Mas Colegioo...

     Man it's weird. The math is all over the spectrum. Some of it is grade 9/10/11 trig that I have LONG forgotten, some of it is grade 12 level, some of it I have no idea about because it's written differently, and some of it is ridiculously easy problem solving from grade 6 or 7. Not even joking. "If there are six people sitting around a table and so-n-so can't sit beside so-n-so and has to sit beside so-n-so....blahblahbla" seriously?! Oh well. The kids are cool. Hopefully going to be allowed to go to the beach with them tomorrow and see TORTUGAS!! Turtles. :) And show em how to swim in "cold" water hahaha.

     Today felt like elementary school again. The morning history class was actually a little bit interesting though, because the teacher's cool, and we learned stuff I already know about Impressionism and Symbolism (from music history class). The afternoon felt kind of like challenge day. The older kids (15/16) all gathered in a room and played silly bonding games, including one where we had to tie balloons onto our ankles and run around screaming and stomping on the balloons of others. Oh my god. I feel so ridiculous doing this stuff. It seems like every second day, there's some sort of excuse to do something silly and time-wasting rather than work or learn. Why am I complaining? xD Then we had gym, and everyone was so amazed that I can do a kartwheel and a handstand (didn't think i could do that one..) and I even walked on my hands a tiny bit! And here nobody skips. So I looked like a pro just doing like crossover stuff and double jumps or w/e they're called. Was fun though..

     Oh! And yesterday we drank some sort of fruity wine rum drink thing in class, because each group has to prepare a traditional Peruvian meal and beverage and bring it to class (yesterday and next thursday as well) So that was kinda fun :P Can't do THAT in FH haha

Grupo Cinco

    Elections here are crazy. The whole time I've been in Peru, I've seen commercials, murals, huge, blaring parades and campaigns with flags, posters, pins and match boxes with different candidates' faces. "Josue Noreiga", "Vicky Espinoza", "VALENTIN!" and the election is on Sunday, October 3rd. Even the motos and taxis are painted different colours (red or blue) depending on who they're supporting. And Friday and Saturday nights, it is prohibited to go to a discoteca, because the election is sunday. Not sure how that works, but yeah. Everything shuts down. No colegio saturday, yes! Anyways, tonight there's this huge concert thing in the Plaza cerca de la casa de Jhoselyn. Ah! I keep mixing up my languages lately. All the time, especially when I'm talking to someone from home!

     The concert started at 4pm, and we went from around 6-9, and it's still blastin on. We can hear the music clearly from our house, and there was fireworks and everything. It was part of Valentin and Josue's campaign, and everyone had flags (banderas) and posters and flyers and hats and the likes. The Group of 5 (a musical group) played AWESOME Peruvian music for a few hours. I brought my little camera and will post some of the videos of the music and crazy latino dancing on facebook, because my blog won't let me! It was super fun. Felt like a music festival; good acoustic drum beats and everything. It's weird because here you're apparently allowed to drink in public places. There was a bunch of people walking around selling cervesas (beer) and chocolate bars and other weird UFO (unidentified food objects, that actually taste good phew!) After the Group of 5, the candidates and other representatives gave some long but interesting speeches. People here know how to talk. But they also know how to use their voice to make it interesting to listen to! Josue and Valentin even did some dirty dancing for the crowd; it was hilarious. Then the next musical group was three women who dressed pretty but had no musical vibes going for them, so we left, ate some alright pizza, and walked home.

OOPS! (how many of these begin with that...? :P)

      So. When I was first learning spanish, we learned that the word "simpatico/a" refers to someone who is nice. BUT apparently here in Peru, people use simpatico to describe someone who is muy guapo/a (aka HOT) Hahaha and here I've been going around saying how much nicer the guys here are than in Canada, whenever someone asks me what the chicos are like. In reality, I've been saying that they're all super super hot!!!! Hahahahahhaaha mierda. And today in colegio after my turn to read aloud, I had to choose the "most simpatico" chico in the class to read next. No wonder people laughed so hard when I chose the NICEST guy. (smart guy, but definitely not the cutest) Aahhh hahaha :P

I hate having to title these.

