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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 back on April 6, we’ll be thrust into the excitement of La Semana Santa or Holy Week. It is a huge, weeklong festival here complete with massive processionals and of course food. I’ve heard about the large celebrations that accompany this week in the catholic countries of South America and I am looking forward to finally getting the chance to experience it. Luckily, we have officially ended classes so I can really enjoy myself.

It occurred to me that not many of you know what a normal day in Cusco is like for me. So, even though these days are almost over, I though I would fill you all in. I have classes every day, 8:30-12:15 and 3:00-5:00. My host mom makes me breakfast every morning which usually consists of grilled cheese sandwiches (panini style), sometimes dry cornflakes, fresh made juice from the blender, and a tea. The juice is wonderful as you can imagine since the fruit is much richer and fresher here than in the US. I take the combi (Mini-van transportation) to class but usually walk the 50 mins home for lunch. Lunch is always a feast, the biggest meal of the day. I have finally gotten to the point where I don’t feel bad about leaving food on my plate. It is just impossible to eat it all.

I get back on the combi around 2:30 to get to class by 3:00. I’m typically accosted by venders as I make my way from the combi stop to my class. I can’t tell you how annoying it is to say “no gracias” a million times a day. After class is out at 5 the girls and I like to go to cafés or I go use the internet. I also go to the occasional museum or take a nice walk. However, there is usually homework to be done which doesn’t leave much time for free time. Now that I have taken my final in Quechua however, I have a lot more time. It is a lot of work to learn a language in ten days.

My weeknights are usually spent in my house. It is a very nice house and I love my bed. I have a TV in my room where I can watch some good Spanish TV. The nights are cold here in Cusco and so I can usually be found bundled up in my bed reading or doing my homework. The girls and I go out on Friday nights and rarely Saturdays. I’m the mother of the group and so I usually spend my time looking after them and making sure that no unwanted boys are bothering them. The clubs here play mostly American music so it is always a grand sing-along.

I also spend quite a bit of time with my host family. They are really great. My host mom, Elida and father, Miguel have five kids named Miguel Jr, Minoska, Mealuska, Teo, and Irasema. They are all very nice and welcoming to their new little sister. They call me “Pequeña” which means “little one.” They are all grown up and all but one is married. Mealuska has an 18 yr old son, Nick, who can speak pretty alright English so he is fun to talk to at family functions. I see at least one sibling every other day coming in and out for dinner or a visit. It is hard to be left alone in this house as you might imagine….

One more note….unfortunately several persons in my group have fallen victim to fleas, including myself. Hurray. It must be the llamas parked on the streets or maybe the stay dogs that run everywhere….or maybe both.

It is hard to believe I’m about half way done with my trip already. I wanted to thank you all for reading my blogs thus far and I hope you will continue to read them for the second half of the trip. Talk to you in a few weeks!!

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