Home sweet home
9 into the10th May 05
Evening bus ride back to Lima. The gents are Southward bound. I miss them already and I just kissed them goodbye. Greatly looking forward to getting to see the little Mugaloos tomorrow evening however...
Bus ride nearly killed me. Twenty one hours with a hefty Peruvian man occupying his seat as well as half of mine and crushing me up against the window. I think I may have cursed at him during a phase of half sleep-half awake...finally dawn comes and it doesn´t feel half as bad having no sleep as it did during the darkness. What a barren land we are traveling through. Absolutely nothing grows here.
Once the gent next to me wakes, I discover that he is quite a nice guy. Shows me his new tatoo which he can´t even show his own mother because she would ´kill him´, helps me to sort out my luggage as we have discovered it was tagged to go some place other than where I wanted to go.
....finally we are in Lima.
Have I mentioned that it is especially difficult to be a white American woman here by herself? I am getting very tired of being taken advantage of and my politeness has been spent...as a Scorpio my patience level isn´t incredibly high to begin with!
Here is the scenario....
A taxi driver comes up to me to see if I need his services. I asked him how much to get to Zapallel. He says 40 soles, at which point I laugh and decline, knowing that it should cost 25 soles and telling him so. To which he repeatedly says okay to 25 soles and I make him repeat the destination I have given him.
Transaction agreed upon, I get into the car and we manage to make it around the corner before the driver changes everything and says we agreed upon 35 soles....insert Rebecca giving him all sorts of hell to no avail, insisting he stop the cab which only happened because we hit a red light, and an irate Rebecca jumping out of the taxi yelling that his word is bad!...not really sure if that translates well or not!
Okay...second taxi...seems like a trustworthy fatherly type, agrees to 20 soles to the set destination, even says he lives nearby and offers up the name of the refuge as he is familiar with it. He chats me up the entire way and really seemed quite pleasant until he starts playing what I have come to call ´the gringa game´ with me, saying that the destination was much further than I had told him...though he lives nearby and knew of the refuge....hmmm?!
I gave him 23.50 soles - still a great deal for me - telling him that was all I had in my pocket, took my back pack, rang the door bell to the refuge and walked in allowing the driver to bitch all by himself after telling him that his word was shit too...I just couldn´t be bothered with it anymore, it´s the principle that bothers me.
Aaahhh...the little Mugaloos, back home in Zapallel and so happy to see the little ones, though barely enough energy to fully enjoy them. Smothered with hugs and kisses and tickles and questions of how my trip was...sheer happiness.
The remainder of the day was spent catching up, learning that one of my little sweeties, Kike, had been very ill and in the hospital but was beginning to feel much better...super sad because he is normally an absolute fire cracker, accepting anything he interprets as a challenge with a strong and determined clap to the chest and a ´Kike can do it´!
Little tough guy he is with an extra gooey soft spot if you look for it. I found it by learning how to do his favorite whistle, and sharing it with him as soon as I got back to the refuge. Maybe I am crazy, but I think he was impressed with my new skill!
Went to church with Lucy and the children in the evening, we all hold hands and sing and dance on the way there and back. There is always a huge struggle for who gets to hold my hands, my arms will suffice as well and I usually have about six little ones that will be holding onto my hand or arm or hip or petting my hair....starved for affection they are, perfect combination for me!
Church services are very short and lovely - not religious myself, I go solely because I so adore listening to the little ones belt out the hymns while they giggle and watch me struggle with the lyrics in Spanish.
Afterwards, we had a quick run through of the play so that I could see the children´s progress. Lucy and Manuel have obviously been very busy and their efforts show.
Early to bed...I think that I made it until 9pm!
Evening bus ride back to Lima. The gents are Southward bound. I miss them already and I just kissed them goodbye. Greatly looking forward to getting to see the little Mugaloos tomorrow evening however...
Bus ride nearly killed me. Twenty one hours with a hefty Peruvian man occupying his seat as well as half of mine and crushing me up against the window. I think I may have cursed at him during a phase of half sleep-half awake...finally dawn comes and it doesn´t feel half as bad having no sleep as it did during the darkness. What a barren land we are traveling through. Absolutely nothing grows here.
