I arrived at midnight in Dusseldorf, Germany after a few long days of travel. On Sunday morning, July 25, I flew from Arequipa back to Lima where I spent the day collecting my belongings, reorganizing them, sewing up my bag which had a giant whole in it from the morning's flight, and resting a wee bit. That evening at 2 am a taxi picked me up and took me to the airport.
In the airport I checked my luggage and then before I went through security I really wanted an icecream and decided that I was willing to pay the airport price for a McDonalds ice cream but then they had none, so I was simply out of luck. I continued towards my gate going through security and then through emigration and paid my fine- which was a little frustrating because they did not want to accept soles (their own money) but rather wanted American Dollars. Finally after discussing payment with two somewhat crabby emigration officers, I was able to pay in soles and proceed to my gate.
The first flight to Colombia went smoothly, but upon arrival in the airport in Bogotá, Colombia, I saw that my flight to Barcelona, Spain had ben delayed... a lot! I would have had to spend more than 12 hours in the airport and after about 15 minutes I decided that I was going crazy enough that I needed to leave. There was no exit to be seen, and I was becoming frustrated, so after asking a few people how to get out, I was escorted out of the gate-area by a police officer to immigration where I was thoroughly questioned and beginning to wonder if leaving the airport was worth it. Finally I was granted permission to leav, but not given a paper that I apparently needed, because then I had to explain to and plead permission from the next 3 officers that I encountered to finally exit. I changed a few of my soles into Colombian Pesos and left the airport with less than $10 worth of money. I decided that I would try to go to the cities center near the Plaza de Bolivar or the musium district.
Colombia used public transportation somewhat similar to that of Peru, so I kind of understood how it worked. I fligged down a vehicle full of people that said city center on it and headed that way. I got off when I thought that I was maybe there or near there because I had been riding for a while, the buildings looked like they could possibly be museums and most of the other passengers were getting off. As it turned out, I was not at the center rather in an area where there were colleges, hospitals, and oher institutions. I may (or may not) have been near a US embassy or consolate because on the other side of a viaduct was an enormous flag of the USA. I didn't head over there because I didn't feel like attempting to cross the busy viaduct. I ended up spending much of the day just exploring the area around where I had gotten off. I walked quite a bit, sat in a park and read a book, admired the greenery and the beautiful mountains that surround the city, and ate some delicious and cheap fruit salads and icecream and also purchased some affordable water on the street before deciding to find transportation back to the airport. With the help of a friendly lady, from whom I asked advice on getting back, I made it without any problems. It was nice to have been out of the airport, but the drizzle was not all that pleasant so I was pleased to be under a roof again. Bogotá seemed a bit more organized and also multicultural to me than Lima (at least that is my impression from the few hours that I got to see of it).
Back in the airport, security was the most unpleasant that I have ever experienced. It wasn't too difficult to get back into the area with the gates... similar to US security, I would say. Then, it took us over 3 hours to board the plane, because we (the passengers) had to remove any baggy clothing and accessories, were patted down by the 5 police officers standing there, many were even asked to remove their pants. They then took out and felt most of the items in our carry-ons and we were questioned about why we were leaving while they examined our passports. They were particularly befuddled by my case, having come from Lima and heading for Barcelona, but having neither Spanish or Peruvian citizenship and not having a return ticket to the USA. What an experience!
After an 11 hour flight, I made it to Barcelona where I checked in my bags at the airport and then went to find a hostal for the night. I took a bus to Placa Catalunya and spent the evening wandering the area, watching the street performers, tasting tapas, icecream, and lasagne. It was so wonderful to shower in the hostal, even though the water was cold.
The next morning I went for a walk, visited the cathedral and got myself some breakfast/lunch from the grocery store. I then took the metro to the Temple of the Sacred Family. The line to get in was quite long, but the church was gorgeous and the museum below it was super interesting. I would have loved to have seen more of Gaudí's works in Barcelona had I had more time. I was excited to get to take the elevator and a few steps to the top of the building to see the city from up above. I experienced a clean and pleasant Barcelona with sunshine.
In Dusseldorf, Germany, I was met by 2 friends with whom I stayed a few days and now I am visiting my host family from 2 years ago. At first, I had no problem understanding Germany, struggled to use the proper grammitacal structures and also to use only German vocabulary and not insert Spanish words into my sentences. After only 2 days, that was much better. It is really nice to see familiar faces and places again, but at the same time some things seem strange. I realize this is a part of culture shock and something that I will soon get over if I continue to look at these things from the perspective that they are what they are rather than critically and wishing things to be different, because it simply doesn't work that way. Some of the things that I have specifically noticed as differences are (yes, these are stereotypes, but in general it is what I am percieving):
*In Germany, doors in homes are shut all the time... in Peru, all the doors and windows are open.
*In Germany there are no bars on the windows, nor high bars and walls around schools, yards, or other complexes... in Lima there were many bars.
*In Germany people have large personal bubbles, do not touch often, and greet with a hand shake... in Peru personal space is much smaller and greetings and salutations are very important and always include kisses and usually hugs.
*Germans plan a LOT and are concerned about punctuality... Peruvians tend to be more spontaneous, run late, and are not concerned about the time- having a mentality that what doesn't get done today can be taken care of tomorrow or at some other time in the future.
*Germans are environmentally conscious... Peruvians- not so much.
*Germans don't eat rice every day... Limeños do.
*Germans abide by rules such as not walking across a street when the pedestrian light is red, even if there is no traffic coming... Peruvians cross on red lights even when there is heavy traffic.
*Things in Germany seem so much larger, more spacious and cleaner than they did in Lima.
...I'm beginning to think that everyone who has grown up in a rich nation should go and experience life in a third world country in order to cease to be so finicky and learn to take the little things for granted. Those of us who live in rich countries such as the USA and Germany have so much to be thankful for. My time in Peru made me realize how many things I had taken for granted... warm water, wash machines, food, soap, clean air, medicine, the oportunity to get an education, uncontaminated water, writing utensils, and toilet paper.
I'll be visiting our exchange student Ole over the next few days and then begin taking classes on Monday, August 9.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Two Weeks and a Backpack
After spending 75 hours in transit by motorized vehicles including taxis, mototaxis, buses, shuttle vans, boats and an airplane over the course of two weeks, while traveling with my friend, Annie, and each with a backpack, I have many things to share…the good, the bad, and the simply befuddling.
