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Published: January 13th 2007
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Street Near Our House.
Saturday: On our way to the Plaza de Armas. Whoa it’s been a little while since we’ve written. We’ve been here a week, it seems like so much longer. Here’s a run-down of the past week:
SATURDAY:
We slept from 5pm Friday until 9am on Saturday. We got up, cooked breakfast with Rafo, and headed off to see the Plaza De Armas. We visited the Cathedral, and we saw the painting of the “Last Supper” with the Guinea Pigs. We then saw the Plaza San Blas (very beautiful, you can see our pictures), the district where artists show their work. We then went and sat in the middle of the local market, Wanchaq. After lunch we went to the Museo Inka, which contains relics from pre-Inca, Inca, and colonial times. It also contained the largest collection of queros, Inca drinking vessels, 450!
SUNDAY:
On Sunday Rafo took us to the Plaza de Santiago, to inquire about a volunteer opportunity that John Brink, Bryan’s friend, told us about. After that we headed off to the Mercado Negro Contrabando, the black market. We wandered around there, it was amazing how cheap everything was, like a high-tech trekking bike for $60, or 180 soles. Then we went to an
Avenue Near House.
Saturday: An avenue near our house. Inca Market, and returned back to Rafo’s place.
MONDAY:
Our first day of Academia Latinoamericana. We took an exam in the morning for the teachers to decide which class to place us in, and then we took a tour of the city. A lot of the things we had already seen, but we learned about the greatest peril in Cusco…The Deadly Cacti! If you are unlucky enough to be pierced by their razor sharp needles, you should say your final prayers. In all likelihood the tip will break off, enter your veins, travel up through your bloodstream, into your brain or heart. If this happens you will most likely die an excruciatingly painful death. Then we had lunch. After lunch we returned back to the school for orientation where they told us about lots of other stuff to watch out for.
TUESDAY:
We had our first day of actual classes. Elena was placed in a class with two other students, one from Iceland and another from Wyoming. Tom was placed in a class with another girl from Iceland and another man from Sweden. We have classes for four hours in the morning and two hours in
Coricancha
Saturday: Corichana. The base is an ancient Inca temple, the builings on top were built by Jesuits. the afternoon (the afternoon classes are one-on-one). After classes we went looking for travel agencies to try to start booking our trips to the Amazon and Machu Picchu. We never ended up find a travel agency, but we spent the time engaged in fierce debate over whether the United States is more superficial than Peru. Elena believes that Peru is more “real” than the United States, meaning that in the United States we have become so separated from the Earth that we surround ourselves in material items, with no idea of their origin. Tom believes that you generalization about an entire nation like that and that while admittedly there are superficial people in the Unites, he is sure that there is an equal percent of superficial people in Peru, though their superficial nature might be shown in a different way.
WEDNESDAY:
We had our second day of classes. After class Tom went and looked at travel agencies to compare prices for Machu Picchu and the Amazon. Besides that our Spanish classes are so intense (we are taking the Super-Intensive course, the only two people in the school who are doing so) that we are too exhausted
Coricancha II.
Saturday: Corincha. It was the most important temple of the Inca Empire. The Church of Santa Domingo now stands on top. to do much else.
THURSDAY:
Whoa Elena almost forgot! I have been running almost every day since we got here, with a little bit of difficulty (
Perhaps more than a little - Tom ). When I get back I challenge anyone brave enough to a race! Ok, back to Thursday. We had our Spanish classes like always, and had a fascinating dinner with our new roommate, Vivi, who is from Norway. Within the span of the conversation we covered Harry Potter, Country Clubs, flabbergasted, Lord of the Rings, and Tom’s amazing golf skills.
FRIDAY:
Today! Though this probably won’t be posted until tomorrow. We had our last day of classes in our current groups, and took an exam to evaluate how much we learned in the last week. Both of us did quite well, which should go without saying (we’re not actually quite that conceited). Tom played futbol with some friends from the school, his team won 5-1, which should go without saying (Tom’s not actually that conceited).
We are staying at Rafo and Monica’s for another week, at which point we are going to find some alternative housing. There are two other students
Coricancha III.
Saturday: Coricancha. It's name comes from the Quecha word Quri Qancha, which translates as "Golden Courtyard." In Inca times, the walls and floors were covered in sheets of gold, and the courtyard filled with gold statues. here, Vivi the Norwegian, and Pedro the Russian. That’s all we can think of for now!
Elena and Tom
P.S. We are not actually in Mauritania…yet
P.S.S. For those of you eagerly waiting update of the vomit scores, Elena still holds a commanding 3-0 lead over Tom.
Writing Prompt: Please respond to the following statement debated on Tuesday: The United States is more superficial than Peru. Response is due by Tuesday. Please use double-spacing, 12 font, Times New Roman, parenthetical citation, and MLA formatting for the bibliography (ok, maybe you don’t have to do all of that) but please respond! Only Tom's photos, Elena doesn't have her camera on her:
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Cornelia Kittredge
non-member comment
Thanks.
Dear Tom and Elena, Thanks so much for your entry. It is great to see where you are. All the sun looks nice on a dreary January day. Please keep posting. I will forward the address to Tom's uncles and aunt.