Living in Peru : your everyday companion

Living in Peru
Larry J. Pitman

When I was living in a middle-sized town in California, I used to wonder where all the people were in my neighborhood. I never saw many people on the street.  In the evening, walking my dog, I would not see another person.  Most of the houses were dark, so I would fantasize that I was living in a ghost town.

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You are amazing. I like these style of life too. I can´t belive it;  if my husband know it he would think that I am really crazy. But is true, I don´t want a ghost town.

What a vivid decription of life in Peru, assuming that it's the same throughout the country.

Yes, that is Barranco and most other districts in Lima. I live in a "small" big city in California and although I have lived in the same house for over 30 years, I barely know most of my neighbors. I am lucky to have a parroquial school and a church a block away since that creates some foot traffic.

I am part of the "ghost" society, I don't even know what the weather is outside before I leave my house...
I get into my car, open the garage door (with a remote control) and take off. I come home and the same thing... I don't, normally, set foot on the sidewalk.

I can relate to "most of the houses were dark" since I'm guilty of the same... we watch TV, surf on the Internet, write comments to Larry J. Pitman, all in one room... the rest of the house stays dark...  In Peru you receive company any time or day of the week, you need to have your lights on... Here... no way! wait until the weekend and call first...!

Hmmm "humitas", yummy, my favorite are the sweet ones...  Recycling is fun, you turn in bottles and in return you can choose a plastic beach ball and between
a whole variety of plastic household items...

Thank you for letting me live in Peru through your articles. I lived in Miraflores until I turned 19, got married and left for San Francisco.

I'm just living in Windsor, Canada and now I understand the meaning of "ghost town". I can walk streets without see people or listen a noise, because I don't want to get the car until the cold arrives.

Even if I'm walking by the avenue, the cars don't make noise.

My husband and I  returned to Peru in 2006, after living in Dale City, Virginia U.S. for 25 years.  Dale City is a lovely, quiet small town, with few sidewalks and  few street lights.  I only knew the couple living across the street and my neighbor on the right. Only on weekends when I worked in my, garden I would see more people, but a mere hi!! would be enough.   Fortunately I  had a lot of friends at work, but that was in Washington D.C.  quite far from where I lived. Once in while my husband and I would get together with peruvian couples who lived nearby, but only on weekends of course. 
One day while I was on vacations, visiting my older sons in Lima, I made up my mind to return to Peru.  I missed the people, on the streets, the parks, at the movies, restaurants etc. etc. I needed to feel alive, so I convinced my husband to return to Peru and after selling our house in "one week", (record time), we  returned to Lima, at the right time, shortly before the mortgages went up and tragedy hit the home owners who couldn't afford  such high payments.  
I adore Lima with it's crazy traffic, lots of people on the streets   shopping or at restaurants which are almost always full.  We can walk to the supermarket, to church, to the movies, to a lovely "El Olivar" park, a block and a half from our home. We can also walk to the malecón to watch the ocean - it's a nice long walk because it is not  too close to our home.  I love the street vendors selling different items, who remind me of my school days, especially the ice cream man.
Now that we are retired and live in Lima, we can enjoy our sons, grandchildren, mother, who is 96 years old, and a few relatives and some good friends from way back. We thank God for having helped us return "on time" to our beloved country.

Elizabeth,

Congratulations! Your story has such a happy ending...

Although my mother and my brother and sister and their family live in Miraflores, I could never go back to live in Lima because my daughters and grandson were born in San Francisco and live in California.

I really enjoyed your story and forwarded it to my fiance. I can't wait to move back to Peru the end of this year and live again the life you described. I've been in Charlotte for 10 years while I went to college and even though the city is growing and there is more to do, the novelty fades away pretty quick. I always missed Peru and returned so many times for short visits, but never planned to stay until my fiance visited Peru for the first time and fell in love with Lima and its appealing informality. He convinced me to move back and now the anticipation is driving me crazy.

I love happy endings... good for you, Paola.
I go to Perú yearly and that makes me very happy
Home is here and there, but mom and siblings are there...

