Wednesday 12/17/14 only ten days left :(

After work and lunch today, Felicia (another volunteer in my same hospital) and I met up with one of the nurses that we have gotten really close with. She has been saying for weeks that she wants us to come see where she lived and meet her 2 year old daughter. We didn't think much of the friendly banter until Friday of last week when she wanted to schedule a time. She picked us up in a tuk tuk and brought us about 10 minutes from the hospital to her home. She lived in a different part of Panadura than we had been shown. The neighborhood that we live in is right off the main road, close to all of the placements. Her house was further into Panadura and each home had a lot of land and gardens and shrubbery. It was very pretty. There was more wild life, a million different types of trees and plants. Her house was really cool because you went downhill on a longer than normal drive way to an opening in the shrubbery to her house. She lived with her whole family (parents, husband, daughter, house keeper). Her father and her were so excited to show us their land. Her father, who didn't speak much of any English, would start explaining and telling all these facts about the trees and garden area and our friend would have to translate. It was really nice to see how excited they were and how passionate they were on their way of life. The nurse's mother had prepared some pancake type dish with coconut on the inside, it was delicious. We tried a new kind of tea with ginger in it and it was equally as amazing. and the entire time that we were chatting and listening and eating, the nurse's 2 year old daughter was running around and speaking to us in Sinhala and so excited to have us there. She kept telling her mom and the grandparents to leave the room so that she could hang out with us alone. It was very fun. The little girl also wanted to show us "the bridge," so we took an extra little trip to a bridge that had been built about 4 year ago over a very pretty river. Apparently, before the bridge was there, there used to be a man with a boat and a rope that extended from one side of the river to the other. You would get in his boat (and pay obviously) and he would pull along the rope to bring you to the other side. So, the development of the bridge was a big deal. When Felicia and I got back into town, we went out and brainstormed little gifts that we could get for the little girl and the nurse as a thank you. It really was a generous day on her part and we really enjoyed it.

Tuesday 12/16/14 England vs. Sri Lanka

After work and lunch most of the regular volunteers and all of the 2-week special group traveled into Colombo for the England vs. Sri Lanka Cricket game. It was the last game of a seven game tournament type thing. We spent pretty much the whole game chatting with a guy next to us as he explained all of the rules. Cricket is an incredible complex game with a million rules/regulations and one game can actually last days. The atmosphere was awesome and made me really miss college football/college sporting events in general. Apparently, cricket is usually a very sophisticated game, people dress up very nice and the crowd is usually very quiet. Not here. Sri Lanka is so proud of their team because they are ridiculously good. Sri Lanka had already won the series by a lot. The crowd was CRAZY and I loved it. There were three Sri Lankan players that were retiring after this game, so it was a big deal and there wasn't an empty seat in the place. When we were walking in, people had actually broken one of the metal poles of fencing and were climbing through in order to see it. I would be really curious to go to a game in Europe and see how different it is. Overall, a super cool, unique experience.

Monday 12/15/14 Galle

Per usual, worked all morning. Work is still going really well. We are making really good relationships with the nurses and the doctors which is great because they chat with us quite a bit and are understanding us a lot better.
Right after work, we hopped on the bus down to a town called Galle. It is in the South of the island. We were specifically going to the Galle Fort... a place where the Europeans settled. It had lots of shops and old architecture that was beautiful. We had an awesome day so it was nice to walk about in the sun. I bought the coolest book end EVER. It is wooden and hand carved, one end is an elephant front and the other end is the butt. It's sweet and I'm gonna use it to display all my records which will be cool. I'm really excited about it, if you couldn't tell, except they wrapped the crap out of it, so I can't even open it up to admire it's coolness until I get home. We watched an incredible sunset on the way home but once the sun was down we ran into this crazy storm... plus the president was in Panadura today so traffic was completely bonkers. Needless to say, it was good to be home once we finally got there.

Saturday 12/13/14 Kandy

Last night we arrived in Kandy. It is a small town in pretty much the dead center of the island and is a popular tourist spot. We started out the day in the Botanical Gardens which were absolutely amazing. I happened to have my student ID from the UMN with me so I got a very nice student discount :) We wandered around the gardens for a couple hours but could have easily spent the whole day there. The place was gigantic with so much to look at. Without a map you could definitely get yourself good and lost. It was one of those places you wanted to be with your significant other, romantic stroll... maybe throw a picnic in there or something. You immediately think of that because scattered through the gardens, there are couples EVERYWHERE cunuddling (sp?). So it was a miss Tanner kind of morning :)
After the gardens, we went through the markets. We started off, apparently, in the wrong markets and one of the shop keepers walked us to the right one and proceeded to hang out with us through the markets and help us navigate our way which was cool. Bought a ton of stuff and definitely got ripped off more than once but oh well. The markets were nice and not as "in your face" and some of the others so that was a relief.
In the afternoon we went to a Kandyian Dance performance. It seemed similar to the ones that I had been to in Peru (obviously not Incan, but the general concept). A little stranger and not quite as elaborate. The end was the coolest part where two of the dancers sang a song and prayed before they walked on fire...more than a couple times. It was so cool and everyone got to gather around to see it up close.
The 2-week special group (16yr olds) were also in Kandy this weekend but had their own itinerary, however, we ended up seeing them at the conclusion of the night at the hostel. What turned into a leisurely chat with ice cream ended with me performing a sternal rub to one of the girls who walked off and went unconscious. A couple of her friends found her hanging over a balcony and luckily we had decided to go to bed at that time and we ran into them trying to wake her. Thankfully, but what took longer than I would have liked, she came around but took a long time to become oriented to what was happening. She had quite the sore chest the next day but was happy she was feeling better. They think she might have had a reaction to the malaria medication she was taking. So I went to bed that night a little on edge, but thankfully everything turned out just fine.
We did a little site seeing the next morning, but ended up taking a train back into Colombo around 10:30am. From what we had heard, the train was to take about 2.5 hr compared to 5 hr on the bus and the view was worth it. We got to the station and on the train almost 45 minutes early because we just didn't have anything else to do, and thank god we did because it was already pretty much full. Well, we came to find out that although the view is awesome, it may not have been worth the unbelievably PACKED, HOT HOT HOT, 4.5 hr train ride. But... it's all part of the adventure right?

Thursday 12/11/14 Balance

Today was Visa day. Two other volunteers and myself had to travel into Colombo to get our visa renewed at the immigration center. The whole process is incredibly long and causes quite a headache. You start by having to pay to get your picture taken which was stupid cuz they didn't even glance at the picture or really the form we filled out in general. Then you have to give them your passport which scared me a bit. You end up having to "take a ticket" wait 1 hr, "take a ticket" wait an hr, and the process continues until you get to the end where you have to pay..... and the clerk tells you your request doesn't exist and you have to start the process over. So that was fun. While waiting all of this time we chatted with our projects abroad visa rep and the topic of tattoos came up. After a long discussion the other night with my host sister about the Sinhala language, I had her write out "Balance" in Sinhala symbols in the thought of potentially getting that as a tattoo before I left. So during this period of waiting, I decide that today would be the day... just gonna do it. So after the visa process was completed we headed to a tattoo place (don't worry mom and dad, the place was recommended to us by a projects abroad staff and everything was sterile and went well). haha with that said, I never would have walked into this place otherwise. There were two places that we were to check out. One was super ritzy and with that, super expensive, so that was out. We walked down to the next one and from the outside it looks kinda like a tailor or small clothing store and then you walk behind a curtain and there was a one-seat tattoo parlor. cute family-run place with a little 1-2 year old boy running around and a movie playing in the background... it was actually a nice distraction during the inking. Overall, love the tattoo, it's on the inside of my left ankle and is totally awesome :)

Saturday 12/6/14 World's End

Last night we arrived in a town called Nuwara Eliya. It is in the hill country (the middle of the island) and is so beautiful. Just passed Adam's Peak, there is a national park called Horton Plains, which is where World's End is located. The whole trip is, generally speaking, a hike through the national park with stops along the way, one of which is "worlds end." We started the trip at about 0530 in the morning because in the hill country the moisture that settles on the land overnight starts rising once the sun rises and the place gets really foggy. The national park is absolutely gorgeous with lots of wildlife, different trees, plants and flowers (mom and dad, you guys would have loved this place, right up your guys alley). Our first stops along the trail was mini worlds end and a bit further is greater worlds end. We decided to go in the morning so that we could have a far view of the hill country. When you go on a really clear day, apparently you can see all the way to the ocean. We had wonderful clear weather but still had some clouds and there was just a little bit of fog so we weren't able to see that far. At about 10:00 in the morning is when the fog rises up through the national park and blocks all views of the land, hence why it is called World's End because when you get there it seems as though there is nothing left and nothing past the wall of clouds. These clouds are called the Cloud Forest. The views we had were amazing and we arrived before the fog so could see pretty far which was cool. The next stops were a huge waterfall and a pretty pond. We had to cross over a stream to get to the pond and when I attempted to cross, slipped off my rock and my foot/leg slid into a mud hole, so that was fun. Ended up jumping into the stream and attempting to clean up. Overall it was a great morning, nice weather, amazing views, per usual one hiccup, and a relaxing hike. Total it took most the morning, about 4 hours.
After lunch and a thorough shower to get all the mud and dirt off of me and my clothes and shoes, we went on a tea plantation tour. It was short but sweet. We had to wear really attractive outer clothing into the factory so we had fun making fun if each other. The weather turned a bit cloudy and a little rainy but we got the tour through the factory and learned how they made the tea and packaged it and whatnot. Apparently the tea plantation we were at sells its tea to only local companies which I thought was kinda cool. After the tour we relaxed and had an awesome cup of their tea.
After dinner we had such a relaxing evening at the hotel. We had a fireplace in our room... So romantic!! Haha but it was nice and warm (the hill country is significantly cooler than the costal regions, like pants and north face cool which is a nice relief from the heat during the week). We all cuddled up on the bed and fell asleep watching a movie.
Had such a nice and relaxing weekend.... It will be good for me because when I get home on Sunday, there will be 7 other volunteers staying in my host house for the next two weeks........all 16 yr old. Lol so that should be interesting... Stay tuned.

