After a long night at the Lima airport (I actually forced myself to drink black coffee just to stay awake), I arrived early Sunday morning in Cuzco. As soon as I stepped off the plane and entered the main airport, swarms of Peruvians offered tours, taxis, and hotels. ¨No Gracias¨ has quickly become my most-used frase. I was met by Miguel from maximo Nivel, who took me to the office and to my homestay.
My home is only 4 blocks from my language school and is gated from the public, so it´s safe, and also beautiful. Neighborhood dogs wander the compound, and one husky with especially hauntingly blue eyes likes to playfully bite at my ankles (I don´t enjoy that too much.)
From my bedroom window, I can see my neighbors´ houses, which each display brightly painted siding and a beautiful orange roof, charcteristic of Cuzco. My host mother only speaks Spanish to me. It´s challenging, but for the most part, we are able to communicate and I can tell that my Spanish is already improving.When I leave my house, mountains surround me- Shacks dot the steep hills around Cuzco and elderly indigenous women sit on the street selling food and crafts.
At first I didn´t feel safe on the streets- that´s the downside of being blond, fair-skinned, and alone in a Latin American country. Luckily, another volunteer who´s staying with me and is from New York has walked with me and shown me all of the markets. Hundreds of Taxis zoom recklessly down the narrow streets- there are crosswalks, but I have yet to see a driver stop for pedestrians. I have to play this game of standing near the locals so I know when to cross, hopping from one island in the street to the next.
The first day, I didn´t have any altittude sickness, but yesterday after walking only 4 blocks, I felt naseous and ended up spending the whole day in bed. Today, I spent the morning packing for the jungle (I will be there for 2 and a half weeks) and now I´m off to do my first bit of sight seeing- La Plaza de Armas, buying rainboots for the jungle, and exchanging some of my cash for Soles. Everything is much cheaper here- I bought 2 kiwis for under $.30 and rainboots are about $7. I want to eat all of the fruit!
Hasta Luego
con amor,
Leah
Can't wait to read more...any chance of pictures? I know it's still early in the game and you have to figure out how to post them, but make that a bullet point on your long list of goals :)
ReplyDeletelove from plain, ole, e.wallingford.
xo-
su hermama
(su or tu? correct me, sista!)
Glad the altitude hit you in Cusco instead of in the jungle. Have Maria or some of your new Peruvian friends write down authentic recipes so we can try them when you get home. You, Ari, and Mercy can use them for Tuesday night dinners. Will have Katie help me get a Skype account set up so I can talk to you when you get back.
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