July | 2013 | "Almost 1 year" in Peru

Down south

Hi everyone!

So here I am in Lima. It’s been two weeks already, and things have definitely been a whirlwind of activity! But before I dive in, I have to give you a little context of my journey, as it was not as simple as this photo has shown…

My journey started in Seattle, Washington where I had been finishing up my studies in Immunology at the University of Washington. It was really just a complete stroke of luck that I happened to come across an application for the National Institutes of Health Fogarty International Global Health Fellowship. As a basic science researcher, I pretty much had no idea what global health was, even though my doctoral work was in West Nile virus (a true global health threat!) But more on that later…let’s fast forward to June 30th, 2013…

After being accepted as a Fogarty Global Health fellow and training under the tutelage of several amazing syphilis researchers, I had to say goodbye to Seattle, my home for the last 7.5 years. I bid farewell to all my wonderful friends in Seattle, loaded up my car and drove all the way back to the Bay Area to my parents’ home so I can drop off my car and belongings. Made it there in 12 hours flat (over 2 days of course), and even beat the insane traffic that was being caused by the BART strike (the Bay Area Rapid Transit, or monorail train system that basically went on strike for a week and caused massive traffic chaos for everyone in the Bay Area.)

I spent less than a week with friends and family before I had to leave again on July 7th to attend an orientation at the NIH in Bethesda, Maryland for the Global Health fellowship. I could spend days recounting what an inspirational and incredible experience it was to meet with the heads of the NIH research institutes, as well as past and present Global Health fellows in the program. I have made new friends and found new mentors among this group. Everyone was truly passionate about global health, as well as providing us with the resources for us to grow in our career, all with the common goal of promoting equal and universal health. It was truly inspirational. I am part of the Northern Pacific Global Health Fellows Consortium…we even have a mascot bear named Globie! Globie is currently in Seattle, I believe, but has already visited Lima. I think his next stop is either in Thailand or Africa. Here’s Globie in front of the Lincoln Memorial:

Anywho, after an amazing week with my colleagues, it was time to really take the trip and begin my “almost 1 year” abroad. I had an early morning flight out of Washington Dulles airport on TACA Airlines (who are fabulous, btw…first plane had private TVs and USB ports in every seat!) I should mention that packing for these trips was very interesting, as I had to be dressed professionally but for humid summer weather, but switch to winter wear in Lima. And I only had two check-in luggages to spare, so had to get a little creative. I had my travel backpack from when I was an undergraduate intern at the University of Edinburgh for 8 weeks, but 8 weeks is just a tad shorter than 11 months. Luckily, this amazing Columbia sportswear backpack had special clips that attached to a removable day pack. So instead of a day pack, I went with a full-sized backpack accessory. I left the hotel like this:

Well, after two very smooth flights (flew D.C. –> El Salvador –> Lima), I was finally in Lima. My first impression was, “omg, so many cars! I feel like I’m in Hong Kong!” The traffic was pretty busy even at 10pm. The second thing on my mind in the taxi from the airport was, “omg…there are no traffic lanes here…” Traffic in Lima is notoriously bad. Mixed with all sorts of vehicles from full sized buses to the tiny mototaxis (kinda imagine rickshaw + motorcycle) as well as lack of clear traffic lights + honking about every 5 milliseconds + a tendency to speed up rather than slow down with oncoming traffic (pedestrian or otherwise) and you’ve got Lima traffic.

I arrived at the home of Dr. M. Quino, where he and his family welcomed me with open arms and pisco sours. They live in a lovely 3 story home on the edge of a district called San Martin de Porres and Los Olivos, just north of downtown Lima. My room (or rooms I should say) is on the 3rd story with a balcony and It is a little bit more rustic with more brick homes rather than towering skyscrapers, but it right by the Pan American highway and across from a shopping mall called the Plaza Norte. Very convenient, especially for just starting out.

BUT…as close as it is, the bigger obstacle is crossing the streets in Lima. This is the most difficult challenge so far…here in Lima, drivers have the right of way, not the pedestrians. So instead of slowing down when a person (including little old ladies and small children, mind you) are crossing the street, they don’t slow down, they speed UP. And if you are crossing the street and you don’t get out of the way, they just honk. And honk. And HONK! Do not like…and I don’t understand how honking more during a traffic jam is going to make cars get out of the way faster. I mean, yes, honking will magically move the 50 cars that in front of you. This was something that I never liked when I went back to crowded cities like Hong Kong, so was hard to accept again, especially since Peruvians are sooo nice.

Anywho, despite all the crazy traffic, the more important fact was that I had finally arrived in Peru. I have to first introduce a very important character in my story here, and she is Mary, the sister of Dr. Quino. She is really an incredible woman, and has been taking care of me since the day I arrived. The first day I wasn’t due in the lab yet, and so Mary (who I call Mary-cita or Mamacita) wanted to make me an authentic Peruvian lunch.

She took me down to the local market just a block or two behind the house. Vendors were crowded in no more than 40 sq. feet of space, each selling their special products. There were vegetables, spices, toiletries, sauces, chicken, beef, eggs, freshly made noodles, fruits of all colors, freshly made cheese or queso fresco…you name it, they probably had it. We went and bought a few pieces of chicken breast meat, then went to another stand to buy what is known as aji (a-hee), a sauce made from peppers, but also can be made from other ingredients. This delicious and ubiquitous sauce can be served with rice, meat, potatoes, etc. That day, Mamacita made a sauce with queso fresco, aji, cream, salt, pepper and crackers (yes, crackers!) for a type of Peruvian potatoes called camanotes. Served with boiled camanotes and a hard boiled egg, it definitely made for a great meal. We also had boiled yuca, which is like sweet potato, as well as chicken marinated in another type of pepper-based sauce with pepper. Yum…and veggies on the side. Delicious! My first meal in Lima was definitely a great one, especially since I had been traveling in D.C. and eating out.