So Many Places

I have left my heart in so many places. 

I haven't quite wrapped my mind around it, but it's time to say goodbye to this semester, to all of the amazing people I've come to know and love, and to this crazy beautiful, diverse, troubled, and wonderful place that is Peru. I will miss it all. And yet, I am so excited to return home, to see my family, friends, and fiance, and to prepare for whatever new adventure life throws for me. 

This has, without a doubt, been the semester of a lifetime: 

I watched the sun set over the ocean.

I settled into a new house and university.

I played in magical fountains.

I swam in the Pacific.

I saw sea lions and penguins at the Islas Palominos.

I went sandboarding and dune-buggy riding in the desert and watched the most beautiful sunset.

I flew over the Nazca Lines.

I saw mummies. 

I visited the oldest civilization in the Americas. 

I celebrated Semana Santa with festivals, bull pulls, and enormous candle-lit floats.

I was proposed to in the most magical spot in the world. 

I visited ruins in the heart of the city.

I traveled to Machu Picchu and hiked this mountain.

I ventured off the beaten path and had my breath taken away.

I volunteered in a city built on a sand dune and met some of the strongest people I know.

                                                 

I wandered into the jungle and spent a week learning and volunteering.

I celebrated my 20th birthday.

I made it back to the jungle where I saw river dolphins, held a sloth, and swam in the Amazon.

I learned about Afro-Peruvian culture in El Carmen.

I celebrated Inti Raymi in Incan ruins.

I flew over Lima as a goodbye.

I traveled to Cieneguilla and went horseback riding.

I visited the girls' shelter in Cusco one last time.

I toured Cusco on my own for a day.

I visited a yacht club in Chorrillos with my host family.

And I said goodbye to some of the best friends I've ever had! 

*Apologies. This post was written months ago and I never got around to posting it*

A Whole Lot of Nothing

This week I have a couple of midterms, a paper due, and Andy arriving on Saturday. I knew that last weekend I should spend studying and preparing for the busy week ahead. Unfortunately, while volunteering at Building Dignity last Thursday, our program coordinator showed us some pictures from a trip to San Mateo, a small mountain town a couple hours outside of Lima. Ava and I exchanged a look that said, "Let's go!" 

So go we did. It was an adventure in winging it as John, Ava, and I really had no plans except to make our way to this town and from there do some hiking. We figured out the colectivos (shared taxis) in Lima and made it to Chosica, then found a bus headed to San Mateo. Once in San Mateo we wandered for a bit, found a hostel, and ate an incredibly inexpensive dinner. Then we (attempted) to get some sleep so we could wake up early and go hiking. I say attempted because we ended up with the noisiest neighbors ever. I couldn't be too mad at them, because anyone who can laugh for 8 hours straight must be a pretty happy person! 

Sunday morning, our hostel owner took us to a little street kiosk where he showed us what we should eat for breakfast to handle the altitude: some quinoa soup or tea. He then helped us find a cab driver willing to take us an hour and a half outside of San Mateo, up a dirt road in the mountains, and leave us at a lake called Laguna Yuracmayo. We piled in the taxi and set off on our adventure.

Laguna Yuracmayo was b-e-a-utiful! I can't believe that this place isn't in the guidebooks or on any kind of tourist agenda. While hiking around the lake we literally saw three people: one shepherd with his llamas and sheep and two people on horseback who clearly lived in the area. 

We spent a little over two hours walking around the perimeter of the lake (we didn't make it the whole way, but got some good views!) then decided to start our trek back, thinking it would take about 3 hours. We seriously underestimated and ended up spending 5+ hours hiking down that windy, dirt road! Luckily, the view was just incredible so it made the sore feet and legs a little easier to handle! 

When I got back to Lima 0n Sunday night, my host aunt asked me, "Why did you go to San Mateo? There's nothing there!" All I have to say is that if this is Peru's "nothing," then I want some more of it!