A dream that came true...on the way to a Machu Picchu (part 1)

A long time ago, I had a dream that one day I want to “clime” to Machu Picchu. Not just to go and see the Machu Picchu, but walk my way there, like Incas did in the past. Last week my dream came true.  

Once again I have to say that I’m very lucky person to be able to fulfill my dreams. As you have seen to fulfill my dreams is not just easy, but for sure it’s worth it. We all need to make “sacrifices” in life, because we can’t have all what we want, but most of us, the ones living in the western world, we have a choice. Most of the people here don’t have a choice, no matter how much they would like to study or travel, but they may never earn enough money to do so, even to be able to study, because they earn enough only to cover their basic needs.

I'm lucky because I was able to choose my education, to become teacher who could be able to teach almost anywhere in the world in order to live my life like this. Of course, I’ve been lucky to be borne in Finland to be able to make this choice, to have free education and even get money from the government while studying. Also I have been able to work as a teacher in Finland to earn and save money to do this trip and share my time to be able to help other people. But to be able to do this I do have a loan, I don’t have a home, I fit my life into few boxes and I don’t know when I will have another job, but it is my choice. Yet, life for me is not just easy, because for example living in Lima is very difficult for me, more difficult than I thought it would be. I don’t connect with this city and continuous grayness, lack of sun (after a long and dark winter in Finland) puts me down. Therefore to have a well-earned holiday to see the beauty of Peru was amazing for me and I feel very privileged and lucky to be able to have done it. 

Here is a map of Peru, so that you can follow my trip.

Lima-Ica-Nazca, Cusco and finally Machu Picchu.

 

I travelled together with Julia, a German girl, who did her internship in La casa de Panchita for two months. She wanted to see more than just Cusco and Machu Picchu and was not keen on travelling by herself so I decided to join her for the whole trip.

Ica & Huacachina

We started our journey by bus 6.30 am in the morning and not being able to sleep the night before I immediately passed out in the bus. When I woke up and looked out from the window I was not sure whether I was still dreaming, because we’re in the desert and for a second I thought I was in Egypt. 

First we travelled to Ica, which is well known to many travelers in due to its oasis that is situated between enormous sand dunes. It is about 4, 5 hours south from Lima. We didn’t actually stay in Ica, because we went directly to Huacachina, the oasis which attracts many tourists, also us, as well as Peru's rich families, due to the variety of adventurous sand activities that are available, such as sand-boarding and sand tours on special sand buggies. Julia had never been to desert before and I had never done sand-boarding or buggy tours so it was a win-win situation for both of us.

Amount of tourism (even if it’s not a high season) hit me, because you don’t see that many in Lima.  But it was so nice to have Sun and chill out by the pool, take walk around the oasis and then the buggy tour. Of course a immediately I started feeling bad when I sat in that vehicle, how much harm they actually cause for the environment, so that we can just come here and have some fun. Worse was to see how much garbage there was in the desert, plastic bottles etc. what is wrong with people??? We don’t through the stuff on the ground in our countries either, so why would you do it here? Are people waiting for someone to come and clean after themselves in the desert??? I was screaming in my mind and also said it out loud to Julia. Ok, calm down and once try to enjoy this I told myself. 

 

  Desert is huge, it continues about 65 kilometers according to our driver, who made sure we enjoyed our tour (among tens of other vehicles) but it is huge as I said, so we had space. We had our personal roller coaster in the desert,

Nazca

Next morning we headed our way to Nazca. They took us to the bus station very early in the morning and of course the bus was late 1, 5 hours so in the end we sat at the station for more than 2, 5 hours. Well at least we had time to write a diary. A way from Ica to Nazca was interesting. First it was desert and straight for a long time and then suddenly there was like an edge and we started going down and we’re surrounded by hills, it felt very unreal for me. I was like WHAT??? and had to wake up Julia, who was asleep. 

When we arrived to the bus station after 2, 5 hours we’re taken to a van, which took us straight to the airport. It was very small and interesting airport and when I saw the plain I thought, ok, well another first time in my life experience for me to be on a small airplane at the same time remembering the warnings of my Spanish teacher how dangerous it is to fly with those small planes and my classmates who agreed. I couldn’t admit them that I had already booked the flight. But you all know I’m writing this so I must be a live and nothing bad happened! 