Tuesday 12/2/14 I love my job.

I miss working so much, so I am really blessed to be able to volunteer in the labor and delivery ward here. After a ton of finagling to actually be able to be there and participate in what was going on, I am gaining the trust of the entire labor room staff. The head sister is awesome and she loves me and Felicia (the other volunteer working with me at the women's hospital, she is a midwife student). The sister doesn't speak a ton of English but she tries very hard to learn. She also tries to learn so much from us, asking questions about the labor unit that I worked on and how things were different. The nurses do the same. They love when we ask them questions and inquire about the systems here because they love to hear our side of things too, so the dynamic isn't question --> answer, questions --> answer. It's more of a general discussion that floats around different subjects, both professional and very personal which is so awesome. We are beginning to be able to do more and more which is great because the staff trust us to do a good job and we ask questions when we don't know things.
The health system here is so different from the US. It is very old fashioned and traditional. There is a head Sister on each ward that runs the unit, similar I would think to a nurse manager. She were a certain uniform and a special hat to distinguish her title. Then there are the nurses, all in white dresses with the white hat and they wear their pins. Below them are the midwives. Here, the midwives don't need the education that the nurses need. They attend a government or private training and get more of a certification rather than proper education and a degree. It's definitely very different and has been strange to get used to but has been so interesting to be exposed to such a different way of doing things. I've really appreciated the mutual respect and learning that has been happening so far.

Sunday 11/30/14 Medical Camp

0700 came much too soon after that long and tiring couple of days. All of the medical volunteers were up for another social outreach/medical camp planned for us. We would be doing a free preventative and follow up clinics for the locals that included blood pressure, blood sugar, blood tests, weights, and education on hypertension, diabetes, and general health. Each person also met with a doctor to discuss their general well being and to receive additional, more specific education for their specific situation. All the locals were so nice and kind. Some were really hilarious and tried hard to speak and understand the English, it was sweet. There were also tons of kids that were running and playing around which was fun for me. After lunch we all crashed... for like three hours. It was the most glorious nap ever. After we met up for a relaxing movie night at my house :) woof, what a busy couple of days!!

Saturday 11/29/14 Elephants are sweet.

There was a few of us out of our big group that had a big interest in seeing/riding/washing elephants... some had already done it and some just wanted to go home. So, three of us stayed and traveled about 30 minutes outside of Dambulla to ride elephants. Once we actually found the place/people we needed to find in this tiny town, they took us in this jungle vehicle to the lake and place where they kept the elephants. I would say they had about 10-15? That we could see at least. We started almost immediately. The three of us hopped on top and they took us for a nice long ride. It was cool cuz we got to see other elephants along the way along with different animals like cool birds, big lizards, and peacocks (with the feathers out, it was so pretty). At the end of the trail, the elephant got in the water for a little bit which was fun and different. Along the entire walk we got to feed the elephants bananas, maybe a little incentive for the elephant to keep going haha. On our journey back, each of us got to take turns riding on the elephants head/neck for a while which was SO cool, a bit uncomfortable, but totally worth it. Our guide walked along the trail with us and explained things as we went along, he also took one of our cameras and took awesome pictures along the way. It was a friend's camera so hopefully those pictures will be up in the next couple of weeks.
After the elephant adventures, we hopped on another public transit bus and took the 7 hour journey home. I don't think I've ever been more excited to get off a bus and finally just get home. We were exhausted, crabby, and achy from the madness of public transportation.
Once we were finally home, we met up with the other volunteers at the hotel in town, had a much needed dinner and glass of wine and said our goodbyes to a couple volunteers that were leaving that night.

Friday 11/28/14 Sigiriya/Dambulla

Today was going to be a long day. We get up early, per usual, and head the gardens and area called Sigiriya, located right outside the town of Dambulla. There is not much here other than the attraction of The Lion Rock. The story goes that the rock is the remnants of an old volcano and the top of the mountain was the residence of a past King. About half way up the mountain there are steps to finally get to the top but only after passing the paws/claws of The Lion (see pictures on facebook). It was early morning but it was HOT. The climb wasn't too bad other than the fact that we were all drenched in sweat. As we got higher and higher, the only relief was the wind. The climb was slow but only because there was so many pretty gardens and structures to look at on the way up so there was a lot of stopping and exploring. Once you get about 2/3 the way up you come to a flat area and The Lion's claws and through there, there were steps that lead to the final top. This part was a bit steep with questionable metal steps along the side of the rock that went straight up. This part was also very wet, as the top of the mountain hung over this area so all of the water from the top fell off this area onto the steps. Thank God for my rain coat! The top was absolutely breathtaking. Views so far, everything so green, and one gigantic Buddha that was miles away watching over the land. We hung out for a long while, took pictures, relaxed. After a while, we headed back down and back into Dambulla. Morning activities -- Check.
After a nice buffet lunch, we went to the Dambulla Cave Temple. The museum was very extravagant (see pictures on facebook) with one huge Buddha. There were monkeys literally everywhere. Monkeys that were consistently given food by the visitors and that would jump and hang on to your leg to get whatever it was that you were holding, so you had to be quite careful. It was pretty hilarious, however, when it happened to a couple people we were with. Unknowingly, we had to climb to the top of this mini mountain to get to the Cave Temples... great. We were so tired from the climb up The Lion Rock but we made it just fine but it was a slow process. The cave temples weren't exactly what I expected but were still very cool. It was a temple that was kind of tucked into a large rock that overhung the temple. Inside there were tons of different Buddha statues and the ceiling (the top of the rock) were painted with intricate paintings of Buddha and related objects/concepts. We perused for a while and headed back down.
We decided that after so much climbing and activity that we would then go get Ayuveda massages at a nearby spa for the evening. Ayuveda is the type of medicine here that is non-pharmacological, consisting of herbs, oils, scrubs, etc. That was an experience that I will never forget. We ended up buys a package deal where you receive a 60 minute massage with two different oils made specifically for ayuveda treatment. After you spend time in a sauna with a certain type of leaf and then proceed to a steam bath which was similar looking to a tanning bed but wood with the same type of leaf and steam coming out of the bottom and you head is sticking out the top. The full body massage started and it was ok... a bit unorganized/no real technique which made my back feel a bit worse actually. But the surprising part was that the "full body massage" was indeed FULL BODY. Thank god I had a women... however, I had a woman with extremely long nails, so I completed the massage and in the less than adequate sauna, I examined the scrapes she left all over my legs :( So, everyone was a bit disappointed as we left, but it was quite the experience and made for a hilarious story and fun pastime that we frequently reminisce about!

Thursday 11/27/14 Social Outreach

Today was the first social outreach of my trip in Sri Lanka. It is when we go out into the community and help different community centers/orphanages/etc on different things from the education on hand washing to helping clean up an orphanage. Today we were placed in an orphanage and our task was to paint one of the buildings that had a lot of rain damage. We had an early morning, starting at 0700. The first half of the day went fairly smoothly, cleaned up the outside of the building and started painting. Jammed out to some Disney music, obviously, and everyone was having a good time. By mid-day it was ridiculously hot, everyone was drenched in sweat, thirsty and getting tired. After lunch we were beat. It was 1400 and we still had a lot of work to finish. So, we sucked it up and finished the job -- hot, tired, and slow from lunch. The only thing that made it better was that I got to chose the music for part II, and since Disney was part I, The Beatles were part II. At the end of the day, we stuck around for some pictures... made a "You're killin' me smalls!" joke at the best possible moment and only one person understood... it made me sad.
When the day was complete, we started our journey to Dabulla/Sigiriya. We usually take a private bus so that all of the volunteers can stay together, however we had too many volunteers and not enough seats on the bus, so three of us volunteered to take the public transportation option -- cheaper but longer. Getting to Dambulla wasn't too bad, a bit cramped but otherwise just a long journey after we finally figured out where the correct bus was located (the bus station is the most disorganized place ever). We passed a funeral procession and interestingly enough, they all wear white here instead of black. I'm not sure why, but that really interested me. No one around could tell me why. They also walk behind the car carrying the coffin instead of driving and in front of the car are a few select people who play drums and a certain type of horn. It was pretty cool to see. Since then we have actually seen quite a few and I can never take my eyes off of them.
When we arrive in Dambulla after 5 hours, it's raining and we have no clue where our hotel/hostel is located. Since this place is a bit off the map, we can't locate ourselves on Google Maps (first world problems) so we chat with a Tuk Tuk driver and he gets us to where we think we need to be. But, when we arrive, the place looks totally abandoned and creepy... and very locked. We finally decide to climb over the gated wall to try and find someone to help us, turns out it is the right place (great.), we get inside and crash after an incredibly long day.

