first impressions

- hearing Spanish on the plane and realizing we're going to be immersed soon
- emerging from customs late at night in the Lima airport to a mass of people waiting with signs for passengers
- seeing among the masses a man holding a sign that said "Karen Martin" -- a dream fulfilled! Relief that the reservation I made actually worked and that there was actually someone there to meet us.
- arriving at our tiny $15 hotel in a run-down neighborhood. The air in Lima was damp and smelled like fish.
- wondering why we were invited to sit and wait on a couch in the entry area of aforementioned tiny hotel room at 11:30 p.m. when we had to leave again at 5:00 a.m. David, specifically, was wondering if the whole thing was a scam and we were being kidnapped.
- being wide awake (temporarily) at 4:30 a.m. after an ice cold shower. When I made the reservation, I did think to ask if we had a private bathroom. I did not think to ask if the bathroom would have hot water. 
- flying into Arequipa and realizing we're not just here on vacation.
- feeling happy to be in Arequipa and not Lima -- more modern housing, lots of glass, plenty of sunshine, no humidity.
- seeing a familiar face at the Arequipa airport (Monica, sister-in-law of the clinic owner). Stopping at a cafe for a breakfast of fruit, yogurt, bread and fresh juice.
- meeting the office staff and seeing our new home/workplace for the first time.
- meeting the watchiman (pronounced "watchy-man") who strolls up and down the street ... watching out for things, keeping the street safe, randomly blowing his whistle every once in a while just to let you know he's there doing his job.