week one is done

Hello World!
It has been over a week I have been living in the jungle now and I am getting used to it! My body is finally settled down with the food and I am no longer sick!! My family here has done a great job in making sure I only eat really clean food and only drink things that wont harm me. I eat a lot of chicken, rice, papas fritas (potato fries), with salad. I had no clue you could cook chicken in as many ways as I have eaten it here. My host family laughs at me every time I eat because it still is hard for me to eat meat off a bone and I must make some faces not knowing. I’m working on it though, especially when we eat fish. The fruit though is so good! One night the family took my out for Peruvian chinese food and then shopping. We went to a store of just fruit and they said to pick out all the ones I had never eaten before. There are some amazing fruits here that look weird but taste amazing! The day after for breakfast we had plates and plates of different fruits! I think I have lost a little weight but it might just be from sweating so much! Its hot here and I live by the fan in the house. They are putting in a little air conditioner in the house this week because Cesar said its going to get really hot (its already 90 degrees everyday) and they need one here. My family is a little more wealthier than the rest of the pueblo and have lived in lima for 5 or 6 years before so they are more modern. It is a good mix for me because they understand changing to life in the jungle and the different foods here. I am glad because at Ayumis house they eat full fish in soup with the skin and face and all sometimes (she loves it because its close to what she ate in Japan).
Something that is different here but I love is that people have so much time on their hands. When we went for Chinese food it happened to be a boy from our church, Rodmon, driving the motorcar that picked us up. We walked around and shopped first and he waited with the motorcar and Cesars moto (motor bike/ motorcycle) then drove us to the restaurant and came in and ate with us there. He is 22 and plays the drums in the church band. Its cool to know people when I got out in town now or get a motorcar. Also when I get in a motorcar to go to TEC or the city people always get in with me and enjoy just having a simple conversation. Usually to figure out why there is a gringa in San Jose but it is always fun. People stop by the house all the time to just sit and talk, to eat, to watch a soccer game, or whatever. Cesar says that his life is about moments with people not things to have. He is the pastor but also a friend to everyone. Right now the house we live in is under construction. There is only the bottom apartment done completely which in the future will be a place for visitors. My room that I share with Lillian is half done but totally livable and in the future will be Cesar and Evelyns room. The rest of the house is just the foundation and roof with wood frames. The money is saved slower though so that Cesar can spend money on food for the teens when they stop by or for having soda for the whole church after the service. It’s a really cool way of living and there are always people over.
As I mentioned above that the only way to get around is on the back of a moto or in a motorcar. The missionaries at TEC have cars but most people have motos. This week Cesar taught me how to drive one so I can get around San Jose because I live on the edge close to the next town. So I now drive a moto. I have only practiced on the property here back and forth between the trees but next week or weekend I am going to take it to the streets and learn the rules of the road. It will be good so I can get to mission TEC or Ayumis house or the bodegas (small stores). I love it because of the wind on your face and the freedom of no walls around you. The motorcars are similar but they cost money to take places.
There is a distinct smell about the jungle at night too. Its hard when your breathing in the fresh air and some dust when all of sudden you pass a house burning its trash. Everyone does it out here because its cheapest and quickest but it leaves this burnt smell for at least an hour in the air at like 5 o clock. Which is the time for everyone to shower here too, I am still getting used to the bathroom schedule.
I am getting used to the Spanish too. At lot of times I find myself thinking in Spanish or responding in Spanish to English questions. While im writing right now a lot of things come out in Spanish first in my head. This is awesome or chevere! because I am finally getting it. I love that I can understand most of the conversation, the lecture in church, or what the television is saying. I have only had one Spanish class so far but I have learned so much from my family and friends here. Some people I can not understand one word. Mom I understand now when you cant understand my mumble, here Spanish mumble is killing me. But it is only my first week so I am sure I will be Spanish mumbling by the time I leave. At the house the tv is always on so I am trying to listen to the words they say there as well.
One night this week I sat down with Cesar while the kids colored and we talked for 2 hours straight. It was a great conversation about good and bad works in the church, missionary life, and how he runs the church here. I enjoy living with someone with such interesting view points. Evelyn and I talk all day too because she only volunteers twice a week in the city and is here the rest of the time. She is excited for me to drive the moto too because she does not know how and we can do more things in the day.
I had my first day at my internship as this Monday. It was not at all what I expected it to be. I know it will get better but my first day was extremely hard. I thought I was going to be put in the class to do sign language but that is not the case. I am in a class of 5 to 7 children with extreme learning disabilities of different types. There is one boy that is extremely autistic and for the most part of the day sits in the corner. There is one boy who is extremely violent and throws, hits, and kicks anything that gets near him. He threw a block of wood at my head when I turned around to help another kid and punched me really hard numerous times. There is also bath time at the school which I was not used to for just my class and ayumis class. It was the hardest part of the day because the kids would run out of the bathroom naked across the school and I didn’t know what to do. They are all around 10 years old. I was embarrassed for them and sad at the same time. I know it will get better but it was a tough couple hours. Please pray for my patients and the kids in the class as well. I will keep you updated but the thing that I thought was going to be easiest and fun for me is going to be the hardest work of my life.
One fun job I have now is English class. I teach about 5 to 7 girls and women English after church on Sundays. Its fun and interesting to hear how they pronounce words in English, and I know they all really appreciate it. My host mom and sister are part of the class so we can practice with each other a lot back and forth.
I am getting excited though because my host family is taking me on a trip this weekend. We are going Huaneco another state of Peru to visit a member of their church. It is the state most famous for eating guinea pig (cuy) so I will be consuming my first rodent this weekend!
All is well though and I love it here. There are tough things but totally worth it and I cant wait for my Spanish to improve so I can talk more. Learning to listen is good for me though!

