May 16

We finally arrived in Cusco, Peru. I feel like I am in a totally different world. The streets are dustand dirty. The sidewalks are cracked and stony. The buildings have cracks in their cement and the paint has faded. I know I am up 11,000 feet above sea level, an altitude many people never get to travel to, yet I feel like I am in a valley. Mountains surround us and the houses seem to be on top of each other creating a red wave of stone that makes up the roofs. Some of the people are dressed in colorful native clothes and have dirt on their faces. i have no idea where I am going or what I will be living in. It's scary, but it's real. Then I look at everything from a different perspective. The culture is rich, the clothing is bright and beautiful. The architecture is unique and despite the cracks, the walls are strong and it adds to the culture of the city. The red sea of roofs is a pretty contrast to the blue of the sky and the green of the mountains. And finally, despite the fact that my fingers and feet are slightly numb, being at this altitude, surrounded by these mountians, is breathtaking.