lima bean

hi friends,

we left lima on thursday and made the long bus trek to chimbote! so now we are just beginning to settle in, discover the city, and attempting to normalize life a little. here are some initial thoughts--

• this is a dusty, dusty city, and i will never feel clean again.
• i have never felt so welcomed by strangers.
• spanish is hard, and i feel like i'm in a bubble sometimes. but i am finding a little comfort in knowing that language is only one means of communication.
• i am finding myself struggling with the lack of control, so when i find tiny things i can control (like putting my clothes on hangers, as silly as it sounds), i am awed.
• i never thought i would be singing in a peruvian youth choir, but by chance (and a little language misunderstanding), todd, jane, julie and i all ended up performing at a concierto last night with one of the parish coros!!! it was hilarious, but fun to jump right in and be a part of something.
• i have not seen much yet, but i already know that the poverty here is more than i ever anticipated...
• i spent one day with hospice workers, and have never seen people in worse shape--by far the worst bed sores i have ever seen on persons who have been neglected. a simple lack of resources and healthcare that has cost many their dignity.
• as hard as adjusting is, i am finding comfort in small things, and trying to remember to breathe and take it all in...
• I HAVE A NEW NAME!!!! i tried out a few different ones, and nothing felt right. then, it finally came to me one day, peruvians can actually pronounce it, and it seems to fit me--corina. nice, eh?

thanks for the prayers, emails, thoughts, support!

besitos,

cj