To begin with something that reminded me that I was still in Peru, I will tell you of my first attempt at purchasing a pair of hiking boots. It was Friday, the day before we were to embark on our adventure, when I decided that perhaps hiking boots would be a good thing to have for our upcoming adventure. Since planning is not an important thing in Peruvian culture, I didn’t even think that I was doing last minute shopping. I figured I could find a pair of hiking boots in a market without any problem. Because I was pressed for time that day with many other things to do before leaving, I decided to go to a smaller market, which I didn’t know that well. As it turns out while wandering the streets there, I could have saved myself time by going to the larger market a little further away, because I had a hard time finding hiking boots my size. (They don’t seem to sell many for women, so typically, the men’s shoes were a little too big. Just as I was giving up and thinking I’d try to get to the market in Magdalena the next day, I saw a pair of shoes that I decided would work. They weren’t spectacular, but would have been better than my every-day shoes. I the right shoe on and it fit. I asked about the price and decided $12 for a pair of hiking boots wasn’t too bad, so told the señora that I would take them. Then she told me, “How wonderful, señorita! Come back tomorrow between 9 and 11 am. I’ll be waiting for you. The other shoe is at my house. I’ll bring it tomorrow.” I decided then that I didn’t want that pair of boots.
PART 1: HUARAZ
We began our adventure on Saturday July 10 by taking a taxi to the bus station where we were supposed to take our highly recommended and reliable bus, from the company Ormeño. As the night went on we were to become more and more disappointed by them. The bus station was not their usual station, as they told us to go to Lima, Lima since the buses to Huaraz left from a different place. Our first tip-off was the shady station. We entered and a man from behind bars, who looked like he was in a prison, looked at our ticket and told us to wait in the lounge- comprised of dirty plastic lawn chairs on a concrete floor by door number four. We watched the other buses come and go from the station and from the outside they looked respectable. As it turned out, when our bus arrived we boarded with only 4 other people and our bags were placed underneath the bus without tickets. The bus was dark, without so much as security lights and the seats were thread bare. We were a bit confused, but decided we had no other choice but to depart, especially since we were in a sketchy part of the city. Annie was hopefully that we would change buses but that did not occur. Our supposedly comfortable 8 hour ride turned out to be an awful 9 hour ride in our fleece jackets. We stopped numerous times letting other people onto the bus and saw chickens loaded underneath with our backpacks. When the other passengers boarded we thought to ourselves, “They know something that we do not!” as they zipped up their winter coats, put on their gloves and hats and pulled blankets up over themselves. As it turned out we were accompanied by brisk Andean breeze as we climbed higher into the mountains, because of some opening towards the front of the bus. Even more unpleasant but also in a way humorous was the “bathroom.” After probably about 5 hours of driving, the bus driver pulled over at the side of the road, walked partway down the aisle and announced “el baño.” Wonderful! All the passengers began to exit the bus so Annie, who was seated next to the aisle got up as well, barely got off and returned to tell me that the bathroom was not indeed a room, but rather the open side of the road next to the bus and all the passengers were squatted there. We decided to wait until we arrived in Huaraz. Since it was going to be dark when we arrived, we decided that the best thing to do would be wait at the bus station until it got light and then go look for a hostel. This idea was also crushed when we pulled into a dark lot of dirt and not only that were harassed by 2 men who jumped onto the bus before we could even exit. They were trying to get us to do one of their tours and we were the only “gringas” who had arrived on the bus. It was frightening and maddening that they would not leave us in peace, move out of our way, or allow us to get our bags from underneath of the bus. “Me or him?” they shouted at us. Finally we just picked one, because we felt as though we had no other choice and at least then we could get out of the dark lot surrounded by a brick wall. The man we chose took us to a hostel where we ended up accepting his 4 day tour offer, paid him, and then crawled into the only bed available- a twin bed to sleep until we could each have our own bed. We later realized that he had conned us out of about $10 each because we had been to tired and cold from our miserable night to properly think about the conversion rate- since he made the offer In dollars and we paid in soles. That made us upset. To top things off with that man, then next morning he called us out of a café to give us an obviously fake 100 soles bill (we are well acquainted with examining money to see whether or not it is counterfeit) and claimed that we gave it to him the day before. We did not fall for his scheme refusing the money, knowing that it was fake and that #1) we had given him all real bills and #2) even if we hadn’t it would have been his fault for accepting a false bill, and to return the next day, is unacceptable.
Our tour turned out to be amazing. At first we were leery, after dealing with this shady fellow, leaving 1.5 hours after the scheduled time, and then when I got a meat sandwich after I had requested vegetarian meals for the tour, and the guide told me, “Oh, sorry. Tomorrow. You can eat tomorrow.”! She did however get me a jelly sandwich about 5 minutes later, bless her heart. Both of our guides were really helpful throughout the entire 4 days and were very helpful. They made great food for breakfasts and suppers and were willing to answer any and all questions. The people on our tour were also wonderful. I believe everyone was between the ages of 19 and 30 with the majority being in their later 20s. Surprisingly to us, we were the only US Americans. The majority of the others were from Austrailia and the UK.
Some of the highlights of the Santa Cruz trek were seeing the turquoise colored lagoons, hiking all the way up and over a mountain range, seeing the exact mountain that is pictured at the beginning of every Paramount video production, witnessing an avalanche, and just getting to spend so much time outside each day (since we hiked between 5-9 hours a day and camped in tents) and seeing the sunrises and sunsets. It really is not possible to describe the beauty of la Cordillera Blanca and how wonderful of a time we had, so although photographs do not do it justice, they will have to take the place of words.
PART 2: AREEQUIPA
We spent some time in Arequipa, a lovely and well-organized city in southern Peru. Its organization was already apparent when we arrived in the bus terminal which seemed almost like an airport, with its various gates and shops inside. We stopped at iPeru, a helpful tourist booth, who actually asked us what we were looking for in a hostal, and then called ahead and got us a room. This was nice on their part, and the hostal, Bolognesi Haus, seemed nice at first, but turned out to not be quite so nice that night when were cold and could not shut the window but also did not wish to sleep under the dirty covers. Fortunately we left for a hike of the Colca Canyon around 3 am so did not have to sleep there the whole night.
Also during the day we visited the Santa Catalina convent which was almost like a city inside its tall red-painted walls. We spent nearly 3 hours walking around inside the monastery which had been made from volcanic rock. There were many bedrooms which each contained some sort of closet, arch, and alter. The kitchens with their old utensils and giant stone ovens were a sight to see!
PART 3: CAÑON DEL COLCA (THE COLCA CANYON)
The Colca Canyon is the 2nd deepest canyon in the world and barely shallower than the deepest which is very nearby. We spent 3 days hiking this canyon. Annie and I took one backpack along and took turns carrying it. Fortunately it got lighter and lighter, as we used up our water. We had 6.5 liters of water in the bag to begin our hike. The trail was extremely dusty, rocky and rugged, and as can be imagined, fairly steep. We descended to the bottom of the canyon and partway up on the first day. On the second day, we hiked around in the canyon visiting some villages there and getting the chance to see a little museum and learn about some of the plants and returned to the very bottom of the canyon where we stayed in an oasis. Also, our guide painted our faces with the juices of crushed insects. On the final day, we had the choice to rent a donkey or hike up on our own two feet. I decided to hike up and completed the climb just under 2 hours. We began our ascent just before six which was wonderful because those of us who were quick enough we able to hike most of the way in the shade but got to see the light of dawn as it painted the canyon walls. The colors of parts of the canyon and the agricultural terraces in its fingers were gorgeous with a large variety of colors.
