Culture Shock

As I flew from Lima to Cusco over the vast mountain ranges, I was struck by several contrasts - from the great sprawling urbanization of Lima to the isolated patches of humanity in the mountain ranges; from the coastal waters of the Pacific to the barren surfaces of the mountains; and finally from existing at sea level to being 11,000 ft. Above sea level. Flying in to Cusco which is nestled in a valley in the Andes mountains was an exhilarating eperience. What followed next was not. I was met by a man holding a card with a very odd spelling of my name. After verifying that he was indeed from the Peru Language School, he took me to a host family home which was not the one I was told about. Greetings were exchanged and then I explained that there must have been some mistake as this was not the right address or the right host family. After a call to the school i was told that the original family was hosting some relatives this week and were not available. Finally after viewing another potential home I decided to stay where I was despite the problems I was having with the accommodation. The hosts are very warm, generous people and there is another female student there from Brazil. She speaks English as does the son of the hosts who speak no English at all.
My first class this am started at 8:30 and I have had a total of 4 different instructors today. One class took place in the center of Cusco where I was given a guided tour which included a market. So much to see and absorb. The cobblestone streets are incredibly hilly and narrow with cars driving down the middle pushing the pedestrians to both sides. My guide counted at least 10 plazas and as many catholic churches. I hope to return tomorrow to do more sightseeing on my own. The school has really impressed me so far, and you may be surprised to learn that there are 25 Canadian students here now, most from Alberta.
Must go as the fatigue from the day and some altitude symptoms are setting in.
More news when I can access a wireless network as the home does not have WiFi.
Don't forget to set your clocks back!