Escaping Peru
Where do I begin. I'm sitting in a cafe now ordering a sandwich for 20 soles. Lima is a lot more expensive than Trujillo. I could get a 3 course meal for 3 soles up north. This shit better be good because I'm running on low fuel. And by fuel I mean money but baby Jesus my energy hasn't been keeping up with me either. This stomach sickness must be induced by stress. I'm killing myself. What can I do? Why is this happening to me?
This happened because I took a job that others said not to because I wouldn't be making any money. And I stayed with the job even though my boss was an asshole and a cheat but I stayed because I took responsibility for the school. I went to immigrations and got an illegal stamp knowing that it was wrong but my boss told me it would be fine. I worked for one year and overstayed my tourist visa because my boss told me not to get a work visa because he is hiding finances so he doesn't have to pay taxes. It is my fault I am where I am at now because I made the decision to come to Peru. But the reason I cannot leave the country? That is my boss's fault. To tell me that I am acting like a child and I need adults to take care of me? Fuck you. He has such a temper and no appreciation of what I've done for him.
I finished my one year contract as Director of Horizon School Peru. I worked by big butt off. I walked into a mess last March, and left a new and improved school behind. The work was great. I loved the kids and the volunteers I had the opportunity to work with. I would have loved to stay longer, but $180 a month didn't pay my school loans. It was time to leave my friends and family I made after a year in La Esperanza, Trujillo, Peru.
After finishing my contract, my father came down to Peru to visit and travel with me! I was so excited to show him around, and introduce him to the place I had learned to love. We had a great time traveling to Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, the jungle, and Lima. He even got to taste guinea pig and liked it!
Finally it was time for both of us to leave. My flight was the night before his and of course I got drunk and passed out and almost missed my flight at 2am. I rushed back to the hotel to pack and left for the airport with my dad in bed. I was nervous about problems I would have at the airport. I knew there was a chance that I would not be able to fly out due to my illegal visa. But I was too drunk to think about it when I got to the airport. When I got to immigrations, the man behind the counter told me there was a problem, my name wasn't in the computer system. I pretended to look surprised. And I also pretended I didn't speak Spanish, in hopes that they wouldn't be able to communicate and just let me through. Wrong. He pulled me into an office and called another woman who spoke English. Damn. They asked me questions and I tried my best to pretend like I didn't know what the problem was, but if they didn't let me go, I would miss my flight. Too late they said, I already missed it. I was not allowed to leave the country.
I cried and threw a hissy fit and yelled and asked to speak with the manager. Nothing helped. They told me to go to immigrations in the morning. I went back to the hotel and woke up my dad. He wasn't happy to hear the story. He wasn't happy with me for being an idiot and getting drunk earlier that night either.
The next day, we went to immigrations and I told them the problem. They told me to wait 3 hours. I thought it would take a few hours and my ticket would be reimbursed and I would be on my way back to LA. My dad flew out, with my bags, because I figured I would be right behind him.
I go back to the immigrations office the next day, ready to meet my dad at home. They tell me I have to wait three days and the lady behind the window is a bitch. I'm pissed. I don't have three days to wait around! I want to get out of Peru and back to America! I argue with them, which is hard because they do not speak English and I cant express myself. My story doesn't match the fake stamp on my passport. I didn't know whether I should tell them the truth that I paid for a stamp instead of going across the border, because I didn't know if they would throw me in jail!
Finally I tell them the truth. The bitch feels sorry for me and tells me they cant help me. I can try to cross the Ecuador border by bus. She tells me this is the only way I may have a chance at leaving Peru. Great.
Thankfully, volunteers from Horizon were also traveling and were in Lima with me. We went out to get sushi. They knew that would make me feel better. Now I had to arrange to get 30 hours north to Ecuador with a fake visa stamp and hope to God I can exit.
At the hostel, I talked with my boss. He told me all of this was my fault and he would not help me. So I was stuck in Peru, with nothing. No money, no clothes-all of my bags I had given to my dad to take back. I felt hopeless. Which is funny because I had just lived in a place called La Esperanza, which means hope-for a year. I wasn't feeling it. I was so angry and so stuck!
My dad was kind enough to send me some money. Otherwise I would have become a bum on the streets of Lima, and I didn't even like this town. I didn't even have a tooth brush and hadn't brushed my teeth in 3 days. I finally bought one. I didn't know how long it would be, but it didn't seem like I was going anywhere soon.
I booked a bus up to Ecuador and I would be off the next day. While talking with the cute guy helping me with my ticket, I looked through the bookshelf. A thick one caught my eye.
Since picking up this book, A Lesson in Miracles, I've been anxiously awaiting the time where I will be at the frontera of Ecuador and I am judged. I am hoping for a miracle. I've been reading quickly trying to learn how to make a miracle happen.
What I need is a miracle to help me get out of Peru. What I haven't realized is that I've had so many miracles happen and I was blind. Since missing my flight in Lima I have had so many people offering their help to me. One hostel owner offered me a free room. Others offered me free meals. Others offered their support for me. I was lucky enough to have old friends near me and to be with me in such a difficult time. I was lucky that some of these friends were with me almost all the way up to the border crossing. I am so lucky and so thankful to have friends with me. It helps a lot to know people care and share their love with me.
