Just a normal week in Lima

In many ways, this is my first 'real' weekend in Peru. When I first arrived, I didn't have a job so everyday was a weekend day. Then, I went travelling...then I went away again after my first week of work. This weekend we're staying in Lima and having a very 'normal' weekend of laundry, shopping for our apartment, and a barbeque at Arturo's parents' house. After so much happening so quickly, this is exactly the kind of weekend I've been craving.

So, this blog is dedicated to a few interesting updates from the week (and then I'm off to enjoy my weekend):

PHOTOS

I finally got around to downloading photos from last weekend's trip to Huaraz. Arturo also stayed a few extra days to sort out some paperwork/legal stuff for some land he owns in nearby Mancos.

To see all the photos, go to: http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=9od46cm.b3bn1e3y&x=0&y=-4z74ow

This part of Peru - the northern highlands - are incredibly beautiful. Everywhere you look, you are surrounded by snow capped mountains and bright shining sun. I am really looking forward to going back.

LA COCINA

We have been enjoying our kitchen (la cocina) and Arturo has been surprising me with his cooking expertise. My favorite meal so far has been 'taco night' which included homemade refried beans, fresh guacamole and deliciously heated tortillas. Of course, the perfect complement to this meal with a fruity cocktail made with Arturo's special vodka that he 'imported' from NY.

Arturo isn't the only one who has been in the kitchen, but I am definitely not the 'domestic' one in the apartment.

And I don't mind one bit.

ARTS FESTIVAL

Last night there was an annual arts festival at my school. It was incredible. I felt like I was in a museum. As part of the IB (International Baccalaureate), students study and produce art for two years. Last night showcased their best work in all mediums from painting, photography, digital designs, fabric, paper, charcoal and more. In addition, there were performances by the orchestra, brass band and dance groups. I so wish I brought my camera as I now feel more proud than ever of my new school (and, of course, sad that the arts have lost their place in most public schools in the U.S.).

And that's my week.

Now, I'm off to enjoy the weekend.

Staff Photos

Another week has begun. It's hard to believe it's only my second week of teaching...it already feels so comfortable.

Anyway, my photo was taken for the school website and I thought I'd post my official teacher photo here (That's me in the middle, surrounded by some of the my fellow English teachers).

I also got my very own Vivanda card. Vivanda is the best - and most expensive - grocery store nearby. It has an incredible selection of wines and prepared foods, and is open 24 hours per day. I even found the much-sought-after tofu and feta cheese (I've been missing the strangest foods lately).

Guess I'm really settling in now.

The Census Weekend

Today, Sunday October 21, is the national census in Peru. Why is this important enough to write about? Because the entire country is closed for an entire day. Every business must close and people must stay in their houses/apartments from 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Obviously, there are exceptions. If you cannot be home, there is a form you can fill out. If you work for a hotel, you are allowed to work. However, for the most part, everything is closed. There is nowhere to buy food. The buses aren't running. Everything has shut down and Lima is a ghost town except for the university students, volunteers, and 'managers' walking around in the Census 2007 shirts. The census doesn't happen every year, but the less accurate and successful the census, the more often it needs to be held.

Of course, as a gringa, I am excluded from the census and have the freedom to go wherever I want. Since everything is closed, though, my options are limited. Actually, Arturo and I went away for the weekend to update Huaraz, another city I need to update for Fodor's, and I had to come back to Lima early. We took an overnight bus on Friday, arriving about 6:00 a.m. Then, after a full day of touring, updating restaurants and hotels and more, I took an overnight bus back on Saturday night, arriving about 6:00 a.m. in Lima. I really, really wanted to stay in Huaraz and arrive early Monday, but was afraid to risk it. Sunday night/Monday morning is going to be a crazy time since everyone was cooped up all day for the census. As I must leave my apartment no later than 6:45 a.m. to get to school on time, I didn't want to chance being late. It is, after all, only my second week of teaching there.

However, I did manage to see most of Huaraz on Saturday. Of course, people don't go to Huaraz for the town...they go for the mountains - and that is what I didn't get to see. Huaraz is one of the most popular destinations in the north of Peru, second to the Amazon. It's a very small town, filled with hostels, restaurants, tourist agencies and guides. People go to Huaraz to trek and see glaciers, the tallest mountain in South America, ice-climb, mountain bike, rock climb and any other outdoor activity you can think of.

Actually, Arturo owns land about an hour outside of Huaraz and is very familiar with the area. So, I have no doubt we'll go back. And next time, I will get to enjoy the mountains!

First Week of Work

I just finished my first week of work...and I'm actually looking forward to next week! So far, Newton College is a great place to teach. It's not perfect (but what is?), but it's both serious and relaxed. The students are nice people, the staff are friendly and helpful, and the beautiful campus has grass, flowers and a small lake.

