First Gringo Club gathering and searching for "Pan de los muertos"

I have officially started what is known as the barrio's first ever Gringo club. Technically, it is not considered a derogatory term here in Peru (I clarified with a Peruvian.) It mainly consists of Erin, Casey, Lloyd (british guy), his son, and me. It's kind of like what I had in Indiana with my friends from game night, though I'm not sure how many games we'll actually be playing.

Lloyd actually had all of us and several people from the barrio over for Family Home Evening last month. Since Erin and Casey are still homeless, I figured it only made sense for me to go ahead and host. Besides, Gabi and Mari are out of town for a couple of weeks, so why not take advantage of having the place to myself.

I was on a personal campaign though this weekend to hunt down some "Pan de Los Muertos." The day after Halloween in many Catholic countries is All Saints Day, where people go to the graves of their ancestors to decorate and celebrate their life. They celebrated it in Hungary and it was really neat to see the cemetery lit up with candles, flowers, and all sort of decorations. There's no cemeteries close by here so I'm not sure I'll venture out to see one. But what I did want was some Bread of the Dead.

It's a type of sweet bread they make for this celebration that originated from Mexico. My family had a recipe that we made a few times and it is really good. Being a Catholic country, and celebrating the holiday, they should have some right?

I asked several Peruvians and they said no, they had never heard of it. But before I got discouraged I actually went to the grocery store and asked. The gentleman from the bakery at first gave me a strange look, but when I described it as a type of special bread they make for the holiday coming up on Tuesday he said, "Oh you mean pan de Wah-wah?"

What did he just say? I asked him what was that? Apparently All Saints Day is celebrated more in rural areas like Cuzco (where Macchu Picchu is). So they make a special type of bread there named pan de Wee-wee which is the Quetchua word for "baby." Quetchua is one of the few Inca languages that has stayed around and is still spoken in some communities in rural Peru. The bread is shaped like a baby with raisins for eyes. Pan de Los Muertos is also shaped into skulls, or bones.

He said they were preparing some and if I came back in an hour it should be ready. I bought two loaves and when I got home and tasted it, I realized it was exactly what I was looking for. If only it was available year round.

Mari and Gabbi's younger brother, Carlos, was visiting for a few hours that afternoon and between the two of us, we ate half the loaf in minutes. 

I got another loaf for Gringo club and yes everyone loved it. I also got everyone hooked on the idea of gathering every month for dinner, so Erin and Casey (who will probably be moving into their place by the end of the week), said they would gladly host next month. Erin said she's already thinking about what to make for dinner. 

Let the good times come!

Halloween in Lima

Halloween is not so widespread here as it is in the United States, but they do celebrate it. It's seen more as a children's activity. People dress up and have costumes, but I don't think trick or treating is very common because people don't really have houses in Miraflores. According to Erin, on the other side of Lima, in La Molina, it can be more feasible. Still, I don't expect any visitors on Monday night. 

Peruvians say mainly what happens is people decide to have a Halloween party. Some schools, neighborhoods, and of course, the barrio. I have to admit, after witnessing the primary presidency put the party on yesterday, it makes our trunk or treats look pretty pathetic in comparison. Erin and Casey stopped by briefly and were mildly entertained. I told Erin they seemed like overachievers. Erin said in general it's part of Peruvian culture where when you throw a party, you go full out. 

It started off with primary presidency decorating the chapel/cultural hall Wednesday & Thursday night. I helped briefly because I was mainly there to practice for the rehearsal we had on Sunday. Still, I have to admit they did a good job. 

This one was done by me. I didn't know what to write next to a cauldron, so I wrote the witches spell from Shakespeares Macbeth. I tried, but I did not find it in Spanish. 

I drew the ghost also. I asked a member of the presidency what ghosts say here in Peru. The same thing, "BOO!"

For those who don't know Spanish, this is "Trick or Treat"

This is Andrea, the Primary President. I must admit she does a pretty good job with the kids. She has no problem yelling at them to be quiet. My kind of girl. 

Some of the adults got into it. This is Miguel, secretary of the Barrio. 

This was my favorite, a bunch of grapes. 

Oh yeah, um, this guy right here is dressed up as Thor. It's also Johel, the bishop. Guess I'm letting him make a great first impression. 

