So, as you can see, we have internet. Priorities right? I arranged for it while I was here before we moved, as I started back to work on Monday after Easter and of course...can't do it without the internet. However, that's about all that works.
So, we found this place and took it the same day, paid the deposit, first month etc. However, the owners, who live in the floor above us, told us that they would be leaving shortly for 2 months in Lima to visit their children/grandchildren. They said they had a little to do to finish readying the apt but all should be well before we moved in and they took off (2 days later). Oh if only this were true. It was clean, mostly. Richard lived here a week and a half (on a thin airmattress on the floor, a supertrooper!) before I came with all the stuff. When they came to install the internet we found about about 50% of the wall outlets don't work. lovely. Then the smell under the stale odor I smelled under the sink, when we first saw the place was still there. As we used the sink....yup...dripping water from the pipe below. Then, I want to take a shower. While it's still in the low 80's here in the day...I like a slightly warm shower. I just can't become a fan of the cold water deal yet. We have a water tank this time. They said all we have to do is turn on the electrical switch to it an hour before we want hot water and it should work fine....should work fine. Not words to trust in Peru. Trust...but verify.
So, I turn the switch and wait...then try the water in the bathroom...not warmer. I go to the tank. Wondering if one of the valves needs to be turned to let the water flow. The middle one...nope let out rusty water onto the plastic deck chairs below it. The one on the right....maybe...but water starts shooting out of a small hole in the tube. They are both oxidized etc from use...not going to work. So, add that to the list. In addition. We have lovely wood parquet floor, which I am very happy about. They are much warmer, prettier and theoretically easier to maintain. They had them recently restained, but didn't finish the job to seal and polish them before we came. Result...an icepack I used acidentally fell on the floor and we didn't know it and yup, took off the stain and wore off some of the paint whatever leaving a shape. So, my fault this time...mark down floor problem.
So, Sunday is Easter. The day of new life, resurrection, redemption and such. It has been quite a holy week this year for certain. To shed the old life in Ilo. To let go of the comfortable old life of knowing a town, a people and embrace something new and unknown. (A little divergence here...I mean it's funny the things/people I miss. As I walk everywhere and Ilo is a small town, I have acquaintances that I regularly encounter when I do various tasks. I have come to find comfort in these people and their consistency and familiarity in my life...The lady around the corner from the house who sits all day next to her cart and sells water, soda, cookies, crakers etc. like a small conveience store on wheels. Then there is the joy older man who walks around town passing out Christian materials. Since we first met over a year ago, every time we meet we have a lovely encounter. He gives me a huge, happy smile, kisses my cheek and says, "so beautiful" and we exchange pleasantries and go on our way. Then there is my fruit lady and her daughter I mentioned. Glinda who works in a office/school supply store who is always good for a chat. and the list goes on....so now that I'm leaving. I appreciate these people even more.)
So Good Friday. The sacrifice was really Richard's that day. As he didn't have to work he was available to help get thing in order. Move boxes around get things set up as much as we could, but his real gift was the kitchen. I will say that man's cleaning ability puts me to pure shame. As he opened a cabinet he noticed a few small cockroaches...not our fav. and we have ants roaming all over. What are they doing? The kitchen is empty....As he inspects better he finds a thin coat of grease that was all over the cabinets. He said on the top of the shelf where the stove was looked like grease from a chinese restaurant...not good. So for 3 hours or more he slaved over the cabinets. He cleaned, scraped, disinfected every inch of the cabinets. He can get anything clean. It is a sight to behold and one I didn't have the energy to do. God bless Richard! It was even more a sacrifice for him as Good Friday means family to him. He has always gathered at his grandparents with the family on this day. (In Peru, Thursday and Friday are public holidays and so everything is closed. Friday is much like Thanksgiving odly enough. In some places they have 12 plates of food to signify the 12 apostles. However, on the coast they have a special seafood soup called chupe de cameron, which Richard loves. The family gathers, eats and hangs out for the day together and watches Ben Hur. It's tradition and it was hard for Richard to let go of it for the first time.)
He had to work half day on Saturday and we worked a little more that afternoon. So that takes us to Sunday and....we still have to clean up the old house. A trip back to Ilo. Again his parents were a huge help. Sunday am at 10am we met at the house and attacked it with abandon. Richard's mother really knows how to clean as does Richard. His parents took on the downstairs and we did the upstairs. As I was worn out and couldn't really do it properly Richard did the bathroom! His mom was a marvel with the kitchen. 4 hours later...we left it better than we found it for sure. However, the owner had travelled to Arequipa for Easter and wasn't back yet....so we are still not done with it. We have to give the keys and get back our deposit etc. ever closer to being done...but we still have to go back yet again.
