On Thursday evening I left Chiclayo for Lima. It was a long trip since my flight was delayed twice and then I had to take a taxi for more than one and a half hours to the hotel from the airport. We (approximately 20 US students) had orientation at a hotel in Miraflores until Sunday. On Sunday, we met our host families.
I am living with a really sweet woman named Blanca in Miraflores. Each day I must take the combis or micros to and from school. It takes about an hour in each direction. I'm pretty excited that I've managed to navigate the system without getting lost. The combis are crazy because there is no space and they pack everyone in like sardines and have certain people who they pay on the streets to tell them if they should speed even more or slow down to get more passengers so that they can outdo their competitors and also these people warn them where the police are stationed. In both the combis and the micros, it is necessary to hold onto something tightly in order to maintain balance and not knock anyone else over and also to prevent oneself or someone else from falling out of the often open door. They are crazy! I'm so thankful I'm not any taller, so that at least I can stand in the micros without having to crouch the whole time.
We started intensive Spanish classes yesterday. They will last for 2 weeks. Then we will begin our regular semester. It is really hard to sit through classes all day....I don't know how I did it in elementary and high school!
So far, Lima seems much to be much better than I had imagined.
Aprill,
ReplyDeleteI am Ryan's 7th grade Social Studies teacher. We are attempting to read and comment on your blog; but are running into 'profile' problems when trying to post our comments. We looked at your pictures and are looking forward to interacting with you on a weekly basis. Until we get our account issue worked out, I will be posting comments/questions. If there is anything I can do for you, let me know. Thanks and good luck.
Mr. Metzler
What are the combis and micros? Are they like the United States taxis and buses?
ReplyDeleteMy group thought that the pictures of Chiclayo were awesome. Peru must be a beautiful place.
ReplyDeleteRosbin and Alex
How much do you have to worry about poisoness spiderS? have you ever had any in your room?
ReplyDeleteWhats the food like down therE?
ReplyDeleteIs the weather much nicer down there than is is up here in the summer?
ReplyDeleteIs there something you learn with each family you stay with?
ReplyDeleteIs the money worth the same amount down there as it is in the US?? How many species of snakes are poisonous in Lima??
ReplyDeleteTim and Hannah B.
hi I am Ryans friend and my group wants to know if you Went to Soloma, HueHuetenango of guatemala. That is one of the best Cities in Guatemala
ReplyDeleteHave you Seen any Monkeys down in Peru
ReplyDeleteAprill,
ReplyDeleteSome questions from other students that are unable to post comments:
What are some animals that you see down there that aren't found here? The most dangerous?
Of all the places that you've been for school, which have you enjoyed the most?
What does 'museo' mean?
Hope you have fun down there and have a safe trip home!:)
ReplyDeletecome on it can't be that bad, I rode with you when you were learning how to drive and have mostly gotten over the anxiety... somewhat :) have fun
ReplyDeletedennis
Hey Aprill. This is your littlest bro. I would love to have the weather down there. We just made it to forty degrees a few days ago. However, I wouldn't like the flooding or traffic.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you want to eat when you get back to either Deutschland or the U.S.? Some chocolate, maybe? :)
Hope you have a good time, and stay safe. I miss you, just like you'll miss my birthday. :)
Love you.
Ryan
Hi! I will do my best to answer your questions clearly and concisely. If I do not answer your question or it leads you to another one feel free to ask.
ReplyDeleteLima is a large city of nearly 9 million inhabitants. Peru is a country with many natural riches but its people are living in poverty. Many people are unemployed and a vast majority of Peruvians work for the informal economy meaning that they have jobs, but not 8-5 office jobs. They drive taxis or try to sell things in the streets. One way in which this can be seen is in its transportation. Lima (as in all of Peru) lacks an organised public transportation system. The micros and combis are the cheepest way to travel across the city. The Micros are like small buses that people can stand in. Combis are like full-sized vans and do not have roofs tall enough for standing, so many times passengers must ride for a long time bent over. Normally there are both a driver and a cobrador (money collector) in these vehicles. The driver's job is to drive quickly and get around other vehicles and obstacles and pick someone up, while the cobrador yells when he needs to stop to let someone out and collects the money.
The currency here is the "Nuevo Sol". It takes almost 3 Soles to equal one US dollar. Because Peru has had an unstable economy dollars can be used to purchase things at nearly any large store, but if something is purchased in dollars, you are at the mercy of the store for the exchange rate.
No, I do not worry about poisonous spiders. I don't pay enough attention to the insects to know what is what. Mostly I only see ants, flies, and mosquitos. I don't think there are poisonous snakes here in Lima. There are in the jungle including anacondas, but that is eastern Peru.
