Que chévere!!

I can't believe that I'm finished with school, but I'm told that I'm done. Whenever a student finishes their studies here, there's a little graduation party in between classes. This time around, there were two of us graduating. Each graduating student gives a speech(in Spanish), we eat some food, and pray for the students who are graduating. It's a good time for the students who are graduating, but for newer students as well as they see what the end results of half a year of studying look like.

It was a good time for me to look back to when I first started at the school and see where I am today. It was also nice to thank my kind teachers for all they have done for me and apologize to them for all they've had to put up in the past six months I've been there. There's a slight possibility I'm on the top of the "difficult students" list at the school by now(just personality). I've had the best, kindest, sweetest teachers for my time in school. They were SO patient with me always. I've enjoyed studying at the school and will miss many people at the school. Today was the start of many goodbyes I'd rather not say, but it's one of those things that's got to be done in a transition.

It feels a bit strange not to have homework, but I guess in place of homework, I get to pack up all of my stuff and move to Cusco. Saturday's the big day. I'm looking forward to getting to Cusco, just not the packing up my life here part...
Any volunteers for packing??













My huge grammar class of two students: My very entertaining y maravillosa teacher in the middle and my partner in crime/mother on the right

Sweet!!!!!

As the time to move to Cusco comes closer and closer I've started the process of saying goodbye to some things here in Arequipa. This past Sunday I had one of my first “last times”. It was my last Sunday here in Arequipa. I've enjoyed worshiping at the church I've called home for the past six months, but at times it's been difficult. Most Sundays, my brain's working so hard to understand little bits of things, inevitably there's a word or two in there that I don't understand(so I have to write it down or look it up),and then after all of that I've pretty much lost little parts of the whole point of the sermon, and then the big point of the whole deal. It's been a bit frustrating at times, but it's all a part of the language learning process.

Ever since I've started school here, the response to the slow process of language learning has been one of the most popular phrases here: “poco a poco....”(little by little..). As an impatient person, I'm really not a fan of the concept, but have come to respect it. It's been the story of my life for the past six months and I'm pretty sure it will continue for the rest of my time here in Peru.

I'm not saying I'm best friends with the concept, but it was a good thing for me to remember in church this past Sunday. After the service I realized that I really didn't have think hard core during the sermon, I was able to just listen (exciting since it doesn't always work out that way...) Oops, a great example of that (in my eyes) frustrating phrase of “poco a poco”. It was a sweet time for my last Sunday in Arequipa and I'm looking forward to more opportunities to see the results of language school in the future.

The forbidden word........

So, I've decided to come up with some reasonable goals for my last seven days of school I've recently discovered my inappropriate use of "like" mixed in with my Spanish. I've never noticed this habit, but it's been confirmed by all of my teachers and friends that it's crazy bad, so I'd like to purge it out of my system ASAP....

I'm still looking for good solutions to the problem. The most popular one has been paying one Sole every time anyone catches me saying the "forbidden word". We'll see how that one goes. I might end up broke soon.

ojalá.....

Were has the time gone? Seriously... I can't believe that I've been here for just a couple days shy of six months. That's means I've been in school for almost 26 weeks. It's really hard for me to believe my time here is just about up. It's been such a fun experience. I've come to love the people of Arequipa, even if everyone and their mother on the streets thinks I want to talk with them. As strange as it has been at times, I think I'm going to miss all the random conversations with total strangers(mostly in the parks...). I've really enjoyed my time in school too. The school has become my family here and I'm really going to miss them(they probably won't miss my crazy antics though....)

As school finishes up, I'm desperately trying to squeeze as much Spanish into my brain as possible. Its an interesting challenge as my brain is asking to quit. I don't think that's going to fly if I want to continue to live. I knew the day would come, but I'm now faced with the reality that I will so very soon be forced to function in the real world again. My bubble is going away......

I am very excited to start working again as a nurse and am a bit curious about what God has for me in my quickly approaching future in Cusco. As of right now, there are lots of unknowns about Cusco, so I'm in the process of attempting to become Peruvian in how I react to ever changing plans. It's been a good lesson in flexibility and in trusting God. So for now, I'm just trying to hang on an enjoy the ride. I'm sure the next couple of weeks in Arequipa will fly right by and before I know it, I'll be in Cusco starting up even more trouble.....

hasta luego,

estás seguro?

