Hola desde el Perú

Hey everyone! So... I´m in Peru, which is awesome. In case anyone was curious, I thought I´d let y´all know what I´ve been up to.

I just settled in with my host family in Chaclacayo, a small city outside of Lima. I live in an area called Huascaran (WA-ska-RON) with a father, mother, 2 sisters (23 and 16) and a brother (9--so cute!). So far, it has been pretty interesting, and they´ve had a lot of laughs at my expense. My Spanish has a long way to go, but thankfully, I understand almost everything. It´s just when I have to talk back that I run into problems ... (Teaser: "Sure! I´m open!" does NOT translate well.)

The Peace Corps training center is literally a mansion for this area. It´s huge, with a high wall all the way around the grounds. There´s even a pool (that we can´t use). Many of the houses near the center are equally as beautiful and just as guarded. The neighborhood I live in is a stark contrast to where we train. None of the roads are paved, and there is dust and rocks everywhere since we´re in the desert. It´s on the poorer side of town, but inside the houses, they have a lot of the same comforts. I have 27 TV channels (!) and running water. To avoid taking freezing showers, though, mi mamá boils some hot water for me to mix with some cold water, and it´s more of a bucket shower, if you will. After the cold and hot are mixed together, I can scoop the water out and pour it over my head. It was awkward at first, but I think I´m getting the hang of it.

One crazy thing about here are the buses called combis. There is a larger town down the road from here where you can buy more nonessential things like towels and purses, and to get there you have to take the combis. They slow down (rarely do they stop) to pick people up along the side of the road, and everyone crams in. It´s like the bumpiest, jerkiest roller coaster you´ve ever been on, except you´re standing and only have a bar above your head to hold on to when the bus slows down quite suddenly or jerks forward.

For all my foodie friends out there (Tobye), come visit!!! Seriously, the food is absolutely amazing. I´m bewildered at the magical combinations that can be made from rice, potatoes and chicken. Not to mention the fruit. They have at least 12 different kinds of bananas and I think as many mangos. It´s heavenly. I´ve never tasted fruit with so much flavor. I know getting sick is an inevitability, but in the meantime, I´m really, really enjoying myself.

As for my fellow volunteers, I couldn´t have asked for better. There are 47 of us, and everyone is awesome. Most have studied abroad or traveled, and it´s fun to hear everyone´s stories. We´re divided into 3 projects: Health, Environment and Water Sanitation. Most of the health and environment volunteers will be taking over for other volunteers who have started in communities. Water and san folks, however, will be piloting their programs in Perú. Our paths cross a lot, though, since a lot of enviro and health stuff overlap.

I promise, I will have pictures up soon. There are some internet cafes near the center, but training is intense, and there isn´t a lot of time to get to one.

I love you all!! And believe me when I say I miss you terribly. ¡Pienso mucho en ustedes!