The only thing no one told us is that you feel so SICK after the 30 minutes flight because in order to see the pictures the flight turns pretty much 180 degrees and then to another side! In the end I was just waiting to get back and I was not able to take any photos because I was feeling rather sick. It took us pretty much 3hours to recover from it and we’re not the only ones, everyone seemed to feel pretty bad after the flight. But it was worth it, Nazca lines are amazing piece of history, which still remains today. To know more you can have a look at this short documentary about it. Nazca lines

 

Nazca city itself is very small and we had nothing to do there, just waited our bus was to leave in the evening. We walk around, saw the market, we ate and had a nap in the park on the bench until police woke us up, because we’re not allowed to sleep in the park. Rest of the evening we hang around in the backyard of one hotel, which was very relaxing. 

We had overnight bus to Cusco in a VIP class. I have to say busses here are REALLY GOOD (I mean when you choose a long distance bus) better than airplanes, especially when you have VIP seat, you can sleep pretty well, you get something to eat, blanket, pillow, you have your personal TV, where you can watch films, play games, listen music etc. and you can even use internet (however it has never work when I’ve been in the bus). Yet, the only problem is going to the toilet. We had our seats upstairs and the bus was moving a lot to side to side and especially when you go on a mountain road going to the toilet was not easy. Second thing is that you’re not allowed to take a shit, liquids only it says in the toilet and they do tell us that from the start too. Our bus ride was around 15 hours, so I did manage without taking a shit, but I was wondering what would happen if a person for example has a diarrhea or simply needs to take a shit. What would they do you do??? Maybe I’ll ask next time.

RANDOM THOUGHTS

First of all, I'm sorry that I've not been writing. I've been having a rather difficult time and I felt didn’t want to share it, because I thought maybe I make it sound a lot worse than it is. But I guess it is part of this experience as well. So here are some edited random writings from the past month. This is simply about my feelings and thoughts, so Don’t be offended!

FRUSTRATION

You know the feeling when something makes you feel so ANGRY that you just feel like screaming. It happened to me at the Gym (yes, I have joined the club here in order to be fit so that I can start surfing when summer arrives in here and replace the fat in my body with muscles). The teacher at the baile basico class was so bad that I had to walk out of the class and I wanted to complain but in this country you’re not supposed to say negative things, even more not the way I say it; means what I feel and think (this is shit, he can dance but not teach).

A part of living in a foreign country is the fact that life is different than in your home country and sometimes you get so annoyed about little things and you simply cannot explain why they make you so angry or frustrated. Lack of common sense makes me angry sometimes; simple things can be made so difficult because they just are not able to use common sense. I’ve lived and travelled in several countries and I’ve had my BAD moments in many places. However, the more you travel the more tolerant and patient you become. Going to a shop to buy just a piece of bread might take you more than half an hour even if it’s not a peak hour but you just queue, listen your music and chill out (well sometimes you just give up, forget the shopping and walk out if you’re in a hurry). You are aware that you simply cannot count on anything being on time, busses, meetings and life in general, because plans change all the time, which is why I like it here, mañana, mañana, but sometimes it makes me mad too, especially when I’m hungry or tired!

By so far I’ve been able to handle everything pretty well in here, I feel life is normal in here, like in any city; traffic is terrible, but not as bad as in Cairo or in India, Peruvians are more on time than people in many other countries, its cold inside the house, but it was cold inside the house in Australia too, men harass me less in here than many other places (It’s so cool to be tall and not to understand what they say :D) and it’s actually nice that most often cars will stop when I’m waiting to cross the street, however I feel the women want to run over me. Well, at least there are some nice advantages too being blond and if the complements are nice why not to enjoy it and take it with a humor especially after the living in Finland where you hardly ever get any complements from men. 

STANDARDS

We all have expectations about certain standards based on our previous experiences. Sometimes things are not what we had expected and we get disappointed. This happens every where not just when you’re abroad. For me one of the worst experience was BALLET! No, I’ve not started to dance ballet in here (the ones who don’t know, but when I was young I danced ballet eleven years), so I went to see the performance of Peru’s national ballet for my birthday. Last time I saw one must have been more than 15 years ago and it was Swan Lake too, now a modern version of it. I was so excited and told my friend not to wonder if I start crying because I might get emotional. Theatre was new and looked pretty amazing (for Peruvian standards) so my expectations were high. However, after the first fifteen minutes when the show started I couldn’t believe my eyes and I was frustrated, they were not on time, some of them were good, others were not, in the end the whole time I was just concentrated on the mistakes they were making and I couldn’t enjoy the show. Luckily, my friend felt the same, so I didn’t need to feel a freak being so annoyed and she has not even danced ballet! STANDARD…it does not exist when it comes to the Ballet in Peru.

