Hot Placements Abroad!

Calling all World Adventurers! Cultural Embrace currently has some great placements abroad available. Check 'em out below and contact us today for a life changing experience abroad!

Teach in China

• Aug.30th - Jan.1st, 2011
• Salary is 3500 RMB monthly, if you stay until July 1st (Academic year) then you get a bonus of 2200 RMB plus 8000 RMB airfare reimbursement.
• Requirements: Native English speaker, Bachelor's degree
• Program fee is $1295 for a semester or $1495 for a year (includes placement, medical insurance, housing, airport pick-up, orientation/training, and visa letters)

Contact Julie Dean at jdean@culturalembrace for more information and to apply!

Work in Australia

• Unlimited openings with flexible start dates
• Designed for a very independent and spontaneous traveler who wishes to explore Australia while taking on temporary, casual jobs for up to a year. We arrange your airport pick-up and 2 night stay in a hostel where our local coordinators meet with you for an orientation/training, help you set up a bank, tax, and postal account, then introduce you to their job database which has hundreds of opportunities available around Australia.
• Limited to certain nationalities due to Working Holiday Visa requirements.

Contact Casady Monroe at cmonroe@culturalembrace.com for more information and to apply!

Intern Australia

• Special discount for internships in General Marketing, Human Resources, and Business Administration from August-December, 2010
• Program Fees: 4-6 Weeks - $2770 / $2610*, 7-12 Weeks - $3150 / $2860*, 13-24 Weeks - $3610 $3460 /$2910*, Hospitality Internships (6 months only) - $3080
• Requirements: 18-30 years old, university coursework or degree in field

Contact Casady Monroe at cmonroe@culturalembrace.com for more information and to apply!

International Au Pair

• 30 French families in Paris, Neuilly, and Chatou currently seeking au pairs to start in early September and early October for a 10-12 month placement!
• Compensation: private room in the family's home, free board, weekly stipend for spending, usually given weekends off to explore the country
• Requirements: 18-30 years old, able to obtain student visa or proper temporary resident visa, high school diploma, language lessons are required for those with a less than intermediate level knowledge (not included in program fees)
• We also have placements available in Italy and Spain. Shorter term placements (3-9 months) can often be arranged as well.
• Program Fee is $1250 for 3-12 months. (includes placement, medical insurance, room and board, airport pick-up, orientation/training, and visa letters)

Contact Casady Monroe at cmonroe@culturalembrace.com for more information and to apply!

Teach in Mexico:

• Last minute position available in Michoacan, Mexico starting August 18th! Apply TODAY!
• Teach ESL in a language academy for ~30 hours a week on an initial 5 month contract.
• Salary is $5000 pesos per month
• Requirements: Native English speaker, Bachelor's degree
• Program fee is $1800 (includes placement, medical insurance, private room in a shared teacher's apartment, free Spanish lessons, optional TEFL certification, and orientation/training)

Contact Jillian Hall at jhall@culturalembrace.com for more information and to apply!

PAID Internships in Brazil

• In the following fields: Education (English, Math, and Special Ed teachers needed), Business Administration, Marketing, Hotel Management, Event Planning, Graphic Design, Chemistry, Geography, Metallurgy/Material Science, Veterinary/Zoology
• Requirements: 18-30 years old, must be enrolled in a university full-time if internship is longer than 3 months, Portuguese language preferred but not required if you speak fluent English or Spanish, experience or education in field of internship.
• Program fees vary based on length of internship. See our website for more details.

Contact Jillian Hall at jhall@culturalembrace.com for more information and to apply!

Internship in Electrical Engineering in Brazil:

• 16 weeks of Internship, from August to December 2010
• Ouro Preto, Brazil
• Interns will work on a research project in the pattern recognition and signal processing field, involving an acquisition of electrical signal from steel sleepers in order to determine the structural health condition, using the Matlab program.
• Requirements: 18-30 years old, must be enrolled in a university full-time if internship is longer than 3 months, Portuguese language preferred but not required if you speak fluent English or Spanish, experience or education in field of internship.
• Program fee is $3650 for 16 weeks (includes placement, medical insurance, room and board with a host family, airport pick-up, orientation/training, and visa letters)

Contact Jillian Hall at jhall@culturalembrace.com for more information and to apply!

Volunteer in Guatemala Group Trip:

• Sign up to be a part of Cultural Embrace's H.U.G. Guatemala trip and spend your Thanksgiving Helping, Understanding, and Giving to the Guatemalan community.
• Program fee is only $780 for 5 days. (includes room and board with a host family, activities and excursions, airport pickup, English speaking guide and project leader, and materials, supplies, and donation for service project at an indigenous children's center.)
• CE Alumni, inquire about our special past participant discount!

Contact Emlyn Lee at elee@culturalembrace.com for more information and to apply!

Volunteer in South Africa:

Call us at 888-214-8570 to "Discover the Similarities, Share the Differences..."

The Fantastical Adventures of Jimmy - by Chris Schave, CE Adviser in China

As usual school has been keeping me busy. I will do my best to make this post entertaining. I have finished the paper for my first internship and turned it in, YAY! In total, it was 58 pages. Now I have to start on a ten page paper that is due by the 11^th. I think I should be fine.

This week I have had two afternoon extracurricular activities. They have been conversation activities. Basically, I choose a topic and kids can come into my classroom and have a discussion. I chose sports on Tuesday as I mentioned in the previous post. Yesterday, I chose “Extreme Sports!” I downloaded a bunch of Podcasts from i-tunes. I had freestyle motocross, snowboarding, wakeboarding, parkour, and BMX. It was nice to be able to actually show them this stuff. Trying to explain a boat that is built specifically for wakeboarding is difficult when their concept of a boat is strictly utility. I forgot to get some bull riding footage though.

Last night we went to Druid’s, an Irish pub. It was interesting. It was lady’s night, so the girls were excited to go. I really wasn’t very excited. When we walked in, I noticed that the only girls that were there were the waitresses. Needless to say, we were pretty popular. Well, I wasn’t…

I noticed this short Mexican guy showing another guy his new tattoos. They were on his shoulders, and obviously very fresh. He turned and I saw something familiar, the Star of Texas bordered with , “The State of Texas.” I asked him where he was from and instantly made a new friend. Now, by the looks of him, Jimmy isn’t the type of person that you want befriending right away. He pulled up a seat, then asked if he could join.

Jimmy is an oil driller. He was obviously a Texan with his wranglers, boots, and a denim button up draped over a classy grey wife beater. He was just missing the cowboy hat. Instead, he was wearing an out of place Nautica cap. The good news is that he had it flipped inside out with the bill up. Classic!

Now, Jimmy was a talker. He told us about all the places he had been in the world. Africa, Australia, Columbia, South East Asia, and the list goes on. We heard about how he’s has partied all over the world and Dubai was the best. Maybe it was Bahrain? His stories started getting a little strange. He was telling us how he saw a soldier on the border of Columbia mowing down people with a machine gun. And how when he was in a part of Africa, he saw semi trucks driving over the dead corpses that were littered all over the road.

It was about this point that a group of the Russian girls from the dorm showed up. I made the conscious decision to turn away from Jimmy and talk to the Russians. I did however hear him talking about a 30 foot anaconda that was killed when he was in the jungles of Africa. He said the villagers had a feast. I would really like to record all of his stories and write about his life. I would call it “The Fantastical Adventures of Jimmy.”