Wednesday 11/26/14 Theatre day

The operating room (or theatre as they call it) is very interesting and a little scary in my eyes. We saw three different c/sections this morning. C/sections here are given much more "freely" compared to the US and they go quick. There were six c/sections happening while we were there (there are two ORs), and even when we left, there were women IN LINE to get cut. Things move quickly, they get in and get out. The baby is placed in a basin of sorts and taken to a separate room, mom doesn't get to see baby until she is in the recovery "area." There is minimal recovery done on the baby at all - no VS, no stimulation for a minimum of 20-30 seconds as they travel to another room, no assessments, which scared the daylights out of me as a watched for the first time. Between patients, the OR isn't stripped and cleaned the way it is at home either. The bed sheets are removed and new ones are put on... no real cleaning involved at all. It is very intriguing. I wanted very much to see the statistics on infection and whatnot but that doesn't exist here.
Bought a sari this afternoon. It was weird because looking at them in the store, just on the wrack, none of them looked appealing to me, but when they are on, it is really hard to go wrong. Mom - you will be happy as I bought one that is blue and pink. I can hear her now "those colors really are best for you skin tone and your eyes" :) (love you, mom)

Tuesday 11/25/14 Homesick and after two months I need a vent session so if you don't want to listen to me complain... skip to the next post.

So I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning... figuratively and literally. Figuratively -- First of all woke up in the early hours of the morning to a cat somewhere near my bedroom window that was clearly struggling to some extent and being ridiculously loud. It continued for at least an hour while I drifted in and out of sleep and then I finally woke up to the shrill sounds of a dog and cat having some sort of battle/confrontation. It was awful and made me want to cry. There was no hope for going back to sleep after that.
Literally -- So the mattresses here aren't really mattresses at all... more like a thick pad on top of wood panels. There are four beds in my room but I am the only one occupying the room. After the first two nights of waking up in incredible back pain, I decide to throw one of the other mattresses under mine for a little extra padding. Mistake. Since there is nothing to these mattresses, I woke up in an even bigger ass print of a hole in the mattress than before and in an equal amount of back pain. To make matters worse, I have a million bug bites because apparently the bugs here are immune to the damn 98% DEET bug spray that I have been infecting myself with at all times, so I have been having a difficult time sleeping through the night with the heat, the itching bug bites, and my back. Thank god for melatonin because I would be struggling big time without it.
Today was my first day in the Women's hospital and I was so excited about it. I tried so hard to put those silly things aside so that I could enjoy the day in the hospital. After a wonderful morning full of births and conversations with some of the English speaking nurses, listening to interesting stories and learning the comparisons to US procedures in the delivery room, I felt incredibly homesick for my job back in the states. I wanted desperately to help the way that I help and do my job in the states to make the birthing experience even just a little bit better for some of the mothers, but many of the things are not practiced here and are not accepted. I needed to constantly remind myself that this is why I am here. To learn about a new culture, a different way of doing things, and to bring what I have learned back to the states. To be a better nurse, a well-rounded nurse, a nurse who practices cultural humility and cultural adaptability. Tomorrow is theatre day (operating room) so send good vibes my way so that maybe I will be better.
Spent the afternoon after lunch at home reading my book and collecting my thoughts. I attempted to go out with the other volunteers but was exhausted and distracted so I removed myself. At this point, I was homesick for not only the US but Peru too. I missed my independence that I have in both places, especially Peru. There was a never ending list of things that I wanted to do, with the other volunteers/friends and by myself. It was easy and always an adventure. Here is very different. It is never a good idea to travel alone even during the day, and I live in such a small village that it takes an entire afternoon and planning to venture outside the village to do more exploring or other activities. I was frustrated. However, there is a gym that is just around the corner from my house that I attempted to go have a good work out and sweat out all of the bad vibes, but then I got there, I found that had cancelled the classes for the night. ugh.
Ended the day, getting cleaned up in the bathroom and a giant cockroach climbed out of the sink drain while I was brushing my teeth... had to chase it around the bathroom for while before I was able to kill it. Scared me half to death when I discovered it running at full speed toward me.
Homesick. I was incredibly spoiled in Peru. Wifi in my house... so lucky and so convenient. Since I live in such a small village here, wifi does not exist... not in the house, not in town, not for about 25 minutes outside the village. It is proving very difficult for me to not talk with my family, boyfriend, and friends for this long. The time difference makes it that much harder. I miss everyone. But. tomorrow is a new day.... vent session over. Looking forward to waking up refreshed and ready to move on.
The one good thing about the day, work. Just proves how much I love my job as a labor and delivery nurse and how much I strive to keep learning. I want to know more. I want to be a bomb ass nurse. I want to be the nurse that my patients are so happy to see when I walk in the door.

Sunday 11/23/14 "close your mouth"

Today, the group decided that before we headed back to Panadura, we were going to stop at a place and do white water rafting. It took some convincing and begging to get everyone to agree but we eventually made the decision. Woke up quite early and drove for about two hours, in the direction of Panadura thankfully, and arrived at the water rafting site. We broke off into two small groups of 4 (not everyone decided to stay and participate) and were placed in two boats. Our guides started off by explaining how to sit/paddle/react during the adventure. However, the explanation took less than three minutes and was dangerously vague, which made every feel really good and safe.. not. Believe it or not, we really didn't need that much guidance and our guides were absolutely hilarious -- having us race, stand up through the rapids, jump out of the boat, and generally mess with the other "team." The trip started and the only thing that was shouted and reinforced throughout the ride was "CLOSE YOUR MOUTH." haha otherwise, choke on the waves of water rushing at your face and thrashing you around the boat. Since I had never been rafting before, I thought it was amazing along with everyone else. The only complaint we had at the end was that we wished it was longer!  After a couple of long days behind us, we headed back to Panadura for a relaxing evening at Blue Water for some WIFI and wine. What an amazing first weekend... couldn't have asked for a better one and can't wait to see what the next ones have to offer.

Friday 11/21/14 "You're a fool if you don't do it, but you're an even bigger fool if you do it twice" -- Adam's Peak

Friday started out like any other day... work in the hospital for the morning, was in the surgical ward today and was able to see and help with the crazzzzyyy wound cleaning and dressing. So that was fun and really interesting. I really have no idea what I'm going to do when I get back in terms of where I will want to work, I guess it will be a surprise for all of us.
After work, I met up with the rest of the volunteers and we hopped on a bus that took us to this tiny little village about 5 hours away. Since we got into town after dark, we just ate dinner and took a short nap at the hostel. At about 0200 the excitement began. We all crawled out of bed, literally.... not particularly excited for the next hours to come. Thankfully I had remember to bring my flashlight because the trek up to Adam's Peak started at two and went all night. Those who forgot to bring theirs had some problems haha. Thinking that I was totally prepared for the trek since I had been doing so much hiking in the high altitude of Peru, I had no idea what was coming. The beginning started off just fine. We passed through another village and received bracelets and a blessing from the monks which was awesome because we needed to luck. The trek was just fine until the steps started... maybe 1/3 of the way into the hike. These weren't just regular old steps, these were steep, uneven, rock, slippery/moss covered steps. Oh yeah, and it had rained pretty much the entire evening before, so everything was soaked making staying on your feet a bit difficult. Also, thankfully I had worn my hiking shoes because those who didn't have the right footwear definitely paid for it. Once the difficulty began, the group separated into smaller packs by fitness level, which made me a bit nervous for some reason because the doctors at the hospital kept telling us horror stories/warning us not to do the trek or to be extremely careful. They were telling us that hiking Adam's Peak now was foolish because it was off season (season started in mid-December I believe and is a religious outing). But, off season meant that the path was not maintained, the path was never lit, and the shops/tea stops were not open along the way. I was in the first group, apparently paving and lighting the way, and we were making awesome time and it actually felt amazing to get in a good work out when it wasn't incredibly hot. The hike took us a total of about 2.5 hours including breaks... oh the breaks. Not only were they amazing because the hike was very hard, but we would sit down and look up to probably the most stars I've ever seen, it was absolutely breathtaking. I wish my pictures would have turned out from the nighttime because it really was something special. The hike was very similar to Machupichuu except hiking up to Machupichuu and then continuing without stopping up Machupichuu Mountain except much hotter.
Once we got to the top, it got freezing. We were at about 3000 meters altitude and no one thought to bring warm clothes and dry clothes for that matter since we were soaked in sweat. We all huddled together for warmth and watched the sunrise then headed back down the mountain... another two hours and holy cow did my knees/body just ache. It was about six hours of constantly working out the body. Once we got back to the hostel, we ate a ton of food for breakfast and passed out.

Thursday 11/20/14 Projects Abroad

It absolutely blows my mind how much better the projects abroad program is here than in Peru. Yesterday, one of the staff members walked me through the entire town and physically brought me to places like the supermarket, bank, pharmacy, Internet cafe, popular places for volunteers, etc. We visited the two hospitals that I would be volunteering at. I had also received a free SIM card when going through immigration on arrival but mine along with my peruvian phone had been giving me problems so she took me to the right places to get it all sorted out. By the end of the morning, I literally had no questions or concerns at all. I was able to visit the pediatric unit also yesterday and hung out with all the kids but the unit didn't seem to have much for me to do or observe. The doctors there said the unit is very seasonal and suggested that I get transferred to a different unit for better experience. Malsha, my coordinator, was right on it and today I was in the surgical unit in a variety of situations including on mastectomy which was really amazing to watch and had me thinking about what kind of nursing I wanted to pursue upon arrival in the US. Next week I start in the OBGYN hospital for labor and delivery which Malsha had also specifically arranged for me. She's awesome.

