Sunburnt and Moving

This past weekend, Patricia and I were able to have our first day where we weren't working, planning the wedding, trying to move in, shopping for things for the apartment, riding combis, dealing with immigration, or lining up honeymoon stuff. This has been our list for the past month and a half and we need to unplug from all of that. We took a day to the beach where I bumped into some friends without planning and after the count there were 11 Minnesotans on a random beach in Lima. wild. Anyways, I jumped right in the ocean and started playing Ultimate frisbee in the sand with some new friends and didn't even think about sunscreen. Well, I will never ever make that mistake again. Last night was the first night I could lay down and sleep after 3 nights of torture. Trading the awesome day for the ruined skin was a ok, but I will think twice next time.

Things are starting to come together. The month has been a wild adventure of the mentioned list above with always something to be done. We are pushing towards the goal where we can wake up relax and cook a nice breakfast on Saturday morning instead the other things. We got all our major purchases made: stove, refrigerator, washer and bed. Now we need to set up the kitchen build a closet type space among a few other things to up the comfort in our new house. 

I've started basic work with the church plant. Tonight is our third weekly gathering and our launch team is growing. We have some great new additions. I have been working on the website www.vidaensurco.com  (still some editing to do) and starting the planning for our niños. I'll be running the kids progam that we are calling Amigitosville. Amigito is a play on of "little friends" and ville well village I guess - Amigitosville.

One thing in the back of my head right now is I only have 17 days legally left in Perú. We filed all my papers when I first got here so we are waiting for responses that should happen between 30 and 40 days. So I need my responses anytime now! Otherwise we could have some bumps in the future. 

Family and friends are coming in 10 days! Wedding in two weeks. I could have everything planned and try to follow a schedule the best that we can but I think I'm just going to leave it open and let everyone join the crazy adventure as is. Can't wait to see you all!

besitooooossssss

steven y patricia

LIMA

I'm here. The past several months have been filled with lots of planning, changing plans, making decisions and then changing those, and waiting. When Patricia and I started this blog we wanted to use it as a way to keep in touch with family and friends and journal about our crazy mixed citizenship marriage. But things were changing so much that we couldn't keep up with ourselves.

Here is a summary of what has happened the past couple months. The original plan was to have Patricia live in the US because of my student loan debt. But I have saved every penny and made my loans manageable for the next year. In August, Patricia started a new job in Lima and we decided it would provide us with enough money for her to work while I look for a job. That made us think living in Peru would be a possiblity. Well, Patricia is also blacklisted by the Peruvian government because of an outstanding government loan. This loan is pennies compared to my student loan debt and we will have it paid off soon but this small debt stops her from leaving the country because the government does not want her to run away from this obligation. And so in Peru we are. This is only a snippet of everything that was happening. Our situation was surrounded by making the appropriate arrangements for an international marriage, planning the wedding, figuring out my living situation in MN and her's in Peru. My mom couldn't even listen to me because our plans changed everyday! Still I'm thankful for her ear because I needed to think out loud through all of this everyday.

And so, I am here.

Now, we are busy again. I've arrived only to be running around from government offices to the national police department while riding on combis for hours everday. Immigration has been a three day process but our papers are all in the hands of the mail people. We pray that our documents make it to the FBI in Washington D.C. to confirm that I'm not a killer. The FBI will send a response to our place here in Lima. When we recieve that we can go pick up my alien card and I will be a Peruvian resident! And so we are waiting patiently (as patient as we can be).

Finally, I have time to breath. Though Patricia is right back at work after 3 days of running :( The next step is planning our wedding which has been surrounded by changes as well. Everyone can ignore everything that was being planned prior athough there are still things to understand that can be gleaned from them. We have reserved a house here in Lima so nobody is going anywhere! That is the main change and is a very good one. Everyone should have their passports by now and possibly tickets. We will soon be looking for hotels in our area for people to stay while here. I am planning a very fun week to take everyone around and Patricia will have two weeks off as well. The main things to prepare yourself for are heat, dirt, noise, helplessness, lots of spanish and no english, not drinking tap water and not flushing your toilet paper. It's very laid back here and things rarely run efficiently according to American understanding so if you are cool with that you will fit right in. Keep in close contact with my family and I about when you will be arriving and where you will be staying. Please ask me any questions about what to budget and what we will be doing. Communication is key!

