I was in Cusco, Peru, for six weeks with a program called Máximo Nivel. They placed me in a clinic called El Centro Gerontológico La Recoleta, which focused on the care for the older people of Cusco. I was responsible for running patients' physiotherapy and rehabilitation, and assisting with their activities of daily living. This experience was especially interesting because many of my patients only spoke Quechua, so I was also able to learn a bit of this language as well.

Additionally, I took Spanish classes in the evenings to further improve my fluency, and I lived with a Peruvian host family, so my experience was completely immersive. Also, I was there for Corpus Christi and Inti Raymi, two holidays in Cusco, where I was able to learn more about the culture and history of Peru.

In my free time, I participated in excursions around the Andes of Peru, including hikes and tours to Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain, Lake Humantay, the Seven Lagoons, Waqrapukara, the Sacred Valley of the Incas, Salineras de Maras, Saqsaywaman and many other archeological sites around Cusco.

Overall, this experience was amazing, and I hope to carry not only my Spanish skills but also the resiliency and resourcefulness I learned here into my future career as a physician.

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