We had our very last lesson with Sumaq Marka before leaving Arequipa. Over the last few weeks we had been working very hard on grammar (the subjunctive and conditional tenses). So on that day we took a break from that and watched two documentaries on cities in Peru and traditional Peruvian dancing. Watching the videos left me feeling extra excited for the next leg of our adventure up North. There is still so much to see!

After our official class, we stayed for lunch with Ericka and her son Fahed. This time Ericka taught us how to make a very popular Peruvian dish called Lomo Saltado. (We´ve made ceviche and pisco sours with them in the past.) The lunch was a nice way to wrap up our time together.

It struck me on our cab ride home how much Ericka has done for us here in Peru. I have to admit that I cried a little after we left! As much as I´m excited for our second leg, I am sad to be leaving a friend in Arequipa!

Ericka has been so much more than just our Spanish teacher. She´s been the person that has ushered us into feeling comfortable in Peru, both with our language skills and with a better understanding the culture. We have asked her all kinds of strange questions, come to her with problems, and received great advice.

Our classes with Ericka and Sumaq Marka have been incredibly worth while. When I think back, I really didn´t know what to expect in regards to how much we would be able to learn. We were very lucky to find Ericka! She is a formally trained teacher, and has a ton of material and teaching methods in her repertoire. She has also been very flexible, both with our travel schedules, and with tailoring the lessons to our level of comprehension and interest. I think when we go back to the states it´ll be even more clear how much Spanish we have picked up. For now, I’m amazed when we pick out the subjunctive tense when listening to the radio.

If you´re reading this because you´re headed to Arequipa and interested in language or cultural lessons, I can´t recommend Sumaq Marka enough.