Things I miss...

I've been here just over a month and I have decided that in the spirit of thanksgiving, I'll write about things I didn't realize I should have been grateful for. Let me preface by saying I am not complaining. Really! 

Here goes, "Things I Miss" in no particular order: 

10. Showers. Here in Chulucanas, we are in a drought. This also means we don't have running water most of the day. We have these big buckets full of water in the bathrooms and we take bucket baths. Sometime in the early morning (when it's way too early for me to wake up) we get water and Sr. Vivi refills the buckets. And hot water? Yeah that doesn't happen here....

9. Air conditioning. I know, what did I expect?! It's really only bad from about 10am-5pm. Here in Chulucanas, the temp hovers around 90 degrees most days. It's dry. And there is a lot of dust in the air. I rarely leave the house between theese hours. Not that it's any better in the house. I typically sit in these rockers in the shade and dream of Huarmaca days...they tell me it's much cooler there! The plus side to this...I really don't miss hot showers ;) 

8. Normal speed internet. How many failed face times? Skypes? And let's not even talk about how long it takes to load my facebook page! It seems to be significantly worse the more people that are using the signal. But even when it's just me, it is soooo slow!

7. TV guide. Ok don't laugh. I'm trying to learn the language here. Do you know how useful it is to watch tv in Spanish? Just watch tv on the internet, you say? Right, please refer to #8. I really don't enjoy watching tv too much. I like watching movies. Either way, if I could just read the guide, I could decide what looked halfway interesting. Alas, I have just stuck with our tele novela "La Guerrera" which airs nightly at 9pm. Asi es la vida. 

6. Church hymns I know. First of all, I love that they sing so much in church here. Even daily masses, they always sing. The difference is that none of the churches have hymnals in the pews. I suppose the people would probably take them home? They tend to sing the same songs, and therefore everyone knows them by heart and doesn't need a hymnal. Except me. 

5. Piano. I could probably learn the songs if I had a piano and could play them and practice. Most churches back home have pianos and I would have no shame going to the church to practice. I haven't seen a piano in a church here yet. Even in Spain I had a piano. Although I am not a super pianist, I really do love music and I miss my piano. Maybe I'll find a nice house when I come home and get my piano back. That would make me so happy :) 

4. Spinach. I think there is very little nutritional value or flavor in iceberg lettuce. But that is the leafy green of choice here. I haven't seen spinach yet. Maybe it's iron I'm craving?? I just know that a big spinach salad has sounded sooo good for the last few weeks. 

3. Completely contrary to what I just said, beer and pizza. Need I really explain myself? 

2. Cherry coke. I really am not a pop drinker. But it seems the main options here are Inca Cola (a sort of cream soda flavored gaseosa), Coke, Coke Zero, or 7Up. You don't find the million varieties of vanilla, cherry, cherry vanilla, etc. here. It's best that I don't drink it. But on these hot afternoons, I've found myself dreaming of cherry coke more than once!

1. And since I decided to countdown from 10, I suppose I should finish it off. On a slightly different note, I miss me. I met with one of the sisters of Mercy, who is also an American, today. Sharing my feelings with her was such a blessing. Sometimes I feel like I shouldn't be here, I'll never learn the language, I don't know anyone, etc. She shared that she also had those same feelings when she came. Just as a grain of wheat must die to produce much fruit, let me be humbled here. Do not be afraid. Me. It is so hard to express my feelings in Spanish and I feel like the Anna everyone is seeing isn't really me. Maybe a mix of culture shock and missing family and friends. Don't get all excited yet..I'm not coming home yet! Just wishing I felt like I'm where I belong. God brought me here, He'll bring me through it!

Ok, enough mushy! Of all the stuff I miss, I really am grateful for this opportunity to be here and the kind sisters that I am able to live with. And, there is some really great food here that you can't find in the states, so I shouldn't complain! I'll probably find myself missing parts of Peru once I'm back home! Much simpler life here, and that is something I can continue forever.