Streets of London

Big Ben

Michael and I arrived at Gatwick International Airport on Tuesday morning! After a long bus ride to London and a lot of walking through the city, we finally arrived at the college where our friend Whitney is studying this summer. She was in class when we arrived, but we found our friend Alison in her room. Alison is another mutual friend who will be traveling with us through Rome and Paris this summer! Michael and I dropped our bags off at Whitney's and ran off to see the city. We saw so much in one day that it would be impossible to reflect on all the experiences in this journal post. Instead, I selected a few pictures to provide an overview of our long day of walking through the beautiful streets of London.

London Underground

Changing of the Guard

National Gallery

Trafalgar Square

Horse Guards

Westminster Abbey

Tower Bridge

St. Paul's Cathedral

Back to Chicago

Downtown

Michael and I returned to Chicago before leaving for Europe! After joining my roommate for breakfast in Atlanta, we arrived at O'Hare International Airport on Wednesday morning. My mom took us out to lunch at the California Pizza Kitchen for our first American meal, and we ate authentic Chinese food for dinner with my parents at home. Michael and I spent the night with my friends Carlos and Rafi, and we enjoyed a typical summer night in Palatine. We played a few games of ping pong, sat and talked on the driveway, and layed out on the trampoline as Rafi played the guitar.

On Thursday, Michael and I took the train downtown to visit the Chicago Art Institute. The museum was free to the public on Thursday nights and we took advantage of it! When we returned to Palatine, Michael and I met up with a few friends to play mini golf. Michael and I decided to wake up early on Friday to play tennis. Carlos ended up giving Michael his first tennis lesson, and Michael still denies losing to Carlos's 12-year-old sister. In the afternoon, we drove up to see Mr. Pass, my high school tennis coach and mentor. It was nice catching up with him and I helped Mr. Pass successfully subscribe to this blog!

Jessi, Tiffany and Michael

On Saturday, Michael and I joined my roommate (who flew up to Chicago) and a few of my friends for a day in downtown Chicago. We visited Millennium Park, shopped along Michigan Avenue, swam at North Avenue Beach, walked around Navy Pier, and ate dinner at the Rainforest Cafe! It was a wonderful way to end our stay back home. On Monday, Michael and I caught an early flight to Atlanta before flying off to London!

Leaving Peru

I apologize for taking a break from my travel journal, but I will create several posts over the next few days to update my experiences from Peru, Chicago and London! Last Monday, Michael and I visited a hospital in Piura to speak with patients and physicians. We interviewed several patients for our study and learned about their perceptions on traditional and Western medicine. We were also shown around the hospital by a physician and we learned a lot about the health care system in Peru.

On Tuesday, Michael and I decided to help build another house in a village near Piura. We first deconstructed a house and then helped construct a new one for several hours. We had to leave early to catch a plane to Lima, and we successfully arrived in Chicago on the following morning. I have shared a few pictures below from our last experience in Peru.


Conducting more than thirty interviews, we have learned so much about the perceptions on health care and mental health in Peru. We also learned a lot about the social networks in Piura by helping Jessica carry out her study. These interviews not only provided us with data for our health study, but they also provided me with the opportunity to interact with a culture that has changed my view of the world. I loved everything about my first trip to South America and I can't wait to return to Peru in the future. In the meantime, Michael and I are excited to explore Europe!

Beach in Mancora

Mancora

We left Piura on Thursday morning to spend the weekend in Mancora. We stayed at the beach for three days and returned to Piura on Saturday night. We enjoyed swimming in the Pacific, riding horses along the beach, eating authentic Peruvian meals, and laying out in the sun. Despite being eaten alive by mosquitoes on the first night, we enjoyed the beach so much that we decided to stay a second night. We found an incredible hostel with beautiful rooms, restaurants, and Australian tourists! As you can see from the pictures below, Mancora definitely lived up to its reputation as the most beautiful beach in Peru!

Horseback Riding

Pacific Ocean

Dog Surfing (click)

Loki Hostel

Ocean View

Sunset

Jessica will be leaving for New York tomorrow morning. Michael and I will be leaving for Lima on Tuesday night and will be arriving back in Chicago on Wednesday morning!

Day at the Park

On Tuesday, Michael and I spent the afternoon with girls at the orphanage. As soon as we arrived, more than a hundred girls approached us with open arms. We distributed ice cream and spent the next three hours running around with girls holding our hands. Despite lacking skills in basketball, the girls were surprisingly talented at volleyball. Michael and I played on opposing teams in a close 3-set match, and my team won!

On Wednesday, Jessica, Michael and I spent the afternoon at a park interviewing people for our study. It was a beautiful day and the people were more than willing to participate. We gathered information about social networks in Piura, and we successfully collected enough data to complete our study! As Jessica and Michael finished their interviews, I enjoyed a peaceful nap under the palm trees.

We will be leaving for Mancora tomorrow morning! Jessica has recovered and we have completed our interviews so we can't wait to go have fun at the beach! I will share pictures with you as soon as we return!