It is the weekend. I'm at the Cafe Maria near the CCS house to use the internet, because the WIFI in the house cuts off uncermoniously at 7 AM sharp. The CCS house has internet connections from 5 PM all night until 7 AM. This is so the volunteers have some time free if internet connections to make person-to-person connections. I will meet my friend for lunch. He as promised wonderful sea food. Yummmmy. A new volunteer arrived from Japan this morning. Most of the volunteers are away for the weekend. I showed the new volunteer the Cafe Maria so he could contact his family in Japan and let them know that he arrived safely. The Ely Lilly company sends its staff to volunteer for two weeks in Peru. It seems to be a great morale ... read more

I came to the Cross Cultural Solutions “Home Base” about 11 AM where I met my fellow volunteers and was shown to my private room with a private bath with are unusual since most times volunteers stay in group rooms. I will spend two weeks living here and working in Villa El Salvador which in a neighborhood of Lima. I’m the old guy since most of the volunteers are in their late teens or twenties. There was no WIFI on Sunday evening so instead the volunteers gathered in the living room area to play get acquainted games which was a great way to learn to know each other.... read more

The big day—the trip to Machu Picchu has been my dream. The guide came at 5:40 AM right on schedule to take me to a van which drive me to the train station to catch the “Vistadome” train at Poroy near Cusco. The three hour train ride allowed me to catch up on sleep and enjoy the breakfast spread on fabric Inca print table cloths. At Aguas Calientes the guide asked me to wait, but was frustrated because my time was so short. We finally went to the bus and took the ride to the top around many hairpin curves. The walk up to the “Facebook” vista, as the guide called it, ended where we could see the famous sight of Machu Picchu spread below us. I broke away from the group, even though the guide ... read more

This is the first day of my of volunteering in a school in Villa El Salvador. I was assigned to teacher Marienla, who teaches five year olds. They are some very cute kids.... read more

I arrived in Cuzco, and in spite of the worries; and maybe from the medication I'm taking for it, I don't have altitude sickness. Whoops, the hotel has earplugs on the nightstand. I here there's a disco next door.... read more