6mns; he’s from Alabama
Lindsey - she’s great & our project of construction but is returning to Alberta, Canada soon

Its quite the collection; everyone speaks English and only a couple are on an intermediate Spanish level; that’s nice on one hand as I can really get to know everyone, but it’d be nice if we spoke more Spanish in the house for practice. I feel fortunate for being in this volunteer-house, everyone except Jane has been here for a least 3wks if not 6wks, so I am able to get a lot of survival guidance like which bus to take, where cold beer is sold, how to get your iPod back one its stolen (side note: Kate had raw chicken thrown at her, when she went to wipe it away kids stole her iPod out of her jacket. Students of hers told her about the Nergo Mercado (yes the black market is called the Black Market) so she went there, found her iPod and bought it back for $20), etc. There is a lot of me that also realizes these people have already formed a huge bond as they have been together so that awkwardness is very dense these first few days, but as people move in and out of the house we will get a continued new flock to get to know & there are about 40 other volunteers in Cusco with different housing situations; not to mention Maximo has 1200 students so its easy to meet people.

Peru isn’t all smooth though; there is a huge water crisis here so we only can get running water between 6-8am daily; so there’s a line that forms starting at 540am for the warm showers; if you sleep in to 7am, you get treated with shivers of the dripping shower. Also, Peru is on its own time schedule here, difficult for my planning-self; for instance on Monday there was a procession of a crucifix (a black Jesus) who in 1650 started to be paraded around the city as a prayer to stop the earthquakes. This happens the Monday before Easter every year and was suppose to begin around 3pm; it started around 8pm. The Gringos learned our lesson, as 12,000 Peruvians showed up hours after we had but it was an amazing site nonetheless. The Plaza was filled shoulder to shoulder as the crucifix came through, illuminated by red lights, taken into the Cathedral and then a prayer was given. I can’t say it was worth the 5hours we sat around, but special to witness the power of faith at work.

Eleven world strangers, sharing bathrooms with 2hrs worth of water, living at nearly 12,000ft (which is very challenging) learning what the Real Cusco is all about. This is going to be fun. Adios.

Flight of the Condors

Finally I got the chance to get out of a city & head to the mountains; in this case Colca Canyon, which is not as wide but deeper (that’s what she said) than the Grand Canyon in the States. Colca is a 4hr bus ride from Arequipa, half of that spent of smooth asphalt that allows you to rest yourself before your trek, yet the second half was over what only one can assume was recently littered with roadside mines. It didn’t slow our bus driver down any, he had a schedule to meet, and seeing we departed Arequipa at 3am, we pulled into our first location, the Condor Crossing, by 7am.

We were approx 10,000ft in elevation and the warm air current that cut through the edgy peaks that formed the Colca Canyon are the perfect location for the condors to stretch their incredible wingspans and glide amongst the clouds. We were fortunate to have to showoffs on our visit; they put a show on that the Ringling Brothers would’ve paid to see. Continual swoops over the audience clinging to the cliffs’ edges to snap that perfect memory for their friends and families.

This seems like a great time to mention my first travel travesty; I captured the best pictures of the condors in flight & perch, not to mention memorable photos of my trek, sadly, my files are corrupted & seem lost for good. No visuals to tags along on this journey, sorry.

Once we were full of condor vanity, we started down the mountains; myself, four Germans, two English & our Peruvian guide. I informed the group first thing that I would gladly take the caboose role of the trip; I like my own pace. We started out looking to the bottom of the canyon with a tame river running through it, the opposite mountain wall cluttered with villages, and a sun that had risen to a crest directly above us and leaving no room for shade. Our decent sounded easy in Arequipa, but once we hit the 3hr mark, my quads strongly disagreed. We were nearly at the bottom, first of three suspended bridges, when I realized the beauty we were walking through. Although the path itself was cluttered with nothing more than loose gravel, gray rocks and mule shit, the walls we were carving our way down were filled with greens lush to the eye. The blue of the sky was blinding and the calm of the waters we were approaching made that moment of sweat and fatigue worth the trip. I was far removed from not only home but now Peru as I known it in cities, historical building and lost translations. Sitting on a boulder, with my feet in the river cooling, I realized this is why I came on this trip.