And so, I am here in Lima.

Finally the greatest news of all. God has lead us down this crazy path of life into a situation where we believe he has called us and has surrounded us with people that believe the same. After over a month of looking for a place to live Patricia recieved a call from our friend Danny. I had met Danny in St. Paul at a church called bloom. It was a church he worked with a team to plant. Well, he and his family have moved to Peru to plant a new church. Only a couple weeks ago did Patricia recieve a call from him offering us to live in a house they have in their backyard while I work on the church plant. This knocked out two worries! We are no longer thinking about me finding a job or looking for a place to live. We weren't going to be able to find a place because they were all requing things we couldn't do like provide my signature. But we got immigration going, I have a job and we have a place to live. God is moving.

And so, I am here in Lima.

...with the love of my life; my wife Patricia Isabel Bardales Valdez de Namanny. It's a mouthful.

p.s. we want to post pictures but we don't have a camera. All in good time.

Dear U.S. Travelers - Info Post #1

Hola Amigos!

The wedding is March 24th!

Peru is still a handful of months away but there are a few things everyone can be doing now before coming. I've posted here a list of preparations and some points to make about the type of trip you'll be taking!

The biggest update is that the wedding is going to be at a beach house on the Pacific. U.S. travelers will be busing to the city (roughly 2 - 3 hours away) on Thursday the 22nd and returning to Lima on Sunday the 25th. When we get back to Lima we will stay one night and then fly to Cusco and see Machu Picchu. After staying in Cusco a couple days we'll come back to Lima around March 29th or 30th. Looking very forward to seeing this wonder of the world with you.

You're going to need to save some money. I've been to Peru twice now both times I stayed for just over two weeks and spent around 2,000 on flights and stay and food and doing things. I've never gone to Machu Picchu before though so that will add to your traveling expenses if you choose to go.

To do:

1 - get your passports. When you leave, make a copy of it and leave the copy with someone.

2 - start looking at tickets.

3 - decide when you would like to come. You can show up whenever you want but I won't be helping you get around or picking up people from the airport until the 18th. You MUST arrive by the 21st. When you book your flight make sure you land in Lima on the 21st (some flights are overnight).

4 - Be budgeting about $1,300 for your flight, a hundred or so for the flight to Cusco, then depending on how long you stay $30 per night in hotels (cheap ones) $10 per night in hostels and about $15-20 a day for food. Don't forget about money you'd like to spend on museums and entertainment and... alcohol.

5 - Research some history on Lima, Peru, Incans, Machu Picchu, Francisco Pizzaro and the Shining Path (Peru's Maoist terrorist faction).

6 - Pack SUPER light.

Know this!

1 - Peru is not 3rd world but is a developing country.

2 - There are no public restrooms.

3 - Do not drink the water from the tap (unless you're about to die).

4 - There are earthquakes.

5 - DO NOT FLUSH YOUR TOILET PAPER! Wipe, fold it up nice, and put it in the bin next to the throne.

6 - U.S. travelers are easy targets. Be careful who you trust.

7 - They speak Spanish only prepare to be completely helpless.

8 - Transportation consists of jumping on combis (buses that don't really stop for you) packed with people or negotiating cab fares with taxi drivers. You'll get gringo discount ;)

9 - Bring meds for your stomach because the food is very different. Your American tummies will have to do some adjusting which may include some upset. Try not to get worms or you'll be on the toilet the whole time...

Be ready to go with the flow. I'm not going to be able to tour everyone around all day everyday so you have to be ready to travel, take some risks, struggle with communicating, struggle with ordering meals, and venturing out independently. I'll have a couple itineraries planned for two weeks that will include group things each day towards the evenings and some full days if you'd like.

I'm going to be writing what I can on the blog to inform everyone so keep up with it! And don't hesitate to ask questions. That is the best way you are going to know what you have to do and how things are gonna go down!

Mucho Amor,

Steven y Patricia