Long Overdue Life Updates

Okay, so it’s finally time for a more concrete update on my life these past few weeks.  Let´s go back a ways...

Julio´s book presentation was a success, I´d say.  I was so proud of my lindo abuelo up there on stage.  After, I celebrated with my family and two wonderful friends, Shauna and Yoshi, and with some wine and pizza.  Una noche bonita.

As an aside: At the dinner, a friend of the family gave me perhaps the best compliment of my life.  She told me that I seemed very Latina, for I have the smile and spirit of Latinas...I´m telling you, I belong here...

Shauna and I spent the weekend/week doing everything on our to-do list, ranging from mass in La Compañía to shopping in San Pedro to jugo, anticuchos, y picarones in the Plaza to going out one last night together.  So much fun, although bittersweet.

I went to Arequipa, my new favorite big city.  Details on this fun trip in the next post.  The day I returned was a sad one because I had to say goodbye to my darling mejor amiga, la Shaunacita.  She is now safely back in the States, and not a day has passed since that I haven´t wanted to text her, chat with her at work, go out to explore the city together, etc.  Thank goodness for facebook, right?

Both trying to stay positive, just moments before Shauna left  the city

Since then I have been spending time with my family, watching movies with them and taking my sister to the Plaza and the fair and whatnot. However, they all went to Lima for the whole week because the kids are on vacation, so with just me and the abuelos at home, it´s been pretty quiet and lonely. I´m learning that I don´t handle loneliness too well.

I went up to Cristo Blanco a few times to catch a breathtaking glimpse of my gorgeous city.  My friend from work took me on a tour of her university here.  This grand tour even included a stop at the zoo on their grounds.  Very cool.  Also, I´ve spent some time in cafes on the Plaza just watching the world go by and taking it all in, trying to believe that I am actually here, in Perú, living a Cusqueñan life.  I am the luckiest person alive.

The view of Cusco from Cristo Blanco

The Big Guy

Me, Cintya, Yessi and Juve...my partners in crime:)

I have been to a few parrilladas these past few days.  One was with a friend and his work buddies, and the other with my friends from work.  (That one was particularly fun because we spent hours after just running around this gorgeous, sleepy little town outside of Cusco, dancing, laughing, and taking silly group pictures...as seen in the rest of this post.  I´ve been so blessed with such a loving and fun work family.)  So what is a parrillada, you ask?  A cook-out!  Any kind of meat you could want, yummy bread, salad, Cusqueña, so so good!  And with Perú´s Independence Day this weekend, it was time to celebrate.  (Seriously, between Corpus Christi, Cusco´s Mes Jubilar, and now las fiestas patrias, I came here in the right season!)


Believe it or not, I have been working among all this fun too!  We have been given many more tasks in these past few weeks at APORVIDHA, which I love.  Here´s a sampling of what us volunteers have been working on:

• research possible international funding resources and send petitioning emails to these groups and organizations
• translate miscellaneous materials from English to Spanish for office use
• read laws written in Spanish regarding the rights of indigenous pueblos, then create images and make other suggestions as to how to make these laws easier to understand for non-Spanish-speakers (ie the Quechua-speaking indigenous, to whom the laws pertain)
• research laws from other countries, such as New Zealand, that protect indigenous populations and translate them to Spanish so the office and various other lawyers and organizations can have good examples of such laws
• read and take notes on various materials to prepare presentations and projects on miscellaneous topics
• continue to attend meetings and events as they happen (last week we had a meeting that was half in Spanish and half in Quechua, which was pretty exciting!)

Needless to say, we have been pleasantly busy.  The atmosphere in the office continues to be light and fun, with everyone in good spirits.  My work friends are becoming more and more like my good friends, and they continue to inspire me with their passion and energy.  I am so thankful for this opportunity to work for social justice in this capacity, and so perfectly pleased with my decision to come to Perú and to work at APORVIDHA!

