Interesting weekend so far...
Friday I hung out with my friend from Germany, Julia, to make plans to go on a weekend getaway for a night... always good to escape Lima. Then I went to see a french movie with a peruvian friend here, Luis. The movie was actually reallyyyyy hilarious, I laughed a lotttttttt. They played it in Spanish subtitles so everyone could understand. There's a European film festival going on in Lima right now and most of the movies are free so I'm definitely going to try to go to another one for some free fun. To follow up the french movie we went to eat crepes! After a month of no sweets it was sooo delicious.
Saturday morning I left early with Molly & Julia to go to Lunahuana. We'd read in guidebooks it was an easy trip to make, only 3 hours outside of Lima by bus. So we didn't make any plans and just did it and everything worked out well. I wouldn't be surprised if I contracted a disease just by stepping foot in our disgusttingngggggg hostel, but I made it home, so atleast I'm alive. Anyways, we went white water rafting yesterday, which was fun... learned boating directions in spanish "¡Adelante, adelante, adelante!.... ¡ALTO!" and the desert mountains and river was beautiful. The town was small, we were pretty much the only tourists. We tasted a little bit of pisco and wine at night and then just relaxed, not much to do there at all..
On the way home today I was looking out of the bus window... I think Lima is kind of a depressing country. EVERYTHING is centralized in Lima, where it's overcrowded, overpolluted and chaotic. The countryside is just a lot of desert and shanty towns. At this point, I'm not sure how Peru will every decentralize.. Not sure if it's possible. Sometimes just travelling in this country isn't vale la pena (worth it) to me... I don't know. I have good and bad days with this country and today I just am really frustrated with it.
When we bought our bus tickets I spelled my name like 346436763 times for the woman at the desk and she couldn't get it right! and i KNOW i was saying it right... so my name on the ticket ended up being "Brechell Qulilt". While the first name sounds a little like something that would come out of Penn Hills, I just had to laughhhhh. Molly got Bolly O'Chea instead of Molly O'Shea... another one of our MANYYYYYY "Oh, Perú" moments. Laughing about things keeps me sane here.
We also made friends with our new peruvian grandmother.. She was sweet but a little overly motherly holding Molly's hand to cross the street. It was also a little weird, but friendly.
The bus ride was a miserable 3 hours sitting next to a stinky many and no leg room in peruvian transportation. story of my life.
When we got off at the bus stop, again we were bombarded with creepy taxi drivers. I HATE THE TAXI DRIVERS here. ughhh.
But I am home now.. finally. and now I don't feel like doing much else this halloween. Molly and I may end up going to the Dyland & Lenny concert, but just a day trip yesterday was exhausting and costly enough.
I miss pretty much everything about the United States right now.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Friday, October 29, 2010
The other day I met a man from Detroit who lived in Portugal. I went on a run and saw the Jonas Brothers, a Canadian band (or so I've heard). I went to make travel plans with my German friend today. Then I went to see a French movie with a Peruvian friend. I love the whole globalization thing.
Peace out LIMAAAA going to Lunahuana to enjoy some sun, wine and rafting for the weekend.
Peace out LIMAAAA going to Lunahuana to enjoy some sun, wine and rafting for the weekend.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
sometimes I miss America...
47 days until I come home, which is 6 and a half weeks.. which is going to fly by. Sometimes I feel guilty I'm not itching to travel more, I'm so bad at planning. But then sometimes I think it's fine, because I like my routine here and I have seen a lot already and I'm not racing to see everything. So before I come home I'll squeeze in Iquitos, a beach trip and I'd like to go to Lunahuana, maybe this weekend, but I'm kinda slacking on planning and making reservations...
So I left school after my first class today because I'm feeling kind of tired and depressed because today I MISS AMERICA.. and I just couldn't sit around at the university wasting 3 hours before a class I don't care about just to wait to hunt a combi down during rush hour.. I'm calling it a skip for mental health.
AND IT PAID OFF!!!!! I got on a combi with ease this afternoon, sat next to a friendly old man who kept talking to me and smiling and laughing which boosted my mood. I get to Larcomar (where I came to do some work).. I order a coffee and the man in line behind me starts talking to me. Turns out he's from Miami, here on business, but he also has family in Lima. He speaks 5 languages and offered to buy me coffee. Since I'd already had one, I declined. We talked for like an hour about how important it is to learn languages and how it opens doors and how we've both backpacked Europe and what I'm doing with my life and what he does etc. Anyways he offered to take me to this nice restaurant on the ocean here (you may have seen it in my facebook albums)... It's not a creepy situation, I promise.. although I don't think I'm going to go. Then he told me he had to go buy saldo (money for your cell phone)... he asked if I have saldo and coincidentally I don't. He ended up putting 20 soles on my cell for me... coooool. I love random encounters with random people who enjoy seeing the world and learning languages as much as I do.
So yeah, good day.
other than I reallyyyyyyyy miss America today.
So I left school after my first class today because I'm feeling kind of tired and depressed because today I MISS AMERICA.. and I just couldn't sit around at the university wasting 3 hours before a class I don't care about just to wait to hunt a combi down during rush hour.. I'm calling it a skip for mental health.
AND IT PAID OFF!!!!! I got on a combi with ease this afternoon, sat next to a friendly old man who kept talking to me and smiling and laughing which boosted my mood. I get to Larcomar (where I came to do some work).. I order a coffee and the man in line behind me starts talking to me. Turns out he's from Miami, here on business, but he also has family in Lima. He speaks 5 languages and offered to buy me coffee. Since I'd already had one, I declined. We talked for like an hour about how important it is to learn languages and how it opens doors and how we've both backpacked Europe and what I'm doing with my life and what he does etc. Anyways he offered to take me to this nice restaurant on the ocean here (you may have seen it in my facebook albums)... It's not a creepy situation, I promise.. although I don't think I'm going to go. Then he told me he had to go buy saldo (money for your cell phone)... he asked if I have saldo and coincidentally I don't. He ended up putting 20 soles on my cell for me... coooool. I love random encounters with random people who enjoy seeing the world and learning languages as much as I do.
So yeah, good day.
other than I reallyyyyyyyy miss America today.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
COMBI CULTURE... this is worth reading.
This is my second post for the day, so make sure you check out the last one too with pictures of cooked guinea pig!
This is pasted out of wikipedia... to try to give you all a better grasp of the "combi culture" here in peru... my thoughts follow at the end.
Combi culture
Micro and especially combi drivers are known for being irrespectful of traffic rules, and are extremely aggressive in soliciting for new passengers. They will stop at any part of the streets to pick up passengers and will race other micro drivers to be able to get more passengers. This, combined with the lack of vehicle maintenance, the low prices, salsa, cumbia and reggaeton music on the radio and the overall relaxed feeling in the micros, has created the so-called "combi culture", which today is a synonym of the quasi-clandestinity in which they operate (route registration by Lima Province City Hall is generally lax, and many routes overlap). Few ads are provided by these stickers, although some humorous stickers parody known commercial logos.
