happy halloween.

I've never really been celebrating Halloween which has something to do with that I'm not from the States. Living in Peru is no excuse. For both E and I it has been a busy week. We've finally bought the floor for the kitchen and we're going to buy our new refrigerator. Also Wednesday night we became officially engaged. Now, tomorrow is puente which means weekend trip to Cajamarca! 

After almost two months since I stepped off the plane in Trujillo, and I couldn't be more happy. Also this week has been a week of "the good deeds". The other day E and I went to the cemetery to visit his dad. The reality of life hits, when kids have to work at the cemetery, so I gave the two kids a sol each. Tuesday at lunchtime E and I went to our casera to eat our 5 soles menu, when a man came out asking for a meal. Normally people would ask for money, but this man asked directly for a meal. So E and I spent 5 soles to do something good for him.

Happy Halloween!

being an expat is cool... but not easy.

I must admit that I definitely love being an expat and I would love to travel a lot more. And some may think that being an expat is like living a fairy tale. But somehow the boring everyday life we all know so well, will hunt you down even if you're living abroad. Some days are filled with excitement, new friends, great parties, memories and adventure, but for those days where these things seem to be almost non-existent, can be rather depressing. 

Considering this topic, I stumbled upon an interesting article on the Internet which inspired me to write this post. Why expat life not always is a smooth ride. And I'm actually surprised of how long it actually takes to adjust. As my cuñada (she has been living in Paris for 12 years) said, that the 1st year is the hardest year. It's about how to survive a new culture, a new language while making new friends. We, as expats can recognize that the key is making new friends. Loneliness can lead to depression which is according to the article very normal for expats. (I would love to know the experiences from other expats).
 Now, my problem is this:

And to be honest, after my first month in Peru and I'm tired of going to birthday parties of acquitances of E. It's just not me. When I lived in Barcelona this caused me a lot of problems because of people (read - mainly Peruvians) didn't understand the person I am. With the result of chisme. I guess I'm just very disappointed about the society.

Oh, did I mention my new project...

No, I'm not religious and will never be it, though I do believe in acceptance and tolerance. Well, I've made some new friends in an Evangelic church (my neighbours from Iquitos). They are going to make a play which "we" will be performing in Aventura Plaza Mall in Trujillo. And I'm scared!! Since I'm going to have the lead... and in the public. But another important thing for expats is to be open minded and I do believe in challenges and opportunities.

on-line takeaway in peru has never been easier

 Are you also an expat living in Peru or another Latin American country? Do you want to explore the Peruvian flavors or are you into something more familiar? Do you live in Lima, but don’t know where to go find the best food? Don’t worry! Hellofood has the answer. If you are living in Peru, Chile, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia or Venezuela you can order your dinner or lunch on-line on hellofood.com

Who is Hellofood?

Hellofood is a young team of entrepreneurs with a simple philosophy; it has to be fun, quick and easy to order your food on-line. With their affiliate Foodpanda and with hundreds of restaurants they are making it possible.

Hellofood is a part of Rocket Internet GmbH, and has been in Peru for almost a year. They are still growing and every day more and more restaurants become a part of the on-line platform, so you as the consumer will be able to order whatever you might be looking for; from Sushi to Pizza or the Peruvian classics like Ceviche and Pollo a la Brasa.

Some of Peru’s most popular fastfood restaurants such as 

Pappa John’s, Roky’s and Domino’s Pizza are already a part of hellofood.com.pe.

And you can order directly from you PC or even from your mobile on the go with Android and iOS. (You can get the app on Google Play for Android and the App Store for iOS). And it’s easy!

1)     Enter your location. (Districts in Lima only).

2)      Choose restaurants.

3)      Choose your payment method. (Pay on-line with credit card, PayPal or the traditional way).

4)       Enjoy!

If you are an expat living outside the States or Europe, but don’t live in Latin America, don’t worry. Hellofood is a platform with a great geographical range and is available in 40 countries worldwide.

just not my luck #2

Well, yesterday wasn’t my day. Either. Actually I’d rather say that it was that moment in my life were I was most embarrassed of myself. Though I just couldn’t help it. After lunch, E and I decided to go for our weekly shopping. We are about to finish the bathroom and starting with the kitchen (wuhuu so excited!) So we decided to start en Sodimac to see what stuff they had for the kitchen. And suddenly I began to feel really bad. Like really bad in the word “sick”. I was actually thinking that I was going to…ehm.. puke. But I didn’t expect that it would come so fast. I was actually thinking that I would be able to go to the bathroom. But nope.

