PERUPERUPERU [Friday June 16th, 2006 2:32pm] Hey everyone. So I just got back this week from exciting Peru. It was super distinct and really gorgeous. We spent a day in Lima, a day in Cuzco and two days in Aguas Calientes where we visited Macchu Picchu which was absolutely out of this world amazing. A city built by Incans in the 1500s in the middle of the mountains as high as the clouds. And we walked through it. I have less than a month left and am pretty overwhelmed having no money and still tons of places to see and tons of homework to do. This will probably be my last update so here are some pictures, and ill see everyone in summer! Bus ride through Cuzco, Peru Aguas Calientes, tourist town at the base of Macchu picchu Macchu Picchu I have two hundred more of the city St. Francisco Catedral in Lima, Peru Downtown Lima filled with casinos read (0) post

JUNE ALREADY [Thursday June 1st, 2006 6:18pm] Sorry for not updating in a very long time. Lots of things have been going on here and Bud and my friends just left town. In the last month or so we took a few trips to Valparaiso,the old and colonial style capital and the city of Pomaire, which makes its living making pottery and selling millions of pottery products on the streets. We went down to where they dug out the clay and watched the whole process. We even had the opportunity to make little piggy banks. I also caught an airborne virus that everyone got and spent a lot of time sick in bed. Last week, finally finally I got to see Bud!! Bud and Rita and Alexis and Skott all came down and we spend about a week an a half on the coast and mostly in Santiago, it was really nice to finally have people to talk to and be comfortable with and we had soo much fun. I was super impressed how much everyone liked in here and did really well communicating with people. We walked through Valparaiso and took a tour of Vina del Mar. We also went to the biggest vineyard in central Chile, Vina Concha y Toro and learned and saw where all the famous Chilean wine was made. Valparaiso Subway Vina Concha y Toro and taste testing... La Cueca, the national dance, in the central Plaza Cutting off my dreadlocks skott and bud me and my pollolo So overall that really went well and got me very excited to come home, which is coming very soon. Winter has also started, and really its only like fifties and sixties but the mornings and evenings get really cold and there is no heat in my house. Its just dreary and damp and im jealous its warm back home. Now....on to recent news here in Chile. Chile is currently in the middle of a National Education Strike. Long story short, Chile´s economy is booming with the success of the copper industry. And none of the money is being trickled down in education. Anyone with money here can create a private school, and there are thousands, and the kids who can afford to pay all attend private high school. The kids who cant go to government funded public school, and like many public schools in Milwaukee, the public schools have no money and no resources. Only 14 percent of kids go to college from public school and 74 percent of private schools go. Moreso, the best universities are very very expensive. In Argentina, the best university is free. And in many other countries the government pays for lower tuition and free transportation passes. So...all the kids are in PARO. which means STOP. Classes are cancelled, many many public schools and supporting private schools are closed down. ANd therefore all the kids have taken to the streets. Many universities have also closed down. All the humanity faculties at my school are in strike and instead of a campus full of quiet studiers, the campus is full of posters and megaphones and music and parties. The strikes have however turned violent the last few days all over the country. The main street is filled with over six hundred thousand kids marching. But theres also the not so peaceful protests and the tear gas and hoses have taken out a lot of kids who are throwing rocks at the police and destroying property. Although the violence is terrible, the kids have been heard and the governemnt is in negotiations to change education funding. its really amazing to see how passionate the youth are and how they can change things when they put their mind to it. Well next weekend I go to Macchu Picchu, peru. And then only a few weeks left until I go home! read (0) post

navigation [ viewing | most recent entries ] [ go | earlier ]