The "Micro" is an inexpensive way to travel. A short trip costs only one Sol (in dollars, One Sol is equivalent at ~0.28). The most famous combi route in Lima is the S route. It goes from Callao or Ventanilla to Ate or Chorrillos".
Micros race from one street corner to another along all the major arterial city roads. Stickers saying, for example, "Todo Arequipa" or "Todo Benavides" can be seen on their windscreens, which indicates that the micro runs the whole length of Avenida Arequipa or Avenida Benavides. These microbuses dash dangerously fast, frequently crashing and speeding off before their passengers have got both feet into the vehicle. There being few bus stops, micros and combis pick and drop passengers anywhere along their route (although it is not allowed).
......... and i figured out something new about combis today. So there are men (sometimes women) that are cobradores and collect fares when you get on. They hang out of the windows and yell at people to get on or off and where the combi is going. Then there are these people who we always pass on the streets.. the cobradores will pay them like 50 sol cents and they tell the cobradores how many combis with the same route have passed recently in front of them... THEN THE RACE IS ON!!!!! because once they have this information the drivers race eachother to get more passengers.. and more money. this is ONE part of the explanation as to why traffic in this crazy city is SO hectic and dangerous...
and here, i googled and found an excerpt from someone else's blog worth sharing..
2. It is less safe. Lima's transportation system basically has three elements: taxi cabs, private buses, and private cars. Most people in Lima can only afford to take the private buses known as combis.
Since combis are basically private businesses, it is in their interest to move down the streets as quickly as possible. They race with other combis in hopes of being the first to arrive where a group of people is standing. In short, they want to pick up the bulk of the passengers.
Each combi has a driver and a person who stands in the door. The person standing in the door rushes people in and out of the combi, and knocks on the side of the combi when everyone is inside the bus, regardless of whether or not they are safely standing or seated. He or she then walks through the bus (if there's time), collecting the fare and distributing small insurance tickets. These little slips of paper are important if the combi crashes.
There are even individuals who work as informal statisticians, tracking in real-time how many combis have recently passed by certain stops. They sell their information to combis in quick 10 second transactions. I've started to wonder if these people could be employed to improve Lima's transportation system, but I've yet to figure out how.
As a passenger, once you are on the combi, you must be vigilant with your belongings. Obviously, the nicer dressed you are the more of a target you might become for thieves.
So this is the context for why Lima's buses are less safe. Alicia needs to dress nicely for work, and feels like she is more of a target in this context, and I agree. While it certainly doesn't happen all the time, on Monday when my wife traveled home she said that the combi nearly crashed, throwing everyone against the wall of the bus.
When you are on a combi, you are more or less forced to suck in the fumes as you travel. This is needless to say given the context, a big health hazard. (to go along with this... 3. Lima has some of the worst air pollution in the world. The World Health Organization claims that Lima has an average level of air pollution nine times higher than what is considered to be acceptable for healthy living. Lima has even recently required traffic officers to wear gas masks. Used cars are thought to be responsible for 86% of the air pollution in Lima and the average car is about 18 years old.)
i found an older blog from a student in my same program.. she sums up combis pretty well:
Combis are one of the most distinctive aspects of life in Lima, and I’ve put off writing about them because I wasn´t sure how to explain them. I think the closest analogy I can come up with is they are like a very small subway car that barrels along on a winding track. The feeling of being thrown against a window or a fellow rider is best conveyed by that…but it still doesn´t capture the combi experience. First of all, a combi is above ground, running on regular city streets among cars, bikes, pedestrians, and other forms of public transportation. That means two things: 1. You can see exactly how close you come to hitting people, curbs, and various giant trucks, and 2. the swerving is not guided by a track; instead it is dictated by all the other traffic and by people standing out on the side of the road waving their arms to get a combi to pick them up.
A combi looks like a small van, but one that´s been painted outside with stripes, street names, and occasionally religious slogans, and decorated inside with stickers, ornaments, and occasionally lights. It´s sometimes sort of rounded on the sides, so the tall rider sitting near a window has to tilt her neck away from the wall to avoid hitting it at every small bump. It generally looks like it originally could fit twelve or so people, but has been modified to fit about 20 by adding extra seats, and even a bench behind the driver where people sit/balance facing backward. There are also coasters, which are bigger than combis, and then there are micros, which are the size of school buses and have different rules about paying and stopping. I usually take combis because they´re convenient for getting to the university, and generally wherever I want to go.
When you want to take a combi somewhere you just go stand by the side of the road. If you see one you want passing by, you stick out your arm and it slams on the breaks so you can get on, and then jumps forward the second you´re mostly off the sidewalk. Apparently the police are cracking down on the combi drivers for stopping to pick up and drop off people at random places, so sometimes if you´re not at a designated stop the combis will just speed on by until you get the idea and move to a stop.
After you´ve gotten on the combi, at some point the cobrador will shake some coins at you and ask you to pay. He (or she) is the person on the combi who opens and closes the door, tells the driver when people want to get off, yells out the window where the combi is going, and is in charge of collecting money. I generally overhear, per combi-ride, 1-2 arguments with the cobrador about fares or routes, occasionally pretty intense ones. I´ve only argued twice, and was super-proud to win one of them! (I saved a whole 30 soles–about 10 cents. But it was the principle of the thing!)
When you want to get off of the combi you tell the cobrador, (¡baja!) he relays the info to the driver, and when the combi swerves toward the curb (or just stops in the middle of the road) you squeeze your way over knees and under elbows and half-jump half-fall down to the street.
this is what combis look like when they pick you up.. the cobrador greets you shouting out where he's going..
this is more like how they look during rush hour on my way home from school...
and this is what the front of MY combi that i have to take everyday looks like.. tell me this doesn't look like a creeper van...
MY THOUGHTS... this has been one of the biggest adjustments in my study abroad experience... public transportation. i've been told people leave Lima loving them or hating them and i have to admit i may miss the combis come my return home. i feel so proud every time i manage a successful combi ride!! i've learned to love the micro S compared to the bigger busses... crammed in there with all kinds of people, sometimes arguing with cobradors who try to rip me off (despite its only a few cents, its the principal of the matter) standing in a crowd on the side of a street trying to tag down an S combi with an open seat, the mix of reggaeton music, gaudy catholic decor and religious slogans, mix of classes of people, hitting my head and jamming my knees with every turn and pot hole... yeah, gonna miss it. i think some of the best stories my friends and i here could tell would start with "so one time i was on the combi..." SO TRUE.
This is pasted out of wikipedia... to try to give you all a better grasp of the "combi culture" here in peru... my thoughts follow at the end.
Combi culture
Micro and especially combi drivers are known for being irrespectful of traffic rules, and are extremely aggressive in soliciting for new passengers. They will stop at any part of the streets to pick up passengers and will race other micro drivers to be able to get more passengers. This, combined with the lack of vehicle maintenance, the low prices, salsa, cumbia and reggaeton music on the radio and the overall relaxed feeling in the micros, has created the so-called "combi culture", which today is a synonym of the quasi-clandestinity in which they operate (route registration by Lima Province City Hall is generally lax, and many routes overlap). Few ads are provided by these stickers, although some humorous stickers parody known commercial logos.
