Hola,
So I don´t know how well you all have been keeping up with the news, but I sure picked the lucky weekend to go to Machu Picchu. The actual hike was overall quite a blast. The first day was biking, but the bike´s weren´t exactly... functional. As in, when I first got my bike and was trying it out, I noticed that it was nearly impossible to pedal. The guide told me my pedals were broken, but that I needn´t worry because it would be mostly downhill. That was, in fact, not the case at all, and my bike stopped working towards the end so I had to ride in the car with the girl who´s pedal just flew off. Not to mention that cars kept coming at every corner. No injuries though :) The next day we hiked about 7 hours to the hot springs in Santa Teresa, and they were BEAUTIFUL. And much needed. The next day was about another 7 hours, some of which was on the actual Inca Trail, until we ended up in Aguas Calientes and spent the night there. I use night loosely because we got up at 2:00 in the morning and hiked about two hours up to Machu Picchu. It was pitch black, and my friends and I relied competely on my headlight (thank you Honan family!), and it was also rainy and freezing, and we had to hike up these incredibly steep stairs. Once we arried, we waited in line (well, not really, because our group was FIRST!) to get tickets to Wynapicchu, which is the mountain you always see in the background of the postcard pictures of Machu Picchu. Only 400 people are allowed on it every morning because the path up is so narrow, so you have to get there really early to get tickets. Once we got our tickets, we climbed up Machu Picchu and it started pouring. We waited for the fog to clear up and then climbed Wynapicchu, which was absolutely beautiful. Then, we happily took the bus to Aguas Calientes and left for Cusco later that afternoon.
Well, not exactly.
As soon as we got to Aguas Calientes, we were informed that we would have to wait a little bit before leaving Aguas Calientes because the train tracks were dangerous from all the rain. Then, we found out that landslides from the rain had completely broken the tracks, and we were stranded because there are absolutely no roads leading out of Aguas Calientes. We waited for about 3 days until the U.S. Embassy and the Peruvian government sent helicopters to evacuate everyone, starting with pregnant people, families with little kids, and the elderly, and then moving down by age group. Finally, on Thursday, (day five) they started taking the 30 and under people so we got our butts in the long line to the helicopters and made it back safely Thursday afternoon. Not going to lie, the helicopter ride was AWESOME. It was about 15 minutes long, and then we arrived at the nearby city of Ollantaytambo where we took an hour and a half busride back to Cusco. Many towns were hit badly from the landslides, and this is definitely going to affect the tourism in Peru. Machu Picchu isn´t going to be open for 2 months.
So, that was my Machu Picchu adventure. I wonder if I´ll ever able to eat Nature Valley Yogurt bars again, because they pretty much made up my meals considering the restaurants only really had meat left (I´m a vegetarian here for kashrut reasons).
Next stop... ARGENTINA!!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Experiencias Nuevas en Cusco (New Experiences in Cusco)
Hi Everyone,
I´d like to preface this entry with saying that I´m sorry if this blog doesn´t seem to flow very well, I have to write it bit by bit because I just don´t have time to write it all in one go =)
For the month of January I am volunteering in a clinic called San Juan de Dios. I work in the section consisiting of about 40 children, ages 0-15, with a range of dissabilities. The majority of the kids have Cerebral Palsy and are in wheelchairs or walkers, some fully functioning mentally, and some very little. Some of the kids have Downs syndrome. Many of the kids live here until they are moved on to a clinic for older people, while others get picked up by their parents when they are older. I decided to volunteer here because I knew that it would be a challenge for me and like nothing I have ever done before. It certainly is, and it is also hands down the most rewarding thing I have ever done. I come in the morning, and we bring all the kids outside to the park to play. This is no simple task. My new nickname is Capitan Avra (Captain Avra), and here´s why. Pretty much everyday I man this giant swing in the shape of a boat. It is popular, so it takes about 15 minutes to get everyone settled. Other nurses and volunteers line up the kids, and one by one we place them comfortably in the boat swing, making sure all of their heads and limbs are well supported. Once