Tuesday 11/18/14 Bugs

So I'm glad I have a bug net over my bed as I have killed quite a few and found my first lizard crawling all over the walls so that's an interesting new development.

Monday 11/17/14 holy hot here.

Got into Colombo around 2:30 am pick up my luggage and get picked up by projects abroad staff. The drive from the airport to my house is about 1.5 hr. Got to the house around 5:30 and totally crashed... Slept till like noon got up had a delicious lunch and unpacked. I don't think I have ever been more grateful for a cold shower in my life!!! So refreshing but the second you step out of the shower, you are instantly sweating again so I'm just going to have to get used to that. This afternoon we had a crazy storm... Lightening, thunder, wind, downpour, the whole deal. Apparently they don't usually gets storms like that here so my host family was really scared and freaking out a bit, especially when the power kept going out haha. After a short while the rain stopped, I rested before dinner and then went to a hotel to meet up with some volunteers that were getting together to say goodbye to a volunteer that was leaving that night. It was so nice to meet everyone right away and make some friends that first day unlike Peru. There are two other volunteer houses very close to mine which is also really nice. There aren't many places for us to all hang out so it sounds like the trend here is for everyone to hang out at a hotel/resort for wifi and AC. We are starting to plan a trip for this weekend to Adams Peak, which was on my top things to do, so I'm excited about that.

Sunday 11/16/14 missing peru....

Things I am missing about Peru:
1. The lights on the hills at night. From the plaza and really anywhere in the valley, seeing the lights on the hill is one sight I don't think I'll see again. It makes you want to find a place to sit and just look. Many people refer to them as the "fallen stars." There is really nothing like it.
2. The colors - things are so vibrant there. The baby blankets, llamas, craft markets, etc. Everything is alive and flowing.
3. The kiddos at San Juan De Dios. They have fun and love life event in the toughest of times. One little boy, Jhon was always smiling, no matter what. It was hilarious and beautiful. Another little girl was having fun stealing my stuff and playing hide and seek with it. Love them. I really wish I could have helped more and challenged each of them to go further because I know they could have.
4. The girls and babes at Peru for Life. They were trying so hard to make good lives for themselves and their babies after having such a rough start to life. Overcoming mental and physical limitations and learning to be mothers when they are still kids.
5. Oddly, I miss the cab drivers. They people the were so willing to let me practice my spanish and help me navigate an unknown city. They were unbelievably helpful and kind. I couldn't have asked for better people to interact with.
6. Again, oddly enough, I miss the dogs. Before leaving, everyone spent so much time and energy warning me about "the dogs." But in reality, most were super cute and friendly. After watching the locals interact with them and realizing a majority of them weren't going to bother/hurt me, I became really nature with them. I loved that they were everywhere. I also miss my home dog... little shit cuz it was always wanted to wrestle/play but also really snuggly.
7. Speaking on house pets... I'm going to miss to have allergies to pets??? No clue why I didn't have any allergic reactions to the dog and TWO cats in the house, but it was SOOO nice being able to interact/snuggle with them whenever I want and not turn into one big, itching hive.
8. The mountains and the scenery. After being there for a certain period of time, being surrounded by the mountains and continuous beauty turns normal.
9. The bars/discotecas - mythology, wild rover, temple, Mama africa, indigo, loki.... so many fun places to visit throughout the night and even more fun people and travelers inside.
10. The incredible kind people here - the woman who walked me to the plaza (out of her way) at night to make sure I got there safely, the man at the cathedral who helped explain the service to me, the fellow travelers who randomly tell you about great places to visit.
11. The friends that I mad there - Kiva, Julia, Lindsay, Louise, Hannah, Courtney, Sandrine... people who were more than willing to build relationships and explore new places with people they have just met and placing trust in complete strangers. Travelers in general seem to be great people and I hope other travelers look at me that way because finding that bond with other is so amazing and ridiculously fun.
12. My host family - Maria Jesus (mom), Michi (sister), Myra (sister), Antonio (brother), and Dushka (sister). Opening their home so travelers like myself can learn and enjoy the local lifestyle.
13. The cobblestone roadways and architecture - in general the area surrounding the Plaza de Armas. So much fun and totally relaxing to wander around and aimlessly explore the area in the early morning... quiet, peaceful.
14. Plus so many more things

Saturday 11/15/14 I'm in Miami..... ;) sang that one all day

So I get into Miami and pick up my luggage but come to figure out that Lima was supposed to print my tickets even after I argued about the matter with the Lima ticketing office for what seemed liked ages. So from 0600 (about when we arrived in Miami) to 4:00 pm I had to wait outside of ticketing. Not wanting to carry all my crap around all over the place, I decide to post up in a corner and obviously... Binge watch television. So got caught up on scandal (steph I hope you have been watching, cuz holy guacamole!!). Anyways, after I finally get into the airport and find my gate, there conveniently is a restaurant across the hall that is playing the badger game. Again, I found a nice corner, posted up with beer and nachos and enjoyed the game before take off! Needless to say, it was a nice conclusion to a long ass day. Also another convenience/process that we totally take for granted in the US.... walking into a bathroom, for all you women out there, seeing a toilet seat on the toilet, having there be an ample supply of toilet paper, throwing the toilet paper into the toilet instead of a garbage then proceeding to a sink where the water works, there is an ample supply of soap and some source to dry your hands. My first experience with this lovely process in Miami was definitely a high light of the day. :)

Friday 11/14/14 The journey to colombo begins

Last minute shopping for most of the morning for you people. You're so lucky ;) Lunch and postres with some volunteers for a nice little send off and back to the house for the good byes :( My friend, Lindsay's host dad was kind enough to give us a ride to the airport which was very convenient. I'm so thankful that I have two other volunteers traveling with my to Miami!

11/13/14 Last traditional cuisines

Had a good last day in the clinic helping in the physical therapy room. Then went out to lunch with the medical supervisor for Peru. Her name was Pati. We went to a local place at Cusquenita and tried the last remaining dishes that I have been holding out on. Yes, I tried it, I tried the guinea pig. It was different, crunchy, and tasted like... meat? Was different but a delicacy here. Also tried this fruit corn beer called fruitada that was surprisingly delicious. Had my last spanish class which was really sad but I'm excited to practice everything that I have learned. After spanish, I met up with a friend who got her first tattoo. Was very exciting and made me start thinking about mine. Of course, I thought of another tattoo I wanted after we left :(. Had my last dinner with some friend's host family - pisco and pizza, what an amazing combo!! Then home for a late night of packing.

11/10/14 Colca Canyon... the grand finale

Want to guess the start? ......Up early about 0530 to hit the road for the Colca Canyon. Made a bunch of stops for picture taking along the canyon before we arrived at our look-out point for Condors (the bird Peru is known for, vulture-like looking bird that is gigantic). We spotted a few here and there but nothing up close, but right at the end one swooped through which was pretty cool. After the morning in the canyon, we left Chivay and headed to Arequipa. Arequipa is beautifulllll. The architecture, the palm trees, the liveliness. It was wayyyy cleaner that Cusco, which I liked. We explored the plaza area and the markets obviously. Found this gem of a spot on top of a building in the plaza and were able to see the entire city from the top. Took the overnight bus back to Cusco at about 1930 and was back for work in the morning. Woof.

11/9/14 Part 2: Journey to Chivay

Again, up early at 0530 for the bus to Chivay/Arequipa for the Colca Canyon and part 2 of the last adventure of Peru 2014. The bus ride was about 4-5hr with stops to significant places on the way. First stop was to see the "Little Lake Titicaca" and flamingos. Unfortunately, the birds were pretty far away but still a pretty area nonetheless. The second stop was to see the rock forest and the most dangerous active volcano in Peru. The rock forest was natural rock formations that were really interesting to look at. The third stop was for some more volcanos at about 5000 meters. The day started the downhill slope from here.
1. Got into Chivay, bought out tourist pass for the Colca Canyon and headed to the booking place. However, after waiting for what seemed like hours... prolly at least an hour, our guide never shows and then they bring us to a hostel that we think isn't ours. Starving and frustrated we hit the plaza for lunch were they tell us they have what we want then they tell us they don't and then we leave and they tell us they do. AKA "I don't want to make that order something else (we leave), WAIT ok yeah we have that, sit down."
2. After lunch we meander around the plaza and decide to rent some bikes and explore the town a bit. We rent some bikes and equipment but find out there is no guide, however, we get a map!! lol we venture out on the bike path and come to find that the trip is mostly uphill. However, the views are amazing and the work out feels good. We get to the first checkpoint and the map is no longer useful. We get lost... and the only path to follow is off-roading downhill. We ask some people along the way and they tell us that we are on the right track so we continue along until we are utterly and completely lost.... and it's getting dark. We backtrack uphill and walk out to the canyon to see if we can find this "lost bridge" we were supposed to take. Luckily, we can see it, but have no clue how to get to it. We finally find this little path that has been destroyed by rainfall (it appears) and/or hasn't been used in ages. We have to walk the bikes down because it is extremely steep and at this point I'm not taking any chances. We walk onto the bridge and are totally silent because the view is spectacular. We are down in the canyon, the river is gorgeous, and the sun is setting. But it's SUPER windy.
3. We stop to take some pictures and my ticket for Colca Canyon tomorrow flies out of my backpack and I watch as it floats through the wind and down into the river.
4. We get across the bridge and find that the only way back up the canyon to the next check point is by stairs... like approximately 4 flights of stairs... with our bikes. FUN!!!!
5. Get to the top and are totally exhausted and it's just about to be very dark, and we are only half way through the bike trip. In the plaza of this town we convince a convoy to take us and our bikes back to Chivay. He finally agrees and we go on our way. We ended up having to pay a bunch more money because we were late getting our bikes back... shockingly.
6. We get back to the hostel and are scolded because apparently we were supposed to meet our guide there, but no one thought about informing us that.

