Last week was the week of fiestas, (4 birthday parties in 5 days!) so I have my work cut out for me…here we go:

·         “La Hora Peruana” is a common thing here that you hear from the Peruvians themselves…it means that things will start approximately one hour later than is said. For example, if the meeting/event starts at “3pm” it really won’t get started until at least 3:30 but more likely closer to 4. One of the only exceptions I have seen so far is with fiestas, or parties. People like their parties here, and they show up on time.

·         It always starts off kind-of stiff because they set up the room with chairs along the walls and everyone sits very quietly waiting for it to begin. In parties where there is alcohol involved, the mood shifts substantially from the beginning to the end of the night.

·         The style of the party depends on the age level, but some things are universal- there is one table that holds the food, candy, cake, etc and you don’t touch it until they bring it around and serve it to you. For kids’ parties, the tradition is popcorn, jello, lollipops, mazzamora (a thick liquidy sweet drink made from purple corn), soda, a piñata, and a cake… oh and more candy. They usually serve food, too. A typical Peruvian dish for parties is ahi de gallina, which is potatoes with a delicious yellow cream sauce (made with milk, crackers/bread and chilies blended together) and shredded chicken.

·         There is always really, really loud music and dancing.  Even at my host sister’s 6 yr-old birthday party, the music was up and the little kids were dancing in groups and pairs. I got to lead them in a little dance circle J

·         The dancing is most commonly to salsa, cumbia, or whino (I’m totally spelling that wrong). Whino is an ironic name because it actually sounds like they are whining in some of the songs. But it’s growing on me and they love it here in town. The dance to whino is really cool- it’s a partner dance (all the dances here are) and basically you jump and stomp your feet to the rhythm and occasionally rotate sides with your partner. It’s really fun!

·         They sing “happy birthday” in English first then Spanish. Not sure where the tradition started, but it always amuses me to hear the thick Peruvian accents sing “hhheppy bartday”

·         La Hora Loca (the crazy hour)- this happens at the end of the party- and it really is crazy! There is certain music that goes along with it, and there are balloons, streamers, spray confetti, and entertainers. Saw my first one at one of the parties…enough to make your head spin!

·         My host brother turned 14 and his party was really fun- his friends sung in their own style and shoved some cake in his face and we danced a lot. Nick, my sitemate, was there too, and they had us show them how “Americans dance.” We even did the “going fishing” move..ha!

I feel like there is more to say but I can’t possibly write it all. I’ll write again soon with some more cultural tidbits!