everyone is in position, it´s full speed ahead. We spend over an hour pushing the swing, taking the kids to different countries, and trying to avoid the sharks (which is the job of other kids who don´t want to get in the boat but want to participate), and the giant waves when we are plagued by storms. Other times I practice walking with the kids, playing in the ball pit, and pushing them on the swings or see saw. These kids look forward to playing in the park from the moment they wake up, and it is a neat feeling to know that my job is to help them enjoy themselves. After a few hours of playing, the place turns chaotic as nurses and volunteers each grab a kid and wheel him or her inside to sit down at a table for lunch. Once all the kids are settled around their table, the food is brought out and the feeding begins. Many of the kids can feed themselves, but many of them cannot, and there is much crying, screaming, spitting up, and throwing food during the lunch hour. However, everyone has this awesome sense of humor about everything that is going on, and this chaotic part of my day is filled with energy and laughter. Afterwards, every kid needs to have his or her teeth brushed (some can do it themselves), many of them have to be brought to the bathroom (this particular task is certainly building up my arm muscles), and then comfortably placed in bed for a nap. The clinic is financially well off, seeing as the kids have a sufficient amount of clothes and food and there is a nice park to play in. However, there is definitely not enough help. There are only several nurses and not many volunteers, and I often find myself telling kids that I have to wait to take them to the bathroom because I am with another one. One of the best parts about working is the attitudes of the kids. The first few times I had to bring kids to the bathroom, I really had no idea how to do this, and it was especially difficult considering each kid has his or her own routine. However, as the kids tried to explain to me what I needed to do, instead of expressing frustration as I bumbled around searching for which size toilet seat to use, they laughed and encouraged me. This one girl thought it was absolutely hilarious that I put her on a toilet way too small for her. Slowly I am learning the ways of each kid, and I owe it to their patient attitudes and senses of humor.
On Friday, one volunteer organized a special trip to the zoo for the higher functioning kids. They haven´t left the clinic for a really long time, so they were bursting with excitiement. I was responsible for a 6 year old girl named Deysi who is nonverbal and has Cerebral Palsy. However, she is incredibly easy to understand, and is always using her hands to joke around. Deysi is one of the sharks when we play in the boat in the mornings, and she rubs her tummy to show that she is hungry for children, and puts her hands together above her head to show that she is about to attack. At the zoo, there were monkies, parrots, tigers, bears, deer, condors, and more. At the end of the kids all got goody bags, and when we wheeled them back for lunch, they were exhausted from their exciting morning.
Two weeks ago, I was invited by the Peruvian tour guide that worked with my family to go to some native Quechua villages. The first one we went to (I can´t even pronounce the name) is about 3 hours away from Cusco, and is one of the poorest areas in the entire country. I felt a strong contrast between walking along the bustling streets in the center of Cusco and being able to see the entire Quechua village from where I stood, dirt houses and all. When the car pulled up, there were about 100 boys and girls standing in line waiting to receive the gifts we brought, with dirty feet and clothes, but smiling faces. We provided hot chocolate, bread, candy, and toys. Afterwards, we went to the town of Ocomayu, another poor village but singifnicantly more developed than the previous one. We visited the Church, where the town was having a big celebration to honor Virgin Mary. Some of the towns people stood in a window of the second story of the Church and threw down apples for everyone to catch! This didn´t seem to face the eager people waiting at the bottom to catch the fruit, but I had a slight fear that some little kid who wasn´t paying attention would end up with an apple-sized bruise across his face. Luckily I don´t think that happened. After the apple throwing, we handed out, (on ground level), the goodies that we brought. It was an interesting experience because in my day to day life here, though I often go to non-toursity areas, I hadn´t yet seen the poverty of Peru and the native villages, and was lucky to have had this opportunity.
