The Bumpy Parts

I've been in Peru for over eleven weeks now and it has been an absolutely awesome experience. I could not have asked for a better host family or University. However, I would be lying if I told you that it has all gone perfectly. Part of this trip has been learning to adjust and take care of myself in a place that is unlike anywhere that I had ever been to before. Some of the differences that I have found are undesirable for me even after adjustment to them.

Traffic

First and foremost, the way people drive in this country is awful. I think I may have touched on this subject in an earlier entry, but believe me, it deserves to be said again. There is no respect for speed limits. People get from A to B as fast as possible. To avoid the danger of cars flying through residential areas at 50mph, there are speed bumps everywhere. This results in drivers flooring it and then braking hard just before the bump. As soon as they go over it, they floor it again until the next bump.

The concept of maintaining one's lane is unheard for Peruvians. If they want to turn they will just cut across traffic and join the unorganized conglomerate of vehicles waiting for the first opportunity to squeeze through oncoming cars.

There is also no respect for pedestrians. If you find yourself in Lima be careful crossing any street. Look both ways at least twice and don't expect anyone to slow down for you to cross. Instead of breaking they will just honk at you in an effort to make you get out of the way faster. I have often been tempted to give the old one fingered wave many times, but have managed to just blow off their honks and yells.

You would be better off calling a priest than an ambulance. They do not get over for any type of emergency vehicles. On the contrary, they will cut them off just like they do any other car.

I am from a small town. But from the time I have spent in American big cities, I can assure you that the traffic in Lima is on a different level from anything you'll find in the U.S.

As you can imagine, all this horrible driving results in accidents (however, I must say that I thought there would be more). In the city where they can't drive too fast and I have only witnessed a couple of accidents. But on the freeway I have seen many more. Insurance companies and tow trucks are stationed about every 10 miles or so to help clean up. One night we passed three accidents; two of which multiple cars were totaled. Traffic was backed up for miles, so many cars/trucks/buses decided to cruise on the small paved shoulder speeding past parked cars at speeds of 45mph at least.

Of course it is unfair to say that all Peruvians drive like mad men. There are exceptions, but the grand majority of Peruvians I've seen act like it's NASCAR. When I return, I will enjoy being back on roads where I can trust other drivers.

Crime

Another thing that I have had to adjust to is being more careful not to get robbed. Being white and foreign I am an easy target for a lot of thieves. My first month here I stupidly left my bag alone at the beach for 15 minutes, during which someone kindly took my camera off my hands. Although I have not been held up or attacked, a few of my fellow Nebraskans were involved in a mugging. No one was hurt, but that hardly makes the situation less frightening.

Not only are Americans targeted for good old fashioned robbery, we also have to deal with stores and taxis trying to rip us off. Most little shops don't mark prices, and taxis don't have meters. So we always need to know how much we should pay for something before we buy it. We also always need to check to make sure we are given real bills. One member of the group has been given fake money and had it thrown in his face when he tried to spend it. I have learned to be careful, but having to constantly be on guard gets old quickly and I look forward to carrying my wallet in my rear, unzipped pocket back in Nebraska.

Poverty

Poverty is a major problem in Peru, and over the past months we have grown accustomed to seeing it. Whenever I go out I walk past people trying to sell things on push carts. Whenever we're stopped in traffic people will come up to the window to show you their merchandise or to just simply beg. We all live in a nice residential part of town, but we often drive through poor neighborhoods with people searching through trash for things to recycle or maybe even to eat. Stray dogs run around everywhere, even in rich neighborhoods. I have seen dead animals lying on the side of the street on multiple occasions. On trips outside of Lima we see entire little towns with huts built out of scrap wood or panels of straw woven together. The residents are migrants from the mountains or had their homes destroyed in an earthquake back in 2007. These people survive on less than a dollar a day.

I realize there are people in extreme poverty in the states, but it's not on the same scale as what I've seen here. At first I felt sorry for them and a little guilty for not helping out. But now I have seen poverty so much I've become almost numb to it, which may be the saddest part of all.

Johnny Law

Perhaps the scariest part in my experiences here is the corruption of Peru's national police. I have been pulled over twice while riding with new Peruvian friends, and both times the police were just looking to be paid off in cash. The first time they pulled us over because they saw us leave a bar. The driver had hardly anything to drink and blew way under the limit, but the officers demanded that we pay them off so we wouldn't get into trouble. I was confused and couldn't understand all of what they were saying, but the cops even tried to come up with some bogus traffic violation to pin on us. After all the cops I had seen cut people off and run lights it sounded absurd to me. They didn't even want that much money, maybe twenty dollars, but I refused to pay. We told them to write us a ticket, but instead they ended up just letting us go. I was pretty upset and started asking friends what that was exactly. They told me that it happens all the time and that the corruption runs deep. Evidently the police don't get paid much so the higher ups will pool the bribe money and split it up between everyone.

