Frio Para Ti

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To explain the title, it is a piece of the most complex and interesting senteces I've been able to casually use in conversation thus far. Someone said that Lima was cold and I said 'Frio para mi no es como frio para ti' which rougly translated to 'Cold for me is not like cold for you'. If someone out there reads this and has corrections - please keep them to yourself. I'm proud of that one.

I've landed in Lima! If this first day is at all indicitative of the rest of the trip - it's going to be a great time. Also, it will put Peru in the running for most hospital country I've visited - challenging Malawi's current title.

The trip here was no small feat - I left my house in Brooklyn at 12:45am, caught a 2 subway to Atlantic Avenue, waited a long time for an LIRR train to Jamaica Sta, then wandered around until I found the AirTrain to JFK. Then fell asleep on a bench until they opened my gate area. Woke up in time to catch a 4am call from my mom (who just happened to wake up early...?) checking in on me. My flight to Panama City was fine with a very short change to a flight to Lima.

On this flight I made friends with the woman next to me - Roxana. She is 30 years old, engaged to a man from Arizona and her family runs a textile import business. She gets to travel all over the world - to china a lot right now - doing research, I guess. We talked alot about my travels in Peru and where I was going. She said her dad was meeting her in the airport and she could take me to my hostel. The more we talked the more helpful she became. She explained 'Whenever I go places people help me, you are in my home country so I want to help you.'

We stuck together getting luggage and she helped me through immigration. I feel the need to say that if she hadn't I'd have figured it out and been fine, but she was helpful. We met her dad and got into a taxi, we ended up going to her house first and she said we could get her card. She introduced me to her family members and we met her friend Juan (her sister's husand's nephew) and he came with us into the area called Miraflores, where my hostel reservations were. We ended up going to a different place - right in the middle of town and still really cheap. After booking a spot, we went back out and Roxana and Juan helped me buy a sim card for the phone that Roxana said she would lend me for my stay. The phone is covered in pink and purple fake diamonds. Roxana explained that her 8 yr old daughter did that.

We split for the night, making plans for lunch tomorrow and I went to find a quick dinner before retiring back to the hostel. I had to look hard to avoid the american chains here - dunkin donuts, kfc, pizza hut, burger king etc. But I found an avocado, tomato and egg sandwich. Successfully ordered, answeres questions, requested the check in spanish. My spanish is pretty weak I think but I have the basics down and can make myself understood. I can't do past or future at all, which limits my topics of coversation. But Roxana has trouble with those in english so at one point I was asking spanish questions and she was answering in english. it was a good arrangement.

I'm not sure I'll do tomorrow - I was going to leave lima right away but I think I'll add a day to take advantage of having new friends here. But maybe I'll book tickets towards my next destination.

Anyway, I'm done here on this computer because the person next in line is staring a hole right through my head. Sorry for the lack of pictures - they will definitely be in the next ones. Thanks for reading!

-mark

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Photos

Awkward photo
I just took this because i dont have any other photos and i feel bad. Its fuzzy and akward angled but I'm here in this hostel! Note the short hair - Sara buzzed my hair the night I left!

Comments

[Ellice]

Mark! Bummed that I didn't get to see you before your trip but so excited for you. Can't wait to see what's next...also you should definitely upgrade your phone to rhinestones when you get back. Totally suits you. Un abrazo gigante, Ellice

[joey c]

excellent
Mark this sounds great. i hope that cell phone doesnt get you into any gay troubles... i am sorry that i didnt get to see you before you left as i wanted too. praavita is here and she is sad she didnt get to meet you this time too. but alas, we will meet when you return. graduation went well, and special thanks for lending me your gown. i owe you one. thinking about you, thanks for the posting, love, joey