The bright side... got a work out, saw an incredible sunset.

11/8/14 Lake Titicaca Day 2

Up early for breakfast with the host family and boat ride to the next island - Taquila. Today was much windier than yesterday so the water was very choppy making for an interesting ride in our little tug-boat like boat. We ended up breaking down for a bit and just kind of drifting, was actually kind of relaxing because we relaxed on the top of the boat in the sun and breeze. We couldn't figure out how it was happening, but there was this amazing, huge ring around the sun without any clouds or anything, strange and very pretty. Once the boat was back up and running, we made it to the island and hiked into town (about 45-60 mins). We walked around, peaked through the markets then hiked about another 30 minutes to our lunch spot. There they performed a presentation on how the locals interact. For example, they greet each other with coca leaves instead of kisses, hand shakes, etc. They showed us different plants they use for shampoo/cleaning/etc. They also showed us how to distinguish their marital status. Depending on whether you are single, married, divorced, widowed etc, they have to wear certain types of clothing. For example, the men that are single have a hat that is two different colors and they can wear it different ways to show whether they are single, dating, engaged, etc. Females have different colored skirts and belts. The performance was summed up with a dance. The island in general has three rules: Don't lie, don't steal, don't be lazy. And surprisingly it works fantastically well. After lunch concluded, we took our boat another 2.5 hr back into Puno. That is how huge this lake is.
After we got back we were totally starving so we hit up one of the restaurants in the plaza and I tried Vino Caliente. This wine is hot with cinnamon and orange juice and may or may not have been the best wine I've ever had. I took it down with some pizza and garlic bread... was such a fatty. Got back to the hostel, and obviously passed out with a food coma.

11/7/14 Last adventure of Peru 2014

After a long day working and spanish class, Julia, Lindsay (two other volunteeers from a different program) and I leave town at 2200 for Puno. Puno is the city that is right on Lake Titicaca. This is the highest lake in the world at an altitude of 5000 meters in some parts. We took an overnight bus, so we should arrive there at about 0600. We bought tickets for a nice bus so our seats transform into beds... kind of. The bus ride went smoothly and everyone slept on and off. We started the trip on the lakefront at about 0730. We went through the introductions and we had people from 6 different countries which I thought was pretty sweet. Our tour guide was Pacha (meaning earth) and thus our group was named Pacha Group. He was the cutest little man and a really awesome tour guide.
Our first stop was the Floating Islands of Uros. They are probably some of the coolest things that I have ever seen. They are kind of a little sustainable village with a floating islands with a small hospital and school for the kids. What they do is there is a certain plant that grows in the water here and the water is much more shallow than other parts so they pile the dried out plant on top of the root of the plant and anchor it with some sort of concoction. After exploring the islands and taking a ride on a traditional water taxi, we were taken by boat to another island called Amantani. The weather was absolutely gorgeous so everyone was really good about reminding to wear sunscreen and drink lots of water since the altitude is so high. Amantani was totally incredible. We were shown to our host family's home (which was a hike) then as a group, we met back up to hike the mountain. The views were breathtaking and the hike was pretty hard but definitely worth it. After we think we have gotten to the top, we see the next two mountains/large hills. One was Pachamama and the other Pachatata. We hike up to Pachatata first, about another 15 minutes. Once at the top, we walk around the temple three times and make a wish each cycle and Pachatata will grant your wishes. After you stand with your arms extended out at your sides, close your eyes and you can feel your fingers and hands tingle. After Pachatata, we headed back down the hill and up the other hill to Pachamama. We arrived just in time for the most beautiful sunset behind the mountains. We were also educated by Pacha (our guide) about the third "being" was Pachacocha (sp?) for water, there was no third mountain to climb for that. Thank goodness, because it was incredibly dark because there is no electricity on the island without sunlight (they use a little solar energy) and after the sun sets, it also gets incredibly cold. We trekked back down the mountain which proved to be trickier than expected in the dark, but finally got home for dinner. Everything was homemade and homegrown. They don't serve meat or fish, solely veggies and rice with soup. After dinner, the family dressed us up in the traditional robes/clothing for both males and females. They were so pretty with tons and tons of different colors and styles. The male outfit was fairly simple with a poncho and specific hat, but the female outfit had many pieces. We had so much fun running around the clothes and on the plus side, the outfit was super warm! We all headed into a village for a dance. The locals lead us in some typical dance moves while a local band played. It was hilarious, hot, very fun and totally exhausting!

11/5/14: day of gifts

This morning I started the day with a youtube video that someone had posted on facebook. I opened it without intention as I scrolled through my newsfeed while eating breakfast. It was an add for an insurance company, and it was about a man who throughout the day gave back to the community by extremely simple gestures, compassion, and generosity. The video almost brought me to tears it was so amazing and touching. It really made me think about how I wanted to spend my time, help people with the skills I have acquired, and be so intentional with how I interact with the community.
What an amazing way to start out my day. I don't know if it was because of the video or what but the day was wonderful. Started out the day at the clinic and made some relationships with the kids even stronger.. tried to come up with new things to do and we actually got to take the kids outside which was awesome. Headed home and had a nice quiet lunch alone while the kids were at school and then headed to the plaza. Spent some time in a new coffee/pastry place... there are so many to try because they are everywhere. I fell in love with this one and of course it was toward the end of my stay because I would definitely make that place "my spot." Had some coffee and the best chocolate cake I've had maybe ever. I sat by the window and it's off a fairly busy walkway so had some awesome people watching as well. Saw a peruvian man with a packer sweatshirt on so that kinda threw me off, but in the best way possible. Headed to the famous Avenida Del Sol artisan market to get all my gifts for you people... don't worry, they are you christmas gifts too :) But since this video had me in a mood, I was a bit obnoxiously more generous that normal! Love the stuff I picked out for everyone so I'm really excited to make the rounds when I get home. The only problem to figure out now is how to get it all home cuz all that stuff definitely isn't fitting in my suitcase.

11/6/14 no

Tweaked my back today so that was fun. I'm actually surprised it didn't happen earlier... either way it sucks and of course it happens right before the weekend trip. Hi bed. Hi icy hot. Hi medication. It's good to see you guys again... not. bye.

11/4/14: bingo and trivia

After quite the average day, some girls I met at the clinic knew of a local place that hosted bingo and trivia as a sort of fundraiser for their volunteer organization. Also, an added plus, if you were a volunteer anywhere, you got happy hour which was bomb. I ended up winning bingo so I got extra drinks :) Trivia was an interesting story.... the announcers seemed to speak both spanish and english but not necessarily one or the other, spanglish if you will. So we were constantly asking them to repeat the questions which got irritating but whatever. We still ended up winning the game and got a bottle of wine so that was exciting. Reminded me of the days in college when we had activities like that every day of the week... missing those days... wish the trivia crew would have been here to help decipher the game.

11/2/14-11/3/14 final days of the boleta

 Sunday: Kiva and I hit up the Chinchero ruins as a part of the Boleta Turistico. The town is extremely small with not a whole lot to do other than the ruins and the market. I got there around noon and Kiva's bus decided to make a million stops so I wandered around for a while while I waited for her. The market was probably the coolest thing all day. It is the most authentic market I think I have come across. So many fun things for really cheap but I didn't want to buy stuff and then have to carry it all over the ruins. After Kiva arrived we hiked up to the ruins and wandered around for a while. These ruins aren't very big and to be honest there wasn't much to look at so we headed back to Cusco fairly quickly. We got back and hung out for a bit before a cultural dance show that we got with the boleta. We had to get there early or else the place fills up because it's a very small theatre. It was very interesting to be a part of. Somewhat similar to the cultural play that I went to. The play started with some typical dances and that is what this entire show consisted of. The costumes were amazing and the people involved were all incredible.
Monday: After work all morning, Kiva trekked her way to Cusco again and we hit the last three ruins on our boleta. They were all very close to the saksaywaman. All very beautiful and some amazing views of the city.

