1-30-11
Today, unfortunately, I felt more disconnected from the city and the experiences I’ve had the last few days. The main factor in that is that I met the rest of the Americans from SIT today. Well, all minus the four whose plane from Miami was delayed due to bad weather on the East Coast. They are being picked up tomorrow and bused in to where we are spending our four days of orientation.
Just to review from yesterday after I posted, we met up with Jake and went to a restaurant called Los Perros, which is actually right next to the restaurant that Celia told me about, El Encuentro. I tried my first Pisco Sour, which is the national Peruvian drink. It tastes just like a margarita, only minus the salt and the lime. However, the salt and the lime are my favorite parts of a margarita! The pisco sour also has whipped egg whites on top, which might not be everyone’s cup of tea. A very noisy group of Brits sat next to us and got progressively drunker as the night went on, as well as louder. They loudly sang along to some of their favorite songs, or you’d think they were their favorites based on the gusto with which they sang. Then we came back to the hotel and learned that if we wanted to stay in our room until we had to meet the group at the airport at 11 instead of checking out at 9:30 that we would have to pay an extra 50 $. For Peru that amount of money is obscene. Actually, you know what, 50 dollars for an extra hour or so at a hotel is obscene no matter where you are.
So this morning we got up, showered, had breakfast downstairs (with delicious juice!), and packed up our rooms. We figured that if we couldn’t stay in the room itself, that we could still stay in the lobby. So we sat around and worked until 11 when we tried to hail a taxi for the airport. Many many taxis stopped, but most were far too small for three gringas and the luggage they carry! Finally we got one and made our way over to the airport. I was absolutely right when I guessed I’d been cheated last time I came from the airport. This taxi was a third of the price! And had two more people inside! We met Donaldo, who is a very kind and young Peruvian man from SIT. I don’t know what I expected, but he was not it. Evidently other people had arrived before us because Donaldo guided us to a bus already full of about 6 SIT kids. We made introductions and began to get to know each other as we commenced the two hour wait at the airport before deciding to leave and have Ursula wait in Cusco for the others to arrive tomorrow.
Then we began a very beautiful drive to Chichubamba, a small town next to Urubamba, which is sort of a base for people who want to go to Machu Picchu. We will be going their in a couple days toward the end of orientation. I hope it doesn’t rain! Apparently February is the worst time to go visit because of the rainy season. Last year at this time they had mudslides or something to that effect and people were stranded! I remember Marina said that she was in Cusco at the time and had to schedule another time to go to Machu Picchu since it was closed off. One thing I noticed on the drive was that Peru is extraordinarily green. Fields continue on and on. Then the mountains pierce the sky and the result is just a wonderful contrast.
We arrived, rested, ate lunch, got orientated and learned about health, money, safety, etc… ate dinner, and then watched this really interesting documentary (I think it was called De Ollas Y Sueños) about Peruvian cuisine. I, food nerd that I am, found it super interesting. I wanted to go check skype etc., but I just had to see it through! As I made my way back to my room, which smells very strongly of varnish and turpentine, it started to rain. Wifi is only in the main house so I don’t think I’ll make it onto the internet today. Sorry Nate, I didn’t feel like getting wet!
As we learned more about our host families and what to expect from this semester I started to get a bit nervous. I hope that I like my family! I feel like there is almost no way to know if it will go well or not. Some people just really don’t get along with host families or vice versa. I hope I do. I hope that I don’t feel overly uncomfortably while living in someone else’s home.
The group is still working itself out, but there are definitely some very nice people. I’m trying not to act on first impressions, but obviously I’m drawn to some people more than others. We’ll see how the dynamic of this lot turns out. I’d say, Spanish-wise, I’m in the middle or upper range. Not fluent like a couple people, but managing. I’m sure I’ll update more in a bit, but I’m on the upper bunk and my roommates are going to sleep and I cannot get up here in the dark!
Good night all.
xo Claire
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