The police also lack in numbers. There was a recent protest which blocked off a the only highway along the coast. This stopped buses for miles and actually stranded a couple of Nebraskans outside of Lima. It took the police two days to clear the protestors and burning tires from the highway. If something were to happen where I needed police help, I wouldn't have confidence in their ability or integrity.     

I hope this blog doesn't come off as me just complaining. I am simply describing my experiences. In part, I do this so future students of this program will know what to expect. With all this being said, my semester here has been great. Looking back now I am glad that I chose to come here and would make the same choice again. Negative aspects of a country are essential to the experiences this program wishes to give students. I've had bad days and missed my friends and family like crazy. I got sad and was ready to hop on the next plane home, but I stuck it out and I'm better off for it. Learning to adjust and roll with the punches are great life skills. I am pretty well adapted now and hope to learn from and enjoy all of my last few weeks here, even the bumpy parts.          

Cuzco and Machu Picchu

Last week I made my first trip outside of Lima with my fellow UNK students since we arrived in Perú eight weeks ago. The destination was Cusco and the world famous ruins of Machu Picchu. I had been looking forward to this trip ever since I decided to study abroad and was very excited to go.

My flight left at 8:00a.m. last Thursday, so my host brother and I got up before dawn to make the trip to the airport. I made it through security with no problems and my flight took off on schedule. The flight was very enjoyable. I had a window seat and a fantastic view. As we took off, I was able to look down on Lima and recognize many landmarks of the city. One landmark in particular was the "hill" that stands close to UPC campus. Before visiting the Andes I had thought this huge mound of earth to be more of a mountain than a hill. But as we flew over Lima I saw the real Andes mountains rising up into the clouds, making the hill next to campus look like a prairie dog mound. When the plane got above the clouds, snow capped mountains more than 18,000 feet in the air began appearing in the distance. It was a very impressive sight.

Coca Tea

The flight lasted an hour and a half, and when we landed I stepped of the plane and felt cool air for the first time in two months. It was actually quite refreshing. February is the rainy season for Cusco but we lucked out, and only had minor showers during the days we were there. The elevation at Cusco is 11,200 feet and I felt the difference in the air immediately, but I had taken some elevation sickness pill beforehand and they must have worked because felt fine the whole trip. From the airport our travel guide took us to our hotel. The we were served some coca tea (plant from which cocaine is made) which is supposed to help with the elevation adjustment as well. We spent the morning acclimating in the hotel.

During the afternoon we toured around the city of Cusco, which was the capital of the Incan Empire and a key point of Spanish conquest. The first stop was the Temple of Coricancha (Temple of Gold in quechua) with a Spanish convent built on top. This theme of Inca foundations with Spanish buildings on top was common throughout the trip. In the temple/convent we saw many paintings and some great examples of Inca/Colonial Spanish architecture. The Incan temples were built from only the best stones cut exactly to fit together without mortar like a puzzle. Instead of mortar, pegs and holes were formed in the stones to hold them together. The Incan structures, though hundreds of years older, are in better shape than the Spanish buildings on top of them. In fact, 25 years ago when a strong earthquake hit Cusco, many Spanish structures fell while the Incan ones stood strong.

Convent. You can see original Incan wall on the left side. It was drizzling.

Cathedral. Poor photo but its the only one I got.

The other tourist sight we went to on our first day was the Cathedral in the Plaza de Armas. We were not allowed to take our cameras in but believe me when I say the sights were unbelievable. There were wooden gold leaf shrines that went from the floor to the ceiling 60 feet above. The domed ceilings in the main hall reached even higher. Many beautiful paintings hung on every wall. An alter of solid silver that must have weighed thousands of pounds sat on the floor towards the back of the main hall. The size of the cathedral, with its columns, shrines, and alters of precious metals, was simple breathtaking.

On the second day, we rose early and made our first stop at Sacsayhuaman. This archeological sight may have been the most impressive part of the trip for me. These ruins were built with the same method as the temple but on a much larger scale. Some stones are more than 15 feet tall and 8 feet wide, yet they are all cut to fit perfectly without mortar. How the Incas built this place is unknown. Most experts say it was done with ramps, rolling logs, and some major man power. However, some people swear it must have been aliens. Sacsayhuaman sits at an elevation of 12,200 feet and has a wonderful view of the city of Cusco.

