Mañana

Today when I woke up, I didn't feel very good. I'm guessing I have a slight case of altitude sickness. So I just laid in bed. I was listening to things going on outside, and I heard, among many other things, dogs barking, and what I'm guessing was pan flute music. It was pretty cool.

Once I did decide to get up, Vanessa made me some eggs. I wasn't too hungry, but I tried to eat anyways. While I was eating, the maid that comes by often was boiling water on the stove. They don't drink just straight tap water. But they store water in containers, under a big basket of fruit.



A little bit later, I wanted to shower. But, there wasn't any water. So we waited, and waited, until finally, it was back. So I took a shower, a short but much needed shower.

After that, Carlos woke up. Nothing special. Then Vanessa and I watched, well, started I watch a movie. It was called Three Meters Above the Ground. Or at least that's what I thin it was called. It was a little strange.

Because the airport said that my bag was going to be here today, we went to the Serpost office to see if it was there. And do you know what they said? Mañana. The same thing that the airport said. So, tomorrow Pia is going to take me to go get it. If it's there.

As Vanessa said, I have mala suerte.

-abrazos y besos de Peru.

Día uno: shopping and stress

Finally in Arequipa, two hours late, without my bag. And I am exhausted. I meet up with my family, and am so happy to finally be with them. We go home. And have lunch, which was a dish with chicken, rice, potato, and egg. It was very good, but a lot of food and I was so worn out I hardly ate. I also had Inca Cola, which is Peru's most popular soda. It tastes a little bit like bubble gum. And it is really good.

After that I decided to go lay down. I managed to make it to my room before having yet again, a breakdown. I was super home sick. So I laid in bed and cried it out, while trying to get some rest. I managed to sleep for a couple of hours, but it didn't help much. So when I woke up, I just laid there, listening to a very annoying ticking clock-that now is without a battery-and cried some more.

When I finally left my bed room, Vanessa, my sister of 17 who knows very little English, was the only other person home. So I joined her in her room and we watched a show about ballet that was on. It's nice to know that she likes watching it. We communicated mostly by using google translate. We then decided to go to the mall.

It was a beautiful, very large mall, with not many stores. Since my bag didn't come with me to Arequipa, I decided that I needed some clothes for tomorrow. So we looked around and after what seemed like forever, I found a shirt I liked, and pants that fit me.


(may I add that pants are VERY hard to find in the right size)

Anyways, we went to Starbucks, too. And I won a cookie sandwich thing that had what I assume was caramel in between. It was good. Other than that and dinner, I haven't really eaten anything today, and I hope it doesn't stay like this for a while. Because as much as I like the idea of not gaining weight, I don't want to lose any either.

So now at the end of day one, I am physically, emotionally, and mentally drained. But, things are starting to look up already, and I am hoping that I understand Spanish more in a week or two.

-abrazos y besos de Perú

Location:Arequipa, Peru

Madness in Lima

When we got off the plane at Lima airport, I was a wreck. I didn't get much sleep, and being in a new place, I was pretty freaked out.

I couldn't understand anyone, and forgot to check my bag. So I got all the way to security thinking that something was wrong, and I was right. I had to go back downstairs to find the ticket counter so I could get my boarding pass, and check my bag. The latter didn't happen. By the time I got down there, they said my flight had closed, and there was nothing they could do about it. So I went upstairs to get it shipped to my host family's house. Good thing it only cost 40 dollars.

After that, I assumed that my plane had left and there was nothing I could do about it, so I went to my gate anyways. They gave me a standby ticket, so I waited for the next flight. Of course, I was freaking out by then, in tears and a total wreck. I met a couple from Arizona who was very helpful. Thank God. The lady talked to me about her first time flying alone, and she also wasn't the calmest person in the world. It made me feel a little better.

So then we waited, and waited. And I waited until the flight was boarded, then I waited some more. Then finally they said there was a seat open.


So now here I am, sitting in the very first row of a plane that is four seats across, finally leaving the Lima airport to go to Arequipa where hopefully my host family is still waiting for me.

Not even a full day in and I've already learned that it's hard to be strong in new situations.

-abrazos y besos de Peru.

Location:Lima airport

LAX

When we said our goodbyes to our parents, Emily and I went through security with one thing on our minds. Food. We went to a cafe and got ourselves some breakfast. After, we headed to our gate and got on the first plane to LAX. And now, in the middle of a NINE hour layover, I decided that I have some time to write a post.

So far today we've had quite an adventure, to say the most. Once we got off the plane, realizing how much time we have on our hands, we went and got some ice cream. But not any ice cream, we got Häagen-Dazs.


We go the small one, which was still a fortune.

After that, we went exploring. We went around the terminal looking for shops, but only finding international food restaurants. So we took the shuttle bus randomly around with no luck of finding anything of interest besides a guy with an English accent.

Later when we got in an elevator, six French flight attendants got in and started talking what sounded like gibberish.

Anyways, here we sit (On the ground because there is an outlet here for me to charge my iPod at because all of the ones at tables are being used) waiting for these last two and a half hours to go by before we get on the plane to Lima.


-abrazos y besos de Peru.

Ps.
I would have posted this earlier, but the wifi at the LA airport sucks. :)

At the airport with Emily!



-abrazos y besos de Peru.

My gosh, I leave in one day. Through out the last month or two I have been doing way too much thinking. My realization that it's only a year, and a year isn't too terribly long has eased my stress quite a bit. But it will also be a very long year. I will be learning so much about myself while I'm gone, and I'll be growing up more than I would if I were here.

But I am going to miss my many families here. Of course my real family, but m other adopted families as well that have loved me as if I were one of their own. I want to thank all of the people who have supported me thus far and hope that they will continue to do so. With out all of the help and support I wouldn't be able to be as strong and ready to leave and put my life here on somewhat of 'pause' for a year as I am now. I am very thankful for everyone.

-abrazos y besos de Peru.

Less than a week

With time here in the states slowly running out, I suppose it's time to write something In my blog. I leave Oregon August 19th and arrive in Arequipa, Peru on the 20th. My first host family lives in the center of town in an apartment. I have an older sister names Mariapia who is 21 and a brother named Carlos who is 23. Mariapia speaks very good English, unlike the rest of my family. Vanessa, a girl my age, is their youngest daughter of 17. She will be coming to america and living in McMinnville a couple weeks after I arrive.
So far I know I will be going to a private school, which in most Latin countries in a normal thing. I will have a uniform also.

So with that, I should probably start packing, don't you think?


-abrazos y besos de Peru.