Katie's Vida Peruana: February: El Mes de Amor (The Month of Loveeee)

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE!!!!!! <3

Ok, maybe I got a little ahead of myself, but I love Valentine's Day. I know it's just some day that consumerist America takes advantage of, a day that is overly commercialized, and a day that a lot of people stress out about way too much.... but, still, I love it. I will always love an excuse to go out to eat and get drinks with friends, or stay in and cook something delicious to eat with candles and wine. Yum!!!! This year, I will be spending Valentine's Day with Clare and Kyle, which conveniently falls on our weekly Thursday community night, and it is my week to plan!! I am already coming up with ideas, but since it's a surprise I can't post them here (look for that in March!! ;) )

Anyway, to celebrate love and life a little with everyone back home, I decided this month to do a little "just for fun" blog (especially following the last couple which were a little more emotional/spiritual reflections). This month, I am just going to post all the things that I LOVE about being a missionary and about Peru!!!!!!!

So without further adieu.....

3 Peruvian plates that I love.....

1. Tacu Tacu - Beans, rice, onions, spinach.... mushed together and topped with fried plantain and fresh sliced onions

2. Combinado - I obviously eat this SIN CEVICHE (with out ceviche), it is noodles with a tomato and onion sauce served with Papa A La Huancaina (which is in itself so delicious, it's boiled potatoes with a milk-based cream sauce) and canchita - like corn nuts.

3. Lomo Saltado - I love this plate because it's delicious and easily vegetarian. It is stir fried french fries (ok, so obviously not the most healthy dish), tomatoes, onions, peppers, spinach, and cilantro served over rice.

3 Peruvian desserts that I love.....

1. Alfajores - little pastries full of Manjar Blanco and covered in powdered sugar and dried coconut

2. Empenada de manzana - an empenada full of sweet cooked apples with cinnamon and sugar

3. Picarones - fried sweet-potato dough circles covered in honey. Need I say more??

3 Popular songs (in Latin America) that I love.....

1. La Melodia - Joey Montana

2. El Ritmo De Mi Corazon - Grupo 5

3. Tengo Tu Love - Sie7e

3 Peruvian animals that I love.....

1. Peruvian Llama - this is just me and a Peruvian llama strolling through the Andes mountains in Cusco, no big deal.

2. Peruvian dog - this is a Peruvian dog. I've grown to love it. And they say it helps cure illnesses if you sleep with it, like asthma and arthritis!! Who knows if that's true, but.... it's.... endearing?? To say the least. haha.

3. FIDEA - Of course saving the best for last, our little baby girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!

3 Peruvian people that I love.....
1. Sister Sofie - Sister Sofie, or Hermana Sofie, is one of the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and is one of the most understanding, gentle, and loving people that I know. She always makes time for us, the missionaries, and is always so sweet with a smile on her face. When I feel upset, homesick, or sad, I know she is someone I can turn to. I love Sister Sofie and feel so blessed to have her in not only my Peruvian vida, but my life in general!! She makes me feel at home.

Sister Sofie and I at the Hospice Christmas dinner

She is sooo cute!! She is from the Sierra region of Peru, and is an amazing dancer of traditional Huayno dance!!!!

Sofie and I after mass one night

2. Axel - I talked about Axel before when we went to his 5th birthday party, so these pictures are repeats.... but he's soooo cute so who wouldn't want to see them again?? Axel is our little neighbor and he is literally the cutest little boy in the world. He is always up to something, running around the street playing. Every time he sees me he runs to me and throws his arms around my neck and gives me the biggest hug. Love.

I'll never get over how adorable this kid is. Axel with his little brother Yuri playing in our backyard.

3. Richard the Artist - Richard is definitely my best friend here other than Kyle and Clare. He is an artist and has given me so many drawings as gifts, as well as done drawings for my parents, my best friend Erin, Kelli and Emily when they were here, Tere Dresner (the former Director of Women's Global Connection), and other friends & family back in the USA. He has been such an amazing friend to me during the past year and a half. He never fails to make me laugh, he is always supportive and understanding, and is someone I can always count on to be there for me and make my days brighter. (P.S. If you ever want any drawings or paintings done, let me know and he would be happy to do them and I will mail them to you in the USA!! Just send me the picture and the date that you want it by.... I will only be here until July, so please let me know!! Shameless plug!!!! Haha)

Richard and I

These are some drawings by Richard. I think he is way too talented and it's way too incredible not to show it off:

3 Things about Peruvian summer that I love.....

1. The beach!!

Kyle and I at Besique Beach, sitting on an unused boat

Clare, Kyle, and I going in for a swim

Swimming in the water at La Playa Tortugas!!

A really great picture of our friend Bridget from behind, relaxing under her umbrella and enjoying the scenery

2. Raspadillas - basically a snow cone, but not full of artificial preservatives because they are made from scratch. It's crushed ice covered in homemade marmalades or jellies - strawberry, mango, tamarindo, lucuma, apple.....

