Courtney Ng
My name is, unfortunately, Courtney. I say unfortunately because Peruvians find it impossible to pronounce, so I have been called anything from "corny' to "carne," the Spanish word for meat. I am an anthropology major at Rice University in Houston, Texas, but I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. In other words, I find every reason to travel, and school is just one of them! Right now, I am studying archaeology in Lima. Before coming here, I was in a small town called Huyro about 13km from Machu Picchu, clearing abandoned Inca ruins as part of a volunteer fellowship from my university. I love to write, travel, and especially write about travelling. I have a few big goals for my time in Peru, and they include, in order of importance: try as many new foods as possible, make lots of Peruvian friends, and perfect the art of rolling my R's.
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
School: Rice University
Abroad Program: IFSA Butler University
Where I've Lived Abroad: Lima, Peru - Huyro, Peru
When I Grow Up, I Want to Be Peruvian
Usha Usha, a Farewell Lesson from a Wise Cajamarquino Bar Owner
11 Dec 2009
So, this is it. My half-year in Peru is coming to an end – no doubt the fastest and most ... read more
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Peru
ETHICAL DILEMMA: Can I Be Friends With My Housekeeper?
“Noemí,” my host father says to the empleada as they are both standing in the kitchen, “Can you make me a piece of toast with butter?” The first thing I ... read more
01 Dec 2009
Peru
SLIDESHOW: Wandering Through Peru
Two women in traditional Quechua clothing walk the side streets of Cusco, the ancient center of the Incan empire and ... read more
29 Jan 2010
Chile
Why Peruvians Insist They Are Better Than Chileans
“We need to lose Pablo,” I whispered to Maggie. “I don’t like this at all. We can figure things out on our own.” Maggie, an American friend from my ... read more
10 May 2010
Insider Tips
Peru
Sorry, but your friendship is outside my budget
Be wary of "bricheros." A "brichero" is a Peruvian slang word for a person (usually men, but sometimes women too) who want to spend time with a foreigner to get ... read more
05 Oct 2009
Peru
De-carb every once in a while
If there's one thing that can be hard to adjust to when it comes to Peruvian cuisine, it's the disproportionate amount of carbs. Rice, potatoes, bread, rice, empanadas ... read more
15 Oct 2009
Peru
Celebrate Independence Day the Wong way
One of Peru's biggest supermarket chains, Wong, throws a huge Independence Day celebration on July 28 every year in Parque Kennedy, Miraflores. The festivities include a massive parade with ... read more
16 Oct 2009
Peru
Playful plata: Keeping your change straight in Peru
The first time a cobrador (bus conductor) asked me for a "china," I recoiled a bit, not yet used to people referring to me by my race. Later, I found ... read more
16 Oct 2009
Peru
Pack chewing gum to double your refreshment
If there's one small thing from home I miss a lot -- it's the abundance of chewing gum. In Peru, there are two to three popular brands of chewing ... read more
16 Oct 2009
Peru
Learn to embrace the songs that get on everybody's nerves, everybody's nerves
I've become convinced that all radio stations in Peru have a set list of five pop songs they replay over and over again throughout several months. At times it ... read more
29 Oct 2009
Peru
"The Last Days of the Incas" -- relive the Inca empire's demise
Lovers of flowery nonfiction need to get a copy of Kim MacQuarrie's "The Last Days of the Incas." MacQuarrie tells the story of the Inca empire's demise with ... read more
09 Nov 2009
Peru
Star gaze while sailing down the Amazon
The only way to reach the Peruvian jungle is via boat or plane -- there are no highways to Iquitos, the capital city of what Spanish-speakers know as the "selva." When ... read more
09 Nov 2009
Peru
Learn the choice phrases that keep prices down
One of the most frustrating aspects of being an American in Peru is that people look at you and see a big, fat dollar sign. Salesmen will up all their ... read more
09 Nov 2009
Peru
Practice the art of being politely aggressive
The first time I got to the front of a line in Peru and moments later found myself at the end, I felt completely overwhelmed and frustrated. The reality is ... read more
10 Nov 2009
Peru
Get in the habit of greeting -- all the time
"Buenos días." "¡Hola!" "¿Cómo estás?" Get used to hearing and using these phrases multiple times every day, because Peruvians believe in greeting each and every person they encounter -- from the ... read more
10 Nov 2009
Peru
Juice up your journeys!
One Peruvian cuisine custom I am determined to take home to the States with me is the tradition of drinking fresh juice with every meal. A Peruvian meal is not ... read more
12 Nov 2009
Peru
Understand the complex history of the armed conflict
Not long before the tourist boom that started bringing hoards of foreigners to Machu Picchu, Peru went through a serious and traumatic internal conflict. The terrorist group the Shining Path ... read more
12 Nov 2009
Peru
How to stay safe on the streets of Lima
You'll hear it a dozen times before you get to Lima -- "but it's dangerous!" Yes and no. Lima is a big city, and like in all big cities ... read more
04 Dec 2009
Peru
It's all about Alianza Lima
I don't particularly like soccer, but it's impossible to escape "fútbol" (Spanish for "soccer") here. One of the biggest soccer teams is Alianza Lima, a team of Afro-Peruvian ... read more
04 Dec 2009
Peru
Take advantage of Lima's diverse hotspots
The beauty of being in a cosmopolitan city like Lima is that there's something for everyone -- and that is true of the nightlife scene as well. For great bars ... read more
05 Dec 2009
Peru
Wear your knock-off clothes with pride
When I first arrived in Lima and saw young people rocking every type of name-brand clothing from Ralph Lauren to Glo by J.Lo, I couldn't help but wonder ... read more
05 Dec 2009
Peru
Explore the diverse faiths of the Andes
Catholicism is the dominant religion in Peru, but it can't compete with the diversity of the religious traditions and practices of native peoples in the Andes and rainforest. There ... read more
05 Dec 2009
Peru
Bring something for every season
Part of what makes Peru such an exciting place to visit is its diversity, especially in landscapes. Peru, of course, has the Andes running right through it, which means many ... read more
19 Dec 2009
Peru
Purchase altitude medication to conquer the heights
Seeing the Andes was one of the reasons I chose to travel to Peru, but being at high altitudes also presents a lot of problems for those who, like myself ... read more
