All Good Things Must Come to an End ...

Straight from the school visit, we stopped at a fresh open-air market for a tour and exotic fruit sampling. Everything was clean, fresh, and neatly presented. I could tell that vendors took pride in their work and produce. Something that surprised me the most was that the meat and seafood sections of the market had no flies and no strong odor. I’ve been to several open-air markets in different parts of the world, and I have to say this was a first! That’s usually the section that I walk around or hold my breath while walking through. I attribute this to the cleanliness and freshness. The fruit tasting was a great experience. We tried Picaie Aquamanto (golden berry), tuna’ (prickly pear), Lucuma (like a sweet squash), granadia /tumbo (in the passion fruit family), Pitijaya (dragon fruit) and Chirimoya (like guanabana but sweeter). I tasted everything and enjoyed the different textures and unexpected flavors.

Back on the bus we went for another 30 minute ride to a much anticipated destination: our cooking class! I’ve been looking forward to this all week. It was held on the second floor of Sirena Restaurante, overlooking the ocean - the most incredible setting. Here we would learn to make three staples in Peruvian cuisine: Causa limeña (A starter dish of chicken, layered potatoes, limes, with a topping of olives, peppers, and egg), Ceviche, and Pisco Sour (or a fancy lemonade for us non-drinkers).

The chef and staff did an incredible job of preparing our work spaces, providing instructions, and guiding us through the process to make our best version of a Peruvian favorite. The chef circulated the room and tried everyone’s ceviche, and Greg won the chef’s choice award. She thought mine was too garlicky….but it was just how I liked it. Everyone had fun dancing and shaking their Pisco Sours in the cocktail shakers, and having a refreshing mid-afternoon bevvie. I made mine with the same ingredients, sans Pisco (Peruvian liquor made from grapes), and it was a delicious, fancy limeade with a heavy foam (from the egg whites).

This was such a fun, relaxed afternoon to spend with our Fulbright family before departing the next day. As we left with full bellies and big smiles, we loaded the bus once more to get ready for dinner at the hotel. Yes…after a cooking class, we were headed to a fine dining restaurant on the water for our farewell dinner. The Fulbright Program knows how to wine and dine us, and boy did they ever! From the Michelin Star Restaurant at the beginning of our trip, to this incredible 4-course meal at Cala on the water, Fulbright treated us like royalty from beginning to end. Following dinner, I presented our in-country consultant, Violeta, with a gift and card from all of us, then superlative awards were given from our Fulbright and IREX leaders, Whitney and Tiffany. This was such a fun celebration and special way to honor each hard-working, professional, intelligent, and dedicated Fulbrighter in a personal way. The awards were:

Agnes: Best Dance Moves

Adrienne: Best Stories

Avani: Best Friend

Cassie: Best Packer

Greg: Best Dance Moves

Greg S: Most likely to stir up trouble

Karen: Most likely to write the next Lonely Planet guide for Peru

Me: Honorary Fulbright Coordinator

Kat: Group mom

Laurent: Most like to not be sponsored by PETA

Maureen: Best Blogger

Nagla: Best food photographer

Neil: Most adventurous

Paul: perfect Pisces

Pedro: Most likely to become president

Sara: Champion of the people

Thelma: Most likely to brighten up your day

Words cannot express the love, gratitude, and respect I have for these 19 new friends, who in 12 days have become like family. I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it many more times: Fulbright friends are forever. I’m grateful and honored for this opportunity to learn, travel, and collaborate with some of our nation's best educators, as well as the collaboration and networking opportunities I’ve had in-country with Peru’s best. This may be the end of this Fulbright experience, but it’s definitely not the end of my road with the Fulbright Commision. What’s next, you ask? I’ll be applying to be a Fulbright Ambassador soon, and next year I’ll be applying for another short-term study abroad opportunity, the Distinguished Award in Teaching Program. Once we become official alumnas of Fulbright, there are a plethora of opportunities through the Department of State, Fulbright, and IREX to continue our studies and cross-cultural connections. I see how much the program has invested in us through this program, and will not let this fire dim, but will keep tending the passion for international collaboration and educational exchanges. The dinner may have been a “farewell dinner,” but it was not goodbye, it was see you soon, in my heart.