Peru's Places

We have touched down in Peru, been here a couple days and have been spending our time in Lima. So, I have not yet seen much of Peru but I like what I do see.

We’ve been staying in Barranco; it’s one of Lima’s neighborhoods and also happens to be the arts district of Lima; I feel at home.

Just the other night we took a walk down to the beach (first time I have seen the Pacific Ocean mind you) and right next to the beach was a massive mosaic. I was simply stunned at the piece’s beauty.

But I forgot my camera.

In just a few hours we’re going to get on a bus that we will stay on for between five and six hours until we reach our destination and homebase for the rest of the trip, Huarmey. From there we will be going into the smaller villages in the valleys and cliffs of the Andes mountain range.

While there I know I won’t be in any arts districts, but the way of life will be a form of art in and of itself. The culture will be drastically different and I can only wait to see some of the traditional items that the people in the mountains make for everyday use, whether it range from a hat made of alpacca wool or a small piece of jewelry. Those pieces are art of a different kind.

Along the way I will be filming what I see, what the other members of the Peru crew see and our reactions to the culture and their reactions to our actions. How are these people affected by what we do?

Well, I can tell you that I know some of them are truly touched. Chad already talked about how we filmed the donation of a prosthetic leg to Javeth. Well, I have to say, as soon as she saw the leg her demeanor completely changed. She went from a cordial and kind person to someone who was simply happy. Happiness defined her in that moment. When we interviewed her later she said "Sentio contento," "I feel happy."

Making people happy and helping these people out is one of the main purposes for this trip and I am glad that I have the opportunity to be able to tell that story through both film and this blog.