I apologize to all of you who have been reading my blog. Being that I only have five weeks in Peru I have been cramming in as much as I possibly can with school every day, sightseeing, traveling, and cultural events. Also, it takes forever to upload things so I am trying to post when I have a big chunk of time. Some of you have asked about the altitude here. It is 3,400 meters or 10,750 feet above sea level.
Each week that I have been here I have tried to acculturate myself somehow. During week two I went to the Qoricanch museum which contained old Incan artifacts. There were old clay pots, jewelry, stonework, textiles, and mummified remains. The Incas buried their dead in the fetal position because they believed in reincarnation. There was also an exhibit regarding their astrological beliefs but between the terrible, yet hilariously, translated English and Spanish I could not quite make out the history.
Each week that I have been here I have tried to acculturate myself somehow. During week two I went to the Qoricanch museum which contained old Incan artifacts. There were old clay pots, jewelry, stonework, textiles, and mummified remains. The Incas buried their dead in the fetal position because they believed in reincarnation. There was also an exhibit regarding their astrological beliefs but between the terrible, yet hilariously, translated English and Spanish I could not quite make out the history.
Puno and Lake Titicaca
Lake Titicaca is a huge lake (3,200 square meters) between Peru and Bolivia. It is claimed to be the highest "commercially navigable lake in the world". The elevation of Puno and Lake Titicaca is 12,420 feet (3,860 meters). I went with three other girls, one girl from New Mexico, Xuan (Swan), one girl from Denmark, Marie Louise, and my German friend, Nele. We spent the better part of the week debating how to get to Puno and whether or not we should book a tour through the school. We decided against it because we figured we could get more out of the trip for less money if we did it on our own. The trip with the school was $150 so our goal the entire weekend was to spend under $150. I think we spent a little over $100 so it was a success!
The Thursday before we left, Marie Louise and I went to the bus station to buy our tickets. We were surprised to find a huge bus station with rows or private vendors selling tickets. We went up and down the bottom row of venders and back and forth between a few of them until we settled on a decently priced one. Marie Louise, being a genius at haggling, got the lady to drop the price for all of us a bit. We left Cusco around 10 p.m. Friday and arrived in Puno around 5:30 a.m. Saturday. We were all a bit nervous because we had not previously booked a tour so we were hoping that we would find something when we got there. Luckily, as soon as we entered the bus station two different tour companies approached us and started trying to persuade us to buy one of their tours. Once again, Marie Louise got one of them to drop the price 15 Soles. We did not have to be at the tourist office until 7:30 so we made our way to the bathroom which we had to pay .50 Soles to use and wait in a ridiculously long line because a bunch of other buses had just arrived. Then, we walked around the bus station and looked at the various shops. We all ended up buying something for warmth. I bought a pair of “real” alpaca gloves. Then we bought tea and coffee in the restaurant at the bus station and ate the breads we had bought at a Panaderia the night before (we eat a ridiculous amount of bread here).
Finally, it was time for our tour so we waited at to the tour office until we were directed to a bus which took us to the dock. One good thing about traveling so much is that I get to practice my patience. We waited at the dock until someone led us to our boat. We settled in and were entertained by an Andean flute player. Then, we finally left for the first stop, the floating Islas of Uros. We spent most of our time on the top deck of the boat. The whole weekend we were all completely amazed at how big the Lake was and kept having to remind ourselves that it was not an ocean.
When we arrived at Uros we were directed to sit and listen to the leader of the Island welcome us and explain a little bit about the Island. He said that the particular island we were on contained 10 different families and was constructed entirely of reeds. Their primary source of income is tourism. He also peeled some reeds for us to eat. We were all impressed that they could eat the very thing they were living on. The reeds provided food, shelter, and material to make goods for tourists. After the intro we were asked if we wanted to take a boat road on one of the reed boats. Half of our group decided against it but the girls and I went on a about a 15 minute boat ride around the island. I am glad that we decided to go because there was something particularly special about the ride. The weather was perfect (all weekend), the water was calm and quiet, and everything was so serene.
After the boat ride we were directed to sit back down to listen to an explanation of the construction of the island. Keep in mind that every tour I go on is in Spanish and usually bad English so I try to get the most out of both. From what I understood, the different islands are constructed by the people living on them. The particular island we were on was constructed by the ten families who came together and laid the reed sort of in a Jenga-like pattern. I believe they said they started with the reed roots and then at the top they laid the reed stocks and made it about three meters thick. Then to keep it from floating around the lake they anchored it with 8 different wooden anchors around the island. Over time, the construction of the houses has changed from teepee looking homes to more hut like homes.
