Under the Pressure

2-10-10

I woke up around 9ish. I hung out for a bit before running some errands with Michele and Natalia. We first stopped for juice. I met their famous juice lady, Then Michele and I went to a market to make some purchases. Then I dropped off a postcard and a roll of film. Then we headed back to the hostel.

I hung out and watched Lost. Amazing as always. I talked to Abbey and read for a bit. I grabbed lunch with Michele and Natalia next door. Got a lot of food for three soles. Natalia´s boyfriend is in town (he is a sushi chef in Madrid, aka AMAZING). We met him before I headed to school.

In the tutoring room, we changed from reading to math. I first worked on multiplications with the children. Some got it and others didn´t. I showed them some short cuts. Then when we changed groups, and I then focused on doing addition and subtraction in the same time. Again some got it and others. I had to drill it into their head. We had a short circle time due to rain and hail. Then in family time, we practiced our dance moves the whole time.

After, we had our meeting. Then Michele and Niko and I had pizza for dinner with beer. We talked about various topics from broken fingers to the ocean.

Took a Cab to Go See Jesus Upon the Mountaintop

2-9-10

I woke up around 9ish. I checked some things and then showered. Natalia, Michele and another girl from Spain went out to run some errands. We grabbed crossiants. We then stopped at the camera store, where Michele´s camera got fixed! After, I mailed some postcards. We then headed to San Blas where Natalia got a hat, and I got some amazing chocolate. Cusco or maybe Peruvian chocolate is amazing. Then Michele, Natalia and I took the cab to Cristo Blanco.

It was really cool since I won´t probably be going to Rio de Janerio on this trip. It was gorgeous plus I got to see the whole city from up top. There were ruins up there but because of the looming rain we didn´t fork over the money. We had a nice cab driver who drove us around and so we got to see them from a slight distance. They were cool, maybe I will go next time.

At the hostel, I relaxed for a bit. I took a bit to Abbey before I got lunch. After lunch, I chilled and looked up some information about Colombia for my country. Then I headed to the school. At first, I took some photos because I had no children. Eventually I had one of the children, Mauro read to the younger kids. I took more photos and continue to make up for all the lost ones (got 107 in total). In the circle, we talked about the garden they are building for the children. I got special permission to take photos for the week. In the family time, we decided to do a dance for the show. The boys are hard to motivate to dance but they kind of did it.

After, I went to dinner with Niko, Richard and other volunteers, mostly British. We went to Jack´s Cafe. It was fun as always. We talked about various things before heading back. At the hostel, I sent photos and tried to send a video file to the Guilfordian for my article coming out on Friday. I then watched some of Harry Potter and the Globet of Fire. Then I journaled before bed.

Lost Photos

I woke up around 9ish and hung out for a bit. Then Michele, Natalia and I ran some errands. We stopped for breakfast. After, we went to a Bolivian tourism office since the girls are headed there next. After we went to an office where Natalia asked about Machu Picchu. You can helicopter up but it costs over $500. Then Natalia went one way, and we went the other. We dropped off Michele´s camera which broke yesterday to try to get fix. Then she went into a clothes store and I in a bookstore. I looked at the shelves and pondered various choices. I was going to do the Lord of the Rings but they didnt have the Fellowship. I ended up buying the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I am excited.

At the hostel, I relaxed and talked to Abbey for a bit. I grabbed lunch and relaxed before the school. At the school, I got my group changed to the oldest group. I am also tutoring in the first part. It was fun but two girls were having a lot of trouble which was kind of frustrating. After in the circle, we talked about cleaning up. In my new family, we chose Colombia. We discussed what we know, but have some learning to do. We then had our meeting.

At the hostel, I relaxed and ate food. I tried to move files from my computer to my harddrive. Unfortunately the computer froze when I moved the photos of the kids. When the computer restarts here, any new stuff gets deleted. So I lost all my photos of the kids. After I had three people calm me down, I realized it could be worse. I could have lost my pictures from yesterday. I have four days to make up for the ones lost. It won´t be the same but something is better than nothing. It majorly sucks but I will have to deal.

Feeling SOOOOOOOOOOO Good to be Alive

View along the way, but doesn´t do the beauty justice


2-7-10



I woke up around 9ish for Michele and my journey to Pisac and the ruins. I checked some stuff online before grabbing my cameras and heading out. We walked and talked. Then we stopped at a pastery shop to get breakfast. Then headed to the bus station. We paid only 2 soles per person. It was a pleasant ride. We listened to music and laughed at people. One woman was breast feeding on the bus right near someone´s head. AWKWARD.


We got to Pisac after an hour or so. We walked around and enjoyed the nice Sunday market. It was really crowded but we made some purchases that we were happy with. We continued walking around but then decided that it would be best that we eat before going to the ruins. I had a delicious beef and avacado sandwhich. It was quite enjoyable. Then we headed in a cab and then went up the ruins. We took the cab and paid the 70 soles fee. We then entered the ruins.


