A few photos from Nazca and Ica

Sand, so much sand.

I spent this past weekend in Ica and Nazca. At 7 am I boarded a five-hour bus to Ica, a small town just South of Lima. Once we arrived, we checked into a fantastic hostel and set out to grab some lunch and then check out the sand dunes in Huacachina, a very small neighboring town. My memories of Huacachina's sand dunes are some of the best I've ever made--and of course my camera died just as we got there. Between my five awesome friends and the thrill of the dune buggy and sand boarding, very few things can compare. Once we got into the dune buggy all bets were off. Although there were a couple times when I was honestly concerned that the buggy would tip over, those moments just added to the thrill of speeding through the Huacachina's impressive dunes. Shortly into the trip, we stopped for a quick photo-op and ran into a few of our other IFSA friends. We then found a few dunes and tried sand boarding. I quickly found that I should stick to other sports (there are plenty of pictures to prove it). After boarding down a few dunes (or in my case, falling) we hopped back into the buggy for the most thrilling/terrifying ride yet. Needless to say, we were sad to say goodbye to our guide, Julio, when we came back from the dunes.

Luckily for us, the fun continued. We found a small restaurant and sat down for a long dinner with great conversation. As we walked to hail a taxi, we heard American classic rock and sprinted into the bar from which it was blaring (the bar turned out to be empty). We proceeded to spend the next three hours blasting American hip-hop from my iPod and learning to salsa from a few locals (most of them related to the bar tender). Although the night was not at all what we'd expected the spontaneous adventure was fantastic.

We awoke the next morning and ate breakfast at a small restaurant after checking out of our hostel. We spent much of breakfast wandering in and out of the open cafe to take pictures of the lovely town or soak up some much needed sun, as we hadn't seen much in Lima. After breakfast we wandered into downtown Ica and took the next bus to Nazca.

 Two hours later, we arrived in Nazca, a slightly larger town. We checked into a wonderful hostel where the owners were extremely helpful and accommodating. After a quick dinner, we headed home and spent the evening relaxing in our room and on the rooftop terrace.

The next morning we wandered around the Nazca market briefly, where I had a small ice cream cone and a few of my friends found desert tamales. After the market, we embarked on a tour of the Nazca lines. When the van pulled up to the rusted set of stairs and my tour guide explained that that was where we would have the best view of the lines, I was hesitant, but after the perilous climb I realized it was definitely worth it. From there I was able to see an ancient, massive drawing of a family. From there we went to a museum dedicated to a German woman who preserved the lines. Though it's pretty awesome that she preserved them, it sounds like she was batty--she stopped the installation of an irrigation system for the desert because it would ruin the Nazca lines... I guess everyone has their priorities. The most exciting part of the day came when the sandstorm began. As we drove from the museum to the next viewing area, the storm picked up to a point that we couldn't see more than 100 feet ahead. Honestly, I stayed in the van instead of climbing up to the see the next lines. I swear I could see those stairs blowing in the wind. Our last stop was at a giant sand dune, which we climbed to get a better view. This time I braved the sandstorm and got a few blurry pictures. Honestly, the sandstorm spiced up what otherwise might have become a monotonous sight-seeing tour.

My time in Nazca and Ica was fun-filled, but it also helped me realize a few things about myself. For one, when it comes to packing, I really don't need a ton of "options". Packing light is easier and better. I also learned that I have defined myself based on the limited experiences I've had so far in life and those definitions aren't necessarily correct. This trip helped me understand that although I love my clothes and a good pedicure and I'd never deny it, I also enjoy traveling without a bunch of crap and just focusing on the adventures that I'm having and the people with whom I'm spending my time.

Classes

Today I registered for my Peruvian classes and I could not be more ecstatic. I am enrolled in two IFSA-Butler classes (Peruvian Social Reality and Spanish) along with two other PUCP classes--all four are taught in Spanish. I spent last week shadowing classes and today registered for Urban Anthropology and Ethnic Minorities and Ethnicity. I am going to spend the next four months learning about Peruvian culture, honing my spanish, learning about afroperuanos, and studying the distinct cultures of Lima.