 

SPANISH

I continued studying Spanish in here and I thought it’s good to repeat some of the basic things too, because my grammar sucks. My Spanish 3 class was good, we had fun, we became friends with my classmates and in the end of the course we went to have a dinner and invited our teacher too.  My Spanish 4 class (started this week) and the teacher was terrible. She was talking to us like we were little children. And we had to repeat the words ten times and jump around the class and she was using such an old fashion ways of teaching (to me), mainly book apart from jumping around. After having a really good (young and hansom too ;) teacher in Spanish 3 I was so disappointed because the standard had gone down (for me). The teacher, could of course see it from my face that I hated it (because I was there like WTF) and also I questioned some the homework she gave to us, which were stupid (I must have been her nightmare). As I am a teacher myself and I have been teaching languages too, I know that you teach adults differently than children. Next day I entered the class half hour late (she had told us to be on time) I know I’m terrible, but simply couldn’t help myself. In the middle of the lesson she asked to speak with me and told me that she thinks this class is too easy for me and maybe I should take an exam and go to a next level. Of course the reason was that she didn’t want me in her class either. 

But my good friends from the previous course were there and I was not sure what I wanted to do. 3^rd day I entered the class late again (not on purpose this time) and she told me to go and speak with the director not because I was late, but because she thought I should take the exam NOW. So I went to see the director (who was already expecting me). She looked at my previous test and I was speaking with her in Spanis, so she took me to the class 5 and told the teacher to see how it goes with me. I of course understood everything, joined the conversation and I was relieved because the teacher was so much better and we were talking so much more and not just repeating CORRER, CORRER, CORRER, CORRER. So now I’m taking the Basico 5 and having what I expected.

DISAPPOINTMENTS

I had high expectations about my house before coming to Peru, come on I was having my own bathroom and jacuzzi. My housemate sounded like a very nice person. Fairly soon reality turn out to be very different and having a jacuzzi became the least important thing. Living in a place where I feel good is important to me. If I don't feel good in place where I live, I don't function very well. In the end I was being crumby a lot, because I felt so bad. I notice a huge difference when I was away for few days and now that I live in a new place (despite of the camera being stolen) I feel peace now.

In my previous house I lived for two months. First 1, 5 weeks was pretty ok. House was fairly clean, not cozy, but livable; I paid my rent what I had agreed on beforehand. My housemates and I shared few meals together, they helped me out with things and I felt welcome. Yet, fairly soon dishes were dirty all the time, so was kitchen and I had to clean everything if I wanted to cook something, food I had bought got eaten and when I got home, being hungry and planned to make food out of what I’d bought earlier it was not there anymore. First two times, I kind of thought ok, whatever but when it happened regularly, I started to be pissed off and felt like I was living with little children. They smoked inside and I could smell it already before entering the house. Pretty much every day they were intoxicated, sometimes the whole day and I felt they are not anymore the people I met at the beginning. Most of my time at home I spend in my room, didn’t cook much anymore, bought my own stuff for cooking, because pans were so bad and I needed to clean all before I started cooking. Rent was supposed to include everything but bit by bit more things came top of the rent and soon, I realized this was way too much that I could afford to pay and what I had agreed on. They are nice people, but I simply cannot live with them. Our life styles are too different. Hope they find someone there, who feels better than I did.

After three weeks living in that house I was sure I didn’t want to live in a place where I don’t feel comfortable. I appreciate either sharing my life with people or then having a place, where I feel peace being on my own with calm people.  At the age of 34 it’s kind of tricky to go and live with people who are in their early twenties, no offence, I was young once, but I simply don’t want that kind of life anymore. I like going out for sure, but not the way they do. First time I went out here with my previous housemate Mel, I almost “died” the next day, because I cannot handle the local alcohol. Thanks to Adele, I found my new house. 

It’s difficult to know when you’re able to trust on people. I’ve had several occasions here, with Peruvian people who have promised something and in the end they don’t simply keep their promise, because it doesn’t matter to them, as long as they get what they want, fuck the rest. Luckily most of Peruvians are not like that, they are very friendly and helpful.