PART 4: AREQUIPA (again)
When we arrived back from our canyon hike, we immediately began our search for a new hostel. We asked a police officer for advice specifying that we wanted a somewhat cheap hostel but that it must be clean and have heating. She pointed us off to one side of the plaza. With that, we walked along and every time we came to a hostel, we stopped inside and inquired about it. Finally we happened upon Hostal Regis (which was located only 2.5 blocks off of the Plaza de Armas). As we were climbing the marble staircase, with ornately carved wooden walls, I suggested to Annie that we not even continue going up them because it was surely out of our price range and with a little hesitation, we decided to proceed, because we were already there. As it turned out, their prices were quite reasonable, it was warm and clean . We were so excited to shower for the first time in several days and to get to sleep in clean and warm beds!
We decided to eat breakfast in the hostel and were sucked into the Peruvian Time Warp. Once again, as has happened many times throughout this semester, it did not seem as though much time had passed, when I checked the time and we realized we should have already been at the bus station. We grabbed our things, and hurredly paid the the woman working at the hostel and checked in our large bags. The we rushed down the stairs to catch a cab. Fortunately one drove by nearly immediately and offered us a fair price to the station. As we arrived and were getting out of the cab, we heard them announce that our bus was leaving. We raced to the counter, and panicked inside when the man, to whom we tried to give our tickets, told us that we would have to get our paper converted into proper tickets in order to get on the bus. Fortunately everyone was really helpful and kind and they helped us right away, while that man detained the bus so that we could make it. Close call! We love you, Cruz del Sur.
PART 5: LAGO TITICACA (LAKE TITICACA)
We also were able to travel to Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navegable lake which forms a small part of the border between Peru and Bolivia. We were actually able to see snow-capped mountains belonging to Bolivia. The lake is supposedly the shape of a puma chasing a rabbit, which one can see with some imagination, but I don’t think it strongly resembles this shape.
Our tour of the lake and 3 islands took two days. First we went to the Floating Islands of the Uros, which have a neat history and it is pretty incredible that people live on islands made of reeds by adding a layer of reeds to the island every 3 weeks during the dry season and every 10 days during the wet season to ensure that the islands do not disappear. There are more than 50 floating islands which are anchored down by stones but can decide to cut their ties and relocate whenever they choose. I am impressed at how the islands were made, the amount of work to maintain them, and their history, but I didn’t enjoy them that much because they were so touristy and truth be told, if it weren’t for tourism they wouldn’t be around anymore and the people wouldn’t be there. Boats go to the city of Puno which is 0.5 hours away daily to bring supplies.
Isla Amantaní was the next island that we visited. It was formed many years ago by a volcano and its 5000 inhabitants continue to live a very traditional lifestyle. There is no computer on the island, nor are there any vehicles. The only way to go anywhere is to walk on the island, which is home to 10 communities and several dirt/rocky paths. We were able to stay with a host family on the island overnight. Our hostess, Ana, cooked for us. We had quinua soup and also a grain soup as well as different types of potatoes. During the afternoon we climbed to the center of the island where we were able to peak at the temple ruins and also were able to watch the sun go down on the lake. That evening we were surprised by a fiesta prepared by the local community for our group of tourists. They loaned us traditional outfits and some high school students played traditional instruments including the zampoña. It was incredible, absolutely beautiful. As we danced the room because a swirl of brilliant colors and the music gave it a mystic atmosphere, we even went outside and continued dancing around a bonfire, before returning to the warmth of the hall that we had previously been in.
The final island that we visited was Taquile. All the people on the island are known for their textile skills- the men for knitting and the women for weaving. The neat things about visiting this island is that we happened to get to see the children preparing for the independence day parade (July 28) and also we started ascending the island on one side and then got to descend the 530 steps to the port on the other side.
We then took another not so pleasant, excruciatingly hot and stuffy 6-hour bus ride back to Arequipa.
PART 6: AREQUIPA (once again)
We were able to spend our last 2 nights in Hostal Regis. It was lovely. The first night we paid for a room with a private bathroom, which also happened to have 4 beds (but they were just for us), wooden shutters for the windows and doors, and a balcony!
During our last day, we went to a museum about 4 mummies that were found in the Andes in Peru, the most famous of which is called “Juanita the Ice Princess.” It was really cool.
It was a great two-week trip and I can’t believe it’s over all ready.
To begin with something that reminded me that I was still in Peru, I will tell you of my first attempt at purchasing a pair of hiking boots. It was Friday, the day before we were to embark on our adventure, when I decided that perhaps hiking boots would be a good thing to have for our upcoming adventure. Since planning is not an important thing in Peruvian culture, I didn’t even think that I was doing last minute shopping. I figured I could find a pair of hiking boots in a market without any problem. Because I was pressed for time that day with many other things to do before leaving, I decided to go to a smaller market, which I didn’t know that well. As it turns out while wandering the streets there, I could have saved myself time by going to the larger market a little further away, because I had a hard time finding hiking boots my size. (They don’t seem to sell many for women, so typically, the men’s shoes were a little too big. Just as I was giving up and thinking I’d try to get to the market in Magdalena the next day, I saw a pair of shoes that I decided would work. They weren’t spectacular, but would have been better than my every-day shoes. I the right shoe on and it fit. I asked about the price and decided $12 for a pair of hiking boots wasn’t too bad, so told the señora that I would take them. Then she told me, “How wonderful, señorita! Come back tomorrow between 9 and 11 am. I’ll be waiting for you. The other shoe is at my house. I’ll bring it tomorrow.” I decided then that I didn’t want that pair of boots.
