The next step

Wow, sorry I’ve taken this long to write again. It’s been a crazy month between enjoying friends and family in Tupelo, visiting siblings in D.C. and Kentucky, and preparing to move to Nashville. And now, here I am, with a new apartment, a new roommate, a new city, and a new program. And that’s all quite exciting. But sometimes I still remember that tomorrow makes four weeks since I left Trujillo. I still think about Peru every day, and I miss it. I’ve got the flag on my wall, limónes in the fridge, barley coffee on the counter, and pictures in the frames.

So, borrowing from my dear friend Devon Emig (although she did this before she actually ended her year in Germany), I’ll give a quick list of things I miss about Peru. And, to add an upbeat, things I’m glad to return to.

PERU IS AWESOME BECAUSE:

- The people

-The fruit (especially mangos, avocados, and juice)

-Menús (fixed price, 2 course lunches for 4 soles/$1.50)

-Bodegas (neighborhood everything-stores) and panaderías (bakeries)

-Colectivos, combis, micros (the exciting and crowed public transportation)

-Walking everywhere

-Being with people who are different from me in many ways every day, having relationships with them, and that being normal

-Fresh foods and cheap produce

-Speaking Spanish

-Salsa and cumbia music

-A lack of obsession with time, phones, and work

-People’s generosity, accessibility, and availability

THINGS THAT ARE NICE ABOUT THE U.S:

-Friends and family (of course)

-Toilet paper in public restrooms

-Water fountains and tap water

-It being normal to be an active, athletic girl

-Salads at meals

-Seasons

-Green (Peru is a beautiful country, and many parts have a lot of green. Trujillo isn’t one of them.)

-Driving (even though I didn’t really miss it)

-Telephone calls