The "Micro" is an inexpensive way to travel. A short trip costs only one Sol (in dollars, One Sol is equivalent at ~0.28). The most famous combi route in Lima is the S route. It goes from Callao or Ventanilla to Ate or Chorrillos".
Micros race from one street corner to another along all the major arterial city roads. Stickers saying, for example, "Todo Arequipa" or "Todo Benavides" can be seen on their windscreens, which indicates that the micro runs the whole length of Avenida Arequipa or Avenida Benavides. These microbuses dash dangerously fast, frequently crashing and speeding off before their passengers have got both feet into the vehicle. There being few bus stops, micros and combis pick and drop passengers anywhere along their route (although it is not allowed).
......... and i figured out something new about combis today. So there are men (sometimes women) that are cobradores and collect fares when you get on. They hang out of the windows and yell at people to get on or off and where the combi is going. Then there are these people who we always pass on the streets.. the cobradores will pay them like 50 sol cents and they tell the cobradores how many combis with the same route have passed recently in front of them... THEN THE RACE IS ON!!!!! because once they have this information the drivers race eachother to get more passengers.. and more money. this is ONE part of the explanation as to why traffic in this crazy city is SO hectic and dangerous...
and here, i googled and found an excerpt from someone else's blog worth sharing..
2. It is less safe. Lima's transportation system basically has three elements: taxi cabs, private buses, and private cars. Most people in Lima can only afford to take the private buses known as combis.
Since combis are basically private businesses, it is in their interest to move down the streets as quickly as possible. They race with other combis in hopes of being the first to arrive where a group of people is standing. In short, they want to pick up the bulk of the passengers.
Each combi has a driver and a person who stands in the door. The person standing in the door rushes people in and out of the combi, and knocks on the side of the combi when everyone is inside the bus, regardless of whether or not they are safely standing or seated. He or she then walks through the bus (if there's time), collecting the fare and distributing small insurance tickets. These little slips of paper are important if the combi crashes.
There are even individuals who work as informal statisticians, tracking in real-time how many combis have recently passed by certain stops. They sell their information to combis in quick 10 second transactions. I've started to wonder if these people could be employed to improve Lima's transportation system, but I've yet to figure out how.
As a passenger, once you are on the combi, you must be vigilant with your belongings. Obviously, the nicer dressed you are the more of a target you might become for thieves.
So this is the context for why Lima's buses are less safe. Alicia needs to dress nicely for work, and feels like she is more of a target in this context, and I agree. While it certainly doesn't happen all the time, on Monday when my wife traveled home she said that the combi nearly crashed, throwing everyone against the wall of the bus.
When you are on a combi, you are more or less forced to suck in the fumes as you travel. This is needless to say given the context, a big health hazard. (to go along with this... 3. Lima has some of the worst air pollution in the world. The World Health Organization claims that Lima has an average level of air pollution nine times higher than what is considered to be acceptable for healthy living. Lima has even recently required traffic officers to wear gas masks. Used cars are thought to be responsible for 86% of the air pollution in Lima and the average car is about 18 years old.)
i found an older blog from a student in my same program.. she sums up combis pretty well:
Combis are one of the most distinctive aspects of life in Lima, and I’ve put off writing about them because I wasn´t sure how to explain them. I think the closest analogy I can come up with is they are like a very small subway car that barrels along on a winding track. The feeling of being thrown against a window or a fellow rider is best conveyed by that…but it still doesn´t capture the combi experience. First of all, a combi is above ground, running on regular city streets among cars, bikes, pedestrians, and other forms of public transportation. That means two things: 1. You can see exactly how close you come to hitting people, curbs, and various giant trucks, and 2. the swerving is not guided by a track; instead it is dictated by all the other traffic and by people standing out on the side of the road waving their arms to get a combi to pick them up.
A combi looks like a small van, but one that´s been painted outside with stripes, street names, and occasionally religious slogans, and decorated inside with stickers, ornaments, and occasionally lights. It´s sometimes sort of rounded on the sides, so the tall rider sitting near a window has to tilt her neck away from the wall to avoid hitting it at every small bump. It generally looks like it originally could fit twelve or so people, but has been modified to fit about 20 by adding extra seats, and even a bench behind the driver where people sit/balance facing backward. There are also coasters, which are bigger than combis, and then there are micros, which are the size of school buses and have different rules about paying and stopping. I usually take combis because they´re convenient for getting to the university, and generally wherever I want to go.
When you want to take a combi somewhere you just go stand by the side of the road. If you see one you want passing by, you stick out your arm and it slams on the breaks so you can get on, and then jumps forward the second you´re mostly off the sidewalk. Apparently the police are cracking down on the combi drivers for stopping to pick up and drop off people at random places, so sometimes if you´re not at a designated stop the combis will just speed on by until you get the idea and move to a stop.
After you´ve gotten on the combi, at some point the cobrador will shake some coins at you and ask you to pay. He (or she) is the person on the combi who opens and closes the door, tells the driver when people want to get off, yells out the window where the combi is going, and is in charge of collecting money. I generally overhear, per combi-ride, 1-2 arguments with the cobrador about fares or routes, occasionally pretty intense ones. I´ve only argued twice, and was super-proud to win one of them! (I saved a whole 30 soles–about 10 cents. But it was the principle of the thing!)
When you want to get off of the combi you tell the cobrador, (¡baja!) he relays the info to the driver, and when the combi swerves toward the curb (or just stops in the middle of the road) you squeeze your way over knees and under elbows and half-jump half-fall down to the street.
this is what combis look like when they pick you up.. the cobrador greets you shouting out where he's going..
this is more like how they look during rush hour on my way home from school...
and this is what the front of MY combi that i have to take everyday looks like.. tell me this doesn't look like a creeper van...
MY THOUGHTS... this has been one of the biggest adjustments in my study abroad experience... public transportation. i've been told people leave Lima loving them or hating them and i have to admit i may miss the combis come my return home. i feel so proud every time i manage a successful combi ride!! i've learned to love the micro S compared to the bigger busses... crammed in there with all kinds of people, sometimes arguing with cobradors who try to rip me off (despite its only a few cents, its the principal of the matter) standing in a crowd on the side of a street trying to tag down an S combi with an open seat, the mix of reggaeton music, gaudy catholic decor and religious slogans, mix of classes of people, hitting my head and jamming my knees with every turn and pot hole... yeah, gonna miss it. i think some of the best stories my friends and i here could tell would start with "so one time i was on the combi..." SO TRUE.
