By Audrey Reed
Overseas Correspondent
The same natural disasters that have closed down the Malibu Canyon Road are affecting Pepperdine students across the equator — mudslides. Because of this, the semester educational field trip to Peru changed its course many times, and opened everyone’s eyes about Peruvian culture.
The entire Buenos Aires Program left Argentina March 20 to visit the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu and the rest of Peru. It started as any other Pepperdine-organized trip with a city tour of Lima, the nation’s capital. The next day we flew to Cuzco at 11,200 feet. above sea level to get acclimated to the high altitude before beginning the climb up the ruins.
In Cuzco, one of the most touristy cities, we were attacked by swarms of street vendors trying to sell postcards, jewelry or food. They each give themselves American pseudonyms like Bon Jovi or Bill Clinton in hopes we will fulfill our promise of saying the obligatory “Maybe later,” and buy something.
At Cuzco our group split into two: the hikers and the “trainers.” These are the two ways of getting to the ruin city of Machu Picchu, by walking or by taking the train from Cuzco. The hikers left early in the morning and began walking toward the first pass on the trail while the other group had a day of activities in the Cuzco area. We were to meet at Machu Picchu three days later.
The hikers walked mostly in the rain for 26 miles up and down the 400-year-old Incan Trail.
At the end of the third day, the hikers were told the train tracks were damaged because of a mudslide and it would not be fixed for at least two days. Thus, the trainers would not be able to see Machu Picchu.
Instead, the group visited Lake Titicaca, which is located between Peru and Bolivia, famous for its floating islands and structures all made out of reeds.
“The little kids were trying to teach us a game called El Lobo, but we couldn’t understand it,” sophomore Stephanie Miller said. “So we taught them Duck, Duck, Goose, and they didn’t want to stop playing it. Then the girls we taught the game to braided my hair. It was a cool cultural experience that I wanted out of the trip. It was the most fulfilling part of the trip.”
Since no one could get into Machu Picchu, no one in the city could get out. The only way for the hikers to get out was to walk along the train track past the mudslide for distance and get on the train there. Luckily, we didn’t have to walk the entire 10 km because a very tiny train car made trips back and fourth to the mudslide area. So, after walking few kilometers the hikers were on the train.
Two days later the group from Lake Titicaca arrived in Cuzco to spend the remaining two days in Peru.
Amid all the confusion and changes of plans, the trip still served its purpose as an educational field trip while bringing the group closer together.
“The best part of Machu Picchu, was not only that I was personally challenged, but I was facing it with people who were caring, eager to give encouragement and wanted to see me succeed,” sophomore Monique Jones said.
Submitted April 1, 2004