June 17, 2012

    It's been an interesting couple of days so far. I've been in the city at night, getting to know a group of PA students from Union College in Lincoln Nebraska.It has given me the opportunity to see parts of Iquitos that I wouldn't be able to see at the orphanage. Last night, we were sent on a scavenger hunt to find a child and feed them dinner. Now normally, in the US, this would be considered kidnapping and we would all be arrested in a heart beat. However, in Iquitos, it's not illegal to pick up a child. Most parents aren't even aware of where their kids are half the time. And since we're American, they just assume we're feeding them. Being in the city has also allowed me to interact with people who are similar in age as well as who speak the same language as me. It's crazy the things you miss about America when you're in another country. Most things I'm realizing I took for granted, such as smooth roads, unlimited supply of drinkable water, air conditioning, etc. During the day, I've been out at the orphanage, trying to get an idea of all the girls' schedules and trying to learn Spanish as quick as possible.
     So far, the girls have been pretty welcoming and affectionate towards me but they're teenage girls so we'll see how long that lasts. Being at the orphanage is like a whole new world. I'm completely submerged in the Peruvian culture and the language, and most of the time it's pretty overwhelming. I think the hardest thing that I'm going to have to get used to is waking up at 4am,which is what my new schedule consists of. Needless to say, I'll be going to bed at 8pm with the girls. But the girls are pretty helpful with the whole spanish thing and are used to having North American people around who speak broken Spanish. Many of the people in the city are also used to it. I was able to get from the orphanage to the city, just because I'm American and the people of Iquitos know that we normally either belong at the orphanage or in the city at the office. It makes for traveling by motorkar but easier. However, since I'm American, the motorkar drivers try to get as much money from me as possible and you can tell by the look in their eyes and their smiles that they are telling you way too much for the 3-minute ride. I let them get away with it once but I won't let them do that again! Hopefully though, I won't have to take the motorkars much because Paul mentioned teaching me how to drive one of the motorcycles so I can get to and from the orphanage on my day off without spending a lot of money.
      Now I've always been against motorcycles because I personally don't see any reason for them. But as I've been here I've discovered that I would much rather drive a motorcycle here than an actual car. And it's for this one reason: people here drive like maniacs. There are lines on the roads, but they're only suggestions, not requirements. The majority of the vehicles are motorkars or motorcycles so they all drive right beside each other, fitting three motorkars and four motorcycles all side by side on the road. Therefore, me driving a car would probably result in me killing multiple people because they drive so close to the few cars that are on the roads. So I actually feel more comfortable on the motorcycle because there is a less percentage of me killing someone.
     I'm moving to the orphanage tomorrow for good and it's definitely going to be a major culture shock. There's no internet, no WiFi, and no English (for the most part). So my true Peruvian adventure starts tomorrow morning when I arrive at my final destination in the village of Santo Tomas. I'll keep my blog updated on my experiences as much as I can. Thank you for all your support! It means so much to me. I wouldn't be able to do it without all the support and the prayers!