The played games with the kids, had a costume parade, and overall it was a fun to just sit back and watch. 

El Senor de los Milagros

About two weeks ago, one of the volunteers in Loayza told me about a huge celebration going on that I needed to take note of. It is called "El Senor de Los Milagros." It's a big Catholic celebration here in Lima.

So what I can gather based on Peruvians, back in the 1700's there was a really major earthquake. Lima actually gets alot of them. In fact, we had one Thursday night. Coming from Southern California, it didn't phase me that much. Anyway, this earthquake was bad enough there was a church in the district of Lima where everything collapsed except for one wall that stayed intact. On this wall was a picture of Christ. The Peruvian people considered it to be a miracle, so now they celebrate the holiday, "El Senor de Los Milagros" (The Lord of Miracles). The celebration is over the painting that was found intact in the church that I guess was painted by an unnamed Peruvian Slave.

The "Procesion" (Parade) starts out early in the morning in the middle of Lima and follows a certain route. At one point it was supposed to make an appearance in the hospital.

The Damas told me I needed to get there early because they shut the hospital gates and don't let anybody else in after 8 am. They said security would be tight and were concerned about whether the guards would give me a hard time or not. I guess the parade route gets so crowded as people get so crazy, it was a special stop just for hospital staff and patients.

I told them I didn't think the guards would give me any grief. I was sure they would recognize me (after all, I kind of stick out). Come the morning of the parade they weren't kidding. They only had one entrance open and all hospital staff had to line up to slowly make their way through. I'm not exactly sure what happened, but right as I was slipping through I heard one of the guards yell "Voluntaria" so I think they recognized me and let me through.

You need to understand I had a hard time wrapping my head around this. Arzobispo Loayza is the largest Hospital IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY. I was trying to explain to one of the volunteers in the United States we don't shut our hospitals down for a celebration, especially the largest one in the nation.

I got there at 7:30 am as the Damas (the other volunteers) told me to. The hospital was quiet because they weren't seeing patients. I took advantage of the morning to take a few pictures to show what the hospital grounds.

This walkway is usually full of people and it's the one that always intimidates me every week I come, because it's right as I walk down this path I can so easily tell I am the only foreigner there. 

Lists the various departments of the hospital

As you can see, every department had their own poster welcoming "El Senor de Los Milagros"

The Damas made a celebration of it also. The volunteers for the entire week were there that morning waiting right as I arrived. So there were about 30 of us cramped in this tiny space. They had a raffle that day, and a lunch afterwards, but mainly everyone sat around and visited for a bit. 

Here's the pain. So everyone gets there early in the morning because they close the gates, but El Senor didn't come till about 1 pm in the afternoon. I had to remind myself, this is Peru and it is not known for being efficient. 

One of the volunteers and I took a walk to see everyone preparing for celebration. 

Patients waiting outside on the sidewalk for El Senor

The mass they held at the hospital chapel at about 11 am

The official grandstand area where the altar carrying the painting of El Senor came and stopped. 

There were men all over the hospital that morning wearing these purple robes. I guess they are men appointed to carry the altar that has the painting on it. 

When El Procession finally arrived, it was with a fanfare. We started hearing fireworks, people were throwing confetti, and singing traditional Peruvian songs at the hospital gate.  

It started out with three altar boys

This was a group of women dressed in purple with white shawls who were chanting Peruvian songs

I took this picture so you could hopefully see the CLOUDS of incense these special urns the women were carrying was giving off. The air was thick with the smell of it. 

This is the actual altar with the painting on it. 

I'm not exactly sure who is under that canopy. It was following the procession. 

I caught this picture to show you the urns the women were carrying that were giving off clouds of incense. 

People brought a couple of children up to the altar to bless it. Here the men in purple robes are taking turns carrying the altar with the painting on it. It looked like it was heavy to carry. The altar with the painting on it proceeded up to the grandstand area I showed earlier. After that they placed it on the ground to rest for a bit. Two prayers were offered. One by the Director of the hospital, the other by the hospital priest who had done the mass earlier in the hospital chapel. Then people from various departments at the hospital came and placed flowers on the altar. 

