I've only been in Peru one week and I can already see drastic improvements in my communication ability, despite the fact that I still only understand a percentage of what is being said to me or even what I am actually saying in response. I found myself on the way back from Machu Pichu reading a quick history of the Incan Trail in Spanish without even realizing it was in a foreign language. Now this might have been because this sign was aimed towards tourist with only a slight grasp on Spanish but I like to stay positive and say I'm getting better. Another example of this "improvement" is that in our first day of classes in Cuzco we began learning the local indigenous language of Quechua. This would really not be that impressive since we are all learning at a kindergarten level and thus far I am having trouble saying the word for "bread" or "dog" but the important part to remember is that we are learning Quechua in Spanish. So I am struggling through a 3rd language with the use of my already choppy 2nd language. Confusion is of course expected and I quickly realized that in the first day as we sang a song while we clapped our hands, stomped our feet and more or less looked a like a bunch of crazy gringos for 3 hours.
Thus far my Spanish has only served me wrong in one very very very important aspect of my life here, food. In general my Peruvian Mama is a fine cook, nothing complicated, lots of rice and meat, but I can't complain. I made one of the biggest mistakes of my life though on the very first day I was living here with my family. At my first meal I was digging into a plate of rice and chicken with my host brother, a 17 y/o student, when I was asked by my mother if I would like some "gelato" and of course my immediate reaction was "YES, please, I love it!" Now this was met by a smile and and hustling around by my host Mom to fix me some "gelato" and man was I excited. I held my breath waiting to taste the wonder of Peruvian "gelato" and when I finally inhaled I was faced with a bowl of jiggling, wiggling, red Jello. Now, few of you would actually know this but arguably my least favorite dessert ever is Jello. Its not so much the taste but just the slimy, slippery texture. I of course was not about to tell my Mom this and take the smile right off her face so I took a deep breath and dug in, wincing with every bite or swallow or whatever it is called when you eat a Jello like substance. See the catch is that I mixed up the words "gelato" and "helado", I was expecting a nice cold bowl of icecream and instead ended up with jumping Jello. I don't have the heart to tell my Mom that I actually don't like Jello so therefore each and every lunch I top off my stomach with a bowl of the slippery red stuff, despite my true feelings. Sometimes you just have to make sacrifices for the betterment of your Peruvian mother's feelings, lesson 2 of my time in Peru.
Other than that little daily bump in the road, my time in Cuzco with my family has been great. I spent the last two nights exploring the city, making and drinking Pisco Sours with other Peruvian families, frequenting Gringo-filled clubs and high-stepping my way through Spanish language situations. Yesterday morning I was able to piece together enough Spanish to get myself and 3 other students a spot in a morning soccer (football) "tournament" at a local cement field (pitch). The game ended after 2 scores by one team or 10 minutes of play. We of course lost all of our games to the locals but my pride and glory came when my fellow American Chris, who plays soccer for Wooster, passed me a perfect ball which I was able to tap into the goal, the only one of the morning for our team! Watch out world I'm switching to playing soccer! Shortly after my miracle goal a hail-storm erupted and all the players were forced to huddle under the 10 inch edge of a tin roof to wait out the storm, oh what a country.
Hail, getting smoked in football and more Jello than a stomach can handle has not suppressed my positivity though. Maybe someday I'll actually be good at soccer, the rain/hail will actually stop and I will no longer be affected by the texture of Jello, we can all dream!
alpaCasey
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