End of Trip

So I know I got back about a month ago but I never sent a final blog post of what I did my final week so I figure I would just so you can know and that I have it later.

So I left Cuzco at night and took an overnight bus to Puno. I went out on a tour that took us to these reed floating islands which were really cool. These group of people started a colony on these floating islands way long ago to try and separate themselves from the Incas. Obviously the Incas are gone but these people still live on these islands. They are covered by tourists but were pretty crazy to visit. That night I caught a bus to Arequipa. At the bus terminal I ran into 3 people from my Salkantay trek who were heading to Arequipa too so it was nice to catch a bus with them and eventually stay in the same hostel. We toured around Arequipa for the day which was chill just walking the city and seeing a couple of the sites. They left that night for Lima and I hung out with one of the guys who worked at the hostel. We ended up heading out to a local discoteca and had a blast. The next day I did more touring with a girl from Boston who was staying in the same hostel. Left that night for Huacachina.

Eventually arrived in Huacachina which is a small oasis outside Ica. It is a small town consisting of 3 hostels and couple nice hotels. We sat pool side and waited for two of my friends who were coming from Cuzco. When they eventually arrived, we set out on a wine tour which consisted of one winery and one place where they made pisco. We had a blast although that night, our room was right next to the discoteca and could barely sleep. The next day we sat pool side again and then went dune bugging and sandboarding. The drivers of the dune buggies were absolutely crazy but so fun as we flew along these huge sand dunes. We would get to the top of these sand dunes and then board down them. some people lay on their stomachs but I strapped mine on like a snowboard. It was quite different (had to pretty much put all my weight on my back foot) but it was super fun. You got flying down the hill and then would suddenly stick to the sand and fall face first. Pretty comical. That night, we hiked to the top of the sand dune surrounding the oasis and just kicked it. The next day we took a bus to Lima. Lima was nothing exciting as it was just another big city but was nice to know that I was leaving soon. Just walked around for a day and half and then eventually caught my flight back to the states.

The most important thing I learned on this trip was that you just have to let things happen. Everything will turn out for the best so no need to stress about the small things. It was one amazing adventure that really tested my ability to meet new people and experience cultures that were not only completely different from what I am used to but also different from each other. I believe that everyone that can should go on a trip by themselves and experience what traveling by yourself really feels like. It is an impossible thing to describe and although it was tough at times, one of the most rewarding things I will probably ever do. Thanks for all the support throughout the unreal experience

Sorry that I have not got pictures posted yet, still working on editting them but when I get them up, I will post the links on this blog. Also, I am going to try and keep this blog going when I head down to Costa Rica during July. I think I have to keep a blog for the parents of the students so I will also post it on this to try and keep you up to date.

Last Day in Cuzco

So I can not believe that almost 2 months have passed by so quickly. I have had a chance to do so much here in Cuzco from the clinics, to living with 2 families to bartending, to all the tourist sites. One of the best feelings is that I have truly felt like a local here. I have walked around so much that I know the city like the back of my hand and have gotten to know people on more than just a tourist level. This is an incredible city and will definitely be returning.

So since my last post has been doing mostly tourist stuff. I went on a tour of the Sacred Valley which was SO pretty. The sites were cool but the hillsides and valley were incredible. Also went on another tour of Moray and the salt mines which were very cool. Also went to a Cienciano soccer game which was cool. Was not very exciting or good soccer but pretty fun. Crazy to think that the team was the best in South America, best in peru 3 years ago and now is at the bottom of the table. Still fun experience. Also had a chance to hang out with Rebekahs family (friend from spanish school) since they were in town. Super nice family from North Carolina and let me tell you, the accents were incredible. The last couple days were just spend saying goodbye to the people at the clinic and the bar. Really nice that I had a couple days to say goodbye to everyone without feeling rushed

Last thursday I left on the Salkantay Trek which lasted 5 days, the last day in Machu Picchu. It was a trek that took us 87 kilometers, which is about 54 miles, so lots of walking. We also climbed to 4620 meters, which is about 15,000 feet. Luckily most of us in the group had been in Peru for a little bit so the altitude wasnt to bad. Trek took us right under Salkantay Mountain and down to the Jungles in the valley. Crazy cool scenery and although each step hurt more and more, it was worth it in the end. Well worth the pain. Machu Picchu was also quite amazing as we luckily got to see it in the sun. In the morning were clouds but as they cleared, provided for some sweet pictures and views. I just hope they all turn out well. Also hiked Waynupicchu which is a hill that overlooks Machu Picchu. Tough to get up (if you have seen Lord of the Rings, kinda looks like the cliffs Frodo climbs) as the steps are only about 2 or 3 feet wide at some places and then at least a 200 or more foot drop. But it was well worth the views. All in all, well worth it. Also got the chance to meet some pretty cool people from all over. Out of 15 people, 9 countries and 8 languages were present but everyone besides the 2 Argentinians spoke english so great times at the campsite and on the hike. Got to know a med student from France who spoke better english than me really well so that was fun to talk with him. So all in all, the trip was totally worth it.

