The past few days have gone by quickly as we anticipate our side trips to Lima and Cuzco, as well Ollantaytambo and other fun towns near Machu Picchu. This week, we tie up loose ends, check our work and go over the final pieces. Thursday, we pack up and clean the lab, leaving it tidy for the next researchers who will come to utilize the the material provided by Centro Mallqui. Friday, we take our flight to Lima and settle into our place to stay for the weekend, until we go off to Cuzco.
We are looking forward to seeing the sites and relaxing for our last week in Peru. It has been a long stay, but has felt very short. We’ve gotten a lot done this month and are looking forward to the next week as a time of fun and relaxation before we finally head back the United States.
The work that we have done over the past three weeks has been intensive and educational for the students involved. It has given us insights into how real work in bioarchaeology and radiology is conducted in the field, and showed us where our strengths and weaknesses are. This field training will give the students a perspective on the work that can’t be achieved from working in the classroom, as well as opening further opportunities to utilize what has been learned here at Centro Mallqui.