PISSED OFF

Because I’m different I’m supposed to pay more. Because I’m different you can treat me the way you want to and you expect me to take it. Sorry I don’t accept it. For example I hate when they ask me more money in the bus. Last week I was in the bus and I said you’re asking too much and this is not the right price. I was speaking nicely. When the bus stopped he throws me out even if I had the amount he was asking. Well, you can just imagine how angry I got when he told me to get off the bus. I didn’t save my words and I was swearing like in hell, people were of course staring at me because here they don’t usually say anything in here and they don’t even get angry. But I DO!!!What more, they don’t swear in here almost at all, they say Miercoles, that means Wednesday. I feel they are pretty conservative in here. 

After having Javi as my first experience with the Spanish language by living with him in Australia, I simply thought swearing was very important part of the Spanish language.  Funnily, from the first day I was here surrounded by Spanish language, I immediately started to swear in Spanish (how bad is that) I couldn’t speak that much, but for sure I was able to swear and those words just came out of my mouth without thinking, like Joder (Fuck) and few more, I don’t want to repeat in here. I’m sure it is thanks to Javi. So Javi if you happen to read this you can be proud of yourself, I learned all the important Spanish words from you ;)

WORK

My work place is good. It started to feel like a family very soon. I like working in the schools and when I have something to do where I finally feel I’m useful. I feel same with the biblioteca as well, but I feel more home in a school environment when I can do at least a little bit of teaching even if the kids are not the most easiest behaved, but well I have plenty of experience about that, challenges are there to be overcome, right!? I love our Sundays and at La casa de Panchita, working with the Art group and children, teaching English and talking with the women when I have time. It’s always very hectic, but a very good day!

I’m a teacher

I am a teacher, I have realized that. I miss teaching. A big lump in throat while reading the updates from my colleagues starting their year in Finland. Well, after this experience, I’ll be even better teacher, because I have more to share, all the things I have learned in here. I love teaching, seeing children learning and getting excited about something. So we’ll see for how long I’m able to handle not working as a teacher. At least now I can teach a little bit. The first Sunday when I was teaching English at the La Casa de Panchita I was so happy! I enjoy planning the lessons!

WORLD IS AGAINST ME

There are days when you simply think if the whole world is against you, nothing seems to work and you feel so alone, because no one really knows you. I’ve had few days like that. Especially when it happens at “the time of the month” everything seems even worse. Like this week. Adele leaving, my camera stolen and I felt that the whole world is falling apart.  Simply felt like crying and I did. Luckily, it didn’t last for very long and I came back alive and started smiling again, just because I felt happy. Friends and people around me helped me to feel happy again.

FRIENDS

When I got my camera stolen and I was like a one big mess not sure if I was feeling safe in the house or not, everyone was being really friendly and offering their help for me. My work mates offering me place to stay if I wanted to leave, my friends boyfriend came to the police station with me, Brendan who had to listen to my cries. It was good to realize how many wonderful people I have around me, even if one really good one was not here anymore, I miss you Adele.

I love the people I’ve got to know in my last Spanish class. At the end of the course we had a dinner together with my classmates at Chifa (local Chinese) restaurant and with our teacher (the hansom one) and another young nice teacher that many of my classmates knew from previous course. I enjoyed it very much! We often have coffee after the class when we have time and its important part of my day and good Spanish practice too, because we are from different places and since Spanish is a common for all of us we try to speak it as much as possible, throwing in some English words here and there. Now that I’m in a different course we have to start seeing more outside the class.

As I’ve been a mess this week and yesterday I went to wash my laundry in my usual place and forgot my dress there. Only after it was closed I remember it. So I went there this morning to pick it up and they were laughing when they saw me and handed my dress to me. I felt so good, yes there many honest people who are really friendly with you.

Today my yoga teacher asked me where I have been for the last two Thursdays (apparently he missed me) and he was giving me a hard time in the class, but looking after me as always and when I was leaving he gave me a kiss on a cheek (it’s a habit in here) but this was the first time, for me it means we know each other’s well enough to do so. Could you imagine something like that happening in Finland, NO!!! I’m so use to it again, kissing, I mean, when you meet someone and when you leave you give a one kiss on a cheek, so watch out Finns, I might kiss you when I see you. 

But, I miss HUGGING!!! I don’t have many friends here who I can hug with!

