Hi, I'm from Peru

[athena_ny 1]

Athena (by the way, is that your real name???), I think you told me in the past that you are from Albany, Sil went to the U.of Albany he promised that he will take me there sometime, I think that he has a few friends that still living there.

About $$$, yeah, you know how expensive NYC could be, at first we thougt about moving to Manhattan but after Sil checked the prices we decided to stay away, a Studio could go for $1800!!! can you believe that ?????????????????? I have a friend that lives in the Upeer East Side and she pays for a 2 BDR apartment $5800 a month, that's ridiculous.

People definitely earn less money in Peru than here, when I mention salaries of $60,000 a year the get very surprised what they don't know is how much Uncle Sam gets from it. Over there we never mention how much we make a year but how much we make a month and usually we get pay once a month.

In our last trip we visited a cousin that just got married and bought a nice apartment in San Borja (are we talking about the same couple??) they live in a 2 BDR with a small patio where they can have BBQ's, a nice kitchen, big living living room and dining room, family room and a small room for the maid, they paid $65,000 for it and we Sil heard that he wanted to move to Lima. Something like that heere will be around $450,000 according to Sil.

Another thing that I don't see here are the girls that help around the house or as we say in Peru "empleadas" or maids, here a girl will charge about $80 a day to clean the apartment. In Peru I was ussed to have a maid but here? forget it!!! so I have to do everything with a very little help from hubby but I don't mind I love to clean my house. I try to cook peruvian food almost everyday and Sil loves it, I'm very lucky, he says that he is "peruano" and of course loves the Pisco Sour and Chicha morada .

I think the american society is more materialistic and in Peru we are more family oriented, that's one of the things that Sil loves about my culture. I miss the big family reunions , the parties (you are so right, in our last trip, all my aunts and uncles invited us to their houses for special dinners it was a little too overwhelming). He is italian so every celebration goes around the food, in Peru is the alcohol!!!! and we love it!!!!!!!!!!!! hahahaha. Oh before I forget, I miss the campings in the beach too.

Time to go!

good night again

Vi

Mirko tells me I am Peruvian

Oh, I went to school right down the road from SUNY Albany - at the College of Saint Rose. Sil probably knows where it is.

I need to learn how to cook more Peruvian things ... I know a few things but when my MIL leaves I know he will want Peruvian food more than I cook it now I know how to make ceviche and parihuela, the only thing I don't always like about Peruvian food is there's a lot of meat, and I don't eat too much meat. But I just make it for him and eat some vegetables

I think you're lucky that Sil likes Peruvian food and Angela is lucky her fiance does and yes, Mirko is lucky to have me his cousin who lives not far from here (we're not close to her for a lot of reasons, but we see her sometimes) tells us that her husband who is from Alabama, very southern and very country refuses to eat a lot of Peruvian food. He's like "I don't like rice, don't make that" and "I don't like this, don't make that" - how can you be that way when you have your food in the door to one of the best cuisines in the world?

[Martin11581 0]

Hey peruanos!

Today is my big day!! Wifey is due to the Airport in Newark by 11pm tonight! I am nervous, can barely work :'(

She is supposed to go through inmmigration in Miami at 1pm.. i am sweating like crazy!!!!

[DaniDimo 0]

Hey peruanos!

Today is my big day!! Wifey is due to the Airport in Newark by 11pm tonight! I am nervous, can barely work :'(

She is supposed to go through inmmigration in Miami at 1pm.. i am sweating like crazy!!!!

Dont worry Martin, everything is going to be ok, just relax and dont forget us. You can still come here on VJ and tell us news that are happening in your new chapter of your life.

Dani

[James&Angela 0]

Hi guys!!!

Its very nice to see that Vi and Athena started a nice "conversation" here, and I would like to share or comment some things

Vi, yes, you re right, if I have my documents in order and I know to speak english maybe is easier for me to have job opportunities there. As I told to Athena in another post, its possible I wont get a job as attorney at the beggining cause I know its necessary to get the BAR Examination in Oregon, and Im sure I will study very hardly for getting it soon. But its possible that I can do some related things, work with kids -that I love- or help latin people in Salem OR, well, its lots of possibilities, right?

Then, I see that your husband loves peruvian traditions and food! thats wonderful!!! James also loves that, he was fascinated with different things in Lima but he said also that there are some things that he would not like never, for instance the disorder in traffic -well, the Caos!-, or the cosmopolitan side that means "lots of people!!!!". He is very quiet and comes from a quiet city, so he prefers to be with family or close friends, not more than that.

I also know for my fiancee that there is so expensive to hire a girl for cleaning or doing housekeeping, as we say "empleadas" here. For that reason Im conscious that my love and me will do our laundry and different kind of things in our home, of course I will cook normally peruvian food -thanks to my mother!!!! - thanks God James loves it. When he was here last january, he loved my mothers food cause he ate at home several times, so that means he will love also mine!

