I see Pig-Killer and Pig-Killer sees me.

After a delicious dinner of lomo saltado, and a hearty discussion of cancer, America’s foreign relations with Cuba, and the connection between US drug abuse and Mexican narcoterroismo (I think about 65% was understood by both sides), I stood out on the porch with my host mom, just looking at the stars.  There was a fiesta going on in the Plaza de Armas, something about the Virgen de Guadalupe, and I was kind of dreading the idea of going.  Yes, it would be a wonderful opportunity to show how well I was integrating into the community, but did I really want to hang out with a bunch of drunk Peruvians as they spoke in Quechua, at times undoubtedly about me, and danced to music whose beat I have yet to truly identify (I’ve been assured that there is one)?  That’d be a no.  Baby steps guys, baby steps.

Instead, I excitedly told her about my green laser that can point to the stars (unfamiliar with this? Go to your local astronomy whatever [aka OMSI] to find out more) and ran down to my room to get it.  I pointed out Orion’s belt and to where Taurus could be found on a less cloudy night. I brought out my constellation guide that shows the placement of stars in the Southern Hemisphere month by month, and I was geeking out in a way that felt good.  My host dad joined in as I explained that during March I should be able to see the Big Dipper, aka the best constellation ever. Once I finished, he asked me if I was familiar with the star Kuchipistqa.  Umm, no, definitely not, in fact could you repeat what you just said about five more times so I can butcher it as I try to pronounce it. 

Kuchipistqa is also known as the planet Venus, and can be translated from Quechua to mean Pig-Killer.  Why, you wonder, is Venus called Pig-Killer in Quechua? I counter with why is a planet named after the Roman Goddess for love?  Moving on, the reason is that Venus is seen in the madrugada, or early hours, which is when the Quechua people of Ancash kill their pigs. 

See Venus? That means its pig killing time.

I loved the conversation tonight.  My Spanish was mediocre, but one of the things my host family is best at is listening to me speak in broken Spanish.  They listen patiently, they respond, they initiate conversations, and they make me feel like every day I am slightly more coherent and interesting.  My host sister and I are currently watching Chocolat together, in English.  Apparently having me translate a movie’s dialogue into Spanish is a great way to spend the afternoon. 

So to conclude I give you the new and improved lyrics to the lullaby “I See the Moon”

I see pig-killer and pig-killer sees me

Pig-killer sees somebody I want to see

So God bless pig-killer and God bless me

And God bless somebody I want to see.