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
(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
(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
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?
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