America,
Why not moving to Miraflores/Lima or anywhere in Peru YOU'd like to live?? Your daughters will understand specially if it makes you happy! They will understand it is the place you were born and grew up in.They will come and visit.
Your daughters will move any where when the circunstances are right for them...they'll move from California to anywhere in the world and will hope you will understand aswell.Weather because of work,following their husbands or a better life in general...ask them,you'll find out.
Life is too short to miss the opportunities.It's YOUR life.
Unless your daughters depend on you for survival...then,stay.Hopefully,the'll make the same sacrifice for you.

Wasatch,

Thanks for your concern... I am not unhappy in California, I just get melancolic, I guess.

I live a very Peruvian life here, the Peruvian community is large and active and I participate in the fullest. I volunteer with Centro de Ayuda Peru, Festidanza-San Francisco and Quipunet Educacion a Distancia (virtual organization).
I do call home California as well as Lima.
My daughters don't hold me hostage, I don't want to live them.
Thanks again.

 To:  Elizabeth Macedo de Vargas says :
7 October, 2008 [ 11:33 ]

Hi Elizabeth,

Excellent description of "Life in USA"   Congratulatons on your decision to return to Peru.  Would you mind if we correspond?  We seem to have something in common.  I am in a crossroads in my life right now.  Recently retired, and starting my life alone.  Last April/May I was in Lima checking the possibility of returning to live there.   I have given myself one year to decide.  When I emigrated to this country 30 years ago, I came with the intention of never returning to Peru.  But now, I am older and hopefully wiser, and find myself questioning my way of life in this country.  Of course, I do love this country that opened the doors for me and offered me so many opportunities, and I love the niceties that we enjoy in this society, but as you said in your comments: " I needed to feel alive"  I also need to feel alive.

Every peruvian will have different memories of Peru.  It all depends of what social circle and educatonal background he or she comes from in Peru.  Some of us will have fond memories, others will have dark memories depending on these circumstances.  As you well know, not everybody in Peru comes from Miraflores, San Isidro or Lima.  There are millions of Peruvians that live in poverty and lack the necessities of life.  Not everything in Peru is wine and roses, but no matter what, we are all in agreement about the great food, music and love of life that Peru has.  Peruvians are naturally friendly and warm, they are natural entrepreneurs inorder to make a living, and they like to dance and laugh in the face of adversity.  The neighbors are there for you in your time of need.
My question to you is:  after living there for almost two years, are you still happy to have returned?  Do you miss USA? What are your true impressions?

Thank you and best regards,

NA

Dear Neri:

I honestly can say that I am very, very happy that I returned to Perú.  Some mornings when a "Paloma Cuculí"  wakes me up before 6 am, my thoughts fly to my years in boarding school in Lima, when these fine birds would "sing" and sing and also wake me up.   Now of course, the same birds do not forget to still wake me up.....ha, he.  Seriously, I do not regret a bit having returned to Perú - imagine Neri now I don't have to get up at 5:30am rain or snow to go to work and return at 7pm tired, with a few minutes to change clothes and start cooking for my husband who would get home around 11pm!!!!  It was tough for both of us.  I worked at the World Bank in Wash. D.C. and Rob managed two buildings on L Street, Wash. D.C. too.

Back in Lima, we don't work, so we decided to take it easy and enjoy our retirement for whatever numbers of years God has in store for us.  After xx number of years of hard work, we deserve a break and what better place for this, than back home in Perú.  Rob and I are actually from Arequipa, but we decided to live in Lima. 

Feel free to EM me and ask anything you want.  By the way, my younger brother lives in Baton Rouge, L.A. for over 35 years and has returned to Lima three times in the last two yers.  He has decided to buy an apartment in Lima and spend summers here - he found Lima changed, beautiful and quite lively......before he never said he would like to return to Lima, nor even on vacation!!!

Hasta la vista my friend.  Elizabeth       

Dear Elizabeth,

Thank you for your kind response.  Your words are reassuring.  And, I am really glad that things are working out for both of you.  Like your brother, this time I found most of Lima changed for the better. I liked the energy of certain cities.  I am a walker and I love parks, so I did a lof of walking between Lince, (I was staying in Lince) San Isidro and Jesus Maria.
Although, I would like to try to rent first before buying an apartment.  I like the areas of Barranco, Surco or Pueblo Libre.  They don't seem so expensive as Miraflores.  Of course, if I have the financial means, I would buy something in Miraflores simply because of the energy, the closeness to the ocean, the beauty and vitality this city posseses.

