What’s been happening?

Pics are from a day out in Miraflores - Lima (whilst collecting my Residence Permit)

What’s been happening?  Good question   ……. lots really, on different levels some good some less so.

Generally, I have been a little preoccupied, the lack of sleep has been getting me down, which is odd as for years I have had a sleeping pattern of bed by 10:30 and awake by 4:30 but these days I simply cannot switch my brain off and am lucid dreaming in a kind of half awake state and (apparently) worrying about stuff as it churns around and around - but exactly what that stuff is - I cannot put my finger on it.  So, I am tired and irritable and of late a few things I have done (and then regretted) have been illogical and even a bit irrational: some old psychological distructive dragon/demon raising an ugly head?

Nick mentioned the other day that he thought I had lost weight as my legs are thinner and my gluteus maximus where becoming a bit minimus (my words not his).  I then realised that in fact my trousers were feeling roomier. Passing a chemists we popped in and I got weighed and my weight was down from 88kg to 80kg, which is quite a lot considering that I have neither changed my diet nor am dieting! Along with this came a conscious realization of some other changes /symptoms including both physical and psychological. 

With the “help” of the internet I had pretty much decided that actually it looked like I was heading in the direction of type-2 diabetes. So a visit to the doctor was called for, through Nick’s network we went to see a very charming, sympathetic and highly respected Trujillo doctor. During a 30 minute consultation he took my blood pressure three times, and it ranged from high, (along with accompanying flushed look), to elevated, to normal.  He ordered a complete blood screen. This I obtained within 6 hours the next day.  And the results were all within normal limits, no cholesterol problem, no sugar problem and therefore no pre-diabetes. However he prescribed a short course of tablets to cure a possible “gut” infection (as one result indicated this possibility) and also a few tablets in case I got particularly anxious.  His prognosis – stress!

Which would account for many of my symptoms …… looking back over the last three of four months, there are possibly a range of things all relatively minor in themselves that cumulatively may have caused all this.

Ten pin bowling

1. A new international and bilingual school opened here in Trujillo in March and I was appointed as Titular Head of Music, just 14 hours a week to start but the job would grow as a strategy for music developed. I lasted 2 months and 2 weeks. Whilst some classes were a joy, others were a living nightmare.  Rich spoiled kids, lacking respect and discipline, coupled with mixed ability classes and the headmasters insistence that Music be taught in English was a recipe for frustration and disaster on all sides.  Now I remember why I never went into school teaching after leaving Music Conservatoire in 1978.

2. A benefit of this three month process was however, that I obtained my “Carnet de Extranjeria” (Residence permit), however the process was a long and tortuous one involving several visits to the migration department here in Trujillo, numerous forms and interviews, three visit to Lima including an interview with INTERPOL (each trip to Lima necessitating a 20 hour two night round trip on a bus) and the expenditure of some £300.

Nick's first time bowling

He learned too quick!

3. Four of my five concerts with the Symphony orchestra were cancelled by the Director of Culture as they did not fit in with her plans for this year.  For unconnected reasons she got sacked a week after this decision and subsequently the new Director has offered me a further concert later in the year.  I also made a huge error in exploring whether Maestro Alvarez was or was not retiring this year: a letter I thought private was in fact made public. Maestro Alvarez was very philosophical about it all and our friendship though rocky for a while is now back on track. But my political acuity had deserted me for a while. 

Always that lovely smile!

Through all of this of course, Nick has been “rock solid”, and I have been so grateful for his love and support even though I am not always very good a showing it of late.

Miraflores in Lima is one of the more exclusive areas of the city, it is on the coast and is home to many departmental stores, restaurants and exclusive apartment blocks and a very up market coastal shopping mall. It also boasts Kennedy Park, a small park city-side, that has a resident population of feral cats. These cats are "looked after, fed and  nuetered" by the municipality and are a big tourist attraction.  The cats are very friendly and numerous!

Nick celebrates his 26th birthday on July 7 and he is having a party on July 4 - his first ever birthday party! And the flat is going to rock - we have already bought the booze, disco ordered, food planned and guests flying in from all over Peru! 

At the conservatoire:

I have been exploring piano studies of late with a view to helping students improve through more disciplined practice methods and the study of "studies"!  My own playing is improving as I develop new techniques and strengthen weak fingers ..... should have done this years ago!

Rehearsing the  Piazzola for the recital

I have inaugurated a recital series for talented students to have the opportunity of a dedicated public performance.  This series was inaugurated by two of my students: Fredy Anhuaman Sanchez (Euphonium) and Jorge Jara Polo (Guitar). We gave a programme of works for Euphonium and Piano and also for Guitar and Piano, finishing off with a Trio arranged by me of Café 1930 by Astor Piazzola. 

Performing

The second recital in the series is on July 14 when I accompany Tessy Trujillo (soprano) in a programme of songs and arias.  This actually heralds a busy week with further concerts on July 16 and July 17.

Then …………………

July 18 I fly to the UK for a three week break.

With all the stress of recent events I really felt the need for quality time with friends; and again I am so lucky with Nick in his understanding of this. (I have promised to fill the freezer before I go, and we just bought a Microwave!)

I always use Expedia as time and again they prove to have the best fares, even beating Airlines own websites on price and of course choice. But, with a limited budget the most direct routes are simply out the question and you are forced to take what is offered for a the chosen price.  My choice was direct flights from Trujillo to Birmingham via Lima and Amsterdam for more than £1600 or Trujillo, Lima, Madrid to Heathrow going and Heathrow, San Paolo (Brazil), Lima, Trujillo on my return for just around £1000. The relative hassle is worth £600 saving. I fly with LAN and TAM.

Also this trip, I felt the need to be able to spend time with Andy, widowed partner of the lovely James who died last September.  James preoccupation the last time we met was always – what about Andy?  And despite the fact that I have known Andy for almost as long as I knew James, and that we had always been close, I could happily reassure him that I would keep in touch with Andy.

So, this upcoming trip, will include a week in Brighton (well Hove actually!) followed by ten days in Birmingham at Martin a Jeans house, alongside visit to Hereford and London and dinners and lunches with friends!  All very exciting and much needed.

Hang gliders of the cliff at Miraflores Lima

On return to Peru, Nick and I are going to go to the northern coast for a few relaxing days of walks, talks and just chilling.  Then it will be back to the conservatoire for me and work and study for Nick as he is doing a postgraduate course in International Business.

Our probable resort in Punta Sal (stayed there this time last year)

I hope that after August I am fully back in groove ……… watch this space.