_____________. my current emotion.
today our group went to caral for the day.. the oldest civilization in the western hemisphere. it was cool.. but just like after europe i didn't care about going into anymore catholic churches, i'm starting not to care about walking around rocks and sand and hearing about how people used to cook the same things and religious governments and sacrifices. we ate at a cute outdoor restaurant on the way home but truth be told I AM SO SICK OF THE FOOD HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!! really, i miss American food. a lotttttttt. a lot of people tried cuy (guinea pig) but after trying octopus and that not going so well I was a little nervous. it came out on the plate with fur, eyelashes, claws and eyes. ehhhh i think i'd rather maintain guinea pigs at pet status. but i do wanna try it once before I leave.
a few of us had a conversation today that made me feel kinda better.. because i love this study abroad experience, but it's definitely not the time of my life. likeee I LOVEEEE living here, i love my family and im benefitting a LOT from doing this.. really glad I didnt go to Spain/Europe.. too generic for study abroaders. and i wonder sometimes what those experiences are really like compared to South America. we were just talking about how we're all glad we are here but we think it'll really set it how much it's impacted us once we get home. yeah, it's definitely going to have more of an impact once i'm at Temple comparing everything next semester, it will put things into a whole new perspective. and I swear I will appreciate EVERYTHING so much more....
also... I REGISTERED FOR THE 10K WE RUN LIMA :) This I am excited for. I am the only one in my group to sign up for it but I think I'm going with a friend from Iowa... either way I'm in.... and really stoked for it. and i'm going to get an awesome nike running shirt souvenier out of it sweet deal.
a few of us had a conversation today that made me feel kinda better.. because i love this study abroad experience, but it's definitely not the time of my life. likeee I LOVEEEE living here, i love my family and im benefitting a LOT from doing this.. really glad I didnt go to Spain/Europe.. too generic for study abroaders. and i wonder sometimes what those experiences are really like compared to South America. we were just talking about how we're all glad we are here but we think it'll really set it how much it's impacted us once we get home. yeah, it's definitely going to have more of an impact once i'm at Temple comparing everything next semester, it will put things into a whole new perspective. and I swear I will appreciate EVERYTHING so much more....
also... I REGISTERED FOR THE 10K WE RUN LIMA :) This I am excited for. I am the only one in my group to sign up for it but I think I'm going with a friend from Iowa... either way I'm in.... and really stoked for it. and i'm going to get an awesome nike running shirt souvenier out of it sweet deal.
Friday, October 22, 2010
"Yo no se mañana..." stuck in my head today.
Perú is better than ever.. :)
An alright week of classes. We got group projects in International Relations and I'm working with 3 other Peruvians... I got my first paper back from Amazonian Ethnography and I got a 15/20.. for a 6 page paper, not bad.
TODAY WE STARTED SALSA/MERENGUE CLASSES AT THE OFFICE!!!! So much funnnnn. And our instructer played 2 of my favorite songs, so I had extra fun. But I must say being a white irish girl made it a little more challenging since I don't have natural rythm.. for latin dancing at least ;) But I'm going to keep going to all the classes and hopefully find a place to go salsa dancing in Philadelphia. (If I feel confident enough at that point..)
Afterwards I went to register for the 10k We Run Lima race on November 6!!! SOOOO EXCITED. It's a night race and I can't wait to go run in a crowd of other peruvian runners at night when the temperature is perfect and everything is lit up and end along the coast where I usually run.
After I registered I went and bought a book I've been wanted to read by a Peruvian Author, Isabel Allende.. the book is called "La Isla Bajo el Mar".. going to take my time and make sure I understand it.
Then, another evening run to Parque del Amor. Tonight I'm taking it easy because tomorrow our group is leaving at 6:30am to go to Caral, oldest city in South America.
more to come...
besitos.
An alright week of classes. We got group projects in International Relations and I'm working with 3 other Peruvians... I got my first paper back from Amazonian Ethnography and I got a 15/20.. for a 6 page paper, not bad.
TODAY WE STARTED SALSA/MERENGUE CLASSES AT THE OFFICE!!!! So much funnnnn. And our instructer played 2 of my favorite songs, so I had extra fun. But I must say being a white irish girl made it a little more challenging since I don't have natural rythm.. for latin dancing at least ;) But I'm going to keep going to all the classes and hopefully find a place to go salsa dancing in Philadelphia. (If I feel confident enough at that point..)
Afterwards I went to register for the 10k We Run Lima race on November 6!!! SOOOO EXCITED. It's a night race and I can't wait to go run in a crowd of other peruvian runners at night when the temperature is perfect and everything is lit up and end along the coast where I usually run.
After I registered I went and bought a book I've been wanted to read by a Peruvian Author, Isabel Allende.. the book is called "La Isla Bajo el Mar".. going to take my time and make sure I understand it.
Then, another evening run to Parque del Amor. Tonight I'm taking it easy because tomorrow our group is leaving at 6:30am to go to Caral, oldest city in South America.
more to come...
besitos.
Monday, October 18, 2010
update: there are birds chirping around the city now!!!!!!
Wrapped up midterms week with a free massage, a pedicure and a night at the Wine Expo with some Peruvian friends.. not bad. The rest of the weekend included a lottttt of sleeping, a lot of running along the beach and a lot more peanut butter :) My grandma thinks I'm a little crazy when she sees me putting it on my banana, making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and spooning it out of the can, but I'm temporarily obsessed.
This week it's back to classes and trying to stay somewhat focused. I've been putting off work on my project lately, which I need to catch up on, and I've got a few more pages to write for my Amazonian Etnography paper (ew).
This week I may be going to volunteer at the UN in Perú with young people who have grown up in the cocaine industry... could be interesting but I'm still not sure if and when I can do this. So we'll see.
This weekend my group is taking a trip to Caral, the most ancient city in the Americas and Sunday one girl from my program and I are planning on running a breast cancer race in the morning... Should be a great weekend.
Another trip coming up is to Carmen for an afroperuano weekend as described to us :) Sounds fun... and I think I'm going to start planning a end of the program trip in December to Iquitos... THE AMAZON RAINFOREST! :) I've seen pictures from other students' trips and it looks amazing. I was trying to decide between Puno (and Lake Titicaca) and Iquitos.. and I think I'm going with Iquitos because it's a region and culture of the city very different from everything else I've seen. Since Greg and I never actually got to see a sloth when we went to Costa Rica, I'm kind of hoping I see one in Iquitos :)
alsoooo the WAILERS are coming to Lima! Jessa & I talked about going to see them and maybe some other people will join us, would be an awesome concert!
56 days or 8 weeks left until I come home.. just a little under 2 months. Skype with a lot of friends and family this weekend. I love to see everyone from home doing so well and so happy :)
Some pictures....
Part of the mosaic wall at Parque del Amor... where I usually run to.
Jessa & I with some Peruvian friends at the Wine Expo... we got to learn a lot about wine from all over south america and try them all for free all night :) Goood times.
This week it's back to classes and trying to stay somewhat focused. I've been putting off work on my project lately, which I need to catch up on, and I've got a few more pages to write for my Amazonian Etnography paper (ew).
This week I may be going to volunteer at the UN in Perú with young people who have grown up in the cocaine industry... could be interesting but I'm still not sure if and when I can do this. So we'll see.
This weekend my group is taking a trip to Caral, the most ancient city in the Americas and Sunday one girl from my program and I are planning on running a breast cancer race in the morning... Should be a great weekend.
