Coming Back, and Answers to Some Questions

After leaving Columbus and before departing for Peru, Matthew and I spent a few days in Chicago doing last-minute errands before the big trip. I was nervous. I was scared to go through customs and thought I didn´t know enough Spanish to survive. The way my body decided to cope was by letting a giant rash break out on my neck that didn´t go away until we landed in Lima. Great.

Now that I´m only a few days away from making the return trip, the migrane that started last Friday and decided to make itself known more forcefully for the better part of the following 5 days has finally gone away. I think. Who knows? Maybe it´ll be like the fickle water situation we had in our house and it´ll come back. Maybe I´m stressed about transitioning back? I know it´s going to be tough to buy stuff after spending the equivalant of 30 US cents on a soda, or on a small tube of toothpaste. I don´t know what I´m doing "next." I do know that I´m excited to see my family again.

Here is a list of interesting questions I received the other day, and my responses.

What do you miss about US cities that Peru doesn't have?
Trash cans that are conveniently located.

Do you miss anything?
Things to read that are in English! At home, I have the newspaper, magazines, and a huge shelf of books I have been "too busy" to read. Here, Matthew and I share English books that we carefully choose at book exchanges. I´ve read a few good things, but am holding off on our last book until our 21+ hour bus ride and the plane rides. I haven´t been reading enough.

Also, coffee drinks and regular sized sidewalks without random holes/broken concrete/drop-offs.

Are you turning into Mark Twain and now that you know all about other cultures, you're not nearly as enamored by them?
I didn´t know much about Peru before coming, except for what I learned looking at some library books. I don´t know what I expected. I can say that I´m absolutely still amazed by the Incas. Although I´ve seen enough old rocks for a while, the technology that the Incas incorporated into their architecture is incredible. The current lifestyle in Peru is tough. I´m so impressed with the work that people do day-to-day without complaining. For example, on my way to school today, I saw 3 donkeys strapped with giant bundles of reeds and a woman with her own enormous load tied to her back walking to who knows where. People work so hard. I do want to learn about other cultures, but am ready to return to my own for a bit.

How hot is it RIGHT now?
It´s cold, but that´s because it´s night. It sounds obvious, but in the sun it´s really hot and in the shade it´s really cold. I was sweating painting one of the murals today, but in the late afternoon the sun disappeared and we got a little sprinkle. I was freezing!

What is the temperature at night?
Really cold. My bed has a sheet and 3 heavy blankets. When I get into bed, it does not feel warm enough, so sometimes I sleep in my hat, gloves, and socks. Always with socks. If I leave my room to walk to the bathroom or kitchen (or anywhere), it´s outside. Peruvian house structures have an interesting combination of indoor/outdoor architecture, which is really cool, except when it´s the middle of the night and I need to use the bathroom.

How much does it cost to live on a weekly basis?
Oropesa is pretty inexpensive because it´s a small town, but Cusco is much more expensive, especially now that it´s tourist season. However, our experience is that Peru is generally much less expensive than the US. I don´t know how much I spend each week, but to give you an idea of what things cost here (divide by 3 to get the US price)...
 · Lunch (includes soup, main course, and a drink) s/3
 · Internet (one hour) s/1.50
 · Three eggs s/1
 · Five pieces of bread s/1
 · Ice cream s/1-2.50
 · Bootlegged Beatles 2-disc CD s/7
 · One month´s rent for a large, fully furnished room s/200

Are you excited to come home?
Yes. For reasons already listed, and additionaly because it´s summer in the states.

Are you ever going back?
Maybe. Lots of people are shocked that we´re leaving and ask if we´re coming back. (Today one girl told me I should go home and come back in 10 days. I told her I´d think about it.) We didn´t take any trips to the jungle, which has it´s own wonders. There´s definitely plenty more to see and do here and lots of kind people we´ve met.

How tall are you in comparison with average women your age?
Taller. Except sometiemes when they´re wearing giant hats. And even though you didn´t ask, I´m taller than lots of the men too.