Vivimos en Chulucanas!

View from the Obispado!

Well, for being the laziest week of my life it has still been fairly eventful! After arriving in Piura on Saturday, we were driven through the desert to Chulucanas! Our first week here has been spent at the bishop's house or the Obispado. Bishop Dan is originally from Chicago but has lived in Peru for 45 years. He is the most famous man in the entire city, every house we have been in has a picture of him up, and he can't walk down the street without having to greet hundreds of people. Not to mention he has the kindest heart of anyone I've ever met! Our time in his house has been spent napping, sweating, eating, napping, eating, walking, sweating, and yup that's about it! No, but really!

However, in those few walking moments this is what we've observed about the northern Peruvian culture:

Nothing is official unless it has several stamps on it. Who knows if the stamp actually means anything but it will be stamped! The best part is everything here is so nonchalant, people are always late, everything is up in the air, and we still know hardly anything about our jobs. But, if you get a document with stamps on it, it is meant to be taken seriously.

Most of people's "front yards," or the two feet between their house and the sidewalk, since we are technically in the desert, is dirt. Well, Chulucanans like to sweep their dirt, don't want any leaves or things in their dirt!

There are discotecas here for minors called Chicotecas where all the teens go to party at night without alcohol!

Chulucanas at night!

They love ceremonies and celebrations, last night they were celebrating the 77th year of their providences existence, not the city the providence, very important. The party included a full stage to be installed in the plaza with large speakers to project the sound throughout the entire city. Music began at 8:30 and didn't end till 12:30. But, of course they couldn't end without a bang. Fireworks, gun shots, and dynamite was explored right over our house at 12:30. We were all woken up thinking we were being bombed!

People like their meat as fresh as possible, so at the market instead of there being dead animals, they are all alive! People buy live chickens, ducks, ginny pigs, turkeys, and fish. They then carry the birds home by their wings to kill and eat!

Most families in Chulucanas probably cannot afford a car, but also the city is too small for lots of cars. So instead when people get sick of walking in the heat, they take mototaxis! A moto is the front of a motorcycle with the back being a little carriage type thing. And these motos are EVERYWHERE, driving just like the people in Lima did, crazy! But, they are pretty fun and really cheap!

January and February is the heart of summer, heart of summer heat (that is impossible to escape with no AC and no fans), and time for vacation! Therefore, no one really is here because to go on vacation here is an commitment, Lima is a 20 hour bus ride away, and traveling is expensive for Peruvians.

So, long story short, we don't really do much right now, but it's nice to have time to adjust, get over already being sick, and get to know my new community. Today we move into our host families houses for the month of February! It shall be an adventure!