Just what exactly did I sign up for?

January 04, 2016

Just what exactly did I sign up for?

I'm here!!! Dance party is in full effect, or is that my stomachs nerves? Eh.

So, I slept the whole plane ride...hallelujah. So I thought. Headed towards customs...everyone has the passport and some piece of paper? I figured hmm maybe my plane ticket is what they want? So I give it to the guy, he goes off into this longer question based discussion...I looked at him and said no comprende...he grabs the paper I should have filled out on the plane and send me to the back of the line.

Well shit. Ha, this form is in Spanish...go figure. When asked for my ethnicity I put Mexican...hoping to score some points with the locals. He looked at me, looked down and crossed it out and rewrote "American"...well, we are on two fails for today!

I get into an "official taxi" for all you worried about me getting kidnapped you owe me 145 soles. Lol talk about over priced! Genius Shayna wrote the address on a piece of paper so I didn't have to attempt to say it out loud and unveil my natural white roots.

The streets of Peru...crowded, busy, not exactly what you'd classify as wealthy yet don't agree that poverty is equivalent to dirty. Peruvian fact of the day: Lanes don't exist. Not for cars. Not for people.

As we drive down these busy roads to get to my AirBnB...there are men and women in the streets coming up to your window, selling you everything from gum to soda. These cars are turning when buses are less than 20 yards away. As I think to myself, man this taxi driver is being awfully brave with his Benz...I see ANOTHER car squeeze into the space I didn't even know existed between the Benz and the bus. My taxi driver and I attempt to share a conversation and the language barrier is so evident. He'd speak some English and finish in Spanish...I'd do the complete opposite. We are beginning to use hand gestures to get our points across, all the while The Beatles are playing nonstop on a Spanish station. I'm taking in every ounce of scenery.

I witnessed something I know I'd never see anywhere in America...a man in the car lane with a bike overfilled with wooden furniture and he was pulling it...imagine how horses are used to pull carriages...this man, this 5'5 40-something year old Peruvian man, using his own body to pull what must have been over 200 pounds of furniture. Goodness gracious, I thought my 17 lb. bag I was carrying was going to break my back by the end of this trip. I was already planning on ditching some items for the sake of my good 'ol American posture. Then this over-achiever shows up!

This country is made of hustle. Solid hustle. If that's not inspiring and eye-opening I don't know what is.

On with my day...my host family! I have arrived, I am greeted by hugs and love! I needed that...it felt like a little bit of home. I've been provided instructions on how to get around as well as maps! I was walked to the bus station so I could figure out just how to use public transportation...little did they know I've never even used a city bus back home.

Here goes nothing!

I made it...ill just jump to lunch! I get off the proper exit, lack of street signs present lead me to an unitented lunch spot...but I'm starving!! Iny, miny, miney, mooooo! (No Shayna, it's moe...not moo, clearly you see that I've got food on my mind.)

Eh, I'll have a seat in the corner. The man comes to me and clearly I was expecting a menu...got emmmm. The menu's up there...written on that white board I see, in full blown Spanish with no pictures to help! Well, this item has aroz so at minimum I know I'm getting rice, I ordered by pointing! That's acceptable, right?

Yuuuum I'm ready! Everyone's plate looks appealing...and here comes mine! Wtf did I point to? I see what looks like cooked bananas (but hoping its like a local squash since I HATE bananas) bordering boring white rice and topped with a fried egg. Um, come again? How do these Peruvian pallets work? It should be meat, cheese, vegetable and carbs...get it together Peru.

Well, it sure is a banana...further encouraging me to learn some more basic food vocabulary.

I head to find Parque Kennedy...(yes, that's our JFK) when I stumble upon a little piece of heaven.

Starbucks!! On a day filled with nothing but transitions, I needed a little bit of home. I found comfort in my starbs. Headed to the ocean and took in the sights for a good two hours. The parks here have wifi, they also have stray cats. See what I mean about transitions?