| I have been in Peru for a week now. Things are finally normalizing, as normal as they could be living in a developing country. Everyday has been unique in its activities, so I can't really say how a normal day would go. My first two full days were spent in Lima. Saw the grandparents twice. That might have been the first time I was with them on my own, talking to them like adults. It felt very different than before. Polvos Azules DVD section=magical frugality. We bought about 8 different new movies and Seasons 1 of Dexter and Arrested Development. The bus ride up to Ayacucho was a little tough. La alturra me choke. The first few days were also very tiring: trying to wrap my head around so much Spanish without even my normal doses of oxygen. My dad introduced me to Angela and her daughter Lin almost right away, and we spent a lot of time with them this past week, but honestly, I've been dying just to spend some time alone. I really thought I would have a lot of time to myself being here, which I REALLY was looking forward to, by so far, I found I haven't done as much for myself as I had hoped. It's because I keep telling myself, Amanda, live here, now, visit with these people, go out, because once you start wanting to, the opportunity won't be there. So I go out. It's future Amanda looking back in retrospect telling present Amanda what she'll regret. But it's been fine, I would probably stay up later reading and practicing french if it weren't for the fact that I feel so god damn tired all the time. But alas... Tonight my dad and I watched Persepolis, which I knew was going to be good, but didn't know the plot quite well because I couldn't pick it out exactly from the previews. My dad loved it. That always makes me feel good, because he does have such particular taste, and I respect his taste a lot. But the older I get, the more it seems what I like naturally coincides with what he likes. Anyway, the movie was about a girl growing up in Iran during the wars with Iraq. There is so much history in it I don't know, so I'll have to watch it again, more carefully. Right now, I'm looking up the history of Iran. Thank god for internet, I swear. It's the ultimate matta-burro. Anyway, my search led me all the way back to Zarathustra, who I swear sounded so familiar. Anyway, I want to learn more about his philosophy and "morality." Another name I feel like I should remember is Bernard Lewis. I'm so bad with names, I really need to make a special effort to remember them. Anyway, he's a professor at Princeton and considered one of today's best American experts on the Middle East and Islam. I feel like in my search for knowledge of Islam I'll come across his name again. A couple other names worth jotting down are Dora and Karen-mother and daughter from Paulito's shoot. Alex's daughter is named Rosa-Maria. Marcos and Vladamir are the two males who hit on me today during Paulito's shoot. That's another thing, it seems no matter where I go, from here on out, Cine might be part of my life for ever, or at least it seems that way right now. My dad has a friend, Paulito, who is a film maker. He's filming a movie on an Ayacuchan urban legend que se llama Harhatcha. It's basically the creature/monster that is created through incentuous relations. My dad plays some American tourist/professor who ends up marry one of the main actresses in the end. Anyway, it's pretty cool to see all the Ayacuchanos reacting to the process of film-making. And the informality of it all here is a stark contrast to HOLLYWOOD! All the peruvians think I'm the actress because I'm so fair, but I just laugh, and say no, and give them a look like, why are you looking at me like I'm so different. We also have watched I'm Not There which ended up segwaying into No Direction Home by Scorcese. Bob Dylan.....wowsa! I also saw "There will be blood" which I thoroughly enjoyed, but I still am glad "No country for old men" walked away with the oscar. Crazy smart Cohen Brothers. Anyway, my eyes are wanting to shut, so I think I'll give in. Nighty Night! |
