It's occurred to me that I haven't documented the story of my return to the US anywhere, and I should for fear of forgetting, since (post-trip) it's kind of funny. Wednesday, August 12: wake up before the sun and hop in a taxi to the airport. The streets are empty... the car is flying... and we're driving down the middle of the road in spots. Normal, I think. Mom & Dad are a little freaked out. :) Needless to say, we arrive at the airport, wave off the people trying to help us with our bags (more tips, and we can [View Full Entry]

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For the tie-up entry... I began writing this one week out, and didn't finish it. Part of this entry is from that week, then, and the final part is thoughts now. ------------------------- One week out... Transition's been pretty easy so far, actually, and maybe will stay that way, who knows.... But here are some thoughts, observations, etc.! -I keep almost throwing toilet paper into the trash can rather than into the toilet. Still. -Eating Chinese food the other day, I wanted far more rice and far less meat/veggie... maybe this is a carryover, maybe not... -Juice here is just not t [View Full Entry]

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Lack of blog entries again... sorry... but it´s been a great week! I arrived in Cusco last Wednesday with 2 friends, spent the day with them, and got up the next morning to meet my family at the hotel! We´ve spent a great week being tourists in Cusco, the Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu (Mel & I climbed Wayna Picchu in 25 minutes... piece of cake. Confirmed that I´ve mostly overcome my fear of heights... only a huge drop on a 1.5 foot wide path). We´re now back in Cusco, spending a great night in a nice hostel in San Blas, [View Full Entry]

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I am so sorry it's been such a long time since I updated! In my defense, I tried to write an entry once, but the Huyro internet (slow and unreliable at best) kicked me off and deleted it, and last weekend I was in a place without internet, but still, sorry! I'll try my best (with the assistance of my journal) to update you all a bit... The festival on Friday was fun... lots of music and parades and street food; the icing on the cake was when we were all walking back to Establo and passed a marching band, who [View Full Entry]

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It is a scorching day in Huyro, so I'm taking a break in the internet cafe, where the sun at least doesn't hit. We have the day off from volunteer work and are at the Virgin of Carmen Festival. As seems to be the case more and more with this program (I'm a bit frustrated with this placement, for several reasons, but trying to find the best), we haven't been told a thing about what the festival is or what the history is, so I just researched it a bit... the Virgin of Carmen festival (throughout Perú) is a mix of [View Full Entry]

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Yep, tried it. SO good, actually. Backing up, though... Staying in Cusco was great fun, and it was nice to be able to explore the city just a bit before jumping into the Inca Project. On Monday (was it only Monday??) we were picked up in a taxi with Ernesto and taken to a combi (large van) for the trip to Huyro. By the way, everyone here knows where Huyro is, even though it´s not on a single map I´ve seen. Strange. The combi ride was about 4.5 hours, which was insane, but I didn´t really notice as it was the [View Full Entry]

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What a whirlwind of a day so far... it's hardly 1:00 and already I've gone through a flurry of goodbyes, flown to Cusco, and been picked up and taken to a host family to stay tonight. The baggage claim is so efficient that it seemed like 20 minutes for us to land, get our baggage, hop in a taxi, and be taken to our house for coca tea (I'm with another volunteer, Laura, which is excellent because I have no idea what I would have done here all day alone...). Feels a bit like whiplash, it was so fast, particularly with [View Full Entry]

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The French girls, who jump at anything that move, had been screaming to Isabel that there was a mouse in their room... or a rat.... and it developed to become a pacarana (huge rodents that we had at the center, which escaped last week. Happens periodically... they´re crafty). Shouting "¡La pacarana es aquí!" has become commonplace. Or rather, had... the French girls, myself, and the other Laura (along with a girl who was here only for a week) are all now finished at Taricaya. It was an absolutely packed week... actually felt like several, to be honest. Lots of Americans arrived [View Full Entry]

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Thought I´d write one more update today (and will also attempt to load pictures, although I´ve tried twice and the connection seems to be too slow...), because I woke up earlier than some people and am done eating breakfast (free buffet in the hotel). Today´s plan is buying juice for the week at Cijmey, the supermercado, lunch with the group at the Peruvian spot we went to last weekend, perhaps some phone & internet, and maybe a nap to make up for my 4 hours of sleep. :) Last night was incredibly fun! As I think I said, it was Alejandro´s [View Full Entry]

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Looking forward this afternoon to the first warm shower I´ll have had since June 6 (first hot shower, not shower in general)... there´s a big group at the hotel this weekend and one room is bound to have one. :) Let´s see... backtracking to last weekend: had quite a good time at Amazon Shelter, which was about a 25 minute drive from Puerto Maldonado (it was pretty strange to be riding in a car again); it´s brand-new, the lodges were excellent, and I slept really well, plus the food was a nice change (hot dogs, hot fresh buns, lemonade, chips). Only [View Full Entry]

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