Entiendo Lima

The last thing I expected to have access to in my new home was a backyard; even when compared to suburban lots in the States the lawn is microscopic.  But the roofed terrace and walled garden are far and away the best features of my Peruvian residence.  Sometimes I wake up to birdsong before I wake up to the sounds of traffic.  Perhaps the most surprising part of the whole situation is the color of the grass; its green, and by that I mean truly, vibrantly green.  I can't help but wonder what chemicals they use to get grass to grow like that in the desert.

 

Circuito de playas de la Costa Verde

But like most things in Lima the weather isn't quite what you would expect.  Technically Lima is a subtropical coastal desert, its one of the driest capitals in the world; however, its location, nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes, means that the annual climate is mild and warm with very little rainfall.  To the west the Humboldt Current, flowing north along the Chilean and Peruvian coast, moderates the heat of the tropical sun while producing humid conditions.  While to the east the Andes prevent storms and rain from the Amazon Basin from reaching the coast.  Lima has two seasons: warm, sunny, humid summers and cool, cloudy, damp winters; many of the buildings are brightly painted to ward off the grey depression of winter.  The city is a series of microclimates that vary between the coastal districts of: San Isidro, Miraflores, Barranco, and Chorrillos to the hotter and drier regions of the interior.  In my opinion this leads to a generally unpleasant climate. 

For both Limeños and IFSA students life in Lima elicits a lot of complaints: the weather, the traffic, the disorganization, the lack of trust, etc.  But strangely enough, many residents love their city and I don't hate it, in fact I might like it a lot.  Truly life in Lima is one of the strangest experiences, and nothing exemplifies this better than a Mirabus tour of the city at night. 

 

Now most city bus tours would stick to the biggest and best streets and sites, but not in Lima.  Our Mirabus traveled on every type of alley and avenue between Parque Kennedy in Miraflores and the Center of Lima.  We made some very tight turns, and even drove through a construction site that was blocked off.  The bus makes two stops: the first at the Circuito Magico del Agua and the second at a five star hotel in the city center.  The Parque de Aguas opened in 2007 at a cost of US$ 13 M; it is the largest fountain complex in the world with 13 distinct fountains.  At night all of the fountains are lighted, and many are interactive.  Its a little bit tacky, but entirely awesome!

Trying to get through el Laberinto without getting wet...

Epic Fail...

Túnel de Sorpresas 

Grace and beauty in front of the Fuente Mágica

Our second stop was at the Lima Sheraton in the city center was literally the strangest experience.  The Mirabus parked outside the glitzy hotel; we tramped in the through the lobby (I was still soaking wet from the Parque de Aguas), past the gourmet buffet, and into specially reserved tables for Mirabus passengers in the dining room.  We were fed slightly stale tuna fish mini sandwiches, cheese cake bites, and juice or coffee, and then herded back onto the bus.  Super random, but not entirely unenjoyable. 

Today Limeños are deciding whether or not to impeach their first female mayor Susana Vilarán; the vote is mandatory, so the entire city has basically shut down.  In preparation for the vote there has been a "seca" for the past two days; the sale of alcohol is prohibited.  Right now my host family is ordering lunch because leaving the house is near impossible.       

    

   

El Centro de Lima y Barranco

Catedral de Lima

Puente de los Suspiros: Hold your breath for good luck

Plaza de las Armas

Sobreviviendo Lima

I spent my first night in Lima in a hostel; my roommate, who woke me when she arrived at 2 am, was proof that the world is impossibly small.  She’s a Colby student; while playing the name game we soon realized that we have several friends in common.  The next morning when we were getting dressed she informed me that, whether in reality or in a dream, we had received an unexpected visitor last night.  She was convinced he had arrived around 3 am and after a quick visit had departed through the bathroom window; skeptical, I ruffled through my valuables.  Passport.  Check.  Debit Card.  Check.  Bathroom products (I brought a whole bag of these because they are so expensive in Latin America).  Check.  In the mess of my suitcase everything irreplaceable was more or less accounted for.

IFSA students and Peruvian "patas" on the first day.

