After weeks of planning and watching past MEDLIFE chapter videos of volunteers gushing about their experiences, my trip to Cusco, Peru had finally arrived.
Three flights and 21 hours later, we finally landed at our destination, where we were greeted by Mateo, our local MEDLIFE tour guide and fellow volunteer.
Together with Queen’s volunteers and a few others from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, we drove to our hostel, where we stayed only a 10-minute walk from the Plaza de Armas of Cusco — the city’s main square.
On our first day in Peru, we paid a visit to the MEDLIFE clinic established in Pisac; the closest clinic available to most civilians living up in the mountains, nearly four to five hours away from urban centres.
A group of volunteers from the MEDLIFE family (Photo by Megan Williams).
The great distance and limited ambulances pose a threat to civilians’ lives as there’s a slim chance of survival over the long journey. It’s a harsh reality that was difficult for us to fathom.
Over the course of our trip, we travelled to similarly distant places, such as Kallarayan and Taray, where we worked alongside doctors, nurses, a dentist, pharmacist and an OB/GYN to provide basic and necessary health care to the locals.
Despite the language barrier between us and the Spanish- and Quechua-speaking locals, we lent them our smiles as they lent us theirs for comfort and thanks.
In our free time, we explored and familiarized ourselves with the Plaza de Armas, creating mental maps of the city streets and sampling the local restaurants.
A personal favourite was Jack’s café, where our frequent visits for the gordo (fat) breakfast platter, cappuccinos and smoothies made us “regulars” to the employees.
We explored the grand Cusco Cathedral and the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin that overlooked the plaza.
Although pictures inside the cathedrals were forbidden, they wouldn’t have been able to capture the ornate beauty of every inch of these imperial masterpieces.The modern, streamlined architecture of our Western society paled in comparison.
Wandering around the streets, we found the Choco Museum, where we learned about the indigenous cocoa beans of Peru and how they’re used to make beauty products, liquors, teas and, of course, chocolate itself. While some of us delved into the exotic fruits of the local markets, others who were more adventurous tried cuy, also known as guinea pig, a popular Peruvian dish.
Just when our clinic days were coming to an end, we were fortunate enough to experience other sides of Peru, like taking part in a local parade in Pisco and visiting the Cristo Blanco or “White Christ” statue that
overlooked the city. As our week spent in the clinic and our project repainting an old clinic was complete, our final expedition to Machu Picchu began at the early hour of 3 a.m. A bus, train ride and short hike later, we finally reached the icon of Inca civilization.
After our guide toured us around the ruins and gave us the fascinating history behind it, we explored the wonder for ourselves. The infamous five-day Inca Trail was unfortunately out of our reach, so we settled for the hour and a half long hike up and down the Sun Gate trail.
The view of the valley at the peak of the trail will always remain indescribable, and even now the pictures cannot convey the picturesque landscape that stood before us.
Every moment I spent in Cusco, I constantly reminded myself of the reality of my journey. Hidden within the beauty of its borders lies the bitter realities of Peru: a country stricken with poverty, poisoned with unsafe drinking water, poor healthcare and limited education.
To my future MEDLIFE travellers, be prepared to fall in love with the sites, the culture and the people, but hate yourself for taking so much of what we have for granted. I’m humbled to have worked with such an inspiring group of people, and can only hope that I touched the lives of those I worked with in the way they changed mine.
To echo what Mateo said at the end of our journey, “your stamp is not only on the walls, but in the hearts of the people”.
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