A Hello from Juan

I got off a combi at the bus stop in my site this evening about 7:30. It was just on the cusp of darkness so I grabbed my things to quickly make my way home when I heard my name being called. "Carolina! Carolina!" I turned and saw one of the students from the special education school where I work excitedly waving from the front seat of another combi waiting to take him home to the neighboring caserio of Chiquitoy. Juan is 23 years old and the "cool guy on campus" to a lot of his fellow students. He has lots of "swag" and has a girlfriend at the school. 

The Dehydration Conundrum

Unfortunately, dehydration seems to just be a staple in my life in Peru. Between the heat, walking and traveling, and scarcity of water, especially clean drinking water, I feel at least a little dehydrated most days. 

However, between boiling water, a Camelbak water purifier I brought with me, and bottled water in stores, it is not impossible to have access to enough drinking water. The real complication is then access to bathrooms. Bathrooms for public use or even client use are scarce in rural communities if they exist at all. And if they do exist, they may be in really poor, disgusting shape. This means I need to be able to not go to the bathroom unless I am at home. Long traveling and bus rides of 3-4 hours could also happen without access to a bathroom. So if I were to drink the water my body wants, I would need to have bathroom access. This leaves me, almost even purposefully, dehydrated most of the time. And it certainly increases my adoration for water. And bathrooms. Especially clean bathrooms. 

Visit in Ucupe

Last night I spent the night with my old host family in Ucupe. This is the 3rd time I have visited since moving in late January. 

The excitement of the street was a turkey that managed to climb up to the roofs of the houses. He was hanging out above my host family's back patio. Harry, a young neighbor, climbed up to chase the turkey down. Always an exciting adventure in the campo!  

The culprit

 Then, as usual, my 6-year-old niece Dayana asked to sleep with me. So after brushing teeth, we went to crawl in bed. Though the summer is ending, the heat has not let up too much yet and even with an open window, there was no breeze or air movement. When she sleeps, Dayana just emits heat. She always had. So I was too hot to sleep and Dayana was taking up a big portion of the bed. At 1:30am I thought about carrying here back to the other room where everyone else sleeps. Then I realized I was sleeping the way they do every night, only I just had a 6 year old. My host mom and an adult neighbor sleep in a twin bed together. My aunt and my 8 year old niece sleep in a twin bed together. And Dayana sleeps in a bed with her mother. So why was I complaining?? I rolled over, made a pillow out of a sweatshirt, and Dayana and I slept through the night. 

Dayana and me the next morning

Honking: The Background Noise of Peru

In any given major city in Peru, there is a continuous background noise 24 hours a day of honking.  There also isn't a law on types of horns so people can install any kind of loud, musical, deafening, or any kind of horn they so please. This leaves us with train horns and jack-in-the-boxes cruising through town sharing their personal sound for all to hear.  I used to wonder why cars seemed to be continually honking but I have now developed a scientifically proven (okay, it's really just me being amused by myself) explanation of the honking.  

There are 4 meanings behind the incessant honking. 

1. The "I'm Driving Honk". This honk is saying, "Weeeeee! Look at me, I'm driving! Yep, that's right! I'm behind the wheel and am driving. Whooo hoooo!" I think of this honk like Maxwell the pig from the Geiko commercials. 

2. The Warning Honk.  This honk is saying, "Watch out! I'm driving and am not concerned with how fast I drive, which lane I'm in - what, what's a lane!?!? I don't know but that light is red and I'm going to speed on through.  Accelerating is fun. I'm not looking out for you if you're walking, driving, or riding by, I'm just plowing down the road so I suggest you maybe look for me. I'd rather not hit and hurt someone today but it's not really my fault - I'm telling you I'm coming!!!" 

3. The Taxi Honk. This honk is saying, "Hi there - I'm a taxi! I want to give someone a ride. Do you want a ride??  Maybe you?  Oh Dios mio you're white?!?!? You must need a taxi because you're white! Why aren't you getting in my taxi? Did you not know you're white? Because you really are! And I'm a taxi!" 

4. The Red Light Honk.  This honk happens at every stop light the second the light turns green.  Unlike in the US, it is not a honk to remind someone the light has changed if they have not reacted in an appropriate amount of time. No, it's just a obligatory honk as soon as the light changes or even a second before.  So intersections with stop lights are busy places. 