Anyway, these are the details of this cholita who has been missing in action these few weeks. Again, sorry for my silence.  ¡Cuidense y nos vemos!

Felices Fiestas Patrias a mi Lindo País

Hola amigos!  Let me start with an apology for my silence lately.  My computer has decided it’d prefer not to turn on and work has been wonderfully busy so I don’t have the time I used to there to update you all on life.  Also, to the MANY of you whom I owe an email, facebook message, or Skype date, its coming ASAP, I promise...

Oh and I need to give a shout-out to my beloved país, el Perú.  Tomorrow is Independence Day here.  ¡Felices fiestas patrias a todos en el rojo y blanco!

Okay, post time: I wrote this one on paper first, and later am typing it out on the computer, but let’s say I’m still with my pen and paper in the Plaza de Tupac Amaru, not 3 blocks from my home.  I’m soaking in the rich sun (or tomando el sol, as they say here) and listening to a radio station that plays huayno, music very typical of the Peruvian cielos, or mountains.  Full of  Peruvian pride, the songs often give shout-outs to various cities, especially Cusco, and to cusqueñitas like myself:)  I am sitting on a bench full of cusqueños who are all at least three times my age, many in traditional clothes.  Like me, they are tomando el sol and watching the world pass by...well, some are sleeping (I’m telling you, the sun is so rico here!).  About a half an hour ago the plaza was crazy - full of people sporting their Cienciano red, after what I presume was a successful fútbol game for the Cusco team in the stadium only a block or two away.  People ran to the statue of Tupac and his caballo in the center of the plaza for some sort of celebratory rally and pick-up trucks with way too many people in the bed drove around the square with speakers blasting music and the passengers blaring horns.  So exciting!

Now the plaza has calmed down and there is a certain sense of Sunday afternoon peace.  Teenage friends, old men, and families are gathered all over - the benches, the grass, caminando -  and the beauty of it is that no one seems to be hurried or rushed.  Everyone is simply enjoying the moment, taking in the sun, the fresh breeze, the company, the afternoon.  It just seems right, you know? Why must we always be moving, working, being productive?  Anyone who knows me knows I am the queen of to-do lists and that I can’t rest easy until I have crossed something off that list.  It is not a character trait that I am proud of and the people here have taught me, by example, how to really value the moment, to take a breath and realize the treasure this day is.  I pray that I can bring a bit of this back with me to the States.

Also, people here are so much more relaxed about an assortment of things.  The best way to explain what I mean is by example, I think.  Anywhere you go, you can buy food or tea from women who clearly made them in their homes.  In the States, this would require special permits and Health Department checks, but it’s so common here.  Kids roam a lot more freely here, without parents worrying about what happens if they fall or get lost.  There is not the tight reign on them like back home.  You can drink in the streets (obviously within reason) without a problem.  Like I mentioned earlier, there are unmarked holes and other obstacles the size of Texas in the sidewalks that would most definitely draw legal problems and headline news back home.  No soap or hot water in the bathrooms?  Cool it, kid.  You will be fine, I promise.  Oh and people share food, drinks, silverware, etc much more freely without worrying about spreading germs.  I don’t know how to explain what I am trying to say, but everything here is just so much more relaxed.  People do not freak out about cosas q pasan and, as a result, in my humble opinion, the atmosphere is so much more calm and enjoyable.  Why be so tense worrying about things that could happen when you could just live life as it happens?  Again, a lesson I am learning from la linda gente acá.  

And I probably sound like a broken record by now, but the people are so warm and friendly.  It is incredibly easy to make friends here because in general, the people are open and amable.  Whether a sister or a stranger, everyone is ‘linda’, ‘mamacita’, ‘amiga’ and so on.  I have had the best conversations with taxistas, store clerks, friends of friends of friends, and other strangers-turned-acquaintances.  Granted, I realize some of this friendliness is because I am clearly a tourist, or because I am buying something from their store, etc, but it is still very different than the States.  Something very beautiful.