REALITY

After all these events when I enter the schools at the “slums” I think about my silliness and the anger that I sometimes feel, but I think it’s also about what I experience here every day. I cry about my camera, my friend leaving, but I still have all my basic needs; food, water, warm water, a right to study, money to do things what I want to do, but still I have a right to feel angry, sad, frustrated, because it’s my life and my feelings. As long as I don’t get stuck with these negative feelings it’s ok. In the end we are able to choose how we feel, if we want to get stuck with the negative things or do we put the positive ones on the top. Sometimes you have shit weeks; a good friend leaves, camera gets stolen, a bad teacher and top of that I have my period, so no wonder I’m over emotional. In the end everything turned out pretty good. I have a new place to stay, a nice roommate and friends around me and others in the other side of the world who care and love me and who I love so much. The change to make a difference is in me, you and in all of us.

I want to send you all hugs, kisses and love from all my heart. You matter to me!
 

LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED! 

A WORM!!!…just a worm...

Tonight I was about to go to sleep and I put on my ‘pyjama’ (lämpöaluskerrasto), that I’ve been wearing for the last two weeks. Few minutes later I feel like a needle on my belly and I turn over my shirt and there it a tiny little worm or whatever, happily crawling on my warm and cozy shirt until it got next to my smelly skin, so fair enough that it bit me. Of course I freak out, actually just a little bit, enough to pull off my shirt and have a look if there was more than just one and immediately I started to feel itchy everywhere. Is there something on my hair, what about my pants and my shirt was on my bed??? Where did it come from??? After checking the clothes I was wearing, it was time to check my bed, then a sleeping. No, nothing there! I mean even if it’s a tiny little animal (insect or something) I don’t want to sleep with it! Maybe, it is time for me to change my pyjama and do my laundry? In the end I remembered that yesterday I came from the shop and put all my shopping’s including a fruit bag on my bed, so most probably (HOPEFULLY) it was just a onetime thing and I don’t find more of them. Hope I can still sleep tonight after the adrenalin rush (means I've been way too long away from the places where you have all kinds of animals crawling everywhere all the time).

Sweet dreams! 

Happy Birthday La casa de Panchita!!!

La casa de Panchita is a house where I mainly work. Actual house was opened in 2001 and since

then it has been visited regularly by a number of people, mainly women and children. They help

domestic workers and it is part of NGO (non-governmental organization) Asociación Grupo de Trabajo Redes (AGTR), which turns 24 years next week. Their main focus is to spread and defend the rights of the excluded people, mainly domestic workers.(See La casa de Panchita ) 

House is open 7 days a week and most activities are free of charge. They offer tutoring in schoolwork, access to library, English classes, employment and placement in domestic services, legal advise in labor problems and in formalities to obtain personal documents, consultation in sexual and reproductive health, guidance in emotional problems, workshops (self-esteem, duties and rights, dance, dynamic theatres, manual work, cooking and etc).

Sunday cooking class and French lesson

They have several projects going on outside the house as well. For example a Biblioteka (in less wealthy area of Lima) where children can come after school and get help with their homework. They can bring their siblings that they most often need to look after. At the moment I go there twice a week. 

A local volunteer at Biblioteka

Boys waiting for doors to open at Biblioteka

 

Sunday is the busiest day, because that is the day off for domestic workers and then there are several workshops going on in the house, art, cooking, English, drama etc. and some special programs for children, who are brought here by bus from the area where they live. Day passed by very fast and its fun too see many people around. Last two Sundays I've been working with children <3 

Making their own superheroes

Superhero exhibition!!! Looking at all the amazing pieces of art
(using recycling materials)

These superheroes have special powers and now each child has her/his own superhero at home.

After discussing about superheroes it's time to eat. There are people working for whole day at the house to provide food for these children and volunteers. Food is for free.

Then it's time to study about their rights and responsibilities, before going out to play to get some fresh air.








There are parks near by. Just less than 5 minutes walk from the house and you have plenty of space to play what ever you feel like. 

The longest skipping rope I've ever seen, but seems to work.

 

Some prefer to play football or "volleyball"

Who cares as long as you have a ball!

After the park it's time for a short evaluation and feedback about their day. Then it's time for a bus to take them home!

Besides all that I´m taking part of the capacity building workshops in the house, I´m getting to know the law and the situation of domestics workers in Peru. I was aware of the bad situation of domestic workers in Peru before coming here, but the reality hit me after meeting some domestic workers and even more when reading about the law.  Pamphlet does not just present the law but the violation that domestic workers are faced with in their work. Examples are real stories from child domestic workers. 