3. Cold showers - this doesn't sound awesome at first glance, but when 1. You don't have to wait 45 minutes for your water to boil to then take a hot bucket shower like in the winter time (because we have running water in the shower, just not a water heater), and 2. It's gagillion degrees outside AND inside because air conditioning doesn't exist and you're constantly sweaty.... you learn to be grateful for ice cold showers. Also.... there isn't really a picture example for this, sorry. ha.

3 Peruvian Places that I love (other than Chimbote)....

1. Lima - I would never want to live in Lima, but I think it's an awesome place to visit. It's just like any huge international city - tons of traffic, lots of people, lots of noise.... but also so many cool restaurants, neighborhoods, and has a lot of things to offer that we never get in Chimbote (i.e.: FroYo, for one).

Eating FroYo in our favorite place in Lima.... Kennedy Cat Park. Yes. That's right. This is a big park in the Miraflores district of Lima that is full of cats. People come and take care of them, feed them and give them water, and they just live there; in the trees, on the benches, in the bushes, in the flowerbeds. The people know about them and just offer them food or pets when walking by.

The Plaza Mayor of Lima

Kyle, Me, and Clare in the plaza

AMAZING food at this SUPER CUTE vegetarian/vegan restaurant we found in Miraflores, Lima called Alma Zen. Sooooo goooooooood and literally I took like 40 photos of it so I can model my future home after it. Obsessed.

The Plaza at night

2. Cusco - Cusco is such an incredible place. Whoever you are reading this, please go there someday. It is a city full of people all over the world - you walk down the street and hear Japanese, English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, etc. People come from everywhere to see this unimaginably beautiful place on earth and learn the history of the Peruvian people and the Incas. The mountains are stunning, Macchu Pichu is awesome, and the city of Cusco is clean, bright, and has so much to offer (I feel like I'm writing for a travel magazine?? But seriously it's all true).

Just enjoying an afternoon on top of Macchu Picchu

Some ancient Incan ruins

I mean seriously, is this not one of the most beautiful places on earth??

A Cusco woman and her llama

Kyle, me, and Erin entering Macchu Pichu

Some Cusco women in traditional dress with their baby

3. Trujillo - Trujillo is just like 2 hours north of Chimbote. It has a strong Spanish influence, so the architecture of the buildings and city squares are very European. The city is clean and bigger than Chimbote. There are some nice hostels and restaurants and a pretty beach called Huanchaco.

The Plaza de Armas at Christmastime

Nighttime plaza photoshoot

Some traditional Huanchaco fisherman - these are the boat they use to go out into the ocean

Pelicans on Huanchaco!!!!

3 Hobbies that I love.....

1. Cooking/Baking - When I moved here in August 2011, I hated cooking. Like. Not my thing. And since we live in community, we each have to cook at least once a week (and then take turns doing a double week). Literally every single time I cooked, I made soup or pasta.... AKA, the easiest things ever that someone could make with their eyes closed. The more time went on though, the more I started to enjoy cooking..... and then the more I started to learn about food (nutrition, genetically modified foods, fresh foods, organic foods, raw foods, vegan foods) the more into it I got. I am totally obsessed with it now. I LOVE taking a recipe and making it my own, taking out this and adding that.... Accepting the challenge to make a dish that includes meat into a healthier, more delicious, vegan/vegetarian version. I loooooove it!!!! Here are some ejemplos for your viewing pleasure:

Who says omnivores and vegans can't peacefully co-exist???? Bridget and Kyle's side of the pizza: BBQ Chicken with Cheese. Clare and I's side of the pizza: Carmelized onion/Apple/Butternut Squash with a Spinach/Garbanzo sauce.

We made homemade Mango-Cucumber Spring Rolls with a Soy/Garlic Sweet dipping sauce

Yum!!!!!!!!!!!

Cooking away

Vegan Apricot-Carrot muffins with Oatmeal and Sesame seeds

2. Running/Working out - If you had told me 1.5 years ago that today I would be someone who runs regularly, I would have probably looked at you like "gross are you crazy??" and laughed out loud. I always hated running.... Ok, I never really tried it.... But I hated the idea of it. Why would I be running around the streets if there isn't something horrible chasing after me?? Is it fun to run around sidewalks until I'm out of breath and covered in sweat and feel like I want to collapse and never stand up?? Actually, it is. Alright I'll admit I'm not to the point of loving it and saying it's exactly "fun".... and I don't wake up in the morning saying "YES!! Can't wait for this 5:30am run!! Let's get those endorphins pumping!!".... But, I WOULD say that I am getting there!! Which is awesome and a huge accomplishment for me. I feel good after I run, I can run like 6 miles now with out being feeling like my legs are going to (completely) crumble, and I would even go as far as to say it's enjoyable. What?!?! The pictures below are from a 10K race that we ran in Trujillo - my first organized running event EVER!!!! Pretty cool. We did it together as a community and it was a great experience. The people who organized the race saw us registering (I mean, the only white people in a group of 400 stand out, I guess) and took our picture for the newspaper, with a pretty exaggerated but pretty funny caption. Apparently we, athletes from the US, came down here specifically for their race.... hmm. But US Athletes?? We'll take it.

