Things We Take for Granted

 Throughout my time in Cusco, I have learned to appreciate certain things that I had usually taken for granted in the states.

#1. Air: I really cannot emphasize this one enough. In the US, I usually run or box at least 4 times a week. Here in Cusco, I will be winded from walking up a single flight of stairs. I can’t walk uphill and talk at the same time, and I certainly cannot go on a run. I live by the beach in the United States, at an altitude of 20 feet above sea level and with Nashville’s altitude being only ­­­600 feet above sea level, it is fair to say that I was not accounted to such a lack of oxygen in the air. However, I simply cannot get over how hard it simply breath at this altitude (11,150 feet).

#2. Toilet Paper: This one took me by surprise. I mean crappy bathrooms certainly exist in the states and for sure there are times when bathrooms run out of toilet paper, but here there are places that simply do not have toilet paper. There have been two hotels we’ve stayed at so far with no toilet paper and with no toilet paper holders built into the wall. I’m assuming it has to do with the fact that a lot of places discourage flushing toilet paper- they’d rather you throw it away. But if the toilets can’t handle toilet paper, how the heck are they going to handle strong bowel movements?

#3. Thick walls: Once again, I’m positive there are many places in the states with thin walls, but they have been especially noticeable here in Peru. Sound travels straight through the walls and I have come to expect not to expect nice and quiet rooms. Since being here, I have awoken in the middle of the night to the sound of children playing the street, car horns (they really like to use their horns here), alarms from different rooms, and music from other houses.

#4. Water: A considerable portion of my budget has gone towards bottled water. I was rather skeptical of what I had heard about the poor quality of water and was planning on just refilling my water bottle from the sink. However, I soon found out that even salads which were washed with the tap water would upset my stomach. Water fountains are not a thing here and while the expenses of paying for bottles of water is a little aggravating, the inconvenience of water accessibility has been more frustrating.