Currently, I am teaching two classes, a Form II (sort of like 9th grade) and a Form IV (11th grade). Unlike in the States, it's the younger students who are easier. They are little lambs who are sweet, try hard, and really do want to learn. The older students are more interested in being 'cool' than focusing on the teacher. However, the Form IV students are two days away from taking an exam they have spent two years preparing for (the IGCSE, International General Certificate of Secondary Education from Cambridge University) . So, I can understand a little agitation at school...especially since the English exam is only one of numerous exams they will take.

In terms of behavior, it's like night and day. Even the toughest kid is easy to deal with. The 'episodes' are over before I have to raise my voice and I even get an apology without asking for one ("Sorry, Miss. I'll stop talking."). Of course, the talking doesn't always stop completely, but it's so different it's incredible. As one might expect, it's amazingly simple to get used to teaching students who listen and behave.

Of course, school problems are always the same and the problems in this school are very similar to some of the problems in NYC. For example, much like "Advisory" which started at ACORN and was dismantled after only one year, Newton has PSE (Physical & Social Education). This used to be taught by special PSE teachers, but now falls into the hands of teachers from all subjects who have a 'tutor group.' The obligations to my tutor group include: a 15 minute homeroom each day and a 40 minute period every Friday. During the Friday period, I have to teach what the PSE Coordinator has put together. Today's lesson was about drugs. Additionally, I had to look at the students' grades and put students on "report," meaning they have to have a special paper filled out and signed by their teachers and parents to make sure they are on track. Yes, this is another responsibility. Yes, this is challenging linguistically as the PSE Coordinator only creates materials in Spanish. Overall, though, this just isn't such a big deal. Having less stressful classes, less physically and emotionally draining classes, just makes everything else

easier to deal with.

The majority of students are Peruvians, but as it's a British International School, almost all classes are taught in English. While the students' English isn't perfect, sadly, it's no worse than my students in Brooklyn. There are some native English speakers, as well as some other languages, but for the most part, it's native Spanish speakers being taught almost exclusively in English. As a result, classes are divided into Top, Mixed and Lower levels. For the most part, their English abilities are what divides them into these groups.

So, despite the fact that Newton is about 30 minute drive (which means I have to leave by 6:45 a.m. every morning), I am planning on signing a full contract. I'll spend a few extra minutes to get somewhere if I know that my time while there will be pleasant. Through December I will teach part-time, 2 classes only, and starting in the new Peruvian school year in March, will have a full class load.

One of the best parts has been starting my day off with Arturo's freshly squeezed orange juice. Unbelievably, he has gotten up every morning and squeezed me a glass. Spoiled? Yeah, just a little bit...but I love it...

The Trip North

THE TRIP

Pease read below for a detailed account of the past week and a half.

Or, just check out the photos at:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=9od46cm.3g2b53vy&x=0&y=-comwfv

I haven´t had time to sort through all the photos, but am sending this out now...because otherwise it will be another week until I finish.

(of course, you may look at the photos and read the blog, but I understand if you just skip to the photos)

We began our trip with an overnight bus to Chiclayo. We left at 9:30 p.m. and were supposed to arrive at 8:30 a.m. Instead, we awoke at our arrival time to discover that we were lost somewhere in Trujillo (a stop about three hours south of our destination). The driver was literally pulling over on the side of the road to ask other drivers. One of the other passengers went down to talk to the driver who explained "You see, the problem is that I'm lost." The entire bus could hear him say this and unanimously broke out in laughter and jokes. As if driving around in circles and stopping every five minutes to ask where to go wasn't enough clues that we were lost. Eventually, we got to our destination about four hours late.

We hopped in a cab and, after about five minutes, hired Pablo to drive us around for the day. We explained that we were updating a guide and we needed to go around the city to many hotels and restaurants. Of course, we didn't mention this was our first time doing this and, many hours later, we were all exhausted and realized this was more work than it sounds. We also quickly realized that three and four star hotels do not hand out free rooms to scrubby looking people who had clearly slept in their clothes (on the bus, though!). However, we did manage to find an affordable room at a place Pablo knew, had a semi-hot shower and finished almost all of the hotels and restaurants, as well as stopping at several of the sites and the Peru Information office for tourist information.

Along the way, we also found out restaurants liked to give a discount or a free dessert, but that little was given for free...this may also have been the result of the fact that 99% of the people had never heard of a travel guide for Peru. It wasn't just that they didn't know about Fodor's - they had never heard of Lonely Planet, Rough Guide, Footprint, etc. and didn't understand the importance of this guide to tourists. After much consideration, we decided that budget accommodation and restaurants realized their importance, but that the upscale places we were visiting didn't have any experience with backpackers walking in, clutching their 'bible' travel guide.

