After
two weeks in Peru I have eaten two of what Sebastian says are the three
definitive Peruvian dishes. (I’ve eaten chifa and pollo a la brasa and
am missing ceviche). I have survived an allergic reaction to a bug bite
and unboiled water (ALWAYS boil the water). And I can make brief
statements in Spanish sometimes with correctly conjugated verbs but most
times not.
Lima,
so far, has been a pleasant experience. The people are friendly and
helpful. I have kissed more cheeks in the past two weeks than the rest
of my life combined. My host family is one of the sweetest families you
will ever meet, and the staff at the school has been accommodating and
kind. Hearing a little voice call, “Miss!” and looking up to see a
smiling student has become one of the highlights of my day.
Like
any big city Lima has its grime and grunge, but it is also full of
wonderful smells. The women smell like flowers. Not the bottle of cheap
body spray scent, but the walking through a flower market kind. I must
find a way to pack a year’s supply of the shampoo and soap they use in
my bag before I leave. The food tastes delicious and smells delicious
too. There is fresh produce everywhere and it tastes better than any
apple I’ve had from an American supermarket. And when in Miraflores the
fragrance and breeze of the ocean is delightful.
The
weather may be the most pleasant change from NWA. Fall is just beginning
in Peru which means warm days and sweaters in the evenings. It should
be an Indian summer until May, and I am definitely okay with that.
My
weekdays and Sundays are consumed with school work, but the goal is to
keep Saturday’s completely free for exploring. I’ll be posting pictures
on the gallery page of this blog, and throughout the week via Instagram
if you care to see them.
This
weekend Susan and I went on a Mirabus night tour. The tour takes
tourists through historic district of Lima and to the Parque de la
Reserva. I completely forgot to charge my phone before we left, and
sadly, it died before the night was over. I did get some pictures of the
park which is full of beautiful, giant water fountains. They even have a
a laser and water show. It was a fun evening, even when I dropped some
of my ice cream on my foot. More pictures on the gallery page (http://alainarainey91.wix.com/how-to-be-still/#!portfolio/c3ao). Adios!Read more from Alaina at alainarainey91.wix.com/how-to-be-still/
