Recap of the weekend due to bad internet connection

2-13-10
I did manage to wake up in time for my cab at 6:30. I got to the airport with some time to spare despite new regulations. I slept pretty much my whole flight to Lima. It is weird to have left Cusco. I was thre for 3.5 weeks. It was an amazing place and made great friends. In Lima, I ran with an Australian couple to our various gates. Got through passport check and made it to my gate with time to spare again. On the flight, I read 100 pages of my book, watched the Proposal, which was better than expected, and listened to music. I got through passport check again with no problem. Was worried my bag didn´t make it but it did eventually show up. I have come back to Argentina 29 days after leaving. So much has changed within me.

I headed to the hotel. There I relaxed and was reunited with my stuff. I relaxed and was going to out to dinner with my friend Dana but she wasn´t feeling all that great. I talked to a girl from my study abroad program who I am friends with on facebook. She told me about a Pub crawl happening in the area of my hotel. I figured this was a good way to meet people I would be spending the semester with so I went. At the meeting spot, I had another small world experience. I ran into Nick Penfold, someone who I was in carpool with in Los Angeles. It was really werid. I met the girl who extended the invite and some of her friends. We chatted. I am liking a lot of the people who I have met. I had another small world experience later on, when I met a girl who went to my school in London a few years before me so we knew the some similar peeps. I met people from all different place state side. I am excited now to start my program. Eventually, I walked back to my hotel and went to bed.

2-14-10
I woke up around 11 (amazing). I hung out, chatted with Abbey for a bit. Then went out to meet with my friend Dana from Guilford. We walked around, grabbed lunch, chit chated about various things. It was a lot of fun. We walked through the gardens. It was pleasant minus the bug bites. Eventually, we parted ways. I walked back to my hotel where I discovered my computer is not being my friend right now. I am currently scanning it for viruses. First my camera gets messed up (going to a store tomorrow, wish me luck), then this. I am cursed.UGH. Then the internet pooped out in the hotel. Went to a resturant where I got dinner and downloaded an anti virus thing. I talked to Abbey but then the internet pooped out again. So I am writing this on the lobby comp.

Plan for the rest of the night, edit photos on my comp if it lets me, watch tv and sleep. Tomorrow I am going into a hostel (with hopefully decent wifi), go the camera store (to have my baby repaired I hope, PLEASE!) then relaxing.

Near Heart Attack?

To recap the rest of the night of 2-11-10
I went to the volunteer dinner. Ate delicious Mexican food. Played Musical Chairs and other games with many of the volunteers. After, a bunch of us went to a club called Mythology. We drank and danced. It was a lot of fun. Then we moved to a club called Mama Africa. There more of the same, but this time some of us on the bar including yours truely. Eventually, we all headed home.

2-12-10
Woke up around 10ish. Relaxed and finished the Road. Checked things online. Eventually went out and got money to pay for the hostel. Then grabbed lunch and printed my boarding passes. I am finally leaving. So weird. Then I relaxed and hung out with people for the last time. Then it was time for school. I did more math with the children. Then it was family time. Had trouble getting them to focus. But eventually we were ready.

The show was cute but very long. I suffer some water damage to my camera, photos are safe but I am hoping it just needs to air out. If it doesn´t work by Sunday or Monday, then I am going to a camera store near my hotel. I really hope it just needs to evaporate. I was freaking out before I saw the photos were safe. I had dinner and finished packing.

Keep my camera in your thoughts (I feel so stupid). I am so sad right now. No longer frustration. Just really super sad. Second time this week

"The skyline was beautiful on fire"

2-10-10 continued

After dinner, Niko Michele and I headed to the Aldea Yanapay resturant. On the way, we saw two teenage boys playing around. Then all the sudden, police showed up and started wacking them. Eventually like 15 officers surrounded them and got them and put them in a truck and drove off. We were kind of shocked.

At the resturant, there was about ten of us. We drank, chatted, smoked shisha. I hung out with two Spaniards from Santander, and Natalia and her boyfriend who are from Madrid. It brought back an urge to go to Madrid. I miss it so much. Eventually, we all got up and started dancing with goofy hats on. Then headed home to write and sleep.

2-11- 10

I woke up around 9. I checked somethings online and then got dressed. I picked up the five photos that turned up. To be honest, they were the only ones I remember taking so I didn´t care for the rest. Then I headed back to the hostel. I read a bit of my book which I am near finishing. I listened to music and chilled. I am hoping that a band, Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band, I like is coming to the US since they are doing a European tour soon. Then I grabbed lunch. I ate my lunch and watched Friends with others. It is funny to see what is missed in the translation.

At school, we did more math which a lot of the children hated. But we had to force it on them. With the first group, I wrote individual problems based on their level and then marked them. Some kids were really good and smart and others not. In the second group, we played a game but a lot of feelings got hurt.

In the circle, we played sharides but only with movie titles. In family time, we danced which got distracted by other families in the same area. I am slightly worried about the dance but we shall see. Now to have the volunteer dinner one last time. Theme tonight: Hippy

Word of Advice: Godspeed You! Black Emperor is a good band to listen to when reading books about post-apocalyptic

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.