The blossoms are starting to bud; spring is on the horizon. Uruguayan president José Mujica has entered his 6th month, and legislators are wrangling over the five-year budget. This is strike season. ¡Paro! There are occasional strikes here anyway, mostly of the transit kind, and mostly in response[...]
Archive for the ‘Day in the Life’ Category
Partners in Poverty
Conversely, Guatemalans will ask how much your left shoe cost you without a second of hesitation. Living in such a money-obsessed, impoverished community has been difficult and bitter, and at the increased exposure to the question "How much?", I find myself fretting for my personal financial future.[...]
Hasta Luego
I’m a firm believer that tomorrow will always be the best day of my life. And considering that I am leaving Peru in two days, I have been preparing myself by making sure to look forward to the things at home. I will see some of my closest friends in the world, I will be able [...][...]
Life in the Classroom
Up to this point, all of the kids in my class at Colegio Anakena have been between the ages of three and four, which is of course the most adorable age and size kids come in. Most of the children have some minor learning or behavior problem, but they all also have some sort of [...][...]
August 13th, 2010 - 5:00 pm § in Country, Culture, Day in the Life, Peru, Tips & Resources, Volunteer
The Things I Have Learned
Although it’s tough to determine just how much I have learned during my three months in Peru, there are certain aspects of life that are a little more clear to me. Without further delay, I will impart some of the knowledge that I have gleaned from my experience. Yuppie travel gear. Nearly every mi[...]
August 6th, 2010 - 8:00 pm § in Around Town, Culture, Day in the Life, Good Ideas, Peru, Tips & Resources, Volunteer
Day in the Life: Hiking The Colca Canyon
Last week, a couple of us headed down to Arequipa to hike the Colca Canyon. After riding in a bus for nine hours with a broken bathroom and a broken window, we arrived at 7:00 in the morning absolutely frozen. Our luck continued when we found out that there were no buses back to Cusco. Figuring [...[...]
Conversations with Cab Drivers
During evening rush hour, the experience of traffic in Cusco harkens back to my days of commutes in Los Angeles: tempers flare, the cacophony of ear-piercing car horns pollutes everyone’s sanity, and drivers use dubious maneuvers to inch their ways forward or around the gridlock. As distraction fr[...]
Day in the Life: Fuegos Artificiales
Most people enjoy fireworks. Not only are they a great example of light traveling faster than sound but they also symbolize fiestas. However, the fuegos artificiales in Cusco are a little different. Rather than being used to signify the beginning of a party, they are instead used to disrupt sleeping[...]
Inconsistent Electricity & Trained Laziness
One thing that is very different here compared to the U.S. where I am from is the inconsistent electricity. Since living here, I have stayed in five different areas of Puerto Plata. The only places where there is electricity pretty much 24-7 is in the center of the city or near large resorts or comp[...]
Observing From the Inside
I’m always impressed by the kindness of strangers. Sometimes in a world full of such turmoil, one forgets to believe it exists. But it does. You just have to pay attention. I’ve noticed a handful of random acts of kindness lately. Either they’re happening more frequently or[...]