Not too long after I relocated my attention, the girls I went with decided to head back. It was still pretty early, so I told the Russians I would just stay out with them. Here’s where the night turned, well, not bad, but not great. I had said something that I don’t even remember now, but someone heard me wrong and said, “did you say club?” I promise all of you, I did not say club. It was too late, there was no turning back.

We ended up going to a place called Bar 88. We had gone there last weekend, and it was strange. This time we had the opposite issue. Instead of creepy old guys, there were creepy young guys. When I say young, I mean these kids were probably 14 or 15. I’m pretty sure they were Russian too.

The area around the stage was pretty slow, so I took it upon myself to be the life of the party, as I have done many times here in China. At one point I was singing into a microphone with a DJ that sings from time to time. By the time I was ready to leave, I think I had about 15 or more people get up onto the dancing stage they have there. It was fun, but I’m a bit tired today from staying out late.

School was good today. Tonight is the talent show and the costume party. This will be interesting. I don’t have anything to dress up in, so… Not going to get dressed up.

Chris- Adviser Abroad China

Cultural Embrace @ www.culturalembrace.com

www.flickr.com/photos/cschave

Snippets of Luann's Life as a Teacher in Chile

Live vicariously through the stories and photos of Luann Williams as she describes her first couple of months as an ESL Teacher in the Atacama Region of Chile. Cultural Embrace wishes her the best of luck in her continued travels!

Set your inner wanderlust free by contacting Cultural Embrace for more information about our international Teach, Intern, Volunteer, and Work programs.

7/28/10

After my 2- week break, I'm back home in Caldera and began classes this morning. I had a great time in both San Pedro de Atacama and Taltal. My trip began with an overnight bus trip (which I always dread ) to San Pedro. I arrived early in the morning, went to my hostal then immediately went for food. The town is one of the oldest in Chile and very touristy, so I met people from all over the world there: Canada, Spain, Belgium, Ireland, Japan, Netherlands, etc. My only complaint was the weather, as it was very windy and
dirt/dust was flying everywhere. By the time I left, my shoes had turned a light shade of brown. Most of the buildings there were made of adobe and the restaurants all had really cool atmospheres, as well as good food. Wednesday I took a tour to El Valle de la Muerte, which reminded me of the book "Dune," if you've ever read it or seen the movie. Then we went to El Valle de la Luna to watch the sunset. I've never seen a desert as beautiful as the Atacama desert. But after a few days I was ready to walk on concrete again and get away from all the dirt, lol. So that following Saturday I boarded a bus to Antofagasta, a city in the Antofagasta region. There I met the other volunteers who I'd be with for the next week in Taltal: a lady from Kentucky named Susan, a guy from Australia- Paul, a girl from Wisconsin- Whitney (who unfortunately got really sick and had to go home), and our camp leader- Eduard. Saturday evening we all went to the mall to eat at the food court because it had a variety of restaurants. I had been craving a hamburger for some time, so I ate at Mcdonald's. That was my first hamburger in a long time, and also the only time I've ever really craved Mcdonald's.

Drinking wine en el Valle de la Muerte

Sunday morning we all boarded a bus to Taltal, which was about 4 hours away, where we'd be having our English winter camp for one week. This turned out to be the absolute best time I've had so far in Chile. To start, the town of Taltal is right on the ocean and is surrounded by cerros, which are hills that sort of look like mountains. Our hotel was on the beach and everynight/morning I could hear the waves crashing on the shore. There were also lots of trees all over town, which made for nice scenery while walking to and from school. Every night we had dinner in a restaurant called El Corwatt, which was owned by another English teacher in town. We were treated very well in Taltal. The camp itself didn't go exactly as planned, but then
again nothing really does here in Chile. I'm
learning this slowly but surely. We had 40 students who had signed up for the camp.... but the first day only 6 showed up. That night we were invited to a local radio station to make an announcement about our camp. Unfortunately that didn't seem to be too effective, and we only ended up with about 6-7 students by the end of the week. But the ones that came everyday were great and really enjoyed all the activities we did. It was a great experience for everyone.

So, now I'm back home and am getting back into my routine. I am missing waking up every morning to the sound of the ocean. I loved Taltal and really want to go back if I get the chance :)

7/7/10

The last week has been pretty relaxed here. We start our winter break next week (Monday July 12th), which lasts 2 weeks, just like in the States. This week is my school's anniversary (28 yrs I think?), so there have been no classes all week. Instead, the kids have been participating in different activities everyday. Apparently it's tradition that once a year, a group of students goes to all the teachers' houses in the middle of the night and sings until the teacher comes out. That was Monday night I believe. Yesterday I went to a 'meeting' with the rest of the staff, and there was a priest there to talk to us for almost 3 hours, lol. He talked to us about how to be a teacher of morals, values, ethics, etc to our students, and not merely a teacher of our given subject. He had us read lines from the bible, then he would play his accordion and sing in between verses. Very interesting to say the least! Tomorrow morning there will be the official school anniversary celebration, and like everything else here, it probably won't start on time

Padre playing the accordion

Last Sunday I went with the family to a place called Puerto Viejo. It's about 45 minutes away from Caldera, and is a tiny fishing town on the Pacific. They were having their yearly celebration of San Pedro, or Peter the apostle, who is considered the saint of all fishermen here in Chile. We had lunch at a small restaurant, and I had some kind of shark. Tonio told me what kind it was, but I couldn't really understand.

Me on the beach

So I'm looking forward to my break coming up :) Next Tuesday night I'll be going (by bus of course) to San Pedro de Atacama for 3 days. If you haven't heard of it, you should look it up: www.sanpedrodeatacama.com. It's a big tourist attraction here in the north, and offers some beautiful excursions. After that, I'm taking a bus up to a place called Tal Tal to help teach at a winter English camp for Chilean students. Tal Tal is another coastal town, and even smaller than Caldera. I'm excited to get a chance to meet and work with students who are eager to learn English. Unfortunately many of my students here are not that eager, so it can be challenging.

'Til next time... chao!

6/27/10

I can't believe it's almost been one month since I arrived here in Chile. It feels like much longer, but that's probably because I've experienced and taken in so much in a short period of time. I can definitely say I'm feeling more and more at home as the days go by. My host parents, Maritza and Tonio are really really cool, and surprise me sometimes with their taste in music. The other night they put in a Creedence Clearwater cd while we were driving somewhere. They also like Micheal Jackson and a variety of 80's music. I love lots of 80's music, so it's neat to find things we have in common (well, besides speaking Spanish...mine is more like 'trying' to speak Spanish, lol).

Me with my host parents

This past week and weekend have been pretty eventful. I started my classes last week, but with Chile playing in the World Cup, things have been crazy here. A few classes were canceled so the kids could watch the games. They played Switzerland on Monday, then España on Friday. After winning against Switzerland, the kids were celebrating at school, which I've attached a few photos of. We play again tomorrow against Brazil which should be a good game. If we lose, then we're out altogether.

School celebration after Chile's victory

Last Thursday Martiza and I went to Copiapó so I could apply for my Chilean i.d. card. It was a pretty easy process and I should be getting it in a few weeks. I also found a local gym (like a 10 minute walk) close to the house, and had my first work-out in about 3 months. They have spinning classes that only actually happen if people show up. Hopefully I'll be able to get in some of the classes and get back into shape. It cost 2,000 pesos per class, which comes out to just under $4. Last night I went with the family to Tonio's mother's house, where they had a birthday party for one of Tonio's cousin. They have a big family! I had a blast and got to meet several people, who were all very nice and were happy to meet me. They had tons of food, wine (of course), rum and beer. Tonio's mom lives with her mother, who's 85, and her mother's sister.

