Combi 101: Our Trek To Miraflores

It’s been a long day in Peru, but a good one!

First thing’s first: last weekend’s activities. Last weekend was a different one for Katrina and I because it was our first time being in Peru without Wilfredo. Right now Wilfredo is off on church duty in Bolivia. This changes things in Peru for a few reasons: 1. Wilfredo and his brother Prudencio are the only people we know in Callao with cars (thus we’re using public transit to get to church events this week). 2. Wilfredo is the main chaperon figure for Katrina and I during our time with World Service Corps. 3. Wilfredo is a big leader in the church here. But, we kept calm and carried on.

Saturday was my second time preaching in Peru. My first time preaching for a condescended service, so, really, this was my first time giving a full-fledged sermon. I was really nervous, and in all honesty, it showed. I struggled with my nerves and with my pronunciation throughout the sermon. It was a bit rough, but the crowd at Monte Sion that day was quite modest, so, if nothing else, not too many people saw my struggle. Later this month I’ll be preaching again, this time in Filidelfia, so I’ll have the chance to redeem myself then. Until then, the past is the past. One more sermon under my belt.  

The view from one of the classrooms at Peruwayna

After being so involved on Saturday in Monte Sion, I was able to relax and enjoy the service on Sunday in Filidelfia, which was a nice way to round out the week. And that brings us to this week and our grand adventure with our Spanish class.  

Katrina and I have been in Peru for nearly eight weeks and, frankly, we haven’t been learning Spanish quickly enough. When you tell people that you’re moving to a foreign country, everyone tells you, “Oh, give it a month and you’ll be fluent in a new language!!” Well let me go ahead and clarify things for you—that’s not accurate.  You don’t become fluent in a language just by hanging out in a foreign country. It’s hard and it’s frustration. Katrina and I came to the realization that we need help, so we enrolled in a month long class at a placed called Peruwayna in Miraflores.

Now, I’m from the Midwest, and I don’t specialize in public transit. So, when I realized the commute to Miraflores would be over an hour long, with just Katrina, during rush hour traffic, by  combi (which  gives me motion sickness), I was a little hesitant. But, it’s either brave the commute or don’t take a class, so at 7 a.m. this morning, Katrina and I left the apartment a nervous, but determined. Graciela was amazing (as always) and made us an HerbaLife shake for breakfast and gave me some tea that she said would help with the motion sickness.

Katrina and I headed to the highway to find a combi to Miraflores and there was about 10 minutes where combi after combi passed us by and NONE of them were Miraflores bound. So, when we finally saw one headed that way, sausaged full of people, Katrina and I added to the chaos and somehow managed to cram two more bodies into said combi.

Now here’s a little piece of Rush Hour in a Combie 101 —this game is lawless. Personal space does not exist. It WILL smell. At all times, you will be smashing, quite roughly, into at least five people. Your bag is in someone’s face, someone’s smashed up against your butt, and don’t worry if there’s nothing to hold on to—chances are you won’t fly out the open door since you’re all crammed in so tightly you can’t move. There was about 10 minutes where I had nothing to hold onto and simply kept myself balanced with my head, which was crammed up against the roof of the van. (Sidenote: I’m tall in Peru, which is USUALLY a cool thing.) After about 15 minutes of standing in the combi, and getting out of the combi at stops, so other people could squeeze out, then getting back on, fate smiled upon me: a seat came open and I wedged myself into it.

Now let me be clear about something: sitting on a combi is only better than standing because you aren’t in everyone’s way when they’re trying to get out. That’s the only reason it’s better. Because when you’re sitting, you have at least one crotch, one butt and one purse/backpack in your face and on your lap. The good thing about this is that when Dramamine puts you in a sleep coma, it’s virtually impossible to get comfy and doze in these conditions—so no need to worry about dozing through your stop.

After about an hour in the combi, we at last arrived at the “ovalo”, tumbled out of the combi, booked it on foot, discovered our building and headed upstairs for class. Our success in this mission was 90 percent help from other, 10 percent dumb luck.

Katrina and I are enrolled in “small group” classes and that tile holds true: we’re the only ones in our class! Now, being teacher certified, I began our class a little skeptical (Peruwayna isn’t your traditional classroom) however, after four hours in class, I’d warmed up to it and I’m excited to see what the rest of the week brings. AND, there’s free coffee at our school. AND it’s not instant coffee AND is has caffeine, which is an all-around win.

And so begins Katrina and I’s very busy September. We’re taking classes in Miraflores from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every day (with a roughly one hour, twenty minute commute), trying to keep up our workout routine, and starting two new classes for our congregations. The first, is English lessons for the children in Filidelfia. The second, is a technology class for the older members of our congregation. Between our homework, normal church responsibilities, and these new additions to our routine September is going to be VERY full, but I think it will be a good thing. After all, we’re here to learn Spanish and work hard. Check and check.