After the presentation we were given time to walk around and purchase some of the handmade textiles and reed mobiles. Then, we headed off for our second Island Amantani. When we arrived we were divided up in groups with different host families. Then, we were given a couple of hours to go to our host homes, eat lunch, and relax. Our host mom gave us a simple lunch of soup followed by potatoes boiled eggs and muna tea which was supposed to help with the elevation.
Around four, our group met up for a strenuous hike up to the top of the island. On the top were Incan ruins and all along the way were terraces. The good thing about this tour is that we were, for the most part, allowed to go at our own pace. After the hike to the top we were allowed to walk back down the mountain the same way or walk back down through the little village. Xuan and I opted for walking through the village which was fairly small, complete with houses, a couple of places to eat and buy food and a small plaza. We did not spend much time there because by then it was cold and almost dark and we were hungry from the long walk so we headed back to our host family. Since the island was so small we were able to ask a random passerby where the Santos’ home was and she led us most of the way until we ran into our host father. One thing I am learning about the Peruvian people is that they take care of their own so if you are staying with a family they make sure you are OK. When we got home we waited for a little while wondering if we were going to be fed dinner but we were too nervous to ask. Finally, we all worked up the courage to ask our host mom who directed us to the table in the room Xuan was staying in and gave us soup and then rice and potatoes in a gravy-like sauce. (The other day I asked Rocio why everyone eats soup first in Peru and she was not sure. She explained that it is just part of their culture.)
After dinner we all went upstairs for bed. As we were getting ready our host mom told us that we could go to the plaza for some kind of fiesta but we politely declined. We were all really exhausted from having slept on the bus the night before. The next morning we ate some kind of fried bread and tea for breakfast and then were led down to the dock to board the boat. We said our goodbyes to our host mom and then left for the Island of Taquile. Once again we were allowed to go at our own pace on the island. We walked along a path to the main plaza. Along the way we saw some of the traditional houses and terraces. On the islands of Amantani and Taquile, the main food sources are fish and crops. They also had some cattle, herds of sheep, chickens and donkeys. We figured they probably ate more vegetables than meat because of the lack of meat on the islands. When we made it to the plaza we walked around for a while and waited for our guide who disappeared to make arrangements for lunch. Finally, we were led up the hill to a lunch spot where we were told a little bit about the culture of the island and given food options. I had fresh trout and papas fritas. Then, we were led back to our boat and headed back to Puno.
When we arrived back in Puno the tour company dropped us off near the main square so we could see some of the festivities. We were all surprised by the heat because we expected that it was going to be cold and rainy the whole time. We timed our trip to Puno just right because we made it to the last and best day of the Fiesta de La Virgen de la Candalaria which is a week-long celebration. On the Sunday that we went they had an all day long parade around the city with tons of venders and people dressed in the most colorful costumes from different places around Peru. After watching for a while we decided to get lunch so we found a restaurant with traditional Peruvian food. I tried alpaca for the first time while Xuan and Nele tried Cuy. I tried the Cuy but I could not stomach seeing the whole Guinean pig. For desert we tried some of the churros from a vender on the street. Around the same time, Nele almost had her phone stolen so we were all on high alert from then on, especially because it was getting dark and more people were drinking on the streets. We wandered around town for a while looking for a good spot to watch the parade. It made it hard to find a good place because there were so many people and because we were carrying our travel bags. We finally found the perfect spot in front of a tourist store which kept us out of the pouring rain. The parade was an incredible experience because it included people both young and old dressed in elaborate, colorful costumes. Usually there was a group of girls followed by a group of guys and then a band all from the same region.
After we watched for a while we wandered around and looked at the stands and then made our way back to the bus stop. Nele was a bit paranoid the whole time so we tried not to stay in the streets too long. Our bus ride home was quick because we were so tired and ready to be home. We arrived back in Cusco around 5:30 a.m. Monday morning. None of us were looking forward to going to school at 8:30. We all caught taxis to our home stays. It is always hit or miss with the cab drivers here. I am learning to be very clear in my description of where I live and how much I am willing to pay. Unfortunately, because it was so early that morning I got one of the cab drivers that tries to rip people off. When I entered the cab I told the cab driver I would pay tres soles which he mumbled an agreement but when I got to my house he demanded diez soles. Being as tired as I was I told him his price was unreasonable, handed him four soles because I had no change, and jumped out of the car and went inside my house. Besides the minor hang ups with the almost stolen phone, Nele getting sick, and the cab driver, our trip to Puno was quiet a success!