Far and away orientation was my least favorite part of college.  Study abroad orientation is more relaxed, but not entirely different.  Although I must admit that Bowdoin Dining Services can’t shake a stick at “la comida peruana”.  After two “charlas” in the office about the program expectations and structure our host families arrived to pick us up.  My mother is as small as she is energetic and when we finally reached home she insisted on teaching me “los trucos de las llaves” or how to get into the house.  My key ring included three keys; my mother’s had at least ten different keys on it.  Each lock is finicky; if you don’t assertively employ the proper technique you’ll be left out in the cold (or the heat as it so happens) for hours.  Which is exactly the fate I suffered.  After over an hour, I finally learned that force wasn’t everything; proper technique, pretty similar to seducing the door, and confidence are the easiest ways to achieve success.  There is a metaphor ripe for the picking, but for now I’ll leave it at that.

The next day we had our only talk in English: “Sobreviviendo Lima”.  Considering that I have never lived outside of New England, I am relatively street smart.  But life in Lima is on a different level.  Over eight million million people, one third of the Peruvian population, live in Lima.  Lima is about the size of New York City; its one of the five biggest cities in the Americas.  It isn’t any more dangerous than American cities, but petty crime is the norm.  And unfortunately, I’ll never blend in.  We learned about different pick pocketing scams, how to prevent kidnap by taxi, and how to curse confidently in order to deflect unwanted attention.  And most importantly, we learned about “bricheros”: Peruvians who specialize in dating foreigners.   Our homework for the night was two and a half pages of Peruvian “jergas” (slang) which I completed via Nextel walkie-talkie with Diego, my oldest host brother. 

Pochy, my host mother, and I.

The following morning I went for a short run around and around the tiny Parque del Francisco Zela.  When I got home, I unlocked both the gate and the house door without a problem.  

Bunny Jetsetters

Bunny travel memes courtesy of Hannah:

Journeys in Jersey

It’s often said that travel provides the opportunity to learn about a foreign culture.  But perhaps more importantly-it affords you with an external perspective on your own.  So what about domestic travel?  From personal experience, I can say it offers a unique education.

Exhibit a: the Newark airport-after three years spent almost exclusively in New England the experience induced near paralyzing culture shock.  Luckily, Yericca was waiting on the curb just outside.  She expertly maneuvered the car through Jersey traffic.  A late bloomer, she now drives like a professional thanks to her father’s excellent tutelage.  A long back up caused by a routine car fire and several wrong turns forced us to take the scenic route home.  When arrived Morales hospitality was phenomenal, as always; I arrived to find that Yenira had prepared my two favorite foods: arroz con habichuela and corn bread with lime zest. 

After a day or so of intense relaxation Yericca and I headed into the city to visit her friend from Tufts.  I feel about as comfortable in Manhattan as a gorilla in a prom dress, but the company of two natives filled me with confidence.  We began our journey with a stroll through Central Park; although the flora and fauna were abundant, I only had eyes for the Manhattan Schist. 

My favorite view of the city from the South End of Central Park.

No weekend in the city would be complete without a visit to FAO Schwartz; this store is an endless source of wonder and pity.  It scares me to see the materialism of America so pointedly directed at its most helpless citizens.  But at the same time, the toys are pretty awesome!

Post lunch we headed to Brooklyn, the abundant brick was a comforting antidote to the empty gleam of downtown.  Gracie’s house was beautiful: tall, narrow, and filled with cats.  Quality Italian cuisine (pizza and mini pastries) and serious television were the only things left on the day’s agenda.  Several episodes of Animal Planet’s “Too Cute”, the History Channel’s “Pawn Stars”, and Syfy’s “Face Off” chased with Perfect Pitch brought my pop culture knowledge up to speed.  The next day we headed back to Jersey, but not before the obligatory stop to Tio Milton’s restaurant in the Bronx.

Tomorrow I fly to South America, but it’s been good to catch up with an old friend before I depart.  Seeing Yericca has provided a much needed change of pace.  Routine builds comfort and travel challenges that.  It’s amazing to think that a trip several hours down the road could prove to be so illuminating.