We collected our things, made our way to a small village, seven families, who served us lunch of soup & potatoes. We continued on with conversations of Europe vs. The U.S. and talk of the “oasis” that awaited us for our sleep. Another 4hrs later we finally made our way over all passes, crossed the river twice, cleared 3 villages, and logged more miles than I care to remember. The sun was setting & it was beginning to chill some, but that stopped none of us from getting into our trunks and diving into the fresh water pool the lodging had set up. This was an abandoned village with no electricity, adobe huts with straw roofs, but it had manageable plumbing. None of us cared where or what we slept on seeing we were exhausted; somehow myself & two of the Germans found enough strength to stay up a bit later than everyone (a whopping 830pm) to finish off the community beer. Up at 4am and back on the trail by 5am!!

Going up was the perfect blend of man & nature; it was grueling & physically challenging but we saw a perfect sunrise as it broke the ridge & then valley after valley of agriculture the locals use to feed the entire region of villagers. (I am so pissed the pictures didn’t make it). Once we reached the top, we cut through a corn field to the village square in Cabanaconde, bought some eggs from a farmer and then we went on to get them fried and munched on them with some bread the guide had. A perfect breakfast to end our morning. The tour headed back to Arequipa, but we first stopped in a small town that had natural hot springs to refresh ourselves & clean up a bit.

My first trip into the mountains was what I had hoped for; an opportunity to be challenged, to reflect and to enjoy some beauty I wouldn’t otherwise be able to have experienced. I have wrapped up my first 10 days & I am excited to see the new phase of living with others vs. by myself, but I can say much as been enjoyed and learned thus far. Adios.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colca_Canyon

South

My escape from Lima began at dawn Sunday, on a double-decker bus & a dubbed version of Hitch playing; heading South already was taking on great aspirations. I was thankful for leaving Lima behind somewhat, but my anxiety was high seeing there wasn’t to be a Pedro in Ica City waiting to take me in. After four quick hours, I arrived in Ica City with no plans or any real understanding of what there was to do in this city other than a few bodegas that were listed in my guide book.

My good fortune would have it that spending a few extra soles on the tour bus trips pays off; not only is safety paramount, the company I ride with provides English speaking taxi drivers for lost Gringos like myself. After a few minutes of thinking about what I wanted to do, Jose, referred me to the Oasis town of Huacchina which is about 5k outside of Ica City. With the threat of Lima still in my mind, I slowly started to trust Jose & the people at my hotel; with each act of kindness I started to realize the Peruvian people respected tourism, as it is a main source of income for many & they wish no harm come to any travelers.

Huacachina is a town the size of a normal college campus, filled with restaurants, bars, travel agencies, cafes and hotels. There’s a decent lagoon in the center of town that allows its shops to wrap around it as the giant sand dunes hover above. When asked what there is to do here I only got one response; relax. Not one to disrespect the locals I made my way to the pool, cracked my book and just chilled out in the heat. As the afternoon wound up, I tempted to my adventurous side & signed up for a dune buggy & sand boarding trip.

I was pleased with my decision, as Ricardo, our driver, took great joy in trying to get us to lose our lunch with his driving exploits, and the eight different boarding runs we went on. Even for the avid boarding as my friends from Sweden would attest, standing up the whole way down was quite the accomplishment. Half the runs I attempted standing, the other half, like the entire group, we sledded on our bellies. The thrill was incredible as each dune grew in length & the laughs came after each run. Once the sun started to set, Ricardo raced over dune after dune to catch the final glimpse of light the incredible accompanying sunset. After the sunset, not much else mattered and I spent the remainder of my time just soaking up the sun on the dunes or at the pool as more tourist poured into tour.

