Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Christmas and motorcycles

My christmas was not good, I had to convince myself that it was not really Christmas just so I did not spend the whole day crying. Convincing myself of this fact was easier then I expected seeing as I spent the whole day in a bus.
I was excited because I was taking that bus to Lima, where I would be taking a taxi to the airport, where I took a plane to the city of Tarapoto,which is in the jungle. It is wonderful, I am dying of heat and am very badyly sunburned even after putting on 5 layers of sunscreen. But that day was worth it because I got to ride a motorcycle for the first time. At first I was terrified, I barley new the person that was driving and I was wearing flip flops (yes dad, I know). But soon the fear melted way and I realized that for the first time since being here I was not expected to say someyhing, I did not have to think about my problems with my sisters, I could just look out over the mountains and forget where I was and who I am and for that hour I could just be. I was so happy and i felt free,but my knuckles where white from gipping the handle bar. I will never forget that, ever.

So yeah as I metioned i am having some problems with my sisters here. The older one Alicia only talks to me when 1 the most common, she is telling me to do something or not to do something 2 when she is forced to talk to me by another person 3 the only time she is nice to me, when she wants to use something of mine. this morning I came out of the room and said good morning to her, she looked at me and said nothing but gave me one horrible looks. And this is how it is, if I ask her a question she ignores me and pretends that i do not exist. So I am not sure what I am doing wrong or how to fix it, but i am trying.

Merry Christmas and a happy new year

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Visa adventure!!!

So I was sitting at home on a normal wednesday night, I don´t even remember what I was doing, when all of a sudden the phone rang, I thought nothing of it....little did I know.
So my dad answers and is talking for a while, I thought he had hung up, but then he tell me that the president of AFS here in Huancayo is on the phone for me. I just figured that it was another meeting or another trip, BOY WAS I WRONG!
So she starts talking about the city of Lima and then my visa and I did not really understand at first, but then she starts talking about a city called Tumbes. Now at first I thought that she was saying that I was changing cities for my two week exchange in January (all of the exchange students are going to change cities for 2 weeks to get to know another part of the country). But then she said that I was leaving on Monday! Then I finally understod the issue. There is a problem with my visa, and in order to fix it I had to go to Tumbes, I soon found out that Tumbes is partly in Peru, but aslo has parts in Ecuador. yes Ladies and Gentalmen, I was getting kicked out of a country! How many people can say that!!!!
So the next two days leading up to my trip I was feeling horrible. I did not want to travel the 8 hours to lima and then 20 hours to Tumbes in a bus! Well when I got to Lima they were all very worried about my health, so I actually did not end up going to Ecuador, I stayed in Lima for 4 days to get tests done. I actually enjoyed my visit because I got to see the beach for the first time in months, I got to wear flip-flops and short sleeves and not get yelled at, and I found out that for my two week exchange I am going to be living in one of the richest districts in Peru!!!!
So then when they found out that there is actually nothing wrong with me but a gigantic overload of stress, I was allowed to go home!
The bus ride back was actually not miserable, I did not get car sick or anything!
Well eventually I do have to leave the country, sooner rather then later, so that will be another adventure!

Mrs. Tammy- I have found the Peruvian version of you while I was in Lima! She was in AFS too, she loves God and Jesus, AND she is the first peruvian I have met that is Baptist! I am going to give her your e-mail if that is ok!!


Love you guys!!!

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Thanksgiving away from home

So I was not quite sure how I was going to feel spending my first major holiday away from home. And the day before I was actually kind of excited because I was going to get to say the prayers in the morning in front of the whole school so that I could explain what thanksgiving is. I woke up and got ready just like any other day. And I was so excited when I got to school to talk in front of the entire school. I was so proud of myself, I did not mess up once and everyone understood my spanish!
But then I got downa dn looked at the time, big mistake, all I could do was think about what my family in the United States is doing, then I started crying. I continued crying through most of the morning because all I could think about was how much I wanted to be with my family. But then during the brake my class had prepared a little party kind of thing for me. They all went in a circle and said what they were thankful for, and then they all came up and gave me a hug. It was so sweet of them and it made me very thankful to be there. For the rest of the school day I was allowed to leave school to go to my friend´s house, which was very nice of them ( the school even offered to pay my taxi).
then I met up with my family and we went out for lunch and ate my favorite thing, chicken a la brasa (don´t know how to say it in english). It was very nice of them to do that for me. But when I got home one of the other exchange students told me that she had two american friends that were here in Huancayo and that were making dinner!!! I had to wait a little bit so I called my family and I got to talk to everyone, which was really nice.
Then i went to the house to eat dinner, wich only reminded me how great mine is, because it was kinda horrible, but I had fun.
I definatly did not like spending that time away from my family, it was by far my hardest day here. I think that christmas is going to be about 5000x as hard, but who knows.

A few more things that I would like to add
*My kittens have now opened their little eyes
*My host school won the dance competition
*I pass out when I get very stressed and am 10,000 feet up in the moutains

Thats all for now :)

XOXOXOXOXOXO
Lindsey