So although I am still reading this book about miracles and "praying" that I can cross the border, I think the real miracle is all of the support I have from family and friends in helping me and wishing me luck in order to get across. I have faith I will make it, and soon I will be home to give my dad a big hug and thank everyone for their support...and never go back to Peru again.
This happened because I took a job that others said not to because I wouldn't be making any money. And I stayed with the job even though my boss was an asshole and a cheat but I stayed because I took responsibility for the school. I went to immigrations and got an illegal stamp knowing that it was wrong but my boss told me it would be fine. I worked for one year and overstayed my tourist visa because my boss told me not to get a work visa because he is hiding finances so he doesn't have to pay taxes. It is my fault I am where I am at now because I made the decision to come to Peru. But the reason I cannot leave the country? That is my boss's fault. To tell me that I am acting like a child and I need adults to take care of me? Fuck you. He has such a temper and no appreciation of what I've done for him.
I finished my one year contract as Director of Horizon School Peru. I worked by big butt off. I walked into a mess last March, and left a new and improved school behind. The work was great. I loved the kids and the volunteers I had the opportunity to work with. I would have loved to stay longer, but $180 a month didn't pay my school loans. It was time to leave my friends and family I made after a year in La Esperanza, Trujillo, Peru.
After finishing my contract, my father came down to Peru to visit and travel with me! I was so excited to show him around, and introduce him to the place I had learned to love. We had a great time traveling to Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, the jungle, and Lima. He even got to taste guinea pig and liked it!
Finally it was time for both of us to leave. My flight was the night before his and of course I got drunk and passed out and almost missed my flight at 2am. I rushed back to the hotel to pack and left for the airport with my dad in bed. I was nervous about problems I would have at the airport. I knew there was a chance that I would not be able to fly out due to my illegal visa. But I was too drunk to think about it when I got to the airport. When I got to immigrations, the man behind the counter told me there was a problem, my name wasn't in the computer system. I pretended to look surprised. And I also pretended I didn't speak Spanish, in hopes that they wouldn't be able to communicate and just let me through. Wrong. He pulled me into an office and called another woman who spoke English. Damn. They asked me questions and I tried my best to pretend like I didn't know what the problem was, but if they didn't let me go, I would miss my flight. Too late they said, I already missed it. I was not allowed to leave the country.
I cried and threw a hissy fit and yelled and asked to speak with the manager. Nothing helped. They told me to go to immigrations in the morning. I went back to the hotel and woke up my dad. He wasn't happy to hear the story. He wasn't happy with me for being an idiot and getting drunk earlier that night either.
The next day, we went to immigrations and I told them the problem. They told me to wait 3 hours. I thought it would take a few hours and my ticket would be reimbursed and I would be on my way back to LA. My dad flew out, with my bags, because I figured I would be right behind him.
I go back to the immigrations office the next day, ready to meet my dad at home. They tell me I have to wait three days and the lady behind the window is a bitch. I'm pissed. I don't have three days to wait around! I want to get out of Peru and back to America! I argue with them, which is hard because they do not speak English and I cant express myself. My story doesn't match the fake stamp on my passport. I didn't know whether I should tell them the truth that I paid for a stamp instead of going across the border, because I didn't know if they would throw me in jail!
Finally I tell them the truth. The bitch feels sorry for me and tells me they cant help me. I can try to cross the Ecuador border by bus. She tells me this is the only way I may have a chance at leaving Peru. Great.
Thankfully, volunteers from Horizon were also traveling and were in Lima with me. We went out to get sushi. They knew that would make me feel better. Now I had to arrange to get 30 hours north to Ecuador with a fake visa stamp and hope to God I can exit.
At the hostel, I talked with my boss. He told me all of this was my fault and he would not help me. So I was stuck in Peru, with nothing. No money, no clothes-all of my bags I had given to my dad to take back. I felt hopeless. Which is funny because I had just lived in a place called La Esperanza, which means hope-for a year. I wasn't feeling it. I was so angry and so stuck!
My dad was kind enough to send me some money. Otherwise I would have become a bum on the streets of Lima, and I didn't even like this town. I didn't even have a tooth brush and hadn't brushed my teeth in 3 days. I finally bought one. I didn't know how long it would be, but it didn't seem like I was going anywhere soon.
I booked a bus up to Ecuador and I would be off the next day. While talking with the cute guy helping me with my ticket, I looked through the bookshelf. A thick one caught my eye.
Since picking up this book, A Lesson in Miracles, I've been anxiously awaiting the time where I will be at the frontera of Ecuador and I am judged. I am hoping for a miracle. I've been reading quickly trying to learn how to make a miracle happen.
What I need is a miracle to help me get out of Peru. What I haven't realized is that I've had so many miracles happen and I was blind. Since missing my flight in Lima I have had so many people offering their help to me. One hostel owner offered me a free room. Others offered me free meals. Others offered their support for me. I was lucky enough to have old friends near me and to be with me in such a difficult time. I was lucky that some of these friends were with me almost all the way up to the border crossing. I am so lucky and so thankful to have friends with me. It helps a lot to know people care and share their love with me.
So although I am still reading this book about miracles and "praying" that I can cross the border, I think the real miracle is all of the support I have from family and friends in helping me and wishing me luck in order to get across. I have faith I will make it, and soon I will be home to give my dad a big hug and thank everyone for their support...and never go back to Peru again.
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