Cusco in all it's richness...(Pt. II)

If any of you have gotten the opportunity to see my Facebook pictures, then you've cheated and have already caught a glimpse of the ruins (my spanish teacher calls them "monuments" because of the negative connotation one might get from ruins). They are, in a word, incredulous. Don't believe me, take a look for yourself.

Q'enqo

Sacsayhuaman

Tipon

More ruins on our hike through Tipon

Pikillakta

Sun beginning to set at Pikillakta

Eh? See what I mean? Now imagine building these incredible structures one thousand years ago, without anything close to the lifting and construction tools we take for granted today. Pretty amazing to think about. Each structure had or still has it's own purpose, whether for means of living under, as incredible water canals used for agriculture, or as constructed religious temples and animal formations dedicated to the gods that the Inca people worshipped. As much walking as we did on "ruin weekend" (including some extracurricular hiking through the backwoods), it was awesome to walk through these places and realize all of the ingenuity and time that went into these rock formations and carvings. One of the most amazing things is that most all of the ruins were constructed up on hillsides or in the mountains, where they would have had to have hauled thousands of rocks and boulders for miles just to get the supplies where they needed them. And if I build a house someday with my bare hands that manages to withstand one thousand years of wear and tear and still stick around, I think I'd smile and give myself a nice little pat on the back, knowing that my neighbors homes were falling apart after a mere one hundred years. All in all, the Inca people receive an A+ in their skillfulness and craft.
As well, the week was a special one, as it marked the 100th anniversary of the re-discovery of Machu Picchu! Although it was re-dicovered on July 24th, 1911, the celebration was actually on July 7th, probably so as not to conflict too much with Peruvian Independence Day, which falls on July 28th. Honestly, Cusco probably has celebrated holidays on average about twice a week since I have been here, whether the holidays are Catholic, Incan, or just because they feel like it, I guess. I have watched parade after parade from the Plaza, the street, and my bedroom window in the four weeks I have been here. I'm not complaining, though I have occasionally been awoken by what sounds like small bombs going off on the street outside, but that's the Cusqueñan life :) At Machu Picchu's 100th Anniversary though , the Plaza was transformed into a concert venue, with the Cathedral de Santo Domingo as the backdrop, and the Plaza being filled with many tourists and locals who wanted to celebrate the big day. I even got my 15 seconds of fame on Peruvian live television, when I was approached by a news reporter and asked about the event. All I could muster up was "FELIZ CUMPLEAÑOS PERU!" and take part in a "MA-CHU PIC-CHU" chant with the reporter and a couple of friends. The concert was followed up by a nice fireworks show, and I'm sure partying into the wee hours of the morning, though I called it a night by about midnight.

Steph and I with our new Peruvian field reporter friend

I don't know if it just feels this way, but I think I came to Peru at the perfect time, right in the midst of all of the celebrations and holidays, where I get to witness some very cool sights. In addition to great fiestas, Peru, as well, has giving me a fresh perspective on the way I go through life and how much I take for granted. I have been given the incredible opportunity to travel, and in doing so see exactly how sheltered my mind can be when it comes to other cultures, ideals, and values. For instance, I have met some very travel-happy Europeans who grew up speaking two maybe three languages in addition to their native tongue! Not only that, their sense of geography and history (yes, including U.S. history) far surpasses mine and makes me wonder what I was doing all those years in high school. They grew up being exposed to not only the customs and ongoings of their own country, but to be conscious of world issues and specifics about foreign countries as well. I have a deep growing desire to be, and I know I overuse the word but, cultured. Because I know that closing myself off to only what's immediately around me and being self-involved is only a recipe for closed-mindedness. To open ones self up and take in this entire world we have been given to live upon creates a new appreciation for all people and all places, and allows us to love not only our neighbor, but our neighbor across the hemisphere as well. Discovering how well I have it economically in relation to the way entire countries struggle only makes me want more to get rid of things of value and feel what it's like to no longer trust things and possessions, but God the creator above all else. I just re-read a chapter from A.W. Tozer's Pursuit of God (shout-out to the Monday morning POG's, I truly miss those pancakes) that talks about the beauty of being "poor in spirit". Tozer talks about how we can choose to live a life that is filled with the possessiveness of "things" or anything with material value. Or, we can live for the eternal and gain everything. Not everything as in plasma flat screens and Mercedes-Benz's, but everything as in the eternal salvation of our souls. Or the chance to spend every waking minute with our Lord. I have had quite a trip as far as losing material possessions go, as I have left my wallet in a cab in Lima, as well as had my phone swiped from my bag here in Cusco. I am not going to deny that in many ways these were of my own fault, because I have been careless and a bit errant. Though I can say that both of these instances have humbled me and allowed me to look at the way I value "things" and realize that the important thing is that my family is okay, and I'm more than okay. Somewhere I am hoping that somebody has a few extra dollars in their pocket or a new smartphone, but they are still not placing their all in these "things". Because someday "things" will all be gone, and we'll still have to deal with the consequences of the decisions we either made or didn't make. I know this has been a mini-tangent, but this trip has opened my eyes to this more than a little, and I wanted to share. I do have to get some rest though, because this afternoon I'm playing in a fùtbol tournament with a few other guys for charity, and I'll need all the edge I can get :) Next time I blog, I'll probably be back in Lima with my mom and sister, so until then, love you all!