PART 1: HUARAZ
We began our adventure on Saturday July 10 by taking a taxi to the bus station where we were supposed to take our highly recommended and reliable bus, from the company Ormeño. As the night went on we were to become more and more disappointed by them. The bus station was not their usual station, as they told us to go to Lima, Lima since the buses to Huaraz left from a different place. Our first tip-off was the shady station. We entered and a man from behind bars, who looked like he was in a prison, looked at our ticket and told us to wait in the lounge- comprised of dirty plastic lawn chairs on a concrete floor by door number four. We watched the other buses come and go from the station and from the outside they looked respectable. As it turned out, when our bus arrived we boarded with only 4 other people and our bags were placed underneath the bus without tickets. The bus was dark, without so much as security lights and the seats were thread bare. We were a bit confused, but decided we had no other choice but to depart, especially since we were in a sketchy part of the city. Annie was hopefully that we would change buses but that did not occur. Our supposedly comfortable 8 hour ride turned out to be an awful 9 hour ride in our fleece jackets. We stopped numerous times letting other people onto the bus and saw chickens loaded underneath with our backpacks. When the other passengers boarded we thought to ourselves, “They know something that we do not!” as they zipped up their winter coats, put on their gloves and hats and pulled blankets up over themselves. As it turned out we were accompanied by brisk Andean breeze as we climbed higher into the mountains, because of some opening towards the front of the bus. Even more unpleasant but also in a way humorous was the “bathroom.” After probably about 5 hours of driving, the bus driver pulled over at the side of the road, walked partway down the aisle and announced “el baño.” Wonderful! All the passengers began to exit the bus so Annie, who was seated next to the aisle got up as well, barely got off and returned to tell me that the bathroom was not indeed a room, but rather the open side of the road next to the bus and all the passengers were squatted there. We decided to wait until we arrived in Huaraz. Since it was going to be dark when we arrived, we decided that the best thing to do would be wait at the bus station until it got light and then go look for a hostel. This idea was also crushed when we pulled into a dark lot of dirt and not only that were harassed by 2 men who jumped onto the bus before we could even exit. They were trying to get us to do one of their tours and we were the only “gringas” who had arrived on the bus. It was frightening and maddening that they would not leave us in peace, move out of our way, or allow us to get our bags from underneath of the bus. “Me or him?” they shouted at us. Finally we just picked one, because we felt as though we had no other choice and at least then we could get out of the dark lot surrounded by a brick wall. The man we chose took us to a hostel where we ended up accepting his 4 day tour offer, paid him, and then crawled into the only bed available- a twin bed to sleep until we could each have our own bed. We later realized that he had conned us out of about $10 each because we had been to tired and cold from our miserable night to properly think about the conversion rate- since he made the offer In dollars and we paid in soles. That made us upset. To top things off with that man, then next morning he called us out of a café to give us an obviously fake 100 soles bill (we are well acquainted with examining money to see whether or not it is counterfeit) and claimed that we gave it to him the day before. We did not fall for his scheme refusing the money, knowing that it was fake and that #1) we had given him all real bills and #2) even if we hadn’t it would have been his fault for accepting a false bill, and to return the next day, is unacceptable.
Our tour turned out to be amazing. At first we were leery, after dealing with this shady fellow, leaving 1.5 hours after the scheduled time, and then when I got a meat sandwich after I had requested vegetarian meals for the tour, and the guide told me, “Oh, sorry. Tomorrow. You can eat tomorrow.”! She did however get me a jelly sandwich about 5 minutes later, bless her heart. Both of our guides were really helpful throughout the entire 4 days and were very helpful. They made great food for breakfasts and suppers and were willing to answer any and all questions. The people on our tour were also wonderful. I believe everyone was between the ages of 19 and 30 with the majority being in their later 20s. Surprisingly to us, we were the only US Americans. The majority of the others were from Austrailia and the UK.
Some of the highlights of the Santa Cruz trek were seeing the turquoise colored lagoons, hiking all the way up and over a mountain range, seeing the exact mountain that is pictured at the beginning of every Paramount video production, witnessing an avalanche, and just getting to spend so much time outside each day (since we hiked between 5-9 hours a day and camped in tents) and seeing the sunrises and sunsets. It really is not possible to describe the beauty of la Cordillera Blanca and how wonderful of a time we had, so although photographs do not do it justice, they will have to take the place of words.
PART 2: AREEQUIPA
We spent some time in Arequipa, a lovely and well-organized city in southern Peru. Its organization was already apparent when we arrived in the bus terminal which seemed almost like an airport, with its various gates and shops inside. We stopped at iPeru, a helpful tourist booth, who actually asked us what we were looking for in a hostal, and then called ahead and got us a room. This was nice on their part, and the hostal, Bolognesi Haus, seemed nice at first, but turned out to not be quite so nice that night when were cold and could not shut the window but also did not wish to sleep under the dirty covers. Fortunately we left for a hike of the Colca Canyon around 3 am so did not have to sleep there the whole night.
Also during the day we visited the Santa Catalina convent which was almost like a city inside its tall red-painted walls. We spent nearly 3 hours walking around inside the monastery which had been made from volcanic rock. There were many bedrooms which each contained some sort of closet, arch, and alter. The kitchens with their old utensils and giant stone ovens were a sight to see!
PART 3: CAÑON DEL COLCA (THE COLCA CANYON)
The Colca Canyon is the 2nd deepest canyon in the world and barely shallower than the deepest which is very nearby. We spent 3 days hiking this canyon. Annie and I took one backpack along and took turns carrying it. Fortunately it got lighter and lighter, as we used up our water. We had 6.5 liters of water in the bag to begin our hike. The trail was extremely dusty, rocky and rugged, and as can be imagined, fairly steep. We descended to the bottom of the canyon and partway up on the first day. On the second day, we hiked around in the canyon visiting some villages there and getting the chance to see a little museum and learn about some of the plants and returned to the very bottom of the canyon where we stayed in an oasis. Also, our guide painted our faces with the juices of crushed insects. On the final day, we had the choice to rent a donkey or hike up on our own two feet. I decided to hike up and completed the climb just under 2 hours. We began our ascent just before six which was wonderful because those of us who were quick enough we able to hike most of the way in the shade but got to see the light of dawn as it painted the canyon walls. The colors of parts of the canyon and the agricultural terraces in its fingers were gorgeous with a large variety of colors.
PART 4: AREQUIPA (again)
When we arrived back from our canyon hike, we immediately began our search for a new hostel. We asked a police officer for advice specifying that we wanted a somewhat cheap hostel but that it must be clean and have heating. She pointed us off to one side of the plaza. With that, we walked along and every time we came to a hostel, we stopped inside and inquired about it. Finally we happened upon Hostal Regis (which was located only 2.5 blocks off of the Plaza de Armas). As we were climbing the marble staircase, with ornately carved wooden walls, I suggested to Annie that we not even continue going up them because it was surely out of our price range and with a little hesitation, we decided to proceed, because we were already there. As it turned out, their prices were quite reasonable, it was warm and clean . We were so excited to shower for the first time in several days and to get to sleep in clean and warm beds!
We decided to eat breakfast in the hostel and were sucked into the Peruvian Time Warp. Once again, as has happened many times throughout this semester, it did not seem as though much time had passed, when I checked the time and we realized we should have already been at the bus station. We grabbed our things, and hurredly paid the the woman working at the hostel and checked in our large bags. The we rushed down the stairs to catch a cab. Fortunately one drove by nearly immediately and offered us a fair price to the station. As we arrived and were getting out of the cab, we heard them announce that our bus was leaving. We raced to the counter, and panicked inside when the man, to whom we tried to give our tickets, told us that we would have to get our paper converted into proper tickets in order to get on the bus. Fortunately everyone was really helpful and kind and they helped us right away, while that man detained the bus so that we could make it. Close call! We love you, Cruz del Sur.
