Cordoba, Spain

CORDOBA

The city lies in Andalucia along the banks of the Guadalquivir river. We arrived there early in the morning. our hotel was located just near the historical center, the second biggest in importance in Europe. Michael and I are ready to explore the city. The temperature is over the 37ºC! It is April 2010, regardless the heat Cordoba looks wonderfully attractive!

We had heard that Cordoba had three towns with three different languages, religions and traditions. There were Muslims, Christians and Jewish all these three towns living in such impressive armony. It is hard for me to believe such thing, knowing that for centuries, and nowadays people still kill each other because their believings. This coexistence served to show that it is possible to live in tolerance, not even having a common language neither a tradition, it is possible.. Their will to live in peace was bigger than their desire to conquer minds. Among those groups, la Judería from the Jewish side, had notorious culture. in one of the plazas of la Juderia there is a notable statue from the great Jewish  teologist  philosopher and medico Ben Maimónides, born in 1,135. He looked the truth, the sense of life, the acknowledgment. Maimonides rejected blind faith in creeds, in the fanaticism that nullifies all the freedom of thought and action. 
Among the famous streets of La Juderia, where someone can easily get lost! We found the precious Mezquita de Cordoba although its composition looks as a big cathedral. Years later under the catholic dominio it is given the name "La Catedral de La Asuncion de Nuestra Señora". The Mosque of Cordoba was built in 786. It is the second biggest Muslim temple in the world after the Mecca Mosque.

Inside the Mosque, the edification has the impressive number of 1,300 columns with bicolor arches.
Cordoba has impressed us so much for all its architecture, balconies, walls with hanged pot flowers making the city truly nice!
I am so thrilled trying out a fan, the temperature had raised a lot! Playing with my new toy made me feel like a Spanish girl but I didn't have such abilities to turn it back and fort in her stylish way. Well, it was try... Sigh. Every time I think there is a good spot to shoot something interesting, like this one in a botanical garden of Cordoba, when Michael was trying to get rid of the sun for a while. I was just playing with my new xsi rebel Canon camera!

If someone get lost, which really happens, just looking around the corners or walls, you will find written "reminders" that you are lost. Cool!

Rooting in the USA

Cusco, Peru - Sacsayhuaman Fort

When arriving to a new country, one can have the feeling of knowing nothing about the people, the place itself, food, even the water tastes different, the language is another issue and it can be a kind of barrier to communicate with others. It is known where the sun arise always, but in my case I got the sensation that it raises from a different way rather than from the east, funny! Well, almost everything it's different. So, life becomes a challenge. -- Here, my short story about living in the USA. It was spring of 2006 when I arrived to Vermont, north-east of the country. On my list of doing things, first thing was learning the language, even though I had learnt some basis English in my home country, Peru, then meeting people. I remember that my first way to contact them was going to whatever church I found on my way later on, I became fond of the people of Saint Paul Episcopal church. After a month my husband and I moved out to New Hampshire, just 45 minutes driving. 

STARING UP IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. 

Enfield, Fall in NH

First job, first driving license, first English school, first garden experiences, first American friends (besides the ones that I made already in Vermont - Maggie). During this rime my husband taught me how to drive, how to swim, how to play racquetball and tennis, almost everything I have learnt in a short time, you can imagine how exhausted I felt sometimes. No doubt Life in other place is an opportunity to grow. Little by little I felt connected with the new place, rooting in such wonderful way. In one of the gardening seasons a short report was written on a local magazine, it was about my skills of growing vegetable. Well, life was good specially when meeting people from other countries in the English conversation groups, everyone had the same goal, learning the language. Also I have belonged to the International Women Club -IWC and growing vegetables in two garden communities. I became so passionate of such tasks that I ended up studying Master Gardening.

It was November of 2009 when I got my test for the American citizenship. I approved the test at my first attempt. Then I waited some weeks for the Oath of Allegiance.

January 22, 2010 - Concord, NH - OATH OF ALLEGIANCE

Concord, NH

The day arrived and I might consider the most beautiful one of my life, not because I am quitting from my beloved Peruvian roots, it is the fact of being welcoming officially in a new society, and that matters to me. In the hall, there were a judge, the Governor Lynch and around 90 persons, also some children who sang the American anthem and the relatives of the new citizens.

I remember that day when a neighbor from Lebanon city drove all along to Concord to witness my oath, it was nice of her coming to the ceremony from far away.

As soon as the ceremony ended, I did my paper work to obtain my new passport.

In the afternoon I received from friends some flowers and cards about the news, ohhh, I can still smelling the aroma and the remembering the cheerful notes. Thank-you!

WHAT A SURPRISE IN MY JOB!

Wow! Hard for me to believe, it was the most beautiful surprise that I've ever received there during this time! On Sunday, January 30th, my boss, Rev. Virginia Fryer, as usual she lead the service, but this time it was in honor of my naturalization, but I was not aware of that. I was there, in the church, attending the invitation that I received the previous days. Here the audio of what happened. Well, the service started with patriotic hymns like "American the Beauty", being January it was odd singing such songs, the attendants, most of them, were dressing in red and blue. I was gladly surprised. The last song cheered me up, it was sung in Spanish. Vaya, que bien lo hicieron!  Here is something about the place Lebanon United Methodist Church .

At the church Karina and I.

The moment was magic, although Michael was not me at that moment, he was working at the hospital. Instead, two Peruvian friends Giovanna and Karina came with me and they were having fun as I did.

Abby and I cutting the cake.

At the end of the service, hugs from people came over and over, then I took some pictures, and ready to go home, or at least it was what I thought! Suddenly, my beloved little friend Abby (my boss' daughter) whispered me to go to the fellowship hall, she was quite demanding hahaha!. Abby asked me to close my eyes and to walk slowly. I did it. "Open your eyes!" -she cried. Oh my god! What a terrific surprise!!! In January the blue-red-white of the decoration reminded me the 4th of July! The tables were set up beautifully, the main table with the American pye, goodies and the Peruvian drink "chicha morada"! And what a feeling looking at the two American and Peruvian flags hanged on that table. Below you can see the healthy and delicious Peruvian drink -chicha morada -- cooked with peruvian ingredientes: purple corn. 

Linda Kane one of the organizers.

The party surprised were on hands of these handsome ladies Linda Armstrong and Linda Kane, they did such a good job to welcoming to their country. I felt so happy and I knew since they that I have a new family here... While my roots are getting stronger. THANK-YOU!

Linda Armstrong. The other one who prepared the party!

Marilyn Dunten gave away her earrings.
Now they are mine!