Well, just wanted to post a little about our Thanksgiving feast yesterday. It was definitely worth waiting for. After seeing patients yesterday morning, I had quite the appetite for dinner! There are some new pictures of the food...so delicious! We started our dinner with these appetizers that Matias helped make. It was cheese and ham wrapped in a wonton-type thing. We dipped them in fresh avocado/onion/tomato dip that I actually made....yes, that was the extent of my cooking yesterday but I'm learning!!! The combination of flavors was awesome. Then the main meal was ready and wow! We had turkey that was stuffed with ham and something??? topped with a mango salsa, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes with a spicy rocota sauce, fresh green bean casserole with homemade onions on top, stuffing, rolls, and green salad with avocados and tomatoes. Everything we ate was made fresh from scratch bought from the local market, even the salsa and other sauces. The turkey was pretty different but tasted great. I don't think its common to sell whole turkeys like we are used to in the states. The mashed potatoes were quite different too....a very yellow color and different consistency but still really good. For dessert, we had the traditional pumpkin and apple pies....so good! Tandy's cousin had just visited from the states and brought 3 cans of Libby's pure pumpkin so she made that pie with a shortbread cookie crust. The apple pie was actually bought from a place here called Cafe au Lait and it was amazing. I guess you could say we were stuffed last night and didn't do much of anything for a few hours after as our food comas set in!
Today has been a good day. We finished watching all of the Harry Potter movies so that we can go to the new theater in town and see the newest one. It’s very popular here so we were hopefully going to take Matias to see it. Mafe was supposed to have the baby again today but the nurse couldn't come to the house. That is a huge difference here....you really are on Peruvian time no matter how important what you have planned is. But, everything happens for a reason and there must be one that keeps getting in the way of her induction. Maybe she will have it naturally after all!
Well, tomorrow starts another week...our third full week here. I can't believe we've almost been here a whole month and already experienced a holiday without being surrounded by family and friends. We truly missed spending time with everyone back in the states and know that it would have been so much fun. But we also had a blast here experiencing some new traditions with an awesome group of new people!
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
Well, I know it’s a couple days late, but today is our Thanksgiving celebration so I wanted to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving! I hope the turkey, stuffing and pies were good. I'm not really sure what our meal is going to entail but based on the food here so far, I don't think we'll be complaining. We are celebrating with Eric, Mafe and Matias, Tandy (another American Chiro practicing here) and Andrew (an American Chiro practicing in Tacna--5 hrs away), so this should be fun! On Thanksgiving night here, I worked until about 8 so Vince and I went out for a nice meal together to celebrate. We went to a place called Zig Zag...voted the #1 restaurant in Arequipa! It definitely was worth it. Vince ordered ostrich with mashed potatoes and I ordered alpaca with creamed quinoa. Before the meals came out, they brought us these big bibs for us to wear. We were a little confused as to why and felt a little funny wearing a bib. But once the meals were brought to the table, we understood why! The meats had been cooked on stone tablets and were still sizzling on the stones at the table. If it hadn't been for the bibs, we would have been covered in grease! Let's just say that we both were pleasantly surprised with each meal. Ostrich and alpaca meat are one of the best types of meat we have ever tasted! They are both served medium...very tender with small differences in taste between the two. Let's just say that we definitely gorged ourselves on Thanksgiving....just not with turkey!
Other than that outing, this week we watched our first soccer game here. Matias' school team had their last game on Monday so we joined Mafe to watch it. Was it different than what we are used to!!! I won't even go into it because I'm sure Vince can analyze it much better than I so I'll leave that to him whenever he gets around to posting. But it was funny and quite an interesting experience to say the least. We have some video that we'll try to post here that was pretty hilarious!
The house has been a pretty busy place this week as well. Mafe is due with her second child any minute now so she and Eric have been working to get the nursery ready. She was going to be induced yesterday but it just didn't work out so the big day is now tomorrow! We are hoping for a smooth labor and delivery and a very healthy little boy.