Some of you may wonder what is a domestic workers and what does she do, because it is not common to have one in Finland for example. Domestic labor is huge in Peru. The Ministry of Labor estimates that there are about 700 thousand household workers in Peru, although there are no official statistics. Of the 700 thousand it is estimated that about 120 thousand are children and adolescents that perform this work. The fact is that domestic child labor is one of the most worrying forms of child labor. It seems to be an “invisible” activity in  Peru. Basically domestic workers can do everything at home, clean, cook, laundry, look after children, go shopping etc. list can be very long sometimes. (Domestic workers in Peru)

How many of you could imagine your children at the age of twelve working 12 hours a day 7 days a week and get paid 20 e per month. In between or in the evening they would go to school and try to find time or energy to do their homework some time of their busy day usually before bedtime. They might be given just a mattress to sleep on the floor and a cold water to wash, even if there is a warm water in the house. How would you feel if your child was working on that kind of conditions. Here and in many others countries it is everyday reality for millions of children.

One of the basic human right is of course right to have a decent rest. Here it means that domestic workers have one day off in week, however employers don´t respect that right neither their working hours. Therefore especially under aged children end up working for 7 days a week without having almost any time off, except the ones, who go to school (which is not really a time off but at least they don´t do any physical work while being at school).

Personally for me was difficult to understand that in Peru people who defend and fight rights for women are not willing to defend the right of the domestic workers WHO ARE WOMEN TOO, because it’s in a conflict with their own interest (they want to be served on Sundays because it is their day off) not thinking that their workers have been working the whole week as well! Worst for me is the fact that how badly children are treated and abused often by their own family members or godparents, not to mention their employers.

UNBELIEVABLE!!!

More, in my opinion this shows that domestic workers are not treated equally as human beings. Many people here think that these people don´t deserve any rights, because many of them come from the rural areas. But what difference does it make where you come from or what is your background? Does it give a right to treat people differently, simply because they look different, speak differently or come from somewhere else?

Why so many human beings have a tendency to put oneself above other person just because they have money and they are educated?

To me we are all the same, despite of the color, sex, social class, etc. we should treat and be treated equally and we should have the same rights. I prefer people who are honest, sincere and have a good heart, nothing else matters. Therefore I can only admire and respect the work that these people do here at the La casa de Panchita and many of them are volunteers.

Happy Birthday and Thank you La casa de Panchita, amazing 24 years of helping people!!!


Keep up the good work!!! 

I wish your dreams may come true!!!

A video about La casa de Panchita. English subtitles.
I WORK THERE AND WITH THESE PEOPLE.

More videos about the topic:
Domestic workers in Peru
Domestic workers
Child labour

Thoughtful sick

Hmmm...less than a week in here and I'm sick!?!? I think it is the change of the climate. First two days it was COLD (means around +15 during the day) and since there is no heating inside the house you can imagine it's cold. Then there was two sunny days and fairly warm and now it's been getting colder everyday. Since Monday I had pain in my throat but yesterday it got really bad. I had my second day at work at the office. Whole day workshops for adult domestic workers. Morning was ok. I could follow it, even if I couldn't really join the conversation. But afternoon was like a nightmare. I was feeling really bad, to sit on a hard chair and in the cold 2,5 hours. When I came home, I dived in my sleeping bag and slept on and off until the morning. This morning I felt like I was hit by truck, so I figured it was best to stay at home and rest.

It's funny how fast you get used to things that you don't necessarily like but you simply have to. I hate sleeping with my clothes on and in a sleeping bag, now I sleep inside the sleeping bag with my clothes on (and top of that sheet and a blanket). I take a shower only when I really need to (once in 2 to 3 days), because even if I have a warm water, but the cold after that and the wet hair the whole day. So shower in the evening is out of the question! Also, I'll be wearing clothes as many times as possible because laundry won't dry in here or it will after several days and will be smelling like a wet dog, like my towel (already had to buy a new one) because of the humidity. Luckily I have at least 15 pairs of underwear so I figured I need to do laundry only once in two weeks :D or when the sun appears!

Another things is cleanness, cooking with pots that are far from looking like pots that should be used in cooking. When you just boil the water you can taste the metal in your mouth. So have a tea or coffee or what ever, but not just hot water. Maybe I should invest at least a small pot for heating the water. Next year when I got to the airport security check, it'll just make noise all the time ;) because all the metal inside me. I have tried to eat healthy, avoid this and that and then I come here and it's like throwing everything out of the window, how ironic!