PART 5: LAGO TITICACA (LAKE TITICACA)
We also were able to travel to Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navegable lake which forms a small part of the border between Peru and Bolivia. We were actually able to see snow-capped mountains belonging to Bolivia. The lake is supposedly the shape of a puma chasing a rabbit, which one can see with some imagination, but I don’t think it strongly resembles this shape.
Our tour of the lake and 3 islands took two days. First we went to the Floating Islands of the Uros, which have a neat history and it is pretty incredible that people live on islands made of reeds by adding a layer of reeds to the island every 3 weeks during the dry season and every 10 days during the wet season to ensure that the islands do not disappear. There are more than 50 floating islands which are anchored down by stones but can decide to cut their ties and relocate whenever they choose. I am impressed at how the islands were made, the amount of work to maintain them, and their history, but I didn’t enjoy them that much because they were so touristy and truth be told, if it weren’t for tourism they wouldn’t be around anymore and the people wouldn’t be there. Boats go to the city of Puno which is 0.5 hours away daily to bring supplies.
Isla Amantaní was the next island that we visited. It was formed many years ago by a volcano and its 5000 inhabitants continue to live a very traditional lifestyle. There is no computer on the island, nor are there any vehicles. The only way to go anywhere is to walk on the island, which is home to 10 communities and several dirt/rocky paths. We were able to stay with a host family on the island overnight. Our hostess, Ana, cooked for us. We had quinua soup and also a grain soup as well as different types of potatoes. During the afternoon we climbed to the center of the island where we were able to peak at the temple ruins and also were able to watch the sun go down on the lake. That evening we were surprised by a fiesta prepared by the local community for our group of tourists. They loaned us traditional outfits and some high school students played traditional instruments including the zampoña. It was incredible, absolutely beautiful. As we danced the room because a swirl of brilliant colors and the music gave it a mystic atmosphere, we even went outside and continued dancing around a bonfire, before returning to the warmth of the hall that we had previously been in.
The final island that we visited was Taquile. All the people on the island are known for their textile skills- the men for knitting and the women for weaving. The neat things about visiting this island is that we happened to get to see the children preparing for the independence day parade (July 28) and also we started ascending the island on one side and then got to descend the 530 steps to the port on the other side.
We then took another not so pleasant, excruciatingly hot and stuffy 6-hour bus ride back to Arequipa.
PART 6: AREQUIPA (once again)
We were able to spend our last 2 nights in Hostal Regis. It was lovely. The first night we paid for a room with a private bathroom, which also happened to have 4 beds (but they were just for us), wooden shutters for the windows and doors, and a balcony!
During our last day, we went to a museum about 4 mummies that were found in the Andes in Peru, the most famous of which is called “Juanita the Ice Princess.” It was really cool.
It was a great two-week trip and I can’t believe it’s over all ready.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Last of Lima
I've spent my final weeks in Lima staying very busy between final exams, writing our anthropology paper, volunteering at Deporte y Vida (in Villa El Salvador), and spending time with friends.
Finals went pretty well, and I was elated when 4:30 in the afternoon of Wednesday, July 7th came around and I was officially done with my 4th semester.
I really enjoyed volunteering at Deporte y Vida, I and learned a lot from the experience. The other girls, who also volunteered, and I helped the students (mostly elementary or junior-high-aged) with their homework in a variety of subjects, encouraged them to try and to learn not just copy answers, and gave them the attention that we could. Some of them had beaming smiles all the time, which is incredible supportive evidence to the statement that money doesn’t buy happiness. It was very enjoyable getting to know both the kids and the teachers, who have the patience of saints and do all that they can to improve the children’s situations. We also completed to murals for them- one a nature scene and the other a picture of Misti (a volcano in southern Peru). Additionally we asked for donations at our university for the people of Oasis, Villa El Salvador, especially targeting international students who may not wish to take everything home with them. We had great results!
With my time coming to a close, I realize that there will be some things I will miss about Lima and my time there, but I am also looking forward to my future travels.
Finals went pretty well, and I was elated when 4:30 in the afternoon of Wednesday, July 7th came around and I was officially done with my 4th semester.
I really enjoyed volunteering at Deporte y Vida, I and learned a lot from the experience. The other girls, who also volunteered, and I helped the students (mostly elementary or junior-high-aged) with their homework in a variety of subjects, encouraged them to try and to learn not just copy answers, and gave them the attention that we could. Some of them had beaming smiles all the time, which is incredible supportive evidence to the statement that money doesn’t buy happiness. It was very enjoyable getting to know both the kids and the teachers, who have the patience of saints and do all that they can to improve the children’s situations. We also completed to murals for them- one a nature scene and the other a picture of Misti (a volcano in southern Peru). Additionally we asked for donations at our university for the people of Oasis, Villa El Salvador, especially targeting international students who may not wish to take everything home with them. We had great results!
With my time coming to a close, I realize that there will be some things I will miss about Lima and my time there, but I am also looking forward to my future travels.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Random Thoughts...
With less than a week left in Lima, I'm having a wide range of thoughts...
♦I'm going to miss going to Deporte y Vida in Villa El Salvador and all the friendly loving faces there.
♦I'm excited to soon be living in an environment in which I can cook for myself and serve myself my own portions of food.
♦I love feeling comfortable and confident in a place that was scary and unnerving a few months ago... a place written about by a famous author (back when the population was only 1 million instead of 9 million) as the beast with 1 million heads.
♦It's 60 degrees and I'm freezing all the time. Why? Because there's a lot of humidity and there is no such thing as heaters or anything of that sort here. My laptop heats me more than anything.
♦I should be working on my paper for anthropology, but I'm lacking in motivation.
♦I'm excited to go hiking in a week!
♦I'm so sick of listening to people making a huge deal out of vegetarianism.
♦God has truly blessed me this semester.
♦I don't want to have to pack up my things again in 4 days.
♦I so excited. I'm almost done with classes.
♦I love walking or running along the malecón.
♦The polution in this city is atrocious. It does to the lungs what smoking 3 cigarettes a day does.
♦Switching from using soles to the euro is not going to be fun.
♦I love it when micro-rides cost less than I expect.
♦I see so many amazing people that I wish I could pluck out of their poor situations and give them the opportunity to thrive and flourish.
♦I'm going to miss the combi and micro rides in a strange sort of way... they are a big part of every day.
♦I wish it were sunny.
♦I'm going to miss all the people I've come to know and love.
♦I wish I could see my family and friends from the States.
♦I love how warm and friendly Peruvian culture is.
♦I'm going to miss not being able to show up late for everything.
♦No wonder the USA doesn't have a very popular image when we have an embassy that looks like a fort and takes up a huge chunk of space in a part of Lima away from the other embassies.
♦I love all the kisses that I get and give daily, especially from all the children at Deporte y Vida. It still makes me smile when someone joins a group discussing and gives about 15 people kisses and leaves 2 minutes later and gives each person in the group kisses once more before leaving.
