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Thursday morning I woke up, and my heart still hurt,
and I had only gotten 3 hours of sleep, and knew I
wasn´t going to make it down to my classes that day. 
So, I went down and asked Sonja if it was okay if I
stayed home.  So she called the school, and I had
another day where I just slept all day.  One by one,
each of the three women I lived with came to visit. 
They gave me more of the Agua de Alhazar, a new
bottle, and this one said "Seditivo" on it, so I
pretty much figured out what that was for.  They also
took a plant that grows up at Sacsayhuaman, and
touched it over my forehead, shoulders and so on, a
native remedy.  And, also, rubbed what I think was
rubbing alcohol on my face and neck area.  

I felt so bad, here I had them worrying like crazy
yesterday because I was late, and now I had them
worrying because I was sick, and I´ve also had them
worrying because I haven´t been able to eat much!

So, that whole day was basically just spent sleeping
and reading.  I felt lazy, but I knew I needed it for
my health.

More and more and more....

Jillian
 
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(Part 3 of e-mails from my time in Peru)

WEDNESDAY

So finally, I made it to my language school, at 9 in
the morning.  Sonja walked with me to school, and
pointed out all the streets and the directions.  I
thought the walk was going to be about 15 to 20
minutes, but it turns out it was a good half an hour.
Finally, we arrived at the school, a half an hour
late!  I had to wait until 11 to start my classes,
either because my teacher wasn´t there, or because I
was too late, I wasn´t quite sure, since everything
was said in Spanish.  But, it turns out I´ve been able
to hold my own in Spanish, and actually they think
that my spanish is pretty good (for a gringa at
least), so yay!  I was so worried about that before I
left, but all is well.

I have two teachers at school, Erik, in the morning,
and Gary just after that.  It is funny, because Erik
likes to visit quite a bit.  So, most of the time we
just talk, especially about the differences in
different countries.  All in Spanish, of course.

I also met another student here, Cassandra, she is
from Quebec, and her and I are getting along great.
It made such a difference to have a friend here!

After classes, we went on the "citi tur" at least,
that is how it sounds.  Cassandra, Margarite (another
student from Australia) and I borded a bus with a
whole bunch of other tourists, and saw a lot of the
sites in Cusco, including Sacsayhuaman, which is
prounounced "Sexy Woman" yes indeedy.  Muy
interesante.  And that was beautiful, it was up above
the city, huge Incan stones that make up these giant
curving walls.  Don´t worry, I will bring photos, but
it still is just not the same as being there.

But boy, the altitude really hits you!  I felt so
completely out of shape, climbing up Sacsayhuaman, and
had to stop, my heart pounding, my head swimming.
But, it turns out, it is only the altitude.  My
familia keeps giving me Mate de Coca tea to help me
deal with it.

Night falls quickly in Cusco, and after the tour I
realized I was going to have to find my way home in
the dark.  Casssandra lives with a family near me, so
I decided to take the bus home with her.  But nowhere
did I have written down my address, or my phone
number, or my families name.  It was horrible.  First
we stopped at Cassandra´s house, and she had a bite to
eat, and I met the people she lives with, and then her
and I set off to find my place.  We walked around for
over an hour, which was kinda scary.  Everything looks
the same!  I live down a little alleyway, which is how
the houses are set up here, and we kept going down
alleyway & alleyway.  Trust me, two white girls like
us walking around the same places over and over again
really stands out. 

Finally, we got to an area that looked more familiar,
and we saw a cop car.  We continued walking, and the
police officer came after us "Señoritas, señoritas!".
Apparently, my family had called the police, they were
so worried about me.  But both Cassandra and I had
heard that it isn´t a good idea to go off with the
cops, so we just had him point us in the right
direction, and walked off.  Uh huh, a half an hour
later, her and I were still wandering around.  It was
awful.  AWFUL.  Finally, the cops saw us again, and
exclaimed that we were still lost, and this time we
surrendered, and trusted fate, and got in the car as
he took us home.  I walked right past my home without
even recognizing it. 

I couldn´t believe this, my second day, and I got so
horribly lost my familia had to call the police!

So then, I had a little to eat, chatted with the
family, and made my way up the three flights of stairs
to my room and went to bed.  Or tried to.

My heart felt like it was going to explode.  I tried
everything to get it to calm down, and I knew it was
the effects of the altitude, combined with all the
walking I had done that day.  Any little movement
would cause my heart to beat harder.  I just tried to
lay still.  I even tried laying down on the floor to
sleep, because I figured it was a little lower
altitude, but of course, I don´t really think 2 feet
helps much. 

Finally, at three in the morning, I went and woke
Gladys, my other "sister", for altitude sickness
pills.  A little while later she returned with Agua de
Alhazar, Mate de Coca, and a chunk of Glucose.  I had
to take a spoonful of this Agua de Alhazar, whatever
that was, and suck on the glucose.  The Agua de
Alhazar tasted like straight vodka, but it did help,
and I was able to get a few hours of sleep.

Okay, do you think this is long enough?  I do.  Sorry
about all the long e-mails, but I know it is just the
first week that I want to get everything out!

Hasta Luego,

Jillian
 
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(Part 2 of my trip to Peru, told through my e-mails)
¡Mas noticìas!

I arrived in Cusco on Tuesday morning, at 7:30.
Flying over the Andes was soooo beautiful, you cannot
imagine.  And the town is cradled in a beautiful
valley.  The two women (Sonja & Roxana) who came to
collect me at the airport ushered me over to a car,
and it was certainly different then first class!  It
was old and beat up, and had no seatbelts, but that
seems to be the way here.  I think that most people
don´t have cars, which is no big deal, since a taxi is
only 2 soles anywhere in the city, which equals about
60 american cents.

