Establecida?

The last week has been filled with quite a few unexpected events--not all pleasant--but I'm fine.  One of the things that started me off on the wrong foot was my bag getting stolen at a restaurant in Barranco while celebrating a friend's bday.  However, those aren't the memories I want to read about in the future, so I'll focus on the good things here.  After signing my lease, getting to know my neighborhood, buying some plants, and getting a few sunflowers, I am finally feeling a bit settled in.

Kombis on the road and lots of traffic and people. Typical day.

Last Friday I met with our local mentor and then on Sunday I had a meeting with an awesome American med-peds pulmonologist who is helping me develop a protocol for the asthma study I'm working on.  Yesterday I visited the school where I'll be doing my study.  My PI has been doing work at the school for about 4 years now.  Past projects include a hearing screening and a "radio escolar" that was developed as a forum for the students to discuss topics of their choosing, with heavy issues like gangs and abortion and other fun ones like play dramatizations.  My PI chose to start working at this school because it is one of the poorest 3 districts in Lima.  We drove down in a taxi, but a cheaper, albeit much longer route would be to take a kombi (small van like bus) which I may do later when I have to go regularly.
The school is located in a shanty town at the outskirts of Lima.  It's in a dessert-like environment, with homes consisting of a colorful array of non wooden materials like tin and steel.  The school itself has one functional building that was donated by a Canadian group, but most of the buildings are made of the same tin like material that looks like it'll fall at any moment.  Many of the structres don't have windows, though temperatures during summer are often around 104.  Electricity is avaiable, and the town got access to water in the last 2 weeks.  There are many single mothers who've recently transplanted themselves from the Andes with families live on a few soles a day.  An abandoned health post is the nonexistent access to health care available.
I had a chance to meet and speak to a group of parents, teachers, and members of the administration, who seemed excited about the project and ready to cooperate.  We were there to form a partnership and ask them to serve as our voices in the community--to disseminate information among the others about what we'd like to do.  I was a little taken aback when one of the mothers raised her hand and said, "Can you please also speak to the parents?  We will deliver your message, but they may not believe it coming from us.  Many of us are illiterate and it would be respected by more parents coming from you."  The parents had a variety of other great questions and requests, including details about asthma that I'll have to be prepared to answer.  I'm getting more and more excited about the project and I can't wait until I start working with the kids, though spirometry on the young ones will not be the easiest task...

Chirimoya. YUM.

In non work news I finally tried some pisco in a maracuya (passion fruit) sour which was great.  Over the last few days I've been on a dessert kick and have tried suspiro de chocolate, merengue de lucuma, picarones (simple yummy sweet potato donuts), alfajores, and a bunch of others I should def stay away from given the amount of sugar content.  I checked out the local fruit market and was amazed by the variety.  My favorite thus far has been the chirimoya which is a creamy fruit with a distinct taste that reminds me of pineapple...it's simply amazing.
Adventure wise I took Monday off (Dia de Santa Rosa de Lima) and went to Lunahuana, where we spent a gorgeous day rafting and then enjoying the beautiful scenic mountains.  I'll have to go back and check out the bodegas at some point...