♦I'm excited to breathe in air outside of this city that doesn't do the same thing to my lungs as smoking 3 cigarettes a day.
♦I find the policemen on segues amusing and it's impossible not to smirk.
♦I'm going to miss going to Deporte y Vida in Villa El Salvador and all the friendly loving faces there.
♦I'm excited to soon be living in an environment in which I can cook for myself and serve myself my own portions of food.
♦I love feeling comfortable and confident in a place that was scary and unnerving a few months ago... a place written about by a famous author (back when the population was only 1 million instead of 9 million) as the beast with 1 million heads.
♦It's 60 degrees and I'm freezing all the time. Why? Because there's a lot of humidity and there is no such thing as heaters or anything of that sort here. My laptop heats me more than anything.
♦I should be working on my paper for anthropology, but I'm lacking in motivation.
♦I'm excited to go hiking in a week!
♦I'm so sick of listening to people making a huge deal out of vegetarianism.
♦God has truly blessed me this semester.
♦I don't want to have to pack up my things again in 4 days.
♦I so excited. I'm almost done with classes.
♦I love walking or running along the malecón.
♦The polution in this city is atrocious. It does to the lungs what smoking 3 cigarettes a day does.
♦Switching from using soles to the euro is not going to be fun.
♦I love it when micro-rides cost less than I expect.
♦I see so many amazing people that I wish I could pluck out of their poor situations and give them the opportunity to thrive and flourish.
♦I'm going to miss the combi and micro rides in a strange sort of way... they are a big part of every day.
♦I wish it were sunny.
♦I'm going to miss all the people I've come to know and love.
♦I wish I could see my family and friends from the States.
♦I love how warm and friendly Peruvian culture is.
♦I'm going to miss not being able to show up late for everything.
♦No wonder the USA doesn't have a very popular image when we have an embassy that looks like a fort and takes up a huge chunk of space in a part of Lima away from the other embassies.
♦I love all the kisses that I get and give daily, especially from all the children at Deporte y Vida. It still makes me smile when someone joins a group discussing and gives about 15 people kisses and leaves 2 minutes later and gives each person in the group kisses once more before leaving.
♦I'm excited to breathe in air outside of this city that doesn't do the same thing to my lungs as smoking 3 cigarettes a day.
♦I find the policemen on segues amusing and it's impossible not to smirk.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
An Amazon Adventure
On Thursday afternoon I met 4 friends, Amelia, Annie, Audrey, and Chris at the university before we headed to the airport together. Along the way, we had a talkative and friendly taxi driver who of course chatted with us about all the great Peruvian foods. The sky was grey and the weather quite chilly, so we all wore some sort of jacket. We went through the extremely lax security and boarded our plane and flew over the Andes at sunset to Iquitos, the world's largest city without a connection to other cities by land.
The hot humid air was a shock to the system as we departed from the plane. We were met by two individuals from our tour guide company. As often happens here, things are not as we may expect so we have to be flexible and change our plans. The hostel that we had reserved, was full- meaning our reservations had not been held, so our tour guide helped us find a different hostel. It turned out to cost only $2 more per night and was much nicer and we even had a kitchen to cook in. :)
Friday morning we set out for the jungle (the Amazon Rainforest), first by car for 1.5 hours to the town of Nauta and then a few hours by boat along the Marañon River, one of the Amazon River's two largest tributaries, later the Yarapa river and eventually arrived at the lodge on the Cumaceba River. The boat is called a peke peke for the sound that its motor makes. During the afternoon we took a walk through the jungle near the lodge. We learned a lot about the plants and animals during this time. Later we took a ride in the peke peke to a nearby indigenous village that the tour company helps to support.
It was already dark by the time we returned to the lodge so we had a candle on our floor for light. Amelia took a flashlight with her into the bathroom to brush her teeth and when she turned it on, she saw a spider with a four inch diameter from the tip of the legs to the others. Then we realized there were more. It was a little unsettling. Chris was kind enough to do the deed of either chasing the spiders away or capturing the spider under a cup and carrying it outside. The mosquito nets over our beds seemed all the more comforting.
We awoke with the sun shortly after 5 on Saturday morning in order to go bird watching, We saw many birds with all different colors, shapes, and sizes. Traveling on the river with the morning fog and sunrise was gorgeous. We later took a long walk through the jungle where we were able to see many species of plants and animals including monkeys and a rubber tree.
On several different trees we witnessed highways created by ants carrying leaves down the trees to their homes. It was very interesting. We put our hands in a termite nest and rubbed crushed termites all over ourselves because they are supposedly a natural mosquito repellent. Unfortunately they didn't seem to work for me, but neither did the bug spray. I got eaten alive as did the other girls. We drank from a fruit called te yarina and also the water from a vine known as "uña del gato" (cat claw). During the afternoon we took a boat ride and saw spider monkeys along the way. We jumped off of the peke peke and went swimming in the Amazon with pink dolfins. I must admit, although the water was very still and nice and warm, I didn't stay in the water long for fear of drowning. That was very neat and a highlight for all of us. At night we went for a night hike, on which our guide caught a frog the size of my head. It was so cool. Although very interesting, the night hike was not super enjoyable because of the swarms of mosquitos.
Sunday morning we went to an island where a monkey lives and likes to eat fish that some local boys catch and throw to him. We fished some. I caught nothing, but some of our group caught piranas and others caught catfish. One little boy who was fishing in his tiny wooden boat caught a stingray!
In the afternoon we left to go camping. We got to the place in the jungle were we set up hammocks, mosquito nets, and tarps by tying things to the trees with vines. The mosquitos were so awful. Due to rain, we were not able to do nearly what we had hoped or intended to do. We went spear-fishing for a little bit, but did not get to see any caman.
On Monday morning, we packed up the hammocks and took the peke peke back to the lodge. After breakfast we went to see a family of monkeys and also to see an enormous tree that is estimated to be about 50 meters tall.
Later that day we returned to Iquitos, each took a much needed shower and then went out to eat icecream for supper. Afterwards we stopped at a grocery store to get supplies for breakfast.
Tuesday morning we prepared a delicious breakfast and went for a walk through the city market, wandered around some more, ate icecream for dinner, watched the Spanish and Portugual world cup game and Pan's Laberynth before heading to the airport to return to Lima. The weather is cold here again unfortunately.
It was a great trip. I only have 1.5 weeks remaining in Lima!
The hot humid air was a shock to the system as we departed from the plane. We were met by two individuals from our tour guide company. As often happens here, things are not as we may expect so we have to be flexible and change our plans. The hostel that we had reserved, was full- meaning our reservations had not been held, so our tour guide helped us find a different hostel. It turned out to cost only $2 more per night and was much nicer and we even had a kitchen to cook in. :)
Friday morning we set out for the jungle (the Amazon Rainforest), first by car for 1.5 hours to the town of Nauta and then a few hours by boat along the Marañon River, one of the Amazon River's two largest tributaries, later the Yarapa river and eventually arrived at the lodge on the Cumaceba River. The boat is called a peke peke for the sound that its motor makes. During the afternoon we took a walk through the jungle near the lodge. We learned a lot about the plants and animals during this time. Later we took a ride in the peke peke to a nearby indigenous village that the tour company helps to support.
