Shower epiphanies

During college, I always used to have epiphanies in the shower. Well, "epiphanies" is probably an exaggeration. "Moments of inspiration" is a better term. Frequently, when I had a big paper to write (often due the next morning....), I would figure out exactly what I wanted to write about, what my thesis would be or an important point to make while I was taking a shower. It wasn't intentional; I didn't usually say to myself "crap, I'm stuck -- I'll take a shower and figure out what to write next." Usually, I'd just find myself showering and all of the sudden it would come to me. It's weird, I know, but for some reason that's where I do my best thinking or seem to be divinely inspired etc.

The only catch is, I hadn't had one of my shower moments since I came to Peru. I've certainly needed them sometimes, as I've already preached a few sermons and led a few bible studies that I should have been more prepared for.... But this morning I finally had one. Ironically enough, I was showering this morning while trying to think about what I would write about in my daily blog for yesterday [this entry], since I didn't do it last night.

So what I decided to write about in the shower was food. I'm not a huge fan of Peruvian food in general. I mean, it's not terrible, but eating it every day is TOUGH. However, I've actually gotten to the point where, when I force myself, I can eat the potatoes and white rice that is served with Every. Single. Meal. And when I'm REALLY hungry, I look forward to it. However Mike and Sean, two of the other YAVs, are even less of fans. Sometimes, Sean and Mike just can't force themselves to eat whatever's on their plate (and when the rice includes beets, I usually can't either). I don't blame them. Huge quantities of rice and potatoes just seem like needless, bland carbohydrates with little nutritious value. And everything is complicated by the fact that most meals include, in addition to the rice & potatoes, a huge piece of meat and maybe a couple thin slices of tomatoes, cucumber and lettuce as "vegetables" (or even worse: the beets). But last night, Mike and I went to Chili's (if Sean is reading this, he will be quite upset that he wasn't there because he was in Huancayo) with Bethany and Matthew, two other North Americans who were in Peru for a Congress of Young Environmentalists, which the YAVs also attended. At Chili's, I ate a Texas Cheeseburger with a lemonade (actually served with ICE -- this never happens with Peruvian food). It was amazing. Not good for you, but amazing. I savored it. Mike, Sean and I have spent literally HOURS in the past month or so discussing the food we miss from the States. Eating at Chili's was like being transported back to casual family dining in the US.

Food is an important thing. As The Market continues to be THE thing that shapes every facet of our daily life, perhaps eventually the day will come where in the name of efficiency/time management/productivity people will start replacing meals with some sort of injection or pill that instantly provides a person with the required nutrients, carbohydrates and proteins for hours or a day at a time. But I don't think that food, as we know it today, will ever be phased out entirely (at least, I hope not). It's too good.

The interesting part is that later in the night, the four of us joined my friend Leah, who I met here through a Trinity U. friend studying abroad in Lima, and the subject turned to food. It turns out that Leah, who's actually been in Peru for a month longer than the YAVs, LOVES Peruvian food (she's from Brooklyn, while Mike, Sean and I are from the south and the midwest, which might explain it....). Furthermore, someone told me recently that Peruvian food was rated by someone (I don't now who... some "Food Expert?") or some organization as being the fourth best type of food in the world. So maybe Mike, Sean and I are just weird.

.....

More than anything though, I think the importance of the shower epiphany was simply the fact that it occurred, here in Peru. In the past few weeks, I've started running or working out at 6am every morning (except sunday) with Javier. Which means I'm showering every morning (except sunday). Which is way more than I was showering at the beginning of my year here (partly because I started with only cold showers). So I guess the point is that this morning I understood the shower epiphany as a sign that I'm finally becoming comfortable living here. Showering in Peru has become routine enough that I my mind and feelings are open to experience moments of inspiration while doing it. Life is good.