The Car, the House

It has been a while, and much has changed. We got a car, we moved into our house and we hired a live-in empleada named Mariza.

THE CAR: A couple weeks ago, we got a Hyundai Elantra from friends of friends. Like a 16yr old, the wide world is now open, or at least I can get around town without a lot of hassle. But wait...this IS Lima and driving is no picnic. I am ready to affirm my earlier theory for driving here (no hesitation, no mercy, no resentment) but it feels a tad different when it is your own fender on the line. Plus, this week demonstrated the heinous backups that can happen. One morning, 45 minutes to take Carter the 3km to school and, Friday evening, an hour and twenty minutes to make the trip back from San Isidro that is normally 30min.  Think Mad Max stuck in traffic and you approximate the driving conditions. People are pushy/mean often in ways that don't even make sense and it is easy to forget that not EVERYONE is that way and to refrain from sinking as low.

THE HOUSE: Saturday before last, even though the house still had workers finishing up, we checked out of the hotel an brought our two carloads of suitcases over. It has been weeks and weeks of hotel living, so we were ready. The house is up behind a line of hills that look like massive, tired sand dunes. The sector, La Molina (View  Map) , is relatively well-to-do, though our area is not rife with the BMW set and our street would be considered quiet only relative to the insanely noisy street our hotel was on. I will post some pictures soon. The embassy required several layers of security, though most home hereabouts have a perimeter wall topped by electrified wire, so you basically drive right into your fort and park with the wall behind you. The house is appealing in many ways (nice flow, great plants, little pool) and not appealing in others (crumbly, badly wired, dim downstairs, etc). The house deserves a dedicated post sometime soon.

Carter is getting reacquainted with his toys, I am working on speedy internet, and Jennifer has started walking back from work or taking pilates in the evening. Normal life.

---except for the fact that we hired Mariza and we now have meals prepared for us, our beds made, Carter bathed, etc. Above a certain income level, having an empleada is absolutely regular in Lima. For us it is new territory and I hesitate to write about it because, as a gringo, the feelings are complicated. Suffice it to say that I've conveniently rationalized it...and it is AWESOME having meals prepared (ceviche for lunch, can't wait!) and the house cleaned and Carter watched. The relationship is an interesting mix of formal and intimate. Mariza is a talker, so I get some practice at Spanish, but she is pleased when Jen gets home and they can yak a bit. Mariza also deserves a dedicated post sometime soon.