I am suddenly struck with frustration because I thought I would have the words to explain just what it is that has made me fall hopelessly in love with the culture here.  I’d hoped to paint a picture for those of you back home of what it is like to spend a day in the life here...but now that my pen is against the paper, words just don’t seem to work.  My description is by no means doing justice to the feeling that I’ve had here for the past two months now.  In fact, I’m not convinced that I will ever find the right words.  It is a feeling, an ambiance, a sense of siblinghood, a breath of fresh mountain air...something that fills my chest until my heart beats happier.  

¡Viva el Perú!

Mi Familia Cusqueña

So I suppose at about a month and a half in, it’s probably time that you meet the family. Let me start by saying that I have the sweetest family in the world (besides my biological family, of course!)

I’ll begin with my abuelos. The kids call them nonno and nonna, as my abuelo has Italian roots. When I first arrived, Julio, my grandpa, took me under his wing as if I were his own little girl. He was the one to first walk me to places like the office, the Plaza, etc. On those walks we got to know each other better (even though he has to stop walking in order to talk - I’ve learned to allow extra time whenever walking with sweet Julio). He’s always the one telling me never to take a taxi alone, be careful when walking after dark, and abrigate bien!, and he worries about what time I will be home, whom I’m going out with, and so on. Imagine the stereotypical old man with a classy sweater, a fedora hat, and a bit of an old man slur (making his Spanish nearly impossible to understand at times) and you’ve got my dulce nonno. Lately he has been preoccupied with the presentation of his book. That’s right, my grandpa’s a writer. Most of his books (there are many) have been collections of his poetry, but this one, which he has been working on for years, is a novel/autobiography about his family and his life. It is finally in print and the big presentation is tonight!  It’s practically all he has been talking about over the past few weeks, understandably so, and I am so excited for him! Mi abuelo, el escritor famoso!  

Julio, Lu and Caro, hanging out on Father's Day

His lovely wife, Caroline, is more of a young soul. She’s in love with music, so songs are always blasting from the radio or her laptop (and I mean blasting). In fact, she will be playing the guitar and singing as part of the presentation of Julio’s book. On the weekends, it's not uncommon for her to go out dancing with her friends and return about the time I do from the discos. She loves her laptop, and talks to her family and friends on Skype every night. An amazing cook, she spends her mornings preparing a yummy lunch for the family every day. Her mind seems to be in a lot of places at once, making it a bit difficult to keep up sometimes, but she is ‘a woman for others’, quick to compliment everyone and to serve others, making sure her family is happy.

My momma’s name is Erica, and she is a sweetheart. She always wants to make sure that I am healthy and happy, and helps me to better understand the cultures and customs of Cusco. She has spent a few months in the US, so she understands the difficulties that language and cultural barriers can throw my way, and for this I am so thankful. Unfortunately her job in construction administration takes her to work very early and keeps her there very late, and often she is in the office on the weekends as well, so I spend the least amount of time with her, but always enjoy the time we do get together.

Papa and me in San Blas, Cusco

Fernando is my dad, and he is a pile of smiles. Always happy and chatty, Fernando and I probably get along the best. We are always teasing each other, and when we get the chance, we like to dance the night away in the living room: he is teaching me to salsa! (Thankfully he is full of patience...these hips are by no means Latina.) He too, spent about six months in the States and knows a good amount of English, which makes the communication that much more fun because we can tease each other in Spanglish. It is also nice because when I am at a loss for Spanish vocabulary, I can explain myself in English and he’ll teach me the words in Spanish. It’s cheating a bit, I know, but sometimes it’s a comfort to have that option. Papi works in Lima, so he spends from 5 to 10 days at a time in the city and then flies home for about 4 days in a row. The downside of this is that there is a dad-dry-spell, but the silver lining is that when he is home, he doesn’t have to work so he spends the entire time just hanging out with his kids, which is a blast.