Today was the annual gathering/celebration of fishermen and their families/friends. We all boarded Tonio's boat, called 'El Cid', and went out on the ocean for a few hours. I got to see the cabin where Tonio operates the boat, and all the radars/machinery he uses when fishing. I even got a pic of me at the wheel :) It was a beautiful day and I took some nice photos that I've attached. Tomorrow is a holiday so I don't go back to school until Tuesday. Then in a few weeks we have our two-week winter break. I'm thinking of taking a bus to San Pedro de Atacama, a very popular place here in the North that's been recommended to me by other Chilenos. I also really want to go to Peru and possibly see Macchu Picchu. I'm about 13 hours from the border, so we'll just have to see....

6/19/10

It's been a long week and I'm finally getting some time to relax today and take it easy. I'm starting my classes Monday morning (in fact, RIGHT after Chile plays Switzerland in the World Cup....should be fun trying to get the students' attention!). I've spent the last week lesson planning and getting my room to look more like a 'classroom.' I've been putting up posters and pictures to hopefully make it more conducive to learning English. Last Thursday night I went to an English Teacher Network meeting with my co-teacher Janette. There is a group of English teachers from different schools here in Caldera that meet up once a month. We're having Caldera's first ever spelling bee this coming Wednesday evening, and I'm going to be one of the three judges. It should be a fun event for the kids :-)

Although I'm enjoying my stay here, there are a few luxuries from back home that I really miss, like: central heating in houses and school, long hot showers, and not sharing a bathroom with 4 people! Lol But, I guess it's a small price to pay for the experience I'm getting :)

Peruservations - by the Chisnell Inca Trek and Service Group

Mr. Chisnell, along with his students and fellow travel companions spent 12 days in Peru trekking the Incan Trail and volunteering at a local orphanage. Catch up on the highlights of their adventures below.
Contact Cultural Embrace to learn how you can have a Peru Incan Trek and Service Trip of your own or learn how to customize a group trip to a different destination.

7/30/10

Portraits from the trail – by Carolyn Berger

As I thumb through my notes to write a blog post about my impressions during the trip, a multitude of images and smells and feelings come bubbling back to the surface (and, funny enough, one can tell by the relative sprawl of my handwriting how strong they were at the actual time of note). What recurs with somewhat surprising frequency, though, are notations of the facial expressions of my traveling companions; Randon, eyes like saucers, soaking in every second of the Machu Picchu experience after regaling us with his research all trip. Emma, exasperated, reluctantly allowing herself to be draped in a makeshift Snow White costume as we all try not to snicker too hard. Karly, mischievous, cheating at cards and untiringly protesting that it is all part of the game. Steve, equal parts excitement, dread and delight, standing in the back of a pickup truck and announcing to the rest of us at his feet: "It's the wedding." Ellen, matter-of-factly planning to die romantically of drug-resistant tuberculosis, suddenly springing a goofy face for pictures. Greg, ever scowling and sardonic, cracking a smile for an ice cream break on day 4 of tough hiking. Alec, grinning broadly, speaking part French, part Spanish and part Airplane! with smart-alecky delight (no apologies for the pun). Dylan, sheepish, drinking a 2.3L bottle of Inca Kola in a train station ("It was only 7 Soles!"). We discussed prior to the trip how we were likely to be welcomed into the towns and families we encountered in Peru, and we certainly were, but it didn't really occur to me until the end of the trip that our group would also become a temporary little family (or, in the case of the Fort Lauderdale airport Chili's, actually be mistaken for a real family by a very talkative waiter). Steve writes below about experiencing the trip as a series of moments, and I can certainly agree to that perspective, but the thing that sticks each of those moments in my mind is the way they were shared among our group of new and old friends; none of them would have been the same without each of our unique expressions.


7/24/10

“During Trip” – by Greg Cline

The trekking was actually right about the amount of difficulty I was expecting. Not to say that it would have been disappointing if it was any easier because my blisters can attest to the fact that the trekking was not all nice and fun. I just want to say that I don't care what anyone else thinks - going uphill is infinitely better than going downhill. Sure you're short of breath most of the time while going uphill, but once you get in a rhythm going uphill is just plain fun. That's probably the endorphins released by exercise talking though. Downhill on the other hand, is incredibly hard on your legs and feet. It is a constant pounding and wearing down of your limbs; and the Salkantay trail has enough downhill to last me the rest of my life, I might get escalators installed in my house so I don't have to walk down the stairs. I was surprised that I didn't have more trouble with the altitude than I did given that I haven't done any exercise more strenuous than walking downtown (a couple blocks) in several years. It is certainly a good idea to make sure you're in good cardiovascular shape before attempting the Salkantay trail, otherwise I think you will have much more trouble with the altitude.


7/16/10

The Curious Case of the Electric Kettle – by Ellen Vial

The following is my account of what happened on 7 July, 2010, the day we arrived at the orphanage in Limatambo. After we landed in Cusco we made the two hour drive to Limatambo (including a brief stop in Cusco proper where we met a man allegedly named Emilio...). Our driver, bless his soul, played worse song after worse song, including (but certainly not limited to!) Oops, I Did It Again, Smooth Criminal, and various New Kids on the Block hits. The road took us through the most beautiful mountains I've ever laid eyes on, peppered with impoverished villages proudly displaying election slogans. (Jesus Vargas, 2011!) The orphanage, however, is surprisingly affluent. A ten minute drive up a "road" that turned off of the main highway led us past many ramshackle structures made of red adobe and thatched roofs. I personally expected the orphanage to look and operate similarly, but I apparently couldn't have been more wrong. The orphanage is a compound of small houses painted blue and white, with tile roofs and wrought iron window treatments. There is no shortage of food, activities, water, or other basic amenities we westerners are used to (aside from a brief evening without electricity). Our group is living in a guest house, complete with four bedrooms, a living room and a fully functional bathroom. On the buffet table in the living room, there is an electric tea kettle. I don't even have an electric tea kettle at home. "Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one trying to gentrify this neighborhood."

7/15/2010

How Was Your Trip? - by Steve Chisnell

Ultimately, after a trip like this, I am asked, "How was it?" The quick response is almost ritualized nonsense: "Amazing," or "Great," or "Wonderful." Of course, attempting to communicate the total experience is difficult, impossible. Our generic answer fails to articulate it and the listener nods dully, uncomprehending. So I don't try to describe a trip, but moments from it. As my brother was captured by the moments of community around a pick-up truck, so too is Peru for me a series of moments:

    * The Limatambo orphans laughing as Ellen (as Dopey in "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs") falls over smiling from Emma's Snow White forehead kiss.
    * The pre-school children wrapping themselves around the legs of our students as they left; and Carolyn's Peruvian friend who twice came calling at our house to see if she could come out to play—and who named all of her friends as barnyard animals!
    * How we poured a hot malted meal into our cups at 6:30 each morning as breakfast.
    * Randon's updates on hot water as we fired up the outside stove and hoped the pressure gauges would rise. (I had cold showers that week.)
    * After riding in the dusty bed of the truck for several miles of sun, the synthesized strains of Lohengrin's "Bridal Chorus" cut through the motor and we realize that we are not driving to Cusco's "Marriott" but to see someone "marriéd." Watching the poor guy chase his runaway bull down the road next to the ceremony!
    * Alec's fortuitous connection with a university professor of anthropology of the indigenous peoples—we couldn't separate them! I suspect that while I'm typing this they are trading articles on pedagogy.
    * The dreaded sand flies which tore into our exposed forearms and calves and ankles. Benadryl cream was the #1 commodity for the trip.
    * Eating our cheese slices with our "papas" (potatoes) fresh baked in the Pachamama ovens; believing that the black soot from our fingers somehow made it all taste better; and knowing that the chili sauce offered definitely did.

