Peru is once again on my mind. I am hoping to move down in January and continue the work I believe God has for me down there. I miss my kids so much, and I don't like that I have missed everything they have been up to since I left. How much have they grown, how are they doing in school, who has left the orphanage, who is new, etc.???
I have spent the past 5 months in Alaska, working, spending times reconnecting with dear friends and enjoying the beautiful land that never seizes to amaze me with its majesty. Alaska truly is one of the most beautiful places on earth! We had the best summer since I moved here 12 years ago! I actually was able to maintain the tan I brought with me from Peru up until just a few weeks ago.
As one of my jobs ended last month I have been busy trying to condense what I will be leaving behind when I make my move. It's a bit depressing, (especially since I am such a sentimental fool) to sort what I have accumulated in the past 18 years. Hours of sorting, filing, selling, tossing and donating. I will be storing my belongings with some dear friends and am trying to minimize what I want to keep for possible future use. Please say a prayer for me to help me let go!
Before my move I have a couple other adventures ahead of me. First I will be heading to China for 3 weeks and from there, I will be visiting family in Sweden for a month before returning to Alaska to dump off my winter gear and repack, for the last 2 weeks in December. I am hoping for a white Christmas as a nice goodbye present.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Shopping and TaeKwando
Slept late this morning. Woke up at 7am, but the next time I checked the time it was 10am!! Oops. I still have a cold, so I guess my body needed the rest.
Walked over to the police station and watched the boy´s soccer game. The seats along the buildings were so hot it was impossible to sit. Felt like it would burn a hole through my shorts and skin when I tried, and it was fun to watch latecomers try to sit and fly straight up very quickly rubbing their behinds! The teams played really hard and it was a great game, but our boys still lost 5-2, and they were so sad. I tried to encourage them and gave them hugs before leaving for the market. I needed to try to find some shoes for my boy´s birthday in a couple of days. I haven´t strolled around much in that area, besides the fruit stands and a few other sections, but I came a across a huge clothing area and found him lots of other clothes for his birthday. Score! It is a good thing I´m too tall and big for most of the clothes here in Peru, or I would be tempted to shop for myself too. Saw lots of cute stuff, but I didn´t even bother trying any of it on.
There were lots of activities at the beach all day today, as all the summer programs were ending, and I walked down there this afternoon. Wanted to see if I could find the kids from the orphanage if they were there, but also do some people watching. They weren´t there, but I spent a long time watching TaeKwando competitions. It is a fun sport and looks like great exercise. While I was enjoying the show, I met an older man who had lived in Florida, so he spoke a little English. I got the feeling he was trying to set me up with his friend, who didn´t speak any English, but he kept telling me about his friend and what a great job as an aircraft mechanic in Lima, that he was single etc... The friend just stood there smiling at me the whole time. I was friendly, but refused to tell them what street I lived on and eventually they left. Despite the topic, it was nice to talk to someone. I wish I was fluent in Spanish so I could chitchat with anybody.
Walked over to the police station and watched the boy´s soccer game. The seats along the buildings were so hot it was impossible to sit. Felt like it would burn a hole through my shorts and skin when I tried, and it was fun to watch latecomers try to sit and fly straight up very quickly rubbing their behinds! The teams played really hard and it was a great game, but our boys still lost 5-2, and they were so sad. I tried to encourage them and gave them hugs before leaving for the market. I needed to try to find some shoes for my boy´s birthday in a couple of days. I haven´t strolled around much in that area, besides the fruit stands and a few other sections, but I came a across a huge clothing area and found him lots of other clothes for his birthday. Score! It is a good thing I´m too tall and big for most of the clothes here in Peru, or I would be tempted to shop for myself too. Saw lots of cute stuff, but I didn´t even bother trying any of it on.
There were lots of activities at the beach all day today, as all the summer programs were ending, and I walked down there this afternoon. Wanted to see if I could find the kids from the orphanage if they were there, but also do some people watching. They weren´t there, but I spent a long time watching TaeKwando competitions. It is a fun sport and looks like great exercise. While I was enjoying the show, I met an older man who had lived in Florida, so he spoke a little English. I got the feeling he was trying to set me up with his friend, who didn´t speak any English, but he kept telling me about his friend and what a great job as an aircraft mechanic in Lima, that he was single etc... The friend just stood there smiling at me the whole time. I was friendly, but refused to tell them what street I lived on and eventually they left. Despite the topic, it was nice to talk to someone. I wish I was fluent in Spanish so I could chitchat with anybody.
