Coffee

When you go on trips, everyone wants to know all the cool stuff.  Did you see llamas? Did you see the twelve point rock and the wall? etc.  But I'm settling in for two months and right now my priority is getting into routine.  I'll have plenty of time to see the sights. And while I am totally enjoying the change of scenery and soaking in the new culture, I'm busy trying to figure out how things are going to be for the next two months.  Priority number one, coffee.  I dont' know why I thought there would be coffee shops, but no there are not.  Not even Starbucks.  Which is fine by me.  but the first morning making coffee was an adventure.

My host mom was very kind in preparing the coffee maker the night before so that I could just put it on the stove.  So the next morning I take the coffee pot and put it on the stove.  Next I grab the matches and try to light them.  I try two from box number one.  No luck.  Peruvian matches in my coffee deprived mind were evil.  I grabbed box number two.  Same.  I try box number three.  At this point I am beginning to doubt whether I will be able to make any coffee.  Its six am and no one is awake.  Finally box number four, a different brand, had three normal looking matches with nice little round nubs.  The first one lights up and burns out right away, since  I didn't really expect them to work.  Finally, coffee is happening!  Now knowing I have working matches I turn on the burner.  The second match breaks as I struck it a little too eagerly. So with the final match I strike and light the stove.  

So I wait for the coffee to be made and when it is done I get this super thick black liquid.  I take a sip >whew< that is tar! I go to the fridge to see if I can sneak a little milk, but they have no milk.  I want to add water, but well boiling water at this point was out of the question and there was no microwave.  Needless to say, I did not drink coffee that morning.  Maybe I'll just have to stick to Mate de Coca.