For me, these experiences were a few of the more memorable. Combine them with our group's climb through thick shrubs on a sharp slope in order to avoid forging a rushing river, or Karly and Emma's later dive into that river's icy water. I loved that Greg found himself a fan club of boys who wouldn't leave him alone and that Dylan became more or less addicted to Inca Kola. The PE teacher at Rio Blanca played "Hey Jude" on his Quena wood flute while my brother accompanied him on a guitar. And these were just in the first few days of the trip.

None of these were Peru, but each begins a story of our experience, of our connections to people, to foods, to abandonments of US comforts, to a shift in the perspectives of our lives. We kept saying the same thing over and over during our trip: "Think of how many people actually get to go here/see this/do that." Now when people ask me, knowing that it is unlikely they will ever see what we saw, I owe them the stories.

All that first week, the snowy cap of Salkantay was our backdrop. At night, the stars were so thick the valley was almost lit by the swath of the Milky Way. One afternoon we carried two large cairns of rocks across a river of meltwater as the sandflies ate our calves, and the truck to carry them got stuck in the river mud. We helped rock and push it out—Ellen got thoroughly sprayed with debris—but failed; all we earned was the driver's invitation to his daughter's wedding. He turned out to be the local pastor, and the ceremony was beautiful.

Next time I'll tell them something different.


My notes on Peru: - by Karly Lawniczak

Day 1: Arrival

-Lots of billboards in Lima

-Buildings stacked like shoeboxes
-Most of the bottoms of the trees are painted white

-Inca Kola is disgusting

Day 2: Cuzco and the orphanage

-Taca Peru is the best airline in the world.

-The mountains are beautiful.

-Thanks to a short power outage the southern stars and Milky Way shine even brighter over our cabin

-Unexpected pit stop at the local lemonade stand leads to a plethora of unexpected charges in which we decide to carry all our possessions ourselves on the trek at the risk of paying more money.

Day 3: Orphanage!

-Spent morning inefficiently moving rocks to make a wall

-Got a truck stuck in the river while doing this and met the Pastor who invited us to his daughter’s wedding. (Didn’t think this was going to happen… but hey, we were in Peru!)

-Explored grounds with Emma and found Eucalyptus trees and beehives.

-Went for a short- very short- swim in the river before lunch and almost froze my extremities off.

Day 4: Wedding?

-Went hiking in the morning to find the lake which was supposed to be an hour along the river, surprise it’s actually two.

-Played some more soccer with the kids and whipped Snyder’s butt with the chicas!

-Upon being told to dress up to go to the Marriott Hotel to meet the founder of the orphanage in Cuzco, stumbled upon the Pastors daughter’s wedding and stayed for food and festivities! (Never made it to Cuzco.)

Day 5: Happy Independence Day America.

-Made Incan stone “Mother Earth” ovens to bake potatoes called Whateya (spelled incorrectly, but you could probably pronounce it phonetically this way.) The oven took about an hour to build and then we had to wait for the others to get back with potatoes and cheese from Limatambo to start up the fires. We played volleyball with the kids and a guava while to pass the time. The final product was deliciously baked, accompanied by a piece of cheese and some homemade chilie!

Day 6: The School

Went to the School today and helped out the kindergarteners! By helped out, I really mean we got to play with them outside a lot, and we embarrassed ourselves trying to teach them colours and body parts in English. Because it was our last day, we finally put on our long awaited rendition of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, translated by yours truly and starring Emma as Snow White, Snyder as the Handsome prince/Bashful, and Carolynn as the Wicked Stepmother. The gift exchange went nicely and the kids made us jewelry. I think that my glow sticks were a definite hit.

Day 7: Trek

Ranall (who had been missing for sometime) disappears again today. A seasoned traveler should always remember to go to the bathroom before traveling up bumpy mountain switchbacks. We finally arrived at our treks staring point, with the Salkantay Mountain in view. At lunch, we met Stinky, Ugly, and their cute puppies! Also, Chisnell encouraged us to do drugs. (Albeit they were Coca leaves for tea that was for altitude sickness…) Upon making it to the pass, I collapsed into my tent, shivering from the mountain air which would later freeze me that night.

Day 8:

Woke up with no feeling in my toes today, which was only helped when I stepped into a puddle and the water soon after froze on top of my shoes. The seven switchbacks to the top of the pass were pure torture but those four hours of hiking were complimented by some of the most beautiful sites in the world. Chisnell and Carolynn had fallen far behind at this point, and missed out on the USA vs. Shining Path soccer game where Dylan, Greg, and Mike won some Peruvian beer! Everyone was overjoyed at the sound, sight , smell, and taste of popcorn that night.

Day9:

Got to eat wild strawberries on this morning’s trek, we met Peabody in the morning and collected Mangle and Cloud in the afternoon. The hike was beautiful again today and (thankfully) a lot easier! Went 2 and 0 in the Euchre tourney!

Day 10:

Last day of hiking! We were supposed to see Macchupicchu or something from the top of this mountain, but I only saw fog and more mountains. Not that that wasn’t also pretty… The downhill today was a bit awful and I was ready to cut my feet off. The artificial waterfall was really cool and super pretty and I just wanted to jump in it. The Aguas Calientes hostel was a relief- mostly for its showers and shopping area, where I was able to buy clean clothes!

Day 11: Macchupicchu!

Woke up at 4:30 to be first-ish in line for Macchupicchu! When we arrived the entire sit was covered in fog and you could only see bits and pieces. The fog cleared during our tour and was still dissipating as we climbed to the guards tower for some epic, classic shots of the ruins. The Temple of the Condor wasn’t quite what I expected, as was the strange ode to a Guinea Pig artwork that stood before Hyauna Picchu. The Temple of the Sun was really cool, as was petting a llama. Once again, Ranall has disappeared and was not there to pick us up in Cuzco, but we still made it to our hotel and later, to dinner and dancing.

Day 12: Home(almost)

Explored Cusco a little in the morning with Ellen and Emma, and later got to tour Lima by “bus.” I say bus in quotations because we spent most of our time walking. Miraflores district and the San Francis church/Catacombs/Museum was super cool. Although the artfully arranged skulls and femur bones were a bit disturbing… And so ends out trip to Peru.

(I still have the translation of Snow White if anyone wants it.)


Letter From a Reluctant Snow White- by Emma Green

If time and distance are truly relative, it is no more apparent than when you are travelling. I cannot seem to wrap my mind around the fact the there is really the shape of an ocean, some islands and all the states resting between me and my familiar home. It’s hard to conceive of the fact that I cannot simply catch a taxi back, home to ice water, and all those comforts that seem so routine.

The city, as noted in my sketchbook, is a strange conglomeration of squares and angles. The edges are all sharp lines and distinct corners. It almost looks like a shoe box model of a city that is somewhere else in the world. Everything seems very unreal, in a picturesque vision of urban centers. The countryside differs so greatly from this stacked up apartment style life. The houses are all separated by acres of farmland, spotted with the shacks of vendors displaying their wares. This is so vastly different from the way we structure markets back home, that it must be carefully dissected and taken into account. It is not difficult to locate the differences between societies; it is difficult to fully address them in one simple post.