Just about every Sunday I spend part of my afternoon in a park. It's always nice to enjoy the sun and fresh air for a while. It was an enjoyable and relaxing time til some dude and and a woman came up to my friend and I (not always that strange in Abby world....) As some of you know, I've been known to attract various people here who think they want to talk to me.

It wasn't an odd situation until the dude knelt down next to my friend and the woman went and stood behind me. The dude started talking with us really fast in a kind of whiny voice. All we understood was: dinero (the exchange was more like: can you give me you're money please?). Then it got a bit strange when my friend saw the knife in the dude's sleeve. After my friend (who has been blessed with common sense and height) stood up, started talking loudly, and told the dude all she had with her was her homework(actually true...) and that she had nothing else, the woman standing behind me said: Tienes un celular?(do you have a cell phone?). Seriously, are y'all for real? You're asking or are you trying to rob me? A moment later they started to get upset and told us there was no need for us to get worked up or yell. Then they asked us to calm down and sit back down. Then they just walked away, got into a cab, and went their merry way. So strange...kind of felt like I was in a movie or something. Maybe we were their trial run??

I've never been in an attempted robbery where the robbers ASKED if they could have my things. I did have my book bag right next to me with all kinds of stuff in it. I guess it didn't appeal to them because I still have it. Maybe their laid back style creates a stress free working environment?

The whole thing was very calm and it wasn't til afterwords that I fully realized what had happened. It was at least a little bit funny to me, but thinking back, I'm thankful for God's protection in the situation and that nothing worse happened. It's probably a good reminder for me to be aware of my surroundings and the people around me at all times. In reality, this could have happened to me at home in Baltimore walking from the parking garage to the hospital, but he robbers probably wouldn't have been so kind and non confrontational...

Looks like I'll have to find somewhere else to sit Sunday afternoons... Any creative ideas for new locations would be appreciated.

Hasta Luego

Almost Home

When I left Arequipa last week, I wondered what might be in store for me in Cuzco As I've been in school the past four months I've had many questions floating around my brain about what God's plans for me in Cuzco might look like.

The 10 hour bus ride there was quite interesting. It was quite comfortable except for the confused woman behind be grabbing at my head and then getting up and trying to walk around the bus pretty much all night long with her son every now and then saying: “cállate , sientate (shut up/be quiet and sit down). It was a great night. Needless to say, I was very excited to get off that bus in Cuzco. I'd forgotten how much colder it is in Cuzco than Arequipa. That will be a fun adjustment.... I'd also forgotten about all of the beautiful Mountains everywhere you look. Absolutely breath taking!!

My second day was great. I had an opportunity to drive about two or three hours outside of Cuzco with my team leader and his family. It was my first time into the countryside around Cuzco It was different from other parts of Peru I've been to. It was beautiful!!

Sadly, the next day my body decided it didn't like Cuzco and I ended up sick for the next two days or so. As I returned to the land of the living, I enjoyed some time of fellowship with my new team and get to know them a bit. I had the opportunity to worship at the Presbyterian Church on Sunday. It was great and I'm looking forward to worshiping there in the future.

I also got to spend some time at the orphanage that my team runs. There's nothing like walking into a room and having five new best friends for life hugging and crawling all over you. The kids always love attention, so I got to be a big kid for a while (so much fun!!)

I also had some adult time and was able to start ironing out some details about my upcoming move to Cuzco (which is quickly approaching in October...). For now, I'm trying to squeeze in as much Spanish as possible in the next couple of months, but am looking forward to finishing school and moving. It should be an exciting next couple of months....

Oh yeah, the trip back was much smoother than the way there (everyone on the bus was quiet and well behaved...)

Yes, I know it's random, but this is the only picture I took in Cuzco this time. I just thought it was so cute... I was so excited to find out my team leader has a kitten!! For those of you who don't know, I have just a small obsession with cats.