Finally, late Monday evening I had an over-night bus to Arequipa, which is the 2nd largest town in Peru & thus far my favorite. Our bus was quite late, but that offered me an opportunity to have a splendid conversation with a New Yorker (although she travels the world 70% of the time). We started talking about what each of us wanted to do when we did return & it gave good insight from a fellow traveler; I was pleased to sit with Jackie for a couple hours. Once in Arequipa there is such historic charm on the cobblestone streets, ancient mansions & a monastery that was built in 1580 that is still in use today just on a smaller scale. The 1500 century architecture was breath taking & I chose to shoot it at night rather than the day to give an incredible means of life these nuns lived.

In Arequipa, I had my favorite meal thus far; rocoto relleno, which is rocoto pepper hollowed out & stuffed with beef, covered in a sauce & then cooked under an open flame; incredible. I was so impressed with my meal, the host took me back to meet the chefs, see how the meal was prepared & then allowed me to scale the ladder to the roof to take some pictures of the Plaza. I will send out a post just around food in the coming weeks, but for now I typically eat one Peruvian meal in a restaurant per day, and the rest of my meals are that of the locals; pan & fruta.

The vibe in Arequipa was so welcoming & warm, although much of the center of town is now dedicated to tourism so it’s lost a little bit of its authentic flavor I am assuming. I was witness to two different marches in protests of wages for laborers and a political rally, plus my hotel was next to two schools (one of culinary arts & the second for English teaching) so I was able to chat with some of the youth & they seemed to have many more goals & better outlook than other Peruvians I’d met.

I am off on a two day trek into Colca Canyon; I’m sure there will be much to discuss from that adventure & then I head east to Cusco to begin my work. Adios.

Adios Lima

Que tal mis amigos? I have boarded a very nice bus & I’m now leaving Lima after three nights. My emotions are a jumbled mess & I question if I can articulately express myself. In that jumble are strands of excitement, pity, appreciation, anxiety, and anticipation; thankfully nausea isn’t in there yet!

I feel as though I got a very decent flavor of the capital, a city of 8 million (approximately greater-LA’s size), and I left with a sense there is no identity there. The city moves incredibly fast; so much so, it was difficult to get any locals’ attention (expect for the one’s I was staying with). The majority of the time when I was able to communicate with them, many said they disliked living there, dreamed of going somewhere else & for me to be very careful. One 26yr old, gorgeous btw, said she was going to work on a cruise ship seeing there wasn’t any way for here to make a living has she was paid in Soles but shelled out rent in Dollars (s/3.5 to $1). Everyone freaked me out too about safety & I was overly vigilant; walking at 9am I clutched my “murse” like I was keeping national secrets.

I chose to walk mainly, logging endless miles, and sadly, much of the city is slapped with poverty, but when you came to the historical & artistic divides of the city it was stunning. I’m nothing but a point & click man on the camera but I hope to get some shots up so you can see the city. In Lima, I chose primarily to snap the beauty as to leave the ugliness behind.

If I went to Lima & spent the entire time solo I’m not sure I would’ve enjoyed myself, but thankfully I had a very unique & wonderful experience staying with a family. A friend of a friend (Lourdes) allowed me to stay in her family’s home; I believe 4 generations were living in this house. Pedro, Lourdes’ 58yr old brother, took me as family & I’m not sure how I can ever repay him. Every night I would return just after dark (high alert on safety) and we would sit at the table & talk for hours. Now this may seem normal to those who know my penchant for gabbing, but the 27yr age gap with the vast language divide made for interesting & stuttering conversation. Luckily we found an equalizer; Cristal! The beer of choice for Pedro, and we shared many “tall-boys” (650ml = $1 US). A couple of those & who knows what I was saying “Si” to, but it worked for us. One night, I took it as a high compliment, he had his 2 daughters (early twenties) take me out to dinner & sangria in Barranco. It was my times at dinner, over the humble kitchen table or just in the family’s presence that I really loved Lima. The people when they slowed down & took the time to share, it worked out well (I had a similar experience at a restaurant where I talked to the two waitresses for 3hrs one afternoon). I’m sure many Limenos feel the same; if their city could just become as beautiful as the citizens.