10/31/14-11/1/14 Halloween weekend

So halloween was fun. Recreated the Cool Runnings costume from college... worked like a charm. Mostly, I'm cheap and didn't want to buy a costume so just got some colored tape and called it a night! Got a ton of compliments and a ton of weird looks along with the line "so what are you TRYING to be?" Trying? seriously? I looked bomb, let's be real. And why have you never seen cool runnings... losers. We started off in the plaza and it was loco. So many people, so many kids, it was awesome. Again with the photos... we were asked on multiple occasions if we would take pictures with them, obviously we agreed and met some really fun people. We made our way through the bars, had a huge group of people so it was a bit tricky to keep everyone together... we failed miserably, obviously. Met three new friends at the new clinic and I was actually able to meet up with them which was nice, they are super fun. Had a bit of a mishap with a volunteer needing to go to the hospital but other than that, the night was a total blast. The bars don't close until approximately 6 in the morning here... why? don't ask me, it's nuts. But what did we do? Stayed out and about until the sun came up. Walking home in the light was weird and exhausting. Let's just say, we were trying to fit in? ;) We ended the night at McDonalds... yes they have Micky-D's here and yes I spent 20 soles on food. Again, don't judge me. Side note... their Mcflurry's here are like 20x better than ours.
As per usual the morning after I drink, I woke up a couple hours later at like 8:30, we had a leisurely morning reminiscing about the night, had a bomb brunch at a popular spot called Jax's. For the rest of the day, Kiva (otra voluntaria) and I made our way around to all of the Cusco museums with our tourist ticket. Had another beautiful day to make our way around the city, however, a total exhausting day after such a long night. The museums were very pretty and the buildings equally as pretty. I'm starting to be a bit more conversational with my Spanish so after getting home from the long day, had a nice chat with the fam. Hitting up a popular pizza place tonight with some girls, keeping it a bit more tame than last night.

10/29/14 Clinica San Juan de Dios

Today was my first day in the new clinic - Clinica San Juan de Dios. It is a clinic that is for kids with neurologic disorders. After not doing much in my last clinic, I had high hopes that this one would really need and want the help. I walked in and instantly fell in love. It is a newer building and very well kept. The kids were all in the dining area playing with other volunteers while I got the low down on how the place worked. The other volunteers were very nice and welcoming - some speaking only spanish and some speaking only english. I think I should able to practice my spanish a bit more here since I will actually be interacting with the kids and staff/other volunteers compared to the last clinic. One of the other volunteers brought his ukelele so the morning was filled with a lot of great music. The volunteer work consists of trying to give the kids with sensory stimulation and human interaction. Without the volunteers there, the kids pretty much sit in their wheelchairs and watch cartoons... not so good for the brain. Since some of us volunteers are a bit more trained, we are able to push the kids a bit more with their physical therapy which is really great for them. We stay through the lunch period and feed all of the kids. It was a little frustrating to see how some of the staff feed the kids, especially the ones that needed more attention and time. It seemed like a rushed event which, to me, should be something that should be completed with caution considering the choking risks. However, most the nurses have awesome relationships with the kids which is great. The kids range in age from babies to teens and range in capability from completely dependent to mostly independent. I am also able help the nurses with their work which is awesome. I just feel a lot more needed here and am able to actually put my skills to work which is so nice. Overall, super jacked about the switch.
This afternoon I met up with some other volunteers and went to the Ollantaytambo ruins with our tourist pass. It was a gorgeous afternoon, and had a good time exploring the grounds for like an hour. We headed back to town (a super small town that you can walk everywhere) and the plaza is packed with people. There is a big stage set up for a band, bleachers for people to sit, food everywhere, and beer everywhere. It takes some getting used to to see people just openly walking around town with alcohol, super strange but super awesome. We come to find out that it is the anniversary of the town of Ollantaytambo so there is a huge celebration. The band starts and it's kinda modern music but in Quechua. There is a group of older folk in front of the stage that is all dancing and drinking and generally really enjoying themselves. As we stood and observed the crowd, an older woman came over and grabbed my hand, brought me to the center, poured me some beer, and told me to dance. Another older man took the hand of my friend and we made our way around the dance floor. It was quite the experience and very fun.
I get off the bus from Ollanta, it's dark, and I have literally no clue where I am in Cusco (Cusco is huge and there are a couple different bus stations). I start chatting with a Peruvian girl on the bus and she is probably one of the nicest people I have met here. She is with her little girl and happens to be heading to the plaza which is were I needed to be. So she invites me to walk and come with her to destination, we chat in spanish the whole walk (about 20 minutes) and we make tentative plans to hang out on halloween! After, I met up with some other volunteers from a different program and we got dinner for one of their birthdays. We went to a place called Papacho's. It was a little touristy and expensive but soooooo delicious. I got myself quite the elaborate burger... don't judge me. I was starving.

10/28/14 Peru for life

Although my experience in the Clinica Peruano Suiza was starting to get better (after complaining on multiple occasions and harassing the staff to let me help), I was still looking for other opportunities where I could help and use my skills as a nurse. I met some girls with a different volunteer program that works with a house for teen moms. They help with education on caring for baby, health of mom, placement for housing after they leave the house and sometimes job placements. It is a sort of transition housing but some girls can/will live there for years. The ages range from 11-18ish. Most of the girls are victims of abuse and rape from family members, child prostitution, etc. It is very sad but also so awesome that they have this place where they can find support and help. Today was my first day there and it was amazing. The coordinator picked me up on her way home from the hospital with one of the moms who has just had her baby. She had quite the complicated situation with severe pre-eclampsia, c/section, sepsis, etc so she was ready to rest. The coordinator was so excited to have someone with the training I have had there with the girls. She said the staff working there really don't know much about the topics of breastfeeding and proper ways to care for babies (which confused me but I didn't press the topic). They specialize more in the mental and placement aspects. Without the volunteers contributions to this organization, I don't think they would survive. So I'm really excited to be able to help. When we got to the house I met all the girls and their babies. The afternoon I was there, I did so much breastfeeding education, it was so fun. I didn't realize how much I missed working with that population. The girls were so welcoming and accepting of my advice and adjustments to their breastfeeding. It was nice to practice my spanish with them as well. We did some education on some baby cares for the new mom such as giving a bath, breastfeeding, burping, and generally caring for her baby. I didn't want to leave!! Some of the volunteers live there, and I was feeling a little jealous... especially because they can snuggle and hang with the babies whenever they want!! I am currently working on a breastfeeding presentation for the girls to see pictures and really understand how to give their baby the best food and enough food. I am super excited to help give the presentation and help them learn about their body's and their babies!

10/26/14 holy hangover

Well after such a late night, we had quite the early morning. For some reason whenever I drink, I have the hardest time sleeping in. But when afternoon comes, I'm down for the count. We had a pretty leisurely morning with breakfast and coffee, and more coffee. We made our way to the Pisac ruins. They are about 45 minutes outside of Cusco. Got a bomb lunch there, perfect cure to my hangover. Hitched a ride in a cab to get the the top of the ruins (because its like a 4 hour hike and lets be real, that wasn't gonna happen today). Unfortunately we had a time restraint there and could only look around for like an hour, and this place is huge and sooo cool. So we were a bit bummed about that but still enjoyed trekking around the mountain to the different sets of ruins. Had another beautiful day for hiking. When it started to get dark, we went out separate ways, got home and crashed. Barely remember the FaceTime sessions with the rents and tanner. Goooodddd niiiggghhhtttt!!!

10/25/14 Party like a rockstar

Today two other volunteers (Kiva and Hannah) and I bought this tourist ticket that gets you into all sorts of different ruins, museums, and activities. It only lasts for 10 days, so its going to be a busy week. Today we started out with a trek up to the Cusco ruins - Saksaywaman and Cristo Blanco. It was a bit of the trek, but it felt good once we got to the top. There were lots of school groups there which I thought was interesting. Thinking back to my school field trips...farms and oh yeah, more farms. They were nothing compared to a trip like this! I was feeling jealous of the kids. We made our way down after doing some exploring and checked into our hostel - Wild Rover. We relaxed a bit then met up with the rest of the volunteers for our volunteer social for the week. This week was salsa lessons. I had already done some lessons so I "kind of" knew what I was doing. It was fun but with a lack of male partners was a little tricky. After our lessons we hit the town... boy do they know how to party. Woof. We made our way around the bars and discotecas and had a blast. It was a late night thats for sure. Met some awesome people and made some plans for halloween.

10/23/14 Quechua

What a nice day. After a morning in the clinic, we were treated to a lunch with my nursing supervisor and two other volunteers at a local restaurant near my house that was fantastic. They had a couple options and I decided to go with the ones that I had no idea what they were which was fun and very delicious. After, I took the afternoon to go hang out at a local coffee shop near the plaza, put on some familiar tunes and practice some spanish. Time slipped away from me as I spent a solid part of the afternoon there. I sat on the second floor balcony and at one point there was quiet the storm that passed through. It was so relaxing to sit with my hot coffee and just watch. It was gorgeous and the plaza cleared out so it was awesome to see it without so many people around... Quiet and tranquil. It was a nice independent session that I needed with myself. After I met up with some friends to go to a cultural play that was solely in the peruvian language of Quechua. It started out with some traditional dancing that was awesome, the singing took some getting used to but I barely noticed because I was so engrossed in the dance and incredible costumes/attire the people had on. The play was a sort of version of Romeo and Juliet, a little frightening but overall very entertaining and fun to be apart of. The friends that I went with knew someone in the play so that made it a little more special. After, I got to meet him and we shared some food and drinks at a tiny place of their choice. A great day..

