Baked Macaroni, No Hay Carros=SOL DAY

First off, I need to start out with the fact that this past Sunday another volunteer and I made Baked Macaroni for my family. We got all the ingredients at the market in Chosica, and my family loved it. 

Yummy!

Yesterday, training was canceled because the transportation of Lima decided to protest the government. The government is starting to enforce stricter rules and trying to cut back on the amount of combis, taxis and other modes of transportation in and around Lima. MOST of the people in Peru count on the transportation for their daily activities, and for many driving these cars are their way of making a living. SO... Peru 17 got a "SOL" day. I woke up a little later than usual and went over some session plans for my youth group and then spent the rest of the day laying in the sun at a pool near my house. It was nice to finally get a chance to relax. For lunch I had an awesome salad con palta (avacado) with really good dressing. Overall, my SOL day was a success.

So since this was a rather dry blost post... I'll leave you with some lists

I miss:

-Ice

-Clean, normal dogs

-People who follow the rules of driving

-HOT SHOWERS (this may be the most missed)

-french vanilla iced coffee 3 splendas

-Italian combos

I don’t miss:

-my cellphone

-watching TV

-driving

-the fast paced life in America

I like:

-the patience of Peruvians

-the kindness of Peruvians

-la HORA PERUANA!

-that my name is screamed every 10 minutes very loudly "BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRIEEEEEEELLLE!!"

-being called Flackita 

- Peru 17.

Me, Slacker and Kerry

I don’t like:

-cold showers

-hand washing my clothes... my jeans are now 3 times their normal size.

-tamales for breakfast (thankfully I have a 3 year old sister I can sneak my food to)

-pulgas (better known in America as...fleas)

I’m getting used to:

-almost dying constantly in combi and collectivo rides

-dogs all over the place (jumping off roofs, walking down the aisle during Mass and hanging out in the market in Chosica)
- having no clue what i'm eating

- the bread man screaming at 6 in the morning

- having zero privacy

I was talking with a friend, Katherine (better known as Gato in our group)... and we decided that we walk around Peru completely confused 90% percent of the time. One example: all of our sessions for tech training are now completely in Spanish. More than once I can hear others around me saying "but seriously... what is going on?" Clearly we are all on the same page... or as Gato likes to say "Nosotros somos en el mismo pagina."

I leave for Ancash on SATURDAY. The packing has begun! I will probably have very limited internet access, but I'll have my KINDLE for those of you who actually email me :) 

Alex Nix: you are up there on funniest email so far. Thank you for taking the time to write that amazing masterpiece. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'll be responding soon. 

"While some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do." -Unknown

-Brielle