Sharing Peru with Matt

For the past 7 months or so, Matt and I have counted down to December 24 - the day he arrived to visit me in Peru.  

I left site on Dec 23 to be in Lima to meet Matt at the airport at 5:30 on the morning of the 24th.  Getting to Miraflores - the ritzy district of Lima I compare to Buckhead in Atlanta - and our hotel where we would spend Christmas was my first real experience of reverse culture shock and a tiny glimpse into what it may feel like when I return to the United States many more months down the road.  Everyone spoke English to me - something so strange I found myself responding in Spanish still for the majority of my time there.  Everything (and everyone) seemed so clean and neat and fancy - and I have even been to Miraflores for a few afternoons before! But I had never been there on vacation to stay after months in the campo.  So after taking a few hours to adjust to traveling outside of rural Peru, I was ready to meet Matt at the airport. 

CHRISTMAS IN MIRAFLORES

We spent a very different Christmas Eve and Christmas in Lima. I had gotten crafty and decorated our hotel room with a small cardboard Christmas tree, a "Merry Christmas" bunting made from Lilly patterns (of course!), and stockings I made with the iconic multicolored woven fabric of Peru.  Peruvians celebrate Christmas at midnight on the night of Christmas Eve - what they call "Buena Noche" so Matt's first day in Peru was unusual at best - as is only fitting!  We got ready and ventured out to find the famous Papachos restaurant for a gourmet burger Christmas Eve dinner - only to find the entire city shutting down in preparation for the midnight celebration.  After walking miles, we returned to put on more comfy clothing (especially shoes!) and settle for a delicious Christmas Eve feast at the one and only McDonalds! We later heard the Peruvian celebration of fireworks that started round 10pm and continued into the early morning hours. 

Christmas went a little smoother - we had a nice Christmas morning listening to Christmas music, reading the Christmas story, opening presents and stockings, drinking mimosas, and Facetiming with our families.  We later had a late Christmas lunch at Papachos - who I think serves the best burgers I have ever had!!

HUACACHINA 

The next day we headed a little south to the lagoon of Huacachina in the department of Ica.  Huacachina is a lagoon oasis in the desert surrounded by huge sand dunes.  Our first afternoon there we went with a group from our hostal on a dune buggy and sand boarding adventure.  I have had friends do this before but it was a lot more fun than I had expected!  The dunes were like a natural roller coaster and sand boarding was not easy.  

The next day we traveled 2 hours to the city of Nazca to take a small airplane up to see the Nazca Lines - lines mysteriously drawn in the sand by the pre-Columbian Nazca culture.  Some lines form geometric shapes like triangles and some form pictures like a monkey, hummingbird, tree and more.  The flight was fun and exciting - Matt and I were both enjoying seeing the lines and looking out as we went.  Until about halfway through when our stomachs were no longer enjoying the tiny aircraft and we fell silent.  We took a while to fully recuperate after retuning to the ground but I loved seeing the famous Nazca Lines for myself instead of just in pictures and books. 

BEACH DAYS IN HUANCHACO

After a few days in Huacachina, Matt and I traveled back through Lima and up the north coast to the beach town of Huanchaco in the department of La Libertad.  Huanchaco is just a little ways outside of the capital city of Trujillo and was the perfect beach getaway for New Years and fun.  Our first afternoon there we went for a walk on the beach just to see what we could find and we stumbled upon a food fair of types where there was a smorgasbord of Peruvian food.  I took advantage and introduced Matt to many Peruviam treats including anticucho de corazon, chorizo, picarones, chicha morada, papa a la huacaina, and more.  ¡Qué rico! 

MATT EXPERIENCING SITE- HORSEBACK RIDING, HOST FAMILY, AND A CATHOLIC INTERVENTION 

After being beach bums in Huanchaco, it was time for Matt to go to site.  We spent 2 nights in Ucupe and it was enough time to get a feel of volunteer life.  Our first night my host mom/sister Livia asked if we would join her for her prayer circle.  Livia is a devout Catholic and we have had many conversations about religion before - specifically about my religion and how I am not Catholic.  She has also inquired about Matt's religion before and was comforted to hear he had, in fact, been raised Catholic.  Unbeknown to me, she had planned a lovely Catholic intervention for me for Matt's first night in site, the prayer group met in my house - something they have never done before - and opened by praying for Matt and I and that God open my heart.  We were also handed pamphlets on the Catholic faith explaining Catholicism is the only church began by Christ himself and is therefore the only true church - which then leads to the fact all others will be, unfortunately, damned to hell.  So you better be Catholic.  The service continued with prayers, a sermon about this topic, and directly asking me if I had any questions...because all doubts and questions have an answer...and that answer is Catholicism.  Following the failed attempt to turn me Catholic, I made an attempt to excuse Matt and myself but was told to sit down to share refreshments - panetone and flat, warm Coke.  The intervention was not successful but it was entertaining and certainly a story to save forever.  

While in site Matt also got to ride the Peruvian Paso horses that are used for the beautiful art of marinera dancing - a cultural tradition of the northern coast.  And we shared traditional lunches with my host family of arroz con pollo and aji de gallina.  

The following week on of my visiting nephews asked Livia "Y mi tío?"  Not certain which uncle the boy was asking for, Livia responded, "Qué tío?"  To which my nephew quickly responded "Mi tío gringo?" looking for Matt.   My neighbors still ask where he is, though i have told them he returned to the US, and my practically animated and friendly neighbor Williams is not satisfied until he can come back to share a "chela" (slang for beer) 

We finished Matt's visit with 2 nights in the capital city of Chiclayo.  The last week of Matt's trip was a true experience into what it is to be a volunteer.  

All of our adventures, dates, and traveling were wonderful but the best part for me was just to be able to share my life, this country, and my days with one of my best friends.  Life at site as the only American can get pretty lonely - learning all too well what it means to feel all alone in a house full of people.  Having Matt here took away that loneliness and isolation for a few weeks.  It continues to do that a little as I can now have someone back home I can talk to about my life in Peru with more understanding than ever before.  I hope to share some of Matt's thoughts on his experience coming to Peru soon!