     Last night was possibly the most uncomfortable thing ever. A tia (aunt) of someone related to Jhoselyn's family has passed away, and last night was the funeral. Nancy insisted that I go with her and Jhoselyn. I really didn't want to, but I went because she wanted me to. I felt like I was intruding on something. She said that here all the neighbours (vecinos) and everyone goes to the funeral and brings pan (bread) and coffee for all. Everyone stared at me, and I felt like crying the whole time, even though I never met the person. Nancy insists that they were staring because I'm a gringa and not because I'm intruding, but still. It was very hard for me, and I'm not entirely sure why, but it was a lot to handle. Funerals are a lot different here though. Everyone was given pan w/ mantequilla (butter), coffee, and a few shots of this hot lemonade-like liquor, and chiclets for afterwards. It was very sombre, but also felt like a get-together among friends. After awhile I felt slightly more comfortable because some of the older women were complimenting me on my hair, saying "me parece una muneca" (a doll). She also wanted me to go to the burial in the cemetary today, but I couldn't. Seeing the casket last night was enough. :(

       Lately the mother and father of my family have been conversing lots with me. I think they can tell I'm having a really hard time, but don't understand that it's not because I'm lonely, it's because I'm rarely alone. She has started insisting that I spend a couple hours each day with each of the children. So a couple hours teaching Junior english, a couple hours with Fran, who is more like me, more reserved, and a few hours with her. I love being with J and her friends, but I didn't know that her mom wants us home more. After every meal the family sits and talks for a good two hours. I get tired by it, and need a rest sometimes. It's a lot of thinking when I don't speak fluent spanish, and it's also at the end of the day.  I really need another go at the sauna!!

:)

      Last night Jhoselyn's father took her and I to the sauna. It was heavenly! Actually the most amazing thing ever. At first glance, mom, you'd be terrified, but it was great. Walk into a shack off the street, then through some creepy cement dark corridors and you end up in a tiny little blue bathroom with a little room inside. Jhoselyn and I go in and it smells amazing because of some vanilla-ish plant thingy and you actually can't see a THING because it's so white and thick with hot steam. Hard to breathe, but awesome. Laying down was so relaxing and tranquillo and peaceful. Mmm. I thought people only sighed like that in the movies hahahaha. Then there's a shower head right in the middle and when you're too hot, nice cool water streams down. Best thing ever! Totally reminded me of the freezing but refreshing waters of home.. my skin is still so soft! And acne free hahaha. Only 10 soles (like 3 or 4 bucks) for an hour in your own private room or with one other person. Niceee

27th day in Peru

    Almost a month. Longest I've ever been from home. Finally starting to miss it haha. I miss being able to walk out my door and into a forest, or down a river, or up a mountain. I miss my greens and blues and nature and ahh! Can't believe I'm not gonna snowboard this year. Everyone thinks I'm crazy for wanting to hit up the beach and go swimming these days. Apparently it's cold but... somehow I doubt it. :P

     Other random things about Peru. At night, there are watchmen on the residential streets with whistles. At first I had no idea why I'd always hear these people whistling, but it's apparently for my safety. A whistle means be careful, maybe think about crossing the street, sketchy characters ahead. Comforting, no?

      Last night Jhoselyn and I were walking from her friend's house just a little after 7pm, so fairly early in the night, but pitch black dark, and we saw three guys ahead of us. Except two of them were beating on the third. :( I have witnessed my first mugging. I actually can't stand violence. Makes me wanna punch somebody HAHA. But no. It was kinda scary though, because we were the only other people around other than some cars on the highway. We only had 3 soles, so we couldn't take a cab, which is why we were walking. Jhoselyn immediately got scared and started practically running in the opposite direction, where we just came from. Stupid idea. I figured it would be better to stay chill and flag down a cab where we were. Running in the opposite direction tells the muggers right away that you're scared and you can be a target. Why run if you don't have something valuable, right? Anyways, I calmed her down a bit, tried to explain my reasoning in spanish, and when I turned back they were all running down some alley chasing the mugged guy. :( I HATE violence. Seeing somebody punched and stuff, even if it's in the dark, makes me sick. Makes me sad. No me gusta.
      Flagged down a cab anyways and paid the rest of the fee once we got to her house. No biggie