"You will have to share a chicken"

I’m finally settling into my own place here in Lima.

On Tuesday I went with fellow Canadians Sherry, Denise Elliott and her fiance Martin to have coffee, and wound up having them help me look at two rooms in Lima. The first one was whatever the anointed Christian word for ‘crap’ is. It was advertised in the Lima classifieds as being ’small but beautiful’. Yeah, if you are three feet tall. I wish I took a picture, because it wasn’t worth the $220/month they were asking for. I’m sure there’s other more desperate areas of Peru I could have rented something comparable for only $50/month, but what was amusing to me in that “this culture is sooooo different” kind of way was how salesman-like the guy was about it. Did he really believe this room was a steal of a deal?

Then we went on over to an area of town that was the right location–walking distance from everything and in a real tourist area of town with security guards and/or police officers on every corner. Only thing was when we got there he told us he already rented it out to some girl but would give it to me if she didn’t pay by 7pm that night. Nevermind the fact doing that to that girl rubbed me the wrong way, but it was a glorified bedroom and hardly the ’spacious two bedroom apartment’ the man listed it as in the classifieds. It was not that bad, but certainly not worth the $300/month he was asking.

Not ten minutes after we left he called Denise (she was my interpreter with the landlord of this building) and she repeats to me that he kicked this girl out, because he didn’t trust her and believe that she’d be able to pay the $300/month rent. Did I mention that Peruvians trust Gringos (foreigners) more than other Peruvians to rent from?

After telling Ron and Michelle that night over dinner about the place, we decided to go for it but to ask if I could pay $250/month for six months since the place didn’t really have a kitchen to cook in. The man agreed, and to the best of our knowledge Ron made sure to tell this man that I was the same Canadian who had been there earlier with 3 other people. Ron understood that I was to be there at 9 am to get the keys and give the man first and last months rent.

The following morning, I met up with my Peruvian friend and translator from last time I was here, Sara, theoretically to get the key, and give the man $500 up front for the apartment. Apparently someone else had offered to pay the full price the man was asking for, so he dropped me like a hot potato with no notice. So, Sara made phone calls for me all morning practically and we looked at a few places which were not that bad and above my means if I were to live in places like them in Canada.

We got a hold of a lady renting out large rooms in her home in Miraflores who spoke English, and arranged to head on over there later that afternoon. It turned out to be the one was I looking for, and much cheaper than the one I thought I was going to move into that morning. It’s a spacious room, fully furnished with a double sized bed–which trust me, is worth paying extra if you’re as tall as I am–a modest table& chair which will substitute as the desk I write most of my blog entries and do a lot of studying from, and a couch for reading. Plus, I have access to the kitchen (or chicken as Sara would repeatedly accidentally call it), living room with cable TV–not that I understand enough Spanish to really watch it yet–and a nice dining table. All for $250/month. Praise God for his provision.

I moved in completely yesterday, and today I basically had my first ‘chill day’ since getting here. I bought myself a coffee maker (very needed) and have been just reading and relaxing, but thought tonight I’d take the time to write a blog update. I think I will try writing a mimimum of one update per week on here, and when inspired I might post theological “fire on your head” type of entries both here and on the other site.

Thank you for all of you who are and have been praying. I have felt a lot of the Lord’s favor and grace on my life as I get settled in here, and on Monday I hope to finally see about starting Spanish learning from one of the many schools or tutors available here. I go to Interpol on Monday with Ron and his lawyer who are looking into my visa for me, since as I mentioned previously I need to have worked out before 30 days instead of 3 months. Please keep in prayer that all these details will be worked out and no snags.

And like my last time down here, I’ve not gotten sick at all yet from the water or anything. Other than a cold I had when I left Canada, I’ve had no health issues. Oh, of course, despite lathering my arms and head up with sunscreen, I still got burned to a crisp on Wednesday when looking for apartments. I’m sorry to disappoint any of you who wanted to see a picture of me looking like a human tomato, but I didn’t take a self portrait

Bendiciones!