This summer, I will be joining a non-profit organization called United Planet as a volunteer for four weeks in Cusco, Peru. Once there, I will be working at the Aldea Infantil Juan Pablo II, a small orphanage in Cusco. Some of the things I'll be doing will include helping kids with their homework, helping children learn English, organizing activities for the kids, and assisting the orphanage staff in any way I can.
Why Peru? Currently, I teach fifth grade at Mathews Elementary School in Austin, Texas. Mathews serves as the home school for children of international graduate students who att... full info
A Room with a ViewThis is the view from my bedroom at the house of Edgar and Hermalinda Pacheco. For those of you who know Cusco, they live in Manuel Prado.
Pacheco Family ReunionI arrived at Edgar and Hermalinda´s house in the midst of a family reunion. Their family from nearby were there, of course, but they also had family visiting from Italy and Sweden. Edgar is wearing the blue shirt, and Hermalinda is wearing the brown sweater and standing behind the woman in the red top.
The BarbequeI probably ate more meat on Sunday than I had in the previous three months. Among other things, we had anticuchos - skewers of beef heart grilled with an excellent sauce. Muy rico.
My RoomThis is a view of my room from the courtyard. Note the tiny spiral staircase.
Plaza San BlasThis is the plaza just outside the Spanish school where I am currently taking some intensive Spanish lessons. The director of the Spanish school is also the coordinator for all the United Planet volunteers.
San Blas Spanish SchoolThis is the front door of the Spanish school. I am meeting one on one with an excellent tutor, Deny, who originally comes from a city in the jungle. I will be taking Spanish lessons every morning this week.
A View of the AndesI took this picture while standing outside the door of the Spanish school looking out over Plaza San Blas.
Interesting MessageThis message covers an entire hillside. One can see this from the Plaza San Blas. ¨BIM 9,¨ I believe, is a military unit.
Cusqueñan TaxiThis is one of the ubiquitous taxis of Cusco. I believe there are more taxis than tourists and residents put together.
El Calle de HatunrumiyocThis street, Hatunrumiyoc, leads down to the Plaza de Armas, the main Plaza in Cusco. I am totally fascinated with Incan stonework which you can see in the walls lining this street. The stones fit as closely as pieces in a jigsaw puzzle, which is no mean feat considering the multiple and peculiar angles at which they meet.
The Famous Twelve-cornered StoneMy tour guide directed my attention to this stone featuring twelve corners, a great example of the painstaking work of polishing necessary to make the stones fit together so perfectly. This particular stone is quite famous, and you will always find it surrounded by tourists and a local Cusqueño dressed up as Manko Qhapaq, the first Inca king. At least that´s who I think he represents. The stone features twelve corners, which apparently represents twelve families - six families who once lived north of Cusco, and six families who lived south of Cusco.
Another Incan StoneThis stone is a good deal smaller than the previous one, but it´s remarkable nonetheless for its many corners.
Spanish versus Incan StoneworkThe Spanish Conquistadors knocked down much of this Incan wall and then rebuilt it with their own really lousy masonry. You can see examples like this all over Cusco.
Contrasting ArchitectureIn the foreground you can see the foundation of an Incan stone wall that has been mostly pulled down and topped with an obviously inferior Spanish stone wall. In the midground, you can see adobe buildings with red tile rooves. Beyond that you can see the tower of a Spanish cathedral.
Hello Mr. Rackowitz,
I sure hope you are having a fun time in Peru. I absolutely love the pictures you sent. The view is spectacular. Actually, the view reminds me of a book I read, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. One of the main characters went to Greece and the view looks quite a bit the same. Keep sending photos and stories!
Hannah
Spanish Rocks Those look eerily like most of the highways in Minneapolis this month. All that's missing is about 49,000 orange cones.
I'm enjoying the journal and photos, thanks!
Wow! Chad, I'm so glad you did this travel blog. I'm loving hearing all about your travels and the beautiful places that you are seeing. Keep posting! Carolyn
Hannah
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Hello
Mr. Rackowitz, I sure hope you are having a fun time in Peru. I absolutely love the pictures you sent. The view is spectacular. Actually, the view reminds me of a book I read, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. One of the main characters went to Greece and the view looks quite a bit the same. Keep sending photos and stories! Hannah