Thursday, September 12, 2013

Not actual Peruvians

So, when you are a foreigner in Peru, you have to go to Lima and get a carnet de extranjería, or in other words, an ID card identifying you as living here, but that you're not a real-live Peruvian.  That means that you do not have certain privileges belonging to real citizens, such as driving like a complete and total idiot, or urinating in broad daylight against any public structure that you'd like.
And while I may be crazy, I am not stupid, and this is NOT my card.  It's Spencer Anthony Somebody's.
In order to get your foreigner ID card, you have to go to Lima.  You say that you are going to live in Arequipa?  Sorry, you have to go to Lima.  Iquitos, 500 miles away in the jungle?  Lima.  Bora Bora?  You got it - Lima.  So off we went to Lima.
There are two ways to get there from Huancayo, if you don't count the train or backpacking.  The bus, with its eight hours of fun (see under, "Bus Accidents, Peru"), or by taking one of the two flights per day from Jauja ("How-Hah!") both going to, you got it, Lima.
OK, I admit it; that's not the real plane, but it's only about three times that big, hauling 21 passengers. During the 45-minute flight up and over the Andes, you are offered peanuts and Inca Cola by the kind flight attendant.
So, you finally make it to Lima to get your foreigner ID.  Luckily, a very nice lady employed by the Church had everything arranged and expedited so the first visit went relatively smoothly.  We even had time to get a picture taken at the grand plaza in the center of Lima.
Excuse me, excuse me, did you say THE FIRST VISIT?!!
Yes, that's right, there's a SECOND VISIT that you have to make several weeks later that takes about five hours, just long enough to have to stay overnight to catch the flight back to Jauja.  But, you might say, I still live in Bora Bora.  Sorry, Lima it is.
So, we are now officially not Peruvians, and so have none of the rights thereto appertaining.
We hope that you get to go to Lima sometime also.
Dave & Paula.

1 comment:

Patti said...

Hey! I've seen that plaza before, only Elder Lee was standing in the picture. Hopefully you're done with jumping through hoops and riding in very small planes. Lima is lovely though, if you have to go there.