Friday, February 22, 2013
Mattress flip
I´ve had a really bad cold most of the week, but have mustered up enough energy to spend every afternoon with the kids, sometimes being part of their bracelet classes, dance lessons and lots of soccer, and then of course English lessons. Some of them are now making a some really nice sentences, others are struggling with the basics. I only have 9 weeks left and every moment with them seems more and more precious.
Since I am more than halfway through my stay, I thought it was time to flip my lumpy mattress. I´ve been holding out, sleeping in the dip for as long as possible, but today I made it happen. I flipped it, and for at least a few nights I will once again sleep on a solid flat surface.... Hurray!
Since I am more than halfway through my stay, I thought it was time to flip my lumpy mattress. I´ve been holding out, sleeping in the dip for as long as possible, but today I made it happen. I flipped it, and for at least a few nights I will once again sleep on a solid flat surface.... Hurray!
Monday, February 18, 2013
Three in One
I hit the ground running today and most of the day consisted of English classes - the girls in the morning, my friend, the taxi driver this afternoon and the boys tonight! It is good to be back and I love being busy. I really would like to get a certificate and learn how to "properly" teach English. It is somewhat easy with the kids, but today I got some hard questions thrown at me when teaching my friend, and I wish had all the answers. I don´t always know when there is and actual rule or when you just have to memorize it, but I want to learn. At some point, going to school in Sweden, I knew that stuff, but grammar was never my favorite part as a student.
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Sweetest busride so far
The team from Colorado left for Cusco this morning and they were such a fun group. I had the pleasure of joining them for dinner last night and it was great to spend some time with them. A part of me wish I could go with them, but it is time for me to return to the kids. This morning I went to church and after I spent some more time catching up on Internet stuff, before taking the bus home. I loved travelling on a Sunday afternoon. The traffic in Lima was almost non-existent so I got to the bustation in record time, and the bus was almost empty so I could really stretch out my leg. Although, my favorite part of travelling on a Sunday afternoon, was the beautiful sunset sky as we were getting closer to Huacho. Couldn´t stop looking out the window as we drove along the coast and admire the pink, purple sky for almost an hour. It´s good to be home in my own room again.
Friday, February 15, 2013
Market & Beach adventure
One of the reasons I came to Lima this weekend (besides visiting with friends and going to church), was so I could go birthday shopping for my little guy. He turns 15 in 10 days. H. walked with me to the big market and I found some clothes for him, but I think I need to exchange the shoes tomorrow. Everybody thinks they are too small for him. Sizes are so difficult here. People are so small and I am not used to buying kid´s clothes, but I like learning new things.
My friend H wanted to explore a new beach this afternoon and she had a name of one written down on a note to show taxidrivers. We thought it would be pretty close so we didn´t bring a lot of money. We were able to talk a driver down to 12 soles, but we weren´t going to have enough to get back, but we went anyways. The cab kept going and going, and we passed many beautiful beaches on the way, so we debated to have him drop us at any of those, but he said it was just a little further...When we got to the beach, the sun was gone and it was so windy we got sandblasted, but we stayed for about an hour anyways. Then we started walking towards home, so we could eventually find a cab to take us the rest of the way. I wear a pedometer and we walked about 3 miles until we could afford a taxi. It was a fun adventure and we saw nice places we would have missed otherwise.
Tonight a big team from Colorado is flying in to do ministry in Cusco for a week, so when they all went to pick them up at the airport I had the apartment to myself to catch up on phonecalls, e-mails, bank stuff etc. This weekend my roommates from AK are vacating our old house and I am trying to make some arrangements from here. It is hard to not be able to do more, but I have such wonderful friends helping me out back there!!!