Cusco viewed from Sacsayhuaman

Dried fish, beef jerky, and corn. Supposedly they eat that.

After Sacsayhuaman we journeyed down the Sacred Valley of the Incas and the Urubamba river. At the end of the valley we arrived at the small village of Ollantaytambo. Many indigenous people live in this town and on our tour we were able to see one little neighborhood that appeared to be straight out of the 15th century. This village reminded me a lot of the readings and discussions that we've had in my Indigenous politics class with the different language, clothing, food, houses, etc. These things brought to life everything we had talked about; these communities still existing and how much they differ from Lima and other big cities.

The third day we went to Machu Picchu. We left our hotel at 4:00a.m. and made the bus ride back to Ollantaytambo. From there we got on a train and headed for Aguascalientes. We followed the Urubamba river wich turned very rough after Ollantaytambo. I've been to the Rockies and have even white water rafted. But those "rapids" are nothing compared to what I saw on the train ride. Millions of gallons of water raged against rocks the size of houses. Seeing the water crash its way down the valley gave me butterflies in my stomach and dropped my jaw to the floor.

Me with my hometown newspaper.

We arrived at Aguascalientes and I was expecting to be able to see the ruins from there. However, one has to climb or take a bus up another thousand feet before he gets to Machu Picchu. So we got on a bus and finally arrived at our destination. The views were unbelievable. The terraces had been cut out of the mountain and started a hundreds of feet down and worked their way up to the top. Llamas were wondering freely all through the ruins. Just chilling and grazing the terraces.The important buildings, such as the temple of the sun, were built using the same method of cutting the stones exactly to fit. The peak of Wayna Picchu also has buildings and we could see tourists climbing the trail to the tippy top. After a good tour we were free to wander as we pleased. However, we couldn't climb Wayna Picchu because there is a limit and we didn't get the required ticket. However, we did make it up to Intipunku which is at the top of the Inca Trail leading out of the valley and back to Cusco. The hike took about an hour but it was a great view and actually sits higher than Wayna Picchu.

Intipunku victory pose. Main ruins are far behind us next to my head. I was excited.

 The fourth day we checked out of the hotel and took a flight back to Lima. The trip was a great experience and it was really good to get out and see more of Perú beyond Lima.

Points of Interest in the City of Lima

I've been in Lima for over six weeks now and during that time I have done a fair amount of exploring in the city. There is ample public transportation and it is very cheap. I can ride a bus for an hour and pay no more than $2. I can also take a taxi just about anywhere in Lima for around $10 and if I'm in a group it cuts the cost even more. My Spanish speaking ability has seen some definite improvement and I now feel confident enough to negotiate with cab drivers without a native speaker having to come with me.

There are also these wonderful little cereal boxes on wheels called combis. Their routes are like those of buses and the same price, but combis are tiny and perhaps a little bit faster than buses. When you ride in one of these you're crammed in with a bunch of strangers and the way people drive around here you feel as if you're in a speeding roller coaster. They are a different experience and though I wouldn't want to ride in a combi everyday, they are fun to take every once in a while.

Back half of a combi.

The bus system here in Lima is not like the ones in the states. There is no set schedule and you have to read words printed on the bus and talk to the toll collector to make sure it's the one you want. There are so many buses and combis driving around that you do need to be careful which one you get on so you don't end up unknowingly going in the wrong direction. The grand majority of people here in Perú are smaller than Americans. Therefore, all the seats in the buses, combis, and taxis are made for short people. Being 6'5", I have to scrunch my legs in wherever I can. But it's not as bad as it sounds, and since I am young and skinny I can usually find a comfortable position.

Palace in background.

With this public transportation we have been able to go around many different parts of this huge city. One of the first places we got to know is the gigantic Plaza de Armas in central Lima. The plaza is surrounded by the Presidential Palace, the Lima Cathedral, and some other large colonial age buildings. The night we went there Lima was celebrating it's anniversary as a city. There was a huge stage set up in the middle with music and dancing. There were many cheering people there which gave the event the sense of a big rock concert. In the streets on the edge of the plaza there were all sorts of people in costumes, women dancing in dresses, and men riding horses. The people, music, and buildings created an atmosphere that was unique and enjoyable.