This is what we're here to register for!! Trujillo Corre 10K!!

Pre-race photoshoot

Post-race, we did it!!

Caption: FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD: Athletes from the USA are present.

3. Nightly Bible readings - I have wanted to read the Bible all the way through for a long time, but have never really taken that extra step to actually get into it. It was intimidating - I mean, the Bible is pretty long - and I didn't know how to just jump into that. My dad is awesome and reads the Bible every year, so for Christmas this year he sent me an NIV Chronological Bible, and I LOVE IT!!!!!!! I read my Bible readings every day in my room. It only takes like 15 minutes, I make notes in the margins and really try to understand what I am reading. It's a meditative time for me and I have really noticed a change in how I feel spiritually and in my relationship with God since I started reading so often.

Reading in my room....

..... Fidea decided to join!!!!

But then her poses got a little too scandalous so we ended the photoshoot....

3 Memories that I love.....

1. Erin coming to visit - In May 2012 my best friend Erin came to visit me!!!!!! It was like the best week ever and we had so much fun. It was amazing to see her. She is such an incredible friend, literally I am so lucky to have her in my life. She even traveled across the world to see me and learn about my life here!! It was so cool to be able to share my Peruvian life with Erin - my parish, my work, my community. Then we went to Cusco for a few days and got to experience Macchu Pichu together which was, of course, a once in a lifetime experience. I miss her so much, but only t-minus 6 months until we are reunited!!!! I need her in my life. (Have I said 'life' enough in this paragraph?? Uhh....)

Erin and I having lunch, cute!!

Erin and I at an Incan ruin outside of Cusco

Erin and I at Machu Pichu

2. Hosting Thanksgiving 2012 - This past Thanksgiving, Clare, Kyle, and I hosted Thanksgiving Dinner for the 3 of us and the Incarnate Word Sisters. The food turned out amazing and the opportunity to provide a place for everyone to sit together and be present with each other was beautiful. Not only was Thanksgiving Day a success, but staying up until 3am the night before and then getting up at 6am to cook, bake, and clean was an experience all in itself - a positive one!! We had a lot of fun listening to music while cooking, dancing around while sweeping, and getting ready to celebrate one of our favorite USA holidays across the world.

Our table set and ready!!

Kyle, Clare, Sister Juanita, me, Sister Sofie, Sister Leonela, and Sister Katty is taking the photo

Since I was a little girl, my dad and I have made these fruit and cheese turkeys on Thanksgiving. I miss my parents always, and especially on family holidays, so I decided to continue the tradition and make this turkey just like I would be doing with my dad back home.

3. My first Peruvian Quincenera - This entire night was hilarious and weird, and definitely made for one of the most original Peruvian memories. Kyle was the Padrino for a girl he had like barely ever met and he had to learn choreographed dances and give a speech on her behalf. We all had a lot of fun taking pictures and enjoying the free food and crazy entertainment that happened until like 4am. This was one of our first memories as a community, too, which made it even funnier.

The crazy gigantic cake display

Me, Kyle, and Sister Juanita

Kyle and Luzmila, the birthday girl, during their first dance

Our table of honor!!

And finally.... 3 Things about my missionary life that I love....

1. Living in community - One of the main reasons that I chose Incarnate Word Missionaries over some other volunteer organizations was the aspect of living in intentional community. When I was at SLU I learned in a social justice community and was taught a lot of the importance of communal living to the cause of solidarity and justice. While I don't think I could live in community forever, I think it's something really important and beautiful to experience. Sharing everything with each other; from meals to prayers, from tears to laughter, from paying the bills to budgeting for food, from arguments to a loving hug, from fun nights at parties to nights staying in for group meditation. Every community is unique and a God-send, and both of my communities here have taught me and challenged me so much. I will return to the US a different person than when I left for many, many reasons, and one big reason being the inspiring, honest, wonderful, smart, hilarious, faithful, hard-working, progressive, amazing people that I had the honor of living in community with these 2 years.

Our community from 2011-2012: Kyle, Emily, me, and Kelli

Our community from 2012-2013: Clare, Kyle, and I

2. My patients - I feel that this doesn't need much explaining. As most of you know, my work down here is in a Hospice center, which means that I am a nurse attending to patients with chronic and terminal illnesses. Anything from cancer to AIDS to victims of severe accidents (car accidents, gang shootings, etc.). My patients are all like little lights in my life and make going to work every day worth it. I love them with all of my heart. They always teach me so much about who they are, who I am, and life in general. It's such an honor to be able to care for them every day.

Me, Sonia, and my patient Clarisa

Taking Felipa's blood pressure

Juan Carlos and I

I love this picture of Felicita and I

3. Teaching English classes - For years the missionaries have taught English Courses in our parish, and we continue on with the tradition. We teach 3 cycles a year, and this past Spring Cycle, Clare and I co-taught basic. We had super fun students who loved coming to class and participating. We played lots of games and had a good time. We start our next cycle mid-February and I can't wait to see everyone again!!!!