Ale and me at Corpus Christi

Speaking of the kids, Alejandro is my teenage brother and best friend in the house. He is a typical teen in a lot of ways (goes out with his friends, plays the guitar, eats a lot, sometimes acts like he is too cool to be seen with the family, etc.) but he is one of the sweetest teenage boys I’ve met. Ale is always making sure his parents are happy, and he takes really good care of his little sister. Sure, he picks on her and is definitely the stronger of the two, but overall he demonstrates that protective, loving characteristic of big brothers. It’s quite adorable. He and I also pick on each other a lot, both with words and the playful swing of the arm. My favorite nights are those when Ale and I stay up late chatting late while the rest of the house is asleep.

Finally there is Lucia (Luc, Lucy, Lu, mi hermanita...). She is a nine-year-old bucket of energy that never slows down until her head hits the pillow at night. Always talking, telling stories and jokes, and singing, you can hear the girl coming from miles away. She loves her gymnastics: the whole house is her gymnasium and her preferred method of transportation is cartwheeling. She was the quickest to warm up to me, and we now have our own handshake (jealous?). She LOVES that she knows more Spanish than me and I appreciate the constant corrections from mi mejor maestra... until I find out that something she told me is, in fact, incorrect.

Can't beat a face like this:)

Although Lu can be pesky and quite the instigator, she absolutely adores her brother. It's quite endearing, and sometimes when I watch the two of them interact, I feel like I’m watching home videos of my brothers and I, some 12 years ago. Like I used to, Lucia just longs for the attention of her big brother, but sometimes this translates into her being pretty annoying. She can be whiny and very much in his face, and sometimes, like my brothers did, he can get annoyed and react with perhaps too strong of force. She is feisty, though, and fights back, usually resulting in her getting more hurt and upset, and a few times there have been tears. It’s unbelievable how much I can relate, which helps because I can talk to her after and explain how it is with big brothers. At the end of the day, Ale clearly cares deeply about his pesky little sister, and she greatly looks up to him. It’s an adorable relationship, one which is fun for me to watch play out and think about my own loving and protective big brothers in the States.

Altogether, I really feel like I am part of this family. They love me and care for me as if I was their own, and I feel the same about them. I am so comfortable around them and in my home. It’s the perfect match and I am so blessed to have such a beautiful, loving Cusqueñan family!   

The Trio

La locura al lago: Loving the Lake

What a weekend it was!  As you already know, Shauna and I went on a whirlwind tour of Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world.  Cool, huh?

One of the Uros Islands

We started Thursday night on an overnight bus ride to Puno.  (It was great that we had the trip to look forward to, because on Thursday we had to say goodbye to our American friends who had been taking classes in Cusco, and are now back in the States.  We hated to see them go!)  After the trip, from about 5am to 7am, we got to sleep in a real bed at the house of the travel agency we went through, and then we made our way to board the boat that would show us the islands over the next 36 hours or so.


First we went to the Uros Islands, which are the famous floating islands on the lake.  That’s right, these man-made islands have to be anchored down so they don’t float to Bolivia (after all, as one indigenous man on the island joked with us, they don’t have passports or visas!).  So basically what happens is a group of the indigenous population there gets together (usually about 6-10 families who are either related or close friends) and decides they want to create their own island.  And that’s exactly what they do.  Made of essentially dirt and straw, the people construct an island and then the straw houses that sit on them.  Then these 6 to 10 families live there together, with one of members acting as president.  Most of their money comes from tourism, from people like me oohing and ahhing over their floating lifestyle, and as could be expected, most of their money is spent on their Mercedes Benz.  Okay, so that’s not so true, but they did joke about their Mercedes Benz, which is what they called their elaborate canoes made of straw.  We got to take a ride in one of these majestic creations.  Suave!