Lima Cathedral

Parque de Amor

Another part of Lima that I have gotten familiar with is Miraflores. This district of Lima is on the coast and has quite a bit of historical value. The literature class I'm in took a tour of the district and we saw and learned some interesting things. Along the cliff above the coast in Miraflores there are many parks with statues and flowers. The most outstanding park was the Parque de Amor (Park of Love). There are many colorful ceramic walls and fountain with a statue of couple on top of it. In the ceramics on the walls are names of famous Peruvian couples and simple phrases of love.

Miraflores Lighthouse

 

Miraflores Coast

Another part of the Miraflores tour was the archeological sight of the "Huaca Pucllana." This Huaca is the site of temples, squares, and homes of pre-colonial peoples. When the Spanish first arrived in Lima, they believed that they were just simply hills and didn't realize what they were until later when people tried to dig into them to build. The temples and houses are all constructed out of mud bricks and since it rarely truly rains in Lima (maybe once a year), the buildings have lasted hundreds of years. On the tours we learned of how these people lived and heard stories of religious ceremonies with human sacrifice.

Human Sacrifice Replica

Partly Restored Huaca Temple

For shopping Lima offers malls and centers very similar to those one would find in the states. However there are also shopping places that are very different. The biggest of these center is called Gamarra. This place is absolutely enormous with about 17,000 different little shops that sell everything from clothes to electronics and more. If you go deep enough into one of the stores you can actually find people making the clothes. Brand names like Nike, Billabong, Rolex, and Ray Ban are sold, but I highly suspect they are fakes. This really doesn't matter to me though because they look exactly the same and are about one third of the price. Speaking of prices, nothing is marked and you need to be prepared to do a little bargaining. As a foreigner I expected to pay a little more than what they would sell to a local, but even the prices I got were far below anything that I would pay in the states. The atmosphere was a little sketchy and I we stayed in groups of at least three because pick pockets and muggers are know to roam around Gamarra. We made it through the day fine and were able to make a few purchases without any incidents. It was a fun way to buy in my opinion.

  

Just this past week the group took a tour of the Fortress Real Felipe in the Callao district of Lima. This fortress is located right by the port of Lima and has been a major part of the history of post-colonial Lima. When we first arrived the shear size of the fortress was very impressive. It was constructed in the 18th century and the entire place is surrounded by a moat and a 20 foot wall with cannons spaced about every 10 yards. The side facing the sea has two great towers on each end. The tour of the fortress was very interesting and we were told of battles against the English pirates and also with the Spaniards after Perú's independence. The tour was a great way to spend a morning and to learn a little more about Lima and Perú.

Exploring the city has been fun and has really helped me enjoy my time down here. I hope to continue learning and exploring as the semester continues.         

       

  

UPC Campus, Staff, and Classes

     The university that I am studying at while in Perú is called Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, or in English, Peruvian University of Applied Sciences. The campus is small, but it is really nice and modern. The entire campus is walled off and you need your student I.D. to get in. Once inside it is more or less a big circle of buildings. The picture of me above shows pretty much the entire campus and if you look further down the page you can see a picture taken from the other side. There are little shops all around that sell snacks and sodas. There is also a cafeteria where one can buy a meal for a good price. There is also a bank with ATMs on campus. It's summer down here so there aren't many students on campus but it still keeps pretty busy. Evidently there will be many more students in the March. I tend to stick out since I am a foot taller than everyone else and white. The first week or so I felt like I was stared at, but either I'm used to it or the people on campus are used to me because I don't notice it so much now.     

     The staff here at UPC is extremely nice and helpful. The first day at orientation they spoke to us in English but since then they have insisted only to speak in Spanish unless it is an emergency. They have helped me with anything I couldn't figure out myself on campus and even given the group some tips on things to do in Lima.

     Classes have been going well but are starting to pick up here in week four. I'm taking literature, conversation, and grammar classes in Spanish. The professors for these classes are very good at what they do. While they only speak in Spanish during class, they can read the students reactions to see if we are understanding. If we aren't then they explain it differently or simply repeat it more slowly. The professors are more than willing to work with a student who needs help if the student makes the effort to learn. I am enjoying these classes and even if I don't understand 100% of what is being said I catch enough to participate. All the UNK students are also taking an Indigenous Politics class in English with the faculty lead from UNK. He is a political science professor who specializes in South American politics and is proficient in Spanish. While I am not extremely interested in politics, this class has opened my eyes to the indigenous situation in South America, which is much more than my previous thoughts of a bunch of natives dressed in loin cloths running around the jungle. This class may not be directly related to what I am studying (foreign language education), but I am learning a lot and by that simple fact I will benefit from it.

