I’m writing this on Wednesday (on microsoft word while there's no webby) because there hasn’t been internet for six days because the father didn’t decide to pay for it. He also didn’t pay for the water for a few days there and well. I was about to go to the pool to shower when water finally arrived! I was lucky that I washed my mountain load of clothes the DAY BEFORE the water was cut off, or I wouldn’t have had clean underwear. Cool. Anyways... now it’s SUPER hard to remember what I did each day. All I remember about Friday is that Jhoselyn, Tonio and I went to an INSANELY PACKED music concert with her mom hahaha. Charanga Habanera... everybody went crazy over them, but it’s half as much about the music as it is about the looks and the bodies and the attitude. But they’re super good performers and know how to entertain. Actually they can sing too. They’re a salsa group from Cuba and they actually do have some good songs, which I discovered I’ve been hearing on the radio 24/7 and didn’t know it. They’re suuuper popular here. But we didn’t know that arriving there at 10pm, we’d be listening to the opening act until 2am. The Almani Exchange members, which were a good group as well, with a strong female vocalist, were hilaaaarious crowd pleasers. I am proud to say I was laughing because of the jokes, and not because I didn’t undersand. J Anyways, finally Charanga took the stage at around 2:30am. They had a super funky introduction for all the band members and stuff and it was soooo loud. The whole night I could feel the bass and drumbeats POUNDING in my ribs and chest. It was awesome. I love that feeling! My ears could’ve used a rest though. I filmed a bunch and took a bunch of so-so photos but the films are impossible to upload to facebook. I even tried purposefully filming short sections but nope. “4 hours and 27min remaining”. Yeah cool. At first I was super surprised that Tonio invited Nancy to come with us, and thought everybody was joking, but nope! It was kinda funny I have to admit. She was super cool about it and made us take a nap after lunch so that we wouldn’t be tired later at the concert! hahaha One good advantage of going with her was that we stayed out until 4:30am haha. The papa wasn’t happy though; even though we were with Nancy. Or maybe that made it worse? He was fine with me but yeah. He’s always happyhappy with me and acts differently around his kids. :S I never know when we have to hide stuff from the dad or not, but it’s getting a bit difficult to keep up. Even Nancy will tell me that some things I can’t tell the dad and ugggh. I can’t stand all this lying in a language I am still learning to move around in! And I never want to say something wrong, or tell a wrong fib. It’s uncomfortable. It’s so much easier to just say it how it is and tell the truth. Anywhoo.
Saturdayum
I haven’t been writing about any of the family problems or lack of problems on here, but for a long while Jhoselyn and I have been more distant. Kind of in a fight but not? She really doesn’t treat me well, and a whooole bunch of things but anyways, point is, Saturday I spent the long and boring day in the house alone because she went to Casma again with Leo, Helen, Tonio and a bunch of (our) other friends. Without telling me or inviting me. Even though we woke up at the same time and everything... she just ignored me when I was asking her where she was going and yeah. Apparently she told everyone that I was too tired (because Helen and them were wondering why I didn’t go) I didn’t even find out they went to Casma and explored museums and such until Helen was asking me about it on msn later in the night. :S I know she shouldn’t always have to invite me places and take me along all the time but... The way she did it and her reasons why kinda hurt, especially when she told her dad later that it was because “Mia didn’t want to.” Actually, Mia didn’t know. But we hadn’t been talking in awhile, and she had ignored me at Charanga (because she always does when we’re with Tonio) so... I guess she was angry. I still have no idea what I did in the first place, but it went on for a long while there. Anyways... instead I washed my mountain of laundry, played my violin and washed dishes. I enjoy washing dishes and helping out, but it’s kinda weird that I’m the only one who does it. I’ve never seen Fran or Jhosey or Junior do chores... oh well, I don’t mind. I’m doing my part even if they aren’t :P Then the papa arrived around 10pm and took Jhoselyn (just arrived) and I out for chifa (rice, veggies, pollo, stir fry type asian food dealio) for dinner. This was after giving her a big lecture about always being “en la calle” and how the mom gives us too much liberty and time away from the house. He feels very strongly about it, and it doesn’t matter if we have Nancy’s permission or not, he still gets upset about it. :S
Sunday. No water.