Another thing I am learning (or trying very hard to learn) is how to salsa dance. I have begun taking Spanish lessons again (Sra. Linda and Sra. Brejcha I hope you are reading this =) ). At the school, there are free lessons every weekend. They last 3 hours, and I am a sweaty mess by the end. However, it is quite thrilling to to be able to know what to do (sort of) once the music turns on. The cool thing about the classes is that they are open to everyone, so Peruvians come as well. I have had some really talented Peruvian dance partners. When we go salsa dancing at discotecas, and we are line dancing, I somehow always end up being the awkward extra girl that has to dance as the boy. Oh, well.
This past weekend we went white water rafing in the Urubamba River in the Sacred Valley, and the water was class 4 (the highest is 5). It was quite a thrill. Afterwards we went ziplining. A. Blast.
For the month of January I decided that though living in a host family has been an incredible experience, and has certainly helped me integrate into Peruvian culture, I want to experience living on my own, giving myself the ability to structure my own days. I am living on a hostel with two close girl friends, both 19, from Germany and Norway. It is an extremely different lifestyle than living with a Peruvian family. There is a free kitchen, so we make all of our meals, and have graduated from salads and garlic bread to French toast =)
In February, I will be going to Buenos Aires to volunteer at a soup kitchen, which I am really looking forward to. I was planning on staying in Cusco for longer, but I really feel like I got to truly experience life in Cusco, and I am ready to experience something new. A part of me has absolutley fallen in love with Cusco and with my lifestyle here, but another part of me is bursting with excitement to completely change settings. I still have lots to look forward to, such as going on a four day trek to Machu Picchu this weekend as well as another week at the clinic. I will be sure to keep you all posted on mis ultimos dias (my last days) in Cusco!
With Love,
Avra
I´d like to preface this entry with saying that I´m sorry if this blog doesn´t seem to flow very well, I have to write it bit by bit because I just don´t have time to write it all in one go =)
For the month of January I am volunteering in a clinic called San Juan de Dios. I work in the section consisiting of about 40 children, ages 0-15, with a range of dissabilities. The majority of the kids have Cerebral Palsy and are in wheelchairs or walkers, some fully functioning mentally, and some very little. Some of the kids have Downs syndrome. Many of the kids live here until they are moved on to a clinic for older people, while others get picked up by their parents when they are older. I decided to volunteer here because I knew that it would be a challenge for me and like nothing I have ever done before. It certainly is, and it is also hands down the most rewarding thing I have ever done. I come in the morning, and we bring all the kids outside to the park to play. This is no simple task. My new nickname is Capitan Avra (Captain Avra), and here´s why. Pretty much everyday I man this giant swing in the shape of a boat. It is popular, so it takes about 15 minutes to get everyone settled. Other nurses and volunteers line up the kids, and one by one we place them comfortably in the boat swing, making sure all of their heads and limbs are well supported. Once everyone is in position, it´s full speed ahead. We spend over an hour pushing the swing, taking the kids to different countries, and trying to avoid the sharks (which is the job of other kids who don´t want to get in the boat but want to participate), and the giant waves when we are plagued by storms. Other times I practice walking with the kids, playing in the ball pit, and pushing them on the swings or see saw. These kids look forward to playing in the park from the moment they wake up, and it is a neat feeling to know that my job is to help them enjoy themselves. After a few hours of playing, the place turns chaotic as nurses and volunteers each grab a kid and wheel him or her inside to sit down at a table for lunch. Once all the kids are settled around their table, the food is brought out and the feeding begins. Many of the kids can feed themselves, but many of them cannot, and there is much crying, screaming, spitting up, and throwing food during the lunch hour. However, everyone has this awesome sense of humor about everything that is going on, and this chaotic part of my day is filled with energy and laughter. Afterwards, every kid needs to have his or her teeth brushed (some can do it themselves), many of them have to be brought to the bathroom (this particular task is certainly building up my arm muscles), and then comfortably placed in bed for a nap. The clinic is financially well off, seeing as the kids have a sufficient amount of clothes and food and there is a nice park to play in. However, there is definitely not enough help. There are only several nurses and not many volunteers, and I often find myself telling kids that I have to wait to take them to the bathroom because I am with another one. One of the best parts about working is the attitudes of the kids. The first few times I had to bring kids to the bathroom, I really had no idea how to do this, and it was especially difficult considering each kid has his or her own routine. However, as the kids tried to explain to me what I needed to do, instead of expressing frustration as I bumbled around searching for which size toilet seat to use, they laughed and encouraged me. This one girl thought it was absolutely hilarious that I put her on a toilet way too small for her. Slowly I am learning the ways of each kid, and I owe it to their patient attitudes and senses of humor.