And you re right when you say that here in Peru we earn less money than in USA and for that reason the price of the apartments and houses are absolutely different than there. I know also that life there is expensive, and taxes are high, so the money is "invested" on living comfortable but paying taxes like "crazy" Well at least now here people can buy a very small apartment through a mortgage with local banks, I remember that some years ago that was very difficult. Now the possibility of a loan with mortgage is very high even for people that earn few few money, cause the government has introduced a plan for building very cheap apartments on a program called "Mi Vivienda"... But if you would see that apartments you would be impressed how small they re... 70 meters or less some times...

Athena! Well when I said that my baby would try to sow a lucuma tree in our yard was more a joke than true... But James has a common phrase in his life: "I will try", so Im pretty sure that when he will come here for picking me up and living in USA, he will get some lucumas seeds and he will try to sow them... Whats goind to happen? We dont know, but my husband will try (I love you baby!)

I cant believe that your friends husband doesnt like peruvian food!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How is that????? If our food is delicious, as you said is one of the best in the world, and not only peruvians says that, the most of foreign people that come here loves peruvian cuisine and the international cheffs respect so much our traditions ... Well, if you need some recipes about peruvian food dont worry, only ask!!!!

Finally I agree with Vi when says that here people are more family oriented and not so much materialistic, but Athena says that here people dont buy what they dont need????? Well not in all cases dear friend, not in all cases... There are reasonable people like your family in law, that buy the stuff they can afford, and thats the best. But we as country re living now an important economic growth so that means Banks love to loan money to people that feels that can pay all that they can with the credit cards... But at the end, they realize that they re full of debts and its late for regret

Its cool to talk to you, girls! I hope that this conversation keeps alive here... Kisses to all of you...

Angela

[Vi Mazzella 4]

Hi Everybody!!

Athena, yes Sil knows the exact location of your school, he lived there for two years. You know how to make ceviche??? , to be honest I never try to make it, I prefer to go to a peruvian restaurant.

What about Mirko? does he like soccer?? It's so funny, when I met Sil he didn't know anything about soccer but know he is worst than a peruvian (right now he is watching on tv argentinian soccer) he watches soccer all the freaking time, on the weekends we have soccer for breakfast, lunch and dinner, he doesn't even watch baseball anymore!!!

Angela is great that you know how to cook and if it's peruvian food even better, I agree with you when you say that our food is delicious, I was a tour guide in Peru and always brought my tourists to try our food and they always fell in love with it. Before I moved here my mom gave me the book "Que cocinare Hoy??? by Nicolini, and you have no idea of how much it helped me.

You live in San Miguel right? I'm familiar with that area, specially with el club del BCR, right next to IPAE, my dad works in the BCR and I spent all my childhood there.

It's very funny but the first time I went back to Peru after moving here I felt a little weird, the traffic drove me crazy, the noise in the streets and the insecurity. I love Lima but I have to say that I feel so much safe here. Here you see people with their lap tops in the train or their listening music on their Ipods walking in the streets, you can't do that in Lima, here people they respect you and you don't have to hide anything.

Martin, Congratulations!!! your wifey is finally coming home!!!!!!!!!!! .

Guys I gotta go, tomorrow is friday I need to relax!

Take care

Vi

[athena_ny 1]

Hi guys!!!

Its very nice to see that Vi and Athena started a nice "conversation" here, and I would like to share or comment some things

Vi, yes, you re right, if I have my documents in order and I know to speak english maybe is easier for me to have job opportunities there. As I told to Athena in another post, its possible I wont get a job as attorney at the beggining cause I know its necessary to get the BAR Examination in Oregon, and Im sure I will study very hardly for getting it soon. But its possible that I can do some related things, work with kids -that I love- or help latin people in Salem OR, well, its lots of possibilities, right?

Then, I see that your husband loves peruvian traditions and food! thats wonderful!!! James also loves that, he was fascinated with different things in Lima but he said also that there are some things that he would not like never, for instance the disorder in traffic -well, the Caos!-, or the cosmopolitan side that means "lots of people!!!!". He is very quiet and comes from a quiet city, so he prefers to be with family or close friends, not more than that.

I also know for my fiancee that there is so expensive to hire a girl for cleaning or doing housekeeping, as we say "empleadas" here. For that reason Im conscious that my love and me will do our laundry and different kind of things in our home, of course I will cook normally peruvian food -thanks to my mother!!!! - thanks God James loves it. When he was here last january, he loved my mothers food cause he ate at home several times, so that means he will love also mine!

