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Combis and Transportation
We have officially been in Peru for two months now. We realize that two months is not a very long time but it is amazing to think of the things that we have been able to accomplish since we’ve arrived. First, we have learned to use the bus system to get all over town and some places outside of town. Again some people might think, “Oh big deal. I could figure out my local transit in two clicks of Google.” Well, their lies something we all may take for granted. The bus system around here is pretty hectic. I believe all of the bus companies are independently owned (which there are about fifty) and the city generally only regulates how many people can safely be on the bus. Which means cram them in as long as you aren’t sticking out the side (which sometimes happens). Other than that almost anything goes. They can drive as fast as they want and cut off whoever they want. If the driver is behind schedule he or she can decide to drive past potential riders who may have trouble getting on the bus such as being old or if someone has children.
There are very few bus stops in the city so conveniently you can wave to ask the bus to stop almost anywhere. Also inefficient because sometimes you can pick up someone on one corner and then less then half a block later they are stopping again to let someone off.
Like I said before the bus routes are not posted online so the two best ways to find where the buses go are 1) As a bus is approaching at light speed they do have painted signs of the streets and parts of town that they go to. So you try to quickly read them as fast as you can and hope he stops when you think you saw a part of town that you recognize. 2) If you have a lot of time to kill jump on a bus and see where it goes. Caution if you choose to take this exploratory route carry a little extra change with you. When they get to the end of the line they kick everyone off the bus so you pay for that ride then you have to find the same bus company going the other direction to get back where you started and pay for that ride as well. We can’t complain too much, the cost to ride is about thirty cents. The American culture has trained us not to carry cash and especially not a pocket full of heavy coins. We are quickly training ourselves out of that. I (Jaime) even bought a coin purse. I know it was hard for me to admit that but I did. Before you make too much fun, this is a normal thing around here, and I even find myself at restaurant and stores asking to receive my change in coins instead of bills for the bus. We have been very thankful for our host family and the people at school who can streamline this process as well and help us navigate the public transit.
We have officially been in Peru for two months now. We realize that two months is not a very long time but it is amazing to think of the things that we have been able to accomplish since we’ve arrived. First, we have learned to use the bus system to get all over town and some places outside of town. Again some people might think, “Oh big deal. I could figure out my local transit in two clicks of Google.” Well, their lies something we all may take for granted. The bus system around here is pretty hectic. I believe all of the bus companies are independently owned (which there are about fifty) and the city generally only regulates how many people can safely be on the bus. Which means cram them in as long as you aren’t sticking out the side (which sometimes happens). Other than that almost anything goes. They can drive as fast as they want and cut off whoever they want. If the driver is behind schedule he or she can decide to drive past potential riders who may have trouble getting on the bus such as being old or if someone has children.
There are very few bus stops in the city so conveniently you can wave to ask the bus to stop almost anywhere. Also inefficient because sometimes you can pick up someone on one corner and then less then half a block later they are stopping again to let someone off.
Like I said before the bus routes are not posted online so the two best ways to find where the buses go are 1) As a bus is approaching at light speed they do have painted signs of the streets and parts of town that they go to. So you try to quickly read them as fast as you can and hope he stops when you think you saw a part of town that you recognize. 2) If you have a lot of time to kill jump on a bus and see where it goes. Caution if you choose to take this exploratory route carry a little extra change with you. When they get to the end of the line they kick everyone off the bus so you pay for that ride then you have to find the same bus company going the other direction to get back where you started and pay for that ride as well. We can’t complain too much, the cost to ride is about thirty cents. The American culture has trained us not to carry cash and especially not a pocket full of heavy coins. We are quickly training ourselves out of that. I (Jaime) even bought a coin purse. I know it was hard for me to admit that but I did. Before you make too much fun, this is a normal thing around here, and I even find myself at restaurant and stores asking to receive my change in coins instead of bills for the bus. We have been very thankful for our host family and the people at school who can streamline this process as well and help us navigate the public transit.
![Picture](/uploads/5/2/1/4/52148477/published/unnamed-2.png?1529281030)
Language Learning
Next, we feel our language learning getting better and better. It can be frustrating not being able to say what you want to say, when you want to say it, without sounding like a three-year-old. Heather said something very profound the other day about where we are at in the learning process.
