Once upon a time, I heard of a magical place called "Huamachuco" that was filled with Chinese people with whom I could practice my Chinese with. On this particular day, I made the 2 1/2 hour journey to find out if that was true..."Bastante Chinos," my arse! There was a grand total of 1 Chino, who was also the owner of the only Chinese restaurant in Huamachuco. This lone Chino didn't speak Spanish and was so happy to finally see another fellow Chino that he made me some Chinese pastry with ingredients that was imported from China (pictured below) and talked to me for two hours. (Him: "I can't believe there's another Chinese person here!") He was just so happy that he offered to cook me traditional Chinese dishes whenever I was in town.
Being the only Chinese in my town, I think I caught a glimpse into my own future.
Or as my friend said, maybe I'm there already. "You traveled 2 1/2 hours just to see if there were Chinese people!" Hmph! I'd like to think that I was there for other reasons as well, like check out all the potatoes I found in the market. (Peru supposedly boasts over 1000 type of potatoes, but really, they all taste the same to me.) And look at puny little me standing underneath the church arch. (I'm even flashing a peace sign...How very Asian!) And anyways, I'd like to think that I was just trying to find a piece of home. Now with my Chinese friend, Cajamarca's Chinese population is up to 2!
Being the only Chinese in my town, I think I caught a glimpse into my own future.
Or as my friend said, maybe I'm there already. "You traveled 2 1/2 hours just to see if there were Chinese people!" Hmph! I'd like to think that I was there for other reasons as well, like check out all the potatoes I found in the market. (Peru supposedly boasts over 1000 type of potatoes, but really, they all taste the same to me.) And look at puny little me standing underneath the church arch. (I'm even flashing a peace sign...How very Asian!) And anyways, I'd like to think that I was just trying to find a piece of home. Now with my Chinese friend, Cajamarca's Chinese population is up to 2!
Great photos! I'm glad you found a hook up for food!! Well done.
ReplyDeleteKatie, You are absolutely awesome! I have enjoyed reading your blog. Keep an open eye, heart and mind to your surroundings. As you have already discovered...the world outside Thornton, Colorado is quite unique and has so much to offer culturally. We live in such a bubble and have no idea how easy our lives are. But yet, the people you meet are also happy with their lives and we need to see that not everyone lives as we live. My best wishes to you in your experiences. This is what living a full life is all about. Un abrazo fuertisimo de tu profesora de espanol, Senora Erickson (a.k.a. Janine)
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