I have not see a monkey in the wild, but I did see one a a market once.
The summer weather in Chiclayo is probably about 80 degrees each day for a high with a low of 70. Lima is about 5 degrees cooler.
Yes, I learn something from each family that I stay with. Every person that I meet teaches me something, whether it be a fact, something that interests them, a new phrase, how to do something, or simply how to interact with them.
Rice is the main food consumed here. It is a part of every noon meal, which is the largest of the day. In many homes in the country as well as some in the cities, rice is also a part of breakfast and supper. Fish is also widely consumed here. I personally love all of the fresh fruits and vegetables. Two foods that are here, that do not grow well in any other part of the world are the fruit Lucuma and the vegetable purple corn. Also, Chifas are very popular here. Chifas are Chinese restaurants (with a peruvian flavor). The word "chifa" comes from the chinese "Chi faan" meaning "to eat rice". There are over 6,000 Chifa restaurants in Lima alone.
"Museo" means museum. There are many types of birds here that do not exist in Nebraska. Many of them are very colorful like parrots. Also there are Peruvian dogs here, which do not have hair.
I can't pick a favorite place. There are things that I enjoy about and have learned in each place that I have visited. Each place has its positives and negatives and friendly and helpful people can be found in every part of the world. I think Peru is a beautiful country and I'm glad I have the opportunity to study here.
Ryan...I could definitely go for some peanut butter, nuts, or great American icecream.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, about food and drink:
ReplyDelete"When it is hot, you should drink hot things and when it is cold you should drink cold things so as to avoid shocking the body" or so it is thought here. Tea is common for breakfast and supper. For the noon meal it is common to drink pop (Inca Cola...the famous peruvian pop deriving most of its flavor from the lemon grass from which it is made) or freshly-made juice. Breakfast typically is bread, eggs, fruit, yuka or sweet potato, and possibly rice. A typical noon meal includes rice, soup, and vegatable salad with lemon squeezed over it. Supper is typically lighter including rice and bread.
Why did you choos lima is it because its warm and nice or because you want to figure out mor about the place
ReplyDeleteWhat is the daily life like (wake-up times, mealtimes, workday length, etc.)?
ReplyDeleteAlso, can you tell us a little about the schools?
Daily routine is very much dependent upon economic class and family occupation. In the sierra (mountains) and the selva (jungle) the people tend to get up earlier in the day (5 am) and go to bed at 7 or 8 pm. Along the coast there are more cities so shops are open from 9-6 tipically. The noon meal is the largest meal of they day.
ReplyDeleteFor me personallly, if I have class at 9 am I leave my home shortly befor 8 and walk to a street that the combis drive on. I flag down a combi, get stuffed into it like a sardine, and continue on my journey. When I get to the street that I want to get off at, I call out "Baja!" Then I get off and if I'm not running to late because of traffic, I walk to the university rather than catching another Combi. I go to classes and then arrive home at 6 or so.
I do not know very much about the schools, since I don't have really have anything to do with them yet. But, all students in both public and private schools wear formal uniforms with dress shoes. School is mandatory; however, there are many street children who do not attend, at least not regualarly. They have summer vacation from Christmas until the beginning of March. It sounds like schools are more formal here, but I can't tell you from my own experience.
what else exciting is it down there
ReplyDeleteWhat is your fav. food there????
ReplyDeletehey ryan told me that u got robbed twice 1 4 30 cents and then 60 cents lol
ReplyDeletedoes the village in the jungle have a big population?
ReplyDeleteDo you like taking the combis and micros?
ReplyDeleteSara and Andrea
I really enjoy most of the food here, especially stuffed caigua and causa (which is like a loaf made of yellow potatoes and filled with vegetables.
ReplyDeleteThere are many villages in the jungle... it is estimated that more than 200,000 people there are undocumented and have had little to no contact with the outside world. Many small tribes exist there and their populations often speak indigenous languages that outsiders do not understand. Iquitos in the largest city in the jungle with a population of about 430,000 people.
Many people complain about the combis and micros all the time. Every once in a while, I am annoyed when I get overcharged for my fare or have to ride a long ways bent over, but for the most part I don't mind them. Sometimes it is almost relaxing (if there is space to sit) just not thinking really about anything and sitting there just people- watching. I've decided that most people complain about them more to find common ground with other people, rather than because they actually detest the combis and micros. Tall people typically try to avoid the combis because they have no room to sit or stand and are very uncomfortable for them.