After a late dinner, although exhausted, we went out to the three discotecas that were listed in Fodor's. By 12:30 a.m. we were on our way back to our hotel and the line at the new hot spot in town was literally around the block. The next morning, Pablo came to meet us at 8:00 a.m. and we began our tour of the three different outlaying areas with ruins and museums. These were far away from each other and in the middle of nowhere, but were incredibly interesting. Sipan, Sican and the world-class museums were amazing...and sadly I was the only foreigner there.

From Chiclayo, we took another overnight bus to Tumbes, a small town about near the Ecuador border. This is where most people stay before/after crossing the border. I always find border towns fascinating, although Tumbes was definitely the least interesting border town I've ever been to. The best thing I can say about it is that it was warm and sunny (near the equator and all). After our luck in Chiclayo with Palbo, our favorite taxi driver, we quickly hired Alberto to take us around the town and to the surrounding national preserves. Instead, he took us to an area near the mangrove preserve which, although nice in its own right, it not what we needed to see. He assured us that he knew where to go and was just confused and then did, in fact, bring us to the right place...but then we missed the window of high tide which was needed to canoe through the preserve. Next, we went to a nearby small beach town to stay...and then were taken into the middle of nowhere, were promised it was the only way he knew to get to the forest preserve. Let's just say that Arturo taught me a few new Spanish words and we turned around and went to our wonderful little hostel on the beach, swung on the hammocks, walked along the beach, went out to a delicious fresh fish and seafood dinner, and passed out from exhaustion.

Oh, and we also found out that just down the street was an agency that organized actual trips to the preserves. So, the next morning, we sat down with the lovely couple, originally from Lima, and got all the information we could have ever wanted. We hope to go back north soon to do the canoe, trekking and camping in the area.

From there, we took a collectivo (local type of bus) to the nearby beach resort area of Punta Sal, followed by Mancora, another beach area. We were tired and worn out, but managed to finish by late afternoon to have some time to relax. The weather was delicious - sunny, hot, cool breeze, and a sandy beach everywhere. Arturo's brother and girlfriend were also there, coincidentally, and we were able to relax at their hotel until our bus left at 9:30 p.m. Arturo managed to take a dip in the warm ocean...forgetting the warning about the rocks and completely cutting up one of his feet. He came back limping, bleeding, but still smiling -- and ready for a beer.

Our next stop, after a six hour overnight bus (aka: very little sleep), was Piura. This was one of the better looking cities we'd been to in the north and we very much enjoyed walking around and seeing the beautiful colonial architecture and eating in some delicious restaurants. Also, much to our enjoyment, all of the sites were near each other and did not require much travel to get to. We even had time to check our email - at which point I leaned over to move the small backless plastic stool and smashed my head on the side of the computer desk. Tired? Oh yes! But, we realized that if we hurried we could also get to Trujillo and, thus, not have any cities more than a few hours away from Lima left to cover for Fodor's.

Trujillo was clean, fresh and sunny (although cooler). The city has some incredible architecture, as well as nearby ruins to explore and learn about. This was what was missing in Chiclayo - a beautiful city. Also, Arturo's friend Fito was in Trujillo so we had our own personal chauffeur and tour guide...one we trusted. We explored the city and had a big night out (until 2:00 a.m. - early by Peruvian standards, late by my standards considering I was exhausted). The next day we went to the Chan Chan ruins and the adorable beach community of Huanchico. I left later that night on a 1st class sofa-bed sleeper to Lima where I think I had the best night sleep the entire trip. Arturo stayed one extra night to enjoy the International Spring Festival.

Overall, the trip was both incredible and exhausting. Now, I am back home in Lima and - more than I expected - that was how it felt to come back. Teaching at Newton College has begun, my Spanish classes are starting again and we are settling into the apartment (more on both later).

Back to school

I just got back from our trip (lucky Arturo gets to stay another night for the Internacional Fiesta de la Primavera since he doesn´t have to work on Monday). We finished everything from Trujillo to Tumbes in 10 days. There are many places I want to go back to and am saddened that most people come to Peru and skip the north. It´s beautiful with warmer weather, beaches, and incredible archeological sites and history.

Tomorrow is my first day at Newton College. We´ve arranged for a taxi driver to pick me up at 6:25 a.m. I already miss the 10 minute walk I used to have to work. I have planned my lessons for tomorrow and even spent my own money on photocopying so I am ready to go. My outfit is laid out (this was easy since I only have two pairs of work pants to choose from at the moment). This, of course, does not prevent me from being nervous.

More tomorrow on the trip, my first day of teaching at a private international school in Peru, and - very long overdue - photos!

Chiclayo (and four pages done from Fodor's)

Whew! Updating a travel guide is no easy task.

Arturo and I have been busy over the last three days updating Chiclayo and the surrounding area along the northern coast of Peru. So far, my favorite part has been visiting the fascinating ruins and tombs, filled with evidence of cultural rituals and items of value, especially gold. The Chimu, Moche and Inca civilizations overlapped and the merging cultures are incredibly interesting to learn about. Oh, and I managed to take a museum tour in Spanish (and understand most of it...or at least some of it).