Actually as of Saturday night, but Sunday was the first of 3 days without water. Yay! Greasy. For almuerzo, Nancy, Gabriel, Jhoselyn and I went to the casa of her tio (uncle) Pepe and his family. They’re really friendly people and served us a HUGE meal of “panchamanca”. Which is the native language Quecha and I think ‘pancha’ means earth. You get potatoes (THE BIGGEST I’VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE), kamote (sweet potato, but wayyyy better), enlarged pea type things (i accidentally ate the whole thing...apparently you're not supposed to eat the shell...which is why i nearly choked...), salad (lettuce and cucumber), chicken, duck, and corn. I’m sure each plate can feed three people happily, which is why we took some home for dinner later.
Then at 3pm I met up with Clemens, Ondine, Louise and Laetitia in el centro for our AFS Rebellion. Things have been going very rough with the AFS Chimbote committee. I don’t think I’ve written about it but there are bastante (many many many; too many) problems and different issues going on here in Chimbote, and we are not getting the help we feel we need. For example, using many rules “of AFS” (that, speaking with other AFS students in Peru, ONLY APPLY in Chimbote) in order to keep things how they want them here. I cannot speak for the other students because I do not want to misrepresent their problems or examples, but things have gotten ridiculous. As well, Clemens needs to change families, is 24, has been living with them for 8 months (is here for another 4 or 5), his family WANTS him to leave and treats him badly, but he has been told that HE’S ONLY ALLOWED TO CHANGE IF THERE IS PHYSICAL OR SEXUAL ASSAULT. That. Is boink. SO anyways. We all decided that we need to have an AFS reunion to talk. Johanna sent a nice but firm email to Jose, everyone and AFS Lima on Saturday requesting a time and place for a reunion the next day. None of the AFS volunteers replied. Sunday comes and we phone him a few times but he ignores our calls and voice message requesting a date to meet. Then we gave up and went home, but Jose and two other AFS volunteers were seen altogether in el centro, and ignored our AFS student that spotted them. Or didn't see them who knows.... Now we’ve just been waiting and sending emails to various personas and AFS organizations in our countries. (except for me. I don’t have big enough problems right now to speak for myself, but I’m sticking up for Clemens and such. As well there’s no interwebbers yet.) People in other cities have heard too. “I hear there’s a little rebellion going on in Chimbote, you a part of that?” I’m scared. But we’re all being very calm about it. We simply want to know why things are happening, or not happening, how they are. Just curious, but polite and firm. Getting fired up would be an immature way to ruin our cause/chances.
Monday
Definitely don’t remember what happened in colegio on Monday... which is surprising because it was the first day ever that I didn’t pass out asleep during one of or all of my classes. I’m very proud, very proud. Then afterwards I DID MY HOMEWORK (omg) that I didn’t need interwebs for (jeeeez are we dependent on that thing.) and played my violin. For awhile I was really scared I’d lost it, but I’m feeling slightly more optimistic now that if I just keep sawing away at if every day I’ll get it back... I hope. I forget which days they were, but I’ve been bonding lots, which is cool. Teaching Junior English, making bracelets with Fran and Soledad, letting Gabo smash toys all over me, and conversing with the rents lots. Little Gabriel is so freaking cute! He speaks and learns so much more everyday that I’m scared he’ll be more fluent than I am pretty soon! He also lets me carry him when we go places and stuff now, super calm and content. I’m his sister now and not that stranger girl anymore! :P Then I went to el cine and we watched a super awesome movie with the word “peligroso” (danger) in the title. I don’t remember the title but it was the first super good one, and we ate a thousand of these grenadine fruits. They’re super yummy. You crack open the shell like an egg and then scoop out and eat the sweet-fruit-covered little black seeds, which are super sour themselves. Mmm. We often buy them in bags by the kilo. :D
** now it's Saturday, there's internet, and ima try and catch up on writing everything since Tuesday... ayayayayisdasijdasi wish me luck