Once the gent next to me wakes, I discover that he is quite a nice guy. Shows me his new tatoo which he can´t even show his own mother because she would ´kill him´, helps me to sort out my luggage as we have discovered it was tagged to go some place other than where I wanted to go.
....finally we are in Lima.
Have I mentioned that it is especially difficult to be a white American woman here by herself? I am getting very tired of being taken advantage of and my politeness has been spent...as a Scorpio my patience level isn´t incredibly high to begin with!
Here is the scenario....
A taxi driver comes up to me to see if I need his services. I asked him how much to get to Zapallel. He says 40 soles, at which point I laugh and decline, knowing that it should cost 25 soles and telling him so. To which he repeatedly says okay to 25 soles and I make him repeat the destination I have given him.
Transaction agreed upon, I get into the car and we manage to make it around the corner before the driver changes everything and says we agreed upon 35 soles....insert Rebecca giving him all sorts of hell to no avail, insisting he stop the cab which only happened because we hit a red light, and an irate Rebecca jumping out of the taxi yelling that his word is bad!...not really sure if that translates well or not!
Okay...second taxi...seems like a trustworthy fatherly type, agrees to 20 soles to the set destination, even says he lives nearby and offers up the name of the refuge as he is familiar with it. He chats me up the entire way and really seemed quite pleasant until he starts playing what I have come to call ´the gringa game´ with me, saying that the destination was much further than I had told him...though he lives nearby and knew of the refuge....hmmm?!
I gave him 23.50 soles - still a great deal for me - telling him that was all I had in my pocket, took my back pack, rang the door bell to the refuge and walked in allowing the driver to bitch all by himself after telling him that his word was shit too...I just couldn´t be bothered with it anymore, it´s the principle that bothers me.
Aaahhh...the little Mugaloos, back home in Zapallel and so happy to see the little ones, though barely enough energy to fully enjoy them. Smothered with hugs and kisses and tickles and questions of how my trip was...sheer happiness.
The remainder of the day was spent catching up, learning that one of my little sweeties, Kike, had been very ill and in the hospital but was beginning to feel much better...super sad because he is normally an absolute fire cracker, accepting anything he interprets as a challenge with a strong and determined clap to the chest and a ´Kike can do it´!
Little tough guy he is with an extra gooey soft spot if you look for it. I found it by learning how to do his favorite whistle, and sharing it with him as soon as I got back to the refuge. Maybe I am crazy, but I think he was impressed with my new skill!
Went to church with Lucy and the children in the evening, we all hold hands and sing and dance on the way there and back. There is always a huge struggle for who gets to hold my hands, my arms will suffice as well and I usually have about six little ones that will be holding onto my hand or arm or hip or petting my hair....starved for affection they are, perfect combination for me!
Church services are very short and lovely - not religious myself, I go solely because I so adore listening to the little ones belt out the hymns while they giggle and watch me struggle with the lyrics in Spanish.
Afterwards, we had a quick run through of the play so that I could see the children´s progress. Lucy and Manuel have obviously been very busy and their efforts show.
Early to bed...I think that I made it until 9pm!
posted by Rebel at 12:10 PM
2 Comments:
Hey there sugar pops a lot!
Did you write saying that you were sending me a package? I got some really strange ecclectic email via the project peru website and my Spanish speaking friends here about a package being sent to me here! They were asking me if I knew of one Melissa Verner...I replied with yes, that is my crazy sister!
Thanks for sending it if you are...let´s see if it arrives before I depart...I have my doubts as Kristen sent a letter to me about three weeks ago and I still haven´t recieved it!
Love you both with all of my black rotten heart!
Okay Kris, double checked on that address...
Proyecto Peru
Mz. P2 Lt4 Calle Santa Patricia
El Dorado - Zapallal
Puente Piedra
Lima 22
Peru
I heard that it usually takes about three weeks to recieve anything...checked in the mail box yesterday and noticed a whole lot of spider webs...and heard that one of the volunteers recieved a letter one year after it was posted!
burnt biscuits - Keep trying to phone as the phone is a bit grumpy sometimes and I have had difficulty getting through at times as well 00 51 1 5502209
...and yes, I have noticed but thanks for pointing it out again!
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