In returning to Lima from on Monday afternoon (the 7th), I was greeted with
heavy traffic with gas fumes galore and gray skies rather than the big, bright
blue sky and fresh air that I got so used to (and loved so much) in
Cusco for a few days. Nonetheless, I
really love a lot about my
experience here in Peru. Some days, when
I am sitting down to journal or write in my blog, I start feeling a little like
a travel agent (even though I have no
idea what that feels like)… trying to coax you into coming to Peru by
sharing all of the positive that I have indulged in. Let me be honest with
you; family and friends, it hasn’t all been sunshine and rainbows down here in
South America, but I have most definitely experienced more good than bad. Today I
would love nothing more than to
share with you the happy that I have experienced over the past two and a half
months (has it really been that long?). Below I have come up with nine reasons as to why I love Peru and why you might consider
coming to see the country for yourself (as
if through my eyes weren’t good enough? (sarcasm)) in the future, near or
far. Enjoy.
1. Loving Host Family – I adore the host family I was given, in particular, I love my host mom. My host sisters and older brothers are great, too. Let’s ignore the brother that is my age for the time being (I normally do anyway). My host family has been going through a hard time this past month. I had to put myself in their shoes and be patient with them. My choice has paid off and we have a stronger relationship for it. Norma (my host mom) is a beautiful person with a vibrant soul. She reminds me of my Grandma Luella, in looks, thoughts, and some mannerisms. Whenever I have been down or stressed out, talking with Norma seems to smooth things over. She is very accommodating and cares a lot for me. She considers me to be one of her children and she has since the second week. (But I love you more, Madre…)
2. Omnivore’s Paradise – Peruvian food is
amazing; I love damn near most all
of it. From the main courses to the
desserts, it’s all (98% of the time)
fantastic. My host mom is an awesome
cook and I am beyond spoiled by that!
She cooks fast and simply, and it’s always good. We have had nearly every traditional Peruvian
meal and then some so far. There is a
lot of variety in my meals at “home”, and I have yet to turn my nose up at one
of their dishes. Flan (a dessert) sucks, though. Flan is almost like pudding and Jell-O had an
oily baby; I’m not a fan of flan. Minus
the flan, my host family says that I eat like a true Peruvian. This basically means that I love ají (picante sauce) and I put it on everything
when we have it. My host mom makes fresh
ají, of course! My favorite dish, still,
is ají de gallina. I also love the fresh
fruit in Peru; it’s some of the freshest fruit I have ever had in my life (except from the garden at home, of course). I never liked mangoes in the States. Then, my host mom made me fresh mango juice
one morning (she makes me fresh juice,
from pineapple to strawberry every day); I was really nervous to try it
because I “hated” mangoes. Well, it’s
safe to say that mango juice is my favorite juice here and strawberry is a
close second. I sure do eat well in
Peru! (I know Madre is smiling right now…)
3. Vida (flora y fauna) – The life that surrounds Peru makes me smile and
fills my heart with love, from the
plants to the animals. Everything is a
luscious green and in full bloom, and has been since I arrived. Flowers adorn every street, some that I know the
names to and others that are unknown to me.
I am happy to be able to at least decipher the family names of most
trees in Lima and other places I have been to, but not all trees get a name. Always
stopping to smell and check out the flowers… to me, this is all in fun and
gives me a little more homework. I love encountering new creatures and
this has been a frequent occurrence, too.
New insects, birds, and mammals have been added to my biological brain
bank and I love it! But where are the
amphibians and reptiles!? The
Amazon! In April, I will be there, and I
can hardly wait! Finally, if you ever
need a (another) dog, just come to
Peru! There are dogs almost everywhere
and anywhere. Although it is rather sad
at times to see so many strays, I do take advantage of the puppy love in the streets… they need my love and a good wrestle, right? Sorry
in advance if I come home with fleas!
4. Environment – OK so maybe this one was
a given and connects a little to the point I made above… Being as to how I have
a huge love for the environment no
matter where life takes me, I love
Peru’s environment. As I mentioned earlier, Peru holds a piece of the Amazon, a
Neotropical slice of heaven and a must-see for me. To me, this is the “gold” of
Peru and I haven’t even been there yet! The
greatest diversity of bird species lives here in Peru, with about 4,000 species. That
translates to 1/3 of all bird species on this planet! If you’re not so into birds, Peru is home to
monkeys of all kinds, large and small rodents, sloths (ew, I know), jaguars, and so much more. You name it, Peru probably has it. Pink river dolphins and giant otters swim the
rivers, alongside anacondas and piranhas. What’s
not to love? In my own “backyard” of Lima, I really love the climate. The weather rarely changes in Lima, so I
never bother with looking at the weather.
