September 28, 2015

Well Familia, I´m officially Jungle Jane now! I have been in Iquitos for six days now. I have been assigned to Zona Punchana in Área Clavero 1. It is right in the actual city of Iquitos. There are 8 zones in the mission, and 4 of them are in Iquitos itself. My companion is Hna. Colquehuanca from Puno, Peru down south. She is so little and cute, and calls me her hijita even though I´m practically twice her size. She has 11 months on the mission and has been in 9 areas with 10 companions which is super abnormal. She served a little bit in Tarapoto and Pullcalpa, which are the two reallyyy jungly zones. Elder Sheppard got sent to Pullcalpa I believe. 

Observations on Iquitos:

-It is not the tranquil jungle village I thought it would be. Quite the opposite. There is never a moment of silence. Everyone drives mototaxis (it is the most common form of employment here) and they pass by always. All our lessons are outside people´s houses and they speak quietly and with the noise my biggest challenge right now is hearing what they are saying. Also, music justs blasts. No one can afford walls or anything but corregated steel roofs, but they all have elite sound systems. The speakers are the jewel of the home. Sundays are the loudest day of the week and when we walk through the streets with music pounding and colorful houses and palm trees I feel like I am in a different world. 

-We live in a little apartment above a panadería just the two of us. It´s not bad. We sleep under our mosquito nets, which I actually like because I don´t use my sheets and my net feels like those princess veil things girls put over their beds. Plus, I´m on the bottom of our bunkbed so I get the fan all to myself at nights. Sweet, cool dreams indeed. 

-The people are so kind. They are a little more reserved and they totally have an accent but I love them. They also wear no clothes. Ever. Because of the heat. They also always call us Hermanitas. When they accept a commitment they go,¨Ya Hermanita¨ and then they don´t follow through. But we are working on that!

-Food is different. I don´t know why, because I had absolutely no problem with the food in Lima, but I have been sick all week. It´s been rough and unforgiving to be sick and sweaty 24/7 but I think I am coming out of it. It´s pretty basic rice and chicken, and lots of fish. River fish. Big hunks of fish with skin and bones still in. The second day our pensionista gave us just a cooked fish with fins and head and all. I had no idea where to even start. I ate it all. I thought I was going to vomit but I made it through. The portions are enormous too and I can´t eat it all! But I feel bad because my little companion eats two portions in the time it takes me to eat one and my pensionista told me she is worried that I am not eating, but such is life. The sisters here told me this is a mission where you gain weight so you have to be careful. I´m scared.

-I have used almost all of my First Aid kit- so glad I brought it! The second day I woke up with an enormous and angry red rash like bite the size of half my bum cheek. It´s still under observation. I also have yet to use my lotion. My skin care here is one part sweat and one part bug repellent (it´ll save your life!) The bugs here are relentless, but not unmaneagable. 

-My favorite thing is riding in mototaxis. They are so breezy and fun and quick. Lo máximo!

-No one can say my name. They don´t even try. They see it and smile and say they´re sorry and I forgive

-The ward is pretty big here, we usually have about 172 attend. This week we had 7 investigators, 4 less active, and 7 recent converts attend

-I also noticed the sun Momma when it woke me up at 6:00 am everyday. I thought I woke up late because it was so bright, but ya, it comes up at 6:00 (blazing) and sets at 6:00 pm with the most beatiful colors and clouds

-The heat is not that rough, I don´t even notice I am sweating but then my cothes are all damp at the end of the day. Mesh garms are a must have

-Finally felt the rain! It was a light pour though so nothing to note. The umbrella worked perfectly! And it fits in my bag's water bottle holder. Apparently we are headed into the rainy season (it goes from October to March is what I´ve heard) so we will be getting some downpour soon.

-My shoes have worked fabulously Momma, and the ladies we teach always compliment my tevas, both pairs. They always ask me where I bought them haha

It has been a good week. It was a lot more difficult to transition to being here than in the CCM. I´m getting to know everyone we are teaching and learning little by little. Everyday my knees are the filthiest part of me from kneeling in prayer so much, but I need that strength. I know that Heavenly Father hears our prayers and is aware of our needs, mine as well as the people here in Peru. I love Iquitos, it is a fickle and unforgiving mistress, but I love it. I don´t feel homesick, I don´t feel alone, but I don´t feel quite settled either. I am lucky to have such a loving companion who encourages and teaches me. I am getting the hang of things around here - learning everyone´s name and backstory and how things work. 

Mucho amor!

Hna. Fitzpatrick

PS- we will be watching General Conference in the Stake Center. So excited!

Also, I´m trying to figure out how to send photos but the internet is incredibly slow here so it will have to wait. Sorry! I really want to send some

PPS- Oh and I forgot to mention, apparently there is a political candidate with the name Jane so JANE is painted on literally ever street. I´m not kidding. Entire walls with my name on it. Big, little, colorful, black and white. Every time I see one I smile. It feels like my hidden identity, a person I used to be. 

Also the fruit here is awesome! Love it! So fresh and so many fruits I have never seen or heard of before. I love this treat they make called curichi.