Still, my favority is Lima.  I have fond memories of the "vieja Lima" and I always make it a point to walk its streets, el Jiron de la Union, and visit its churches, eat picarones at Chabuca Granda's park.  I took lots of pictures of its wonderful colonial balconies that speak to me of a wonderful era.  I am sure you remember how nice Lima was back in the 60's and 70's.  Of course, the dynamic and magic is gone, but the city fathers are trying their best to keep Lima clean and nice.

With all due respect to Miraflores and its inhabitants, I would love to see Lima return to its old luster.  There is nothing like it.  I would like to write to you more privately but I don't know how to give you my email.  I don't like to put personal information in a public forum.  Should I inquiry with Livinginperu people?  Do you know?

Best regards,

NA

Neri:

Call me at (011) 51-1- 9933-70639 and give me your EMail address.  You are right, it is better to communicate through electronic means.  Call me any time.

Chau.  EV

I really enjoyed reading your article about the description of life in Lima-Barranco.  it is so touching to read this, especially from somebody who has not been born and raised in Peru. I understand  you live there for 12 years already.
You have been able to stirred up the good memories of all of those who have left Peru so many years ago and who probably carry this fond memories every day of our lifes.
I was able to smell and hear all the sounds that you were describing in your article.For a moment I was right there!!!.YOu have not exagerated a bit. Actually my husband loves Peru and he says that it is really hard to feel lonely in Peru because the city communicates with you. YOu are never alone there!.
I think that one of the most challenging situations in the life of  a peruvian is to get used to this Ghost towns.The first time I moved here I lived  in a very small town and coming from Miraflores and being a teenager I thought that I was in  a "cementerio de vivos". After almost 10 years of living in a small town we moved to Frankfurt and due to work reasons we have been travelling a lot around europe and the US . Life  changed drastically!!! Finally I was able to experience life again. However none of the big cities that we have lived in can match the flair, the cozzines and the warmth that you have described about life in Lima. It has something special, something magical and somehow contradictory, somehow super good and somehow super bad.
Something so unique to Peru- the mistery of our Peru-.
Thanks for your article!

Hi Isabel:

Welcome to the "club" Living in Perú.com, part of  "Perú this Week E. Magazine".  This important section of the magazine makes it possible to communicate with peruvians living abroad who are eager to learn about their country through the eyes of people who have returned home.

I have returned to Perú two years ago and I consider myself a very lucky lady because I have experienced living abroad (not only in the States but also in Europe) and I can compare the different "costumbres and idiosincrasias" of both worlds. It's is true that Perú is a peanut compared to the United States, or any country in Europe as far as economy, importance or discipline is concerned.  Our Lima is a caos when talking about traffic, and other behaviours, but it still has that mysterious charm and spell that makes peruvians want to return home.   Perú in general has history, rich culture, wonderful weather,  excellent gastronomy and the great Pacifi Ocean that bathes our shores (sometimes not too clean.....).  Among our riches, we have the  three extraordinay regions, Costa. Sierra y Selva that offer mystery, beauty and adventure.  To that we add, our feeling of moving with the crowd, in happiness, grief and hope for better times for our dear Perú. 
Hasta pronto. Elizabeth 

To Elizabeth Vargas,

This is amazing!  Larry's wonderful piece has generated a "conversation about life in Peru."  Actually, right now is life in Lima.  It's great to be able to read different points of view, different feelings and different perspectives of Peruvians living all over the world about  how they remember life in Peru.  The most interesting part for me is reading the comments of why foreigners like living in Peru.  My thanks to Mr. Pitman!

By the way, Elizabeth, I tried to call you but I couldn't get through; too many numbers.  Could you send me a few lines to this email:  nerian08@gmail.com

Until next,

NA

this is awsome

Like that good old song goes: 'Todos vuelven a la tierra en que nacieron...al embrujo incomparable de ese amor...'
Our beloved Peru........still awaits for us with open arms !! (Try it and don't forget your camara).

Oops!  Sorry...

You said it, I do go every year, to be more specific... I go every Summer for a little over a month and I enjoyed every bit of sun , friends and family...

Isabel:

I am back, sorry if I missed your last message.  You can write me back if you still need any info. about life in our beautiful city.

Saludos.   Elizabeth

Isabel:

I am back, sorry if I missed your last message.  You can write me back if you still need any info. about life in our beautiful city.

Saludos.   Elizabeth