Culturalisms!

So, I have been here for about a month and my Spanish is definitely getting better. I mostly speak Spanish at my house, with the exception of one of my host mother’s brothers who is in love with Dolly Parton (he carries a cassette tape player with him everywhere), and really wants to practice English with me! The Spanish here did take some getting used to though. They put an affectionate ending “cita” on everything. So agua (water) becomes aguita, and I am always Katicita! I have heard it termed “cutesy Spanish”

And this is certainly an affectionate culture! When you enter a room you give a kiss on the cheek to everyone there. And even if you leave 5min later, you go around the table and give kisses again! It makes you feel like part of the family right away.

A red plastic bag hanging on a stick outside a house or store means that they sell chicha, the local corn beer. You see them all over town.

I can walk the entire length of Urubamba in about 40 min, but when I don’t feel like walking, I get around town in motto-taxis. They cost 1nuevo sol per ride which is about 30¢. Pedestrians DO NOT have the right of way here, and these little vehicles fly down the streets as fast as they can. Even going down side streets, they just blare their horns to let people know they are coming but never slow down! No collisions yet…fingers crossed!

I have gotten a lot better at it now, but at the beginning I always had a hard time remembering not to throw the toilet paper in the toilet…I had no idea how much of a reflex that is!

I think the weirdest cultural difference I have encountered is that people here rarely drink anything with meals. They might have a small glass of coke or refresco after lunch, but I am always the odd man out when I bring my water bottle to the table!

Well, I definitely don’t have the iron stomach that I was hoping for. I’ve gotten sick twice, both times from eating food from the more rural communities we go into, but I know that is going to be part of living and working abroad. For lunch, we always have a soup to start, and then a second plate. Lots and lots of potatoes here, and usually some meat. I didn’t think that I would encounter guinea pig too often here, as it is saved for special occasions, but the problem is that I have had four special occasions this past month! This last time I actually got an entire guinea pig, and had to eat it all with my hands! I tried to clean my plate, but man swallowing the insides is a little hard to stomach, ha-ha, and my digestion definitely did not appreciate it! I think I might be able to go on the show “Fear Factor” now!

Sheep, Pigs, and Bulls, OH MY! Instead of counting billboards on car rides, here, you can count the number of livestock you see on the side of the road. Maybe it’s because I am not really a country girl, but when I see little kids chasing after their bull down the side of the main highway, or when a heard of sheep crossing the road causes traffic to stop, I always laugh out loud!

Here are two links to photos on my facebook page. I added some new ones to the first album, and then there is a new album too! All you should have to do is click on them, but if that doesn’t work, cut and paste the link! Sending everyone lots of love and big hugs! I’ll post again on what I have been doing these past few weeks and on the big Easter festivities that we have here!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2089392&id=24500893&l=4f058b8a4e

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2092097&id=24500893&l=28a953b361