Reflecting on an Adventure of a Lifetime

Two weeks have passed since I last walked the dirt roads and stone streets of Pisac. Two weeks without an alfajor cookie from Sofie's, waking up to church bells and Coffee (our dog) howling at an unreasonable hour, nor grudgingly putting on two pairs of socks in the morning because the Peruvian winter got the best of me. Through all of this, I am grateful for the experience I was able to have. Now, I want to reflect on some of the most memorable moments of my trip abroad. 

My Top 3 Moments 

This picture was one of the highlights of my trip because it was where I first experienced the real beauty of Pisac. Towards the end of the first week we visited Pisac Archeological Park to hike up and down the mountains, and to learn about some ancient history of the town. (Did you know that Incans used to preserve the dead as mummies then bury them in the mountainside?) If you look closer in the picture you can see a chunk of houses in the valley next to the river, that's where I lived! The mountains seemed so towering from my house, standing at the top and looking down made me appreciate their beauty even more. The hike was a fun experience to be able to get to know my peers. I especially remember discussing how slang, foods, people, and restaurants varied from state to state. (Out of 23 of us there were at least 9 states represented!)

I don't exactly remember taking this picture or why I took it, but I think it shows the simplicity of Peruvian life. In the background sitting at around 10,000 feet above sea level are the Andes mountains, some covered in dirt and trees but ones higher up are laden with snow. Closer to where I was stood a small house, probably for the woman in the bright pink dress to its right. I never talked to her, so I don't know her story. But I could imagine that she sells choclo or hand weaved products to passersby. The woman in the picture walks towards a stray dog, who are very common unfortunately. He lays in the sun to escape the chilly winds of the Peruvian winter. I was able to experience this walk of life first hand in Peru. 

My last favorite picture from my trip is of my host family of course! I am so thankful for them, they were some of the most down to earth people I've ever met. This was taken at the closing fiesta where we ate, danced, and celebrated the month we all spent together. I remember laughing and singing American songs with my host sister and roommate, then watching in awe as traditional Peruvian dancers performed for us.

All in All...

The Pisac Language and Culture program was one of the best decisions I've made in my high school career. Not only was I able to improve in my Spanish skills and learn about the culture of Peru, but I developed as a person in other ways as well. I feel that I became more independent. I have always been an independent person and I was excited about embarking on a new adventure. However, I was scared about travelling to a new place and not knowing anyone beforehand. No one from my school, not even my state was going to be on the trip. I was surprised and thrilled to be able to connect with some of my new classmates during our first encounters at the JFK airport. I'm especially grateful for being able to become such good friends with my roommate Jenny! The trip also taught me to have patience, something I don't have very often. At times the curriculum was frustrating because our homework and projects were technology based, and sometimes it didn't work or was lagging. We had to adapt to our situations throughout the month which proved to be valuable lessons for all of us. Another thing that taught me patience was running on "Peruvian time." As Americans, most of us consider it a must to be punctual or early to events, appointments, and the like. However in Peru and other Spanish speaking countries this is not the case. Time is very lax and schedules are more of a suggestion. It was very important for my roommate and I to enforce to our host family that yes, every morning we have class at exactly 8:30 and it does not change.  

If I had to describe my month in Peru in one word it would be, captivating. At every turn there was a new face and a new story. The Spanish language gave me the opportunity to meet those faces and learn their stories. I hope that in the future I will be able to use this language, and possibly others, to make my mark on the world.

Thank you to all the people who made this trip possible for me!