Got back last night and today is my last day. Just getting some final stuff done. Rest of the plan is to hit Puno for a day, Arequipa for 2, Ica for 2 and then Lima for 2. Crazy to think I head back to the states and real life in 1 week. Sorry i havent posted pictures but the computers here are super slow. When I get back to the states, I will upload and then send them to you

Hope all is well and cant wait to be back in the states

Everything here has been going really well. As things start to come to an end, I realize how much I have done yet I still have so much to do. Crazy that in three weeks I will be boarding a plane to return to the USA. Its been great but I am ready to finish up what I have scheduled and then get home.

The clinic has been great. I have been giving shots, cleaning wounds, taking vitals, and doing everything that I wanted to do here in a clinic. So I must say that I have been really lucky with that. The childrens clinic has also been great as I learn to appreciate what I have been given more and more. Bartending is going great. Although I get yelled at a lot cause I dont know much, I still have a great time and enjoy meeting people from all over the world. No better place to do it.

So if you havent heard, I got accepted to Adventures Cross-Country as a job for this summer. I will be leading two trips, both filled with 20 or so high school students and I will be taking them to Costa Rica. We will be learning spanish, working with the people, learning to surf and saving sea turtles. Pretty lucky to get the position and really excited about it.

This Sunday was probably one of the coolest experiences I have had thus far. I got invited by the host dad to play with his team in a small pueblo outside Cuzco. I thought it was just a regular club team but it was much more. It turned out that our team consisted of all ex-players of Cienciano, the club team here in Cuzco. They had been invited by the city as the main event for their city fair that they hold once a year. It was crazy that we showed up to a field on top of the hill (had to chase the ball when it went behind the goal) and over 100 people were watching. People were taking pictures of these guys and all sorts of stuff, just like celebrities. Its like the ex-mariners or ex-seahawks players came and played in a small town and we all got to watch and have autographs afterwards. It was super unreal. I got to play the entire time (although the altitude still makes it tough to run) so that was cool. Then we went into town and were treated to dinner and drinks. Had a really good time with all the guys and was really surprised about what it turned into. Felt like I used to play for the team.

So thats about it for now. Going to be doing some local tourist stuff this next week. Then on the 22nd I leave for a 5 day trek, last day arriving in Machu Picchu. Then leave the next day for Puno, Arequipa and finally Lima. Crazy to think that I have 3 weeks left yet so much to do. Hope all is well and cant wait to see everyone soon

2/3 Done!

Today marks my completion of two thirds of my trip. What a crazy trip it has been so far. From arriving in Buenos Aires at the end of January, I have not only been able to visit a lot of tourist spots in three different countries, I have been lucky enough to immerse myself in the cultures of two incredible cities and experienced so much. I know that by the end of this month and returning to the states on May 5th, I will be a much better person with a new found appreciation for the people of South America and how they enjoy life.

The work at the general clinic and the childrens clinic are both going well. I have been drawing blood, taking vital signs, giving injecctions and helping cleaning wounds at the general clinic so it has been great experience. I must say that it was smart to get that EMT certification before I left or else I probably would not be doing half the stuff I am now. The childrens clinic is still going well as I play with the kids and help out around the day care. Can not believe that I am already halfway through my volunteering. I have learned so much from both clinics but still feel there is so much to know, let alone becoming confident in medical spanish.

Bartending has been going really well. I have become good friends with the bartenders so its nice to have friends that only speak spanish cause it forces me to practice and learn. Although I have no idea whats going on sometimes, its all a learning experience. I am working both in the lounge bar learning complicated cocktails and then also at the discoteca learning speed. So its a great mix and a TON of fun.

Besides these things, just kinda kick it around the city whenever I have free time. I have explored the city and can pretty much tell you where anything is in Cuzco so thats pretty cool. Started looking to buy gifts and it is quite fun to try and bargain for gifts. its funny how they start out at like 40 soles for something and then after 5 minutes are down to 25 soles and can probably eventually get to 15 to 20 soles. I really enjoy bargaining but its kinda funny how you can argue over two or three soles. thats about a US dollar but its the principle so its quite fun.

Its semana santa here, a week long festival for easter. Lots of parades with all sorts of floats so kinda cool to see and experience that. Last Monday Plaza de Armas filled with people, something like 50,000, for the opening ceremony. It was pretty cool to watch from the bar I work at because it overlooks the plaza. The Cuzco Plaza de Armas is the 2nd largest plaza in the country and it was packed. The rest of the week has been kinda dead because most people take this week or at least a couple days off so most of the shops are closed.

Next 2 weeks I plan on doing the Boleto Turistico which is an entrance ticket to a bunch of tourist sites around Cuzco. After that I plan to take off to Machu Picchu on either a 4 or 5 day trek so that should be cool. Then I head to Puno, then Arequipa, then Lima and then I am home. Cant believe that I really dont have that much time left yet still so much to do. Going to be a crazy last couple weeks so I am really excited. Although I know I will miss being here, I cant wait to be home

Things Just Fall Into Place

Ive always been a guy who sees the glass half full and rolls with the punches. This trip has help secure these beliefs as everything seems to have just fallen perfectly into place and besides a few setbacks (bound to have a couple of those), everything has worked out perfectly.

