How am I am improving my Spanish on a daily basis you ask? Well the best way possible...making new friends everywhere I go.
So first it was the taxi driver in Lima... on my way back to the airport where I met Becca. I convince him with my new found confidence in Spanish that I should not be charged the tourist price to the airport, but that of a local. Well I don´t want to pretend that I got a local price, but we were laughing about the traffic and whatnot after just a few minutes. As for Lima I was again not so impressed with this crazy hectic smoggy city....but I´ll give it one more try on my last day in Peru.
Becca and I arrived to sunny and beautiful Cusco and checked into our hotel. Los Niños its called is run by a Dutch woman who uses the proceeds to support local children... we have become very familiar with the cause as the children´s house is directly across from our room and I am learning new Spanish words everyday as they play in the courtyard. An amazing cause that I highly recommend for all those that visit Cusco.
After a day we decided to skip town and head to Pisaq ... a small town nestled in the Sacred Valley. I introduced Becca the world of Peruvian public transportation. After locating the bus station (I´m getting really good with the phrase ¨Donde estas la estacion de autobus¨) the key is now I can actually understand the directions they give me. So for 2 soles (60 cents) we join the other locals on the bus to Pisaq. We were fortunate enough to get seats together and this time no Guinni pigs running around. Our time in Pisaq was beautiful... see the attched photos. But it was on the ride back up when we met Lucy.
One should never assume that the bus will drop you off where you picked it up. I soon realized that when the driver was calling Cusco Cusco... the neighborhood around us was not one with travel agencies and tourist shops we are used to. So I introduced myself to Lucy... and she kindly walked with us back to the Plaza de Armas. I learned also from Lucy about the region... and how she has to travel 2 hrs to get to work and lives most days of the week away from home to be close to her job. She is the youngest of 7... and after spending so much time with her nieces and nephews she has no interest in having babies anytime soon. I concurred... being an aunt is perfect!
Although what learned most from Lucy was wow I really can speak Spanish and carry on more than a conversation about directions. Who knew... I guess a combination of 2 years in high school, growing up with the Gersons and dating a Latin boy in college really has paid off.
It even gave me enough confidence to carry on a long conversation with a cute guy we met at dinner last night from Granada, Spain. Had we not had such a long day all over the sacred valley we might have joined him for a night out dancing. Who knows, maybe tonight....
I love hearing from everyone....keep the notes a´comming.
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Hasta luego,
Morgan
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