After the prayers were offered, the gentlemen in purple robes picked it back up and carried it back to the hospital gate. Overall it was a grand total of 30 minutes. 

Every department at the hospital had it's own prayer card to pass out. It seemed every time I turned around someone was giving me another one. They all have pictures of the famous painting that survived the earthquake.  

I was able to grab a quick photo with Nelvita, La Presidenta of the volunteers. She's the one who I say looks like Teresa. Well after working with her for two months I have to say now, she IS Mother Teresa. Very sweet woman. 

This is Teresa, one of the volunteers I met that day who usually works Thursdays and she was also my guardian angel. She was leaving the hospital same time I was. I stepped outside the gates to realize that they had shut the streets down for the parade and the metro bus that I usually take to get home was not running. So here I was, in the middle of Lima, having absolutely no clue where I was at. You need to understand, this is in an area where there are NO other foreigners. I did feel a little intimidated. But, as in many countries, if you're with a native, you're usually okay. Teresa walked me to a bus stop a few blocks away and I recognized a route that would take me back to Miraflores. She asked one of the women waiting in line if she would make sure I got on okay.

I can see why now. I don't know if it was because of the parade or because public transportation is different in the inner city, but it was at least half an hour before a bus came that had enough space on it I could get on. Once I was on, I don't know if traffic was bad because of the parade or because I was going by bus, but it took an hour till I arrived back in Miraflores. Usually it takes me 20 minutes by metro bus. 

Well, I was hoping to get an authentic Peruvian experience, and I did. But I think it was just too much waiting for a half hour procession. It's kind of one of those situations I can say been there, done that. The next day at the church Halloween Party I mentioned to several members I had been downtown at "El Procession" and it was kind of like saying you went to the 4th of July Parade or something like that. And that brings me to my next post, the church Halloween Party. As you can tell it's been an eventful weekend. 

Volunteering continues

Alright friends, I am trying to be better about including pictures. I can't believe I haven't mentioned volunteering since I first put the entry in awhile ago.

Right now I don't do that much other than help out with the snack cart. It's a type of fundraising the volunteers do to raise money. Then, when people have no money, they'll use the funds they raised to pay for hospital exams, medicines, and other stuff for poor people.

So every Friday morning since I've been here, I wake up at the crack of dawn and make my way over to Arzobispo Loayza. I still get intimidated when I get there because as always, there are NO other foreigners there but me.

Granted, all I've been doing is helping with the snack cart, but I'm finding it is a great way to practice spanish. Best way to learn is to be around people who don't speak any English, which many of them don't.

There is a term in Spanish, Dama, it's kind of like Dame. It's a respectful term they'll call volunteers sometimes. These Damas are the sweetest women ever and it's like having ten grandmothers.

Nelvita, the president of the association, she is the one who I said looks like Mother Theresa. Well she IS Mother Theresa in my opinion.

Anyway, one of the volunteers told me a couple of weeks ago about a celebration happening this Friday. It's the "El Hijo de Los Milagros" (The Son of the Miracles) procession. Peru being a fairly Catholic country has celebrations for the Saints all the time, but I guess this is a really big one.

From what they told me they are going to close the gates to the hospital as the parade goes through (remember, it's like a college campus). The Damas won't be selling anything that day, they are preparing food, and I think there is even a raffle I got goaded into participating in today.

Their big concern was making it ready that I'd be able to get into the gates in the morning because I guess security is tight. I was like, "I'm sure the guards will recognize me. I kind of stick out."  But they still insisted on making sure I'd be decked out I'd have no trouble getting in.

I have to say, I'm looking forward to it myself. If I want something authentic and Peruvian, here I go!

Clase de Espanol

Gosh, has my Spanish class come almost to an end without me mentioning it? Sometimes the days just blur together here. I keep telling Mari, every week has a surprise in it, and so far I have not been disappointed.

I tested into the Intermediate level of the Spanish class. The institute does it in month long increments because as foreigners, we're here one month, gone the next. My class has 9 people in it. I'm the only native English speaker. About 5 are asian, and there is a husband wife couple from somewhere in the middle East and another girl named Elena from the Ukraine.