The Thursday before we left, Marie Louise and I went to the bus station to buy our tickets. We were surprised to find a huge bus station with rows or private vendors selling tickets. We went up and down the bottom row of venders and back and forth between a few of them until we settled on a decently priced one. Marie Louise, being a genius at haggling, got the lady to drop the price for all of us a bit. We left Cusco around 10 p.m. Friday and arrived in Puno around 5:30 a.m. Saturday. We were all a bit nervous because we had not previously booked a tour so we were hoping that we would find something when we got there. Luckily, as soon as we entered the bus station two different tour companies approached us and started trying to persuade us to buy one of their tours. Once again, Marie Louise got one of them to drop the price 15 Soles. We did not have to be at the tourist office until 7:30 so we made our way to the bathroom which we had to pay .50 Soles to use and wait in a ridiculously long line because a bunch of other buses had just arrived. Then, we walked around the bus station and looked at the various shops. We all ended up buying something for warmth. I bought a pair of “real” alpaca gloves. Then we bought tea and coffee in the restaurant at the bus station and ate the breads we had bought at a Panaderia the night before (we eat a ridiculous amount of bread here).
Finally, it was time for our tour so we waited at to the tour office until we were directed to a bus which took us to the dock. One good thing about traveling so much is that I get to practice my patience. We waited at the dock until someone led us to our boat. We settled in and were entertained by an Andean flute player. Then, we finally left for the first stop, the floating Islas of Uros. We spent most of our time on the top deck of the boat. The whole weekend we were all completely amazed at how big the Lake was and kept having to remind ourselves that it was not an ocean.
When we arrived at Uros we were directed to sit and listen to the leader of the Island welcome us and explain a little bit about the Island. He said that the particular island we were on contained 10 different families and was constructed entirely of reeds. Their primary source of income is tourism. He also peeled some reeds for us to eat. We were all impressed that they could eat the very thing they were living on. The reeds provided food, shelter, and material to make goods for tourists. After the intro we were asked if we wanted to take a boat road on one of the reed boats. Half of our group decided against it but the girls and I went on a about a 15 minute boat ride around the island. I am glad that we decided to go because there was something particularly special about the ride. The weather was perfect (all weekend), the water was calm and quiet, and everything was so serene.
After the boat ride we were directed to sit back down to listen to an explanation of the construction of the island. Keep in mind that every tour I go on is in Spanish and usually bad English so I try to get the most out of both. From what I understood, the different islands are constructed by the people living on them. The particular island we were on was constructed by the ten families who came together and laid the reed sort of in a Jenga-like pattern. I believe they said they started with the reed roots and then at the top they laid the reed stocks and made it about three meters thick. Then to keep it from floating around the lake they anchored it with 8 different wooden anchors around the island. Over time, the construction of the houses has changed from teepee looking homes to more hut like homes.
After the presentation we were given time to walk around and purchase some of the handmade textiles and reed mobiles. Then, we headed off for our second Island Amantani. When we arrived we were divided up in groups with different host families. Then, we were given a couple of hours to go to our host homes, eat lunch, and relax. Our host mom gave us a simple lunch of soup followed by potatoes boiled eggs and muna tea which was supposed to help with the elevation.
Around four, our group met up for a strenuous hike up to the top of the island. On the top were Incan ruins and all along the way were terraces. The good thing about this tour is that we were, for the most part, allowed to go at our own pace. After the hike to the top we were allowed to walk back down the mountain the same way or walk back down through the little village. Xuan and I opted for walking through the village which was fairly small, complete with houses, a couple of places to eat and buy food and a small plaza. We did not spend much time there because by then it was cold and almost dark and we were hungry from the long walk so we headed back to our host family. Since the island was so small we were able to ask a random passerby where the Santos’ home was and she led us most of the way until we ran into our host father. One thing I am learning about the Peruvian people is that they take care of their own so if you are staying with a family they make sure you are OK. When we got home we waited for a little while wondering if we were going to be fed dinner but we were too nervous to ask. Finally, we all worked up the courage to ask our host mom who directed us to the table in the room Xuan was staying in and gave us soup and then rice and potatoes in a gravy-like sauce. (The other day I asked Rocio why everyone eats soup first in Peru and she was not sure. She explained that it is just part of their culture.)