And you re right when you say that here in Peru we earn less money than in USA and for that reason the price of the apartments and houses are absolutely different than there. I know also that life there is expensive, and taxes are high, so the money is "invested" on living comfortable but paying taxes like "crazy" Well at least now here people can buy a very small apartment through a mortgage with local banks, I remember that some years ago that was very difficult. Now the possibility of a loan with mortgage is very high even for people that earn few few money, cause the government has introduced a plan for building very cheap apartments on a program called "Mi Vivienda"... But if you would see that apartments you would be impressed how small they re... 70 meters or less some times...

Athena! Well when I said that my baby would try to sow a lucuma tree in our yard was more a joke than true... But James has a common phrase in his life: "I will try", so Im pretty sure that when he will come here for picking me up and living in USA, he will get some lucumas seeds and he will try to sow them... Whats goind to happen? We dont know, but my husband will try (I love you baby!)

I cant believe that your friends husband doesnt like peruvian food!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How is that????? If our food is delicious, as you said is one of the best in the world, and not only peruvians says that, the most of foreign people that come here loves peruvian cuisine and the international cheffs respect so much our traditions ... Well, if you need some recipes about peruvian food dont worry, only ask!!!!

Finally I agree with Vi when says that here people are more family oriented and not so much materialistic, but Athena says that here people dont buy what they dont need????? Well not in all cases dear friend, not in all cases... There are reasonable people like your family in law, that buy the stuff they can afford, and thats the best. But we as country re living now an important economic growth so that means Banks love to loan money to people that feels that can pay all that they can with the credit cards... But at the end, they realize that they re full of debts and its late for regret

Its cool to talk to you, girls! I hope that this conversation keeps alive here... Kisses to all of you...

Angela

I meant in the US we buy things we don't really need a lot of the time. I look around my house and I have so much ####### I don't need/don't use. Not in Peru but in the US. I was really referring to more buying things we can't afford and how everything is bought on credit.

[athena_ny 1]

Hi Everybody!!

Athena, yes Sil knows the exact location of your school, he lived there for two years. You know how to make ceviche??? , to be honest I never try to make it, I prefer to go to a peruvian restaurant.

What about Mirko? does he like soccer?? It's so funny, when I met Sil he didn't know anything about soccer but know he is worst than a peruvian (right now he is watching on tv argentinian soccer) he watches soccer all the freaking time, on the weekends we have soccer for breakfast, lunch and dinner, he doesn't even watch baseball anymore!!!

Angela is great that you know how to cook and if it's peruvian food even better, I agree with you when you say that our food is delicious, I was a tour guide in Peru and always brought my tourists to try our food and they always fell in love with it. Before I moved here my mom gave me the book "Que cocinare Hoy??? by Nicolini, and you have no idea of how much it helped me.

You live in San Miguel right? I'm familiar with that area, specially with el club del BCR, right next to IPAE, my dad works in the BCR and I spent all my childhood there.

It's very funny but the first time I went back to Peru after moving here I felt a little weird, the traffic drove me crazy, the noise in the streets and the insecurity. I love Lima but I have to say that I feel so much safe here. Here you see people with their lap tops in the train or their listening music on their Ipods walking in the streets, you can't do that in Lima, here people they respect you and you don't have to hide anything.

Martin, Congratulations!!! your wifey is finally coming home!!!!!!!!!!! .

Guys I gotta go, tomorrow is friday I need to relax!

Take care

Vi

I make ceviche. We used to just go to this good Peruvian restaurant, but they closed for some reason and the other one doesn't even put cilantro in it! There is a new restaurant we should try called Ceviche Fresco that has Peruvian ceviche but our friends say it's like 11.00 for a very small plate so I'd rather make it. My MIL taught me how to make it ... I'm trying to learn how to make other things, I bought a cookbook with recipes from all over Peru ... I want to learn how to make aji de gallina (one of my favorites).

I personally don't like soccer a whole lot, but Mirko LOVES it. He used to play all the time and went to see a game when we were in Cusco ... he plays sometimes here, he has some Peruvian friends and other South American/Caribbean friends. When we were on our way to see his uncle, a soccer game had just ended and people were pouring out of the stadium, all in the streets and the police were everywhere; it was unlike anything I had ever seen. I think in the US some people like baseball, some football, some basketball, but it always seems like EVERYONE in Peru likes soccer at least a little. Some people were acting a little crazy haha

I remember his sisters telling me in cabs to hide my purse, and I know there have been times I've grabbed my wallet and left my purse with my ipod in it or other stuff in the car (locked) and not really thought about it ... and Mirko kept saying "hold your purse hold your purse" not all the time but in some of the worse neighborhoods.

the only time I was actually kind of scared though was in Barranco because guys kept grabbing me and asking me where I was from; his sisters warned me of the bicheros (this is what they called them?) who like gringas but it was just weird to me; and one time in Miraflores some crazy old man grabbed my ####### ... Mirko and his brother were ready to go after him but he was kind of crazy talking to himself so they did not - but guys here in America will do that sometimes too, I've just been mostly lucky in the US. Mirko says people tried to grab me in Peru because I'm so white it was the first thing they saw but I don't believe it (I'm just super pale, even people here in the US make fun of me; pale and blonde) - anyway, in Barranco I told his sister Nelly that I have my wedding ring on if anyone bothers me ... she's like "yes, but you wear it on the american (left) hand - here that means you're separated!"