She said, “Have we actually learned a lot more than we think but because we now know the correct way to speak we also know when we are saying everything wrong?” This is so true, we often see ourselves in how we are lacking, and we see that we are not communicating as well as we want but we ARE communicating. We don’t always get the punch line of the joke but we understood everything else leading up to it. We understood 50% of the sermon instead of 20%. God is working in all of us, we need to be content in the progress He has made in our lives and be excited about the next steps that are coming. We are going to get there eventually we just have to wait for His timing.
Next, we feel our language learning getting better and better. It can be frustrating not being able to say what you want to say, when you want to say it, without sounding like a three-year-old. Heather said something very profound the other day about where we are at in the learning process.
She said, “Have we actually learned a lot more than we think but because we now know the correct way to speak we also know when we are saying everything wrong?” This is so true, we often see ourselves in how we are lacking, and we see that we are not communicating as well as we want but we ARE communicating. We don’t always get the punch line of the joke but we understood everything else leading up to it. We understood 50% of the sermon instead of 20%. God is working in all of us, we need to be content in the progress He has made in our lives and be excited about the next steps that are coming. We are going to get there eventually we just have to wait for His timing.
![Picture](/uploads/5/2/1/4/52148477/published/unnamed-3.png?1529281117)
30th Birthday Fun
Lastly, we celebrated Heather’s 30th birthday at the end of February. It was a little sad that we were not back in the United States to share this moment with friends and family but it was exciting to celebrate this milestone in Heather’s life in our new home country. Of course, the U.S. will always be our home but it’s nice to see that God is giving us friends and family here as well. Birthdays are a really big deal in Peru. Heather’s birthday fell on a weekend so we must have had four cakes over the span of 3 days. It was pretty great.
One tradition they have is you get your face shoved your birthday cake. You are supposed to take a bite out of it but then they just end up shoving it in your face. It’s pretty great and no one seems to care that your face was on the cake and they eat it anyways.
Until Next Time
We are acclimating well. We have had a few stomach bugs but that comes with living in a new country. Now we feel like we can eat almost any of the foods. We had ceviche (a raw fish with lime and vegetables) the other day and didn’t get sick so that was a good sign. Our host dad said once you can eat ceviche and don’t get sick you are becoming more Peruvian. Come to find out he was a little worried because most of the missionaries get sick afterward. Continue to pray for our language learning so we can better communicate with people and get to share more about what God has done and is continually doing in our lives. Thank you for all your support and again please feel free to email or keep in contact with social media or phone via WhatsApp.
Lastly, we celebrated Heather’s 30th birthday at the end of February. It was a little sad that we were not back in the United States to share this moment with friends and family but it was exciting to celebrate this milestone in Heather’s life in our new home country. Of course, the U.S. will always be our home but it’s nice to see that God is giving us friends and family here as well. Birthdays are a really big deal in Peru. Heather’s birthday fell on a weekend so we must have had four cakes over the span of 3 days. It was pretty great.
One tradition they have is you get your face shoved your birthday cake. You are supposed to take a bite out of it but then they just end up shoving it in your face. It’s pretty great and no one seems to care that your face was on the cake and they eat it anyways.
Until Next Time
We are acclimating well. We have had a few stomach bugs but that comes with living in a new country. Now we feel like we can eat almost any of the foods. We had ceviche (a raw fish with lime and vegetables) the other day and didn’t get sick so that was a good sign. Our host dad said once you can eat ceviche and don’t get sick you are becoming more Peruvian. Come to find out he was a little worried because most of the missionaries get sick afterward. Continue to pray for our language learning so we can better communicate with people and get to share more about what God has done and is continually doing in our lives. Thank you for all your support and again please feel free to email or keep in contact with social media or phone via WhatsApp.
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Or contact South America Mission directly:
803-802-8580
1021 Maxwell Mill rd, Suite B
Fort Mill, SC 29708
Or contact South America Mission directly:
803-802-8580
1021 Maxwell Mill rd, Suite B
Fort Mill, SC 29708