Another trip coming up is to Carmen for an afroperuano weekend as described to us :) Sounds fun... and I think I'm going to start planning a end of the program trip in December to Iquitos... THE AMAZON RAINFOREST! :) I've seen pictures from other students' trips and it looks amazing. I was trying to decide between Puno (and Lake Titicaca) and Iquitos.. and I think I'm going with Iquitos because it's a region and culture of the city very different from everything else I've seen. Since Greg and I never actually got to see a sloth when we went to Costa Rica, I'm kind of hoping I see one in Iquitos :)
alsoooo the WAILERS are coming to Lima! Jessa & I talked about going to see them and maybe some other people will join us, would be an awesome concert!
56 days or 8 weeks left until I come home.. just a little under 2 months. Skype with a lot of friends and family this weekend. I love to see everyone from home doing so well and so happy :)
Some pictures....
Part of the mosaic wall at Parque del Amor... where I usually run to.
Jessa & I with some Peruvian friends at the Wine Expo... we got to learn a lot about wine from all over south america and try them all for free all night :) Goood times.
Friday, October 15, 2010
66 and sunny :)
Is it Spring in Lima? It's looking like it more and more everyday.. :)
I'm greeting this weekend with open arms after midterms week and all the work I'm trying to catch up on for here and Temple.. still have a lot to do, but am going to have a fun weekend. Tonight I'm going wine tasting with Jessa and two peruvians, should be interesting.. and then to a club at Larcomar on the coast..
Yesterday Molly & I met up to run together.. we ended up doing a lot.. walking along the beach in the sand and to love park and the lighthouse. it was great :)
so this week I was doing my readings for Peruvian Social Reality and a lot of them connected to what we're learning about in International Relations specific to Perú so they're already more interesting to read this half of the semester than last. I'm learning a lot about how centralized Perú is and how much it's kind of destroyed internal relations and foreign relations.. Also, the mayor of Lima STILL HAS NOT BEEN ANNOUNCED.. which is ridiculous to me, i think it's been about 2 weeks now. Anyways, one of the articles that I read took focus on how, despite the huge gaps between rich and poor and their living conditions in this country, the majority despite statistics have cable and cell phones... almost as a priority over a dirt vs. hard floor as the author describes... strange to think of how blessed we are in comparison. Also we are learning a lot about how mining companies come into Perú, destroy social structures and cause conflicts and pollution that kill agricultural income and political relations and how those companies don't help the people in the regions they take over at all with jobs, because theyre "undereducated" or with programs to help give back. instead they come in, set up their missions and damage peru´s natural resources. sad.
two favorite foods at home in Perú... fried Yuca and Choclo (big corn).
I'm greeting this weekend with open arms after midterms week and all the work I'm trying to catch up on for here and Temple.. still have a lot to do, but am going to have a fun weekend. Tonight I'm going wine tasting with Jessa and two peruvians, should be interesting.. and then to a club at Larcomar on the coast..
Yesterday Molly & I met up to run together.. we ended up doing a lot.. walking along the beach in the sand and to love park and the lighthouse. it was great :)
so this week I was doing my readings for Peruvian Social Reality and a lot of them connected to what we're learning about in International Relations specific to Perú so they're already more interesting to read this half of the semester than last. I'm learning a lot about how centralized Perú is and how much it's kind of destroyed internal relations and foreign relations.. Also, the mayor of Lima STILL HAS NOT BEEN ANNOUNCED.. which is ridiculous to me, i think it's been about 2 weeks now. Anyways, one of the articles that I read took focus on how, despite the huge gaps between rich and poor and their living conditions in this country, the majority despite statistics have cable and cell phones... almost as a priority over a dirt vs. hard floor as the author describes... strange to think of how blessed we are in comparison. Also we are learning a lot about how mining companies come into Perú, destroy social structures and cause conflicts and pollution that kill agricultural income and political relations and how those companies don't help the people in the regions they take over at all with jobs, because theyre "undereducated" or with programs to help give back. instead they come in, set up their missions and damage peru´s natural resources. sad.
two favorite foods at home in Perú... fried Yuca and Choclo (big corn).
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Ay, ¡Qué rica la crema de mani!
3 finals down. one paper to write.
not horrible.
i found it interesting that 2/3 of my international relations midterms was relative to september 11. of course, that's got a big impact literally on international relations.. but seeing this being so talked about in Perú 9 years later kind of surprises me.
i went to the supermarket and bought peanut butter tonight.. way expensive here, but worth every penny to be reacquainted. forgot to grab a bottle of honey though, to make my favorite banana + peanut butter + honey toasted sandwhich.. going for that tomorrow. my gma and zaira tried it and had good reactions.. so i think i'm turning them on to peanut butter.
discovering sooo much latin music here that i loveeeeee :) happy for this!
today was warm and sunny and although i was studying all day, i was thankful for it on my walk to the combi and on campus!
also, 3 different people, peruvians, said "HI" to me today.. did my appearance shout gringa today or something?!
not sure if i'm travelling out of Lima this month or not because I think I'd rather put that $$ to go to Iquitos. It was down to Lake Titicaca, which I'd loveeee to see, or Iquitos and I think I'd rather go to Iquitos in December before I leave because it's a culture here I have yet to experience.
Tomorrow I'm spending some time at La Arábica to survey customers about fair trade for my project. Also, it's fair trade month and my tutor and I may host some kind of event in Lima to promote awareness about fair trade in Perú.. could be neat.
That's pretty much it for now.
:)
not horrible.
i found it interesting that 2/3 of my international relations midterms was relative to september 11. of course, that's got a big impact literally on international relations.. but seeing this being so talked about in Perú 9 years later kind of surprises me.
i went to the supermarket and bought peanut butter tonight.. way expensive here, but worth every penny to be reacquainted. forgot to grab a bottle of honey though, to make my favorite banana + peanut butter + honey toasted sandwhich.. going for that tomorrow. my gma and zaira tried it and had good reactions.. so i think i'm turning them on to peanut butter.
discovering sooo much latin music here that i loveeeeee :) happy for this!
today was warm and sunny and although i was studying all day, i was thankful for it on my walk to the combi and on campus!
also, 3 different people, peruvians, said "HI" to me today.. did my appearance shout gringa today or something?!
not sure if i'm travelling out of Lima this month or not because I think I'd rather put that $$ to go to Iquitos. It was down to Lake Titicaca, which I'd loveeee to see, or Iquitos and I think I'd rather go to Iquitos in December before I leave because it's a culture here I have yet to experience.
Tomorrow I'm spending some time at La Arábica to survey customers about fair trade for my project. Also, it's fair trade month and my tutor and I may host some kind of event in Lima to promote awareness about fair trade in Perú.. could be neat.
That's pretty much it for now.