Eek, I don't mean for this to be so long - I just miss Peru and like talking about it Mirko says I was so happy in Peru it is like I should have been born there

PS I have a question for you guys - one of my sister in laws said that because I married Mirko they think there's a way for me to at least be like a resident of Peru but she said she thinks it is a citizen - do you know if you have to live there like you do here for that or what can I do because I married a Peruvian citizen? She tried explaining it to me but while I can speak Spanish, when it gets into technical stuff, I have a hard time. Someday we do want to live there at least half the year, not right now, but it never hurts to know

[Martin11581 0]

SHE IS FINALLY HOME, WOOOOHOOOO!!!!

I will still keep coming here as VJ!

Hey one question, now that she has arrived. I know i have to take her to get her SSN. But what steps do i now take to remove her conditional status on her green card?

[athena_ny 1]

SHE IS FINALLY HOME, WOOOOHOOOO!!!!

I will still keep coming here as VJ!

Hey one question, now that she has arrived. I know i have to take her to get her SSN. But what steps do i now take to remove her conditional status on her green card?

You do that 90 days before the expiry date on her green card ... and the guide for it is pretty good

Congratulations!

[FaSa2008 0]

we are from Peru!!!!

Viva el Peru carajooooooooo

Hola everybody

I'm not new here but I'd like to find more VJs from Peru I know some but maybe there're new or any others that I havent talk to yet .... Yeah missing Peru

I hope hear about them

[Martin11581 0]

SO WHERE IN PERU IS EVERYONE FROM? My wife is from CHEPEN, a town in LA LIBERTAD between TRUJILLO AND CHICLAYO and I am American-peruvian, Made in Peru, born in the USA :-) My mother is from PISCO, a town north of ICA

[James&Angela 0]

Hello!!!!

Well dear Athena I think that we had a bit missunderstanding when we talked about things that people buy and dont need here and in USA, some times I think my english is a mess!!!!!

Vi, I have been also on BCR club some times! My house is five minutes from there so yes of course I know where it is. And about knowing how to cook dont believe Im an expert but I have learned some good recipes, you know, my family is very traditional and even if Im a "professional woman" my mom always thinks that a "complete woman" needs to know everything about housekeeping (somethings I think they re like the most latin people, very "machistas lol) so I had to learn Of course I have also my recipes book eh!! Cause I would love to learn to prepare more dishes...

I can imagine how you felt when you came back to Peru the first time, cause the life styles are very different between here and there and yes, as you say, we love Lima cause but its very insecure in some places and we need to take care of our purses, bags, jewelery, etc. When my fiancee was here he stayed on an apartment in San Isidro, so that area is very safe, with lots of secutiry guards around. But of course we decided to visit another places, for instance the Main Square on Lima Center, so in that moment I had to warn him about his cam and glasses, and that stuff. Then he realized that I was right, it was very insecure there, something that for instance did not happen in Mancora, where we travelled. Its an small town but is safe, people walk along the main street without worries.

Oh, about soccer, its very nice that your hubbie now loves it! In my case, my baby is tipically american sports: american football (is that ok or its rugby?), basketball, bowling, but the most is the NASCAR races. He is a No. 01 fan of that races, and I want to learn about it cause here is not so common that sport and people not watch the races either on TV (peruvian people is fan of soccer!!!!!! ), so he promises to teach me about it. It was so funny when he was here on february was the Super Bowl final so we were watching that on latin TV and while he was enjoyin it, I was learning so much about it cause I had not idea! Now I can say i like that sport too

Well kisses to all of you, cause I have to continue working!!!!!

Angela

[James&Angela 0]

Only wanted to wish to Martin and his wife the best on their new life together in USA. Im from Lima but my mothers family is from an small coaster city close to Lima.

And yes FASA, Viva el Peru!!!

[athena_ny 1]

SO WHERE IN PERU IS EVERYONE FROM? My wife is from CHEPEN, a town in LA LIBERTAD between TRUJILLO AND CHICLAYO and I am American-peruvian, Made in Peru, born in the USA :-) My mother is from PISCO, a town north of ICA

Mirko is from Lima ... from San Borja but he lived all around the city for a while (even in Rimac, EEK! that was for a few years because it was very close to his high school). His father was born in Lima to an American-Peruvian mother (hee, funny how that comes around), and his mom in Trujillo.

[Vi Mazzella 4]

I'm cooking right, I'll be here late.

Martin, my family is from Chepen too!!!! how funny

SeeYa later guys

Vi