Latest Report from Penny, out YEP studen in Peru
The new culture and different people you meet are amazing.
I love it here.
I now can understand majority and have been trying hard to speak a lot more.
It is dodgy spanish, but the more I practise the better it gets.
July was the first month that I actually set out on a big adventure to see some of the most amazing places and features of the world. The first two weeks of the month were pretty slack; I spent my time mainly thinking about HOLIDAYS and an amazing travel to one of the ancient wonders of the world. July was a big month because not only did I get the opportunity to travel also I got to celebrate the Mundial, Independence Day, fiesta familiar and many birthdays with all of my friends and family.
This month in particular is really big for Peru as they
celebrate their independence on the 28th of July and of course the Soccer World
Cup. This means that for the whole entire month everybody gets into their
patriotic spirit and each wear a badge which symbolizes Peru. In my school in
particular there was pretty strict discipline if you did not wear it. I
unfortunately did spend quite a bit of money because every day you forgot you
had to buy a new one at the school canteen. My jacket is going to be mostly
full of these I think. (Still no other exchange students!)
Peru may not have made it into the World Cup but they still
showed their support for the continent. The final was not as exciting as it
could have been as each of the South American teams were knocked out one by one
but it was still a fun afternoon. A big crew all went to a mates home to
celebrate in style with pizza and of course a few easy bets! I cleaned up a bit
of cash because ESPANA after what felt like a lifetime finally won!! It was a
really good day and an even better way to start the week.
Not long after the world cup Darren arrived, we could
finally start planning an awesome trip. Within three days of his arrival we set
of to Colca Canon, one of the deepest canons in the world. It was so amazing, every
angle is picture perfect. Also there is a huge bird which lives in the canon,
the condor which you have to be extremely lucky to see. We had luck our way
because just as we were about to leave one flew up out of nowhere. It’s hard to
say but at times on the journey down into the canon, I wished I just stayed up
top to enjoy the view. It was long, hot and a horrible walk which seemed
endless at the time, every time you got around one corner another just kept
popping up. Of course the boys just kept going and going and there was no way I
was going to get left behind. Finally towards the end when I could just feel
the skin peeling of my feet, I could see the oasis below. That’s all I kept
thinking of, you can do it, imagine how prime that is going to be. It was
definitely worth it; as soon as we hit the bottom we chucked on some swimmers
and jumped straight into the pool (I hadn´t put my board shorts on for a long
time and I wish I didn´t because those babies have definitely shrunk in the
wash). I should have thought about it a little more because I jumped in and it
was freezing and so nice, and then I could feel my blisters stingy like hell.
What usually is a 4 hour walk we completed in just under two hours. The rest of
the afternoon we spent chilling playing cards, volleyball and laughing at the
poor other American girls (Jono brought over with him from the states). They
finally made it down after four and a half hours and were angry! They refused
to eat the food and didn’t talk for at least another few hours. Afterwards
though it was all sweet and funny. I think the best part was definitely the
climb up again. The boys journeyed on foot, crazy I think. Us girls hardly able
to walk got to climb up on mules. It was so freaking awesome, I have a new
respect for those animals because wow it was a big climb. They seemed to know
exactly where to go. It was so funny because when you are walking on the track
and a donkey or mule is coming you really need to move out the way because they
can just knock you down and even scarier of the track. As we were climbing up,
one man from I am pretty sure the states went psycho when we passed. One of the
mules hit him a little because he didn’t move of the track and he went
ballistic, seriously. He hit the mule shouting at it, why did you do that.
Jajaja, it was so funny, then he is like you think just because you guys are on
mules we have to move for you, and he full on got right up into the owners
face. Crazy fella. Towards the top we met up with the boys again, who were pretty
knackered. It was a really good experience to go down Colca because it is just
amazing. I am so glad I did the journey but even gladder I didn’t sign up for
the three day hike because there is no way I could have done more walking.
It took a few days to recover from Colca but on the Sunday
after my school put on a massive celebration called fiesta familiar. It is a
day full of entertainment, food, conversation and more. Each grade practises
for a good month on a performance, either music or dance. I unfortunately could
not participate because I just looked like a retard dancing with my feet full
of blisters. My sister had to dance right in the front row in front of
everybody. She was really good, she loves getting into music and dance.
Performance mainly, almost every night we sit at the computer singing and
dancing to a different song it’s really funny.
To make everything even more jam packed the next day we were
all of to Puno. Jonathan thought it would be funny to tell me to come at 5 in
the morning to leave. Of course, this is Peru and we did not end up leaving
until like 8 in the morning. I was pretty annoyed! It took around 8 hours of
driving before we hit Puno. The drive is amazing; on the way the landscape is
just breathtaking, there are rugged mountain ranges, then green hill tops,
little huts, amazing lakes and rivers, Micullas (national animal of Peru),
llamas, and so much more I cannot explain. There was this one place along the
way; where there is just this massive lake, at first I was like is that Lake
Titicaca, but no. We stopped wherever we could for photos, at the altitude
signs, llama signs, lakes, mountains. Finally in Puno, we dropped our stuff at
the hotel and set off for Lake Titicaca. It is seriously so massive and
beautiful, there are like islands in the middle of the lake where people live
on top of reed which floats on the lake. It is so impressive how they are
built, when you walk across the top it just feels like you are going to fall in
but it is built to well for this to happen. There are huge boats also made out
of this reed, and all the people on the islands are so so nice. It is really an
amazing tradition they have there. There is even a little school in the middle
of the Lake. We spent the afternoon on a boat cruise around the Lake, and when
we returned we all froze our bums off. It was seriously ridiculous. I had like
two jumpers, tights under jeans, scarfs, and was still cold. After Puno we
began driving to Cuzco, one of the best places in Peru. You know when you are
entering Cuzco because everything around you changes so suddenly. It is green
and there are trees everywhere. Cuzco is just one of those places in the world
you have to go to. It is full of tourism which does let it down a little but
also full of amazing archaeological sights and of course home to Machu Picchu.
We took a train to the bottom of Machu Picchu and a bus to the top. The first
sight is just words cannot explain. Once you are walking around, see the famous
view it may seem silly but you just feel different. It is remarkable. After the
tour we relaxed playing cards at Machu Picchu, we were sitting in a group and I
was eating a banana and this llama full on came straight in the middle of our
circle ate my banana and let us take some close photos it was great. After
about six days travel we finally returned back to Arequipa. There is just
always a sense of happiness when you enter Arequipa and see those three
volcanoes. You always know you are home then.
To end the month on the 28th of July, Independence Day I
returned back to Colca with my friends to celebrate. Of course this time there
was just no time to go down the Canon but I got to know some of the smaller
towns a little better. It was really an awesome trip; we had a whole bus full
and booked for two days. We danced the night away to traditional music and
salsa. Finally I have learnt a little more than spinning and twirling.