First week in the Selva!

I am finally settling in here! I am getting to know different people of different churches, the people at Mission Tec, and the people in my house better! I was getting a really good tour of Tec after it rained and around every building there are trenches dug and have wood over them to keep the water away from the buildings. I was walking over one and the wood broke from too much bugs and water in the last couple days and I fell really hard in the trench. I didn’t bleed at all which is good because with the bugs I would not have enjoyed that. I got two huge bumps on my left leg one with a bruise the size of an apple near my knee. I told my family here that I have to fall or hurt my knees at least one time during a trip so not to worry I was just getting it over with. (I still have the cut on my right knee from mexico a couple weeks ago) But my family here has been putting this medicine on it to help the swelling go down and its working great.
I moved into my house one night this week, arriving there on the back of a motorcycle! My oom is like a barn home for a princess if that makes sense. The room looks like a giant barn on the inside with big windows over looking the back yard which has 10 huge Mango trees about to go into season and a bunch of other fruit trees. The princess part comes from the Misquito net around my bed. My family is awesome. We always have different people here from the church or working. They have more money than most people living in San Jose so they have people helping here. One girl cleans the house while Evelyn volunteers in the city. Her name is Melody and she is 22 also, we talk a lot when she is here and she braids my hair differently every day for me. She asked me to help her with English as well. Its interesting because today I got my computer out to type and I realized that it was her first time really looking at one. She asked questions about it and wanted to look at everything including Microsoft word. It makes me really appreciate the fact that I know and own a computer.
I have been waiting to write this blog for a couple of days because I was really sick. I have not eaten much for the last 2 days. One day only half an apple and some powerade with a couple saltine crackers. Its okay though because I hung out with my family when I could get out of bed. I gave the kids the gifts and they loved it. We colored all day and played with bubbles. They tried one of all the candies I had and their favorite was starbusts but my favorite was when they tried the sour sprees and both kids faces were priceless. We sat at the table for 5 hours going back and forth from coloring to playing with bubbles and then at night I got out the glow sticks and we played starwars for 30 minutes. Im sure i just had travel sickness or the flu but I am glad I am better now because I can eat, play for reals with the kids, and go out.
We bought cellphones and it is really nice to be able to get ahold of ayumi at the other house to tell her I was sick or for my family to use. Also for our Spanish teacher to get ahold of us or for friends to take us out. We have a friend names Gerzon who called and text me all day to see if I was feeling any better and to tell me he was praying, if felt good to have a friend call here. My number is 985183933 on a pay as you go movistar phone, so really different. It makes me really appreciate cell phones in the U.S. as well. I think it works for out of country, for sure for skype, but I cant call you guys from it because it would take almost a whole 3 weeks worth of minutes and messages to pay for one minute.
One night this week Ayumi and I got picked up by Gerzon in his motertaxi and went to town for dinner. We got hambugers peru style which is wayyy different. For one the ketchup is kinda pink, the French fries come on the hambuger, the meat is different, and you drink chi cha with it. Chi cha is a drink made from sugar and boiled purple corn it tastes kinda like cough medicine but it grows on you. It was really nice getting to sit down and hear the life story of someone from here. Usually on mission trips you only get to know someones history after you leave if you stay in contact.
My family gave me the talk this week about how all the boys are going to want ayumi and I because we are new to the city. They told me to be careful and for the signs of a suck up. I agree with them that I am only here for friends and school! Its fun to meet everyone new though and through a new culture. Its funny though because at the house here we mix cultures a little, like watching 2 and a half men with Spanish subtitles, using phrases like “oh my god” (one the whole family knows) as well as Batman. Its been an adventure from being sick to moving to eating new foods, but my host family is really perfect for me. Today my host mom bought all my favorite foods like peanut butter and ranch for salad. I didn’t even know she listened to me the other day or understood. I love it here, I really miss you all, but I do love the jungle… Bugs and all.

