Lake Titikaka is so unbelievably beautiful. The boat ride there is so peaceful it could put you to sleep in seconds. As our tour guide was giving us facts about our future destination, all I could do was stare out the window of the boat and imagine what was next.
It only took about 30 minutes to make it to the amazing man-made floating Uros Islands. And they were exactly that – amazing! When we stepped off the boat onto the island, we were welcomed with open arms. One by one we got off the boat to the Uros people clapping and singing to us in their native language, Aymara. They explained to us how they wove the grass reeds from the lake, layer by layer, to create the island on which they had their houses and lived their lives.
The women dressed the girls of the group in the traditional clothing they wear every day. I was absolutely thrilled to play dress up with these sweet ladies! The colors are so vibrant and it was so exciting to catch a glimpse of their lifestyle even for a few minutes.
Not only are the islands made out of reed, but they make boats out of them too! Some members of our group got to ride on one and a few of them got to row. It was such an incredible experience to walk barefoot on an island kept alive and floating by the Uros for all of these years.
My name is Cortney Wray and I am a senior at UNA this year. I’m 21 years old pursuing my BBA in Accounting and Professional Finance with a minor in Spanish. I chose to study abroad in Peru because with my minor being Spanish, one of my goals is to be able to speak well enough to translate in the future in an accounting firm.
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