My anticipation is mounting for my work in Cusco. I don’t want to discredit the next week of madness (I am hitting up 2-4 cities but I’m just winging it & figuring it out day by day where to travel & stay), but I am really anxious to help the Peruvians. They aren’t a charity case as a nation, I understand that they are proud, yet, it’s apparent some of the things we have in America are just not accessible here. As parents we move to a “better” school district or pay thousands to have our kids go to a school we deem more acceptable, which is fine but imagine if there was no school or you had no options. That is what Cusco and many parts of Peru are facing; a lack of quality learning environments. So, needless to say, the fun of Lima’s lights & whatever else I find out here, is secondary to what I hope I can leave behind.

Things I’ve learned thus far:
--Being a gringo in a restaurant will get you slow service; being a single male gringo in a restaurant you might as well pay rent
--Sports are listed opposite as in the states…Example: Lima y Chile means the futbol match is in Lima the day I left town & not in Chile; wish I would’ve known to stay & watch it
--My Spanish is getting worse & by worse I mean I can’t stop, playback, or pause anyone!!!
--The Spanish keyboard is just enough different than the English version to drive me nuts or look like a complete moron on my emails. Getting the “@” sign to work is like keying in your security code at work
--Mosquitoes in Peru are transparent or stealth; I haven’t seen one but have about a dozen bites --Everyone loves Obama in Peru & hates Bush – one things are universal

Overall 4 nights in and I love it; eye-opening as planned, fun and still just scratching the surface. I hope y’all can say the same. - M

And I'm Off

Day one is in the books; safe, sound, sweaty & satisfied with myself. The trip itself was cake; 6hrs to Panama that felt like 10 minutes thanks to some borrowed Ambien, a quick stop at the Panama City mall, I mean airport - there was one hot dog stand there but 5 places I could’ve purchased a HDTV set?! Finally a quick 3 and half hours into Lima where I was gifted my own row & found out cocktails on international flights are free. When we finally landed in Lima I had no real emotion, just calmness. I thought I’d be worried or even excited but I was merely pedestrian.

Immigration, customs & baggage was a breeze & then the greatest signn ever was smack in the front row, “MARSHAIL CAYLE.” My new friend Pedro Huarta was there to greet me with a sign he guessed would be my name; nothing could’ve been more clear. We exchanged our awkward “come esta’s” and off we went. From landing to the house I am staying at it was barely over an hour.

Pedro’s English is about as good as my Spanish, so our conversations were interesting. Luckily we both know how to say & understand Lakers & Kobe. With that, my 58yr old amigo & I were talking about Chinese food & basketball, I knew I was in good hands.

Once back to the wonderful house I am staying at for a couple nights, I became anxious & wanted to walk around the city before dark. I hadn’t picked up a city map yet, so going off the crude ones in my guide book, I headed out. I tried two taxis but they couldn’t understand my desired destinations, so I kept walking. Lima is a seriously chaotic city; cars are everywhere & they don’t stop for lights, let alone people. I was on edge some, seeing I really had no clue where I was going or even what I wanted to do if I got there; that’s what’s interesting about nowhere. Well, an hour and half later the sun had set, I was lost & decided to retrace my steps.

As time passed, I was hungrier & hungrier, sweatier & sweatier (humid is an insult) & becoming a bit more anxious. That anxiety kicked up when a free roaming pit pull started down the same block I was. I quickly changed sides of the street, hurried my step & figured I’d just pass on dinner my first night in Lima…that is until I suddenly heard my name. My good Kobe-loving amigo Pedro was walking back from the market just at that time. We strolled the rest of the way home, sharing a little, and then he offered me a dinner of fresh bread rolls, cheese, olives & instant coffee; it was delicious & I ate plenty. It was nice the two of us there trying to communicate; he asked if I like Obama & knew Bush as an oilman from Texas…sums it up I suppose.

