School's Out for Summer

Today the Director of the school put me on the spot. We were talking about the 1990 Peru elections and then towards the end of class he asked me who I would have voted for and what I thought of the Peruvian electoral system. And then he asked me to explain the American electoral system (You try explaining the Electoral College to somebody who's never heard of it!). It was out of nowhere since no teacher has ever asked me to answer anything in class. It was sweating. I didn't like it one bit. It's one thing to explain something in English, but to be stared at by 30 faces while you try to explain something in a language that is their native language, but not your own is scary. I never understood how people could have a fear of public speaking until today.

Tomorrow is my last day of school. Then three months of vacation. The Peruvians still have two weeks of exams, but the director excused the exchange students from them. And maybe (still waiting confirmation from Rotary) when after vacation I can go to the University here instead of another high school. Some of the others are doing this, and it seems like a good idea, because then I can choose the classes I want to take.

And Saturday I'm climbing the mountain. I was thinking that it would be easy, but then last night I found out that only about 5 exchange students have ever made it to the top. So, hopefully I make it to the top, but if I don't I won't be alone. The first day we hike from 10 am to 2 pm and then we hang out at this camp until 2 am and then we take off in the middle of the night to make it to the top before noon. And then we spend the rest of the day walking down.

-Christopher

Learn Spanish: Universidad (Ooh nee vehr see dahd) (University)

Rotary Weekend

This past week I've been really busy. I've had rehearsals, and practices, and tailoring sessions for a fashion show that Rotaract (Rotary for people under 30) had on Friday. I was one of the models for it. It was to benefit poor children for Christmas. Then Saturday I spent all day cooking Choco-Banana-Nut-Bread. For a Food Festival Rotary had on Sunday. And after the food festival all my friends and I came back to my house and watched Good Will Hunting. I think I have one or two weeks of school left. And I'm really trying to find a job teaching English here. Oh! And this year I'm going to celebrate Hanukkah for the first time! I'm excited for that.

-Christopher

Learn Spanish: Desfile de Modas (Dez Feel ae day Moh Dahs) (Fashion Show)
Learn Quechua: Quechua (Keh Chwa) (People)

EARTHQUAKE!

American Thanksgiving has been postponed. Why? Because we, the Americans, who were supposed to host it, didn't get everything ready in time. So it will be in a few weeks. I think I'm the only one who still wants to have it this Thursday.

This morning there was a big Earthquake. I was sitting in French class when the desks started shaking and it felt like somebody hit the building with a car. We had to evacuate the building. People were screaming. I thought it was cool. The owner of the school kept telling us it was okay, the buildings were earthquake-proof.

-Christopher

Learn Spanish: Sismo (sees moh) (Earthquake)
Learn Quechua: Ollantaytambo (Oh Yahn Tie Tom Bow) (Ollanta's Fortress)

Scaling Misti

So, tomorrow (supposedly) Rotary is taking us on a trip up on of the mountains/volcanoes that surrounds Arequipa. It's called El Misti. I'm excited. Before I got here I wanted to climb it. And I have a meeting with Rotary tonight...I think it's about changing houses (fingers crossed). Last night I went shopping and spontaneously decided to go to a rock climbing gym with my friend Duncan. It was fun, but I got a giant blister. That's about it.


-Chris

Learn Spanish: Escalar (ehs call ar) (To Climb/Scale)
Learn Quechua: Alalao (ah lah lao)(Cold!)

Snakes On a Plane

Tonight my host mom let me out with some of my friends so I got to go eat tacos and see Snakes On a Plane. I enjoyed it. It's rare when I'm allowed out. Also, my youth exchange officer here said that she talked to Rotary and I'm allowed to work for a language institute, but I still have to go to school. So I guess I'll be teaching night courses. I have no idea when or where yet, but I'm allowed to! Also, I think in the next few days Rotary will have a meeting about changing houses, so I'm excited to see what happens with that. Also, I got two books that I ordered back in the beginning of September so I have 1,000,002 books to read. I'm currently reading 4 books at the same time. I really shouldn't have started so many at once, I don't know which ones I'm actually going to finish. We'll see.

-Chris

Learn Spanish: Ver (vehr) (to see)
Learn Quechua: Hanan Pacha (hahn ahn Pah chah) (heaven)

Machu Picchu, The Incas, and Cuzco

The past week has been one of the best trips I've ever been on. I loved every minute of it. Here's the whole story:

Day 1
We left Arequipa at 7 0'clock in the evening. We took a double decker bus. It took us 10 hours and we drove through the night. It was hot, stuffy, and the seats weren't that comfortable.

Day 2
We got to Cuzco at 5 am. We immediately went to our Hotel "Royal Inti" and ate breakfast, put our things in our rooms and then went to explore the city. We got back to the hotel around 7:30 and slept. We then went to meet our Tour Guide and went to the Plaza de Armas and the Cathedral in the center. It was the prettiest church I've ever seen, and I'm not big on old churches. The artwork inside was done by the oppressed Incan and Mestizo peoples. And their distaste for the Spanish can be seen in the paintings (e.g. instead of Roman soldiers killing jesus they had Spanish soldiers killing him, instead of Judas at the last supper they had Francisco Pizarro). We then went to some Incan ruins around Cuzco. It was a full day.

Day 3
We got up early to go to some more various Incan Ruins, Ollantaytambo, Sacsayuaman, and somehwere else...Quechua words are hard to remember.

Day 4
We saw some more Incan ruins. Went out to lunch and had the rest of the day to go shopping in Cuzco.



Day 5
We get up at 5 am. We get on a bus with two days worth or clothes and supplies. We ride for about an hour and a half to Ollantaytambo. There we get on a train for an hour. After getting of the train we hike the Inca Trail. This was the most grueling walk of my life. It was 10 hours in the Peruvian Rainforest, up and down mountains. We stopped for lunch, which was a ham sandwhich per person. And then we continued walking to Machu Picchu. It was gorgeous. We took a few snapshots, but then continued walking for a few more hours to a near by city Aguas Caliente for the night. While there I went to some Hot Springs then went to dinner and then slept.

Day 6
We take the bus to Machu Picchu. There are tons of tourists there. We had been fortunate the day before and it had been raining so there were very few tourists. When we got to Machu Picchu we had a two and half hour tour. Then we had an hour for photos. After words we went back to Aguas Caliente had 2 hours for shopping and lunch then took the train back to Ollantaytambo, where we took a bus back to Cuzco.

Day 7
We had all day to go to various museums and shop. Then we got on the bus back to Arequipa at 7 pm.

Day 8
We arrive in Arequipa at 5:30 AM.

It really was a great trip. Machu Picchu was amazing. So was the rainforest. Words can't explain. I wish everyone could see what I've seen. AMAZING.

Cuzco!

So we got here yesterday at 5 AM. It was so early. But already I've seen so much! I've been to a ton of Incan ruins. Plus in a few days we'll be in Mach Picchu! Oh my god, this place is gorgeous. I think it is much prettier than Arequipa, but it is completely dependent on tourism. Everyone speaks English here, even the poor people on the streets. It is very different from the big city, fast-paced life I've gotten used to. I am having a great time and everyone and everything is great. I'm so inspired. I've got about a thousand pictures, but I'm at an internet cafe and can't upload pictures yet...more to come.


-Chris

Learn Spanish: Pared (Par Ed) (wall)
Learn Quechua: Suyo (soo yo) (region/province)