Ryli Abroad: Be a Llama and Stay a Little Calmer

BEFORE CUSCO:

I was Colombia swears with a disease like, “que herpes!”
My star Peru airline got switched to Peruvian airlines on my way from Lima to Cusco
Someone got homesick and left Lima
The lavenderia lady always spelled my name correctly without having to ask which NEVER HAPPENS with my unique spelling
Exit signs are green here, not red
Wongs is the grocery store I went to for snacks and such, like a mini Walmart

CUSCO:

Rainbow flag here is not for LGBT reasons, it’s their city flag, cuidad de todos
Cusco is like a larger Antigua, Guatemala because of all of the surrounding mountains
My homestay is un muy bonito familia. Elizabeth (Eli) and Alejandro (Ale) in their maybe 30s with a 4 year old girl, Jhade (ha-day)
Jhade and I get along very well especially when we both know the Mariposita song, tonight I did her eye makeup because she begged the last few days for it once she saw it in my drawer
Jhade loves to dance with me, the first night arrived, I pretty much met everyone and three hours later i am babysitting her
Easy Taxi is their Uber. Cusco does have Uber but there are like five drivers
105 is the emergency number
Yellow fever vaccine is only $50, I’m so upset, I got mine in the states for $300
Peruvians love to eat guinea pigs and alpaca
Altitude sickness is A THING, it’s harder to breathe, headaches, fever symptoms...luckily I took medicine and only had like two migraines but hiking is so challenging with the altitude. It doesn’t help that I have to walk four flights to get to my homestay’s apartment
I figured out the bus. Instead of paying +5/S I pay 80 cents soles which is like less than 50 American cents for one way to and from center and my homestay. Arco Iris bus, aldea (all-day-a) stop and limapama stop.
Altitude also messes with your alchol intake, our program leader said one beer here feels like three. However I highly disagree. Saturday (yesterday) i day drank all day and get fine. Three beers. Pisco Sour. Some other hot pisco drink.
Almost all of the license plates here start with X, a safe taxi has the license plate number on all sides and something new is the reflective stickers or check board sticker on side
I hiked christo blanco and met JULIET from Miami. 54 and an art teacher. It was fate. We connected and hung out for like two or three hours. She does goat yoga back home. Might go to Miami now! She was carrying around a stuffed animal llama because she is making a book for her kids. LOTS of blue doors in Cusco, she made me stop and notice a lot of things.
Saw a parade with tons of traditional dancing and outfits. Their Independence Day is coming up (28th) so there are a ton of fiestas happening now.
There was a strike on transportation the other day so I just stayed in and walked to work and back (15 min there and 15 min back). I guess people throw rocks near the center during these strikes, which happen often.
My orphanage here and back in Lima is so heartbreaking when they call me momma
Also I have every kid including Jhade call me Lee because they cannot pronounce my name
I miss cheese y’all. They are stingy.
When it rains it’s so cold here. Yesterday I bought mittens and a hat, teeth chattering and I could see my breath. When it does rain, the mountains are hiding in the clouds.
Limbus is a really nice resting-bar. Not expensive and has the most amazing view. Went at night with Oxana.
Today i got a full body massage for one hour and medium pressure PLUS a manicure for only 20-25$. Or 70ish Soles.
Also went on a free walking tour, visited San Blaz, tried more chocolate, pisco sours, hiked to a nice view, checked out Asuntas and got dressed up there.
Asuntas is the best market I believe (San Pedro is pretty rad too because it has everything!) but Asuntas is cheappppppp
Cusquena beer is the bomb. Roja o negra.
Markets EVERYWHERE you turn. You’ll look one way and the next you see a hidden market
I see my favorite flower every day, calla lillies
Held a baby llama
At the homestay we all play Uno after dinner, like a tradition and we play in Spanish so we all yell AZUL or ROJO. Ale started saying ONE instead of Uno too Hahahaha.
Llamas love to eat my hair, happened twice already
I drink coca leaf tea every night and morning. I put the actual leafs in. It’s illegal in the states because it’s the base for cocaine but it’s good here for the altitude because it’s an energizer. So I’ll be chewing on them and my coca candies during my hikes.
Had to reschedule my rainbow mountain hike because of snow up there. Doing it Thursday now.
Chirimoya and Lucuma y’all
Quinoa is super popular here.
There has not been on taxi here with seatbelts in the back
At the orphanage I try a different art lesson every day but the kids are never happy with it. I tried origami, bracelet making, exquisite corps. Nothing. I have material to do some guerilla rocks, magic wands, and paper bead necklaces still, so wish me luck. The last day I work (Friday the 27th) I have a ton of coloring books, balloons, and bubbles.
Names are Patty, Wendy, Jennifer. Not many in the casita. Younger. 3-12.