Overall it was a terrific day seeing I got a real taste of Lima & how the good people here live. I actually figured out where I ended up when I came home & have much confidence in day two & three of my adventures. Wanted those who care that I’m safe & here; the world is smaller than we all think.

3 More Nights in the US

I’m starring down it now – the weekend festivities are behind me, my bag is packed (heavy), and now it’s just a matter of some final goodbyes & getting on the plane Wednesday night. 

As the trip becomes imminent I realize how much I will miss two things – Cash and my luxury of showering twice a day.  I haven’t missed my dress socks from the corporate world, and I don’t plan to when I get to Lima.  For those of you wondering; I don’t have an exact plan when I arrive in Lima.  I know I need to be in Cusco by the 5^th for Orientation into my program, but the 10 days between landing & Orientation are completely up in the air & those decisions will be made on Peruvian soil.   

I wanted to ask anyone and everyone to email me while I’m gone with ideas about new career paths you may think will interest me; everything is open for discussion.  I will have ample time to sit around & think about what & where I want the next chapter of my life to begin & I’d love some catalysts from those I trust the most.  I believe I will have access to the Internet so communicating will be available to me when I feel the urge.  

Next time you hear from me, I will be just one with my pack & the locals of Peru.  I wish you all a wonderful Spring & will see you all this summer.  Adios.

Why Volunteer in Peru?

2008 is over right? I just to make sure it’s long gone; nothing worse than a crappy year sticking around like a stale fart. I can’t speak for everyone, but I was happy to see it end. That’s not to say some wonderful things didn’t go down in 2008; some of my most cherished friends became engaged, pregnant or had wonderful babies, many people finished or started advanced education, my sister & I both completed full-marathons and the Lakers traded for Pau Gasol. Not all was lost in ’08, but in the end, most of the year was filled with lose, disappointment and stress.

That led me to really evaluate my life & how I wanted to grow in ’09. Much of the things that happened last year were out of my control, and I am proud of the way I handled myself but nonetheless things needed to change. I sold my house & moved back to California but my career has been complacent if not downright non-existence with the “global economic downturn.” Thus I’ve decided its time again to shed the thoughts of negativity & being reactive to the world around me. I have prided myself on always being optimistic and seeing the virtue in all situations and some of that was lost with everything this past year. With all that, I’ve decided to leave behind Culver and instead volunteer in a part of the world that needs basic infrastructure support.

Luckily, I was able to come across a 6-week program in Cusco, Peru where I will be working on construction of a school and/or orphanage. Beyond my general duties of construction I will also participate in a daily language exchange program teaching a Peruvian student English, while they teach me Spanish. This is an experience I think about daily with the highest levels of anticipation; March 26th can’t get here fast enough.

I will also take advantage of Cusco’s Andean location by hiking the Inca Trail up to Machu Picchu & boating some of the Amazon to Monkey Island. Overall I will be in Peru for 70 days with nearly two-thirds of that time volunteering and the rest exploring the different ecosystems, cultures and lifestyles of the Peruvian people. This is an undertaking like nothing I’ve ever tried before – and that is the point. I have been the wonderful beneficiary of much good will and fortune in my life I want to be able to share some of that with those in need.

Finally I want to thank each of you for your donations, support and friendships over the years; thank you each very much. Especially last year all your generosity towards the Ambriz family was greatly appreciated. I’m not looking for any funds to help with this trip, but I will be looking for a job, a couch to crash on & maybe some cable to borrow when I return. I genuinely hope that this year wonderful things happen to each of you, as I am setting out to have wonderful things happen to me in Peru.