Oliver Twist

I have spent the last couple of weeks like any normal noncatholic Lima-ite, avoiding the procession of Señores de las Milagres. During the month of October Catholics wear all purple and have processions in the streets. The trick though, is that I don't really know where they are going to be on any given day and how it is going to affect the traffic/my bus route. Last Wednesday, for my first english lesson at the office I left my house at 7:50am to be on time for my 8:30 class. Unfortuately, this day the processional blocked Tacna and I didn't arrive until 9:10. So, Thursday was my first class. It worked out for the best though, because we changed the classes from 8:30 to 9, and now, I don't have to interupt my host family's breakfast time.

I need to add one tip to my riding the bus experience... Keep one hand in the pocket with your money. I got pick-pocketed on Saturday on my way to Inglesia San Pablo. A group of 3 boys and 4 men got on teh already crowded bus at the same time. They were jostling everyone around, and I felt a hand in my pocket-my pocket that didn't have any money in it-and when I went to check my other pocket, my 10 soles were gone. It all happened so fast, and I couldn't figure out which one of them had it. I didn't say anything because I didn't know what to do and its only about $3. At first, I was mad at myself for protecting the wrong pocket, then I was kind of sad for the boys. They were young and this is what they are learning to contribute to society? But, then I cheered myself up by singing You've got to pick a pocket or two, boys, you've got-to-pick-a-pocket-or-two.

Yesterday in talking to Ruth, I said something in Spanish that I had ment to be in English. It was only tambien, but it made me realize that I am begining to think in Spanish, which is important. So, I welcome this confusion involved my learning process.

Here is are two links to my facebook picture albums:
http://owu.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2006974&page=1&id=24100417

http://owu.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2008228&page=1&id=24100417
Enjoy!

I have also added my newsletter to the PCUSA web site:
http://www.pcusa.org/missionconnections/letters/yav/yav_phillipsk_0610.htm

Water, Water Everywhere

I haven't written in awhile, and I'm finding it difficult to pick which stories to share. I thought I'd string this entry together with a theme.

Last Saturday Ruth invited me for lunch and to use their hot water. She insited I take a relaxing bubble bath in their jacuzzi tub. It didn't take much to convince me. So once the water fills up past the jets, I turn the whirlpool on, ready to relax. I was unprepared for this. With a ton of force the water shot out and hit the back of the tub and sprayed the whole bathroom and my backpack! The bubbles foamed up and sprayed everywhere. And the water was spilling out of the bathroom door. I threw my towel at the puddle and tried to turn the jets off. But the button wouldn't work. So I covered the jet which was responsible for soaking the bathroom with my foot, and attempted to wash myself off all the while trying to turn off the jets. I let the water out of the tub, hoping they would stop once there was no water to cycle through. But they didn't, they were just making this terrible noise and spurting a bit of bubbles out now and then. Ruth told me later that Andrew, her 14 year old son, asked her if I knew how to use a bathtub. Aparently, I do not.

Sunday night I, along with team Lima, took the 8 hour bus ride to Huanuco. We were meeting with the whole yav group to reflect on the past five weeks and hang out, see Emily's work and trek into the jungle. On the trip there our cabin door was broken and kept banging open and shut, simply to annoy Jason. I attempted a trip to the bathroom at about midnight. The bathroom is just outside our cabin, also with a faulty door. I really had to yank it open, and when leaving I was having a difficult time with the lock and had to push with much force to get out. At the same time we must have been on one of the many hairpin turns our bus navigated, and I fell out of the bathroom. I had to grab onto the handles in the entryway to pull myself back up. Wishing I had a video tape of the past few minutes, I go back to my seat with a warning to Jason and then Jamie who were attempting next. But, remember our cabin door was also broken, and at the same time I was making my dramatic exit from the bathroom, it swung open! Fortunately, Jamie and Jason were the only ones awake and we had a good laugh about it.




