Lima Peru July 19, 2008

After getting to bed after 2AM, it was difficult for most to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed by 8 for breakfast. At 9 we met for our first order of business in Peru. The executive director of the Peruvian Fulbright Commission, Mr.Henry A. Harmon Guerra, spoke first, introducing the participants to Peru´s culture, successes and current problems. His introduction included some interesting facts: Peru is the size of France; 50% of Peruvians earn less than $5 a day; most children attend school for approximately 8 years; Alan Garcia has been elected for a second term, the first being 30 years ago. Peru's fiscal growth is rapidly rising; and some of their main resources are silver, gold and copper.

Next, the sixteen teachers were asked to go around the room and one by one explain their individual projects. Karen Spaulding, the guest speaker, made helpful suggestions about where information could be located for individual projects. Karen, an ethnic historian and Fulbright scholar, spoke about Managing Empire; knots vs. paper in 16th century Peru. The knots were a method of recording data, although no one is certain the exact meaning.

When the participants entered the restaurant chosen for lunch, El Senorio de Sulco, an example of the knots was prominently displayed on one wall. Lunch was amazing beginning with a drink called Pisco sour, followed by a purple fruit drink (chicha morada), a salad buffet, hot food buffet and the largest assortment of desserts seen. Everything was excellent!

After lunch, a tourist bus with a guide took the group for a 3 hour tour of Lima. Sights that were seen included the art museum, political buildings with beautifully carved balconies, olive gardens, an archaeological site called Pucllana (site of the female mummy found in recent years and featured in National Geographic) and at last St. Francis Cathedral and the catacombs. After the tour ended, teachers were free to explore on their own.

Everyone talked about Jorge and how he was missed by all.

Carole W. Madison, Indiana