Yeah, I thought they would speak to me in english, but
no!  Always in Spanish, and I was actually surprised,
that I was able to talk with them fine, and understand
them pretty well.  They took me back to Sonja´s house,
where I would be staying.  I thought I would be in an
apartment by myself, but that turns out not to be the
case.  I do have my own apartment in her house, kind
of.  It is on the very top level of her house, and it
is the only thing on that floor.  I have my own
bedroom, a small kitchenette (no stove or refigerator)
and my own bathroom and shower.  And the view is
magnificent, looking out over all the city.  ¡Que
lindo¡

But, even though I have my own space, the family
serves me all my meals, so food is included (which is
good for my wallet).  At the family there is two
women, probably in their early 40s, and their mother,
and a young women who lives there and does the
cleaning and such.  Occassionally, Sonja´s husband or
brother or children are there, but most of the time,
it is just me and my two older "sisters" and my
"madre". 

Tuesday I just slept all day long.  Every now and
again, they would bring up some food, or pop their
heads in to say hello, but mostly just sleep.

That first night was horrible, I was so unhappy.  My
stomache was uneasy, and I didn´t know if I wanted to
be there.  Cusco, and Peru, is very poor.  All the
houses are made of adobe brick, and many are falling
apart, and it just is a whole different world.  There
is a lot of pollution, and the cars drive like crazy.
And of course, everything is in Spanish.

I tried to calm down, and go to sleep for the evening.
Eventually, I succeded.  But boy, was I ready to come
home!!

more later!

Jillian
 
(My first e-mail to friends & family while I was traveling to Peru)

It has been a while since I´ve been able to sit down
at the internet, to give you guys my update, and I
have much sooo much to say.  I might have to break
this down into chunks!

MONDAY:
Ugh, what a day.  I woke up at 5:30 in the morning,
for my entire day of flying.  It was a very very long
day, and I didn´t get to sleep very much at all, so I
was pretty much dead by the time I arrived in Cusco at
7:30 in the morning on Tuesday.

Of course, I loved flying first class, especially how
you don´t have to wait in lines (including the long
line through security), and they bring you drinks
before the plane even lifts off.  I did think it was
interesting how everyone on first class were
middle-aged white men, until the flight to Peru, where
there was a better mix of people, and then on the
flight to Cusco, first class was pretty much empty.

Miami was a trip.  I felt like I was already in Peru!
I got off the plane (at about 9:30 at night) and
everywhere everyone was speaking spanish.  Then, to
find my gate for the flight to Peru, I had to walk
about a half hour, it was kinda creepy, because it was
these narrow hallways, and they were empty.  And, on
top of that, they weren´t listing the gate for the
flight to Peru.  Once I was just about there, two
women stopped me, and started speaking to me in
spanish, one worked at the airport, the other was an
older hispanic lady, and they wanted to know where the
gate for the flight to Peru was.  I was very tired,
but in my broken spanish, was able to help her out.
And by the time I got to the gate, boy, did I feel
white!  I certainly stood out.  Later, a few other
gringos showed up, and I thought it was interesting
that they tended to search each other out.  An older
german couple often stuck quite close to me.

And then I arrived in Lima, oh boy, at 4:30 in the
morning.  And at that point, of course, it was spanish
from then on out!  I was sooooooo greatful for the
amount of Spanish that I had before I left.  I was
able to ask where my flight was, and freak out about
where my bags where, and everything.  But boy, was I
dead.

It was interesting, in Lima, I heard "the flight for
Cusco is departing"(in english), and started freaking
out, because I still had to go through the long line
to pay the airport tax, and then get in the long line
to go through security.  But when I finally got there,
I was one of the last people.  I think "the plane for
Cusco is departing" means that it is boarding.  Then
we all got on a bus, that took us out to a plane, and
we climbed some stairs up to the airplane.  Boy, was
it humid, even at 5 in the morning!

Finally, I arrived in Cusco, and made my way to the
baggage claim, and past all the guys asking if I
wanted a taxi, to find the two women holding a sign
saying "Jillian Harrintong".  I pointed and smiled,
and dragged my way though the barrier over to them...

Okay, that brings me to Tuesday!  More later!

Ciao!

Jillian
 
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As mentioned in my previous post, I'm going to take you with me on a little journey to Peru.  I went there back in 2004 for two months.  I wanted to go to Peru quite badly, and so went to my then college Marylhurst University, and created two courses for myself.  I selected my reading list, went down there to do independent study, and wrote a few papers afterwards.

While I learned much about the Inca's and their spirituality, and about Liberation Theology, I learned a lot more about poverty, the strength of the Peruvian people, and the limits of my tolerance level for being called gordita. 

Gordita, in spanish, basically translates as a cross between fatty and honey.  But I tell you what, I don't care what you cross fatty with, it doesn't sound any nicer.
 


Well, Hello!

I know, Long Time No See.  Stop nagging me about it already.

I have some treats for you to make up for it.  Promise. 

First-  started a new blog.  Yeah, because I'm SO successful at keeping this one up. 

I'm on a new adventure!  I have really been focusing on my health over the last few months, culminating to me going Paleo.  Which means eating the PaleoDiet the way our pre-agricultural ancestors did.  I could go on about it, but I'm not going to.  You can read about it on my other blog:  http://paleolady.wordpress.com

Or, you can watch this tasty little video I made:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHyy4xrUF2


NEXT!
Per many requests, I'm going to repost, one at a time, my little e-mails I sent back when I went to Peru in 2005.  Many found them tasty.  Others haven't read them, but want to.  So I'm opening the vault once again, and sharing Adventures From The Past.

Follow along with me, will you?