Well, work is almost done for me today. I had a couple of breaks in between patients where I was able to write. Work has been good this week, picking up a few new patients each day and having success with the old. I feel like I am getting better with each adjustment I make which is an exciting feeling. Vince finally got a win out of Arsenal this morning....it was a rough week for them losing 2 matches. Let's just say he wasn't in the best of moods this week..haha! He vowed to never watch them again, took the Arsenal flag that he brought down here down from the wall of our bedroom, and stuffed it and his Arsenal Christmas stocking away in a deep pocket of his luggage....we all know his anger towards Arsenal won't last past today but it’s pretty comical to me who gets to witness it :)~
Anyways, we both miss everyone a lot and LOVE hearing from you all. Keep the emails coming because it’s something we both look forward to each day. Being so far from home, even an email saying how boring Omaha is makes us feel a little closer! Oh, and Vince wanted to make sure our address was on here...just in case anyone wanted to send him some pumpkin covered pretzels...haha...or anything else American (I was craving strawberry pop-tarts, which I never even eat, and he was craving tootsie rolls....so weird!)
So here it is: 412 Av. Salaverry, Vallecito
Vallecito, Arequipa, Peru
Have a great weekend and enjoy time with family. Miss you all!!!
Other than that outing, this week we watched our first soccer game here. Matias' school team had their last game on Monday so we joined Mafe to watch it. Was it different than what we are used to!!! I won't even go into it because I'm sure Vince can analyze it much better than I so I'll leave that to him whenever he gets around to posting. But it was funny and quite an interesting experience to say the least. We have some video that we'll try to post here that was pretty hilarious!
The house has been a pretty busy place this week as well. Mafe is due with her second child any minute now so she and Eric have been working to get the nursery ready. She was going to be induced yesterday but it just didn't work out so the big day is now tomorrow! We are hoping for a smooth labor and delivery and a very healthy little boy.
Well, work is almost done for me today. I had a couple of breaks in between patients where I was able to write. Work has been good this week, picking up a few new patients each day and having success with the old. I feel like I am getting better with each adjustment I make which is an exciting feeling. Vince finally got a win out of Arsenal this morning....it was a rough week for them losing 2 matches. Let's just say he wasn't in the best of moods this week..haha! He vowed to never watch them again, took the Arsenal flag that he brought down here down from the wall of our bedroom, and stuffed it and his Arsenal Christmas stocking away in a deep pocket of his luggage....we all know his anger towards Arsenal won't last past today but it’s pretty comical to me who gets to witness it :)~
Anyways, we both miss everyone a lot and LOVE hearing from you all. Keep the emails coming because it’s something we both look forward to each day. Being so far from home, even an email saying how boring Omaha is makes us feel a little closer! Oh, and Vince wanted to make sure our address was on here...just in case anyone wanted to send him some pumpkin covered pretzels...haha...or anything else American (I was craving strawberry pop-tarts, which I never even eat, and he was craving tootsie rolls....so weird!)
So here it is: 412 Av. Salaverry, Vallecito
Vallecito, Arequipa, Peru
Have a great weekend and enjoy time with family. Miss you all!!!
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Yo no se...
Well its the weekend and we are happy for some time to relax. Yesterday we ventured out on the town in our first taxi ride without anyone with us to translate! We successfully made it to the Plaza Real...which is their version of a mall. Vince did most of the talking...basically saying "Plaza Real por favor!" and somehow they knew exactly what we meant...he's getting good :)~ We went looking for a dresser/drawers of some sorts because at the moment, we are living out of our luggage. But we ended up buying 2 more pillows, cheese, and 2 pairs of shoes that were too good of a deal to pass up! All in all, it was a good shopping trip. We also tried there version of gelato, which is not quite like in the states, and chinese food from the food court, which was exactly like in the states--always smelling way better than it actually tastes! Anyways, after the long day we were happy to find another cab that understood us enough to take us back home...I really think we're getting the hang of this whole place!
Luckily, we start Spanish lessons Monday. We found someone here that will come to the house 3 days a week and teach us for 15 Soles and hour...basically for 5 dollars. Its a steal for both of us and we're thankful. I hope it works and we can learn fast because then I will feel much more comfortable!