As strange as it might sound, Peru has a very distinct smell. I’m not sure if it’s related to the food, the urban dwellings, or hygiene and personal cleanliness. But I continually find this one smell wherever we travel. I can’t quite place it, and it is mildly disconcerting, a tiny gap between the boards of a ship already on the water. I’m not sure why this struck me so prominently, no one else seems to have noticed it, yet for me, it is a constant link between each city, mountain, and jungle we travel to.

The people in Peru are anything but unfriendly. Perhaps they prepared in advance, setting out the most welcoming and jovial people to roam Salkantay before we got there. But seeing as this is rather illogical and requires a hefty amount of work, I am forced to believe that these mountain people are genuinely nice. I wonder if altitude or the absence of urbanization has done something to lighten their spirits. I’m sure there are statistics on it somewhere.

There is no possible way to sum up the absurdity of appearing before children, dressed as an illegitimate Snow White one night, sleeping beneath the very visible Milky Way, and climbing up the sides of a mountain in one web entry. I will leave my weak attempt at summary on a single note. There is nothing more refreshing than water taken directly from a cold mountain stream.


Rio Blanco School- by Alec Snyder

Our time at the Rio Blanco School was brief. We were only there for a half-day on Monday, but for me it was our most interesting part of our stay in Limatambo. As a teacher, I am always interested in how others practice the profession, regardless of where the school is. In this case, the school I was observing was located in the Andes Mountains, which was fine by me.

The school day began with the entire enrollment standing in formation in the outdoor athletic court. From a distance, it looked militaristic, but when we got closer it was apparent that the students were regular kids -- talking to their friends a nominally paying attention. All the members of our group were introduced and the English teacher of the school translated what we said: "Hi, I am Alec Snyder -- history teacher from the United States." I felt like I should have been able to say that much in Spanish, but I knew if I tried only my two years of college French would come out.

Following our introductions, we were then assigned where we would go in the school. A couple of the kids went to the preschool; two of our students went to the phys. ed. class. A couple of chaperones went to an English Class. I was assigned to go with the History Teacher -- and I was very excited. The teacher -- Cristologo Galiano -- spoke enough English for us to understand each other and our conversation was very interesting. He told me about his brief time in the school and his master's project he was working on. His topic was fascinating -- cultural integration of the rural indigenous peoples into the urban areas of South America -- largely because it was just the topic I had been reading about prior to our trip. We exchanged contact information and I plan on staying in touch with him to monitor the progress of his research. More on his class I observed later...


7/14/2010

Trek Notes - by Dylan Davids

It is truly amazing how much a landscape can transform around you over the course of only a few hours while hiking in the Andes. Our departure point on the first day of the trek looked similar to where we stayed in Limatambo, only higher up, much higher. There were trees and scrubby bushes and various little flowers, all of which I had seen before at the lower elevations. But after lunch the trail started to radically transform, trees disappeared and the smaller plants soon followed. Above the tree line I was in a completely different Peru, following a diminutive path between two peaks surrounded by a surreal rockscape. My observations were mostly limited to thoughts like “That’s a pretty big rock” or “That’s a pretty small rock.” That did not prevent the trail from being visually astounding however; it seemed both uniform and chaotic at the same time. Reading The Silmarillion on the first night in the tent I kept thinking to myself that this was Tolkien’s Middle-Earth, an epic landscape where epic deeds occur. I could leave the tent and gaze down at a cloud and see the trail we had taken winding down and eventually disappearing around the wide base of a mountain. Near the ending of the second day we came into the third Peru, the “jungle-ly” setting, much different from the barren surroundings of the mountainous and the more tame surroundings of Limatambo. This part of the trek was the most visually interesting, the path was narrow and wound down through a series of valleys, and the faint rumbling of the river far below could almost always be heard. It seemed like butterflies and moths were everywhere, along with spectacular flowers of all colors. I really enjoyed seeing foods we eat here in the states growing amongst other plants, many of which Amilio kindly pointed out, otherwise I probably would not have noticed the abundance of avocados and miniature strawberries (which were quite tasty) along the trail. I was able to both observe the intimate details of the trail around me and the vistas offered by breaks in the foliage.


7/13/2010

Lessons from the back of a truck - by Randon Chisnel

Instead of attempting to review or summarize the entire trip (a task that seems impossible to me now), I've decided instead to focus on a single small experience with the Peruvian people in the small town of Limatambo. We were spending the week at the orphanage a few (rough) miles outside of Limatambo. A day came for a few of us to hop into the back of an open truck and head into town for potatoes and cheese (another story in and of itself). Along the way we came across several people on their way into town. They simply waved to the driver, we stopped and then helped them aboard. Again... And again. When someone's "stop" came up, they'd just knock on the roof of the cab. This happened both on the way in and the way out of town. Quite simple and logical really - it just made sense. And yet, I think it may have been just that natural matter-of-fact kindness that had such a profound effect. We have much to learn from each other - there are no one-way roads. This is what Peru is for me.

Peru Pre-departure Preparations - by the Chisnell Incan Trek and Service Group

Follow along as Mr. Chisnell and his fellow Incan Trek and Service Trippers prepare for and speculate about their upcoming Peruvian escapades.

Contact Cultural Embrace for more information about our Group Travel opportunities.

6/29/2010

What We Will Notice... - by Alec Snyder

Clearly, this will be a memorable trip. We will be traveling to the southern hemisphere, viewing a rural region of a developing nation and volunteering among a largely indigenous population [and by “indigenous” I mean “Native-Americans”]. We will also sightseeing in a region that was home to one of the most advanced pre-Columbian civilizations in the western hemisphere. Additionally, the Cusco region of Peru – the heart of the Incan Civilization prior to the arrival of the Spanish – is home to one of the most interesting historical sites in the world. Our time at Machu Picchu will be breath-taking. However, what I am looking forward to most of all will be our cultural encounter. I believe this will be the most enlightening for all of us going on this trip.

We are going to meet people who are the ancestors (for the most part; it is safe to assume many of those we meet will be mestizos to some degree) of the indigenous population that originally settled that part of the world. We will notice a cultural divide that will be a rewarding challenge to bridge. What will be most intriguing for me, as a high school teacher, is to see how our group relates to the people we interact with while we are volunteering in central Peru. We will notice a lifestyle that is so radically different from ours, that the culture shock will be very real. And we can tell our students, and ourselves, that this cultural difference is coming, it will be real, it will be intense. But when we finally experience it… our reflecting on these experiences has me most intrigued. And that goes for all of us. We’re not going to be interacting we people in Peru who are mostly of European descent (like most of the Spanish population would be in South America); instead, we’ll be interacting with the indigenous population and their world view that is not “Western”. The Quechua presence in Peru pre-dates European arrival, and their cultural heritage is a very rich one. The Quechua can claim to be descendants of one of the earliest civilizations in all of World History, and they would be correct. And their world view is different from the Western view of culture, lifestyle, socio-political relations, and leisure time. It will be an eye-opener for all of us attending on this trip.

Having traveled with Steve Chisnell and the Model UN group internationally before, I have some experience being with students overseas. I went to Ireland, Italy, and Greece in the late-1990s and early-2000s and the cultural divide was relatively small. Language difference in Italy and Greece was hardly a barrier – I met a high school student in Athens who spoke 6 languages fluently (she was a 16-year-old Belgian student debating against us at the Model UN conference in Athens). We had more of a challenge with accents in Ireland. When the club went to China in 2008, six weeks before the Olympics in Beijing that summer, we were exposed mostly to the “Western”-friendly tourist areas. When there was a language barrier in China, smiling and nodding worked well on both sides. But this trip will be different. I know it.

