El Fin

It's hard to believe that our month in Peru has come to an end. Josh and I have spent our last week in Cusco revisiting our favorite places (La Pizza Carlo, the San Blas district), going out with friends (Paddy's Pub, trivia night at The Real McCoy), making final souvenir purchases, and horseback riding in the Sacred Valley!

Though absolutely excited, I was a little nervous about going horseback riding after not having been on a horse since sixth grade. Thankfully, my horse, Wind, turned out to be very gentle and smart, and I was comfortable in no time; I even ran with her a few times! Josh's horse, whose name was the Quechua word for "terrible," was a little ornery, but of course he had no trouble riding like a pro. Our guide led us around the Sacred Valley of the Incas, and the views were incredible. We visited the primary Incan Moon Temple, where the nobility would go to make offerings to the moon. Apparently there were some graffiti issues a few years back, and the temple is still roped off as a precaution. We also visited a cave where shamans were initiated and would make various offerings. It's amazing to imagine what life would've been like in Cusco and the Sacred Valley at the time of the Incas. The land around here is so vast, and yet their empire radiated throughout Peru to Ecuador and Chile. Riding a horse around a mountain for hours, following wooded trails and traversing open fields, it was incredible seemingly stumbling upon significant Incan places. Of course, our guide was leading us to them, but, again, it was hard to fathom all of that land as part of the Inca domain, encompassing numerous temples and such that were so sacred to their lifestyle. And yet, the temples are so spread out across their extensive land. Overall, it was a fun, thought-provoking, and beautiful new way to see the Sacred Valley.

You may or may not know that I joined the construction crew for my last week of volunteering - more new experiences! At times, I've been the only girl working there, but it's been fun, and I've learned a thing or two. As I'm a newcomer on the project, I'll let Josh share his experience and give an update on the progress of the preschool:

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Hola!! Well after a month in Cusco I have decided to contribute to this blog for the first time and I am guessing last time. It is crazy to think that we are leaving and that a month has passed by, it just doesn't seem like that long. I feel like we have accomplished what we came to do, the pre-school we are constructing is taking shape and should be completed in about another two months. Marco the contractor was great to work for and even though his English was about as good as my Spanish he was very good at using hand signals, so work got done. He liked to joke when you were doing something difficult by saying, "es muy facil", which means "it's very easy", and then he would laugh. I am making sure to keep in touch with some of the crew that will be here for a while longer and will hopefully get picture updates of their progress and maybe even a few shots of the children using their new school.

It's amazing how quickly we became acclimated to Cusco. It seems like after a week the foreign feeling had worn off and we were running around here not feeling like tourists but had a sense of comfort and normalcy. That being said we are both looking forward to seeing family and friends in a couple days as well as consistent hot showers. It will be nice to trade the mountains of Peru for the mountains of Tennessee once again. Although the mountains of Peru are unlike any I have ever seen before, they are spectacular to say the least. The pictures that have been posted don't come close to giving you an idea of how sheer and huge they are. It seems like every time we turn around we are confronted with a view that is amazing and unique.

Anyway, we are packing up and going to take a stroll through Cusco one last time here shortly. So I hope you all have enjoyed the efforts of Adriana as well as reading about our adventure for the last month. See you all soon!! Oh and uh...GO BIG ORANGE!!!

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All in all, this has been a great experience for both of us. We've truly enjoyed volunteering with Maximo Nivel; our placements, the people, and our house have all been wonderful. Cusco itself made for a fun and interesting ride, and our various excursions around and outside of Cusco have been eye-opening and memorable. I always find traveling a humbling experience. The people here live by different standards than those prevalent in the United States. The low hygiene standards are particularly remarkable. But these people are legacies of the Inca empire. Many of them still speak Quechua at home, and their culture remains imbued with Inca culture. Their history is fascinating, and present-day Cusco provides a window into that time. I hope you've all enjoyed following Josh and me throughout this journey! Thank you for all of your support, and we can't wait to see you soon! Hot showers, running (and drinkable tap) water after 9, and milk will be great, too ;)