We took a touristy day and hiked through the jungle of Tingo Maria, which is about a 3 hour drive from Huanuco. It was beautiful and we swam in this waterfall. It was cold and clear, and felt great, especially on my legs that were covered in misquito bites. After returning to Huanuco we decided to get pizza and make our way back to La Granja, a camp owned by Paz y Esperanza where we were staying. It was pretty dark by this time and we had to yell(because none of us have a loud wistle) to the boat man who was off duty by this time to pull us across the river on a boat attached to a rope and pulley system. We had two flashlights one in front and one taking up the rear. I was walking 3 back, and couldn't really see the light beams from either flashlight. Distracted by a converstion about West Side Story, I stepped into a hole, dropped the pizza and fell on my face! It of course was filled with water and my right pant leg and shoe got soaked. By this time I didn't really feel like laughing. It was late and we had been up since 6am, I wasn't hurt, simply frustrated with myself for falling.

Saturday morning I did my laundry at the house. It was well needed because I had cramed my still wet pants and swim suit into my backpack for the bus trip back. I have to do laundry in the morning because the clothes usually take all day to dry, and sometimes longer for my hand-washed items. And it is not recommened to keep the laundry hanging on the roof over night. Because either the dogs will get it or people will take it(I'm not sure which because I recieved this warning pretty early on when I didn't understand much-I merely got that I needed to take my clothes down before night). So anyway, I ran out of water while I was rinseing my clothes. I was told this happens because all the world washes their laundry on Saturday mornings and we just ran out. For my neighborhood its not really a big deal, apparently they have only had running water here since the mid 90´s. Before then, they had to carry it in from across the Panamerican. This was also before the Puente(pedestrian overpass) had been built, so they had to run across the highway with water!

Oh and my showers are still cold, but I have perfected the hokey-pokey type process, you know put your right arm in, take your right arm out.

no money 4-da-bus

My tips for riding the bus in Lima:
1.Flag correct bus (they have the names of the streets for their route written on the side).
2.Get on quickly, usually the cobrador (the person, usually male, who collects the pasajes and tells the driver where to stop, when to enter between cars, and yells out the door at people were they are going) is telling you to hurry, hurry.
3.Attempt to secure a seat
If no seats available:
3a.Grab a hold of the bars screwed to the ceiling-quickly, the bus will not wait for you to gain your balance. This is no loose hold like the subway in New York. This is a strong grip preventing you from falling.
3b.Your stance should be wide, if crowded- you may only be able to go hip width.
3c.Position yourself either near the front of the bus or towards the back. This gives you better access to more seats. If you stand in the middle you may only have quick access to the row you are standing next to.
3d.HOLD YOUR GROUND!! You may be asked to move, or squish, but try to let others move around you.
3e.If someone is rubbing their genitals against your butt, re-adjust. Even if you are not sure if it is on purpose or not, re-just anyway!
3f.Be on the look out, once someone starts to gather their things- be ready. Sit down as quickly as possible.
4.Look out the window to recognize landmarks.
5.Have your pasaje(fair) ready. Try to have correct change, they might give you falso sloes back. If its not far, you only need to pay 50 centimos. Sometimes they will try to argue with you. If necessary get off the bus and wait for another. It won’t be too long till the next one comes.
6.Know the name of street or landmark where you are headed. Now, a side bar on pronunciation… Petit Thouras is the name of the street I change busses on my way home. It doesn’t matter which way I pronounce it, the cobrador always repeats it back to me differently. If I say it like paytettourar, they say paytet toras, if I say paytet toras, they say paytettourar, either way I just nod.
7.When you’re close, approach the cobrador and say baja isquina, or baja puente. If they pass were you want to stop, say it with force, BAJA, BAJA Señor.
8.The cobrador will move his arm aside when it is time for you to get off. They don’t always come to a complete stop. So, don’t stumble, the other traffic may not stop for you either!
Observations: I rode a bus the other day with a ghost busters sticker on it.
I rode a bus the other day and the driver answered his cell phone.
There is no limit to the amount of people they will try to squeeze in the bus. You may be involved in a race against another bus another running the same route. If so, hold on tight!