A Week! Really???

I've been here for just over a week and I feel like it's been atleast a month or longer. Not in a bad way though. It's more of a an almost -comfortable-maybe-I-can-get-used-to-this feeling. I've already formed a daily routine and I'm making friends. There's alot to get used to: new faces, new places, new paces...new everything. There's nothing here that I can honestly say I've seen or experienced before. And  that's why I came.

Here are a few issues that I have encountered this week:

• You can't flush ANYTHING. It was like this in Argentina...but I ignored it. There are trashcans next to all toilets to throw away your paper. I now have a mantra while in the bathroom "throwitaway throwitaway..." My new fear is that I'll overflow the toilet, especially since I have my own bathroom.
• Traffic...hmm. Lima is, of course, a major city and traffic is  expected. But lights, where they exist, are more like suggestions and not requirements. It's all very fast and loud and dangerous.
• Public Transportation: you know how most cities have maps or routes and specific areas with signs to catch buses? That's not really the case here. Micros, combis, coasters...they're all going to diferent places with a man leaning out of the door yelling at you to get on. Let's just say I haven't mastered this yet. It's a little intimidating.
• The weather is predictable but still unexpected. It's winter here but it's mild. People here don't use heat and the locals keep saying that this is the coldest it's been in 50 years. I'm ok with the cold most times but the major issue is that there's really no sunshine. This city is extremely humid and there's a constant grey cloud.  No sun makes it colder. Bueno.

These are just a few things that are still throwing me for loops. And we're not even talking about the language barrier (or brick wall) and the people/culture!