So, we go to eat and then take off back to Tacna and I make my tragic mistake. okay tragic might be an overstatment, but it wasn't a pleasant one. So we are living in boxes. The kitchen is not functioning. We basically have our room working and some of the office and the living room. So, we are eating out etc. It's about 9pm on Sunday and we need a snack. We find tuna. Richard likes his tuna plain, just tuna. I like tuna salad. In the fridge I had some things I had saved from the move. I put the frozen stuff in a cooler with mayo and a couple of other perishable things and gave it to Richard's mom to keep for me. It came in the truck on moving day. It was a brand new jar of light mayo and mayo is expensive here. So of course I wanted to save it, but it seems it got the best of me. I wake up Monday am with raging food poisioning like I haven't had, maybe ever. All I could do was be in the bathroom or sleep. A hugly wasted day and of course being 28 weeks pregnant doesn't instill confidence in having salmonella poisioning. Welcome to my first week in Tacna. It's been a bit of a struggle.
I am ill, still tired, back to working my regular hours and of course I have started a list of items to talk to the owners about. In addition I get my first experience of the noise that comes from the Herbalife office below us several times a week. They have some sort of program they do that involves music a mic, clapping etc and they of course have to use a sound system for the small area. It's tolerable, but annoying. It lasts from about 6-9ish.
So, we found this place and took it the same day, paid the deposit, first month etc. However, the owners, who live in the floor above us, told us that they would be leaving shortly for 2 months in Lima to visit their children/grandchildren. They said they had a little to do to finish readying the apt but all should be well before we moved in and they took off (2 days later). Oh if only this were true. It was clean, mostly. Richard lived here a week and a half (on a thin airmattress on the floor, a supertrooper!) before I came with all the stuff. When they came to install the internet we found about about 50% of the wall outlets don't work. lovely. Then the smell under the stale odor I smelled under the sink, when we first saw the place was still there. As we used the sink....yup...dripping water from the pipe below. Then, I want to take a shower. While it's still in the low 80's here in the day...I like a slightly warm shower. I just can't become a fan of the cold water deal yet. We have a water tank this time. They said all we have to do is turn on the electrical switch to it an hour before we want hot water and it should work fine....should work fine. Not words to trust in Peru. Trust...but verify.
So, I turn the switch and wait...then try the water in the bathroom...not warmer. I go to the tank. Wondering if one of the valves needs to be turned to let the water flow. The middle one...nope let out rusty water onto the plastic deck chairs below it. The one on the right....maybe...but water starts shooting out of a small hole in the tube. They are both oxidized etc from use...not going to work. So, add that to the list. In addition. We have lovely wood parquet floor, which I am very happy about. They are much warmer, prettier and theoretically easier to maintain. They had them recently restained, but didn't finish the job to seal and polish them before we came. Result...an icepack I used acidentally fell on the floor and we didn't know it and yup, took off the stain and wore off some of the paint whatever leaving a shape. So, my fault this time...mark down floor problem.
So, Sunday is Easter. The day of new life, resurrection, redemption and such. It has been quite a holy week this year for certain. To shed the old life in Ilo. To let go of the comfortable old life of knowing a town, a people and embrace something new and unknown. (A little divergence here...I mean it's funny the things/people I miss. As I walk everywhere and Ilo is a small town, I have acquaintances that I regularly encounter when I do various tasks. I have come to find comfort in these people and their consistency and familiarity in my life...The lady around the corner from the house who sits all day next to her cart and sells water, soda, cookies, crakers etc. like a small conveience store on wheels. Then there is the joy older man who walks around town passing out Christian materials. Since we first met over a year ago, every time we meet we have a lovely encounter. He gives me a huge, happy smile, kisses my cheek and says, "so beautiful" and we exchange pleasantries and go on our way. Then there is my fruit lady and her daughter I mentioned. Glinda who works in a office/school supply store who is always good for a chat. and the list goes on....so now that I'm leaving. I appreciate these people even more.)
