Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Three week marker

Is that all it's been? Three weeks? Really?

Sometimes life feels like "Yay life!" And you wish time would slow down more so that you can enjoy it; and sometimes (like now times) life feels like "oy vey...life" and you're sitting in front of a calendar wondering why three weeks feels a lot like 8 weeks.

I guess it's been a productive 3 weeks though...not in the I got a job sense, but in the sense that I suppose I actually haven't been too dormant since I arrived up north. In 3 weeks I've been to Canada, twice to Indiana to visit my brother, sister-in-law and new niece, once to a cooking class where I picked up a fantastic curry chicken salad recipe, out with some friends a few times; I had a jam session with a 2 piece band I may start playing with, and a great coffee time with 2 old bosses which (I hope) may turn out to be a job lead.

Oh, and I finally saw Avatar. Pop culture catch-up is always the hardest.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010

How Craigslist is changing my life...

Ok don't laugh at me, but I think I'm addicted to Craigslist.

If you don't happen to know what it is, Craigslist is like an online community classifieds section where you can find anything (in theory) from a job, to a car, to community events, to pets, and (if you're into that sort of thing) a date for Friday night. There are however, no guarantees that your date won't be a major creepster.

Anyway, what I love about craigslist is not only reading the section entitled "Free" which helps me to imagine what kind of possibilities there are for my future apartment which will in fact need to be furnished; but I also just like the fact that I feel like it's helping me to tackle this thing called "getting to know your hometown again."

For instance, the other day, I found an ad for a free Zumba class Tuesday night, so I called my friend Missy who is always up for some fun, and we headed over to the Balanced Fitness Studio where we experienced our first Butt-kicking (and shaking) hour of the workout that combines salsa, merengue, Cumbia and Reggaeton, and what turns out to be my arch nemesis- Samba. I'm never going to Brazil. The salsa, cumbia, and merengue I already knew some of the steps from Peru, but holy moly, Samba? Have you ever seen those exercise videos with Senior citizens, where they do just about as much as they can, but still are doing about 40% of what the instructor is? I'm pretty sure that's what we looked like.

I just don't have the leg muscles...or the booty shaking muscles.

Maybe there's a senior citizen samba class somewhere? I'll check craigslist.
Friday, April 16, 2010

Patience is a virtue...

...a virtue which I have not.




Apparently, not when it comes to things like jobs and making friends anyway.
I still haven't gotten any solid leads on a job.  BUT as my friend Patty reminded me the other night by chat, it has only been 8 days since I even left Peru.  Somehow time passed away and was reincarnated as a snail...or molasses. 

I left alot of really great friends in Peru, and so far (in these mere 8 days) it has been difficult to remember that making good friends takes time.  It took time in college, it took time in Peru, and it's looking like it will take time here in Denver as well. Shucks, I was hoping something about the friend-making process had changed in the last three years.

But, fortunately, I do have two very fantastic best friends that are here in Denver.  Best friends, that I have in fact known for 15 years.  I think that means I might be getting old.  The fact that I can say things like "15 years ago" and it doesn't put me diapers or preschool.  Ok ok, it puts me in 4th grade, but still.  Anyway, these girls are amazing, and I for one am very thankful that they are here in Denver.

I think I do this every time I move to a new location.  I flip out after an hour of being there because I haven't automatically made 10 new friends who I can hang out everyday with.  I think I am an instant gratification type person when it comes to adjusting to a new place/life.  I get all huffy when I don't feel settled right away.  Part of me thinks- I know I'm going to like it here, and I know I'm going to have friends, so why can't I just have them now?  Let's skip the whole waiting and getting to know you process.  Just be my friend already! 

What can I say?  I'm a little pragmatic at times.

Anyway, the hunt continues for the elusive job and friends.  My next tactical move for finding friends?  I signed up for a 3 hour cooking class Monday night.  Food and potential friends?

You betcha.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010

It was either this or counting sheep...

Ok show of hands- Do you ever have one of the those nights when you have been thinking about something and you just won't be able to fall asleep until you write it down or think it all the way through?

 (My hand is raised.)

I don't know why I can't sleep, but in hopes of helping me achieve that lofty goal, I am composing this blog post to share this idea that's been gnawing at me a bit tonight.

Is it possible to live a simple life in the US?

This question I suppose surfaced earlier this evening as I began to think about all the things I "needed" to get in order to start my life in the US.  Obviously, I need a job to be able to earn an income, but what about all the other stuff too?  I got a cellphone to help me look for that job; I will be needing a car to get to job interviews and then to an actual job; I will be needing car insurance to drive that car; I will be needing health insurance to pay for something that might happen if I wreck that car; I will be needing an apartment to go home to after I work at that job; Food to eat so that I have enough energy to go to work; and in the words of the great king of Siam "et cetera, et cetera, et cetera"

These are all needs in the US...well, as far as I can figure out, these are the basic needs to live a fairly middle class life.   That doesn't even include the luxuries of things like fully furnishing that apartment with appliances and other assorted things; computers; internet, television, (though some may consider those things necessities as well).

In Peru, I believe I lived a middle class lifestyle as well; but somehow it all seemed much easier to attain.  I didn't need a car because I did well with public transportation, Cellphones were affordable, and not completely necessary because a lot of communication is still *gasp* face to face. Housing is affordable, and health insurance, though helpful for the big stuff, wasn't necessary to receive treatment at an affordable cost. I didn't have a television, and food was the least of my concerns as you could eat a 2 course meal with drink for as low as 4 soles ($1.33).