Cusco in all it's richness...(Pt. I)

Wow. Who is awful at keeping up with their blog? This guy. I apologize all who are following my adventures out here, my stubbornness and putting off skills (which are excellent) have gotten the better of me these last couple weeks. And because I have so much updating to do, and know nobody likes to read an extremely long blog post, I'll resort to dividing these last 18 days or so into two parts, the second of which to come in the next day (or so, no promises I can't keep).
So, I last left off the night before leaving for Cusco, which now feels like months ago. Upon arriving in Cusco, I immediately felt the altitude change carrying my bags off the plane. I was huffing and puffing right off the bat. It's incredible how eleven thousand feet can make such a difference in breathing. And don't even get me started on stairs. After leaving the airport, immediately the differences between Lima and Cusco were evident: Cusco had a much more rustic, early 1900's feel than most of what I saw of Lima. Also, Cusco sits in the valley of hills and ruins, which is a far cry from Lima's more urbanized city and culture. Providing a little bit of history for you all, Cusco used to be the official capital of Peru before Francisco Pizarro and the Spaniards invaded in the 16th century and re-named Lima the new capital. Cusco still remains the official Historical Capital of Peru and of the Incas. The Spaniards built the cathedrals and buildings that remain there today, just on top of many of the Incan structures. There you go, now you've all got a little taste of Cusco.
These last few weeks I have been living with a host family through the language school I am attending. It is a couple, Willy and Katy (pronounced kah-tee), with their adorable kids, Valeria (9) and Joaquin (4). I don't know if I could have asked for a kinder, more welcome or hospitable family here in Cusco. Ever since I stepped foot in the house, they have made me feel like a part of their family and feel right at home. Willy immediately helped show me around important parts of Cusco that I'd need to know for the month and has more than helped with information about the city and directions whenever I have needed them. Katy prepares three meals a day, every day, for myself and the others living here, which right now includes myself, a New York med student name Kosta, as well as various other Canadian students who have been in and out. I have enjoyed getting to try different Peruvian native dishes, and best of all, the native rare fruits that only grow here. Thus far, my favorite has to be the "chirimoya", a very tender and very sweet fruit native to the Andean valley. Mark Twain even called it "the most delicious fruit known to men", and I don't know that I could disagree with him. And my new favorite dessert that I'm definitely bringing back to the states with me? Sliced banana drizzled with condensed milk, yes please.
Beyond the food here, I have been able to witness a city very rich in culture and Incan history. My second day in the city, I went to an annual festival held here in Cusco called "Inti Raymi", which is the Quechuan term for festival of the sun. It takes place every winter solstice, and is a theatric representation of the sun shown in three stages: the first at a historical ruin in Cusco called Coricancha, next at the central Plaza de Armas, and finally, after a decent hike, the final stage held up at Sacsayhuaman, another group of Incan ruins. It really is a beautiful display of costumes and theatrics, though I understood next-to-nothing about it because it was entirely in Quechua and I did not have a what-exactly-is-going-on guide. Overall, I'm glad I went for the experience and the pretty sights. One of the ways I've been able to meet some locals while working up a little sweat has been playing a little fùtbol (definitely not American) on Saturday mornings and Wednesday nights, which has been a heart attack and a blast at the same time.  It's usually about 5-on-5 on either a short artificial turf field or a short concrete court, with not a lot of stoppage, and a whole lot of me tripping over myself and the ball. I'd say I've gotten a tad better since I've been here, though that still leaves me miles behind some of the natives and Europeans here.
One thing I found here that has been a big blessing has been a small church located in one of the central plazas, called The Meeting Place Church. It is a cafe 6 days out of the week, serving American-style dishes and drinks to help support local ministries, and on Sundays at 6:30 PM holds a service with a time for worship and a message. Being away from my church family in Monmouth has been a test, as I've realized how blessed I am to be around so many quality young men and woman who share my love for the Lord. This church has helped fill that fellowship void and provided a place where I can worship freely, just as back home. South America, including Peru, being so primarily Catholic-influenced, it can be tough to get plugged into an English-speaking Christian church in some areas unless you really ask around or get lucky searching online. I have gotten the chance to talk with the missionary from Idaho who came over with his family last year and helped transform the coffee shop into a church as well, and I was inspired by his obedience to God's plan and willingness to uproot his family to come to such a different environment. He could have just have easily have ignored the call and stayed in his comfort area of Idaho, but his trust in God brought him to live less comfortably in a less developed foreign city to help provide a church body to visitors and other missionaries. I truly believe we need more people like him, who offer God their full trust. It's getting late, so I will finish updating on the last couple weeks tomorrow! Hope everyone is having a great summer thus far! Hasta mañana...