Tonight, we are overnighting to the northernmost section of the country, near the border with Ecuador and will work our way south to Lima from there.

Overall, we have eaten in some fancy restaurants and seen some incredible hotels, but it is slow, difficult work. We have to go to all of the places in the guidebook, checking and updating the information, and adding in additional information or places where necessary.

It's been fun, but definitely work. As we keep saying, though, it's a great experience. Only 56 pages left to update!

p.s. Yes, we're taking pictures, but we forgot the cord to connect to the computer.

Amazing news!

AMAZING NEWS!!

While I would rather just take Spanish classes, learn to rock climb, and explore Peru, I must work (and actually, this will help me settle into a life here instead of following Arturo around in the hostel all day).

After several interviews - and much worrying - I now have two jobs!

1.) Fodor's Travel Guides: In July, I found an ad on Craigs List Peru from Fodor's Travel Guides for a job updating their Peru guide book. I applied and after months of waiting, I am now officially hired to update one chapter in their guide book...for the northern coast and norther highlands. Luckily, I have a translator on hand at all times!

2.) Newton College: There are several British private schools in Lima and I am now the proud employee of one of them! The school year here is from March-December, as this is south of the equator and the seasons are opposite. There is a surprise opening and I have been hired for part-time work through December, and for full-time work beginning in March. The school is exclusively taught in English for all subjects. I, of course, will be one of the members of the English Department. The school is beautiful with everything that all schools should offer, but usually only private schools do. You can check out the school at: http://www.newton.edu.pe/ By the way, colegio means school here and although literally translated it means college, it does not mean the same as in the United States. Newton College includes pre-school for three year olds, a lower school (escuela primaria) and upper school (escuela secundaria).

You may be asking yourself how I will do two jobs at once. This is a question that I have been asking myself as well (actually, freaking out might be a better way to say it). The solution is this: after going to school for a curriculum meeting on Friday, Arturo and I will leave for the north of Peru. I have one week to do as much as possible for Fodor's - and thank goodness for Arturo as his help is invaluable in completing this project. I also have one week to prepare everything I need to start teaching a brand new curriculum and an international exam that I never heard of until two weeks ago. Then, I will begin teaching on the 15th of October and will do weekend trips to finish anything I need in the north. We'll see how both jobs work out...but, like most things, I'm sure that it will all get done, somehow.

Home is more than just where the heart is

While living in the hostel with Arturo has been fine, we really need our own space. We need our own home...and now we have it!

After searching with no luck, we found the perfect apartment on Friday...I mean perfect...but the building was a little old and every window faced a concrete wall or other apartment window, so we decided to think about it. Less than 20 minutes later, we called the agent to say we'll take it, but we were already too late. Someone else had taken it. Then, our next appointment on Saturday was cancelled because someone had already taken it. This happened again on Sunday. We also found a wonderful, enormous apartment with a terrace out back, but the area was a little unsafe and there was no security in the building (much as I hate to admit it, as a gringa I need to be concerned about this).

Then, we found our nice apartment. The location is nice - 1 block from the sea and a 10 minute walk to the center of Miraflores and Arturo's hostel. The building is nice - security from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., near lots of houses instead of impersonal skyscrapers where people just rent. The apartment is nice - hardwood floor, a small 'open' kitchen with a bar-counter connecting it to the dining/living room, two bedrooms, sufficient windows, fully furnished. The furnishings are nice - brand new beds in each room, dining room table w/6 chairs, tv, dvd player, oven, blender, knives, plates, toaster, microwave, and every misc. kitchen item you can think of. Nothing is spectacular...the apartment isn't small, but it's not huge...there isn't a terrace, but we do have roof access with a great view...but it's very nice and I'm so so so happy to have a nice place to live. In fact, I'm so happy that I won't even add in my tiny complaints here (ok, just two: there isn't anywhere to keep a bike and I hate the couch).

Oh, and did I mention that we almost lost this apartment too? While we were talking about whether we should take the place or not, the next appointment arrived. As the bell rang, we turned to the agent and said "nosotros tomamos" - we'll take it! We gave the couple the rest of our appointments for the day and sighed in relief at being done with the process.

Tomorrow, Arturo will officially sign the lease and get the keys and we'll move in right away! This is the good thing about moving here on an airplane: I don't actually have that much stuff. After just one taxi ride I can be in my new home, with all of my belongings, ready to relax.

p.s. Just to give credit where credit is due, when I say "we found" I really mean Arturo found. He did all the leg work - reading the classified, making the calls, scheduling appointments, literally asking people on the street and in nearby buildings. So, in case he ever reads my blog here it is: Muchas Gracias, Arturo.