So after Sodimac we went to Tottus. And I said to E that I was probably going to vomit because I felt sick. But that I could wait till we had paid the groceries. It turns out that I just couldn’t. Standing in the line vomiting and making a fool out of my self. I must find a new place to do my weekly shopping.

just not my luck #1

Well, story of my life. I have never been lucky with my suitcases. I’ve never given much thought of the possibility of losing my luggage while travelling, but somehow Air Europa thought that it was time to change that. So they left my luggage in Madrid for a week. Can anyone please tell me why it can take a week finding a suitcase and another week to return a call??! Anyway, after a week, they finally call with the news of having found my luggage in Madrid and will send it directly to Lima. Oh, that’s great, right? But then one of a traveller’s nightmares came true. They call from the airport in Lima telling me that I had to go to Lima to get it. Because they can’t *read will not* send it to Trujillo as Air Europa promised me at the time I arrived. That time, almost two weeks had passed. Frustrated and sad about the luggage incident, and after a lot of discussions with Air Europa in Spain and in Lima they eventually send me an e-mail telling me that they will send it to Trujillo. Almost after 3 weeks! How can it take these so long??!

I was not able to go all the way to Lima. Explaining, or rather crying over it on the phone, that it would take me about 11 hours from Trujillo to Lima and back and the cost.. I don’t even want to think about it. But they eventually sent it. I just picked it up in the airport of Trujillo. (Seriously guys, it’s the smallest, no, tiniest airport ever seen!)

So I was pretty feliz about having my stuff back. Also even though that they have pretty much broken my suitcase..

What’s your worst travel incident? Share!

Dating a Peruvian #2

Oh, so you thought that I was done with Dating a Peruvian? Hopefully I will never end dating E. And if I do so it will be because we can be called husband and wife. I'm not sure whether or not marriage counts as dating.

The biggest ”latino-issue” of all time is the mamá's boy-syndrome. This issue has been causing me a lot of trouble, but in the moment it's not that bad.

The next biggest issue is their way of mocking other people. Well matter in fact that it's a more general issue. Though I find it not very surprising that the women are those with the biggest trust issues and their chisme makes you depressed. ¡No me aguanto!

But luckily I'm with E. And I wouldn't change that. In other words I find it akward as half-Chilean to date a Peruvian. But E … is just special.

Besos!

Dating a Peruvian #1

I remember that when I was younger I always said that I never wanted to get married neither have those little creatures, called children. And thinking about that statement seems like pure stupidity now since I'm with E. I never thought that I would be with a Latino because of my Chilean father. But after my dear prima told me that she used to say that she didn't want to be married to a Chilean. She is now married to a Chilean and has 3 children, I realize the meaning of never say never. (Without sounding like a Justin Bieber song).

Anyway, my life basically changed when I met E. And this post should rather be called: ”Internet”-dating a Peruvian. In matter of fact even if it sounds really crazy but being an Internet couple for a year really worked for us. And there has never been any akward moments between E and I when we met in real life, as it tends to happen. Besides I would love to put down in words how it really is to be dating a Peruvian. Since dating a Latino can be challenging for an European young woman.

#1. Machistas. Well, I think I've found one of the few who isn't machista. I'm not a feminist AT ALL. But both shall be treated equally.

#2. Language. No offense, but Hispanics (outside the States) are not good at speaking English. This can be a problem in the communication when the families are going to meet, at the same time very entertaining!

#3. Making new friends. Seriuously, señores I think this is a huge issue. Just because a girl has a friend who is a guy doesn't mean that she is going to leave you. This issue is more an issue of trust. And sometimes it is possible that a girl and a guy can remain friends. Have you ever seen MTV's Friendzone? But then again... this is if you are thinking like an European.

#4. Drinking. Not to say that this is an issue of E, but Latinos drink a lot of beer. The Europeans about Latinos: the men drink beer, watching soccer and reading the paper y nada más. I've never seen before people who fill up the refrigerator with beers only and the morning after you see only 2 beers. (To be honest I don't like the most of E's friends in Peru. Because I know when they're together they will be drinking...too much.) I'm not sure if this is just my own issue of people who drinks.

#5. Well. I must admit that I have got myself a latinlover. Haha. But serious. There is something about that word that is true. Though the word really makes my think of the 90s hit Latinlover by Loona.

2 months left! I'm overloaded with excitement!