I’m looking forward to seeing how the experience impacts our students and myself as an educator. I will be sharing reflections on this trip, hopefully on this site. That depends on us finding internet access at some point in Lima or Cusco. We'll see. Otherwise, I'll share what we noticed about differences and commonalities amongst us and the Peruvians after the trip.

6/28/2010

Please Hold While We Die of Multidrug Resistant Tuberculosis - Ellen Vial

When we first began our Peru meetings, I often found myself googling "Peru facts" five minutes beforehand so I would have something profound to say when I got to Caribou. As our departure date draws closer, I'm quite certain all of us have employed this method of fast-fact preparation. What I am most interested however, is something I learned from a PBS documentary about global health that I watched in my AP Environmental Science class this year. Surely staying healthy, especially during the trek, is a top concern for all of us (see Greg's post about pulmonary edema), but avoiding infectious diseases is something about which we will have to be particularly wary in Lima, Cuzco and Limatambo. The spread of tuberculosis is not uncommon in developing countries, and although the treatment is rigorous, overcoming TB is possible. In Peru however, TB plays a different kind of ball game. The most common strain of tuberculosis in Peru is called multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB), which is unresponsive to the typical medications used to treat tuberculosis. The Ministry of Health in Peru falls short in many areas (comprehensive clinics are few and far between anywhere outside of Cuzco or Lima, health care subsidies are usually not enough for people below the poverty line to afford doctor visits or treatment), but they do have quite a system to treat tuberculosis. However, the drugs available to the public are only sufficient for normal TB and cannot cure patients with MDR TB. The government refuses to reevaluate the TB treatment program because the drugs necessary to treat MDR TB are far too expensive, and the World Health Organisation has even advised against a publicly funded program to treat MDR TB due to cost. For this reason it is probably a good idea to understand the symptoms of TB (weight loss, energy loss, appetite loss, fever, cough, night sweats- although all of these can be easily confused with other diseases) so that we can be wary of them in Limatambo. Next time we are fast-facting Peru on Google, read about MDR TB and how quickly we can get back to the U.S. to get treated! But hopefully we just won't get it in the first place.

6/26/2010

Ramblings on Family and Infrastructure- Carolyn Berger

In preparing to travel, one always hears how different the destination is from home. This is of course natural and understandable, and probably also prudent, but in preparation for this trip to Peru I have been trying to seek out a commonality. I have traveled and dealt with different cultures, but never to a developing nation; arguably, there will be more differences there than I am used to (with television news's infatuation with covering the recent incarceration of Joran van der Sloot in a Peruvian prison, some of them have been processed by my family at dinner: "There are no toilets in the prison, and that's normal." "Yes, dad, but I am probably not going to jail there." "But it's normal. Even outside of the prison, there aren't that many toilets." "Yes, dad, developing nations don't tend to have the same widespread modern facilities we do." "But..." "Yes, dad?" "It's normal." "...Yes, dad.")

So, in these days leading up to our departure, the concepts of family and infrastructure are weaving themselves a confused little basket in my mind, and waiting for me to find a few commonalities to put in it. We have been told that family is a broader idea in Latin America, that helping out is "just what people do" for their family and friends and neighbors, and that we volunteers are not unlikely to be treated as family by strangers while there. And as my dad has come to realize, civil and municipal development in Peru are at a different stage than that to which we are accustomed. I happen to come from an extremely large and inclusive family that often comes together to work and help out; almost anyone, related or not, who has been to a gathering on my uncle's farm in rural Pennsylvania has also volunteered or been merrily conscripted into helping bale hay or butcher or clear a trail, and even more certainly they have been fed (or stuffed) and shown all of the entertainment the farm has to offer. But, although this is common, it is still an event - the vast majority of our family has been suburbanized for some decades. Many of my relatives moved to industrial cities (Pittsburgh, Detroit) around the time of World War II, when manufacturing and democracy and capitalism were the absolutely unquestioned foundations of our society; around the same time, Peru fell under a military dictatorship. In the 60s and 70s, the US coped with massive civil unrest, but the suburbs were already organized meticulously; in Peru's capital city of Lima, neighborhoods were being created by force, with squatters building shantytowns wherever they could muster the numbers to resist the police. In the 1980s, my own nuclear family joined the white flight from the city of Detroit and enrolled me in a suburban elementary school so well-established it seemed to have always been there; many of those shantytowns in Lima were just receiving official recognition and municipal water and electricity, and beginning to build schools. But for all that time Peru has been undergoing massive changes and various arms of my family have been moving to cities and suburbs, my uncle's farm has remained at the center of my family, and at the center of the farm has stood a hundred year old farmhouse bearing quite visible signs of change unto itself. It is often said, not always with the same amount of love, that the farm is a several-decades-behind microcosm of how we came to think of modern amenities as necessary during the 20th century. The original part of the house seems from the outside to be propped up by additions of varying ages, which, spanning many years, have endowed the place with additional rooms, a kitchen with electrical appliances, and indoor bathrooms (the story of the installation of plumbing is still told). The well pump is still in use, too, although city water came to the house "a fair while ago now". It isn't easy anymore to see where the old barn burned down and the new one was built on its foundation, but one certainly can if one looks closely.

Likewise, by mentally squinting, I think can begin to see what I have in common with Peru through that poor old farmhouse and our family gatherings there. It's in there, sort of, if you stretch a little; at the very least, I think I will understand and cope well with the things we have been "warned" about. (Emma: I have no compunction whatsoever about eating a guinea pig. If we are for some reason forced to do so, I'll take yours.) But, to paraphrase my dad a little, what's normal there will still only be a very survivable 2-week trip for us, and that I think is where my attention will wander while there. Even if we do understand and cope, what does it really mean that we are only required to accept these things as normal for two weeks? I hope I'll find out. And maybe also find a better commonality for my still confused little basket.

Why Peru?- Steve Chisnell

I am always surprised and not surprised by two questions I inevitably hear before a trip. I still consider myself fairly new to travel, having only been exploring seriously for about ten years. That regret alone has caused me to include my students on as many experiences as they can afford. Yet in those ten years, it has become clear to me that the best education from travel comes when I travel "close to the ground," connecting more directly with the country I encounter and its people.

That's the first question: Why Peru (or insert developing nation here)?

The answer is easy: my students chose it two years ago, claiming Machu Picchu or bust! Nevertheless, while I would have been equally supportive of their desire to go to Japan or Australia, Greece or Poland, I admired their desire to meet a people quite different from Americans and to meet them personally—not through the resort-filter of the tourism industry or simulations of a Disney-esque park.

The impact US tourist money has on the developing world is significant, both good and bad. On the one hand, wisely-spent tourist dollars enrich an economy. Costa Rica employs about 10% of its labor force in tourism and the Tibetan-Government-in-Exile in Dharamsala is fortified by tourist dollars. Of course, we need to be careful where it is spent: Costa Rican resorts can break up Tico families to serve as staff while sealing off beaches from the locals and consuming slim resources; Kashmiri in Dharamsala buy up the real estate around the Dalai Lama and sell "authentic Tibetan" crafts with profits never reaching a Tibetan.