On Friday, one volunteer organized a special trip to the zoo for the higher functioning kids. They haven´t left the clinic for a really long time, so they were bursting with excitiement. I was responsible for a 6 year old girl named Deysi who is nonverbal and has Cerebral Palsy. However, she is incredibly easy to understand, and is always using her hands to joke around. Deysi is one of the sharks when we play in the boat in the mornings, and she rubs her tummy to show that she is hungry for children, and puts her hands together above her head to show that she is about to attack. At the zoo, there were monkies, parrots, tigers, bears, deer, condors, and more. At the end of the kids all got goody bags, and when we wheeled them back for lunch, they were exhausted from their exciting morning.
Two weeks ago, I was invited by the Peruvian tour guide that worked with my family to go to some native Quechua villages. The first one we went to (I can´t even pronounce the name) is about 3 hours away from Cusco, and is one of the poorest areas in the entire country. I felt a strong contrast between walking along the bustling streets in the center of Cusco and being able to see the entire Quechua village from where I stood, dirt houses and all. When the car pulled up, there were about 100 boys and girls standing in line waiting to receive the gifts we brought, with dirty feet and clothes, but smiling faces. We provided hot chocolate, bread, candy, and toys. Afterwards, we went to the town of Ocomayu, another poor village but singifnicantly more developed than the previous one. We visited the Church, where the town was having a big celebration to honor Virgin Mary. Some of the towns people stood in a window of the second story of the Church and threw down apples for everyone to catch! This didn´t seem to face the eager people waiting at the bottom to catch the fruit, but I had a slight fear that some little kid who wasn´t paying attention would end up with an apple-sized bruise across his face. Luckily I don´t think that happened. After the apple throwing, we handed out, (on ground level), the goodies that we brought. It was an interesting experience because in my day to day life here, though I often go to non-toursity areas, I hadn´t yet seen the poverty of Peru and the native villages, and was lucky to have had this opportunity.
Another thing I am learning (or trying very hard to learn) is how to salsa dance. I have begun taking Spanish lessons again (Sra. Linda and Sra. Brejcha I hope you are reading this =) ). At the school, there are free lessons every weekend. They last 3 hours, and I am a sweaty mess by the end. However, it is quite thrilling to to be able to know what to do (sort of) once the music turns on. The cool thing about the classes is that they are open to everyone, so Peruvians come as well. I have had some really talented Peruvian dance partners. When we go salsa dancing at discotecas, and we are line dancing, I somehow always end up being the awkward extra girl that has to dance as the boy. Oh, well.
This past weekend we went white water rafing in the Urubamba River in the Sacred Valley, and the water was class 4 (the highest is 5). It was quite a thrill. Afterwards we went ziplining. A. Blast.
For the month of January I decided that though living in a host family has been an incredible experience, and has certainly helped me integrate into Peruvian culture, I want to experience living on my own, giving myself the ability to structure my own days. I am living on a hostel with two close girl friends, both 19, from Germany and Norway. It is an extremely different lifestyle than living with a Peruvian family. There is a free kitchen, so we make all of our meals, and have graduated from salads and garlic bread to French toast =)
In February, I will be going to Buenos Aires to volunteer at a soup kitchen, which I am really looking forward to. I was planning on staying in Cusco for longer, but I really feel like I got to truly experience life in Cusco, and I am ready to experience something new. A part of me has absolutley fallen in love with Cusco and with my lifestyle here, but another part of me is bursting with excitement to completely change settings. I still have lots to look forward to, such as going on a four day trek to Machu Picchu this weekend as well as another week at the clinic. I will be sure to keep you all posted on mis ultimos dias (my last days) in Cusco!