Although I am excited about the subject matter, I am also a little bit anxious about the language barrier. Though I haven't had too much trouble so far, the hundreds of pages of reading are a bit daunting. I have already made a few Peruvian friends so hopefully study groups are going to be super helpful.

Overall, I love my classes and I love my teachers. I just need to keep reminding myself how much these classes will help my Spanish improve.

One of the many delicious Peruvian dishes Mama Juanita has cooked for me!

2 Weeks in Lima

After two weeks in Lima with IFSA Butler, I have decided that it's time to start blogging. My time here has been a whirlwind of delicious food, culture shock, and bonding with my new IFSA Butler friends. Since so much time has passed in the last few days, I will take a little time to discuss two important aspects of my life: Food, and Peruvian Adventures.

Food:

So, the food here is great. I read a lot of guidebooks before I got here and they all said that the food here would be great. They were right. While walking down the street I can purchase 6 fresh churros for 2 soleis (less than $1). Needless to say, I'm looking to join a gym. Not only is the street food delicious, but Peruvian food in general is amazing. Since arriving, I have gone to three restaurants with my program, all three were buffets. The first restaurant was Peruvian food gringo style. There we were able to stuff ourselves with a toned down version of delicious Peruvian food. I would name some of the dishes but honestly, I was too busy eating to take note of what anything was called. The second restaurant served Chifa food, which is basically Peruvian Chinese food. Peruvian Chinese food is a completely different breed and I must say, it is far superior to American Chinese food. Chifa food includes all of the familiar dishes, and many of them have exotic fruit chunks sprinkled in. The third restaurant was traditional Peruvian food. Again, I have no idea what any of the dishes were called but I was surrounded by tasty rice, well-seasoned meat, and lots of nommy vegetables. The last restaurant that is important to mention is La Lucha. It is a chain sandwich place that has both Peruvian specialties and great burgers and fries. Also, it's a late night restaurant so it's always there when you want it.

Yes, there are a ton of great restaurants in Lima, but the best food that I've eaten has been at home. My host Mom, Juana, is a fantastic cook. Here, the largest meal is lunch, so every day at around 11 am she begins to cook a gigantic, traditional Peruvian meal. Every day she has prepared a different elaborate dish for me and I even got to cook with her one Sunday. Pictures to come soon of some of the amazing meals Mama Juanita has cooked.

Peruvian Adventures:

Oh, the adventures. Since my arrival two weeks ago I've learned a lot about Peruvian history as well as current Peruvian culture. One day we went to the Cathedral, where we got to see some beautiful art and also learn a little about Pizarro. Later that day we visited the catacombs, and that was a really crazy experience. First of all, the Monestary of San Francisco, where the catacombs are located, is beautiful. It wasn't as well-preserved as the Cathedral, but it looked a lot like Hogwarts so that was pretty awesome. Even more awesome were all of the skeletons that we got to see. The bones were uncovered and arranged in cool shapes--definitely a new and unique experience.

Other than these historical adventures, I've gotten to know the Peruvian culture via night life and "public transportation". I put public transportation in quotation marks because it's not really public. The buses, or combis as they are known here, are privately owned buses that run on commonly agreed upon routes. They are terrifying, but also extremely effective--I have never waited more than 10 minutes to get on a bus. Although I spent my first combi ride clutching my bag in one hand while using the other to hang on to a safety pole for dear life, I soon learned to love the combis. They can get you pretty much anywhere in the city, they come frequently, and they run all night.

As mentioned above, I've also learned about Peruvian culture through the night life, which is full of dancing and socialization. There are lots of interesting bars and late night restaurants where we can either surround ourselves with young Peruvians, or sit and talk amongst our group of friends. There are also a ton of great dance clubs. Overall, the night life here reflects the culture, diverse and very social.

So far I'm having a great time in Lima; I can't wait for the next 4 months. More posts to come on my time in Lima!