Today I learned that in Peru many cars have two tanks, one with petrol and other with gas. It is a natural gas. You can use either one. Gas is more expensive but takes you twice the distance than petrol would (according to Antonio) and also it's more environment friendly if you go a long distance, I assume.

Yesterday Jenni posted about earthquake in Uganda and today Antonio told me that in here there hasn't been a big one in many years so they are expecting to have one soon and maybe even a tsunami. Hmmm, is he joking I was thinking at first, nope, yep I saw a warning sign on the beach about tsunami, ok so it might happen in here too. Things that I have KNOWN, but totally ignored the reality. I guess if I would think about those things, I would start to feel uncomfortable and might stay home, but you can die at home too. So I was told to get out off the house if I feel shaking or something. Hopefully, while I'm here I don't have to experience earthquake nor tsunami, por favor NO!!!

While waiting for another sunny day in here and to get healthy some pictures from last Sunday when I went to the beach. When it gets warmer I'll try surfing as well.

1st day at work

I want bike or rollerblades...I sat almost an hour in the minibus on the way to work, 5km...I walked home within the same time!!!

Morning I spend reading the materials in Spanish at La casa de Panchita. I can understand the content but in order to learn new word, I was being specific and you can just imagine how many pages I read within 3,5 hours...not much at all. At 1.30pm I took another bus back to same direction and even further and spend a bit more than hour in the bus again. Again I manage to arrive just on time to the University to meet Anali. Well I waited another half hour wondering if there was a misunderstanding and  just when I was about to call she arrived. Again we took a minibuss and another even smaller minibus (where tall people like me have problems to get in) and went up the hill. In front of the building kids were already waiting. This is the kind of library for kids to come and get help with their home work, have a place to stay and play. Language was not a problem, because many of them had their math homework. So I learned numbers today and how to calculate in Spanish; mas +, menos -, por x. I loved it, how nice it is not to be responsible but just be present!
But I tell you what these kids study in Math at the age of 7 is what we study on 3rd grade. And amount of homework, TOOOOO MUCH, even the little ones couple of pages.

It was a very good afternoon! Again 1 hour in the miniminibus and minibus back to home. Food from yesterday (luckily I cooked) beer, chatting, "football" and now time to go to sleep!

¿Qué???? Yo vivo en Lima

Week ago I left Finland, now I live and work in Lima! For some reason it seems unreal, but on the other hand I have settled down in here and this feels real thanks to my fantastic housemates Antonio and Felipo. Today we also got a new housemate Mel, another woman in the house :) she is a mate of Antonio. Means we have a full house. While writing this we all sit in the livingroom and wacth football, a (well I'm not really wacthing, but I'm present at least ;)

I feel like I've been here longer than 5 days. Propably because so many things happened and new things all the time.
Yesterday I had my first meeting with Johana (my coordinator) at the La casa de Pancita. To get there I had to take minibus for the first time and of course I got LOST, even if it's just one way up Av Areguipa, but the bus took me too far because I didn't know where to get off. Nevertheless it seem there was a reason getting lost because I asked help from a man, who knew Sofia from La casa de Pancita. He directed me to the right way and I gave his greetings to Sofia, who was happy to hear about her friend after many years. And I got there on time, before Johana :) minutes here and there, who cares ;)
Meeting was good and intensive. Seems I will have fairly busy July. I'll be participating most of the programs during this month and after that I can decide what I want to concentrate on and what I like doing most. There will be a big event coming 21st of July, 24th Anniversary of La casa De Panchita, which will be un grande Fiesta!

My Spanish is terrible, I understand when I can just listen but when someone talks to me I'm like WHAT???? Also talking in English at home is not helping although it makes life a bit easier because otherwise I would be fairly silent most of the time :D and you all know how much I talk. Yet, I have managed by so far with my terrible Spanish and I'm sure after this month I will be much better. For some reason all other languages, French, German, Swedish comes to my head but where are the Spanish WORDS? On the way, I assume...

Yesterday when I was walking home from La casa de Panchita in the middle of the chaotic traffic I had to pinch myself...Yes, this is real, I'm in South America, I live in LIMA, I'm so LUCKY (despite of the pollution around me) and I simply smiled the whole way home and shut out the noise of the traffic with my mp3 listening music on shuffle and this was the first song...

 Sunshine

Now it seems there is no traffic :)  but you can walk/cycle/roller blade in the middle and no worries about the traffic!!!This is close to my home. But I live in a smaller street, luckily!