3mily
Emily Eide Joined: December 17th 2008
Logged in: July 6th 2010
Logged in: July 6th 2010
Travel Blog Posts
Beautiful landscape
My last week was full of mixed emotions. My heart knew how close I was to coming home but my head and body just didn’t understand. Wasn’t I going to stay there forever? We were coming full circle with our stay in Urubamba, linking the first experiences with the last. I was sure that it would be the slowest, most boring week of the program but as it turned out, it went too fast. Listening to everyone’s project presentations was really interesting and it was great to see how far we had all come from that first week of “what the heck did she just say?” looks. Like I mentioned, my presentation went surprisingly well. I was last so my nerves had really built up and it didn’t help that my advisor was coming all the ... read more
It really is the end. I'll be getting on a plane tomorrow at 3 from Cusco to Lima than waiting around in the airport for about 7 hours for my Miami flight. Then it will be all over. My presentation went well yesterday. I was so nervous about speaking for 20 mins in Spanish when in the end I spoke for a good 30 mins. My advisor came to listen all the way from Lima and she also said I did a wonderful job. I also had a final, final exam in Spanish....that may not have gone so well but it doesn't matter because I AM GRADUATING on SATURDAY!!! I'm done with my undergrad only that master's and maybe doctorate to go. Anyway, I just wanted to let you all know my plans for returning home. ... read more
The Plaza Fountian
As I am writing the blog, I am finally after hours and hours of work, printing off my 34 page (double spaced but all in Spanish) independent research project report. I have been eating, sleeping, and breathing this project for a good chunk of the last few weeks. I would not have had to be such an insomniac here in the end except for the fact that I have been sick on and off for the past three weeks. The first week I was in Lima, I developed a nasty cough which I attribute to the dramatic change in temperature and overall climate. I finally stopped trying to cough up my lungs after a week of cold medicine and lots of sleep. However, not more than 4 days later I started to feel sick again. After ... read more
Miraflores
I am now in the independent research portion of my trip here in Peru. I don’t have any classes or any responsibilities except for to write a giant paper on the topic of my choice. For my paper I am writing about the Yale University vs the Republic of Peru legal case. In a nutshell, when Hiram Bingham “re-discovered” Machu Picchu in an expedition from 1911-1916, he took a few things back to Yale with him….about 5,000 things. Since then these artifacts which include everything from textiles and ceramics to human remains has been housed in the Peabody Museum at the University. For several years now, Peru has wanted these pieces back. My project is dissecting the arguments from both sides. It is very interesting, especially because I have a hidden interest in law. I’m living ... read more
Cajon Lessons
It was brought to my attention that some of my pictures haven't been showing up on the blogs.... So here are some pictures of Lima and the Rainforest.... read more
Palm Sunday
Hey Everybody!!! I have to apologize for slacking on my blog entries it has been a crazy few weeks. I know this is now 2 weeks old but it was a pretty important expereince and better late than never! Semana Santa, or as we call it Holy Week, was great and full of religious processionals and lots and lots of food. The most memorable and unique aspects were the Procession del Señor de los Temblores, the Procession de Good Friday, and the 12 plates of the Apostles. I spent Palm Sunday in Iquitos and was nearly suffocated in the church because there were so many people in the sanctuary even though there were at least 3 other services throughout the day. The palms were much more elaborate than the plain Jane ones we use back home; ... read more
View of the River Maranon
Iquitos is far different from any other city I had yet encountered in Perú. There are the obvious differences, most of them revolving around the fact that it is set in a rainforest. It was hot and humid beyond belief, it was nestled on the Rio Marñón (part of the Amazon River watershed), and tropical rainforest-like plants were everywhere. However, other differences also really set it apart. I could probably count the number of cars I saw on one hand since motorcycles and moto-taxis are the main form of transportation. Literally hundreds of motorcycles fill the streets of Iquitos creating a constant hum of motors which is utterly annoying until it manages to simply numb your brain. There really isn’t much need for cars of great size since there really isn’t anywhere to go outside of ... read more
Cajon Lessons
Hello All- I feel like it has been such a long time that I have been away from my blog when really it has only been two weeks. However, a lot has happened in such a short time. I have seen many things some fascinating others heartbreaking; had many new experiences some good some ugly; and taken lots of pictures and made many realizations about my life. This blog is going to reflect on my time in Peru’s capital city of Lima. The blogs to follow will tell of my experiences in the city of Iquitos and the Amazon Rainforest. Peru is the only country in South America to have a coastal capital city but its proximity to the coast makes it a tourist hotspot. I had heard some pretty terrible things about Lima before coming ... read more
The next few weeks are going to be very exciting. On Saturday (March 21), I am leaving Cusco for Lima, Peru’s capital. I’m not sure exactly what we will be doing there but I believe a day at the beach is involved. After spending 7 days in Lima, we will be moving on the Amazon. Once again, not sure all of what we will be doing but I know that we be spending time with local Shamans. Our home base will be in Iquitos to which there are no roads. We’ll be there in the Amazon, the Pacaya-Samiria Reserve to be exact, with the boas and mosquitoes for about another week. I’m a little nervous about malaria and the interesting insects that I’ll encounter in the jungle but all in all I’m excited. After we get ... read more
My home in Yanque
My first impression of Yanque was made on cold, rainy night; which mirrored the nights to come. My father, Abel, had come to greet me in Chivay and took the bus with me to my new home for the week. We reached our stop and he led me through a tin plated gate into a small courtyard. There Lucia his wife and their two daughters Evelina and Marife were waiting to meet me in the rain. We greeted each other in the traditional Peruvian way, a quick kiss on the cheek and a handshake. We had a cup of tea in their modest, adobe kitchen, the place I would spend much of my time the next week helping Lucia. We talked a little about my trip as it continued to rain on the tin roof of ... read more