After dinner we all went upstairs for bed. As we were getting ready our host mom told us that we could go to the plaza for some kind of fiesta but we politely declined. We were all really exhausted from having slept on the bus the night before. The next morning we ate some kind of fried bread and tea for breakfast and then were led down to the dock to board the boat. We said our goodbyes to our host mom and then left for the Island of Taquile. Once again we were allowed to go at our own pace on the island. We walked along a path to the main plaza. Along the way we saw some of the traditional houses and terraces. On the islands of Amantani and Taquile, the main food sources are fish and crops. They also had some cattle, herds of sheep, chickens and donkeys. We figured they probably ate more vegetables than meat because of the lack of meat on the islands. When we made it to the plaza we walked around for a while and waited for our guide who disappeared to make arrangements for lunch. Finally, we were led up the hill to a lunch spot where we were told a little bit about the culture of the island and given food options. I had fresh trout and papas fritas. Then, we were led back to our boat and headed back to Puno.
When we arrived back in Puno the tour company dropped us off near the main square so we could see some of the festivities. We were all surprised by the heat because we expected that it was going to be cold and rainy the whole time. We timed our trip to Puno just right because we made it to the last and best day of the Fiesta de La Virgen de la Candalaria which is a week-long celebration. On the Sunday that we went they had an all day long parade around the city with tons of venders and people dressed in the most colorful costumes from different places around Peru. After watching for a while we decided to get lunch so we found a restaurant with traditional Peruvian food. I tried alpaca for the first time while Xuan and Nele tried Cuy. I tried the Cuy but I could not stomach seeing the whole Guinean pig. For desert we tried some of the churros from a vender on the street. Around the same time, Nele almost had her phone stolen so we were all on high alert from then on, especially because it was getting dark and more people were drinking on the streets. We wandered around town for a while looking for a good spot to watch the parade. It made it hard to find a good place because there were so many people and because we were carrying our travel bags. We finally found the perfect spot in front of a tourist store which kept us out of the pouring rain. The parade was an incredible experience because it included people both young and old dressed in elaborate, colorful costumes. Usually there was a group of girls followed by a group of guys and then a band all from the same region.
After we watched for a while we wandered around and looked at the stands and then made our way back to the bus stop. Nele was a bit paranoid the whole time so we tried not to stay in the streets too long. Our bus ride home was quick because we were so tired and ready to be home. We arrived back in Cusco around 5:30 a.m. Monday morning. None of us were looking forward to going to school at 8:30. We all caught taxis to our home stays. It is always hit or miss with the cab drivers here. I am learning to be very clear in my description of where I live and how much I am willing to pay. Unfortunately, because it was so early that morning I got one of the cab drivers that tries to rip people off. When I entered the cab I told the cab driver I would pay tres soles which he mumbled an agreement but when I got to my house he demanded diez soles. Being as tired as I was I told him his price was unreasonable, handed him four soles because I had no change, and jumped out of the car and went inside my house. Besides the minor hang ups with the almost stolen phone, Nele getting sick, and the cab driver, our trip to Puno was quiet a success!
Last Week
Last week I acculturated myself by learning how to make Chicha Morado. I went to the Huancaro Mercado (the market by my house) with the daughter-in-law of my family, Rocio, and bought maíz morado, limones, canela y clavos. To prepare the Chicha, we washed the corn and boiled it. While it was boiling we added the cinnamon and cloves. We boiled it until the water had turned dark purple. Then, Rocio told me that we would let it set for at least two hours. When we were ready to drink it we added half a cup of sugar and two lemons.
I also took Salsa lessons for the first time and went to a charity Bingo event with some classmates. The event was good because we got to practice our numbers in Spanish. After Bingo there was a “pop quiz” with a mixture of thirty questions about various subjects and two challenges. My team ended up coming in third. I was happy that I could answer who the founder of Australia was – Captain Cook. Also, I was once again reminded of how big an impact the American media has in the world. Many of the Europeans could immediately name the pictures of the famous people and the songs. Some of them knew more than I did!
On Wednesday I went with a group of girls from school and tried Peruvian Sushi. Then, Marie Louise and I decided to look for someone with horses so we could go riding this weekend. The second day that I was in Cusco I met a man outside of a restaurant who told me about a ranch he owned near Cusco. We went to the same restaurant and asked about the man but he was nowhere to be found. One of the workers had us sit at a table by the kitchen and one of the ladies from the back came out and tried calling the man we were describing who had horses. She kept walking in and out of the kitchen so we were kind of confused. Then, a couple of minutes later she came and whispered to me “Queires marijuana?” I could not help but start laughing. I explained to her that we were just looking for horses so we could go riding. So, we politely excused ourselves and left.
