More Random Observations

In the past couple of weeks, in my boredom, I have become very observant and wanted to share a few of my observations and funny stories with you.

The first thing is something one of my friends told me about, but I find it very amusing. My friends Evan and Amanda were at this party a few weeks ago and some guy was wearing a "Denver Broncos Superbowl Champions" tshirt with the year (I don't know that detail) written on it. Evan told Amanda he had to have the shirt because the Broncos didn't actually win the Superbowl that year! So if you're wondering where all of those campionship shirts go if the team loses....the answer is third world countries! Haha. I thought that was pretty funny.

As you know, Peruvians have this obsession with appearances and calling people gordita, flacita, etc. So it should be of no surprise to me that they also really like to talk about how much one weighs and all flock to the scale if someone is weighing themselves. I first experienced this when I went to the exercise class at the gym with Jessica. They wanted us to weigh ourselves to see if we lose anything after a few weeks. Of course it was a little awkward when I got on the scale and all the women crowded around to see how much I weigh, but I had to just go with it because what are you going to do? It's the best when they start announcing your weight to everyone and talking about who weighs more/less than you do. Anyway, after that incident, I try to avoid public weighings like the one held at my house last weekend. I was in my room and I heard my host aunt tell someone to weigh her. After that, it started a frenzy of weighing and everyone would shout out their weight. If someone wasn't participating, they would call them over and force them to get on the scale. Even though I wanted to go use the internet, I decided to hide in my room until this was over. Since I heard that my host dad only weighs about 10 lbs. more than me, I thought it might be pretty humiliating to go downstairs. To be honest, I was really surprised they didn't call me down since they seemed to be weighing everyone in a 3 mile radius, including guests at our house and neighbors. Could you ever imagine that happening in the States?!?

Along the same lines, the other day I attended this ceremony at the hospital and while we were waiting for lunch to be served, I was standing outside talking with Rita, Chabu, and Silvia (one of the nurses at the private clinic where the Doctor also works). Chabu was sitting on the hood of the doctor's car and then Rita sat down too. They said, Kristen you better not sit down too or the car will break! Then Chabu told us how if she, the doctor, and the kids are sitting on the bed in her house and Silvia or I come over, she asks us to sit on a stool rather than join them on the bed because we would break it! Umm thanks a lot.

Another weird habit that Peruvians have is calling people by the same name. Right now, my host mom's brother and sister-in-law are living with us along with their two daughters because they are moving to Bambamarca and are still looking for a house. The daughters' names are Diana (about 8 years old) and Yadira (about 7 years old) so instead of calling them by their names, they frequently refer to them as "las Dianas" (the Dianes). Where are las Dianas? Have las Dianas eaten lunch yet? It's so weird, but I hate to admit that I've started doing it too. It's just easier I guess (especially since I often forget the little one's name). Also, the professor and his wife that live next door to me, often call their daughter "bebe" (baby) instead of by her name. She is one and a half, and I rarely ever hear them call her Liseth, which is her real name. And finally, another weird habit they have with names is not to name a newborn as soon as it's born. Rita's sister-in-law just had a baby and I asked what they named it, but Rita told me they haven't named it yet. She told me they have up to a month to name their children. I guess they really don't do anything on time in this country...

As you all know, I'm training to run in a marathon so I run almost everyday. Unfortunately the rainy season is getting even worse and it's been raining even more recently to the point where it's made running very difficult. When it rains, sometimes it floods the streets and it makes the dirt road I run on a huge mud pit. A few times I've tried to go running after a big rain, but I fall all over the place because the mud is so slippery. (Sidenote: the other day it was dry and a great running day and I tripped over a plank of wood on one of the bridges and completely biffed it....pretty embarrassing). At least I still have 6 months before the marathon so I'm just doing the best I can.

Anyway, when I can run, it's always quite an experience. First of all, there are tons of "mototaxis" (motorcycles that have a thing attached for 3 people to sit in) that drive by me while I'm running. Even though we have the whole road, I SWEAR it is their goal to see how close they can come to me without hitting me. I get so annoyed with them because I don't know why they can't use the rest of the road. Now I've started crossing the street when I see them coming and they aren't as bad. When I do that they just laugh hysterically because they've "won" and made me cross the street. If they are coming from behind me, their game is to honk their horns really loud when they pass me to try and scare me. I get so annoyed by them. As if that's not bad enough, the other day I was running and could hear what sounded like water running. I looked around to see if I could see a hose or something (because people water the dirt road for some reason) and I saw a little boy peeing off his balcony! Good thing I looked up...I would have died if I got hit by that. I also frequently see people checking each other's heads for lice when I run by their house so that's always fun.

Finally, I'm not sure if I mentioned, but Heidi had a friend come visit from the States who is African-American. You can imagine she was quite a hit since people in our towns don't see very many black people. My host mom wasn't home when I introduced her to the family, but they most of told her there was a black girl visiting because she made a point to come to my room to give me something and she's only been to my room about two or three times in the whole six months I've lived there. We also went to Rita's house for a little bit. A few days later Rita said to me, "Wow your friend was really pretty, especially for a black person. Usually black people make me scared, but she was actually pretty." Oh boy. How are you supposed to respond to things like that? I try to tell them that black people are really nice and just like us, but they are really racist here (even Rita and the Doctor's family who are pretty modern compared to most people in my town).

Stay tuned for some more funny stories....you guys will die when I tell you about the luncheon I went to on Saturday. It's so unique that it deserves it's own blog entry.

I miss you all so much and think about you ALL the time!!!