The same, then, is true of US tourism's cultural impact. Globalization is on, and it is a rare community in the world that doesn't have its citizens wear a Barack Obama t-shirt. There is no undoing that any more than removing Rambo from the storefronts of Ladakh, WetWipes from Dominica, cruise ships from tiny Alaskan coastal towns, or Ms. Piggy from Japanese kabuki theater. Rather than merely export such non-sustainable idiocies into other cultures, the least we can do is reveal to these peoples that we are something more (or less) than Kung-Fu Panda.

More importantly, living closer to the lifestyles of those in the developing world enriches our own experience. We learn nothing by exporting our cultural comforts with us via cruise ships and gated five-star (or even three star) resort communities. In fact, as I suggested above, maintaining our consumptive ignorance can often damage the very place we visit, even those self-rated "Green" hotels. Travelers—especially US tourists—are needfully humbled by seeing how five billion others on the planet live, by opening themselves to the collective wisdom of thousands of years of history as opposed to the US school summaries of a few hundred years.

My friend Alonso in Dominica said it clearly before I ventured into the rain forest: "You must give up everything you have, everything you are. You must be naked of idea, naked of judgment, completely naked in order to find out who you are." And what an interesting idea: that Americans who don't travel are trapped, insulated by our own mass market culture from discovering who we are. What better education?

So why volunteer abroad? That's the second question, the one which always implies that we would do better to serve those at home. Doesn't Detroit need help?

The first response is the same as the first question—my students chose to do it, over debate conferences or meetings with political figures. They are already understanding a global ethic that took me so much longer to discover. More importantly, I think it's important that we do not create an either/or situation when it comes to volunteerism. The fact is that people need support everywhere on the planet. We should volunteer in our own schools, in our communities, in our country, and in the world. To focus exclusively on any of these is . . . limiting. Global volunteerism has the added advantage of bringing us again closer to those cultures which too many of us xenophobically avoid, even as we caravan through their country sides.

I'm glad to have spent time teaching in the schools of Pokhara, Nepal, and I'm proud of my former students who worked in Costa Rica (through Cultural Embrace) and will now work for an orphanage in Limatambo, Peru. Alum have since traveled throughout Latin American, Asia, and Africa, some through studies abroad, others through volunteer experiences such as the Peace Corps. And having seen a Nepali community transformed by a former Peace Corps friend of mine, there is little question how significant real globalization can be.

No one can predict where one small experience like Limatambo will take us. When we open ourselves to the experience, however, the number of future global paths expands exponentially. My classroom can never serve as substitute.

6/18/2010

Machu Picchu: Revealed! - Karly Lawnizcak

Reading about the glorious site of Machu Picchu, I find that I am drawn towards climbing Huayna Picchu, described as a “step climb” that must be “tackled.” Unfortunately, the time confines of our trip will probably prohibit us from climbing to see the Sacred Rock of Machu Picchu, and I will have to accept not seeing this acclaimed view. The plethora of things that we will be seeing however, seems just as enticing as this illustrious peak. From the Funeral Rock Hut, another scenic photo stop- where the grassed terraces are mowed by the native alpacas and llamas- to the Temple of the Condor, a hypothesized sacrificial alter that stands over a prison complex filled with small human sized niches to hold the condemned criminals and sacrifices. Ignoring the more gruesome aspects of the temple, we can also appreciate the beautiful Incan stonemasonry, built without mortar to better withstand the passage of time and the treachery of Mother Nature. (The Incans pieced together their building without mortar or cement leaving small spaces in between the stones that allowed them to shift in the case of an earthquake.) The temples namesake, the condor, symbolizes the celestial plane of the gods, and is carved into the natural rock formation in three-dimensional flight, making another prime sight-seeing opportunity. Although we should still keep in mind that this statue was the alter in which many a person was gruesomely leeched to appease the bloodthirsty Incan gods. I find myself anticipating the beauty and magic of Machu Picchu. Seeing the genius of these famed architects, astronomers, and religious people will make for a fulfilling end of our long trek through Peru.

6/9/2010

Threads - by Randon Chisnell

I've just returned from a trip to the New Mexico and Southern Colorado (Four Corners) area to visit some the ruins of the Ancestral Puebloans (these are the people once referred to as "Anasazi" - however, that term is not as accurate as their descendants are the various Pueblo tribes: Hopi, Zuni, Acoma, Taos, etc.). I took with me for travel reading a book about Machu Picchu. When I was younger, I was always fascinated by the "mysteries" of people from other cultures and other times (Pyramid Builders, Cliff Dwellers, Machu Picchu, etc.). Now I find that it's the similarities among the peoples of the earth that holds the greatest fascination for me. Modern geneticists tell us that we are all (all of us homo sapiens) 99.9% genetically identical. Our concepts of race and all are simply that: our concepts. Further, our primary culture around the planet (and for thousands of years) has been one of sustained agriculture (as opposed to hunter-gatherer). All ancient and modern "civilizations" came into existence around this basic way of life. The sun, rain and seasons therefor are a common focal point for peoples everywhere. We marvel at the ability of the ancients to plot the movement of the sun from solstice to equinox to solstice, to know when to plant and when to harvest… but the simple conclusion is that if they didn't understand these things, they'd perish. I suppose my point is (if there is one) that again and again we solve the same problems of existence, and when we study other cultures (both current and past), the primary differences usually lie only in the solutions. So I go forward on this trip hoping to see how the people of Peru, both past and present, have gone about solving their basic needs for surviving and thriving and hope to find more threads that unite us.

6/6/2010

Trekking ie Pulmonary Edema - by Greg Cline

Quite honestly the part of this trip that I am most looking forward to is the hiking along the Incan trail. I love hiking, I love nature, I love heights – basically, our journey up to Machu Picchu is the ideal set of circumstances for me. I’ve had experiences with treks like this where the entire goal of the trek is to get somewhere and no thought is given to the experience itself; I sincerely hope that although our final objective is Machu Picchu, we give some thought to the splendor of the land we are traveling through. Now to the true topic of this post: high altitude pulmonary edema. Being the mountaineering nerd that I am, I have read many books about expeditions to the world’s highest mountain ranges where the adventurer’s companions or the adventurers themselves have been struck down by a case of high altitude pulmonary edema .Once I heard we were going to be scampering about in the Andes I immediately set about finding whether or not our little group would be at the altitude where pulmonary edema might be an issue, and I was quite pleased to find out…we are! Between 2500 and 3500 meters is the area where the symptoms of pulmonary edema become common, and it does not matter what shape you are in, whether or not you develop it is pure chance. If one of us were to develop pulmonary edema it could result in difficulty breathing, coughing up blood and pale skin. The best treatment is to immediately descend in altitude, reaching around 1000 meters above sea level at least. However, considering the difficult terrain we will be traversing it could be more of a challenge to get the person down than it sounds, especially if he or she becomes unable to walk. Now the only unfortunate thing about what I have found out so far is that high altitude pulmonary edema generally sets in after two to three days, which means that given our trek only lasts five days and alternates between mountains and valleys, it is unlikely that anyone of us will get it.

6/1/2010

Requiem for the Guinea Pigs - by Emma Green

Unaccustomed to writing things of this nature, I will begin with a simple fact. I really do not want to eat a guinea pig. I should most likely preface this with the idea that I am taking this blog as an opportunity to voice my concerns for this adventurous endeavor. Then we can return to the initial declaration. Lewis Carroll would be remiss. My only concern, for some unknown reason is that of consuming a furry little rodent friend. I had a pet guinea pig once, and was rather attached to her. I doubt I’d be able to consume her South American cousin. I’m not really very worried about the conditions; I enjoy jungle treks and water purification, which may seem like an odd hobby to some. The language barrier may prove to be an obstacle, however, over the years, I feel myself to be quite an accomplished charades expert. Mime school, don’t fail me now.