Now that I'm back in the states, getting ready to take on the challenges of finding a job/car/insurance etc.  I'm finding myself feeling like one of the Lost Boys in Peter Pan- all of it just makes me want to stay young forever and never grow up.  Is it immature to flinch at the thought of getting sucked into all the paperwork and confusion of life in the states?  Don't get me wrong, I don't necessarily want to be living on the side of a mountain herding 25 goats while weaving my own clothes and making my own cheese, but what is the balance between that and being up to my eyeballs in paperwork and legal jargon?

Is there a balance for me?
Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Am I getting that old???

So today, I went with my dad to get a cellphone...my first step into truly admitting that I'm here in the US to stay...for awhile at least.

We went to AT&T to get signed up for a plan and get a phone.  Now, I don't necessarily consider myself a communications expert, but I don't necessarily think that I'm living in the dark ages as far as technology goes...at least I didn't think that until today.  As I was looking at the phones, I found myself getting a little overstimulated by all the touchscreens, keypads, music features, apps, etc.  So I decided just to relax, and let the worker point me to the simplest (and cheapest) phone available.

Well...she did point me to the cheapest phone.

What crazy advanced modern age did I just enter where a 14 dollar phone "simple" phone looks like THIS!

Call me old-fashioned, but goodness.  I can't figure out all that technology!  If this phone were in Peru, it would cost a heck of a lot more than 14 dollars!

Sigh...I'm not sure I'm cut out for the 21st century...
Monday, April 12, 2010

Traveling with the Magoos

Oh man, I am wiped out.  As of 5:30pm (MST) my life in Colorado began.  
This of course only began after making it from Lima, Peru to Toronto, Canada to Ft. Wayne, Indiana to Detroit, Michigan to Denver, Colorado. 

The travel was fine, but tiresome...and not just because I was traveling with my parents. And mom, I know you're reading this, so I'm just going to have to mention today's major travel highlights with you guys-Baggage Confusion, rental car confusion, security hold-ups...Sorry Mom, but it's the truth, and thus the reason for the blog title.

Anyway, things I think are starting to seem a little brighter for my future in the US.  I still don't know exactly where my place in this world is yet, but heck, there was a time when I didn't know where my place in Peru was either.  I've been reading alot lately about what some people refer to as "re-entry shock" or "reverse culture shock.

 In a nutshell, it's the feelings of shock that you experience after moving back to your homeland/state/etc. after being in a different culture or environment for awhile.  It's really interesting to read about...well, it is to me anyway, and actually it has been quite helpful for validating all the feelings I've had these past 5 days.  Anyway, one of the most helpful parts has been the suggestion to think about moving back as if you were beginning on another new cultural experience.  In other words, attack the United States as if it were a completely new country. 

So in my new country, I have learned that I have no idea how to work an HD television.  I'm quite bad at it actually.  Also, I get overwhelmed with all the food/drink options.  All I really want is chicha morada and lomo saltado. But I do appreciate the fact that I will be sleeping on an incredibly comfortable mattress tonight after a very tumultuous week.  Sweet Dreams!
Sunday, April 11, 2010

Babylandia

Day 4 of life up North (of the equator)...it's been...
Well, anyway.

My almost one-month old niece got baptized today. And this weekend has been full of conversations that go a little something like this.


"Who wants to Hold the baby?! Gillian! Do you want to hold the Baby??"
 

"Oh...um, no thanks, you're doing just fine holding the baby yourself"
 

"Oh come on! She's your niece....and a Baby! Of course you want to hold her!"
 

"No really, it's fine...I'm sure someone else wants to hold her"
 

"So you want to hold the baby?? Let me start walking over to you with the purpose of handing you a baby"
 

"No really, it's fine...oh umm...you're coming over to me now...errrr."

And then suddenly I find a very wobbly baby in my lap.

And then I am very much reminded of my natural aversion to babies.  I'm sorry.  Maybe you think I'm a terrible person, maybe you think I have no heart...maybe I don't, who knows, all I know is that I don't think I'm ever going to feel comfortable around tiny human beings. But I'm ok with that.

Anyway,  the point is, my niece was baptized and I'm sure was the world's cutest baptism baby, and there should be some photos coming up soon of all the awkward time with Aunt Gillian.  By the way, I will be back in Denver on Monday night.   No word about any of the jobs I've applied to yet, but here's hoping!
Thursday, April 8, 2010

My new leaf...



And thus begins my most recent change.  I, Gillian Dawn Baikie, am beginning my new chapter, turning over my new leaf, and cultural-shockedly entering life in the United States once more after three enchantingly fantastic years of living life as a Peruvian in Trujillo, Peru

So far, I know this much- I have been in North America for over 12 hours, and already feel like a) I want to go back immediately and b) I don't know if I can do this.  However, try I must, and try I shall.

This blog will be my adjustment journal, my most current life-chapter's chronicles of how surprisingly hard or easy it might be to move back to the States, back into my old house, find a job in my old profession, make new friends and get in touch with the old ones, and basically start all over again....just in time for my 25th birthday.

I make no promises about this blog, because I have no idea what sort of form it will even begin to take, but I will try to write often, try to write wittily, and try to keep the grammatical errors to a minimum

Well...what do you think? Shall we give it a go?