University

Well, it's getting time for school to start back up around here. Instead of going back to high school here, Rotary gave us permission to go to the university. So, I'm in the process of enrolling. I want to do medicine, but since I'm a free student and not a med student I don't know if I'll be able to do that. I really want to, because you get a cadaver and you have to cut it up. Which sounds gross, but so cool. That would definitely beat the anatomy class they offer in my high school. If I can't do that however, I guess I'll do something like Tourism classes or cooking. I just want something fun and interesting.

-Chris

Learn Spanish: Antomía (An at oh MEE ah) (Anatomy)

What Have I Done?

My Lent sacrifice was to give up English. Well, not completely there are some rules.
1) I can speak English to people who don't speak Spanish
2) I can speak English in my English Institute
3) I can speak English in Emergency Situations (ie fire! or you're being robbed)
4) Everytime I say a word in English it costs 50 centavos. And if I use the same word again it goes up by 50 cents.

I started this yesterday. And it was hard. Not that hard, but I was so tired I went to bed at 9. I hope I make it through all of this.

-Chris

Learn Spanish) Cuaresma (Kwor Es mah) (Lent)

Carnaval

Today was the last day of Carnaval. And it was huge! There were hundreds of people in the streets with water balloons, buckets, oil, paint, silly string, and baby powder. It was crazy. I wish this were a holiday we celebrated in the US. I loved it.

Wednesday starts Lent. And I'm giving up speaking English. Not entirely though. I'm still teaching, so I have to speak English for that. And if I talk to anyone who doesn't understand Spanish I'll speak to them in English. But other than that I'm using Spanish. I think this will really take my language skills to the next level.

-Chris

Learn Spanish: Renunciar (Ray Noon C R) (To Quit)

The Beach

Sorry I haven't updated in eight days. I was going to do it before I left Arequipa, but I didn't have anything remotely interesting to talk about. But I do now. I didn't go to Puno (Lake Titicaca) because Rotary postponed the trip due to such a small number of interested students. But I did go to Mollendo (a beach town) with my host family. There were 22 of us! We shared a tiny hostel with three rooms for 3 days and 2 nights. The first day I spent hours and hours in the ocean; the waves were huge! But then I got very badly sunburnt and couldn't go out in the sun. So I spent the entire second day at the beach sitting under an umbrella watching the waves. And on the second night my cousins and I went to a club. It was dead so we went back to the hostel and talked til 3 in the morning. Then we got up at 6 the next morning to go have breakfast and go to the beach again. I did swim a little but for no more than an hour. After the beach we had lunch and headed home to Arequipa. I had a really good time. And I think I really needed the vacation, I was so bored before I left. I didn't take my camera, because a friend of mine did and her's was stolen so I didn't want to risk it. So there are no pictures. Only memories.

-Chris

Learn Spanish: Quemado (Kay Mah Doh) (Burnt)

Sick

Yesterday I went to meet my friends for brunch. And I started feeling really tired. And in the taxi ride home my head started hurting. And by the time I was home I had a full blown migraine. I spent 15 hours in bed. Today I feel better, but Yesterday was the worst day ever.

-Chris

Learn Spanish: Cansado (cahn sah doh) (tired)

Addition: I watched the Superbowl live here and it was awesome!

I'm Getting into Shape

Yesterday I went to this olypmic pool in town with my friends Duncan (US) and Georgia (Australia) and we decided that would start going everyday. So we went and bought caps and goggles last night and this morning met outstide the pool at 6am. It was hard! I'm out of shape I guess. I've gained 15 pounds, mostly in the gut, and I'm determined to work them all off before I come home. I think this will work because we're going as a group so it's not as easy to give up on.

I'm going to Puno (Lake Titicaca) from February 9th to the 14th. So hopefully I'll have some pretty awesome pictures to show you all.

Well, I've got work to do so I'll try to update later.

-Chris

Learn Spanish: Nadar (Nah Dar) (To Swim)