Stop Signs and Speed Bumps 

Stop signs are rarely seen in Peru. And even when there is a stop sign, it is treated more as a yield sign if observed at all.  Instead, there are frequently large speed bumps before the intersection. This forces the vehicle to slow down before it crosses or turns into other traffic.  The Panamerican highway, the major highway on the coast of the country that stretches from Chili in the south to Ecuador in the north, runs through the middle of many small, rural towns.  The portions through those towns are dotted with speed bumps.  When riding 12 hr buses, I was once annoyed by the constant staccato of the speed bumps but after living in one of those small towns dissected by the Panamerican, I became very thankful for them.  They are the only things that control the speed of traffic in Peru and therefore prevent the highway, that frequently has children, elderly, and anyone in between crossing it, from being even more of a dangerous death trap than it already is.   

Transportation: How I Get Around

With my mom's visit to site in the beginning of March, I was reminded how different and therefore interesting the forms of transportation here can be. Below are the forms of transportations I use regularly. While on vacation with visitors to Peru, I have also traveled by airplane and train, though those are not usual for me.  

Omni-Buses - Omnibuses are the double-decker buses that go between major cities. There are numerous companies. Movil Tours, Cruz del Sur, America, ITTSA, Linnea, Emtrafesa and the list goes on. These bus trips usually take between 3 and 24 hours, depending on where you're going. And they can be smelly and disorganized or rather luxurious depending on how much you're willing to spend. I take a mediocre to cheap bus for the 3-4 hour trip between Trujillo and Chiclayo but am willing to splurge fora nicer bus line for any of the overnight 10-12 hour trips I take. 

Bus and Mini Bus - Minibuses are what I would think of when I think of a tour bus.  They are usually a bit dirty and not in top condition. These run busy routes between frequented areas. For example, I take a minibus between my site of Cartavio and Trujillo. It is a 33-seat bus though they pack us on like sardines with up to 15 more standing in the narrow aisle and maybe 8-10 more children infant to 8 years old sitting in their parents lap.  This hour trip costs S/ 3 (or about $1).  

Inside of a Combi from Cartavio to Chocope (20 min)

Colectivos / Combis - Colectivos and Combis are smaller forms of transportation for around an urban area or between smaller commu I ties up to maybe a 2 hour trip. Combis can be larger vehicles, close to the size of an omnibus though they have a different type of seating, but usually Combis are hollowed out vans with more seating installed to fit between 14 and 20 people when filled to capacity. Combis pick up and drop off people at they go.  You pay depending on how far you travel and prices are usually S/ 3.50 or less, depending on the trip.  

Contrarily, Colectivos have one starting place and one final destination with a fixed price for the ride. They are usually vans that seat 7 people or cars that seat 5 (not including the driver). A colectivo goes between my site of Mocupe and the capital city of Chiclayo for S/ 3.50 

Paradero (bus stop) for combis and colectivos in Cartavio

Taxi - Taxis are available in the major cities.  While there are taxi companies who are more reputable to use, any car can be a taxi.  Taxi signs are sold right on the street.  The biggest difference in the taxis of America and the taxis in Peru is how we pay.  In America there is a meter that calculates the cost depending on how long the ride takes.  And so taxi drivers will occasionally take longer routes, drive a little more slowly, or sit through lights to try to run the meter higher.  Instead, in Peru a price is agreed upon before going and does not change.  And for those who know the area, there are guidelines to follow.  For example, any taxi within central Chiclayo should be S/ 3. Taxi from Trujillo to Huanchaco should be S/ 12 - 15 and so on.  

Mototaxi - A mototaxi is a rickshaw of types, created by taking a small motor bike and attaching a covered two-person seat to the back.  It is amazing what you can fit on a moto.  3adults and 2 children; a stroller riding in the back; a mattress fastened on top; and the list goes on and on.  There are no limits to what they are willing to try. 

In any of these forms of transportation, it is possible and not uncommon to run out of gas, break down, or have an accident.  All part of the thrill of transportation in Peru.  

Absurdness is Relative

In the same thinking as my writing in my post “No One Can Understand,” it is true that there are many facts of life in a different culture in a different state of development that we do not automatically understand.  And after living very much in that world for about 10 months, I sometimes take that fact for granted.  While planning visits to Peru, I was asked two questions that seem quite reasonable through our US perspective but sounds nothing short of absurd to me through my Peru perspective.  So I thought those things would be interesting to share. 

1.  “Should we rent a car while I’m there?” 

       When traveling in a first world nation, renting a car to do so can be a great way to go.  So when thinking of being in Peru for 2 weeks and visiting various places in 4 departments during that time, having a car to do so would make since, right?  Until you take into account the horrific driving behavior, few personal cars, and state of many of the cars on the road.  Driving or even riding in Peru is quite seriously taking your life in your own hands (see Honking post coming soon).  Lanes do not exist, including lanes of oncoming traffic.  Until there is an oncoming vehicle forcing you to stay on the other side, it is just more open road.  Stop lights, speed limits and any other traffic sign is merely a suggestion.  After even just seeing the Panamerican highway or being in a rural community for even one day, it is easy to see that renting a car to travel Peru is not a great option.  From that perspective, I found this question humorous.  But from the US perspective, it makes good sense. 

