Yesterday was both the most fun, disturbing and beautiful day of my recent life.
The fun part: I went to a beach with my host sister Margarita and a couple of her friends, about 30 minutes from my house called Playa Silencio (the name is a very inaccurate description of the place). It was streaming with people and I spent a very enjoyable 4 or 5 hours lying on the beach while eating ceviche and swimming in the ocean. This is the life...
The disturbing part: Something that I have only heard vaguely about so far on my trip I finally saw for myself: on the outside edge of Lima is, literally, a sea of cardboard boxes as far as the eye can see. It is a sea of the houses. They are placed up on huge dirt hills around a petroleum refinery. Everything is the same color of gray dust except for the clotheslines where bright red shirts and blue jeans hang to dry in the blistering air. The whole place looks dead, and there is not one movement. Garbage is in piles taller than I am and the dust seems to be suffocating everything. This is not exactly the Peru I had imagined or wanted to believe in. And even though everything in me wanted to do something to help these thousands of people, I must keep reminding myself that I am an exchange student and I am not out to save the world just yet.
The beautiful part: After Playa Silencio, Margarita and her friends decided to show me some other beaches as well. Each beach seems to have it's own interesting characteristics. We first went to Punta Hermosa, which is geared more twords tourists, but it was very pretty. The second stop, however, was my favorite. Playa Pucusana is a little fishing village full of colorful little fishing boats floating in the middle of a cove. Along the edge of the water there are children swimming and many stands where people are selling fruit or cooking meat. It was so post-card perfect that I couldn't help but jump up and down I was so happy. This is my favorite beach because it was so cultural and it gave an accurate view of average Peruvian life. I forgot my camera yesterday which made me want to scream, but I will be going back soon.
Anyways, we girls walked around for a bit and then payed a local fisherman to take us out on his boat. It was bright blue and orange and had little mussels stuck all over the sides. We putted around for about a half an hour and saw sea lions bobbing up and fish jumping all around. When we got out of the cove... I almost died. It was so beautiful that I wanted to cry. There were birds flying in every direction and pelicans flew so close to the boat I could have touched one. They skimmed over the aqua water so gracefully and every once in a while one would land on the tip of our boat for a rest. On horizon the sun was setting behind a couple of sail boats coming back to the harbor for the night. I have never seen anything so perfect in my life.
Sorry about the incredibly long description - I am so frustrated because I don't have any pictures and words just aren't enough. I suppose it will just have to stay in my memory.
Right now I feel completely in love with anything and everything Peruvian.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
I am alive.
I am writing this post to let all of you know that I am alive, though I have been without internet for the past couple days. To be honest, I am not in much of a writing mood but I am keeping to my goal of not forgetting that I have a blog to upkeep. It seems to help me clear out my brain because the days have begun to blur together in a huge smear of traffic and rapidly spoken Spanish. Homesickness is beginning to settle in, and trust me, you do not want to know what I would give for a slice of Giseppi's pizza right now.
But enough about that. I have too many wonderful things happening right now to be able to complain, so I will allow myself only two sentences to focus on the negative.
Now back to the fun stuff. Over the past 3 days I have been to Wong a total of 12 times. I am literally keeping track, because it is getting a bit comical. I spent about 2 hours in there today figuring out how to buy an internet chip, so now my connection should be much more solid! Other than trips to the grocery store I have been doing so many amazing things I can't even remember them all. On Saturday night I went to dinner with my host mother and tried a popular Peruvian drink, called a Pisco Sour. People in this country are also obsessed with Chicha Morada and Inca Cola (soft drinks). During my past couple dinners out, I have realized that Peruvians are a hoot to be around at meals because they are so passionate about what they eat - and they eat with style.
On Sunday I watched the Super Bowl with our family friends, the Gretzingers, at an American pub called The Corner. I think that every white male in Lima was crammed into this place, and I found myself completely forgetting that I was in South America instead of a small Texas town for the big football game. Also during the past few days, I went to my first movie in Peru and took my exams for my school (which I admit, I have been avoiding talking about until now). To say the least, they did not go well. This is mostly because the entire exam was in Spanish. I was allowed a spanish-english dictionary, but that wasn't much help with my 200 + questions to answer in Math, Spanish, and History, etc.
But, I am very proud to say, I most definitely aced the English section.
But enough about that. I have too many wonderful things happening right now to be able to complain, so I will allow myself only two sentences to focus on the negative.