A Mercedes Benz of Lake Titicaca, the famous totora reed boats

Next we took a three hour ride (back in a motor boat) to the next island, Amantani.  Try as I might, I could not keep my eyes open (nor could my travel companions) so we dozed in and out of amazing views of the gorgeous lake.  At Amantani we split into small groups to eat at our homestays, so Shauna and two other girls from our volunteer program and I ate soup, potatoes and cheese with our temporary mom.  Luckily she spoke Spanish (in addition to her native Quechua) so we were able to converse while eating.

The moon over one of the clay houses on Amantani

The view from my bedroom door!  Buenos dias, Lake Titicaca and the Andes!

The evening was spent climbing to the top of Pachatata, a mountain that was breathtaking in more than one ways.  On the way up, Shauna and I shared our pain and inability to breath with some of the others in our weekend travel group.  What started as some silly complaining about the climb (“taxi!?”), turned into great new friendships and a weekend of laughter.  Our new friends were in a large group of design students from Arequipa, another part of Peru, and were on a weekend’s trip with their professors.  As they had gone through the same travel agency as us, we were with the same tour guide, on the same boat and experiencing the same fun as they were, so beginning with that breathtaking sunset over the lake together, we were attached at the hips with our new buddies, Jose and Frank (or Frankito, as we called him).

We made it to the top! Jose (el payaso), me, Shauna, and Frankito on Pachatata

In our traditional skirts and ponchos:)

That night we dressed up in the traditional clothes our host moms gave us and met in a main town hall building.  We danced and laughed, but were pretty exhausted so after about an hour we returned home and fell fast asleep in our cozy, clay homes.  It was chilly, but quiet and peaceful, the night air was fresh and the stars were plentiful (all unlike life back here in the city).  And under our five alpaca blankets, we slept like babies.

Dancing!

The following morning, after warm coffee and breakfast, we said goodbye to our sweet mom and boarded the boat once again, this time being sure to claim the top so that we could soak in the sun, fresh air, and incredible views.  We hopped over to another island, where we, yet again, struggled to reach the top, stopping to take pictures along the way, half because we wanted to record the views and memories, and half because we needed an excuse to take a break and breath (did I mention that at about 12,500 feet it is even higher than Cusco...meaning there is even less air to share?!).

  

Frankito, beautiful camera in hand

 At the top we ate at a restaurant in the little plaza and then made our way down the other side, where our boat was waiting for us.  The whole day was spent with the Arequipañan boys, from more “complaining” about the hike, to taking in the views (with their really pretty cameras...as they are all design student, they each had cameras that left me very celosa), to hanging out in the sun on the top of the boat for the whole three hour trip back to the mainland.  There we parted ways, and Shauna and I did what we do best: explore.  While Puno is a cool city, it made me realize the many ways in which Cusco is a very rich city in comparison to others in Peru (this is largely due to the high levels of tourism in Cusco, as it is a hotspot for those hiking the Incan Trail and/or visiting Machu Picchu).  

Just hanging out with the boys on the boat

Titanic!

Some of the indigenous islanders fishing

Some empanadas and one pizza later, we met up with Jose and Frankito to say goodbye and then it was back to the bus for us.  We hated to leave our new friends, and we definitely were not ready to leave the lake, but on the bus I realized that I had kind of missed Cusco over the three short days, and that going back really felt like going home.  It was a comforting feeling.

So remember Machu Picchu and how I practically spent more time raving about the people than the World Marvel itself?  Well it has happened again.  I went to a beautiful, unique lake that I absolutely fell in love with, yet looking back on the weekend, I think my favorite part was making new friends.  I’m sure this does not surprise anyone who knows me, but this whole experience reaffirms how much I thrive on relationships and meeting people.  There’s just something so beautiful about it, and it gives me a sense of energy that I can’t explain, but that keeps me going.  Thankfully experiences like these validate my choice to become a sociologist, and reassure me that I am headed down the right path in the field of social work.  I am so grateful for this chance I have to fully experience another culture and to meet so many amazing people!   


  

Coffee and Connections

“... ‘a person becomes a person through other people’...”