So Good Friday. The sacrifice was really Richard's that day. As he didn't have to work he was available to help get thing in order. Move boxes around get things set up as much as we could, but his real gift was the kitchen. I will say that man's cleaning ability puts me to pure shame. As he opened a cabinet he noticed a few small cockroaches...not our fav. and we have ants roaming all over. What are they doing? The kitchen is empty....As he inspects better he finds a thin coat of grease that was all over the cabinets. He said on the top of the shelf where the stove was looked like grease from a chinese restaurant...not good. So for 3 hours or more he slaved over the cabinets. He cleaned, scraped, disinfected every inch of the cabinets. He can get anything clean. It is a sight to behold and one I didn't have the energy to do. God bless Richard! It was even more a sacrifice for him as Good Friday means family to him. He has always gathered at his grandparents with the family on this day. (In Peru, Thursday and Friday are public holidays and so everything is closed. Friday is much like Thanksgiving odly enough. In some places they have 12 plates of food to signify the 12 apostles. However, on the coast they have a special seafood soup called chupe de cameron, which Richard loves. The family gathers, eats and hangs out for the day together and watches Ben Hur. It's tradition and it was hard for Richard to let go of it for the first time.)
He had to work half day on Saturday and we worked a little more that afternoon. So that takes us to Sunday and....we still have to clean up the old house. A trip back to Ilo. Again his parents were a huge help. Sunday am at 10am we met at the house and attacked it with abandon. Richard's mother really knows how to clean as does Richard. His parents took on the downstairs and we did the upstairs. As I was worn out and couldn't really do it properly Richard did the bathroom! His mom was a marvel with the kitchen. 4 hours later...we left it better than we found it for sure. However, the owner had travelled to Arequipa for Easter and wasn't back yet....so we are still not done with it. We have to give the keys and get back our deposit etc. ever closer to being done...but we still have to go back yet again.
So, we go to eat and then take off back to Tacna and I make my tragic mistake. okay tragic might be an overstatment, but it wasn't a pleasant one. So we are living in boxes. The kitchen is not functioning. We basically have our room working and some of the office and the living room. So, we are eating out etc. It's about 9pm on Sunday and we need a snack. We find tuna. Richard likes his tuna plain, just tuna. I like tuna salad. In the fridge I had some things I had saved from the move. I put the frozen stuff in a cooler with mayo and a couple of other perishable things and gave it to Richard's mom to keep for me. It came in the truck on moving day. It was a brand new jar of light mayo and mayo is expensive here. So of course I wanted to save it, but it seems it got the best of me. I wake up Monday am with raging food poisioning like I haven't had, maybe ever. All I could do was be in the bathroom or sleep. A hugly wasted day and of course being 28 weeks pregnant doesn't instill confidence in having salmonella poisioning. Welcome to my first week in Tacna. It's been a bit of a struggle.
I am ill, still tired, back to working my regular hours and of course I have started a list of items to talk to the owners about. In addition I get my first experience of the noise that comes from the Herbalife office below us several times a week. They have some sort of program they do that involves music a mic, clapping etc and they of course have to use a sound system for the small area. It's tolerable, but annoying. It lasts from about 6-9ish.
Anyway, I am pestering Richard to call and get some progress on our electricity situation and then we find out...who has their number in Lima? Richard didn't save it in his cell phone. I had it in a small notebook that was in my purse....but wasn't. I last remember seeing it on the kitchen table. I know the exact spot. It was with the "last minute" things. Hard to keep people from packing these things I'll have you know. I mean, there are some things you need to easily locate and locate first right. You don't want to have to rummage through boxes. Of course...can't find it. I thought it was in the box marked...important papers. So, it comes to Wednesday of this week and....
I have the microwave set on a box in the hallway to heat oatmeal. As only 1 outlet in the small kitchen works. (thankfully it is the outlet for the fridge, which barely fit in its place). The baby doesn't know we moved and it is in it's "I'm very hungry-feed me-I need to gain weight" phase. So, I still have to find ways to feed myself nutritiously and regularly. NOT an easy task, but I'm managing. We have a cevicheria and small restaurant in front of the house, so I shouldn't complain too much. But, as I keep saying, everything here takes extra time and energy to accomplish. We have 1 outlet in the dining/living room area that works. So we can use the tv (but we have no cable) and the CD player and anything else we need. After a couple of attempts I finally get the number from another tenant in the building and we called last night. They agree we can get a electrician and plumber, but they didn't get to the floor. It seems we are on our own about that...lovely. So, baby, baby steps and a lot of patience. I'm tired of eating out, living in boxes and a pile of projects staring in me in the face and still working 15 hrs a week. wahhwa..I know.
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