With Love,
Avra
Monday, January 4, 2010
El fin de un capítulo (The end of a chapter)
Hola!
There is, as usual, a lot to report about! A few weeks ago, I traveled to Puno which is near Lake Titicaca. On the other side of Lake Titicaca is Bolivia. On Lake Titicaca, there are these neat islands that float, which are logically called the Floating Islands. They have been around for hundreds of years and were started by the native people. They are made using this mud that floats, and the island is built upon it. They last many years, but whenever one starts to sink, they build a new one. Families actual live there in huts, and they were really friendly to us. I also traveled to the island of Amantani and spent the night at a native´s house. The daughter, Flavia, was welcoming and showed us around and the ruins that are on the island. In the morning we put on the clothes of the native people, which, for girls, consists of a long, decorated skirt, a white blouse, and a big shawl that is worn on the head. All the native people wear this clothing. The next day we went to another island, Taquile, and did a hike around the island looking at the ruins. It was an awesome trip, minus the fact that our bus broke down on the way back and we sat on the side of a road for 8 hours. Oh well, thus is traveling in Peru =)
As Hanukkah was approaching, I decided that I was not going to spend a latke-less Hanukkah (the Chabad is still closed because the Rabbi and his wife are in Israel). Also, there was an important holiday that my friend from Norway celebrates, called Santa Lucia, in which you bake sweet buns and sing songs. So, we put our holidays together and threw a Hanukkah/Santa Lucia Fiesta. It took place at my host family´s house. We invited my whole Peruvian family, consisting of Oscar, Gretta, Nena, Franco, Nuri, Shirel, and the other Oscar, and also some other volunteer friends. There were actually two other Jewish people, Abby, from Australia, and Jo, from England, both of whom I met through Chabad. We all made latkes together in the kitchen, and then sat down for a delicious meal of fruit salad, latkes, and Santa Lucia buns for dessert. We lit candles and I explained the significance, and afterwards, we played the most competitive game of dreidel I have ever played, which lasted about 2 hours. Picture my Peruvian family shouting: Quiero Gimmel! (I want gimmel). It was certainly a Hanukkah to be remembered, and the most diverse one I have ever attended!
I am done volunteering at both the kindergarden and the orphanage because of the summer holiday. The school is closed, and there are only a handful of girls left at the orphanage because many of them have relatives to go to. My last day at the kindergarden happened to be the huge dance festival that we have been preparing for for the past two months. Each class, 3 year olds, 4 year olds, and 5 year olds, performed a dance and sang a song. My 5 year olds sang the song that I taught them, Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes. The costumes the kids wore were UNBELIEVABLE! (I have no way of putting up pictures yet but I am working on it =) ) The school was packed with parents and siblings.
My last day at the orphanage was quite sad. We had all the girls sit around the table, and we explained to them that this was our last day. Then, to lighten the mood, we brought ice cream and home made cookies, but they were eaten quietly and with sad faces. Then we put on music and had a dance party with everyone. I will certainly miss this place. I plan on visiting a few times in the next months to hang out with the girls who do not have a place to go over the summer. This place is just heaven on earth. The girls are all sisters (one day they called me their aunt, which I thought was very cute). They look out for each other, they are all incredibly mature, and everyone of them will grow up to be a beautiful person. It was such a blessing to be able to volunteer there.
Also, the family visited! It was quite an adventure. We visited both the kindergarden and the orphanage, and also spent a few days touring Cusco (which my family has FINALLY learned to pronounce. They have come along way since Cosco, or K-mart as they liked to joke). Then, we went to the jungle in Puerto Maldonado where we saw various animals, walked on canopies, went fishing, and did several nature hikes. We stayed in these cabins literally in the middle of the jungle. We spent the last day touring Lima, thus concluding the Shapiro Family Adventures.
I am not sure exactly where I am volunteering next, but I will be sure to keep you posted!