- Fr. Gregory Boyle, Tattoos on the Heart

Ever have those days when your mind is just all over the place?  Well, that’s me today.  I laid down to take a sunny siesta and couldn’t sleep despite how tired I am.  It could be the Coke and two cups of strong coffee I’ve had today, or it could be the thoughts racing through my head.  So I decided that rather than lay in bed and stare at my ceiling, I should write. Normally I have some sort of a plan for my blog posts, but I’m calling this one a free-for-all.

Let me start by explaining that I am listening to one of my all-time favorite Peruvian songs, Lejos de ti (you should listen to it too...video below!) and I am sipping coffee #3 from my big, red, ceramic Peru mug and looking out my bedroom window at the sunset mostly hidden by mountains and clouds and that red, terra-cotta roof that defines the architecture of this city.  Soon it will be dark, and Cristo Blanco will shine brilliantly from His place on the hill.  In twenty minutes, I will go out with the family to run some errands, but for now I am leaving you with what my friends so eloquently call “word vomit”.

I can’t stop thinking about how much fun I had this weekend at Lake Titicaca with Shauna and our new friends from Arequipa, Peru.  There was so much laughter in those 24 hours that I was almost too distracted to fully appreciate the views of the gorgeous lake surrounding me.  More details on the trip to come, but yet again, meeting new people and making friends has given me that natural high of loving life here in Peru, the kind that keeps me smiling for days.

Over the weekend, I had the chance to soak everything in when Shauna and I spent some time on the beach just silently watching the sun glimmer on the water.  The sound of waves lapping on the shore was so familiar, as was that of the child laughing down the way.  If the Andes were sand dunes, I could easily have been on Lake Michigan. (Well, the donkey crying in the background would have also been a bit out of place).  Still, I was amazed and comforted by the familiarity of somewhere so foreign and so far from home.  

Lately, I have been fascinated by the similarities of humans around the world (or at least from the US to Peru).  Like the lake, there is something familiar about the human race no matter where you are.  It seems we all simply long to connect with one another.  In the big eyes of a small child, you can see a certain longing to reach out to you.  It’s the same precious look in a child on the floating islands of Lake Titicaca as in a child of Flint, Michigan.  Believe me, now I’ve seen both. There is something endearing about a brother’s head on your shoulder, whether he’s biologically related or not.  It’s that physical sign of a connection, a way to express one’s comfort around and care for another person.  This connection can also be found in something as silly as when a new friend ‘likes’ a facebook photo of the two of you together.  It’s a sort of validation that he or she enjoyed that moment with you.

Laughter is one of the greatest ways we know to span distances and remove barriers.  The sound of a mother laughing with her toddler is pure and beautiful no matter the culture or language.  I was struck by this thought today on my walk home from work as I passed a woman and her child sitting on the sidewalk next to their little stand of pop, candy, cigarettes and other goods.  Their clothes were dirty and as the mother laughed her full-belly laugh in reaction to the babble of her two-year old, I couldn’t help but notice that less than half of the woman’s teeth remained.  But more powerful was how beautiful that laugh was, so full of joy and love for her baby.  It’s the same laugh my mom laughs when she and I are up late at night in the kitchen just talking and being ridiculously silly.  And I imagine its the same laugh God laughs when She is totally and completely happy with us.  Indescribably beautiful.

I recently realized that this is my last summer book-ended by school years.  Next year I have no idea where I’ll be or what I’ll be doing, but hopefully I will have graduated smoothly and be partaking in other exciting adventures.  For now, though, I can’t help but be so thankful for this amazing final summer.  I have many people to thank for helping me get to this place, this culture, this world away from my own where I have been able to better understand this concept of connection and where I continue to fall more in love with the human race.

