Lima, all wrapped into one

After infinite suggestions from my lovely "Peruvian mother who is not peruvian but is actually from California" Sandy (btw sandy this is how i refer to you to my friends), i have decided to give this blogging thing a try. Seeing as I have now been living in little Lima bean for over a year you are probably wondering why now? well, a year ago i was suffering from major culture shock, living in a brand new place, american spanish, and lots of bitterness over the situations i saw myself in every day while being here. Therefore, i didn't find it fair for the country or to anyone aspiring to come here one day for me to publicly rant about all the negative obstacles i've encountered myself with and scare everyone away.


My reasons for coming to Peru in the first place vary from running away, heartbreak, adventure, and to different opportunities. I guess now, 15 months later, i can finally admit that to myself instead of easily saying "i came here to go to culinary school." Whatever the reason, I'm here. After living in the bubble that is Fairfield County, CT for as long as i can possibly remember Lima shocked me. BIG TIME. I have had the pleasure and have been spoiled with perfect seasons year after year, where summers are hot, winters are cold, autumns are just the most beautiful things you have ever seen, and spring is filled with april showers which then bring may flowers. The summers here are humid but don't go over 85 degrees, winters are still humid not really cold but somehow the humidity gets down to your bones and makes you feel this weird coldness when its really only 50 degrees out. oh and its grey for 6 months. spring and autumn basically don't exist .. and 2 months later i find out that i live in a dessert and hey it doesn't rain. ever. except for this awful mist that just about guarantees a bad hair day. Recently, I had to take a moment, step back, and just laugh at how things have changed. how I've changed. My first winter here I was miserable, I couldn't for the life of me understand how people could possibly LIKE this winter. whats so attractive about 6 months of grey weather? This type of grey is the kind that everyone back home gets magically "sick" and decides to stay home and watch TV all day because its so dark and depressing outside. Weird Limenos. Today... well more like yesterday, I find myself enjoying this type of weather. mainly because i really do miss the Autumns that we have back home and because i dislike summer but also because I've realized that this kind of winter really defines Lima. The dark skies and misty nights my parents spoke about finally make sense to me. I still don't understand why they miss it, but maybe I will too when i leave.

Peru has brought me so many wonderful things, yet so much frustration. I like to think of our relationship as one of those sour patch relationships. first their sour then their sweet. From day one, I'm talking in Peruvian airport haven't even stepped outside day one, I was almost arrested because i was an alien in my birth country, really they just ripped me off took 60 bucks from me and magically all my problems were solved. sour. the food is so delicious tho. sweet. But chifa on the fourth day made me sick. sour. Then again, I was sick for about the first 6 months because of food, my own fault i suppose for leading a healthy and organic lifestyle back home. I could go on and on of all the frustrating things i've had to go through here but between jackass bosses, getting my foot ran over, and most recently not getting registered for school even tho i did register and pay, but i wont because it's late and there's a really good episode of castle i want to continue watching. However, being here has given me the opportunity to travel. I've been to such wonderful places and seen such beautiful sights, met such interesting people, swam with pink dolphins and hugged sloths that i guess it was all worth it. Most importantly tho I've made three great friends who are so individually special and important in my life that i can truly say i would have not been able to do this without them. They have put up with me, let me in, took care of me when i needed them, and loved me in their own weird way. Not a lot of people are lucky enough to find even one true friend like such in such a short period of time specially in another country. But i was lucky enough to get 3 to be by my side through it all.


I wont end this with Peru Je t'aime, because lets face it I don't. But I'm certainly glad we made our peace because now i can sit back and enjoy.