Monday July 31- Bienvenida a Lima!
My flight landed in the evening around 8pm. I was greeted by Diana Diaz and taken to the car/bus where I met Tasha and E'sea. I was then dropped off at my host family’s house where I was greeted with a kiss on the cheek by Marta. She swiftly showed me inside and took me to my room and showed me the bathroom. I also met Lorena, my housemate from the US(Pennsylvania specifically) and soon to be, fellow PUCP student. I learned that she studies sociology and Spanish(like me!) as well as philosophy. The three of us sat down and ate together and just chatted about everyday things. I soon discovered that Martha was incredibly sweet and relaxed and Lorena was nice and easy to talk to. I also learned more about just how international the family is and that people are always coming in and out of the house. It’s a very busy and fun atmosphere having been here a week now!
Tuesday August 1-Una Cultura Diferente
At this point, I learned that although the average temperature in the winter in Lima is 65 degrees Fahrenheit it feels much colder because of the humidity. I was cold trying to sleep and when Marta offered me another blanket that morning I gladly accepted. There are windows in my room, Lorena’s room, and the bathroom that are made with glass slats and are designed so that they can slant up and down, but never close. Windows like this are definitely good in the summer so that a breeze runs through the house. Technically, Lima is a coastal desert, but it’s humid because moisture from the ocean is trapped by the nearby Andes mountains. It also takes forever for clothes or anything to dry. After breakfast with Martha and Lorena, Lorena and I went to an ISA orientation about how to deal with life in Lima basically. We were given tips regarding transportation, health, culture,etc. I was informed by our ISA guides, Michelle and Dani, that Peruvians blame any sort of cold or illness on not wearing enough layers or scarves or even drinking cold beverages in winter. I soon found this to be true! Lots of people wear scarves and are careful to keep warm. Even the majority of pet dogs wear sweaters in the winter! Its adorable! My host family has a medium sized dog named Jota(pronounced ho-ta the Spanish word for the letter J). He doesn’t wear a sweater because he ate the last one he had so the family has given up on him wearing one. He is quite hyper and likes to growl/bark a decent amount. Lorena and I call him needy because he hates being alone and always has to be around people. In fact, he loves to sit on Lorena’s bed and mine as well, although not for very long as he’s always moving.
Wednesday August 2-Una Exploración de Barranco y Miraflores
We started off Wednesday by meeting at the ISA office at 8am and began our scavenger hunt of the nearby providences of Barranco and Miraflores. We divided into several groups and took the bus to Barranco, making sure to take note of bus routes and prices as they are the best way to get around. There are many undocumented bus routes which can be confusing, but most buses have the names of where they’re going written on them and are certain colors. If you’re uncertain you can always ask the driver before getting on. The Metropolitana(the metropolitan) is a large city run bus that has a well known, set route, but costs a little bit more. It is always packed, because it has its own lane and travels very quickly. Unfortunately it won’t be of much help to me on a day to day basis as it doesn’t go to the areas where I will need to go. Overall, Barranco was artsy and beautiful! Several limeños(people from lima are called limeños) described it as a bit of a hippy town. It used to be a beach town of Lima during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. First, we walked down the Bajada de Los Baños to see the view. Then, we found Chabuca Granda Park and took a picture with a statue of a famous Peruvian songwriter and horseman. Next, we took group picture next to a stunning mural by Jade Rivera. It was painted in 2015, shortly after the Historic Center municipality had all of the murals and street art in Old Lima covered with yellow paint. After than, we took a picture in front of the library. After all this, we headed to Miraflores where we were instructed to find the Inca Market and ask someone what an Ekeko is and to take a picture with one. An Ekeko is a doll of a god of an old andean civilization that brings good luck and prosperity. Next, we walked to Parque Intihuatana where we found the modern sculpture that represents the Sun Clock found at Machu Picchu. The sculpture was made by Fernando de Szyszlo, A Peruvian of Polish origen. Then, we went to Parque Del Amor(The Park of Love) which is right next to the ocean. It is absolutely stunning! It is so named because it houses a sculpture by Victor Delfín(a Peruvian artist from the north) of a mestizo couple. There are also tiles walls(similar to Gaudí’s in Barcelona) that have quotes about love on them. Then, we walked over to Larcomar, which is a huge, impressive shopping center. After that, we walked to Manolo’s Café(Av. Larco Miraflores) and ate some of their famous churros and took a picture with the waiter. Sam(another girl in the ISA program) and I order chorros filled with dulce de leche and they were delicious!! Afterwards, we went to Parque Kennedy(Kennedy Park), otherwise known as the Cat Park. It’s called that because many cats live there. It’s a sort of cat shelter where they are up for adoption and are taken care of by vets to ensure they are healthy. Unfortunately there weren’t very many in the park the day we went. but I still managed to take several pictures with the cats.(..which I still would have done even if it wasn’t a requirement of the scavenger hunt). This was our last destination and we took the bus home!
Thursday August 3-
We met at 9:30am at the Real Plaza Salaverry to go to Lima’s Historic Downtown. We walked around the center and saw Plaza San Martin, Jirón de la Unión, and las catacumbas. The catacombs were so interesting and was used as one of Lima’s first cemeteries. We were going