In the preface of Tattoos, Fr. G notes an African saying, that we become people through other people, and here in Peru I am realizing more how true this really is.  We long to connect with and validate each other, to love and be loved, for it is through one another that we become who are.

~~~~~

(P.S.  Now I’m back from errands with the family, it’s been dark for hours, and I’ve moved on to tea as I finish this post.  I just want to end with a 'Happy Fourth of July' to all of my American friends at home and afar!  Missing you all on my first Fourth out of the USofA.)

Things I Have Found to be True about my Beloved Perú

Clearly this Type-A chica is a fan of lists, for here is another about my new life.  There are a lot of little things that differ from life at home, whether or not I was forewarned about them.

1. ¡Papas! - Not dads...potatoes!  And many of them.  About 3,000 types, in fact.  Peruvians are proud of their potatoes.  (And I thought potatoes was mostly an Irish thing...)

¡Papas! ¡Get your papas!

2. Strong religious influence - Even if many are no longer as many practicing Catholics here as there used to be, you can still see the influence of the religion everywhere here, from the giant white Jesus statue, to the decals on almost every taxi, to the rosaries around cholos' necks.  Usually here there is a unique mix of Catholicism and the ancient beliefs of the Incas...Jesus, Mary, Pachamama (Mother Earth), Inti (Sun), etc.

3. Stray dogs - They are everywhere!  Don't be confused by the cute Golden or other dogs that look like housepets.  They are actually feral strays, although most likely completely harmless.

Strays just hanging out across the street from my home

4. Quechua - As forewarned, Quechua (the language of the indigenous population) is the second most common language here.  Luckily everyone in the city knows Spanish, so I have yet to encounter a language barrier too big to overcome.

5. Cat Calling - Definitely a thing here.  Like I said earlier, this was mostly in Lima, but I have gotten my fair share of 'Hola's on the streets of Cusco too.

6. Weaving - It happens, and with bright colors, just like you see in the pictures of Perú.  Mostly women weave in the Valle and rural areas, but the finished products are sold all over the city.

Weaving in the Sacred Valley

7. Soroche - I was very lucky, for soroche, or altitude sickness, did not affect me too badly.  I was tired and had a slight headache my first few days, and breathing is definitely more of a challenge here in Cusco, but with the help of some Diamox, soroche has been kind to me.

8.  American Music - I can't escape it.  My hermanita loves Adele (okay, not American, but Top 40) and Bruno Mars, and my brother's favorite band to play on his guitar is Red Hot Chili Peppers.  Many radio stations, restaurants and discotecas play Top 40 music, and they seem to be especially obsessed with 'Sexy and I Know It', 'Love in a Hopeless Place', 'Empire State of Mind', 'Pumped Up Kicks', 'Mr. Saxobeat' and 'Give Me Everything'.  I think I have heard more Shady here than I do when I am living a mere hour away from 8 Mile.  But for those of you who know how much I love my Latino music, don't worry.  I am getting my fill:)

9. Almuerzo - Lunch is the only big meal and it happens around two or three in the afternoon.  The rest is basically snacking, but they take almuerzo quite seriously.  Everyone goes home from work to enjoy this meal together.

10. Food - So just what do I eat here? Breakfast = fresh bread, cheese, ham, juice (fresh-squeezed) fruit salad, and of course, coffee; Dinner = bread, cheese, hot chocolate; Almuerzo = soup first, then a plate with a little meat (chicken or beef), about two potatoes, and a big scoop or two of rice - always. Carbs are taking over my diet, even more than before, if you can believe that.

11. Family time - This is so much more important here than in the States, especially on Sundays.  Everyone here seems to devote more time to just being together - long meals, slow Sundays, evenings just hanging out together.  Chévere.

12. Besos - The typical greeting here is a kiss on the right cheek.  So everyone you meet, and everytime you say hello or goodbye, its kisses all around.  You learn real fast how to let go of personal space.

13. Inca Kola - The Coca-Cola beverage of choice here.  Clearly its more like Mountain Dew than Coke.

14. Fresh food - Fruit, pan, cheese, everything is fresh!
