first month in Lima

I've decided that this blog will be the best way to keep everyone updated on my life in South America. It has been an amazing, incredible, crazy four weeks in Lima so far. Here are some thoughts on my new school, and Lima in general:

• The Peruvians insist on fingerprinting you for EVERYTHING. I have never been fingerprinted so much in my life - everything from residence permits to opening a bank account requires a fingerprint.
• Mail only leaves school about once a month, whenever someone is making a trip to the States. For some reason no one uses the Peruvian postal system, so I want to apologize ahead of time for the lack of postcards.
• The school is very welcoming to new teachers - they treated us incredibly well during our first few weeks and they have put our pictures up in each school's office so everyone can get to know our names and faces. And everyone is very deliberate about greeting you by name. It is really nice.
• The school is making a conscious effort to include the entire school community in events. We have tons of Peruvians working for our school, from office staff to maintenance and everything in between. The first all school meeting we had was a really neat experience. They translate everything into Spanish for the workers who don't speak English, so it was so cute to see these Peruvian men with headsets on, listening to our superintendent talk about the new school year. It is something I will always remember and I think it says a lot about this school and how they view all their staff. Another example was this huge TGIF we had on the first Friday of the year. It was an enormous party in the courtyard at school for the entire staff after the kids left. We had food and drinks and dancing and it was great to see everyone dancing with each other, regardless of their positions at school. They used to have the TGIFs at our superintendent's house, but the workers never came (given the class system and all of that), so they moved the parties to school, knowing that the workers would feel more comfortable in that environment.
• You must kiss everyone on the cheek when you greet them. I thought this was a typical European thing, but I realize now that it is much more of a cultural thing here than it ever was in Germany.
• Everything moves on Peruvian time, which has no relationship to actual time. Things get done, but never in what we Americans consider a timely manner. I'm trying to get used to this, but it isn't easy for someone as impatient as me!
• There is great shopping in Lima! I have found the most amazing store that custom makes leather shoes and bags. This place is my idea of heaven. I've already become a loyal customer and happily turned over money to them every weekend in exchange for beautiful boots, heels and purses of all sizes. Put in your orders now - they can make anything!

Pictures will follow, I promise. I haven't been taking many since I arrived. Lima isn't really a tourist city and I always forget to bring my camera with me. As I slowly get a handle on school, I am hoping to get out into the city and see more.