Warning: the following text may contain some ill-contrived generalities. You have been warned. :)
Interesting that you went from Python to Perl. Most of the 'switcher' stories I hear are the other way around. In fact, I hear Python users talking about their previous life as a Perl coder so often, it makes me wonder if I shouldn't launch an in-depth attempt to learn the language. (Then I realize all their criticisms of Perl seem to be based on an extremely superficial knowledge of the langauge, and decide not to persue it further.)
