Our typical Day in Cusco

You may be wondering what our days have been like here in Cusco.  I'll try and give you a little glimpse into what we've been doing here for the past 3 weeks.

Most mornings start with us waking up slowly (we mostly have warm showers - unless the gas is out or the water is off, which have both happened on occasion), and being ready to hop in the van around 9:30ish to head up to the school.  "ISH" is an important concept to adopt while in Peru.  "Ish" means that you'll get to where you want to go eventually but not necessarily at the time that you had originally expected.  I actually quite like the "ish", but not everyone does!

The van picking us up in front of the volunteer house in LaRapa.

We head up the mountain for about 20 minutes on the bumpy, dusty road to the school located in the community of Pumamarca.

the view along the drive to Pumamarca community.

Once we get to the school we either get ready to teach classes (art, english, computers or P.E.) or help with any construction projects around the school.  In our time here we have put a roof on a greenhouse, put up a soccer goal post, repaired fences, painted fences and the goal post, torn down some planters.

Paul & Matts teaching a computer class with Jane translating.

Chloe helping out with gym class on the school field.

Our time at the school is mostly finished around 1:30 or so and then we take the bumpy drive back down to the volunteer house.  In the afternoons we either have Spanish class, organize our lessons for the next day, go shopping, head into Cusco for dinner (and sometimes a bigger night of dancing) or just hang around the house.

Relaxing at the volunteer house.

Madeline getting into the cooking lesson from Santusa.
She is the most amazing cook!  We have eaten well!!

The best iced chocolate EVER!  At Los Perros,
one of our favourite restaurants in Cusco.

"Batman" the combivan that is our bus
into Cusco or shopping at La Canasta.
So,60  (about 20 cents)

On the weekends we have had tours of the ruins around Cusco, tours in the Sacred Valley, Macchu Pichu (the Inca trail for Paul and Chloe and the train for me) and this past weekend we got to spend 2 days hanging out in Cusco.  

Some friends from the volunteer house hangin' in
Plaza de Armes, Cusco

Plaza de Armes, Cusco.  We enjoyed sitting on the main
steps of the church and enjoying the view!  Cusco is
a really beautiful city!!

We shared a house with some great people who have become new friends, saw a lot, learned a ton, had our perspectives shaken up,. . . . and this is only the beginning!

* have put some new pictures on Smugmug so feel free to check them out. *