Spanish class has been helpful in that it gets me up and moving in the morning. It's from 8:45-10:15 am and afterwards I usually head down to the library to read children's books. I actually found this children's book that was a collection of Halloween stories. I'm reading it just for fun and I'm really liking it. I'm learning all kinds of important Spanish words like witch, cauldron, mummies, vampire, werewolf, monster, abominable snowman, and so forth.

Overall it's been a fun group of students. Elena from the Ukraine actually joined Erin and I for our weekly lunch date this past Thursday. She is really sweet and we had fun with her.

First Sunday with English Sunday School

As I mentioned last week, they are starting a Sunday School class in English, with Erin teaching it. True to what Johel predicted, we had some tourists today from Texas. Word I got from Erin later, class was Casey, Lloyd, two Peruvians, and this other couple that was visiting. Not too bad for a supposed Spanish ward. They met in the next room to regular Sunday School and I could tell they were having a good time because I kept hearing laughter every few minutes. Erin told me later they were talking about teenagers. Didn't realize that could be such a funny topic.

Erin and I always sit by each other in Relief Society. We've come to a routine where it's not so much I translate for her, it's more I just kind of let her know what's going on. I translate the announcements, I let her know what lesson we're reading or what conference talk the lesson is on, and just let her know what the conversation is about. Sometimes I'm not quite sure what it going on myself.

Today after class though, the ward pianist came up and spoke to her. She is also the Gospel Doctrine teacher. The woman teaches at an international school so her english is actually pretty good. She teaches music to little kids. She was asking how Erin's class was going. We mentioned how the bishop thought of tourists, the English speakers in the ward, and some of the Peruvians who want to practice their english. Then she went on to say she did not think Gospel Doctrine is a time to practice English. She thought people should go to that class in their own language so they can express their feelings accurately. I kind of stood there not quite knowing what to say.

In a way, I kind of suspected this would occur. The woman seems kind of territorial, and I thought she would feel threatened by Erin teaching another class. She's probably going to have a fit when she finds out I play piano. Which she will soon because I got recruited today to do the primary program (Augh!) The president assured me it would only be five songs. Okay, so the primary songbook actually is pretty easy. But I don't think she'll like it when I'm heading up there to sit in her spot during the program.

It's partially my own fault though. They are planning a Halloween activity for the kids this Saturday and I went to ask the primary president if she needed any help with it. She gladly accepted the offer then said, "Aren't you that girl that comes to play the piano during the week?"

The one and only.

Invasion of the English Speakers

So Erin and Casey arrived about two weeks after I did in Lima. When Erin first got here, she spoke hardly any Spanish, and still doesn't speak that much. Hence, you can imagine what it was like for her to come to church for three hours and not understand a word of it. She said Casey and her were "debating" going to the "English Ward" as it's known here.

Apparently the English Ward is all the way on the other side of Lima, about a 1/2 hour drive. From what Erin found out, Sacrament meeting is held in Spanish, but you can get headphones to have it translated. After that, there's two groups of Sunday School and Relief Society, a Spanish group and an English group.

You need to know here though that anyone from the Embassy who has a family lives in La Molina. That is where you will have an actual "house" versus here in Miraflores that is near impossible. I actually spoke with a missionary who says his mission president lives in La Molina because he has kids, even though he lives outside his mission. La Molina is also where the temple and MTC are.

I told Erin from the beginning I didn't care where she went and to do what is best for her. And they just might have gone, if not for the fact that people in the Santa Cruz Barrio (our ward) were begging them not to and asking them to stay.

This is where I get annoyed. My first month here in Lima hardly anyone in the ward spoke to me at all because they all thought I didn't know Spanish. Erin and Casey really don't know a lot of Spanish and here they are begging them to stay. I told Erin it wasn't fair and people just like them more. Erin said I should have threatened to go to the English Ward and they might have started groveling.

I should make note here, we are not alone. I think I have mentioned before, there is a British guy in the branch, Lloyd, who has been here on and off for 10 years. His Spanish tops any of ours.

Anyway, Johel sent me out as his little spy to find out what was going on with Erin and Casey. Erin and I get together once a week regardless so of course I know what is happening. I reported back to Lloyd and him and long story short, the ward is being invaded by the English.