:)
Sunday, October 10, 2010
felizzisssiimmmaaa :)
noticing more and more how much spanish is starting to click for me. i feel like i understand the news almost completely now, reading for class is much easier and i'm starting to speak faster (says my family).. so i'm hoping my speaking especially continues to progress this next half of the semester.
walked to larcomar (mall on the beach kinda thing) tonight and the walk was beautiful.. perfect temperature, blue skies, blue ocean, palm trees... :) i could get used to living on the shore.
i feel like i'm also starting to get a lot more comfortable with my family, too.. i feel like i lucked out with the BEST host family, i am sooo happy to be living here. and grateful, because i know how much a lack of chemistry could impact an experience abroad.. but my family and living with a host family is probably my #1 favorite thing about being here. my grandma, mom, sister and zaira are all such beautiful people! :) and living in a house full of 5 women is lots of fun.
i see the rest of my experience only getting increasingly better with the spring weather starting to replace the winter weather, more comfort and confidence in this country, and more understanding and tolerance of everything.
sometimes i try to figure out why i am so blessed with this wonderful life. why me? what brought me to be living in Perú, South America, at 20 years old?! How lucky I am to explore these lifestyles before I enter a chapter of life where I won't be as free to just get up and go and do cool things like this. Not everyone has this chance, not everyone even wants this.. and I'm blessed with every bit of it. even when it's frustrating to be here, a gringa, and away from so many familiar things, I try to hold on to these thoughts :)
went out for indian food last night... GREAT IDEA! IT WAS DELICIOUS! and so close to my house, i'll definitely being going again sometime. A fancy, delicious restaurant with an entree and a side of naan (YUM) for only $13. love it.
tomorrow = STUDY STUDY STUDY midterm
tuesday = STUDY STUDY STUDY midterm
wednesday = breather.
thursday = WRITE A PAPER, ewwwww.
friday = free massage :)
this weekend.. i need to have a lot of fun!
mom & oriana are going to argentina for the week.. in the meantime i'm going to find recipes and hunt for ingredients in Perú to make pumpkin flavored things.. like pumpkin roll, pumpkin pie, baked pumpkin seeds and cinnamon.. i wanna surprise them!
SMILE
:)
hope everyones enjoying my favorite season.
walked to larcomar (mall on the beach kinda thing) tonight and the walk was beautiful.. perfect temperature, blue skies, blue ocean, palm trees... :) i could get used to living on the shore.
i feel like i'm also starting to get a lot more comfortable with my family, too.. i feel like i lucked out with the BEST host family, i am sooo happy to be living here. and grateful, because i know how much a lack of chemistry could impact an experience abroad.. but my family and living with a host family is probably my #1 favorite thing about being here. my grandma, mom, sister and zaira are all such beautiful people! :) and living in a house full of 5 women is lots of fun.
i see the rest of my experience only getting increasingly better with the spring weather starting to replace the winter weather, more comfort and confidence in this country, and more understanding and tolerance of everything.
sometimes i try to figure out why i am so blessed with this wonderful life. why me? what brought me to be living in Perú, South America, at 20 years old?! How lucky I am to explore these lifestyles before I enter a chapter of life where I won't be as free to just get up and go and do cool things like this. Not everyone has this chance, not everyone even wants this.. and I'm blessed with every bit of it. even when it's frustrating to be here, a gringa, and away from so many familiar things, I try to hold on to these thoughts :)
went out for indian food last night... GREAT IDEA! IT WAS DELICIOUS! and so close to my house, i'll definitely being going again sometime. A fancy, delicious restaurant with an entree and a side of naan (YUM) for only $13. love it.
tomorrow = STUDY STUDY STUDY midterm
tuesday = STUDY STUDY STUDY midterm
wednesday = breather.
thursday = WRITE A PAPER, ewwwww.
friday = free massage :)
this weekend.. i need to have a lot of fun!
mom & oriana are going to argentina for the week.. in the meantime i'm going to find recipes and hunt for ingredients in Perú to make pumpkin flavored things.. like pumpkin roll, pumpkin pie, baked pumpkin seeds and cinnamon.. i wanna surprise them!
SMILE
:)
hope everyones enjoying my favorite season.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Soy más peruana que Inka Kola
today was a peruvian military-dedicated holiday, so my host mom and oriana were home today, which i enjoyed. our schedules are often opposite since i'm home all day and have class more in the evenings. so i definitely enjoy spending time with them this morning. we had breakfast and coffee together and ended up having a 2 hour conversation about lots of stuff like peruvian history and sendero luminoso and how my mom remembers Lima during that time (fairly recent!), about the american stereotype, about differences between our countries and lots more..
anyways, something my mom told me that really surprised me is that while Sendero Luminoso was still existent in Lima, they used to surround her university to spy on everyone and so did the government officials to find suspected terrorists. she explained to me how the police and the military were violent forces even against citizens during this time as a means to eliminate the reds.. and how today the right-wing political parties in Perú still accuse the leftists of being senderists. (ironic...) and while the elections for the city mayor were recent, they're being recalculated and carefully re-examined by lawyers for the possibility of having been rigged.. in favor of Lourdes, the right-wing candidate. Anyways, they've estimated 12 more days (as of about 2 days ago) until the winner is announced.. Susana Villarde (i think thats her last name) is the left-wing candidate, more of a socialist... the major difference between Lourdes & Susana is that Lourdes has a focus of more economic development (metro system and improved train systems throughout the country for the most part) while Susana's approach is more in the direction of social development being as important as economic development.. so probably less technological advancement, but more of a social advance. from my perspective, and maybe somewhat biased, i hope Susana wins. If Lourdes does, I think the social gaps that exist here and are terribly evident will only increase.. How can you only think of economic advancement when your country is still constantly impacted by extremist social tensions?
good news, passed my 2nd international relations control (by a hair), but i passed nonetheless.
midterms are coming up, ive got another 6 page paper to write on 2 books im never gonna have time to read in time and of course, more work with my fair trade research.
i met with my tutor today and next week i'll be surveying a sample of customers at the café where we meet and he owns (http://arabicaespressobar.blogspot.com/). it's a quantitative approach to figure out what the general population that go to a fair trade café actually know and think about fair trade.. i like it, and am really excited to see the results.
i also have an interview to schedule next week the the liaison officer of FLO (Fairtrade Labeling Organization International). Pretty awesome the contacts my tutor is helping me get in touch with.
After the survey and my 3rd interview, I'll be working on designing flyers to raise awareness about the fair trade processes and successes that exist in Perú.
what else...
the rest of this weekend is STUDYING.
but there is a seemingly wonderful indian restaurant near my house that i'll be going to tomorrow night with my intercambio group :) very exciteddddd!
next week my host mom and oriana (sister) are going to be in argentina all week to visit my host brother who studies there.. I think while they're gone I want to make a pumpkin pie from scratch to surprise them with for when they come home.. they celebrate halloween here and import pumpkins (despite it's spring here).. but they don't have pumpkin foods here and you don't get much more american than pumpkin pie. unless of course, it's apple pie.
wish me sanity this coming week.. i'll need it.