So last I emailed you I had been working at the childrens clinic. I am still working there and am really enjoying it. Its definitely a difficult position and I am becoming more impressed with people who work with children or people with disabilities. Even though none of the children can walk and a few can barely talk (although its in spanish so that makes it alot more difficult), it really is a rewarding experience to play and help these kids. They are starting to recognize me and when I show up, I am greeted by a huge smile and the word allí (means there because they want me to stroll them outside). Although I am really not doing much, I feel like I am making a difference in their lives so that is really cool.

I started last week at Centro Medico de Santiago. It is a clinic of Es Salud, a private hospital here. I have really enjoyed my work so far. During the first two hours I am helping out in the lab drawing blood. Then after that I move to the triage where people check in where i help with height, weight, blood pressure and blood sugar level. I then eventually move to a thing called topico. Its where people get all their work done after they consult the doctor, ranging from pain medication injections to wound cleaning to EKG readings etc. I have only been observing so far but this week I think I will be getting to do more. Everyone at the clinic knows I want to go into medicine and so they want to help me get a lot of experience so that is really nice. Really happy that this worked out.

Have an interview tomorrow in the public hospital to work in the emergency department. Not sure if that will turn into anything but I figure I should give it a shot. Walked through the emergency department today and it is exactly what you would expect in a poorer country. Think it would be really cool to get some experience in there.

Been working at the discoteca on the weekends and been having a blast. Its a ton of fun plus a great way to practice spanish and get to meet new people. This weekend met a couple recent med school graduates who want to help me with the application process so that was pretty cool. Everyone at the bar is great but this next week I will splitting time between the crazy discoteca and the more tranquile lounge bar downstairs. Should be a nice mix.

Besides that life is going pretty well. The lab tech invited me to play soccer with him on Saturday and that was a blast. Called fulito cause its small sided soccer on a pitch about the size of indoor soccer but there are sidelines. They thought i was pretty good so they invited me to play with their full sided team this weekend. That should be fun. They also invited me to lunch on my birthday this wednesday to eat some traditional food called cuy. If u dont know what that is, lets just say im not totally thrilled on the idea of eating guinea pig but guess its popular here so we shall see how that goes.

Guess thats it for now. hope all is well back home and am so excited that I am more than halfway done and will be back to the states soon

What a Lovely City

I have been here for about a week and a half and I have absolutely loved it. Cuzco is an incredible city with lots of history but also lots to do.

So the first couple days here were spent in a hostel as I tired to figure everything out with the school and volunteering. Last thursday I went to salsa lessons with the school to try and meet some people which was really chill. Salsa was fun and I got to know a lot of the San Blas kids (San Blas is the school I am in). Friday I didnt have much to do so I just toured around the city. Ended up sitting at a bar just chatting it up with the bartenders (Yes, it was in spanish and i understood most of it). After about 2 hours of just hanging out talking, the manager must have heard that I was around for a while and liked me because he offered me a job as a bartender at a discoteca. Wasnt sure if he was lying or not but sure enough, last saturday, I learned how to bartend. It was quite an experience but really enjoyed myself. Hope to continue doing it twice or so a week for the rest of my time here.

Saturday I also moved in with my host family. They are super sweet grandparents who have two of their married daughters living in the house. They have a nice house and I have a comfortable bed with my own bathroom so that is pretty sweet. There is an elderly couple also staying at the house and studying at the school from Sacramento so its nice to hear some english every once in a while. I am planning on sticking with this family for at least this month and maybe the rest of the time here in Cuzco.

My interviews last friday were a little disappointing at first because they both seemed to be what i wanted. I had a follow up interview with a doctor at the hospital on Monday and he informed me that there was no work for me at the hospital but he did have a friend at a clinic who needed help. So i met with him on Tuesday and talked about what I will be doing. Sounds like I will be doing exactly what I wanted (taking vitals, dressing wounds, other stuff they need) so I am super happy to start that on this coming Monday. As for the Children´s clinic, it did not turn out like i wanted. I am helping autistic kids in a day care. It is a very mentally challenging position as all of these kids are in wheelchairs and most of them can not speak, just mumble. For most of the time there I walk them around outside and help feed them. I plan to do this twice or three times a week depending on my schedule. First day was very tough but the second day was quite inspiring as the kids got to know me and I started to see how to entertain them and make them laugh. So as of now, I am really excited about the work I will be doing here in Cuzco.

I havent had much time to get to exploring all of the cool stuff in and around Cuzco. Most of my time has been spent just getting to know the city and trying to meet people. I hope to get out and see the sights in the next week or two and hopefully book my Machu Picchu trip soon (probably going in late April). Hope all is well back at home and I cant believe I am almost half way through with my trip. Before you know it, I will be home sharing all my stories and experiences

Northern Argentina and Salar de Uyuni

Here are some of the pictures I took while on my adventures. Hope you enjoy

Northern Argentina: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2125129&id=7304822&l=54a089e26b

Salar de Uyuni: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2125207&id=7304822&l=acbfd58af7