got salt?

Took a moto taxi down the valley from Urubamba to hike up to the salt pans of Salinas. About an hour hike uphill, wishing I had my mountain bike to avoid walking on my broken foot and for downhill entertainment. The salt pans here have been used for salt extraction since the Inca times. A hot spring from the top of the valley releases a small stream of heavily salt-laden water, which is diverted into salt pans and evaporated to produce salt.

Karaoke with Guinea Pig & Microbrew

My last night in Urumbamba involved eating the fine Peruvian delicacy of "Cuy" aka Guinea Pig. Cuy was once eaten by Inca royalty. Today it is eaten for important occassions in the Andes and Shamans are known to inspect the entrails in efforts to diagnose disease in humans. Prior to dinner I went for a glass of Urumbamba's homebrew or "chicha" which is a mild corn beer dating back to pre-Columbian times. Chicha is brewed in huge urns in highland villges and sold in LARGE glasses. The fermentation process begins with chewing the corn. It tastes sour and is considered by some to be hygienically questionable (suppose that depends on if the person chewing the corn has any communicable disease). The evening was topped off singing Beatles songs on the Karoke machine at a local bar.

Lima to Cusco to Sacsayhuaman

Staying in Cusco for a couple of days before heading out to do a ceramics workshop. Hiked up to Sacsayhuaman from Cusco with Edwin, his kids, and the family dog Whiskey. The name Sacsayhuaman is Quechua which means 'satisfied falcon.' Quechua is the indigenous language of the highlands. The site is an immense Inca ruin that has religious and military significance. Only 20% of the original structure remains, it was torn down by the Spaniards who pilfered rocks from the site to build their own homes and cathedrals. Inca stonemasonry is incredible, famous for the "Inca fit" cut rocks are placed so snug that nothing can be slipped into the joins between stones that often weigh many tons. Some of the stones weigh over 300 tonnes.

Ceramics in Urumbamba

Took a public bus from Cusco @ 11,000' to Urumbamba @ 9,500' where I am studying with Henry Morales Baca, a local ceramic artist. Spent the morning working on the wheel, which was a bit challenging. The afternoon I spent paging through Henry's books on Inca iconography. Henry comes from a long lineage of ceramicist, and still uses traditional techniques. He travels to the Urumbamba river valley to collect his clay, which is taken back to the studio and mixed with sand and water. A wood fired kiln is used to fire his pieces and the glazes, Henry makes himself using insects, plants and fruits.

United States to Peru

I received a grant from the Fund for Teachers to travel to Peru to study the Andean textiles and ceramics. I created my own intinerary and spend part of my summer living in the Andes with local families learning about their culture. It was an amazing experience which I will be sharing with my students upon my return to the United States.

Fund for Teachers is a foundation whose mission is to enrich the professional lives of school teachers by providing recognition and opportunities for renewal thereby improving their classroom practice and benefiting their students on a daily basis.

Fund for Teachers meets the need of "individualized" learning for teachers by supporting professional development of their own design. The Fund provides fellowship grants directly to teachers, with more than three years of experience, to support their professional learning during the summer. Their experiences come in many forms, but share the purpose of better teaching. Ultimately, the Fund believes that by experiencing the potential of their personal and professional learning, teachers in turn inspire potential in their students.

Fund for Teachers grants are awarded to teachers who work with students in grades Pre K – 12. To be selected, interested teachers must submit a proposal that details how their summer fellowship will make them a better teacher and how their improved skills or capacity will be implemented in the classroom, benefiting students, curricula and school. FFT Fellows are required to document their experience and provide a reflective report and evidence of how they will use the experience to inform their classroom practice. Teachers are accepted based on the quality and merit of their application as judged by a committee.