Coast

Peru, Revisted

I've been thinking a lot about the Peru trip lately. This meant doing a full sweep through all of my photos again, and I found some that I never showed you guys! For one reason or another, these were just never blogged, but here they are now.

There is a story behind this typical airport picture taken in Lima. I am going to take this story directly from the journal I kept while on the trip. It hasn't even been a year but I know how quickly my brain forgets these things--

__________

I made a new friend! The guy scanning plane tickets was walking around calling out "veinte once." That was the number of our flight so i handed him my ticket. He said something I couldn't catch and proceeded to circle my seat number and gate number. I must have looked pretty confused because a man sitting next to me pointed out that my flight was boarding soon. We proceeded to talk in a broken mish mash of English/Spanish.

He definitely knew more English than I did Spanish, but we managed to have a whole conversation!

This was where my memory of Spanish numbers came in handy. The exchange went something like this:

Man (I later learned his name was Fernando): "Where are you going?" 

me: "Cusco. Y tu?" (and you?) 

Fernando: (He says a name that now I can't remember) ... "How long are you going to be staying?" 

me: "...Trente? Trenti?" (I was trying to say 30. He eventually got it) 

Fernando: "One... month?"

me: "Si!"

He also asked where I was from (Estados Unidos) and what I studied. I remembered the word for "environment" but failed to recall how to say "science" in Spanish. I tried describing it with "matematicas" and then he got it. He also asked what I was doing in Cusco and taught me the word for jungle but I forgot it again. Amazonica ______.

me: "Que es la mejor comida de Peru?" (What is Peru's best food?) 

Fernando: "Mucho." (Then he asked if I like carne, or beef). 

me: "Me gusta todos los..." (I like everything) 

Then I think he described some sort of festival where food from all areas of Peru are brought together. He also asked if I was Japanese and did the slanty eye thing by taking his two pointer fingers and putting them at the end of each eye and pushing up. --Normally I would be completely taken aback if someone did this at home. It was such an unexpected gesture from him that my initial reaction was just a burst of laughter.-- He said my eyes looked small but I was like, "No! My glasses make them smaller!" I took off my glasses as I said this to prove it.

The last thing he asked was one of those things I will never forget. It just goes to show how imperfectly perfect language is.

"Do you like business cards?"

He meant to ask if I wanted his business card. Up to this point I had no idea he had a business card or that he meant to give me one. But after pointing his finger at himself and then pointing at me, I understood. Language is not all verbal. It's not even mostly verbal. Language is the combination of gestures, expressions, and words.

After I got the card, Danielle and I had to line up for our flight. I thanked him, said goodbye, and that was that.

I still have the business card. It is taped to one of the pages in my journal. According to the card, Fernando works for a company called EnerSur.

__________

Now that I read back on this journal entry, I can't help but wonder if that sounded a little creepy... I mean the airport was completely full when this conversation took place. People were sitting around the waiting area around us and some were even laughing at me, probably (hopefully?) because my Spanish was terrible. Hey, no harm done. I think it was awesome that someone was willing to help me out when I didn't understand the ticket guy and then was willing to talk to me afterwards. 

Note the coca tea bags and flat bread present in this picture. I miss these things so damn much.

Cusco trash cans

at the market

Kinda wished we went in because now I will always wonder...

My first official meal in Peru! We walked around for a while trying to find some authentic Peruvian food, but then it got late and we were hungry so we stopped at a sandwich place. I don't remember at all what it was.

In the evening our hostel friends would set up the pool table and there would often be some sort of activity or games in the common area. At night when it got cold out, one of my favorite things to do was to make myself a cup of coca tea and go sit in the courtyard with Sasha. We would just sit there and talk.

I specifically remember hearing Danielle say, "Don't die An."

Viva America del Sur

The original four: Danielle, myself, Sasha, and Zac.

Another view of our hostel in Tinqui.

The warmest and best bed of the entire trip.

Paulina and her daughter lead the way during our hike up to the house. They did this hike like it was an afternoon stroll while the three of us in the back were huffing and puffing like crazies. More than once both women looked back at us from ahead and laughed. I would laugh at us too if I were them.

Peder comes home from school and helps his mother set up our beds in the spare room. The first thing I said to Peder was "Necesitas ayudar?" Do you need help? He replied "Si." We're like best friends now.

nobody pinch me

I've told you before Peder is a goofball. Here is further evidence.

This is one of the two photos I have of their dog! Peder and him are best friends. I forgot his name though :(

Tim!

The first morning together.

Chris and Ross poke their heads out from their hotel room in Cusco.

More oro pendula nests!

Alyssa soaks her feet in the Madre de Dios to keep cool. Nate is about to eat some chicken.
If I remember correctly that was a really good lunch. 

Some bottled beauties at one of the rest stops.

You can't see them, but there are about a billion sand flies in this picture.

I love me some plant classification.

There was a swing by the port leading to Cocha Cashu.

After being stranded for a couple of hours, only Dannah, Chris, and I seem to be upright.

Last week, Chris (right) told me he's never laughed as hard as he has playing zip bong on the way to Macchu Picchu.
Probably one of the greatest things anyone has ever told me.

40. Over and out

Huskies helping out their neighbors on MLK Day.

A painter and his canvas. Am I dreaming?

Holy crap I've been doing this for a year. That's weird. I am more than ready to get on the road, ready to see some tall trees. A drive-until-you-qualify sort of thing. As always, thank you for reading and I will see you in the spring.

If you want more photos, here are links to some other people's work that I have found particularly inspiring.
1. Photojournalists Under 25 - Some really powerful images taken by people not much older than myself. I've got my work cut out for me.
2. Eric Valli - Thanks to my friend Jana for telling me about this guy. I recommend you check out all, I mean ALL, of the galleries under "Stories" when you have time. Beautiful storytelling.
3. An interesting interview with another young photographer about why he takes photos. This gave me some perspective.

I'll try to update as much as I can on the road, but I won't make any promises! Check the Instagram! Until then, friends.