It's almost the end of January and almost the end of our fifth month in Arequipa. After the initial excitement of arriving in Peru, getting started with our own projects; Tom's teaching and my volunteering, then the experience of spending Christmas and New Year in a different country away from our families, this is the first month where I feel like I am finally settled into a routine.
I have concluded working at the school and orphanage for Traveller Not Tourist. However, I have been working on a couple of side projects for them, including a pen pal scheme between Flora Tristan school and a primary school in Middlesbrough, UK. I have also now taken on the role of Accountant for their sister charity in the UK, Pachawawas. I was never really going to escape the world of finance, was I! I am still volunteering at Manantiales and am really enjoying my time there. On the days that I am there, I work with Marisol and Miriam, the two lovely Peruvian ladies who work there full time, and another volunteer, a lady from Canada. After time spent playing with the children and giving them their morning fruit juice, it's bath time! Some of the little ones love it, others hate it. By the time we have got the babies dried, with fresh nappies and clean clothes and nicely brushed hair, it's usually time for lunch. After which, it's sleep time. I never imagined myself singing a baby to sleep, and those of you who know me very well will know that I am a terrible singer, however it seems to soothe them and send them to sleep.
Tom and I are still continuing our Spanish lessons twice a week and are into a routine with that now as well. Our teacher, Cindy, is lovely and thanks to her our Spanish is improving, even if Tom did ask for '6 Thursdays' instead of '6 eggs' at the corner shop.
We don't eat out as much as we did in the beginning and are in the habit of cooking for ourselves now. It's strange trying to prepare the same meals as back home, because some of the ingredients either aren't the same or are just not available. I did find Lea & Perrins in the supermarket though, which I was very excited about.
Something I haven't written about, but I guess is fairly significant for travellers to South America, is What Happens When You Get Ill. Not the cheeriest thing to talk about, but I wouldn't be painting the full picture of life travelling in Peru if I didn't mention it. The very nice Dr. Alan, whom Tom and I have seen 3 times between us, told me that foreigners just aren't accustomed to the types of viruses and bacteria in this continent. So, some advice for anyone travelling in South America - if you become ill, don't wait for it to pass, see a doctor!
I can hardly believe that we have been here for almost 5 months and are more than halfway through our time in Peru. Now that we are settled and into a routine with life, I sometimes forget where I am. I can be walking around Arequipa and I will suddenly stop and think, 'Wow, I'm in a beautiful city in South America, in the lovely sunshine, thousands of miles from home'.