PS... today is the 1/2way point of my program here... I'll be home in 68 days. (I think it's 68 off hand?)
anyways, something my mom told me that really surprised me is that while Sendero Luminoso was still existent in Lima, they used to surround her university to spy on everyone and so did the government officials to find suspected terrorists. she explained to me how the police and the military were violent forces even against citizens during this time as a means to eliminate the reds.. and how today the right-wing political parties in Perú still accuse the leftists of being senderists. (ironic...) and while the elections for the city mayor were recent, they're being recalculated and carefully re-examined by lawyers for the possibility of having been rigged.. in favor of Lourdes, the right-wing candidate. Anyways, they've estimated 12 more days (as of about 2 days ago) until the winner is announced.. Susana Villarde (i think thats her last name) is the left-wing candidate, more of a socialist... the major difference between Lourdes & Susana is that Lourdes has a focus of more economic development (metro system and improved train systems throughout the country for the most part) while Susana's approach is more in the direction of social development being as important as economic development.. so probably less technological advancement, but more of a social advance. from my perspective, and maybe somewhat biased, i hope Susana wins. If Lourdes does, I think the social gaps that exist here and are terribly evident will only increase.. How can you only think of economic advancement when your country is still constantly impacted by extremist social tensions?
good news, passed my 2nd international relations control (by a hair), but i passed nonetheless.
midterms are coming up, ive got another 6 page paper to write on 2 books im never gonna have time to read in time and of course, more work with my fair trade research.
i met with my tutor today and next week i'll be surveying a sample of customers at the café where we meet and he owns (http://arabicaespressobar.blogspot.com/). it's a quantitative approach to figure out what the general population that go to a fair trade café actually know and think about fair trade.. i like it, and am really excited to see the results.
i also have an interview to schedule next week the the liaison officer of FLO (Fairtrade Labeling Organization International). Pretty awesome the contacts my tutor is helping me get in touch with.
After the survey and my 3rd interview, I'll be working on designing flyers to raise awareness about the fair trade processes and successes that exist in Perú.
what else...
the rest of this weekend is STUDYING.
but there is a seemingly wonderful indian restaurant near my house that i'll be going to tomorrow night with my intercambio group :) very exciteddddd!
next week my host mom and oriana (sister) are going to be in argentina all week to visit my host brother who studies there.. I think while they're gone I want to make a pumpkin pie from scratch to surprise them with for when they come home.. they celebrate halloween here and import pumpkins (despite it's spring here).. but they don't have pumpkin foods here and you don't get much more american than pumpkin pie. unless of course, it's apple pie.
wish me sanity this coming week.. i'll need it.
PS... today is the 1/2way point of my program here... I'll be home in 68 days. (I think it's 68 off hand?)
Thursday, October 7, 2010
feeling muchhh more energized and enthusiastic about Perú going into this blog post.. :)
on the plus side, my castellaño mid-term went well, i'd say. that class is one of my favorites because we always get really good readings (bits from literature) to read and they're interesting.
last night was definitelyyyy a great break from the "study" aspect of being here.. Pisco Sour, Bembos, showing up late on Peruvian time for the first time, Latino music, dancing and really good conversations & laughs with my favorite gringas. :):)
and I'm on a confident streak with my Spanish this week.. sometimes I have fail moments and sometimes I feel good about my progres.. This morning I was reading different papers I have to read for my International Relations class and I'm realizing that it's good that I notice myself getting to a point where I don't want to put something down that I'm reading in Spanish because it grabs my attention, and the fact that I'm starting to grasp an understanding of the difficult readings and whatnot is a confidence booster.
the rest of the day.. and weekend.. and next week as official midterm week will be full of studying and working on stuff.. but next friday our director hired a masseuse (sp?) for us all to enjoy! How nice!
I think I'm going to plan a trip to Huancayo at the end of October with my friend that I met here from Germany.. it's another andean mountain trip, but the mountains always give me a breath of fresh air after spending time in Lima.
And I'm reallyyyyyyyy excited about hopefully planning a trip to the Amazon, Iquitos!!!!! (which would also be cool because it's where our house-maid is from). It's a completely different culture than the others I've seen in Perú, and I'd love to experience it before heading back to the States, so that may be my one last trip to go out with a bang.
on the plus side, my castellaño mid-term went well, i'd say. that class is one of my favorites because we always get really good readings (bits from literature) to read and they're interesting.
last night was definitelyyyy a great break from the "study" aspect of being here.. Pisco Sour, Bembos, showing up late on Peruvian time for the first time, Latino music, dancing and really good conversations & laughs with my favorite gringas. :):)
and I'm on a confident streak with my Spanish this week.. sometimes I have fail moments and sometimes I feel good about my progres.. This morning I was reading different papers I have to read for my International Relations class and I'm realizing that it's good that I notice myself getting to a point where I don't want to put something down that I'm reading in Spanish because it grabs my attention, and the fact that I'm starting to grasp an understanding of the difficult readings and whatnot is a confidence booster.
the rest of the day.. and weekend.. and next week as official midterm week will be full of studying and working on stuff.. but next friday our director hired a masseuse (sp?) for us all to enjoy! How nice!
I think I'm going to plan a trip to Huancayo at the end of October with my friend that I met here from Germany.. it's another andean mountain trip, but the mountains always give me a breath of fresh air after spending time in Lima.
And I'm reallyyyyyyyy excited about hopefully planning a trip to the Amazon, Iquitos!!!!! (which would also be cool because it's where our house-maid is from). It's a completely different culture than the others I've seen in Perú, and I'd love to experience it before heading back to the States, so that may be my one last trip to go out with a bang.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
i didn't pass my first test for international relations.
i'm almost POSITIVE i didn't pass my test last night for Peruvian Social Reality.
i'll find out about my second test for international relations this afternoon. (fingers crossed?)
and midterms for these classes are next week.
this week has been rough, feeling kind of homesick. but i don't wish i was at home because i know it's rainy and busy there and i'm happy to be here, just getting frustrated with how much more difficult it is to do ANYTHING here.. everything is a process. the cool thing about US colleges is living in a campus community, i really appreciate a lot more about Temple than I ever realized. like the library. here, there is no where to lounge and study except for a few cafes near my house, and they're all american so sometimes i get frustrated that i frequent them because i feel guilty going into gloria jeans, where they play american music etc. oh well.
it's just been an off week, but i have tomorrow night to look forward, too. A friend's mom gave her 4 free tickets for a club in our town and there's a band from Panama playing tomorrow night. cannottt waiittt to have some fun! :)
once midterms are over i'm going to try and take a short trip somewhere again, maybe Oxampampa.. for a music festival... ANYWHERE that gets me out of LIMA for some fresh air!
The one thing I love most about living where I live is definitely the great paths I have for running, along the coast and parks and palm trees :) that's a big plus.. keeps me grounded. Sometimes I get antsy being in a City for too long, and I'm definitely feeling that here, too.