Now back to the fun stuff. Over the past 3 days I have been to Wong a total of 12 times. I am literally keeping track, because it is getting a bit comical. I spent about 2 hours in there today figuring out how to buy an internet chip, so now my connection should be much more solid! Other than trips to the grocery store I have been doing so many amazing things I can't even remember them all. On Saturday night I went to dinner with my host mother and tried a popular Peruvian drink, called a Pisco Sour. People in this country are also obsessed with Chicha Morada and Inca Cola (soft drinks). During my past couple dinners out, I have realized that Peruvians are a hoot to be around at meals because they are so passionate about what they eat - and they eat with style.
On Sunday I watched the Super Bowl with our family friends, the Gretzingers, at an American pub called The Corner. I think that every white male in Lima was crammed into this place, and I found myself completely forgetting that I was in South America instead of a small Texas town for the big football game. Also during the past few days, I went to my first movie in Peru and took my exams for my school (which I admit, I have been avoiding talking about until now). To say the least, they did not go well. This is mostly because the entire exam was in Spanish. I was allowed a spanish-english dictionary, but that wasn't much help with my 200 + questions to answer in Math, Spanish, and History, etc.
But, I am very proud to say, I most definitely aced the English section.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Yo soy un tomate...
After a wonderful 45 minutes in the sun today, I had the sad realization that I now closely resemble a tomato.
Despite the fact that I am very sunburned, I had a wonderful and relaxing day at the beach - about a 5 minute drive from my house. I didn't swim much because the current was too strong, but I enjoyed lying of the shore with my host mother, Maria. After today, I have finally gotten over the fact that I do not need to talk to every street vendor yelling, "Helado, helado, helados..." over and over again. At first I felt guilty not to acknowledge them, but after a while it became a bit annoying. I am also getting used to the constant noise and chaos of Lima and am starting not to feel quite so overwhelmed all the time.
Other little blips about my past few days in Lima:
- Last night I unknowingly ate cow heart (anicuchos). It is actually very delicious.
-On wednesday night I went to my first Peruvian get together in La Molina - the nicest distrcit in Lima. I was at a house which has a huge glass tube for walls, with a pool half in and half out of the house. The people had 2 maids which were constantly running around filling up drinks and bringing more food. I don't think that I will ever really get used to this.
-Nobody in Peru has air conditioning or clothes dryers, but somehow the house always stays cool enough and clothes dry in less that two hours in the baking sun.
-Many people in Peru don't eat dinner, only a big breakfast and a HUGE lunch.
-I am being fed all the time. This is great, because the food is amazing, but I may be signing up at a gym in the near future.
-Everybody that I have met in Lima is very friendly, except when they are driving. It seems like everyone turns completely crazy behind the wheel, but most of the time they are always willing to help you out.
-Lima is perfect! It has taken me a while to be able to see past it's size. Now I am able to appreciate all of the colors and sounds of the city. It is practically overflowing with energy!
Tomorrow I will be off to Wong (the Safeway of Peru - there are atleast 30 in Lima alone) to buy some SPF 70 sunscreen...
much love, Sierra
Despite the fact that I am very sunburned, I had a wonderful and relaxing day at the beach - about a 5 minute drive from my house. I didn't swim much because the current was too strong, but I enjoyed lying of the shore with my host mother, Maria. After today, I have finally gotten over the fact that I do not need to talk to every street vendor yelling, "Helado, helado, helados..." over and over again. At first I felt guilty not to acknowledge them, but after a while it became a bit annoying. I am also getting used to the constant noise and chaos of Lima and am starting not to feel quite so overwhelmed all the time.
Other little blips about my past few days in Lima:
- Last night I unknowingly ate cow heart (anicuchos). It is actually very delicious.
-On wednesday night I went to my first Peruvian get together in La Molina - the nicest distrcit in Lima. I was at a house which has a huge glass tube for walls, with a pool half in and half out of the house. The people had 2 maids which were constantly running around filling up drinks and bringing more food. I don't think that I will ever really get used to this.
-Nobody in Peru has air conditioning or clothes dryers, but somehow the house always stays cool enough and clothes dry in less that two hours in the baking sun.
-Many people in Peru don't eat dinner, only a big breakfast and a HUGE lunch.
-I am being fed all the time. This is great, because the food is amazing, but I may be signing up at a gym in the near future.
-Everybody that I have met in Lima is very friendly, except when they are driving. It seems like everyone turns completely crazy behind the wheel, but most of the time they are always willing to help you out.
-Lima is perfect! It has taken me a while to be able to see past it's size. Now I am able to appreciate all of the colors and sounds of the city. It is practically overflowing with energy!
Tomorrow I will be off to Wong (the Safeway of Peru - there are atleast 30 in Lima alone) to buy some SPF 70 sunscreen...
much love, Sierra
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