Remembering Peru

This afternoon I was watching Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations: Peru and it brought back so many memories of our trip there. On this day two years ago I was preparing to spend the entire month of July in Cusco, mostly volunteering with local children. It was the trip of a lifetime, one I'll never forget.

Brandon and I had wanted to take a volunteer trip somewhere and because I knew some Spanish we chose a country in South America, both for its beautiful landscape and for the need for volunteers there. Due to Brandon's military obligations he was only able to spend 3 weeks in Peru but I stayed there 5 weeks. One week was spent at the beginning of the trip as a touristy vacation, before we had to check in for our volunteering. We decided to take a trip into the Amazon rainforest (the Manu Cloud Forest to be exact). *Click on the pictures to enlarge*We spent 3 days in the most humid, hot climate I've ever been in, and I grew up in North Carolina! It was also the middle of winter there so I can't imagine what summer would have been like. Though we didn't see too many mammals because we had such a short stay it was a wonderful experience.

Cock-of-the-rock bird

Rhinoceros beetle (almost as big as my hand)

Leaf cutter ants

I remember all the fresh foods they prepared for us, and the instructions to leave our doors closed at all times to prevent thievery....from the local spider monkey, Pepe. I remember the night walk we took through the jungle, hearing something in the brush on our way back to the lodge. Our guide Ronaldo told us to turn off our flashlights but I kept turning mine on every 30 seconds because it was absolutely pitch black in the forest. He couldn't find out what was making the noise but suspected it was an ocelot.Ronaldo took us to a local farm where they grew coco leaves (no, it's not illegal), pineapple and bananas. I chickened out on the zip line tour and walked back with Ronaldo to the lodge while the others went ahead without me. He taught me how to say "shit" in Spanish and I taught him how to say it in English.

Coca plants (used to combat high altitude sickness)

Pineapple farm

After coming back to Cusco we met our host family where we would be staying for the next few weeks. Our family consisted of a mother (Dina) and two older teenagers, Jamil and Ernesto. They're still my Facebook friends to this day and now they own their own tour business. The kids knew English so it helped with communication. They also hosted two teenagers from New York, a little immature but still fun to be around, and a girl from Austria who was about my age. I remember one night going to the grocery store with our host family and buying some laundry detergent to share with everyone. They laughed when they saw what we bought because it was dish detergent instead!

Brandon and I were assigned to A.M.A.S., an after-school center in San Jeronimo, a poor town outside of Cusco. In the morning we would attend Spanish classes and in the afternoon we would go to the center to help out. The kids there were so full of kisses and hugs. They loved having their picture taken and always wanted us to draw pictures for them so they could color them in.
Brandon made friends with one girl and helped her with her math homework every day. After he left I was still there for two weeks and she wrote him a letter asking him to come back and visit.

Brandon with his new friend

After the kids were done with homework they went outside to play...boys on soccer, girls on volleyball. These were the most popular games, though some played chess and a group of the older girls taught me a Peruvian card game (unfortunately I forgot how to play it). We taught the kids how to play Duck, Duck, Goose only we didn't know the Spanish word for goose so it turned out to be Duck, Duck, Chicken (Pato, Pato, Pollo). We also took some of the kids to the zoo, those who got permission from their parents. The conditions at the zoo were deplorable but the kids enjoyed themselves.I remember other small details about our trip to Peru, especially the food. While I was there I tried the famous Peruvian delicacy, cuy, otherwise known as guinea pig. It was a terrible tasting meat, one I regretted ordering. Even Brandon didn't like it. But there were other foods we loved: roco relleno (bell pepper stuffed with beef and veggies and coated in bread/potato), aji de gallina (chicken in a peanut-based sauce over rice) and lomo saltado (like beef stir fry with french fries mixed in).

Pollo con Quiwicha (Chicken with Quinua in a fruity sauce)

Cuy with roco relleno and potatoes

I remember getting the worst sinus infection ever towards the end of my trip, coupled with pink eye (due to the dirty conditions at the center I presume). I ended up having to go to the hospital for medication. At least I was able to see a German doctor.

The group we organized our volunteer trip with, UnitedPlanet, also scheduled trips for us on the weekends. One weekend was, of course, Machu Picchu.

Me and Brandon at Machu Picchu

The United Planet group at Machu Picchu

Another time we went shopping in the Sacred Valley, visiting Pisaq market, Sacsayhuaman (pronounced like sexy woman) and some cathedrals. They also organized white water rafting but because I had already been in Manu I decided to go horseback riding. UnitedPlanet also organized cooking and salsa lessons.

The Cathedral of Santo Domingo

Brandon and I discussed going back and taking a longer trip into the Amazon and even though I'd love to visit Ireland, I'm seriously considering going back to Peru. I miss it so much.