I'm also going into center Lima this weekend to hit up some markets with some friends, time to explore some more.
last night after leaving an exam i feel horrible about i got onto the wrong combi, had to jump off of it while it was moving with everyone staring at me and la cobradora yelling at me to be careful, hikeeee to where i could catch the right combi. i waited for like 20 minutes because during rush hour it's killer to find an open combi.. especially for me, because there are bigger bus-like combis and there are little minivan combis.. the ones that travel by my house are the little rickity creeper van combis.. so yeah, i have to hunt down an open seat in those. i finally found one, rode backwards for an hour with my feet planted to the ground to hold me in place, legs intertwined with a bigger, older man sitting across from me, practically in his lap, and a broken seat that flew forward everytime the driver slammed on the brakes, because they ALLWAYYSSS slam the brakes.
love, Perú.
i'm almost POSITIVE i didn't pass my test last night for Peruvian Social Reality.
i'll find out about my second test for international relations this afternoon. (fingers crossed?)
and midterms for these classes are next week.
this week has been rough, feeling kind of homesick. but i don't wish i was at home because i know it's rainy and busy there and i'm happy to be here, just getting frustrated with how much more difficult it is to do ANYTHING here.. everything is a process. the cool thing about US colleges is living in a campus community, i really appreciate a lot more about Temple than I ever realized. like the library. here, there is no where to lounge and study except for a few cafes near my house, and they're all american so sometimes i get frustrated that i frequent them because i feel guilty going into gloria jeans, where they play american music etc. oh well.
it's just been an off week, but i have tomorrow night to look forward, too. A friend's mom gave her 4 free tickets for a club in our town and there's a band from Panama playing tomorrow night. cannottt waiittt to have some fun! :)
once midterms are over i'm going to try and take a short trip somewhere again, maybe Oxampampa.. for a music festival... ANYWHERE that gets me out of LIMA for some fresh air!
The one thing I love most about living where I live is definitely the great paths I have for running, along the coast and parks and palm trees :) that's a big plus.. keeps me grounded. Sometimes I get antsy being in a City for too long, and I'm definitely feeling that here, too.
I'm also going into center Lima this weekend to hit up some markets with some friends, time to explore some more.
last night after leaving an exam i feel horrible about i got onto the wrong combi, had to jump off of it while it was moving with everyone staring at me and la cobradora yelling at me to be careful, hikeeee to where i could catch the right combi. i waited for like 20 minutes because during rush hour it's killer to find an open combi.. especially for me, because there are bigger bus-like combis and there are little minivan combis.. the ones that travel by my house are the little rickity creeper van combis.. so yeah, i have to hunt down an open seat in those. i finally found one, rode backwards for an hour with my feet planted to the ground to hold me in place, legs intertwined with a bigger, older man sitting across from me, practically in his lap, and a broken seat that flew forward everytime the driver slammed on the brakes, because they ALLWAYYSSS slam the brakes.
love, Perú.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
elections, coffee, studying..
Today is election day in Perú for about 195 province mayors, 1838 district mayors and 25 regional presidents. About 19 million peruvians will vote today, as it is obligatory once you turn 18 years old. Since I've been here I've noticed the campaigning.. in Lima this has meant posters and road side billboards with candidates smiling and catch phrases, a few commercials (but they don't seem to be the opponent-bashing ones like we have, then again, maybe they are?) and in the country side a lottt of painted buildings with party symbols and names. I'm not sure of the exact year Americans were aloud to start coming here in programs like mine, for Study Abroad, but I've heard it's relatively recent. That being said, the 20 year terrorist war in Perú (which we NEVER learn about in U.S. textbooks) is also historically recent. I feel like these elections hold a lot of emotion for a lot of Peruvians and so I'm really hoping for the best candidates to win to help this country progress. There are many underdevelloped areas and projects (urban and country) in this country and a lot of racial/political tension still exists, and is rather evident. My hostmom is working for a leftist political party on behalf of a woman named Susana Villarán making sure votes are not altered and that all votes in her school are counted accurately. Here, everything is a paper vote. To me, it seems like that could make it easier for corruption in counting votes... hence, jobs like that of my host mom. Anyways, I'm not sure when winners will be announced but my hostmom told me to look out for parades and celebrations. She also asked if we had political parades and big celebrations in the United States (i think that's what she was asking) and i just thought.. DUHHHHHH, we are the USA. best country in the world. okayy, i'm just kidding, but yeah of course.
For me the elections mostly just mean no going out. They stopped selling alcohol in stores on Friday night and bars and restaurants aren't serving all weekend until elections are through to prevent fights and rowdyness.
So anyways, back to the recent history of Perú. I still don't understand a lot of it, but that could partially be because I've never had prior education about it.. and I think that's something U.S. textbooks need to include more of, Latino history.
Sooo last night I met with my tutor again to keep working on my project. We went through interview translations and have kind of discovered some weak areas in the fair trade cooperative I am working with mostly. Such as... farmers not really being able to identify what FAIR TRADE means, they're undereducated about their own certificates and daily regulations which are only supposed to be helping them. So this is interesting and in my next interview, with FLO (the organization that acredits cooperatives with the certificate) I'm going to be asking things along the lines of how they make sure they're farmers are aware.... because it seems like theyre not. Wilson, the most successful farmer for my coop at an international AND national level started talking about organics when I asked what fair trade signifies to him. The two are worlds apart and while most coffees that have one label have both, they're completely different and he seems completely unaware. So where DO the extra premiums go? and why doesn't he understand? this project is reallyy fascinating. Next week I'll be collecting quantitative surveys from a lot of customers at La Arábica café to find out what consumers know about it.. I like where this project is going, still, and I think I've found a climax to it. Starting to identify some of the behind-the-scenes issues that exist in the industry.
Today = lots of more studying for Peruvian Social Reality. hmmm...
For me the elections mostly just mean no going out. They stopped selling alcohol in stores on Friday night and bars and restaurants aren't serving all weekend until elections are through to prevent fights and rowdyness.
So anyways, back to the recent history of Perú. I still don't understand a lot of it, but that could partially be because I've never had prior education about it.. and I think that's something U.S. textbooks need to include more of, Latino history.
Sooo last night I met with my tutor again to keep working on my project. We went through interview translations and have kind of discovered some weak areas in the fair trade cooperative I am working with mostly. Such as... farmers not really being able to identify what FAIR TRADE means, they're undereducated about their own certificates and daily regulations which are only supposed to be helping them. So this is interesting and in my next interview, with FLO (the organization that acredits cooperatives with the certificate) I'm going to be asking things along the lines of how they make sure they're farmers are aware.... because it seems like theyre not. Wilson, the most successful farmer for my coop at an international AND national level started talking about organics when I asked what fair trade signifies to him. The two are worlds apart and while most coffees that have one label have both, they're completely different and he seems completely unaware. So where DO the extra premiums go? and why doesn't he understand? this project is reallyy fascinating. Next week I'll be collecting quantitative surveys from a lot of customers at La Arábica café to find out what consumers know about it.. I like where this project is going, still, and I think I've found a climax to it. Starting to identify some of the behind-the-scenes issues that exist in the industry.
Today = lots of more studying for Peruvian Social Reality. hmmm...
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