Every Thanksgiving before this year, I’ve celebrated Turkey Day by stuffing my face with mashed potatoes and green bean casserole surrounded by family and friends. But this year, I found myself flying to Northern Peru, near the equator, to celebrate the weekend on the beach. My friends and I got to spend three days laying out on the beach, watching sunsets, and exploring the cute little beach town we were staying in. We even got to swim with sea turtles!
One of my favorite parts of the trip was strolling through the craft market the last night we were there. Each table we visited had a selection of handcrafted jewelry and souvenirs we could purchase, usually for less than 15 soles or $5 USD. I even got to purchase a few Christmas gifts for my family to bring home next month. (They’re not pictured below because I don’t want them seeing what I got them just yet.)
There was a moment when I was bargaining with one of the vendors to purchase to get a better price for one of the things I was buying when this wave of pride came over me. Being able to interact with people on an equal level in Spanish is something I never thought I would be able to do when I first got to Peru. If I was buying something I would just mutter a common phrase, “Cuanto cuesta?” to ask the price and hand over the requested soles. I knew I was likely being given a higher tourist price, but I didn’t have the confidence or vocabulary to bargain. Now I can ask about the object, what its made of, where its from, and know what a fair price is to ask for. It may not seem like much, but to me it’s a sign that I’ve been able to adapt to living in Peru and feeling comfortable interacting with people in Spanish.