Today was a very busy day in the office. Dr. Eric did a health talk to a bunch of new patients at 9. Its interesting because even with him speaking Spanish, I understood exactly what he was communicating to the patients. It was a neat experience. Then once all their x-rays were explained to them one by one, they were escorted into my room where I adjusted them all. I was packed from 10 until 1 when we closed! it was a busy morning. While that was going on, Vince was watching the Arsenal-Tottenham soccer game. He wasn't very happy after the loss so lunch was interesting. He cooled off enough to eat 2 plates of spaghetti though! After that, us girls were off to the spa for a day of relaxation. Mafe, Dr. Eric's wife, Tandy, another American chiropractor in town, and I went for pedicures, manicures, and massages. It is so cheap down here that you just can't pass it up!
After the spa, we met up with the boys--Dr. Eric, Vince, and Matias, Mafe's son, for some dinner downtown at this place called Capricio's. We planned on dessert but after drinking this strawberry drink...YUM!...and eating a mozarella de pollo sandwich, we couldn't stomach it. But plans were made to go back for the chocolate cake!
Tonight we are just hanging out....we plan on watching the Nebraska game online if it streams well enough.
Hope all is well in the states!
Andrea & Vince
Luckily, we start Spanish lessons Monday. We found someone here that will come to the house 3 days a week and teach us for 15 Soles and hour...basically for 5 dollars. Its a steal for both of us and we're thankful. I hope it works and we can learn fast because then I will feel much more comfortable!
Today was a very busy day in the office. Dr. Eric did a health talk to a bunch of new patients at 9. Its interesting because even with him speaking Spanish, I understood exactly what he was communicating to the patients. It was a neat experience. Then once all their x-rays were explained to them one by one, they were escorted into my room where I adjusted them all. I was packed from 10 until 1 when we closed! it was a busy morning. While that was going on, Vince was watching the Arsenal-Tottenham soccer game. He wasn't very happy after the loss so lunch was interesting. He cooled off enough to eat 2 plates of spaghetti though! After that, us girls were off to the spa for a day of relaxation. Mafe, Dr. Eric's wife, Tandy, another American chiropractor in town, and I went for pedicures, manicures, and massages. It is so cheap down here that you just can't pass it up!
After the spa, we met up with the boys--Dr. Eric, Vince, and Matias, Mafe's son, for some dinner downtown at this place called Capricio's. We planned on dessert but after drinking this strawberry drink...YUM!...and eating a mozarella de pollo sandwich, we couldn't stomach it. But plans were made to go back for the chocolate cake!
Tonight we are just hanging out....we plan on watching the Nebraska game online if it streams well enough.
Hope all is well in the states!
Andrea & Vince
Thursday, November 18, 2010
One week in....
Well, we have been gone from the U.S. exactly one week. We arrived in Arequipa, Peru last Friday morning and have been acclimating well. We left Omaha around noon on Thursday, stopped in Chicago with enough time to run to our next gate and board our flight to Miami. There we had about a 6 hour layover which gave us time navigate through the Miami airport...(its huge!)...to check in for our next flight, grab some food, and hang out in the "first class" lounge since we scored some cheap first class tickets from Miami to Lima. Neither Vince or I had ever actually flown first class so we were pleasantly surprised by all the extra bells & whistles! The flight went smoothly and in Lima, we caught our final flight to Arequipa and arrived here around 11:00 a.m. Friday morning. We were greeted by the family who is so generous to let us live with them. Dr. Eric Schade (my boss) and his wife, Mafe Schade, helped us load our luggage into a taxi and we were off. Friday was such a blur since we were running low on energy but we managed to move into the "maid's quarters" off the main house/clinic. The house is super-cute...big and typical for South American living. It sits behind 10-12 foot walls on all sides of the yard with traditional architecture. Vince and I have settled into our room and unpacked for the most part.