10/20/14 Trek Day 4: The grand finale

We wake up at about 4:00am and head to the entrance at the base of Machu Picchu. We get up early so that we can try and catch the sunrise at the top, and at that time there are less people. It was actually really nice because it was so cool and the air was crisp. The hike starts and everyone kind of separates to go at their own pace. I don't know if I got on a sort of runners high or was just super excited to get to the top but I cruised up there and was there in about 45 minutes which is good time. I was really proud of myself because the hike is steep and mostly steps. Again, the pictures don't do anything justice. It was a bit cloudy so we didn't get to actually see the sunrise but I was still awesome. The place is huge and completely gorgeous, even more so with minimal people. About 2,000 people on average go see it every day, so capturing some pics with minimal people is awesome. We have about a two hour guided tour through the ruins and get a lot of history and education. After we were free to explore, it started getting really busy, so we ate lunch and hiked up another 45 minutes to the Sun gate to see an over view of the grounds. It was obviously beautiful. After some rest and contemplation there we started making our way down, which was actually harder than the way up because my knees started giving out and hurting. We made it back to Aguas just in time for a pretty strong storm. We hung out and rested for a while and after the rain slowed we walked about 15 minutes to the Aguas hot springs which are definitely not as cool as the other one but we had time to use. We took the train (my first train ride) for about two hours back toward Cusco. A very strange experience, the staff did a little fashion show for clothes to purchase and there were creature-like costumes they dressed up in for entertainment. We then got off the train and took a bus into Cusco. We got into cusco about 11 and I ate and totally crashed. I had to be up for work at 8 at the clinic which did not sound at all appealing at the time but I survived. After work, my head hit the pillow and I was out of commission for the rest of the day. GOOD NIGHTTT!!!!

10/19/14 Trek Day 3: Adrenaline rush

The morning started out early once again... with no power and no sun, getting ready and packing was difficult. We started the day with ziplining along and over the river between mountains. Was very fun and very high and very fast. There were five different stations that you graduated through and you could try different positions like upside down or superman, etc. Each got faster and more fun as we went along. At the end there was a suspension bridge, similar to like a ropes course for those of you who know what I'm talking about. It was very fun and people were crazy and risky, it was hilarious and a blast. Since I have experienced that kind of thing before, I was all in for the jumping/swinging/twisting/etc of the line to make it more fun, however, the girl in front of my was terrified and pretty much cried the entire way over the bridge. I had to talk to through most of it and adjusted/changed her cables at each checkpoint. Poor girl.
After lunch we started the hike to Aguas Calientes which is the small little village at the base of Machu Picchu. A fairly simple hike, a little uphill, and most along the train tracks, it was very pretty. The town of Aguas is very cute and dainty and pretty touristy of course so things are pretty expensive. We got there and the power had been out for a day or two because they had gotten so much rain. Once it got dark it was like the stars had fallen because there were candles literally everywhere. It was fun to walk through the markets and see everything lit up by candle light. They had hot water at our hostel so that shower was phenomenal. An early night for an early morning... like 4:00am early.

10/18/14 trek day 2: Deet... Love you like a brother

Thank Baby Jesus for deet, otherwise, I'm sure I would have woken up in that hostel with loads more bugs bite than I had. Some people in the group definitely got it much worse than others. We started the morning with an uphill trek, but for some reason today doesn't seem as bad, however we started in the morning so it was much cooler and we were a bit more fresh for the hike. We get near the top of the mountain and rest on the cliff of sorts with the most breathtaking views of the river and surrounding mountains. It's a beautiful morning, warm, and relaxing. We stay here for a while and our guide gives us some education on the incas to lead up to the grand finale of Machu Picchu. Our guide told us of the three theories they have for the Inca people... since they were not literate, left no writing or pictures, it is difficult to say what is true and what isn't. Apparently only about 50% of what they know is actually true. We continued downhill to the river and then mostly on "flat" lands for the rest of the day. Once we were along the river, the land moved with the river, so we were walking on gigantic rocks mostly... almost rolled my ankle a couple times but overall was good. Kept thinking, this rock business better not lead to another incidence like my dads.... ;) We hiked from about 8-5ish but took many breaks and was a pretty easy day. We finally got to the Santa Theresa hot springs. A little more touristy that I anticipate, but they were very relaxing. We met some girls who were doing their own guided trek (holy bold), they had just gotten done working on the set of Survivor... they were the people who tested out the challenges before the actual contestants. Sounded like a pretty cool gig. We stayed until dark and then we were taken to our hostel for the night. No power made for an interesting night and an even more interesting morning, but at least the windows closed in this place!

10/17/14 Trek Day 1: To sign the waiver or to not sign the waiver

Well, it was a pretty easy question to answer because there was no waiver to sign. We started the journey with a sort of debrief of the safety precautions and the importance of following the rules or paying severe consequences. With the sort of extreme circumstances that we were about to face, I kept thinking that they should really have some sort of waiver for participants to not only know the risks of the trek but for them to not be liable for injuries, because apparently they aren't uncommon and aren't minor. Regardless, I would have signed because what we were about to do was going to be epic.
We started the trek with about a two hour bus ride. It was extremely early in the morning so most of us just slept. We drove to the top of a mountain and the first segment of the journey was biking downhill.... extremely fast... through winding country/mountain roads... with 180 degree turns... with oncoming traffic... crazy, honking oncoming traffic (traffic in Peru is already totally bonkers)... with breaks that sound broken and a clicking sound that doesn't sound comforting. After the initial shock and extreme precautions being taken, everyone started relaxing and started to enjoy the ride. We rode over 13 of Peru's rivers that just happen to flow over the road, so it was a wet ride but really enjoyable. Toward the end of the ride, my gears decided to not function... so I was stuck on the easiest gear on flat land. So here I am, peddling my little heart out and not moving anywhere. lol I fell to the end of the train and the van following us had to stop and fix my bike. At this point, I'm very behind the group and am working really hard to catch up so why wouldn't it start down-pouring? Soaked and totally exhausted, I caught up and we hung out while the bikes are put away and we drove another 30 minutes to our lunch spot. Here we are, wet, in the jungle and definitely underestimated the attack of mosquitos. We had the option to go rafting at this point, however, only one other person was doing it and it was raining... so I opted out. Oh yeah, and two people died last week doing it... so that didn't encourage the risk.
After lunch, we start the hike to our first hostel for the trip. Note to self: PACK LESS!! In the jungle, with very moist air, and incredibly steep... like hang on to the tree because my feet can't grip the dirt uphill. The hike was fairly short, approximately 1 hour, but when you feel like you can't breathe with the moist air, are getting eating by mosquitos, are carrying a couple kilos on my back, and haven't worked out in 4 months... I pretty much thought I was going to die and then thinking the entire trip was going to be like that, I was about to cry. I sucked it up and got to the top to this totally amazing view and true feel of being in the jungle with a cutest hostel that is nothing like a stereotypical hostel. It's a little jungle home with a couple extra rooms... with open windows so the tropical bugs of the jungle have a free range dinner while we sleep. After dinner we all took the coldest shower of our lives, so cold it took your breathe away but so refreshing because it's SO hot and we were drenched from the trek so it was well worth it. We went to bed with the paranoia of getting eating alive by bugs and we definitely woke up to have been eaten alive. Wishing I would have packed melatonin, icy hot, and bug spray and nothing else.....

10/11/14

Today Spanish lessons consisted of a field trip. My professor and I walked around "El Baratillo" which is a type of flea market of sorts... It was quite the place. HUGE... we could have walked around forever and gotten sooo lost. It was very interesting, apparently some of the products sold are donations (new items) and others (most other things) are second-hand. They sell literally anything and everything from toilets to tools to clothes to empty medication vials. It was quite strange, but very fun to walk through. Frank, my instructor, said that he has bought new Doc Martens there for approximately $12 and another one of his friends found a brand new RL purse for super cheap. The place was packed and it was very difficult to get around but the people watching there was fantastic. I loved the atmosphere of being in the crowds and the hustle and bustle of it all, however, it was a place that everyone, including locals, need to be aware of pickpocketing. One man was selling iphones (which are very difficult to use in Peru even if you have the right equipment) so we stopped to look at it, and Frank and I almost burst into laughter as it wasn't even close to being a real iphone! At the end of the market, there is an "animal market" if you will... it felt like being at a petting zoo or a farm or something. They had sooo many cute puppies that I obviously snuggled for a while, kittens, chickens, and guinea pigs that are HUGE. They literally look like large rabbits. But guinea pigs are very important here as the best peruvian dish here is Cuy (guinea pig). I have not tried it yet, but definitely intend to.
Following my spanish lesson, I was supposed to meet up with my Swedish friend but with lack of phone use and internet access we couldn't find each other. On my way to an Internet cafe, I ran into a couple volunteers I met in Urubamba! Very unexpected but a very nice surprise. They introduced me to the other volunteers they were with.. all from Urubamba unfortunately, so I still have yet to meet any volunteers in Cusco. We ended up walking through a natural market called "San Pedro." Everything is fresh, organic, and delicious. As they were on their way out of town, I received a message from another volunteer in my clinic and we decided to go ahead and make some reservations for a Machu Picchu trek! So next weekend... mountain hiking here I come! To my surprise, MP is actually lower than the city of Cusco! So hopefully the altitude shouldn't be too much of a problem. It felt very good to finally get in touch with a volunteer from Cusco. After a lot of praying and a lot of effort of putting myself out there, little by little, things are starting to get easier.... Off to Pisac tomorrow to meet up with the volunteers from Urubamba to do some shopping, so until next time.

megan

10/10/14 A little background for my explorations...