     All the UNK students are also assisting and tutoring in English classes here at UPC. We spend two hours a week helping Peruvian students. I like doing this and the students are eager to talk to a native speaker. These tutoring sessions bring bad memories of middle school English when I get asked questions like "When and how do I use the past perfect progressive tense in English?" I usually just give them a look that says "I don't know" and ask them to try and use it in a sentence and I'll tell them if it sounds right. Helping out in these classes makes me appreciate learning English as a native speaker.

     With the help of the faculty, staff, and students here at UPC I am starting to see improvements in my Spanish. It's hard to believe that this semester is a quarter of the way through. I am sure that my Spanish will continue to grow and I hope that the remainder of the semester continues to go smoothly. 

I just might get fat.

One thing that I was most worried about while planning this trip was the food. I have never been a picky eater, but I had no idea what to expect. Would it taste good? How would my stomach handle it? Questions like this swam through my mind. However, after two weeks here in Lima my I can confidently say that I will be more than satisfied with the food here.

My first meal was breakfast the morning after my flight, and I was very surprised to find a box of "Captain Crunch" (one of my personal favorites) on the table. I thought, "Oh good, they eat breakfast cereal." But then my host brother explained that he had bought the cereal to help me slowly get accustomed to Peruvian cuisine. Not only did he not normally eat cold cereal, he didn't know how it was served. So we had our first breakfast of "Captain Crunch" out of shallow bowls with warm milk. Since then we've been eating Peruvian food for the most part.

For breakfast we always have blended papaya and oranges with bread. To go along with this we have eggs and ham or oatmeal and coffee. The oatmeal is very different from American oatmeal. It is really thin. In fact it's more like heated milk with few bits of oats and sugar mixed in. The coffee, is different as well. It starts with a cup of hot milk and one mixes in some concentrated liquid coffee and sugar. In the U.S. I never had coffee because I don't like it black, but I have actually grown to like it here. We start the day off eating well and I haven't missed my cold bowls of "Honey Bunches of Oats."

Lunch is the big meal of the day and normally we just have some left overs for supper. Most of my meals have been prepared by my host family and the maids and they are very good cooks. Lunch has to be one of my favorite times of the day and I have had some very tasty meals ranging from meat patties and rice to guinea pig. If I were to talk about all of them this would turn into a thesis so I will stick to the most memorable.

Ají de Gallina

One of my favorite dishes I've had so far was "Ají de Gallina." It is a delicious scoop of shredded chicken mixed in a sauce of peppers, nuts, milk, cheese and onion. On the side we had hard boiled eggs and like just about all of the dishes here it was served with rice. It was delicious and I enjoyed two helpings.

The most talked a out dish here in Peru has to be "Ceviche." This plate is raw fish drowned in lemon juice, peppers, and onions. With this we had baked yams and a side of something similar to pop corn. The combination of sour and slightly hot created an interesting flavor. Supposedly the acid from the lemon juice kills any germs that might be in the fish. I wasn't totally convinced and wasn't crazy about the texture, but managed to eat the whole dish. I had this meal in the indoor market near our condo. The atmosphere was very different as there was raw meat and bananas hanging on hooks overhead of all the little shops. We were able to witness the creation of these dishes as they were prepared right in front of us. I watched everything from the skinning of the fish, juicing of the lemons, to the chopping of the onions. Just because everything about the meal was different from what I am used to, I wasn't able to truly enjoy the food. My stomach handled the food well and I did like the flavor. So I hope to try this dish again with the confidence that I won't get sick.

Pisco Sour

The most American dish I've had was steak covered in cream of mushroom served with vegetables and grilled potato triangles. The steak wasn't quite like Nebraskan steak but it was still very good. The sauce was very tasty and went well with the meat. The vegetables here seem to be fresher and the potato triangles were scrumptious. Along with this meal we were served a Peruvian drink called a "Pisco Sour." Pisco is the liquor of Perú and my host family made sure to convince me that it was not first made in Chile. I believe that there is a little bad blood there. Anyway, the drink was made with pisco, egg white, sugar, and lemon juice. It was delightful. The plate with the pisco sour was delicious and I found myself wanting more when I had finished it.

Cuye. Head and two halves.

