It was so good to see many of you over the Christmas break for the nine days I was home! I wish I could have gotten to see more of you, but my plans changed a bit after my car broke down only two days after I arrived back in SC. Also, my computer got a virus while I was home so I was unable to bring it back to Peru with me, so my computer time is much more limited now as I'm borrowing my roommate, Stephanie's, computer or using the one in the library. But even with those not so Christmas-y "gifts", I still was able to have an awesome time catching up with friends and family. I got to meet my new nephew, Caleb, play with my niece, Megan, and see my not-so-little sister 5 and a half months along with her first baby, the soon to be Leyla Elizabeth :)
Unfortunately, however, I had to fly back to Peru on New Year's Eve, but it was actually a pretty cool experience. I was in Lima (the capital of Peru) when it hit midnight. Even though I was in the airport, I was able to talk with some Peruvians in the customs line with me and later in my taxi about Peruvian New Year traditions. This is what I learned:
1. It is important to eat 12 green grapes (I think someone told me you're supposed to sit under a table while you eat them, though I'm not sure the significance of that). The twelve green grapes stand for 12 months of good luck in the coming year.
2. If you will be traveling a lot in new year, grab a suit case, throw it in your car and drive in 12 circles, and you'll be granted 12 months of safe travels.
3. An interesting tradition is that they take their old clothes and put them on a life-sized doll, kind of like a scare crow, and set them on fire. It's supposed to symbolize getting rid of the old to allow room for the new. It was interesting to drive through the streets of Lima at 12:30 am on January 1 and have to dodge all the random flames in the streets left over from the lighting of the dolls at exactly midnight. Apparently they have certain laws that prohibit where you can burn your dolls, but it didn't seem to me like anyone really acknowledges them.
4. FIREWORKS!!! Peruvian people LOVE fireworks! You can't go anywhere on New Year's (or Christmas) without a spectacular fireworks display. Even all the way until 3:00 in the afteroon on January 1, I was hearing fireworks in the distance. They start at midnight and don't stop until there are no fireworks left to be found.
So that's how I brought in the New Year. Even though I was alone in an airport, it was pretty cool. My taxi driver in Lima, Ricardo (I use the same one every time), asked about New Year traditions in the U.S. Have you ever tried to explain the Times Square ball dropping event in another language to someone who's never heard of that before? Well, this was the first time for me and I felt so lame!!! We seriously sit around at home and watch a huge ball drop down to the ground and call that a celebration? I kept saying, "I promise it's cooler than it sounds," but then wondered if it really is, haha! I also explained that for some people it's important to have someone to kiss at midnight and that we typically make New Year's resolutions. I don't think he was impressed, but I didn't feel bad. I mean, eating grapes under a table?
Anyway, just thought you might be interested to know how they celebrate here. Below are some pictures of the last month (none from home since I don't have a computer to upload my pictures to yet). The first one is of the SAM Academy students putting on the play "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever". The second is of the SAM Academy teachers, my second family, having our first Saturday brunch of the New Year together.
I hope you all had a Happy New Year and are continuing to do so. God bless!