Then, we wandered around town and got very distracted by all of the venders and markets. We ended up at Mercado de San Pedro where I bought pepino for the first time which is like an apple looking fruit but softer and with less flavor. I also saw their very unsanitary handling of meat. Marie Louise, who is quite inquisitive and oddly enough, a vegetarian, decided to walk through the meat section. Just the smell alone made my stomach turn. I only saw the animal parts from afar.
For Dia de San Valentin some of the girls and I were supposed to take a Peruvian Pan Flute lesson but we did not sign up early enough so we ended up wandering around the Plaza until we found the post office and then another touristy market. Then, we made our way to one of the chocolate museums but it was closing so I plan on going back in the next week or so. After that my New York friend decided that it would be fitting to buy Anticucho de Corazon, which is cow heart, because it was Valentine’s Day. (Anticucho consists of about five grilled pieces of meat on a skewer with a potato on the top.) So, she and I tried street food for the first time while the other girls opted out. I think it must be an American thing to try the street food here because all of the Americans I know her eat it. It was not until I had eaten a little bit that I remembered the unsanitary market. Either way it was still pretty tasty. After that we walked to one of the pubs near the plaza and bought some real food and watched the Olympics and talked about differences in culture, religion, lifestyles, etc. in our countries.
On Saturday, Marie Louise and I ate lunch at one of the pubs and then wandered around town until Xuan met up with us. Then, we took a cab up to Saqsayhuaman. When we got there the cab driver informed us that we needed to buy a ticket to get into the site so we told him we just wanted to ride horses. A lady overheard us telling the cab driver our plan and offered to take us to her ranch. She snuck us into Saqsayhuaman and led us to her ranch. We were each given a horse (mine was Tormenta which was kind of fitting because she was stubborn) and then oddly enough, followed/guided by a young girl who led us up the mountain to overlook the city and to some Incan ruins. At two different sites she had us stop and get off of our horses to look at the ruins. We went to the Temple of the Moon and some other ruins that she did not tell us about. When we were heading back she stopped us in a random location and told us the tour was over so we got off and walked down the mountain until we reached Q’eneqo. We climbed to the top of part of the ruins and looked out at the city for a couple of hours. It was relaxing and a good end to our mountain adventure. Xuan played her Ukulele in the rain and then we talked while a group of guys sang Spanish songs behind us. I feel like everywhere I go in Cusco I have had some kind of musical soundtrack, whether it is Xuan playing her Uke or someone playing the flute. I think some of the best memories are sensory memories.
I also took Salsa lessons for the first time and went to a charity Bingo event with some classmates. The event was good because we got to practice our numbers in Spanish. After Bingo there was a “pop quiz” with a mixture of thirty questions about various subjects and two challenges. My team ended up coming in third. I was happy that I could answer who the founder of Australia was – Captain Cook. Also, I was once again reminded of how big an impact the American media has in the world. Many of the Europeans could immediately name the pictures of the famous people and the songs. Some of them knew more than I did!
On Wednesday I went with a group of girls from school and tried Peruvian Sushi. Then, Marie Louise and I decided to look for someone with horses so we could go riding this weekend. The second day that I was in Cusco I met a man outside of a restaurant who told me about a ranch he owned near Cusco. We went to the same restaurant and asked about the man but he was nowhere to be found. One of the workers had us sit at a table by the kitchen and one of the ladies from the back came out and tried calling the man we were describing who had horses. She kept walking in and out of the kitchen so we were kind of confused. Then, a couple of minutes later she came and whispered to me “Queires marijuana?” I could not help but start laughing. I explained to her that we were just looking for horses so we could go riding. So, we politely excused ourselves and left.
Then, we wandered around town and got very distracted by all of the venders and markets. We ended up at Mercado de San Pedro where I bought pepino for the first time which is like an apple looking fruit but softer and with less flavor. I also saw their very unsanitary handling of meat. Marie Louise, who is quite inquisitive and oddly enough, a vegetarian, decided to walk through the meat section. Just the smell alone made my stomach turn. I only saw the animal parts from afar.
For Dia de San Valentin some of the girls and I were supposed to take a Peruvian Pan Flute lesson but we did not sign up early enough so we ended up wandering around the Plaza until we found the post office and then another touristy market. Then, we made our way to one of the chocolate museums but it was closing so I plan on going back in the next week or so. After that my New York friend decided that it would be fitting to buy Anticucho de Corazon, which is cow heart, because it was Valentine’s Day. (Anticucho consists of about five grilled pieces of meat on a skewer with a potato on the top.) So, she and I tried street food for the first time while the other girls opted out. I think it must be an American thing to try the street food here because all of the Americans I know her eat it. It was not until I had eaten a little bit that I remembered the unsanitary market. Either way it was still pretty tasty. After that we walked to one of the pubs near the plaza and bought some real food and watched the Olympics and talked about differences in culture, religion, lifestyles, etc. in our countries.
