Peru in the rainy, supposedly “low” season is a treat. Leaving Cusco two years ago after my first visit, I promised myself I would return, and this February I did. I found a blossoming community of riders in the navel of the universe, as the Incas wisely named it. Tourists filled [...]
Posts Tagged ‘Peru’
March 22nd, 2011 - 7:12 am § in Peru
Turning Lemons into Lima-nade
Howdy there readers! Welcome to my stories of adventure, intrigue, and guile here in South America. First, of course, a little back-story on your intrepid guide through my stories: me! I’m originally from Moscow, Russia, but was raised and educated in the northeastern part of the good ol’ U.[...]
Signing Off: Reverse Culture Shock and Lessons Learned from a Year Abroad
Last week I stepped onto U.S. soil for the first time in a year, and I admit that I’m experiencing a classic case of reverse culture shock. For the first few days I felt a pang of worry before drinking tap water, and was reluctant to throw toilet paper into the bowl. I wondered at [...][...]
The Well-Planned Life or The Summoned Self?
I recently read in the New York Times an article that helped articulate the confusion I’ve been feeling lately regarding “the next step” once my job in Peru is over. The op-ed piece by David Brooks is entitled The Summoned Self, and outlines two ways of thinking about life. The first is the We[...]
Part I: Traveling Peru, Lonely Planet Style
Traveling South America can be overwhelming because you have to be ready for anything. Flexibility is key. Prepare yourself for broken down buses with no heat, no means of communication, shady bargain prices, and cross your fingers for relatively smooth, low hassle travel. I flew one-way from Santia[...]
“The More You Know the Less You Understand”
The Chinese philosopher Lao Tse once said, “The more you know the less you understand.” It’s sort of a beautiful yet annoying paradigm. This philosophy has never rung more true in my life than over the last week. I am on vacation from volunteering in Santiago right now, traveling[...]