Sunny and 75-80 degrees every day since I arrived here! If you like it a bit cooler, venture to Cusco
or any mountain town for that matter; the peaks have snow and rain. I could
go for a nice thunderstorm right about now, though…
5. Language – I love the Spanish (Castellano
as they say here) language. I’m
happy to say that my Spanish has improved a lot in my stay here so far, and I
wonder where I will sit on my last day.
Needless to say, I have always loved
the language (in 8th grade I
caught the bug), but coming to Peru has only made it that much “worse” or
stronger. I would have never guessed in
8th grade that I was going to major in Spanish, but I am glad that I
made the choice to upgrade from a minor to a major. I would not have had the opportunity to be
abroad if I had not made that choice, but that’s not the reason why I did
it. Spanish is better than English; even
my teachers say so. I’m sorry…
Spanish is easier on the ears. Peru has
the “Midwestern” accent of South America, too.
Another reason to be happy to be here!
6. Overwhelming Color – If you know me even
a little bit, you know I love bright
colors! My wardrobe fits right in… Here in Lima, I see a rainbow every day. Not literally, of course, but the many colors
all over Peru are quite the funhouse for the eyes. I love
that the nearly all of the buildings – homes, businesses, schools, and more -
here are a vast array of colors, some drab and faded, others brilliant shades
of the rainbow and/or neon. Murals and
art painted on the walls are even more colorful and beautiful. Bright colors are a part of the culture here,
and I love that! Indigenous people of the rainforest brought their
appreciation of color to the cities; I like to think that their inspiration was
and still is the tropical plants and animals.
7. Variety – Topographically speaking,
there is a ton of variety in this country.
I love the spice of life in
Peru! From the snow-capped mountains to the
wispy sand dunes and beaches along the Pacific, there is a million activities
one (or many!) can do. I know that I have experienced so much already
in my stay, but I feel like I need a lifetime to accomplish even a fraction of
all that there is to see and do here. Every
day is a new adventure and I’m loving
it! You don’t even need to plan, you can
just go, and I promise that you’ll see much new and have your own unique story
to tell at the end of the day.
8. Easy-going Culture – Welcome to the
land of laid back, no worries, and heavy procrastination, or as one of my
girlfriends said, “Perucrastination”… There’s more than 24 hours in a day here
(so they think), and if it doesn’t get
done today, there is always tomorrow. Ten
minutes is never ten minutes. Lateness
is ay-OK. Peruvians are an incredibly patient
breed of people (when not on the road)
and this has actually been really good for me in learning how to be more
patient myself. Peruvians simply don’t
get caught up in time, and I have to admit that that aspect of this culture was
pretty difficult for me to grasp at the beginning. Now, though, I love it. I’m doing my best
to live in the moment, not worry about tomorrow, accomplish what needs to be
done, and just enjoy the time that I have.
“Peru time” is better experienced than explained, I swear.
9. Self-love – Lastly, I love me in Peru. I love that
I’m growing as a person, becoming more loving, positive, and patient each day. I feel so blessed to be studying abroad and
having these wonderful experiences. I love feeling this lucky. I love
all of the time that I have had to myself - to do more yoga, to journal, to
take pictures, to learn more about who I am and who I want to be. I love
the appreciation that I have for my
loved ones at this time, because I miss you all so very much at this point
in my journey. I love myself more for many reasons, and I can’t really thank Peru
for that one, but being here has surely allowed me to accomplish that.
I would like to share
one more thing - what I did last Saturday (12th)! With the
group, I went to a lunch show at Brisas
del Titicaca. With a live band and
many dancers, they demonstrated different dances and songs from all over Peru,
from Cusco to the jungle, and from other countries in South America, as well. Very “cultural,” as Mom would say. I actually had a lot of fun watching the band
and the dancers; they seemed to love
what they do! There were many breaks in
between, where the guests had the opportunity to utilize the stage. Honestly, it felt like one big wedding
reception. I was coaxed into dancing a
couple of times, but I really need to work on my salsa skills! Now that I have a bigger room, I have all the
space for a dance lesson.
As of Friday, I was on the move to a new location with my host
family (finally)… I’d love to tell you about all of the
wonderful things that have happened to me so far in week 10, but I have to save
it for the next blog!
Pictures of Brisas below & a video for fun!
Have an awesome weekend! Catch up soon… Chow! – A
Beautiful blog yet again sweet girl! You are so blessed to be on such an amazing journey...love that you always find a puppa to love on your outings! Enjoy and grow...you are beyond awesome!! Love you!!
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