last day in lima!

Today was awesome! or Chevere! in Spanish. We woke up earlier to a packed day of adventure with the Lucas family and then later my host family the Bardales’. It started out walking through different famous plazas in Lima. They have big circles dedicated to different important days of their history. July 28th is the day of their independence so that date is written everywhere. I was told that it is required to hang a Peruvian flag from your house on that day or you will be fined for not supporting your country. Also I thought it was interesting that most places were working on repainting their outside walls, I learned that a few years ago the law changed but before that it was required to have your house, restaurant, job site, hotel, whatever repainted and fixed up for the independence day holiday or you would be fined greatly. They want their country looking great to remember how great they are. We made our way to another plaza where the oldest church of Lima is. I did the tour and found out it is actually a monastery for the Franciscan Monks that are in the St. Francis de Assisi order. There used to be 300 active monks their but now there are only 50. It was beautiful there, the huge libraries, dining halls, church, choir lofts, paintings, and the CATECOMBS. We went down the catacombs and were right next to the huge pits of bones. People just wanted to be part of the church forever so they paid money to be buried underneath it. We only went down one tunnel and were literally able to touch the bones if you didn’t get caught. I didn’t of course because I didn’t want to break the rules and bones just aren’t my thing. But there was one pit that was 45 feet deep of straight up bones, they have arranged the top in a kinda funny way for tourists to see only full bones and skulls but underneath is all broken ones. John Lucas and I found a hallway that was not part of the tour and went for our own adventure, we found more bones and decided that without electricity that would be one really creepy place. We booked it out of there to make it right in time for the beginning of the Presidents guard change. We were at the gate where the president of Peru lives!! Every day at 12 o clock there is a ceremony for the new guards coming on duty and they parade around in front of the palace and have a band playing. It takes almost 30 minutes because of the routines they do. It was really interesting that it happens every day and to see how many people come to see it. After that we had lunch at a popular Peruvian restaurant called Norky’s. They serve all different kinds of meat there. I ate some of Ayumi’s Anticucho which is COW HEART. I could not bring myself to try the gizzards but I looked at them. I ordered chicken fingers, it’s a safe bet every time. Kengi, Johns son got a popular dish which turned out to be sliced hotdog on french-fries. We drank some more Inca Kola! My host family called the Lucas’ during lunch and we planned on meeting them at Barranco, a part of Lima that I saw on a post card and the sales lady told me was really beautiful. It is older and on the coast. All the buildings are different colors and are antique looking, like old salons. We spent a couple hours walking around there and walked down to the coast past all the Rasta men. They hang out, smoke, and sell things the find in the sea and use to make jewelry. We went out to coffee after, Cesar my host dad suggested Starbucks but we wanted something more Peruvian. I got hot chocolate con crema which is this amazing whipped cream they have here! We returned back to the SAM (South American Mission) house we were staying at to pack up for our trip to Pucallpa!