BAJABAJABAJA

Each day all the trainees commute to the local training center, most are within walking distance, but not all. There are a select few that have the opportunity of getting a little advanced lesson in Peruvian public transport. Each morning, seven of us descend from the fog of our little pueblo cerrano and wait for the Combi (local term for bus) which to be quite honest is more reliable than that of my home town, even though it may take a minute or 45 for our #26 to pass by, the only one that braves the trek to our home away from home.

Now that the time has passed, I am strating to enjoy the “SUBE SUBE SUBE” being repeated by each passing red, blue, or green van. At first I did not understand why they were so eager for your support of the local bus system, I soon realized that one Sol actually gets you quite the ride. The “cobredor” or “ticket guy” always knows where the gringos are going and have no qualms with telling you there is plenty of room even though you can already see faces plastered to the windows.

I have gotten over my awkward first crotch thrown in my face as well as my beginning attempts to squeeze a backpack the size and weight of an eight year old  past four Peruvians while my circulation was being cut off by a lovely young school girl that didn’t have enough room to maneuver between myself, the grandma sitting down, and the window where her cheek was resting. Of course this backpack was still attached to my friend, who was vaccuum sealed into the middle of the bus between a large group of unfazed, half-sleeping passengers.

Daily Dinámica: Combi Twister is a great game to play with friends, you don’t even need a little wheel to tell you where to put legs and arms. Materials: A driver that is not too sure of how to shift gears and a busy time of day for bus traffic.