Living and Teaching in Cuzco

Experiencing the navel of the world

I arrived in Cuzco for the second time on a Wednesday. Arriving by a different method to the last time I came (a 30 minute flight versus a 24 hour bus from Lima - yes I have certainly learnt to loosen the purse strings a little!). For fear of sounding like a cliche, it felt as though no time had passed since I was last in the Inca capital. Feeling like I had done it all before I - pretty easily - I threw myself on a bus from the airport close to the centre and then trekked up the many stairs to my hostel. I decided to stay in the same hostel as before, though the memory of my last week in Cuzco, and my inability to breathe much, was still imprinted on my mind. It seemed like a fun idea to have the challenge of the altitude again - to experience it like a true Cusqueno.

Though I had only been here previously in March, 8 months before, it felt I was looking at the city through different eyes. On my first visit, I had dedicated a week to the city (something I felt was a generous amount of time, as would many travellers), but this also included my Machu Picchu trip, which involved taking at least two full days out of Cuzco. After taking a few days to recover from my bus journey from Lima, and adjusting to the altitude - believe me sometimes it takes more than a few days! - it certainly felt a bit rushed. So, I was, pleased to have been to Machu Picchu and gifted myself an extra few days to really relish Cuzco for all that it is.

By this point the journey has taught me a lot. And reiterated some things I already knew. About myself, the world, how to travel, how to deal with things that don’t go the way you planned, and then when they do, appreciating each day for what it is and forgiving myself when I’m unable to find the gratitude the moment or day deserves. I’m still getting the hang of a lot of things. Being alone again, speaking and learning Spanish every day, moving constantly, keeping myself healthy and well rested, organising my time to write articles and making videos that don’t make me completely want to throw it all in… the list really is endless. As I write this I am on a plane from Guadalajara to Oaxaca in Mexico (yes I am behind on my writing!!!!), in a plane that can be no wider that 2 metres, (something the scared flyer in me was swearing never to do again as we had an extremely shaky take off) gazing down at the brown mountainous patchwork quilt that is Mexico. There are certainly worse ways to be catching up on work.

I met a little piece of home when I turned up at Ingles Superior. Ben Reilly, the 28 year-old founder from London soon felt like someone I knew from home. It’s funny what a familiar accent and manner can do when you’re a long way from home. Over the course of two days I met the teachers, students, and Ben told me about the history of the school. As well as being a teacher and business founder, Ben is also a young Stephen Spielburg (ha) and couldn’t wait to get involved in the filming and direction of my video for this week. It was great! We had so much fun interviewing the students and teachers and Ben himself, producing lots of footage that definitely needs to be in some sort of ‘teflhub outakes’ video at the end of my trip. It was nice to work with someone so ready to get involved and willing to help me in any way he could.

Amongst many of the things I discussed with Ben and the teachers, it seemed like the prime consideration was to come to Cuzco expecting it to be difficult. Cuzco is the sort of place that slaps you about a little. Yes there is an incredibly beautiful landscape, enveloped by mountains, and the people are great, and there is Machu Picchu close by, and it is cheap, and there is an unbelievably strong feeling of spirituality from the moment you arrive… but how could a place offer so many points without having a few others to balance it out a bit? The Inca’s said and believed Cuzco to be the navel of the world. To some extent I agree with them. Forget Machu Picchu, there is an overriding feeling, of FEELING in Cuzco. Emotion and history and culture and passion and love and struggle are embedded in the cobbled hills… and it’s impossible to escape that.

Geographically, Cuzco is 3,400 metres above sea level, cocooned by mountains, which means that it’s incredibly hard to exert yourself physically straight away. After over a week I was managing to walk about 10 - 20 steps uphill without stopping. On my first day I was stopping after my third or fourth. I’m not exaggerating - the altitude is HARD! Not made easier by pretty much everything being on a hill, (or at least slope) in the city. But, it’s worth it. The Cusquenos will never stop plying you with Coca tea so drink enough of that and take it easy and you’ll be fine. Additionally, the weather isn’t great. It rains (on both trips, every day for me but I can’t say this is the case for everyone), sometimes for 5 minutes, sometimes for 50, but never all day. When it rains, it’s cold. Freezing. The evenings are even colder. I have found that a lot in Peru actually. Even when the weather is beautiful and boiling and perfect during the day, no matter what, you are never warm enough at night. You are always longing after that hot water bottle you left in England because you talked yourself out of needing it. The video on our youtube channel shows Ben going into further detail about tips, advice, and things you should really know before taking the plunge and moving to Cuzco. Basically, if you think you can adjust to the altitude, weather, and temporary water cuts, you’ll be fine. I don’t think it’s all that bad. Besides, the tremendous history, culture, local people, scenery, sites and food are all exquisite distractions… if you can handle being slapped about a little.