And now the fried guinea pig or "cuye" here in Perú. When my host brother first told me what we were having I couldn't help but laugh thinking of little pets back in the U.S. The rodents were brought home skinned and gutted from the market. My host grandmother did the rest by cutting the heads off and splitting the bodies down the spine. From there they were battered and fried. Served with the guinea pig was rice, potatoes, and onions doused in lemon juice. To me it tasted like the dark meat of a turkey. We ate them with our hands, but it was hard for me to get much meat off the bones. I personally did not eat the head, but one of the uncles at the table did. I must say that it was a little gross. That said, I did enjoy the meal and will probably have it again sometime.

To say that I have been eating well would be an understatement. If I don't cut down on the food or start to get some more exercise I could very well put on some weight of the wrong type. When I return home I will definitely miss my host grandmother Mamatere if for here hospitality and here wonderful cooking.   




       

My Peruvian Home Life

Things have been going really well down here in Lima. I've been here a week and I've got no complaints. However, just about everything is different than what I am used to; particularly my time in the home.

The main thing that's different for me is having maids living in the house. My host family right now has two maids staying with us full time because there are a lot of things to do to prepare for my host sister's wedding. They cook, clean, and wash the clothes. They are very polite, but seem a bit impersonal. My host brother Toño, whom I spend most of my time with, never formally introduced me to them like he did with his friends and family. When we have our meals it is in traditional European Peruvian style. We eat lunch and breakfast together at the dining room table. The maids bring out the plates to one person at a time and once everyone has been served they return to the kitchen and eat there meals there. I smile and say thank you, but rarely get any noticeable response from them. There is a bit of a language barrier but my Spanish is good enough to converse with other members of the family. Perhaps it is seen as a bit unprofessional to talk with house guests. I suppose hired help is just something I'll need to get used to.

With the wedding coming up I have had the pleasure of being with the entire Duarte family. There have been many aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews coming in and out of the house throughout the week. The men introduce themselves with hand shakes and the women with kisses on the cheek. All have been very nice and I have tried to talk to just about all of them with my broken Spanish. The conversation usually turns to Peru, Nebraska when I tell them where I'm from. The small town is pretty famous down here due to a video of some Peruvian celebrities visiting it. The video is on you tube and the title is "Peru visits Peru" if you want to take a look at it.

Going back to the family, the children are nice to have around and keep the place lively. They are actually the easiest ones for me to speak Spanish with because they talk a little slower and have a more basic vocabulary. Elementary schools are also starting to teach in English half the day so one of the girls likes to throw an English word into the conversation when ever possible.     

Dancing. There were more people but I was late taking photos.

Earlier my host mother, Mari, had a big celebration for her birthday. Unfortunately I had class for the first two hours, but when I got back there were people drinking and dancing to salsa music. I made my way around the party and had some drinks and a little conversation. I did make it out to the dance floor for a song or two, but felt outclassed watching people three times my age moving their feet with more rhythm than I could.


Towards the end of the night we brought out the cake and sang the Spanish equivalent of "Happy Birthday." Afterwards there was more music, dancing, and conversation until about 1:00 a.m. It was definitely different than any birthday party I had been to before and I enjoyed the experience.

Toño and I (Daniel in middle)

I like the position that I am in with my hosts. I think that my family here is a good fit for keeping me out of culture shock, but at the same time having me try new things. I hope to get to know them and their traditions better as we make our way through this semester. 

The First Days

All the goodbyes had been said and I was ready to get on a plane to Lima, Peru. I knew that I would miss the friends, family and familiarity of Kearney, but I was very excited to go. The flights went very smoothly and I landed in Lima safely on last night. I made it through immigration and customs without a hiccup and was greeted by the smiling face of my new Peruvian roommate. We arrived at his home later that night. The condominium is in a little gated neighborhood with a man always at the entrance. I don't like the necessity for a gate and I guard, but I understand and definitely feel safe. It is a nice place with a location close to UPC. I have plenty of room and a bed to sleep on and that is all I ask for.
Today I met his mother and grandmother. They are very nice people and cooked us a very tasty meal of chicken, rice, and potatoes. I can't remember the name, but it is a traditional dish from Huancayo, which is a city in the central highlands of Peru.

We took a bus to downtown today and that was an adventure in itself. The traffic was insane. The rule was get to where you were going as fast as possible, regardless of other drivers.The attendant on the bus leaned out the widow yelling out destinations. The bus would stop for an instant for people to load then would take off again before the door was shut. There were children selling candy and another man preaching politics for money as far as I could understand. All that said however, I did find myself enjoying the ride. We walked around downtown and looked at some shops. We got to the coast and I got a nice view of the ocean.

If the remainder of the trip goes half as well as the first two days, it will be a great semester here in Lima.