After a bad experience in the Huancayo area, Ted transferred to the north coast. He and his new roommate, Bob Watada, found a nice apartment in Lambayeque. They even had a refrigerator which they used to prepare ceviche de tiberon (raw shark meat with onions and lemon juice and other vegetables).
Ted, who was extremely tall, played a lot of basketball with the local team. However, his real break-through came when the citizens of Chiclayo dressed him up as the Jolly Green Giant and insisted that he march at the head of their annual parade.