It's really happening isn't it...

Lanisa, Kim y yo 

...I'M TALKING MORE SPANISH!

Well folks, it's been just shy of a month that I've been in Lima. I have already done so much and learned so much. Last week I started volunteering to help in an English class for the University students and it is very interesting to see how they teach English here. It was a big relief that they didn't catch onto English easily, because I know that Spanish speakers learning English understand how I feel learning Spanish. That has helped me to be more comfortable with talking Spanish.

I can't  believe it's been so long since my last post, but I really don't have enough hours in the day to get everything completed! We need about 8 more hours each day to get everything done :) and to sleep. Homework, school, volunteering, and making time to go out on the town take up all of my time. It is nice to be able to have some down time in the evenings to chat with friends and family from home, although it is not always the easiest thing in the world.

Since my last post I have been to Centro, Lima (downtown) twice. The first time was to see the Circuito de Las Aguas. It was incredible to see all of the different fountains and the way they made the water move. Some seriously nerdy people were in charge of that magic...I was in awe. Here is a picture of some of us that when to Centro with two of our Peruvian friends Adrian and Xiomara. They are very friendly and offered to meet us at UPC so we could take a taxi together to Centro. It was about a 45 minute taxi ride because we went in "rush hour" (as if that makes a difference in Peruvian driving habits). 

Note the small cup...and no free refills here in Peru. *babysips*

Later in the week, not sure exactly what day because they all run together, the Americans decided it was time for some McDonald's. For me, this was my first taste of "American" food I had eaten since January 3rd. It was wonderful...and I don't even like McDonald's. Don't get me wrong, the food here is absolutely amazing and I want everyone to eat it when I get home but having something familiar is a nice change sometimes. 

The birds

Our group in front of the church

Me with the waterfall

Our second trip to Centro was with our grammar teacher Roberto, he kindly took us on the metropolitano...and I will kindly decline any offer to ride that horrid thing ever again. It is more stressful than anything. But I imagine if I lived in a big city, like New York, I wouldn't be as closed-minded to the public transportation...BUT I don't live in a big city, so I would rather take a taxi where I only have to smell the armpits of my friends and not the BO of strangers. Anyway...we got to Centro and walked for about 30 minutes to La Iglesia de San Francisco. It was very pretty and HUGE. We paid 7 soles ($4) for a tour in "English"...I put quotes around it because I think I may have understood more of what she said if she spoke in Spanish. You win some you lose some. The church was one of those iconic "pigeons pooping and walking and being disgusting on the front steps to the church" churches...I'm not much of a fan of the birds here...they actually prefer to fly directly at you rather than flee from our scary human selves. Overall, it was a very good day and I got sunburned. 

With the Mayor of Matucana

The following day our class was able to go to Matucana (about 2 hours away from Lima) to go hiking in the Andes mountains! It was absolutely amazing...pictures don't do it justice and it doesn't even matter that I couldn't move the next day from exhaustion. We left around 7am and got home around 6pm. We hiked for 14miles (more or less...personally it felt like a million miles) and finally reached our destination, which was a "little" waterfall coming from a HUGE laguna at the very top of the mountain. It was completely worth the hours long hike up and down. When we got done hiking we just so happened to run into the mayor of Matucana (and when I say "we" I mean our guide Coco (aka Jorge) ran into her). She was very nice and offered to even give us a tour of her building, it was a very neat surprise! We then ate at a little restaurant before heading back to Lima. When we got back to Lima, I headed straight for my shower because I was nasty...hours in the sun and sun burns require a cold shower. I'm happy to share that my sunburns have magically disappeared (basically) in the span of a day and a half...with surprisingly little pain. I will admit that I layed in my bed all day Sunday feeling like death with sunburns but other than that, I did good. Later that evening we went to Sam's host family house to play some games and hang out, it worked out well because Peruvians like to practice their English...but like us to speak Spanish to them so we played games where Americans had to answer (with aided Spanglish) in Spanish and the Peruvians had to answer in English. It was a very fun time, but we were all tired really early so we headed home. 

I've been nursing a bit of a cold, but I have recently (last night) come to the conclusion that it is allergies...Zyrtec has saved my life. And for that, I am eternally grateful. 

And here I am, Tuesday afternoon, avoiding studying for a rather large quiz I have today, writing to you all for pure entertainment. I'm having the time of my life, and I don't think I'm going to ever want to leave. Our Kearney group has grown closer together over these few weeks and I think that helps us suppress homesickness. We've even made some inside jokes...and I'm not going to tell them to you cuz they're for my friends, and you wouldn't think they're funny. 

Until next time! ¡Besitos!