Brittany McGee

18 months.

1.5 years.

One-and-a-half.

That’s how long I’ve been in Peru.

How does it feel?

Well, to be perfectly honest, normal. So normal, in fact, that I knew the anniversary was December 5^th, but I didn’t do anything to acknowledge it. It was just one of those, “Oh cool” passing thoughts.

No, it’s not the same normal as I would say my life back in Texas was. I’ve just gotten used to the things that once were so different.

I’ve become accustomed to greeting people with a kiss on the cheek, though this still ends up hilariously awkward from time to time. I can never figure out how long to hug for, nor if I should do the one arm hug. Sometimes I go for the cheek kiss when all the other person expected was a handshake. And every now and then I’ll get a very limp handshake from someone, and that’s just a terrible experience in itself.

While I cook for myself more often than not, I tend to enjoy eating rice with my meals when I go out to eat. Pan fried chicken with rice please! Aji de gallina, more rice to soak up that sauce. Arroz chaufa (Chinese-fried rice). I won’t finish the whole plate of it, but I do get how it complements the meal. And I’m not super starving two hours later.

Cold showers? Twice a day! Actually, there have been days where I’ve showered three times a day. Apparently in Olmos the weather doesn’t know that winter means it’s supposed to be “cooler than normal.” Nor does it care. The sun will be blistering the same on a mid-winter’s day as it is on a mid-summer’s day. If by chance it is actually below 70 degrees out, I have no problem boiling water to treat myself to a warm bucket bath. On the same token, if it hasn’t been a sauna outside, baby wipes are still an acceptable way to freshen up! (But really, baby wipes have a million uses)

I no longer get excited when I realize I’m thinking or dreaming in Spanish. It’s just natural now. In fact, sometimes it’s easier to talk in Spanish than it is in English. I can’t English.

I’ve developed more or less a routine in Olmos. I’ve created what I can of a life here.

While normal doesn’t seem like much, to me it’s a testament of the adaptability of human nature. In the face of adversity, change or challenge, we adapt. We’re flexible. We learn how to make the most of our surroundings. We survive, and sometimes even thrive. Or at least, that’s how I’ve responded. And, I’d say I’m thriving.