I have safely arrived back in the States, and after a long, exhausting trip, I am relaxing at home with my parents now. It has definitely been an interesting week of change and adjustments. It has taken some conscious effort to speak in English, to resist kissing everyone on the cheek, and to throw the toilet paper in the toilet rather than the trash bin. Certain comments people here have said make me chuckle, like about how chilly it is (feels nice and warm to me!) or how the sun is going down earlier (still 3 hours later than in Cusco). Perhaps my favorite was when a kind woman picked up my dropped water bottle for me and said ‘not to worry, I just washed my hands!’ If she only knew the lack of soap I have lived with this summer...
Anyway, I will post some final thoughts about my summer soon, but I still have some digesting to do. Until then, I will leave you with a continuation of the list I started at the beginning of the summer. I kept the list going on paper, and in the process of unpacking, I came across the rest of it. So here are some more observations I accumulated.
(As she gave a shout-out to me in her Bolivia blog, I have to mention mi amiga linda, Courtney, who posted some of these in her list about her country of the summer, my neighboring pais. We lived in very similar societies so reading her list reminded me to tell you about some things I’d forgotten about. Gracias, mamacita!)
31. Shoe Shiners - In many plazas, you can get your shoes shined for a sol or two from the men who wander around seeking out shineable shoes!
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| Shoe Shiner in Lima |
32. No Hot Water - It simply does not flow from the sinks anywhere. Luckily I could squeeze in about five minutes worth of hot water for my daily shower.
33. European Style with US Influence - The fashion for girls is skinny jeans (often colorful pants), heels (most Peruanas are quite short), and tight little shirts. The men’s styles are comparable to that in the US, but they more often wear scarves and sometimes even manpris, though hardly ever shorts. In this sense, the fashion was influenced by that of Europe, but Aeropostale and Hollister clothes could be seen everywhere, as could tees and sweatshirts with names of US universities, states, and tourist attractions. I saw my fair share of maize and blue on gringos and Peruvians alike.
34. Juice Shops - I am going to miss these so much! They are more common than coffee shops here, making it easy to get a cheap, healthy glass of fresh-squeezed juice from any mix of fruits you’d like. Perhaps you’d prefer a smoothie? A sandwich to go with that? So yummy!
35. The Streets as a Urinal - As much as I hate to admit this about my beautiful city, it is true. I have seen more people peeing in the streets this past month than my whole life prior. And yes....sometimes the streets reek of urine.
36. Facial Hair - Not so common here. It’s not unheard of or weird for men to have facial hair, but you just don’t see so many beards, goatees, or chin straps.
37. Kids Roam Free - Kids have so much more independence in Peru, wandering farther from their parents in empty streets or extreme crowds than US parents would ever allow...which is interesting because it is such a good formation of independence but then kids live with their parents so much longer than customary in the States. It is normal to be in your twenties and still live with your whole family.
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| A little girl takes on the pigeons solo (this pic is also from Lima) |
38. Water - Don’t drink it. Even the locals don’t. Boil or buy, baby!
39. Street vendors - Plentiful, these range from women, usually with a baby on back, wandering the streets with a cooler full of homemade popsicles to women stationed at mini city-approved grills of anticuchos and papas (yummm my favorite street vendors!) to the stands on wheels that take their place on the same street corners every day, selling Coke, penny candy (well, I guess we’d have to call it centimo candy), the paper, etc. And if you are a tourist, I dare you to make it a minute in the main plaza or anywhere in the touristy areas without being asked if you want to buy something...a painting, sunglasses, a massage, a Machu Picchu tour, candy, chompas, jewelry, you name it. We have a saying in Cusco: ‘You don’t go shopping, the shopping comes to you.’ Be strong...just say ‘no gracias’. A lot.
40. Cafe - Actually quite disappointing. Those of you who know me know that my blue coffee mug is always glued to my hand. Well, in Peru they don’t have brewed coffee, just instant stirred into milk or hot water. Still good, just disappointing in this continent of coffee beans. And no one has travel mugs. No one brings their coffee or other drinks to work like we do in the States. (Luckily we could make coffee in the office when we needed a boost.)
41. Open-Air Boutiques - Roll up the big garage-like door and there you have it, your pharmacy with all your needs from shampoo to feminine products, right there on the sidewalk.
42. Chompas y Chullos - The way to stay warm around here! Chompas are sweaters of any kind, but most tourists will buy the fake alpaca type with busy patterns of llamas and Inca designs. Chullos (pronounced chu-yos) are the type of hats with ear flaps and sometimes the little ball on top. These usually colorful headgear are typical among Cusquenans and the indigenous in the pueblos as well.
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| This is a great example of a typical, colorful chullo:) |
43. Coca-Cola - Even though Inca-Kola is popular, they still love their Coca-Cola, and so do I! I actually got quite addicted to it there, and now that I’m back home, our Coke tastes pretty gross to me. It has got to be made from real sugarcane or something there, because it is so much sweeter and better.
44. No Indoor Heating - Anywhere. Period. Don’t ask me why, but believe me, I am now so thankful for this blessed invention. It makes a difference.
45. No American Cars - After an interesting conversation about car companies with my dad and brother, I began to realize the lack of American models on the road. In fact, one day I almost stopped and pointed in exclamation when I saw the classic, gold bowtie on a Chevy truck. It really stuck out among the Toyotas. (I suppose only a Flint-bred girl, born into a GM-employed family would write about this difference, huh?:)
46. Pisco Sour - This is the national drink, served with nearly any meal in restaurants. Be warned, it comes with a strong kick!
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| Here's to Peru! Salud! (Which means, Cheers!) |
47. You know you’re in a fancy establishment when... - ...there is toilet paper and soap. Seriously, come prepared. Kleenex packs and hand sanitizer are your best friends.
48. Dish Soap - It’s solid, not liquid. Scrub with a sponge and voila! It seemed less wasteful than our method. (Oh and I never saw any dishwashers...)
49. Bricheros - These stereotypically long-haired bohemian Peruvian men make their living off of gringas. Turns out there is a whole populations of Cusquenans who meet gringas in the bars and discos and somehow manage to win them over so much that the gringas are willing to pay for their food, give them a place to stay, etc. It is a real subculture here. There is even a book written about it, called ‘The Gringo Hunter’. Boys, you are not safe either, because word on the street is that there are bricheras too. Luckily in general bricheros are usually pretty easy to pick out...and are by no means representative of the Cusco population at large!
50. El Español Bien Claro - Cusco Spanish is known for being slow and clear, which I really appreciate! I feel very comfortable and can hold my own in conversations with just about any Cusquenan now. However, usually when I talk to someone from Lima or other Peruvian cities, or from other Spanish-speaking countries, I am quickly lost. The speed is faster and each city or country has its own jerga, or slang, which could take months to get used to. Cusco has been a great first language-immersion city for me! (By the end of my stay, I even had a few locals ask me if I was Peruvian or Latina...that’s a great sign, right?)
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| The Cusco Flag waving brilliantly from the Plaza |
Well, that concludes my list, although I could write forever about Cusco and Peru, especially now that I am home and incredibly nostalgic for the city, the Latino culture, my family and friends, the mountains, the fun times, the Spanish, all of it. I am the luckiest, most blessed person on this beautiful planet. I thank every person who helped me get to Peru, and I thank God for the amazing experience that changed my life. More of these thoughts and reflections coming soon, in what will probably be my last blog post.
I can’t believe it’s already over...
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