Hello! My name is Josh Lipscomb, and as part of the Presidential International Scholarship, I hope to keep up with this blog while I travel and conduct research this year. I have just arrived in Peru, where, after landing in Cusco, I was transported directly to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, about 2 hours north. This area is relatively close to Machu Picchu, and holds immense cultural value for the indigenous populations that live here. This first week will mainly consist of orientation activites with my program: School for International Training (SIT). I will take various classes including: Research Methods and Ethics, History of Indigenous Peoples in Peru, a Quechua language class, a Spanish class, as well as have dedicated time to pursue my research project.
I will mostly focus on showcasing the photography from my travels as well as providing context when it little context as to what I’m doing as well. Later this week we will visit the town of Ollantaytambo, as well as Machu Picchu: the first destinations in a semester-long series of field visits.