This morning I woke up with nothing to do. So, I dug through my backpack to look through some of the flyers that I had been given while walking in the streets. People are always advertising their tourist services and almost forcing you to take their flyers. I received one from a nice guy that had mistaken me for Australian, we had a nice conversation and he was advertising a "free walking tour of cusco with food included" so naturally I'm immediately skeptical but I decide to head down to the plaza to check it out. I get there early so I can hang out at a coffee shop and complete my homework for that day, however the plaza is hoppin' so I had difficulty separating people watching from focusing on my studies... imagine that. I get to the start place and strike up a conversation with a couple from England who were hysterical and dressed equally as hysterical, so that made being alone much more fun. The tour starts and I'm pleasantly surprised by the knowledge and entertainment factor in the tour. Our guide is a little peruvian man who is ecstatic about the country and particularly about Cusco. The tour lasted almost three hours, had samples of different kinds of food included and our tour guide gave us quite a few good tips as well as recommendations for places to eat. I met a girl from Sweden along the way and we are tentatively planning some activities for next week, so I'm super jacked about finally meeting some new friends.
More spanish lessons this afternoon...

Clean and ready to explore

Ahhhhh my first shower. How cold but how beautiful. Quick and a little painful but for cleanliness purposes, absolutely necessary. After feeling so overwhelmed yesterday with Spanish, it was a nice way to get refreshed and back to moving forward.
I had an interesting conversation with my host sisters during breakfast this morning that reminded me of a concept that I learned while in South Africa. Myra, my younger host sister was poking fun at the fact that I drink my coffee black but my other host sister found that a bit irritating and went on to inform her younger sister that it wasn't bad or stupid but it was just different than she was used to. Such a quick conversation that has resonated with me... How difficult a concept that was to grasp and get used to in South Africa and how easy it is to forget. I have had to remind myself on multiple occasions (which is impressive since I have only been here 3 days) not to compare things or customs or norms here to the United States norms because they don't even remotely apply. Such a simple concept that is extremely important to practice. Thus practicing cultural sensitivity...
So, after a nice leisurely morning, I completed my homework and took off for the city of Urubamba. In order to get there you need to take a taxi to the bus station and then bus 1.5hr to the city. I met up with a projects abroad rep and only one other volunteer. Usually the events are very popular but some of the other volunteer were sick and others were involved in some holiday festivities. Today was the holiday to remember the war between Peru and chili called Batalla de Angamos. So the three of us traveled on another bus to a very small village for a pottery class... We get off the bus and walk another mile to get there and to our surprise, the women hosting the event is not there. On the bright side, it was a beautiful day to be outside and enjoy the scenery. Urubamba is surrounded by mountains and is very colorful, I really enjoyed being there. Our rep brought us to a little cafe that was gorgeous, we sat outside and enjoy some beverages. On the bus back, we were driving into what looked like a severe storm, it was very dark and I watched as the lightening struck down on the farm land. I'm thinking... Wow, that is totally amazing but Great, it's nighttime and storming... How am I going to get from the bus station home and will it be safe and I wish I was watching this storm from the comfort of my home! Lol I get off the bus and thankfully it hasn't started raining yet but I stand and work on flagging a taxi down that's a reasonable price and after 15minutes of arguing, I get in a cab and am actually able to direct him to my house. Hey, after only three days, I'm a pro!! But in all reality, I'm super proud of myself for being able to communicate and have the confidence to not let the local take advantage of my inexperience. So go me! ;)

Tomorrow is more spanish, so wish me luck!

Long underwear and wool socks

Day three:
Boy am I happy that I packed long under, wool socks, hat, mittens, and layering clothes. At night here it gets very cold, like 30-40's cold. I know you're thinking, I'm from Minnesota and this shouldn't be an issue, but when windows don't seal and there is no heat, it becomes difficult. Again, long underwear and wool socks... I could snuggle you forever. I have also quickly learned that there will be no walking around the home without shoes on as when I walked out of my room to the bathroom this morning, I took a nice big step in Winnie's (my host families pup) pee. That was one way to wake up. Although I could really get used to waking up with inviting animals that are so pleased to see you. It's a give and take relationship haha one of the kitty's has also taken a particular liking to me and wants to snuggle at every chance possible. So that's a nice little loving figure and on another positive note, gandalf (the kitty) keeps me warm. :)
This morning I took a little adventure by myself through the plaza de Armas, which is the main square/plaza of cusco. It was super busy with many tourists, and on more than one occasion, people asked me if I was Australian because apparently Americans aren't as blonde or as white as me ha! It was a very nice day, warm and kinda cloudy, good light for taking pictures (pictures already uploaded to Facebook). The plaza has many historic buildings and museums that are gorgeous and very detailed. I took my first taxi alone which was a little nerve racking but went smoothly and he didn't rip me off which was nice, however, I did get lost because I didn't know where he dropped me off so my 10 year old host sister had to come find me haha she may or may not have laughed most the way home.
This afternoon was my first spanish lesson. We started from the basics because apparently I can speak ok but very little is grammatically correct, which I already knew. My lessons are three hours but it definitely flew by. Although the work is a little tedious, it is necessary and I like that I know I'm getting better at correcting myself. However. I can hardly think or speak English now because my brain is so tired.
Speaking of mindless... Apparently, zombies are all the rave here. Tonight is the walking dead. So naturally, I'm distracting myself with writing here so I don't get nightmares (no laughing tanner or steph). Well, hope all is well in the states, hope is getting cold for you people ;)

Buenos noches!

Step 2: get to cusco

(Technically) day 2:
0200 Well I am in Peru and unfortunately my body still hates me and I am probably more tense than I was before so that's fun. I get to baggage claim and the place is hopping and filled with people even though it's 0100. Oh yeah and no one speaks a lick of English. So when the lady at the money exchange rattles off her recited interaction (in Spanish obviously) and I respond with "umm mas despacio, por favor?" She laughs and speaks even faster with her teller friend and proceeds to give me my money and tell me to move along. So again, that was fun. But, on a positive note, my checked luggage is in the country of Peru!! How exciting and a huge relief.
I'm not sure why but the airline had us line up at the expected time to board our flight, however, we stood in line with nothing happening for quite some time while a staff member came through and made sure we were all in the right line. Seemed weird to me, but I didn't ask questions. While I was in line, I met a group of teachers coming back to cusco, one of which was so excited to practice his English yet I was wanting to practice my Spanish so I'm sure it was a funny conversation to any outsider. They proceeded to ask me if they could take a picture with me, again I thought it was strange, but maybe one last moment to capture on the plane for them? Who knows.
On the plane I was seated next to two young Peruvian girls who were very friendly. It was their first plane ride and they were video-ing and taking pictures of everything. When I offered to take a picture of the two of them, they were so flattered and they struck up conversation which was nice to finally talk to some younger people. Moments later, they were asking for me to be included in their pictures.  I'm wondering if these people are just interested in my blonde hair/blue eyed combo or if everyone just loves to capture the moment with people they meet/come across. As the plane ride went on, one of the girls ended up getting proposed to, it was very cute and unexpected. I, of course, was the photographer to capture the moment.
The moment of truth. Would I be able to find the project's abroad member to take me to my home stay? Well, turned out to be extremely easy and my rep was very nice and had loads of information which was helpful. We took a quick tour around the plaza and main square area and then headed to Maria's (my host mama's house). It is better than I expected! I have my own room with a bed and dresser and whatnot, but the luxury here is that they have WIFI!! I think my parents are taking a sigh of relief right now. But there is running water here as well so showering shouldn't be too tricky but very cold. The family has two cats and a dog, so I'm very happy that I brought my allergy medication and am able to keep my room off limits to them.
As my host mama leaves for work, I decide to give the deck of Minnesotan playing cards to the girls (one 10 and one 17) early so that we can play. They teach me a game that is very similar to phase 10 with some additions, interestingly enough I was extremely good at the game and ended up winning (steph and tanner are shocked right now as I was never a good sport when I was losing to them at phase 10). The family plays the game with the entire family every Sunday, so I had to start practicing!
I can't figure out how to post my pictures on here, so I will attempt at posting on Facebook!

Megan

Step 1: get to peru

Day 1:

1200 The journey hasn't gotten off to the best start as the first two hours at the terminal I watched as my flight got delayed further and further and my anxiety for not making my connecting flights grew stronger and stronger. I'm currently sitting on the three hour mark and it's never good when I have too much time to think. Females... always overthinking what never needs to be overthought. Who didn't I get to say goodbye too? Did I say all that I wanted to say to those I did get to see? What did I forget to pack? What if my host family doesn't like me (yeah right ;))? Even though I will only be gone for three months, goodbyes are always hard to wrap my emotions around. So I'm trying to stay busy and what little I have but can't seem to calm my body enough to enjoy anything. Send good vibes my way so that I can try and focus long enough to finish this post and maybe get a little spanish studying in the books. I think once I'm actually in the country of Peru, my body will calm... hopefully, since my back is taking a beating with all this tension! Cross you fingers it doesn't decide to rebel and cause more problems than necessary. I haven't made any fun travel friends yet... granted I haven't been in one place long enough to initiate anything, plus if I open my mouth (TMI) I might throw up before any words come out. I feel like traveling used to be so much easier... woof.
1645 hop off my first flight and thank baby Jesus my next flight is In the same terminal. I shuffle myself down there just in time to board my 7 hour flight to Lima. On the positive side, no Impatiently waiting at the terminal for a flight that May or may not come.

Until later, 

Megan