Johel is going to start a Sunday School class in English, and guess who gets to teach it? (not me) Erin. He's also going to start having Sacrament meeting being translated into English also. People can wear headsets to find out what's being said.

It's not just the four of us. We do get a lot of tourists that come through, and there is a retired couple that are snowbirds that are to be coming south for the winter that I guess don't speak Spanish very well. I pointed out to Johel (as he discussed this with Lloyd and I) that there are most likely some members in our ward who would like to practice speaking English and Erin is the perfect person for that. Since she doesn't know much Spanish she won't revert to speaking it in class.

Let me put it this way, when they announced it in Sacrament meeting last week, the counselor said, "We'll be starting a Sunday School class in English. Let all your friends in other wards know." So between tourists, what few native speakers there are, and also Peruvians who want to learn, who knows what she'll get week to week.

I told her not to count on me being there. I actually understand the lesson in regular Sunday School and learn lots of vocab there.

That's not to say though I got off the hook. I saw Johel briefly in the hallway and was speaking to him about it. He then told me I guess there's a family that lives close by he wants to start having them come to Miraflores instead of La Molina. But they have "niños." I looked at him and said, "Niños?" He got a sly smile on his face, gave me a deep stare and nodded slowly and said, "Si, niños." Sigh. I thought leaving the country would get me out of primary, but noooooooooooo. It finds me again. So much for me thinking I'd end up with the youth.

Beats being ward pianist.

What I'm trying to figure out it, why do they want to keep us around so badly? Us english speakers don't speak Spanish that well, so how are we an advantage?

This is what I'm thinking, and I could be totally wrong. In Hungary, since the church was so new, having foreign members was a strength because they understood how the church was supposed to function and were usually pretty active and dependable. I'm not sure if that's what Johel is thinking, because it seems like this branch runs just fine on it's own, but then I've been here less than two months and can't make a fair statement.

Oh well, we shall see how it all pans out. In the mean time, Casey seems to be off the hook and enjoying having nothing to do. Then I had a random thought cross my mind today.

Casey is staying for 5-6 years, and they are down a counselor in the bishopric.

He's toast.

Joys of native roommates

If there is one goldmine I feel I landed here in Lima, it is having roommates who are natives. Mari and Gabi are sisters from Piura. Lovely girls. We get along great. Mari speaks English really well and like to practice with me a lot. Gabi can speak english, but prefers not to. But oh does she talk so fast! The advantage is whenever I have a question about how to live in town, they know the answer. How to set up my phone connection, how to get discounts at the supermarket, and best of all, they review my e-mails if I have to send one in Spanish. Every once in awhile Mari has me read e-mails for her company in English also.

On Sundays they usually head to Catholic Mass with their aunts. They are both in their 80's and the sweetest old ladies ever. They both lived in the United States for a few years and can speak some English, but if everyone is speaking Spanish, I can follow along. And let's not forget their friends they bring over who mainly speak Spanish.

Sometimes when Erin laments over her language skills, I tell her she needs to ditch Casey and move in with some natives and then it will really improve.

Random Day Trip

Erin contacted me one day out of the blue and said she was up for an outing. Casey was gone for the night. Something quick, not too far away, and interesting. So we headed to the next town over Barranco. It's kind of known as the hippy spot of Lima. I went there a few weekends ago with Carly and found some fun spots.

Barranco is right on the coast, and as Erin pointed out, we don't usually see so much greenery

The buildings are brightly colored

This walkway has all these brightly colored murals that I like to look at

This one is my favorite. The cats eyes are the windows of the building. 

After exploring this colorful walkway Erin said she had heard in her Spanish class everyone talk about a place called MAC. I looked it up on my phone and figured out it was the Museo Arte Contemporaneo (Comtemporary Art Museum). It was a 20 min walk but we had time. Lucky us, it was free that day. We explored for a bit and then realized we had walked far enough it was just easy to walk back home. 

Too cute!

The more I've traveled the less phased I am by souvenirs. But I stumbled across this one day and I just had to buy it. You know, it's one of those situations you find someone for the gift, not vice versa.

Sorry, but I can not get it to align right. For those of you who are willing to turn sideways to read it, it translates to, "Somebody loves me enough they brought me this from Peru" Then comes the best part.

Seeing it on my niece!

Too cute.