It was already dark by the time we returned to the lodge so we had a candle on our floor for light. Amelia took a flashlight with her into the bathroom to brush her teeth and when she turned it on, she saw a spider with a four inch diameter from the tip of the legs to the others. Then we realized there were more. It was a little unsettling. Chris was kind enough to do the deed of either chasing the spiders away or capturing the spider under a cup and carrying it outside. The mosquito nets over our beds seemed all the more comforting.
We awoke with the sun shortly after 5 on Saturday morning in order to go bird watching, We saw many birds with all different colors, shapes, and sizes. Traveling on the river with the morning fog and sunrise was gorgeous. We later took a long walk through the jungle where we were able to see many species of plants and animals including monkeys and a rubber tree.
On several different trees we witnessed highways created by ants carrying leaves down the trees to their homes. It was very interesting. We put our hands in a termite nest and rubbed crushed termites all over ourselves because they are supposedly a natural mosquito repellent. Unfortunately they didn't seem to work for me, but neither did the bug spray. I got eaten alive as did the other girls. We drank from a fruit called te yarina and also the water from a vine known as "uña del gato" (cat claw). During the afternoon we took a boat ride and saw spider monkeys along the way. We jumped off of the peke peke and went swimming in the Amazon with pink dolfins. I must admit, although the water was very still and nice and warm, I didn't stay in the water long for fear of drowning. That was very neat and a highlight for all of us. At night we went for a night hike, on which our guide caught a frog the size of my head. It was so cool. Although very interesting, the night hike was not super enjoyable because of the swarms of mosquitos.
Sunday morning we went to an island where a monkey lives and likes to eat fish that some local boys catch and throw to him. We fished some. I caught nothing, but some of our group caught piranas and others caught catfish. One little boy who was fishing in his tiny wooden boat caught a stingray!
In the afternoon we left to go camping. We got to the place in the jungle were we set up hammocks, mosquito nets, and tarps by tying things to the trees with vines. The mosquitos were so awful. Due to rain, we were not able to do nearly what we had hoped or intended to do. We went spear-fishing for a little bit, but did not get to see any caman.
On Monday morning, we packed up the hammocks and took the peke peke back to the lodge. After breakfast we went to see a family of monkeys and also to see an enormous tree that is estimated to be about 50 meters tall.
Later that day we returned to Iquitos, each took a much needed shower and then went out to eat icecream for supper. Afterwards we stopped at a grocery store to get supplies for breakfast.
Tuesday morning we prepared a delicious breakfast and went for a walk through the city market, wandered around some more, ate icecream for dinner, watched the Spanish and Portugual world cup game and Pan's Laberynth before heading to the airport to return to Lima. The weather is cold here again unfortunately.
It was a great trip. I only have 1.5 weeks remaining in Lima!
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Some of the richest people I've met here live in shacks...
Volunteering at the center for homework help and preschool, Deporte y Vida, in Villa El Salvador has been and extremely impacting and influential experience for me during this semester.
I've continued to help the kids with their homework twice a week. One thing that seems really unfortunate to me is that although some of them really want to learn, they do not have the resources. Either they have poor teachers, do not have books, or lack the time to do the work. Sometimes kids come to Deporte y Vida and drop off their homework, while they go home to cook for their family or care for younger siblings or such and return later hoping that someone has completed it for them. While the children are silly like other kids that I know and love to play, they seem to be more aggressive and also they are wise beyond their years. It is a bit odd to see children acting like adults a such young ages, but I believe that is the result of their environment.
We were asked to paint a mural of nature on the the outer walls of the "baño seco" (dry bathroom) of the school. We drew a picture with a pond, bushes, a tree, mountains, flowers, a dragon fly, fish, butterfly, bird's nest, and chickens. The colors are quite vibrant. The children were so impressed and just watched us with enthusiasm the whole time. We wanted to let them help, but we were lacking in supplies and if we let one help they would all have wanted too and that would not have worked. Possibly they can each paint a flower the last day if they want to or something like that. Unfortunately after we finished for the day and were cleaning up, some of the kids' excitement and curiousity got the best of them, causing them to run up to the wall and touch the paint leaving handprints in our work or peeling off nearly dry paint.
I went to a hardware store the evening before, and bought several colors of paint, paint thinner and a few brushes. We didn't have containers to mix paints in, nor did I think to purchase stir sticks. I'll have to get a few other things for this next week to finsh the project. My hands are green and blue and it is really awkward doing things in public with hands that look like the Hulk's. People look at me wierd, as if my hands are really dirty, which I understand, but they are just stained.
We have only painted one day so far. When we finished painting, the teachers and Señor Victor who maintains the place, so very kindly wanted to share their food, Papa a la Huancaina, with us. They dug a pit, built a fire, and cooked the food for us. It was such a kind gesture that even though it caused us to leave 1.5 hours late (making me quite a bit late to class at the university) we handled the situation in a peruvian manner, not worrying about time but about the people, the kindness of the gesture, and food.
The generousity I see as these people will do anything to help out a neighbor ("vecino") and will give anything and everything they have astounds me. They continue to demonstrate that those who have hoard, and those who have not give. The notion of giving when one can and that one will never be in need, continues to be reenforced in my mind each day that I go. I am amazed at how much the people of Oasis, Villa El Salvador a sector that just 4 years ago was desert and now is sprawling in homes have taught me and will continue to do. Although they are not rich monetarily they are rich in spirit.
I've continued to help the kids with their homework twice a week. One thing that seems really unfortunate to me is that although some of them really want to learn, they do not have the resources. Either they have poor teachers, do not have books, or lack the time to do the work. Sometimes kids come to Deporte y Vida and drop off their homework, while they go home to cook for their family or care for younger siblings or such and return later hoping that someone has completed it for them. While the children are silly like other kids that I know and love to play, they seem to be more aggressive and also they are wise beyond their years. It is a bit odd to see children acting like adults a such young ages, but I believe that is the result of their environment.
We were asked to paint a mural of nature on the the outer walls of the "baño seco" (dry bathroom) of the school. We drew a picture with a pond, bushes, a tree, mountains, flowers, a dragon fly, fish, butterfly, bird's nest, and chickens. The colors are quite vibrant. The children were so impressed and just watched us with enthusiasm the whole time. We wanted to let them help, but we were lacking in supplies and if we let one help they would all have wanted too and that would not have worked. Possibly they can each paint a flower the last day if they want to or something like that. Unfortunately after we finished for the day and were cleaning up, some of the kids' excitement and curiousity got the best of them, causing them to run up to the wall and touch the paint leaving handprints in our work or peeling off nearly dry paint.