It’s going to be interesting to carry everything I need in a single pack. I’m often not the best “packer”, and I have been known to substitute reading materials for pajamas. So we’ll see how this turns out. I am not squeamish, or afraid of long, tiring days, and I do not suspect that there will be trouble in the area of altitude sickness. It seems to be the little rodent that’s tripping me up. Which brings me to an interesting (at least, I’m hoping) point. This notion of consuming what could have been a household pet somehow became stuck in my head after watching too much travel channel. Through the research our group has been doing, we have become familiar with much of the history of this nation, and seem to fancy ourselves as the open-minded, tolerant-type travelers. Yet I wonder how far this illustrious vision will take us. Is it unfair to assume that at some point I will be forced to eat a guinea pig? Have we fully outrun the stereotypes that we look upon so scornfully? I believe that, in a sense, I have done the best I can to put all preconceived notions behind me. Yet, one can never be truly sure until he or she is staring the destination fully in the all encompassing, albeit metaphorical, face. But I wonder, can we outrun the stereotypes imposed upon us? Will the people we meet in Peru look at us as these intrusive foreigners, much akin to that of the early conquistadors? Will they scan our bags for devilish plots to take more land and destroy more culture? Or will they, like we attempt to do, welcome us in without bias, or assumptions of American ignorance. I often find it hard to look past this veil of manifest destiny heritage, so I worry that these people will be unwilling, or even adverse to overlook it as well. However, as in any place in the world, I expect to find a mixed result. I suppose only time will tell. Ending on a cliché seems to be a bad omen, so instead I will end with the hope that this trip can reverse my cynicism, and expose a culture, or even simply just a person, that is willing to forgive me my heritage and accept the proverbial olive branch, from one traveler to another, furry rodents included.

5/31/2010

Peruvian Geography - by Dylan Davids

Peru's geography is incredibly diverse, from lofty mountains ranges to low-lying rain forests. The nation is approximately 1,280,085 square kilometers and is split into about three geographic regions. From west to east these are the coastal region, the Andes and the Amazonian Basin. The area we will be traveling to is in the Andean region, and the higher altitudes are something I will need to get used to. Compared to Detroit's measly 600 ft above sea level, Cuzco is over 10 times greater, at almost 11,000 ft. As someone who has traveled to every state except Hawaii, I can confidently say that I don't think I have ever been that high up. It should be interesting to see how I react to that elevation. I'm leaning towards "negatively." Something interesting I discovered is that Machu Picchu is actually at a lower elevation, "only" 8,000 ft above sea level. While shopping for hiking boots the other day I came to the great realization that in Peru it is currently Winter. I had been worrying about the heat being compounded by summertime, without taking the time to remember what I learned in elementary school, that the Southern hemisphere is not the same as the Northern hemisphere. I felt incredibly stupid that I had forgotten about the tilt of the Earth. I'm not sure how hot or cold a Peruvian "winter" is considering the proximity to the Equator, but I hope we'll have cool weather throughout the trip. Looking forward to it, I've always had an interest in landscapes and now I'll finally see some that aren't "American" or "Canadian."

Orientación- by Caroline McCurdy, CE Adviser in Chile

My first meal in Chile: a sandwich called the Jarros Luco.
It's named after a former president who just
loved his meat and cheese sandwiches. He and I have
that in common.

Well, 2 days of Orientation have passed without a hitch. The official name of this program that I’m doing is English Opens Doors (which will henceforth be referred to as EOD) and is put on by the Government of Chile, who is partnered with Cultural Embrace in Austin. The people running EOD are a fun group of Chileans, American ex-pats, and a delightfully random Kiwi from New Zealand. So far Orientation has consisted of several workshops on classroom management and lesson planning (which for a novice like myself will prove to be invaluable).

What wasn’t so fun was today’s presentation on health safety; although super informative, it had to address the nasty little subjects of earthquakes and tsunamis. For those of you who know me well, you know that I have a teensy bit of anxiety when it comes to storms/natural disasters… and when I say teensy, I mean a lot. As a kid, I was the paranoid freak wearing a football helmet while hiding in the hall closet with a handheld radio and a flashlight whenever there was a tornado watch. Turns out I never really got over it (I blame my mother for forcing me to go with her when she was trying her hand as an amateur storm-chaser). Anyways, needless to say that during today’s presentation I was a bit on edge. We were told that there are often earthquake tremors in the north, especially in Iquique – in fact, they had one 2 weeks ago (I think it was a 5.6). They tried to tell us that this was a good thing because it means that the earth is releasing its built up stress regularly instead of being quiet for years and going absolutely nuts like it did in southern Chile in February. Stay tuned for the blog that comes after I experience my first tremor: I have a feeling that I will have a hard time seeing it as a good thing then. They also said that there are several tsunami drills in Iquique over the course of the year without warning so that people will always be on their toes. The blog that I write the day after I’m woken up at 3 a.m. and told to run for the hills should be a delightful read as well.

The view from Melissa's window of her new apartment.
Yeah, those are the Andes.

After Orientation I’ve been able to hang out with the girls that I’m rooming with as well as Melissa, my new friend from Mexico. Luckily, she was able to find an apartment that has an AMAZING view of Santiago (I’m talking postcard worthy). In our free time we’ve mostly been walking around the city while trying new places for meals and sightseeing – I feel like the blisters I’ve gotten from the countless miles that I’ve walked in my new shoes are necessary evils because I’ve seen a lot of Santiago and have eaten really amazing food so far. These Chileans love their meat; Texans can rest assured that they will feel right at home here (not to mention that their national flag is pretty darn close to the Texan flag).

Some of my new friends: Melissa (left) from Mexico and
Amanda (right) from Houston

Since I got here about 2 days before everyone else and have had some time to learn the streets of Santiago, I’ve been elected the unofficial city navigator among my little group of friends. I find this hilarious because I’m never the person who volunteers to carry the map and find out where to go; I’m a very content follower and leave the ‘taking charge’ role to my friends like Emily Quant :-). Even so, I’ve not gotten too terribly lost yet and I’m pretty darn proud of myself. I just can’t get over the fact that people keep asking me how to get places and I actually know… it’s the darndest thing. Also, while going through the streets of Santiago, one can’t help but notice the huge number of stray dogs wandering all over the place. Although this fact makes me pretty sad since it forces me to imagine my Buddy as a jaded little street-wiener, I am comforted by the fact that some dog-loving Chileans have taken it upon themselves to equip about 90% of the street dogs with their own little doggie sweaters so that they can stay warm – these are probably some of the most chic homeless pooches in the world.

Hostel living hasn’t been too bad so far; it’s no Holiday Inn, but it has free internet and hot water so I’m moderately comfortable. There are only 3 girls living with me in this little room and they are all super nice. Even so, living in such close quarters has some drawbacks. Since I know that I’m not someone who can sleep through loud snoring, I came prepared with earplugs. However, there is some snoring so thunderous that even earplugs can’t block it out, and because of this I’m about to take a much-needed siesta. Until next time, here’s your philosophical question of the day:

If God sneezed, what would you say to him?

--Caroline McCurdy

Adviser Abroad in Chile