Travel Writing in Peru: Archives

LAURA NALIN writes: After many weeks of anticipation, hours of travel and worries whether or not my luggage was going to make the distance, I am finally in Peru! Only one day in, it has already been such a moving experience for me. The atmosphere of Lima is so different from the hectic American way of life I am used to. Our hotel that we are staying in is so beautiful and inviting and really gives me a feel of the Peruvian culture rather than just staying at some Holiday Inn (I don't know if they even have those here.)

Yesterday we had our first class, and afterwards ate as a group at this restaurant across the street, Pardo's Chicken. Seeing as I am a vegetarian, I was a little nervous about being able to find something to eat. I got this amazing salad that consisted of fresh avocado, carrots, beets and green beans, which was perfect because I was also hesitant about eating anything with lettuce because it is washed in the water.

After lunch, we toured Miraflores, the neighborhood we are staying in, which was so neat. Everybody in Lima seems to be much more relaxed and happy than in Chicago or even my hometown of Pittsburgh. I feel like Americans are so fast paced, and even in a larger metropolitan area it seems as though the majority of the people are always laughing and having a good time, which is refreshing.

After the tour, I went home and Skyped with my mom, and then got ready for the social mixer that our host school, IPAD, put on for us. It was so interesting to talk to the students that attend the school. It was a bit frustrating for me because I am not fluent in Spanish and couldn't always fully understand what some of them were saying, however, it was still so nice to be able to be exposed to the language. I exchanged e-mails with some of the kids that we met, and are maybe planning on hanging out with them this weekend, which would be rewarding to be able to experience their customs firsthand once again. I am excited and hopeful to continue on this journey.

LAURA NALIN writes: When I first arrived in Lima, I saw dozens of crescent-like flying objects on a daily basis. No, they were not UFOs or anything like that, but rather massive parachutes floating and zig-zagging through the sky over the ocean. After discovering that it cost $150 soles ($50 U.S. dollars), I knew I had to do it. I have tried to remain pretty frugal with my spending here, although it is so hard to do with things like food and the amazing earrings that seem to be on every corner that I seem to encounter, but I thought, "When am I going to get a chance to fly 700 feet above sea level over the coast of Lima?"

I was terribly nervous about the entire situation, but I just talked myself into not being afraid.

"Do you speak English, Spanish or Spanglish," asked my pilot.

"English, lo siento," I replied.

After standing there for a few seconds, my mind began to race with questions.

"Has anyone ever died doing this?" I asked.

"...Eh, no," he said with an added pause. "Hopefully we will be safe, yeah?"

After my pilot strapped me in to the necessary gear, he instructed me to "sit down" on the count of three. I followed directions, and before I knew it we were soaring through the air. With my camera wrapped around my wrist, I nervously filmed the entire thing as my hands and legs shook with nerves, I looked down as we glided over traffic-- I was startled when we came dangerously close to a few buildings, which I'm sure were on purpose (I hope so at least). My nerves calmed into a stillness as my pilot instructed me to put my arms out and flap them like a bird. Sounds silly, but it was really something else. My heart began to race once again as we quickly spiraled down towards the Pacific Ocean, however, unlike the first few seconds of the ride, I felt safe and trusted my pilot.

When we landed back on the grass I felt a huge relief overcome my body. I did it! I actually paraglided over an ocean, mountain tops and buildings. Knees buckling, I thanked my pilot and let in a huge breath of the salty, warm air. I am so proud of myself for getting over a fear of heights, trying something new and having such an open mind and soul. And for my next adventure, I will jump out of an airplane...

LAURA NALIN writes: Cusco has officially blown my mind. When we first arrived, it was beautiful yet rainy. I had never imagined I'd see landscape like this firsthand. From our hotel window, we can see a shanty town. It looks so fascinating and almost cute from far away--tiny boxes in various shades atop a mountain overlooking the city. However, up close, I found it heartbreaking. On our way to the train to Machu Picchu we drove past the town. I saw children walking down the muddy hillside that leads them to the rest of civilization, families digging through the trash in search of necessities that are so readily available to myself and my peers and animals drinking dirty water from potholes.

The drive through the shanty town was a humbling and emotional experience for me. I wondered what they thought of us when they looked at our faces and saw our bus. When I was in New Orleans doing hurricane relief, the locals would get so upset when people would drive past their homes just to view the devastation. I know we weren't exactly doing that because it was the route we had to take to get to our destination, however, I felt bad. I wondered if they felt the same way as those I had encountered in New Orleans.

We are on the train now, and I am pretty excited. I have been waiting for this train ride for quite some time, and I have finally boarded it. We are currently just riding through the Andes Mountains. I have never seen anything like what I see outside of my window. I feel so fortunate to be on this trip, this train, this Earth.

We just boarded the train back to Cusco from Machu Picchu. The entire trip was probably the most inspiring and majestic experiences I have ever had. Once we boarded the bus to take up the mountain, I was 100 percent captivated by everything that was surrounding me. I mean, I was in the middle of a tropical mountain forest.

As the bus began to tread up the hill I was mostly nervous, however the sight of the mountains and valleys calmed me. The enormous rocks humbled me. They made me realize how truly vast our planet is. Sure, there's the "it's a small world" phrase, which can often be true, however today made me feel otherwise. If we cannot see these mountains, these plains from outer space, imagine how small humans are. These mountains have been here for thousands of years--untouched. Humans, so small on a map, have such a massive impact on everything on this Earth.

Today a few mountains, green hills and a community formed of rocks, which essentially do nothing for humans, really did something for me. The stone water channels, temples, terraces, ramps and giant walls were unlike anything I had ever seen in my entire life. At one point after our tour, I went over to a secluded area that overlooked not only the mountains surrounding but also the entire historic sanctuary itself. I turned my iPod onto one of my favorite bands, Brightblack Morning Light, and it just chilled me out completely. I don't know if I have ever truly been that content in my life. Maybe I have, but not like this. It was just me and this beautiful nature and nothing else mattered.

Everything I experienced today was truly wonderful. This Earth's landscape rules. I don't want to leave this landscape for the cityscape, but I guess I have to...

Until (hopefully) next time, Machu Picchu.

LAURA NALIN writes: I have been home for exactly one week, and I think I am finally back in the swing of things. Almost as soon as I got home I went from having weird stomach aches (I ate some lettuce and spinach on the last day) to having a terrible week-long head cold. I can finally breathe out of my nose today which is fantastic.

One of the biggest culture shocks being away from home is that I wasn't directly exposed to the non-sense that is American culture. For whatever reason, there was more talk of NBC stabbing Conan in the back with one of the peacock feathers more so than the Haiti crisis. I mean, there has been enough talk about the Haiti crisis, but it seemed as though the majority of our society was more concerned with which side to take in this late night host battle.

The most obvious would have to be the weather change. We went from getting used to 80 degree weather on a daily basis to getting used to 30 degree weather on a daily basis. The good news is, I think we brought back some of the warmth because it hasn't been that cold since we've arrived home (it was 43 yesterday).

Both cultures are quite different and there are mindsets I dislike about each, but I think I am finally settled in here again. I really did miss my bed, after all.