Independence Day

Happy Independence Day everyone! I’m sad I won’t be in the United States for this day, but it will be interesting to spend the day with the family.

Today was our last day in the schools. It was really simple overall, as all we did was review what we covered last week with regards to parasites and then gave them pills to help kill or prevent parasites. The toughest thing was saying goodbye to them, especially since they have been such a big part of our lives for the last eight weeks. Even though we said that it was our last day, I feel that some of the students didn’t get the message and will be expecting us next week. This really saddens me, and I hope that there is some way I can keep in touch with the school and the kids.

In the afternoon, I went over to Jina’s house to watch a short film. We then headed to the Incan Museum in town. This museum is one of the more famous ones in Cuzco, and has a ton of interesting Incan artifacts. They even had some cool mummies and the largest selection of Incan cups in the world. Overall, I thought it was a great experience, and something I would recommend for every traveler coming to this area.

In the evening, we had our farewell dinner with ProWorld. They took us to one of the best restaurants in town, Pacha Papa. This restaurant is supposed to have the best Peruvian food in the city. I ordered the Roccoto Relleno, or a stuffed hot pepper for my appetizer. It was really good, and the last food I had left on my checklist (more on this later). For my main dish, I had the Adobo de Chancho, or a tangy pork stew. This was one of the recommended dishes at the restaurant, and it did not disappoint. Everything tasted really fresh, and the mixture of spices and flavors was unlike anything I have had before, even at the home. I’m really glad I got to experience it, although it reminded me again of how few days I have left in Peru.

Since we don’t have many days left, today was also one of our last chances to visit the clubs in the city. We went out one last time, and it was a lot of fun. Something I will miss is the vibrant and electric atmosphere at these clubs, something I haven’t gotten to experience much in the United States. At the same time however, the rather touristy population at the club made me think of the United States, and therefore of my family.

As I have said countless times before, these last few days will be rather bittersweet. I’m looking to absorb everything I can, both from my family and from others in the Peruvian community.