Every year I come back to this place. Every year I seem to stay in a slightly more "upscale" area, not intentionally though. Every year I complain about the awful traffic, and I'm amazed that it takes an hour to go a distance I could probably drive in Goshen in a mere 20 minutes. Every year I make new friends and realize old friends weren't that close after all. I always forget how thin the walls are, how cold 60 degrees actually is when it is inescapable, and that toilet paper cannot be flushed. I am reminded every year that showers only have one curtain, and no matter what you do the bathroom floor will end up soaked, and the slippers you left on the bathroom floor will take days to dry out. I'm also reminded each time I come how incredible this place is, and how special each person is.
This time it's different though. I'm not here just as a visitor adapting to the little annoyances for a short amount of time. I'm going to have to deal with traffic, I'll have to figure out if I can buy a shower curtain liner to help keep my floor dry, and I'm going to have to learn to dress in even more layers to deal with the bitter cold but to also be prepared in case the sun does come out. I'm going to have to learn how to pay bills and really live life here in Peru being responsible for more than just having fun.
I'm being spoiled currently, but I know reality will hit soon. I'm staying in a hotel where they clean my room every day including folding my pajamas that I left wrinkled in a haste on my bed. They brought me a space heater because they asked how my first night went and if I was cold, and I said yes. I'm living in a ritzy district only blocks from restaurants, shops, and the ocean, and I'm not paying a dime for any of it.
Yet, despite the luxury of these accommodations I'm uncomfortable. I don't like not having a kitchen, and I've eaten out every meal. I haven't unpacked because I hope to find an apartment in the next few days. I can't have friends over to visit because this place is not my own. I feel like a spoiled rich kid when the maid comes in and organizes my bathroom counter and folds my laundry because I was too hurried to do it myself. Yet, I'm beyond grateful for the accommodations and ease of transitioning these last few days. The school has been wonderful in providing such a living situation, and I could not be more blessed.
I did see two apartments today, and I hope to see more this afternoon. The ones I saw today were both very nice, but one was quite small, and they were both above my desired price range. They were safe though, and luxury apartments only blocks from where I'm currently staying. It's nearly an hour bus ride to school, so I'd also have to consider then the cost of taxis. Aside from that, I want to be comfortable but not so comfortable that my Peruvian friends are uncomfortable coming to visit. Everything I dreamed of my apartment being in the States is everything I fear it being here. It's a weird feeling walking into an upscale, NYC style apartment here, wanting it so bad but wondering how friends would feel if they came to visit.
I'd like to live closer to school. I'd like to live in a residence area with fewer high rises and less tourist traffic. I'd like something cheaper because I have high hopes of using the extra money to pay down my college debt. I'd also like something more central so that I can open my home to friends on a regular basis.
I'm going out this afternoon and tomorrow to see what else is out there. I have confidence that God will reveal to me just the right place when I find it, and I'm praying that happens sooner than later because I'd really like to get settled in, buy groceries, figure out a real budget, and invite friends over for dinner. I feel as if everything in life is currently out of my control, and I'm learning to be patient in the changes.
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