On Saturday, Marie Louise and I ate lunch at one of the pubs and then wandered around town until Xuan met up with us. Then, we took a cab up to Saqsayhuaman. When we got there the cab driver informed us that we needed to buy a ticket to get into the site so we told him we just wanted to ride horses. A lady overheard us telling the cab driver our plan and offered to take us to her ranch. She snuck us into Saqsayhuaman and led us to her ranch. We were each given a horse (mine was Tormenta which was kind of fitting because she was stubborn) and then oddly enough, followed/guided by a young girl who led us up the mountain to overlook the city and to some Incan ruins. At two different sites she had us stop and get off of our horses to look at the ruins. We went to the Temple of the Moon and some other ruins that she did not tell us about. When we were heading back she stopped us in a random location and told us the tour was over so we got off and walked down the mountain until we reached Q’eneqo. We climbed to the top of part of the ruins and looked out at the city for a couple of hours. It was relaxing and a good end to our mountain adventure. Xuan played her Ukulele in the rain and then we talked while a group of guys sang Spanish songs behind us. I feel like everywhere I go in Cusco I have had some kind of musical soundtrack, whether it is Xuan playing her Uke or someone playing the flute. I think some of the best memories are sensory memories.
Spanish Lessons
I know it sounds like I am just taking in the culture which is a huge part of being here but I am also study every day. I study Spanish for four hours a day and have a class online. This week my teacher told my class that we are at the intermediate level although we all vary to some degree. I am still so much better at grammar than at speaking. This week we all kind of struggled a little bit with our exam. It is sometimes hard to practice speaking especially when I am with the other international students. We always revert to English or Spanglish. The place that I practice the most is at lunch with Rocio. Even though it is only about thirty minutes of my day, I have no other option than to speak Spanish or to sit through an awkwardly silent lunch. Luckily, Rocio is learning to talk a bit slower and more clearly and I am learning to not be afraid to ask her to explain herself. Learning Spanish is as much nonverbal communication as verbal communication at this point. When I do not understand something I look for cues from facial expressions or tonal changes. I also use my hands a ton to describe things. I think the hardest part for me right now still has to translate words in my head from English to Spanish. The biggest part of being in Peru is being immersed in the language and the culture and really the best way to learn about the culture is through observation and the best way to learn the language is by talking to the locals at the markets and restaurants and to the taxi drivers.
One of the best things about living in a country for a while is becoming more than a tourist. On my walk to school the other day I was reflecting on how at this point in Cusco I am more than a tourist but of course less than a native so I have an inlet into both worlds and both perspectives. By living with a host family and studying here I am able to observe the lifestyle and people’s daily routines. Also, by being a foreigner I still have a bit of a tourist mentality especially in such a tourist city and region. One of the biggest things I feel in being a tourist the general sense of distrust especially between the tourists and the businesses. I feel like tourists, venders, and taxi drivers are always trying to one up each other in getting the better deal. Also, there is general distrust on the streets when people are walking on the streets. I have learned a couple of little tricks in walking around the city. One, never hesitate when crossing streets and crossing with locals is always safer than crossing alone. Also, if anyone gets too close I just have to give them a continual nonchalant sideways glance until the notice my uncertainty and they will usually pass or back off.
One of the best things about living in a country for a while is becoming more than a tourist. On my walk to school the other day I was reflecting on how at this point in Cusco I am more than a tourist but of course less than a native so I have an inlet into both worlds and both perspectives. By living with a host family and studying here I am able to observe the lifestyle and people’s daily routines. Also, by being a foreigner I still have a bit of a tourist mentality especially in such a tourist city and region. One of the biggest things I feel in being a tourist the general sense of distrust especially between the tourists and the businesses. I feel like tourists, venders, and taxi drivers are always trying to one up each other in getting the better deal. Also, there is general distrust on the streets when people are walking on the streets. I have learned a couple of little tricks in walking around the city. One, never hesitate when crossing streets and crossing with locals is always safer than crossing alone. Also, if anyone gets too close I just have to give them a continual nonchalant sideways glance until the notice my uncertainty and they will usually pass or back off.