Welcome to Cuzco

COUNTRY: Peru
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Teaching & Construction
WRITTEN BY: Steph Rainbow

Hola from Cuzco,

Our first week in Peru has been a blur of new sights and experiences. Arriving in the capital of Lima after a gruelling flight from Sydney, we were immediately thrown into the chaos of Peruvian traffic. Drivers seem to obey their own rules, with everyone battling for space in order to get to their destinations.

Arriving in Cuzco a day later, we were relieved to be able to see the sky once again as opposed to the thick blanket of smog that lies constantly overhead in Lima. Cuzco itself is a whole different world and with only Laura being able to speak Spanish, everyone has relied heavily upon her to be our translator. While everyone adjusted to the altitude sickness and the dangers of eating the local food, we sought out the wonders of Cuzco. We visited the San Pedro markets, where the vibrant colours of the local textiles drew us in immediately and the sickening smells from the meat section left us gagging. As soon as we left the sanctuary of our hotel we were swarmed by locals selling absolutely everything. There was jewellery, paintings, and even locals wanting to polish your shoes for the 'best price'. At night, everyone flocks to the local bars and clubs. Muma Africa has become a favourite of the boys in our group with weekly salsa lessons at the club.

We were finally introduced to Antips' In-Country Partner, who took us to our new hostel away from the main square. From there we began some much needed daily Spanish lessons and tours of the Inca ruins Saqsayhuaman and Q'ënco. We quickly realised how much the altitude leaves you out of breath. We were also taken on a tour of Cuzco, learning interesting facts (such as why there are churches on every corner) and getting to taste the local market bread and fruit.

We were pretty anxious to meet our host families, however we were welcomed in with open arms. The mothers in particular were eager to adopt us as their own and my host mama was immediately trying to feed me a three-course meal. Trying to communicate that we were full (in Spanish) proved quite the challenge. The language barrier is the most difficult aspect of settling in, but it's good to know that all the host families are trying their utmost to provide for our every need.

The weekend brought with it more exploration of ruins, and we visited Chinchero where we saw how the local textiles was made. The temples of Ollyantaytambo tested my fitness and fear of heights, and we were nearly blown over by the freezing winds in the town below. We also managed to do a bit of shopping- and may have gorged ourselves on cake too.

Next week we begin a whole new experience as we begin teaching at the school and our construction work!

Adios amigos,

Steph