Hola Chicos! For some reason, it was not letting me comment back to answer your questions... but here are the answers in a post!
1) Buenos Aires was a actually seemed clean for a large city. I would not describe it as nasty or dirty. There trash system was different, I noticed. They simply put their trash bags on the sidewalk instead of in dumpsters so at times if bags broke, etc. then there was trash on the sidewalks. The most noticeable thing was that they did not pick up after their dogs so you constantly had to watch your step. Also, I'm sure because it was a big city that it was polluted but not terribly to where I noticed it a lot.
2) The flight from Buenos Aires to Lima was 4 hours long. We flew on LAN Airlines and the plane was very nice! All of the seats, even in coach, had personal TV Screens in the headrest in front of them, a remote, and you could watch TV, Movies, create a playlist of music, or play games.
3) The very first difference I noticed and that I still notice is how warm the people are here. Latin Hospitality! I don't know if it is due to Buenos Aires being a bigger city or if its because they are a more European country but I did not feel like the people were as warm and friendly there. If you have the chance to visit Argentina and travel to other south or central American countries you will probably better understand what I mean.
Some other random differences I have noticed are that Lima has so many more American restaurant chains than in Buenos Aires: Burger King, McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut, Dominos, Papa John's, Chili's, TGI Fridays, etc. where as Buenos Aires only had BK, McDonald's, and TGI Fridays.
Lima does not have a city wide transport system, which makes for challenging travel for foreigners...you have to be extra cautious and kind of learn your way around on your own. The buses here range from school buses and charter buses to 12 person vans that they squeeze a lot of people into. There is a guy that stands by the door to yell the route of that particular bus and to take change. When in doubt (and I'm a "tourist" so I usually am) just always ask if the bus passes close to such and such location. The taxis are also different, they don't have meters. You have to flag down a taxi and then negotiate a price for where you need to go before you get in the car. You also have to make sure the driver knows how to get to where you need to go!
The traffic lights here include a countdown of how many more seconds the light will be red or green, which is neat.
Things are cheaper here! Para almuerzo (lunch) you can usually get a drink, appetizer, entree, and a small dessert for about 4USD! In Argentina, most prices were comparable to the US.
4) My host university in Lima is University of the Pacific or Universidad del Pacífico. I would say that my classes here are slightly easier if only because they understand that we are international students studying a foreign language in another country. Other than that, the difficulty level is similar to the classes in the United States.
5) Peru so far is awesome! I love it here! My host family is quite large, as it is common for extended family to live together in Latin America. There is my host mother, Ana María Fernandez Revoredo, her youngest son, her oldest son and his wife, her mother, her brother, her sister, and then my two roommates that are also from the United States. We also have a maid that comes Monday through Saturday who cleans, does the laundry, and cooks all of our meals. Her name is Magdalena. I like the feel of Lima and the colors (of the buildings, the houses, everything is very colorful). It is very much a Latin American city. The food is great, a fusion of peruvian and latin american and asian flavors, lots of fresh fruit, vegetables, seafood, and SPICE (PICANTE) that did not exist in Argentina. As I have said, the people are extremely friendly and welcoming. In fact, the first day I was here, a group of friends and I went to visit another friend, Shannon, and explore the neighborhood. We arrived at Shannon's apartment building, called up to the 10th floor, told her host mom who we were and she invited us up...then we got up there and Shannon wasn't even there, she just wanted to invite us in to talk! The weather is nice, mid-60s during the day but it feels a lot warmer because it is about 98% humidity everyday. In the evenings the temperature drops and it feels cooler and the wind can be pretty cold coming from the ocean. I live about 5 minutes (driving) from the Pacific coast. However, it's not as sunny here. Right now is the part of the year when it is common for a light mist/fog from the ocean to cover the city so it is usually overcast or at least partly cloudy where it was sunny a lot of the time in Argentina.
6) I made a few Argentine friends that I will keep in touch with and I will definitely keep in touch with my host family there.