15. Doorbells - Not just a typical ring, doorbell chimes come in all different songs.  From 'London Bridges' to 'Mary Had a Little Lamb', the sound announcing each visitor is a surprise.

16. Cell phones - Many people have multiple, they all have loud ringtones, and people answer them no matter the situation.  I've even seen people on forum panels and in interviews answer their phones, and it seems that it is not considered rude here like it would be in the States.

17. Compliments - Especially common from old ladies and young men, compliments are abundant.  Self-esteem boost, anyone?

18. Festivals, parades, bands, etc - It seems impossible to go out in any town in this great country, day or night, without running into a band marching in the street, people dancing, traditional bailes, homemade foods, and more festivities.  It helps, I think, that June is their month of celebrations, courtesy of Incan traditions.

19. Indecisive weather - In Cusco, the weather changes more than any weather I have experienced (and I am a Michigander through and through!)  I can feel my skin burning in the sun, but I need a coat and chompa in the shade, both a result of being so high in the mountains that the air is thinner.  Overall it is sunny about 85% of the time (yay!), but when its not, it can be cloudy, cloudy and rainy, or cloudy and hailing.  Give it ten minutes, and it will be sunny again!

20. TP - Yup, toilet paper gets its own spot on this list. Why? Because you cannot flush it here. The pipes in all of Perú, even Lima, are too small to handle TP, so you learn real fast that you have to put it in the basura.

21. Cars with Stereos - We´re talking huge speakers on top of little cars that frequently pass through the streets, blasting the music of various radio stations.  Even if the moment is short-lived, these cars provide the dancing necessities.

22. Remedies - There seems to be somewhat of a stigma against taking pills for every ailment.  Most often the remedy can be found in some fruit, herb, or tea.  I have been told that the cure for cancer is in a special recipe of foods and herbs, and that being so high in the mountains like this is the only cure for asthma.  While I´m not sure I believe either, there is something to be said for eating more fresh foods and relying less on meds!

23.  Laundry - It lacks two things that I am used to: 1. fabric softener (who knew you can really tell a difference without it?!) 2. dryers (my laundry is currently hanging out on the patio, drying naturally in the strong sunrays, how it should be done).

Laundry out to dry in Aguas Calientes

24. Cars - Almost all of the cars here are tiny and old, old, old! While the mountain air may be fresh, the city air certainly is not.  (Also, they love their horns...LOVE their horns.)

25. Combis, buses, taxis, oh my! - This is the system of public transportation, which nearly everyone uses daily.  I'd guess that about 80% of the cars on the road are taxis, running at a steady rate of S/. 3 per ride ($1.25ish) no matter your destination...unless you're a gringo, then you have to bargain your way down from about S/. 8.  Buses and combis are cheaper, if you are willing to be shoved into them, fitting about 17 people into a 10 person vehicle.

26. Nicknames - Everyone here is mami, papi, chiquita, linda, -sita (ie Amysita), etc.  All of these are terms of endearment used so often that it would probably be possible to spend my whole three months here without learning any names, and never hearing my own.

27. Cusqueña - Una cerveza muy rica de Cusco


28. Dangerous sidewalks -  Deep uncovered holes, loose objects, wobbly boards creating bridges over construction ravines, we've got them all in this city.  This would-be lawsuit in the States means one thing: No walking and texting!

29. No big-box stores - Mega, the grocery store comparable to most in the States, is as big as it gets in this country.  The rest can be found at small, very specific stores, so there is no such thing as one-stop-shopping.

30. Political signs - Spraypainted on any surface that doesn't move, and cut into the land of the mountains here, you can see political propoganda everywhere, ranging from campaign ads leftover from the last presidential elections to anonymous individuals' opinions about various social issues.

Andy in the Valley with both graffitied opinions in the forefront
and campaign ads in the mountainside behind him

Okay, that is probably enough for now, if I haven't bored you all already.  I will continue the list as I come across more interesting tidbits about life in Perú.  ¡Nos vemos!