The picture above does no justice to the beauty of the place. It was so magical and such a great feeling. It reaffirms all of the reasons for coming to South America. It made up for not being able to go to Machu Picchu. I had such a great feeling. Michele was the perfect travel companion. We were just amazed by the beauty. It made me feel soooooooooooooooooo good to be alive. I cna only imagine what Machu Picchu would make me feel like. There is so much beauty there is almost unbelievable. I tried to write about how it made me feel but I couldn´t descibe how amazingly beautiful it is. It is almost unreal. I still can´t get over it. It is proof that I am living in the beautiful.


After hiking down for several hours, we made it back to Pisac. We walked to the buses, got on one and listened to music. Gustavo Santaolalla provided the perfect music to arrive back to Cusco. After getting to the bus station, Michele and I took a cab back. I then wrote and relaxed. Eventually, I got people to allow me to watch the Super Bowl. I am rooting for the Saints though I don´t care much. I thought that the Who did a really good show at halftime playing a mix of their hits. The Saints won!!! I was quite happy with this. Since then I have relaxed and plan to journal before I go to bed.

Barry White Blasting in McDonald´s

2-6-10
I woke up around 9ish or so. I checked emails and relaxed. Finally Michele and Natalia and I headed out. We dropped off some laundry and then headed to breakfast. We chatted about various topics, it was enjoyable. We then tried to go to the market to make some purchases, but it was too rainy. We then took a cab to a bus station. We are planning to go Pisac, a place of ruins, tomorrow and then went to the pharmacy because the girls are a bit under the weather.



On the way back to the hostel, I saw a bookstore I plan to check out this coming week. I read and watched some shows. I continued to relax before having a lovely Skype date with Abbey. It was nice to talk to her. I then got my laundry and some dinner. I ate chicken, rice, fries and noodles. I ate my dinner with Michele. It was nice. I then facebooked and watched the rest of the Harry Potter with some Brits. After that we plan to watch another movie then no idea.



I have decided that I am going to go to Mendoza and maybe Cordoba instead of going to Patagonia. I am doing to save money and since I prob will come to South America another time to see what I won´t see this journey, I will go to Patagonia then. This way, I can go horseriding and other things.

Another show down

2-5-10

After my late night, I woke up around 10ish. I hung out most of the morning. Showering and relaxing. I wrote part of my article for the Guilfordian about my volunteer work. I then relaxed and ate lunch and watched Friends. I talked to some people who are leaving soon.

After a while, we all headed to school. In art class, we made a tree and had the children make animals, fruits, and more for the tree. It was interesting to see what they came up with. Eventually, we got in our families and tried to get the children to focus on presenting. Some of the children really knew the information, while others didn´t. The show took forever, with rain coming. I was getting impatient. Some of the presentations were good and really interesting, others were meh. Mine went ok. The kids did ok but the pinata failed. After the show, we had our meeting but got it short.

I then went to dinner at Jack´s since Justin was leaving tonight. It was pretty good to chat. Then Michele and I walked back together. We are doing breakfast, running errands and planning Sunday. Then I watched Harry Potter with some people before bed.

Another late night...

2-4-10


I woke up at ten because I went to bed at 1 after talking and hanging with the Argentines on their last night. I hung out and read for a bit. I then checked things online. My financial advisor at Guilford told me that I have to either try other or medical as my reason for applying off campus. I am currently trying to contact my doctor in Greensboro to sign off on it. He might have to exaggerate. Ugh. I then did some errands like get lunch and get a fake Argentine jersey for tonight.

Back at the hostel, I briefly talked to Abbey and watched the most recent episode of the office. I also looked at plane prices and I am trying to decide between Mendoza and Patagonia. There are pros and cons to both. I then hung out before school and discussed the plan for tomorrow. At the school in the art class, we made drawings that represented the values of the school. Some were really good, others were abstract per say. In the circle, we tried to play a game but the kids were too rowdy that we didn´t. In family time, we tried to the kids to focus. They kept fighting over rolls. The pinata was crazy and the kids fought over the goodies. I then headed to my hostel.

After a while, all of us who were going to the volunteer dinner left. It was a lot of fun. We ate delicious food and laughed at all our costumes. I got to meet a lot of the other volunteers who I had only basically said hi to before. Some went to USC. It was interesting hearing some people´s backgrounds. Some played bananagrams. After a while, we played 7 games of Flip cup that brought us Americans back to college. Then after that we hung out for a bit. Then around 11ish, some of us went to a bar called Bullfrogs because all the money raised was going to the people who lost their homes. After being there for a bit, we went to the club we went to last week. Equally as fun. So crazy. Electronic clubs are so much better than Hip Hop clubs. We all danced and sang and laughed. So much fun. Eventually around 2 something, three British girls and I headed back to the hostel and passed out.