My friend H wanted to explore a new beach this afternoon and she had a name of one written down on a note to show taxidrivers. We thought it would be pretty close so we didn´t bring a lot of money. We were able to talk a driver down to 12 soles, but we weren´t going to have enough to get back, but we went anyways. The cab kept going and going, and we passed many beautiful beaches on the way, so we debated to have him drop us at any of those, but he said it was just a little further...When we got to the beach, the sun was gone and it was so windy we got sandblasted, but we stayed for about an hour anyways. Then we started walking towards home, so we could eventually find a cab to take us the rest of the way. I wear a pedometer and we walked about 3 miles until we could afford a taxi. It was a fun adventure and we saw nice places we would have missed otherwise.
Tonight a big team from Colorado is flying in to do ministry in Cusco for a week, so when they all went to pick them up at the airport I had the apartment to myself to catch up on phonecalls, e-mails, bank stuff etc. This weekend my roommates from AK are vacating our old house and I am trying to make some arrangements from here. It is hard to not be able to do more, but I have such wonderful friends helping me out back there!!!
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Feliz dia de san Valentine
Happy Valentine´s Day / Grattis pa Alla Hjartans Day
This morning I had a class with the girls and I got a couple Valentine´s notes from a few of them...
Afterwards I took the bus to Lima and my very first Taxi ride to the apartment. Had to pay a dollar more than usual, but I didn´t want to stand around in the neighborhood by the bustation with my luggage longer than necessary, so I took the first cab who was willing to take me. It can sometimes be hard to find a cab here in Lima. Don´t get me wrong, they are everywhere, but often when you tell them where you want to go, you are met with a headshake and they take off. They don´t want to go to a certain area for whatever reason. Maybe they are making their way home and it would be out of the way, maybe they are on their way to lunch or dinner, or it could be they have a nice cab and don´t want to risk going to a shady neighborhood etc... Other cabs tell you a really high price, so you either negotiate with them to see if you can lower the rate or move on to the next. Makes taking taxis a small adventure in Lima. Being a gringa makes the price go up a little too sometimes.
My Peruvian girlsfriends were out enjoying this Day of Love with their boyfriends, but my friend H from the US/Cusco was in town and we had a great girl´s night. I have been craving a good steak since I came to Peru and when in Lima I always walk by this one restaurant with yummy photos of delicious pieces of meat on a giant menu. We decided tonight was a special occasion enough to splurge a few extra dollars and have steak. Happy Valentine´s to me! It was soooo good. Peruvian meat and great quality.
Might have to come back one more time before leaving Peru. My favorite beverage, if I eat out here, is frozen lemonade. It is so refreshing. Whenever I visited before, I was always too nervous to order anything with ice in it, but I was missing out. I have gotten much braver when it comes to food the longer I am here. We ended our girl´s night with a funny but gory movie, so I don´t dare recommend it here...
This morning I had a class with the girls and I got a couple Valentine´s notes from a few of them...
Afterwards I took the bus to Lima and my very first Taxi ride to the apartment. Had to pay a dollar more than usual, but I didn´t want to stand around in the neighborhood by the bustation with my luggage longer than necessary, so I took the first cab who was willing to take me. It can sometimes be hard to find a cab here in Lima. Don´t get me wrong, they are everywhere, but often when you tell them where you want to go, you are met with a headshake and they take off. They don´t want to go to a certain area for whatever reason. Maybe they are making their way home and it would be out of the way, maybe they are on their way to lunch or dinner, or it could be they have a nice cab and don´t want to risk going to a shady neighborhood etc... Other cabs tell you a really high price, so you either negotiate with them to see if you can lower the rate or move on to the next. Makes taking taxis a small adventure in Lima. Being a gringa makes the price go up a little too sometimes.
My Peruvian girlsfriends were out enjoying this Day of Love with their boyfriends, but my friend H from the US/Cusco was in town and we had a great girl´s night. I have been craving a good steak since I came to Peru and when in Lima I always walk by this one restaurant with yummy photos of delicious pieces of meat on a giant menu. We decided tonight was a special occasion enough to splurge a few extra dollars and have steak. Happy Valentine´s to me! It was soooo good. Peruvian meat and great quality.
Might have to come back one more time before leaving Peru. My favorite beverage, if I eat out here, is frozen lemonade. It is so refreshing. Whenever I visited before, I was always too nervous to order anything with ice in it, but I was missing out. I have gotten much braver when it comes to food the longer I am here. We ended our girl´s night with a funny but gory movie, so I don´t dare recommend it here...
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