Love,
Avra
P.S. For those of you who have not seen the facebook pictures yet, I got dreadlocks =)
There is, as usual, a lot to report about! A few weeks ago, I traveled to Puno which is near Lake Titicaca. On the other side of Lake Titicaca is Bolivia. On Lake Titicaca, there are these neat islands that float, which are logically called the Floating Islands. They have been around for hundreds of years and were started by the native people. They are made using this mud that floats, and the island is built upon it. They last many years, but whenever one starts to sink, they build a new one. Families actual live there in huts, and they were really friendly to us. I also traveled to the island of Amantani and spent the night at a native´s house. The daughter, Flavia, was welcoming and showed us around and the ruins that are on the island. In the morning we put on the clothes of the native people, which, for girls, consists of a long, decorated skirt, a white blouse, and a big shawl that is worn on the head. All the native people wear this clothing. The next day we went to another island, Taquile, and did a hike around the island looking at the ruins. It was an awesome trip, minus the fact that our bus broke down on the way back and we sat on the side of a road for 8 hours. Oh well, thus is traveling in Peru =)
As Hanukkah was approaching, I decided that I was not going to spend a latke-less Hanukkah (the Chabad is still closed because the Rabbi and his wife are in Israel). Also, there was an important holiday that my friend from Norway celebrates, called Santa Lucia, in which you bake sweet buns and sing songs. So, we put our holidays together and threw a Hanukkah/Santa Lucia Fiesta. It took place at my host family´s house. We invited my whole Peruvian family, consisting of Oscar, Gretta, Nena, Franco, Nuri, Shirel, and the other Oscar, and also some other volunteer friends. There were actually two other Jewish people, Abby, from Australia, and Jo, from England, both of whom I met through Chabad. We all made latkes together in the kitchen, and then sat down for a delicious meal of fruit salad, latkes, and Santa Lucia buns for dessert. We lit candles and I explained the significance, and afterwards, we played the most competitive game of dreidel I have ever played, which lasted about 2 hours. Picture my Peruvian family shouting: Quiero Gimmel! (I want gimmel). It was certainly a Hanukkah to be remembered, and the most diverse one I have ever attended!
I am done volunteering at both the kindergarden and the orphanage because of the summer holiday. The school is closed, and there are only a handful of girls left at the orphanage because many of them have relatives to go to. My last day at the kindergarden happened to be the huge dance festival that we have been preparing for for the past two months. Each class, 3 year olds, 4 year olds, and 5 year olds, performed a dance and sang a song. My 5 year olds sang the song that I taught them, Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes. The costumes the kids wore were UNBELIEVABLE! (I have no way of putting up pictures yet but I am working on it =) ) The school was packed with parents and siblings.
My last day at the orphanage was quite sad. We had all the girls sit around the table, and we explained to them that this was our last day. Then, to lighten the mood, we brought ice cream and home made cookies, but they were eaten quietly and with sad faces. Then we put on music and had a dance party with everyone. I will certainly miss this place. I plan on visiting a few times in the next months to hang out with the girls who do not have a place to go over the summer. This place is just heaven on earth. The girls are all sisters (one day they called me their aunt, which I thought was very cute). They look out for each other, they are all incredibly mature, and everyone of them will grow up to be a beautiful person. It was such a blessing to be able to volunteer there.
Also, the family visited! It was quite an adventure. We visited both the kindergarden and the orphanage, and also spent a few days touring Cusco (which my family has FINALLY learned to pronounce. They have come along way since Cosco, or K-mart as they liked to joke). Then, we went to the jungle in Puerto Maldonado where we saw various animals, walked on canopies, went fishing, and did several nature hikes. We stayed in these cabins literally in the middle of the jungle. We spent the last day touring Lima, thus concluding the Shapiro Family Adventures.
I am not sure exactly where I am volunteering next, but I will be sure to keep you posted!
Love,
Avra
P.S. For those of you who have not seen the facebook pictures yet, I got dreadlocks =)
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