7) My favorite color is green :)
8) I love South America because I love experiencing the culture of Latin America, the language, the people, the food, the music, lifestyle, all of it interests me. On that note, I have not been in Peru for very long but I would already say that I prefer it over Argentina because it feels a lot more like latin-y to me. That is not to say that I didn't enjoy Argentina, because I am so grateful for my time there and everything that I learned while there. I can't say that I like South America better than the U.S. because the U.S. and Oklahoma will always be home for me but I would be thrilled at the opportunity to live in South America full time at some point in my life! :)
I have shared some of my interesting stories of my times in South America and my students would like to know your most interesting experiences. They would like to know about the interesting foods that you have eaten, scary things you have experienced, etc.
ReplyDeleteHola Chicos!
ReplyDeleteAs far as interesting stories, I feel that my entire time here has been interesting. The trips I have taken, the people I have met, and the opportunities that have been available to me are once in a lifetime. Here are a few things I can categorize though!
Interesting Foods I Have Tried:
Ceviche is probably the most different thing for me. It is raw fish that is prepared in a way that makes it seem like it has been cooked but really it hasnt. There is also Tiradito that is basically like Ceviche but with an Aji sauce. I have also tried Alpaca stew. One thing on the menu in Peru, but that I am choosing not to try is Cuy, or Guinea Pig.
Scary Experiences:
Luckily, I have not had many! Although I have witnessed a couple and that was a bit scary in itself. Me personally, the "scariest" encounter I have had was with a cab driver just last week over miscommunication concerning the amount to be paid for the trip. Long story short, my friend and I got out of the car and he proceeded to turn his car off and get out and first argue and then yell at us over the price of the cab ride. The scary part was not talking to him but being afraid to turn around and walk away from him. He was wanting and insisting upon a very high rate for the trip we had just made even though we insisted that we live here and know a reasonable amount. In Peru, there are not meters in cabs...instead you tell the driver where you need to go and discuss a price ahead of time, which we had done and then he wanted to change the fare. I also witnessed a fight on the subway in Buenos Aires and woman get her purse stolen (a guy nabbed it and took off running but luckily they caught him!) Regardless, you just have to be smart about your actions, alert, and hope you are not in the wrong place at the wrong time! Hopefully the rest of my time here will continue smoothly!
Most Frustrating Thing About Being Abroad:
Everyone either assumes you don't speak Spanish or really wants to practice their English! There are times (many of them, in fact) that you will go into a restaurant or store to order something and you will do so in Spanish and they will answer you in English...to which you reply in Spanish...and they still answer you in English! As someone trying desperately to become fluent in Spanish, this is extremely frustrating! And this is only one scenario. It's amazing how many people know English and will try their very best to get you to speak it to them even if you insist on speaking Spanish.
Most "Out of my Comfort Zone" Place:
For me, it always has been, and presumably may always will be public transport, i.e. the buses. I am fine walking alone, I am fine taking a cab alone, but for some reason I always feel a bit uncomfortable on buses alone. Not unsafe, just uncomfortable. The scenario is usually I am the one American (o estadounidense) and I have about 30 sets of Latin eyes on me. They all know that I am not from here and may or may not know exactly where I am going. So, I guess I just get nervous knowing when to get off the bus (and buses in Peru can be quite complicated). It might sound silly, but this is just how I have always felt but I don't let it stop me from still using this system of transportation.
Other Things I Can Mention that You Might Find Interesting or Unusual:
ReplyDelete*It's very common for there to be performers/singers/guitar players/or just beggers on the public transportation wanting/asking for donations
*Toilet paper or a toilet seat is not always gauranteed. Squatting is something you get good at and carrying toilet paper with you wherever you go becomes a habit. And, sometimes, you have to pay to use a bathroom, maybe 10-15 cents, and the person that takes your money also will give you some toilet paper and a paper towel.
*"Piropos"...mostly for the females...a "piropo" is the equivalent to a cat call or whistle in the United States. You will hear "que bonita, linda, simpatica, guapa, preciosa" as well as whistles, honking horns, and anything else they can come up with. And being an "extranjera" you hear them everyday. But, rather than being demeaning or rude, as many people take them in the U.S., I have been told that it is not meant to be rude, but an actual complement, and to take it as such but don't acknowledge the person.
As I go through my day the next couple of days if I notice anything else that I have forgotten, and I'm sure I have, then I will write it down so I can remember to share it later!
Chau!