Exploring more of Cusco

Lake Titicaca

Several classmates and I took a trip to Lake Titicaca this weekend. Lake Titicaca is located in Southern Peru and borders both Peru and Bolivia. The trip was quite a long one with two overnight bus rides, but it was worth it. There are many natural islands within the lake, as well as a group of man-made islands called the Uros Islands. The Uros Islands are made of reeds that grow in the lake and are also referred to as the floating islands because they would move around the lake if they were not anchored in place. The whole concept of islands made of reeds is fascinating to me and was amazing to experience.

QUICK FACTS:
·About half the lake resides in Peru and half in Bolivia
·It is the highest navigable body of water at 12,507 feet
·It covers 8,300 square km
·The lake is the remnant of a vast area of water formed in the Ice Age known as Lake Bolivian
·If someone falls into the lake, like a fisherman, it is traditional not to rescue them but to let them drown as an offering to the Earth Goddess Pachamama.

Clinica de San Juan de Dios

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to visit a clinic for children with physical and/or mental handicaps. This institution provides a home for children while providing them with loving interactions from caregivers, medical care, physical therapy and whatever else they need. The goal of this institution is to prepare these children to return to their families by/at the age of fifteen and live self- sufficient and productive adult lives. I was quite impressed with the facility, their staff and goals.

Thoughts for the Weekend

Kindness is worth the effort.

I love watching people and enjoy spending time sitting outside in the town center (Plaza De Armas) observing my surroundings. There´s always something interesting going on. A funny thing usually happens once I get myself situated, though; someone either wants to practice their English with me or sell me something. At times it can seem quite annoying. I have tried to use these situations to practice my Spanish and get aquainted with some of the people that I see on a daily basis. I have been suprised by their warm reception and willingness to chat with me. Some of the children who sell their paintings, postcards, etc. on the streets to help support their families have really touched my heart.

So, I leave you with these thoughts from Jill Briscoe, "Kindness is worth the effort. In the felowship of believers it is a ncecessary part of spirtual life. But kindness of spirit must extend to the unbeliever too. There are many motivations for ministry and numerous incentives to evangelism. None is more winsome nor effective than the loving-kindness that reaches out in genuine sympathy to the spiritually forlorn and, regardless of personal cost, generously and unstintingly communicates the reality of Christ. There are no substitutes for kindness in the lives of those who know the loving-kindness of God."

A Day in the Life...

A few people have asked how I spend my time here, so I thought I´d give a quick overview of my daily routine. I have Spanish classes each morning and then eat lunch at the school. I am at the school each day until about 2pm. After school I am free to do as I please. I usually try to take advantage of the sunny afternoons and walk around Cusco and explore the different churches, museums and stores. I also spend some time studying or practicing my Spanish with local Spanish speakers. In the evenings, I may have dinner with fellow students, watch a movie (in Spanish of course)or attend a cultural class at the school.

My volunteer work will start in about three weeks, and my schedule will change quite a bit once I start working. For right now, though, I am trying to get as much Spanish under my belt as possible!

Room with a View

Here are a couple photos taken from the balcony of my apartment. As you can see, there are some advantages to living on the side of a mountain. I have a beautiful view of the city below.

Around Town

Hello From Peru

I arrived safely in Cusco, Peru on Saturday afternoon. I apologize for not posting sooner, but the internet has been a bit unpredictable here. Cusco is a beautiful city located in the Andes mountains. It sits at an altitude of about 11.500 feet, so I have been taking it easy for the past couple of days in an attempt to avoid altitude sickness. If you link to the website on the right about the city of Cusco, you can view a live camera feed from the central square here (Plaza de Armas). Maybe you´ll even see someone you know wandering around!

I started spanish classes yesterday and will have them everyday for the next couple of weeks. The school at which I am studying has also provided me with dorm-style living accomodations. They are nicer than I expected and I´ve met a number of other international students who are traveling around South America and also studying Spanish.

I haven´t quite figured out how to post photos yet, but will post some as soon as I can.

Video Bar

It seems that the Video Bar Tool has not worked liked I'd hoped it would, so I've removed it and will attempt to post some links below to video footage of the people of Peru: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QVMJ7TusQc and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IzMdflJbLs.