About my first weekend

Just finished my first weekend in Arequipa - that is, my first 3 days living at 123 Calle de Gomez!! Yesterday, Carmen gave me my very own set of housekeys so now I can enter and depart the house through the double set of triple locked doors we must unlock and relock each time, as I please (:). Apparently, all the homes on our nicely manicured, almost suburban like street have them, along with the spiked posts and high fences that surround our yards.

Which is not to say I don´t feel anything but comfortable and happy and safe here. In only my first 3 days in Aerquipa I already feel quite settled. It´s always a revelation how time travels differently when you leave your routine - how 3 days can feel like 3 months when you are experiencing something new. A thing I remember from summer camp.

I´d also forgotten how easy it is to form quick friendships with people whilst in equally unfamiliar territory - not defined by what you do, or who you know, or how old you are, etc etc. So far we are 11. Marissa and Mayo and Kate are leaving today, but Leon and Kate (a lovely UK couple) arrived yesterday morning. And so it goes around here, with new volunteers coming and going each week. So far everyone has been lovely and it´s been a real inspiration to find myself among people all traveling with such wide-eyed enthusiasm and only a vague sense of when they plan to head home. That we are all here because we like to travel - and also wanted to volunteer - has so far made for really good company.

And in their company, this is what I did during my first weekend in Arequipa:

• Celebrated Kate´s birthday at the Mexican joint Taco and Tequila in town (even though Kate herself couldn´t make it due to some stomach thing)


• Went with Jim, Julia and Danni to the local market to pick up produce and miscellaneous household items


• Visited the cafe run by a young, hip pastor for stupendous chocolate torta and lattes on our way to town (no Starbucks in Arequipa - yeyeyeyeyeyeyey!!!)


• Did a full on grocery run at ¨El Super¨near Plaza des Armes


• Enjoyed a Sunday afternoon stroll with Jim, Leon and Kerri to the Plaza des Armes (where I bought my first but not my last bit of Peruvian jewelry)
  
• Then had cheesy pizza, garlic bread and wine for dinner


• Read some more Theroux - he is now in Guatamala City!


• Watched several DVDs with my housemates: Year One, Ice Age III, District 9 and the Curious Case of Benajamin Button

Yes the DVD phenonemon. Not exactly what I´d expect to be discussing in a report about my first weekend in Arequipa, but it´s true! DVDs are a dime a dozen here - only 2 soles so about 50 cents each and of fine quality and broad, most up-to-date cinematic range. For us at the house it has become a nice, easy way to pass the post dinner evening hours. I have yet to experience my first official ¨work¨day of Spanish lessons and teaching at the school but according to everyone here the weekdays are exhausting. Energy for dinner, some homework and/or lesson planning, and another DVD seems to be about all that remains before bed. So I expect to be watching a lot of them while I am here. Which just about cracks me up.

But right now it is Monday morning and my first Spanish lesson begins shortly so I am off to make some breakfast and start the day.

Adios and love from Arequipa.

PS. This is the tel de casa: 226738 (and I think you dial +51 for Peru followed by +54 for Arequipa first) - FYI! :)