I went to a hardware store the evening before, and bought several colors of paint, paint thinner and a few brushes. We didn't have containers to mix paints in, nor did I think to purchase stir sticks. I'll have to get a few other things for this next week to finsh the project. My hands are green and blue and it is really awkward doing things in public with hands that look like the Hulk's. People look at me wierd, as if my hands are really dirty, which I understand, but they are just stained.
We have only painted one day so far. When we finished painting, the teachers and Señor Victor who maintains the place, so very kindly wanted to share their food, Papa a la Huancaina, with us. They dug a pit, built a fire, and cooked the food for us. It was such a kind gesture that even though it caused us to leave 1.5 hours late (making me quite a bit late to class at the university) we handled the situation in a peruvian manner, not worrying about time but about the people, the kindness of the gesture, and food.
The generousity I see as these people will do anything to help out a neighbor ("vecino") and will give anything and everything they have astounds me. They continue to demonstrate that those who have hoard, and those who have not give. The notion of giving when one can and that one will never be in need, continues to be reenforced in my mind each day that I go. I am amazed at how much the people of Oasis, Villa El Salvador a sector that just 4 years ago was desert and now is sprawling in homes have taught me and will continue to do. Although they are not rich monetarily they are rich in spirit.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Food and Health...
Despite the many wonderful things I've been able to enjoy in Peru, I've also had my bouts of illnesses, all or nearly all quite-likely to things I have consumed. Some may consider it vulgar or impropper to discuss digestive issues, but for me as well as many other exchange students, it has become a common topic of discussion.
In general, Peruvians tend to pride themselves on their food (however as discussed in my social Peruvian reality class, many people especially children under the age of 5 suffer from malnutrition). The staple in the Peruvian diet is rice. Most people consume this product which was introduced to the country as a result Chinese immigration more than 150 years ago. This leads to the majority of the population having a little bit of a belly, even those who are skinny have a gut. I find it humorous when I am served a meal, with potatoes as a side dish, rice as a side dish, and a giant heep of noodles along with a salad and soup! It seems like multiple meals to me with the portions out of control. Peru is a country extremely rich in a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, however meat is present in almost every dish. This is frustrating sometimes as a vegetarian; however, one of the things that I find most aggrivating is that most people cannot grasp the idea of not eating meat and don't understand that vegetarians eat more than "just vegetables". I've had numerous conversations in which I have been asked questions along these lines: "So you're vegetarian. That means you don't eat meat? So you eat chicken right? No? But surely you eat pig? Oh I see. But guinea pigs? They're really healthy, you know. Fish? Wow, you eat nothing but vegetables. I would die!"
Although some foods are different and have a different flavor, it seems that one would adjust rather quickly to the food. I like much of it, but other things needed a bit of adjusting. I wasn't fond of the cup of vegetable oil dumped on top of my salad at ever meal as a salad dressing or the heap of mayonaise that accompanies many dishes.
Interestingly enough, after all this discussion about food, I must say that food care sometimes seems to be lacking, such as always storying eggs at room temperature even when it is 80 degrees is something that struck me as something that should maybe be changed. Also, food is rarely covered when placed in a refrigerator, allowing it to dry out quickly or diffuse its scent to other foods. Water is of course boiled, which is a good thing.
As I mentioned before, I've had my fair share of digestive related sicknesses. I have recently recovered from my most serious one. I would like to think that after being here for several months, I would not get sick anymore, but that is not the case. I do not believe that it is an issue of diet change, as to one of bacteria and viruses that foods can contain. I literally slept nearly a week of my life away, between going to different doctors and the ER. Among various issues, I suffered from swollen intestines which were possibly thought to be the somewhat common result of infection by salmonella, e coli, or brucelosis. After several blood tests, it was determined that I didn't have any of these bacteria in my system and that I had probably gotten sick from a virus or parasite from some food that was not well washed or was spoiled. I am still amazed at how non-chalantly the doctor said, what the problem may have been and did not seem concerned.
Also, I find it interesting that the majority of the time when someone is sick, someone asks if it is the stomach or if it was the food, and the expected and probable answer is yes. Unfortunately, sometimes these germs take the enjoyment out of trying new foods.
In general, Peruvians tend to pride themselves on their food (however as discussed in my social Peruvian reality class, many people especially children under the age of 5 suffer from malnutrition). The staple in the Peruvian diet is rice. Most people consume this product which was introduced to the country as a result Chinese immigration more than 150 years ago. This leads to the majority of the population having a little bit of a belly, even those who are skinny have a gut. I find it humorous when I am served a meal, with potatoes as a side dish, rice as a side dish, and a giant heep of noodles along with a salad and soup! It seems like multiple meals to me with the portions out of control. Peru is a country extremely rich in a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, however meat is present in almost every dish. This is frustrating sometimes as a vegetarian; however, one of the things that I find most aggrivating is that most people cannot grasp the idea of not eating meat and don't understand that vegetarians eat more than "just vegetables". I've had numerous conversations in which I have been asked questions along these lines: "So you're vegetarian. That means you don't eat meat? So you eat chicken right? No? But surely you eat pig? Oh I see. But guinea pigs? They're really healthy, you know. Fish? Wow, you eat nothing but vegetables. I would die!"
Although some foods are different and have a different flavor, it seems that one would adjust rather quickly to the food. I like much of it, but other things needed a bit of adjusting. I wasn't fond of the cup of vegetable oil dumped on top of my salad at ever meal as a salad dressing or the heap of mayonaise that accompanies many dishes.
Interestingly enough, after all this discussion about food, I must say that food care sometimes seems to be lacking, such as always storying eggs at room temperature even when it is 80 degrees is something that struck me as something that should maybe be changed. Also, food is rarely covered when placed in a refrigerator, allowing it to dry out quickly or diffuse its scent to other foods. Water is of course boiled, which is a good thing.
As I mentioned before, I've had my fair share of digestive related sicknesses. I have recently recovered from my most serious one. I would like to think that after being here for several months, I would not get sick anymore, but that is not the case. I do not believe that it is an issue of diet change, as to one of bacteria and viruses that foods can contain. I literally slept nearly a week of my life away, between going to different doctors and the ER. Among various issues, I suffered from swollen intestines which were possibly thought to be the somewhat common result of infection by salmonella, e coli, or brucelosis. After several blood tests, it was determined that I didn't have any of these bacteria in my system and that I had probably gotten sick from a virus or parasite from some food that was not well washed or was spoiled. I am still amazed at how non-chalantly the doctor said, what the problem may have been and did not seem concerned.
Also, I find it interesting that the majority of the time when someone is sick, someone asks if it is the stomach or if it was the food, and the expected and probable answer is yes. Unfortunately, sometimes these germs take the enjoyment out of trying new foods.
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