I started my first week of work on Monday. Dr. Eric basically asked that morning....are you ready? I said yes, and that was it...out walked Dr. Eric and in walked my first patient. I am lucky to have a translator. She is a very nice and sweet Peruvian girl, 22 years old, who loves languages. She doesn't know much about chiropractic but I'm teaching her day by day, patient by patient. I have a few American patients and she likes to listen even to those appointments because it helps her explain things to the Peruvian people. Dr. Eric said that I would encounter here what most chiropractors encounter in 10-15 years of practice in the states. He was right...the people here come to chiropractors after going to many different doctors and specialists that have no idea what is wrong with them. We are their last resort more often than not....which is a lot to handle but also awesome when we start seeing results. The patients are so grateful and excited to be adjusted/treated by a chiropractor. After being passed around from one doctor to the next, sometimes the fact that Dr. Eric and I just listen to them and actually hear what they are suffering from has such a positive effect for them that treating them is easy.
I work from 8-12 a.m. Monday through Friday and 10-1 on Saturdays so Vince and I have the whole afternoon and evening to explore the city, relax, and hang out with each other. We usually have a big lunch, as its the main meal of the day here, with Mafe and Eric. The food is amazing here so we definitely aren't going hungry! Then we either lay down for a siesta or hit the streets walking...most afternoons to the Plaza which is the center of town. It is soooooo beautiful. You really would never find anything like it in the states. We've found a few coffee shops that we like, a market that we've visited almost every day to get cookies, yogurt drinks, and various things we've discovered we forgot. Last night we were lucky to join Dr. Eric at his favorite coffee shop that we would have never found without him! It was tucked behind huge wooden doors and up a set of stone stairs. Its pretty much indescribable. Vince says it looks like its straight out of the Lord of the Rings....Minas Tirith?!?! I've never seen it so I describe it as the inside of the convent on the Sound of Music...lol! Either way, its our new favorite hangout. Its actually run by a French man and his Peruvian wife so its a little escape from the bustle of the city.
Well, we hope you enjoy all of our experiences through the blog, our emails, and Facebook. We miss all of you but are having a great time so far!
Ciao!
Andrea & Vince
I started my first week of work on Monday. Dr. Eric basically asked that morning....are you ready? I said yes, and that was it...out walked Dr. Eric and in walked my first patient. I am lucky to have a translator. She is a very nice and sweet Peruvian girl, 22 years old, who loves languages. She doesn't know much about chiropractic but I'm teaching her day by day, patient by patient. I have a few American patients and she likes to listen even to those appointments because it helps her explain things to the Peruvian people. Dr. Eric said that I would encounter here what most chiropractors encounter in 10-15 years of practice in the states. He was right...the people here come to chiropractors after going to many different doctors and specialists that have no idea what is wrong with them. We are their last resort more often than not....which is a lot to handle but also awesome when we start seeing results. The patients are so grateful and excited to be adjusted/treated by a chiropractor. After being passed around from one doctor to the next, sometimes the fact that Dr. Eric and I just listen to them and actually hear what they are suffering from has such a positive effect for them that treating them is easy.
I work from 8-12 a.m. Monday through Friday and 10-1 on Saturdays so Vince and I have the whole afternoon and evening to explore the city, relax, and hang out with each other. We usually have a big lunch, as its the main meal of the day here, with Mafe and Eric. The food is amazing here so we definitely aren't going hungry! Then we either lay down for a siesta or hit the streets walking...most afternoons to the Plaza which is the center of town. It is soooooo beautiful. You really would never find anything like it in the states. We've found a few coffee shops that we like, a market that we've visited almost every day to get cookies, yogurt drinks, and various things we've discovered we forgot. Last night we were lucky to join Dr. Eric at his favorite coffee shop that we would have never found without him! It was tucked behind huge wooden doors and up a set of stone stairs. Its pretty much indescribable. Vince says it looks like its straight out of the Lord of the Rings....Minas Tirith?!?! I've never seen it so I describe it as the inside of the convent on the Sound of Music...lol! Either way, its our new favorite hangout. Its actually run by a French man and his Peruvian wife so its a little escape from the bustle of the city.
Well, we hope you enjoy all of our experiences through the blog, our emails, and Facebook. We miss all of you but are having a great time so far!
Ciao!
Andrea & Vince
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