My First Day in Lima

Hola a todos!

Well, I've arrived, and let me tell you, it is hotter than a monkey's right butt cheek down here! Seriously, I haven't been this hot since the summer of 1974 when the Mississippi River dried up!

Ok, now that I'm done being Southern, I can tell you about the last couple of days. My flights went fairly well - none of my suitcases were overweight, it all arrived in Lima on time, etc - and I met up with several of my fellow program participants in the airport. They're very friendly and I really like them, so I have a good base of American friends to start off my trip!

After arriving in Lima, I went through la aduana (customs), where the customs agent interviewed me and was seemingly very impressed that I could hold my own in a conversation with her. She stamped my tourist visa for 187 days, giving me ample time (over three months!) to get my student visa. The customs declaration area was really interesting because they make you push a button to get randomly screened: if the light turns red, you must submit to a search of your person and your belongings. If it turns green, you're good to go.

Fortunately, I was good to go, clearing the security gate into a swarm of Peruvians. Almost instantaneously, I was bombarded by taxi drivers asking me if I needed a cab. I didn't, fortunately, because my host parents, Nancy and Tito, came to pick me up. It took me about five minutes to find them, but I was actually the one who noticed them first. Nancy is this really fashionable fifty-something year old woman who is super short and a psychologist. Tito seems to be in his later fifties/early sixties and works as a negotiator between the indigenous groups in Peru and the government's mining/development corporation, which is ABSOLUTELY PERFECT for my research project. More on that in later posts.

After a 30 minute drive, we arrived at my home for the next nine or so months. It's gorgeous! I've got my own room and bathroom, which is awesome.

After a while, I met some of the other people living in the house. Barbara, an amazing Austrian woman on vacation here for two weeks, and I hit it off almost immediately. We chatted and then went to Wong's, which is basically Wal-Mart except Chinese. Later, my host parents, Barbara, and my host sister Melissa, and I went to my university to look around. I met some other Americans there, one of whom was named Tila (and both Barbara and I had to bite our tongues before we said "Like Tila Tequila?") The university is beautiful and their are wild deer that run around munching on the vegetation, which is quite different from Madison, but in a non-dangerous, that's-kind-of-cool way.

Afterwards, my host family took me around Lima in their vehicle (most South Americans drive like maniacs - my host father is no exception), and I saw some wonderful areas. After about an hour or so, we returned home and my host dad took me to buy a SIM Card for my cell phone so I can receive calls. What's interesting is that the word for "SIM Card" in Peru is "chip" (pronounced "cheap"). Everything's working out really well so far - even the heat is tolerable. Hopefully the weather continues cooling off - I'm fine with year-round fall weather, but can't handle the humidity!

Chao por ahora!

EDIT:

PS. I heard Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance," Britney Spears' "Toxic," and the Black Eyed Peas' "I Gotta Feelin'," upon arriving at my place of residence. Oh how American culture spreads.