2. “I think I’m going to bring a hair dryer. Wait, do you have a hair dryer?”

Likewise, my initial reaction to this question was to giggle.  I have very few electronics by American standards.  My electricity use is 100% accounted for in keeping my phone and computer charged and when I have lights turned on.  I do not use anything else electric and just with those I have noticeably increased my family’s monthly electricity bill.  The only items my family uses that have to be plugged in are the rice cooker, the occasional use of the microwave and occasional use of the refrigerator, occasional use of a fan, and the almost constant use of the television.  Think about the number of electrical appliances in any given American home: fans, lamps, hair dryers/straightners/curling iron/curlers, iron, washing machine, dryer, dish washer, refrigerator, toaster, microwave, mixer, computers, internet… 

The 2^nd thought about the hair dryer is it is hot.  I live in a hot coastal community without any air conditioning.  90 degrees without any air conditioning is hot.  The idea of standing there and blowing hot air onto my head and into the room for 10 minutes sounds cringe worthy.  And even in the winter when the heat wouldn’t knock you out, you then go about your day, walking a few miles just from organization to organization for your job – sweat, humidity, life.  Drying your hair would take a lot of work for a few seconds of pretty hair. 

If you knew me in the states the idea that I may have a hair dryer to occasionally blow out my curls is not absurd.  But given the context of my life, I will happily throw my frizzy curls into a bun and go on with my day ;) 

No One Can Understand

Many things I have been fortunate to do in life have the belief that they are so special, so unique, that no one can relate to them.  I have many times heard the schpeel “Look around this room.  These people sitting to your left and right will be some of your closest friends for the rest of your life.  No one else in the world will understand the experiences you have had, the things you have seen, heard, and done.”

            On the one hand, this is true.  An example from my months in training comes to mind.  A group of us were in the rural community of Zaña to give practice charlas and whatnot.  While sitting on the street waiting for a bus, I noticed a man casually walking down the empty street with a cow on a rope leash.  A nonchalantly commented, “Look, there is a man walking his cow.”  My friend Scotney turned around and burst out in laughter, saying “Despite that very accurate description, that is not what I expected to see.”  It was exactly that – a man walking his cow down the street with a rope leash. The words say exactly what is happening but it was not a common sight and therefore did not invoke a known image or idea.  We might not be as surprised now after almost a year in Peru where such an occurrence happens quite regularly.   Another example is from Matt’s visit to my community of Ucupe.  After experiencing my Catholic intervention, Matt made the comment that had he not been there, he never could have accurately pictured nor completely understood that scene. 

            So I understand the truth or theory behind the idea that we, as people, do not know or do not understand what is foreign to us.  But I disagree with the further notion that no one can relate, no one can understand, and no one will have any interest in those different experiences. Quite contrarily, some of my favorite conversations or discoveries have been with my family and friends back home as they experience Peace Corps and Peru with me.  Once while talking with my mom about how I ask her for advice on things I know are foreign to her, she commented on how she is on this journey with me.  The idea of people at home being on a journey with me was a comforting and beautiful thought.  As I share my experiences in Peru through my blog, pictures, and conversations, I have had the opportunity to also learn about family members’ and friends’ lives through their responses.  They very much can relate, can understand, and are interested.  Some of these connections are below.

            After reading a blog about integration and community upon moving to new sites, my grandmother equated it to moving with my grandfather and her young children to different towns with the responsibility of establishing the family in that community where everything is unknown and knew.

            My mom compared my experience of living a Peruvian style of life to what it kind of felt like to visit her aunt in a home.  For those hours while she was there, my mom left her world outside the doors and entered into the culture and world of Penick.  How and when they ate, a slower pace, what they spoke about, ect.  Through that experience, she understood how I felt to be living in a world other than my own.

            To say others are not interested in hearing things they do not fully understand is to limit our perspectives to a very selfish level.  I will never understand or know the ins and outs of chemistry, biology, pharmacotherapy, and the elements that go into my boyfriend’s study and work in pharmacy.  However, that does not mean I am not interested in hearing what he wants to share.  One night when I was living in Columbia, he came over for dinner after a test.  Upon arriving and noticing he was agitated, he took a few minutes to vent about a frustrating question on the test.  Granted, I did not understand one word he used while referencing the difference between this drug and that, but either way I had interest to hear about what was part of his life.  We are limited to our experiences and our knowledge, but what makes us human, what gives us community, is to still be interested in those experiences and knowledge of others; thus, we learn and grow together.