little letters from wenham

dear 55 pleasant st.,

i am thoroughly enjoying your wonderfulness.

dear hodgie's ice cream,

i don't really understand your size of your ice cream, but it sure is delicious.

dear neighbors,

thanks for letting us use your pool.

dear little groundhog,

sorry.

dear lane student center,

i can't wait till you're all done and new and pretty.

dear friends from lima,

i miss you.

dear corn in daddy's garden,

i don't think you'll be ready in time.

bummer.

thats ok.

dear sarah,

come home soon.

i need to talk to my best friend.

dear midnight pomegranate body lotion,

you smell very very pretty.

dear west church,

i'm so glad that i get to spend time with you.

dear tv in my room,

you are a blessing and a curse.

dear abby,

stop watching tv and start reading books.

i hear its better for you.

dear apple-grape-rasberry juice,

you are absolutely delicious.

i wonder how well you'd travel down to peru...

dear bed,

why can't you fit in my suitcase?

dear gilmore girls,

although i've seen every episode, i still enjoy watching.

dear amelia,

i need you back in my life.

dear good harbor beach,

you are beautiful.

dear atlantic ocean,

you are freeeeeezing cold.

but i love you anyways.

dear peru,

i miss you.

"I can't believe I just did that"

This is a post that was written on Monday June 7th.

After I pierced my nose.

But I kept it a secret from most people here at home so I couldn't post it.

So here it is:

I skipped Spanish class today. Got my nose pierced instead.

S/.40= $14 USD. Good deal. And I felt comfortable. Eso es lo más importante (Thats the most important thing). The place had a laid back atmosphere. It was very clean and everything was new and sterile. The guy even showed me the packet with the needle to prove that it was new. So I feel good about it. Strange that I can't drink alcohol or eat pork, ají or fish for a while. Who knew? But yeah, I still can't believe I did it. One minute Audrey, Amelia, Chris and I were discussing it and the next thing I know we plan to skip Julio's class and get it done. So maybe it was a bit spontaneous, but nothing wrong with that. I think I need a bit of it in my life. And I did think about it. I didn't do it to enhance my beauty or because I am insecure about my appearance. I think I did it because I am pretty secure. And I really do like that verse that Amelia shared. I think its going to be one of my life verses. Like, all right God, You are the one who makes me beautiful. Its because of who You are and who You've created me to be. I could adorn myself all I wanted, but without your Holy Spirit inside of me, it wouldn't mean anything at all. I'm Yours.

"I made you grow like a plant of the field. You grew up and developed and became the most beautiful of jewels. Your breasts were formed and your hair grew, you who were naked and bare. Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you," declares the Sovereign Lord , "and you became mine.

I bathed you with water and washed the blood from you and put ointments on you...

I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck, and I put a ring on your nose, earrings on your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. ...You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen. And your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, because the splendor I had given you made your beauty perfect" declares the Sovereign Lord.

[Ezekiel 16:7-14]

packed and ready

its sunday afternoon.

the final game just started.

my bags are packed and i just took a shower.

my apologies, this post will be a bit scattered seeing as that is currently how my brain is.

funny/ironic thing that happened last night:

i learned that there is always a first for everything. even on my last night. i forgot my keys for the first time all semester and was locked out of my house. luckily my family was home and let me in. but it made for a good joke for a while.

so i'm flying out tonight, arriving in nj tomorrow morning and then boston in the afternoon.

stopping at panera on the way home for lunch.

life is wonderful.

i feel good about leaving. i'm ready for a break. as much as i love living in lima, it is emotionally draining. my brain is constantly working overtime to understand and communicate. don't get me wrong, i'm not complaining. i love it. i love the challenge. but i am really glad to see my family and be in a place that is familiar. someplace where i don't have to work so hard. lima is starting to become like that. but it takes time. time that i'm willing to spend because it is worth the effort. i really do believe that. as much as i've struggled this semester i don't think i would change anything. not to say that i don't want to do things differently next semester, because i do. i'm very excited about next semester. i'm excited about taking real classes, about continuing friendships, about traveling. it'll be good. so as happy as i am to go home, i am also excited about returning. this loud, dirty, confusing, friendly, cloudy, exciting city has made its way into my heart. its becoming a part of me.

i guess now would be an appropriate time for a list.

i know you all love my lists. =)

things i'm excited to do while i'm home:

panera

bertucci's

riverview

abbq

beach

west church

church softball games

punch on the mall

family

my bed

my ceiling fan

bagels

mom's pizza

out for breakfast with dee

friends

milk

chocolate frappes from richardson's

peppermint stick ice cream with chocolate jimmies

driving

swimming

lamb and spaghetti

apple-grape-raspberry juice

corn on the cob

things i'll miss about lima while i'm away:

my family

my friends

speaking spanish

la católica

marion and melvin

maní confitado

yogurt

micro rides

deporte y vida

the sol

madre natura

churros

chicha morada

inca kola

world cup craziness

the lists are a little unbalanced. oh well.

the house currently smells a bit smoky. want to know why? we're having a parrillada (barbecue-cookout-type deal)! i'm pumped.

alright. thats all for now.

all set to travel - crosswords and canchita.

(as i was packing up i was wearing my sunglasses, getting ready for the northern sunshine.)

be here now.

well hello and happy wednesday to you all. i'm currently enjoying my first full day of summer vacation. i took my last exam yesterday morning which means that i am officially a senior in college. when did that happen?

as my first semester here in peru is coming to a close i've been pretty busy finishing things up and saying goodbyes and such. last night i went over to caitlyn's house to say goodbye. she left this morning to fly back to the states. it was sad. caitlyn, (i know you'll read this eventually) thanks for being such a good friend. i appreciate your rationality and ability to help calm me down when i got overwhelmed. you're great and i can't wait to see you again!

last week we had our final dinner with all the ciee students. that was fun. and absolutely delicious. a very nice all you can eat buffet. note to self - don't eat anything the day of this dinner next semester in order to fully enjoy the experience. then there was the goodbye cocktail with students and families. that was also nice, but not on the food scale. just on the company and conversations scale. it made me think of the first time we all met our families and how nervous we were. or maybe it was just me who was super nervous. but anyhow i can remember feeling completely awkward and how we were going through those preliminary get-to-know-you questions. wow. i've come a long way since then. in many ways.

me with my parents =)

laura and i

laura, caitlyn and i in our católica sweatshirts.

last sunday night caitlyn, amelia, laura and aprill came over to my house for a little lonchecito, a small dinner type thing. we had empanadas, apple pie and hot chocolate. and then we had some good conversations about all sorts of things ranging from boys, to leaving, to friends to crazy host families. i've really been so blessed by my friendships here. sometimes i get discouraged but i should really learn to focus on the good things. sometimes i get frustrated but then i remember that things don't always have to be easy.

so my first semester is quickly coming to a close. i leave in just four days. and my remaining days are quickly filling up with last minute shopping and hanging out with friends to say goodbye. i'm starting to feel a bit overwhelmed, but i'm just trying to take it slow, soak it all in and really enjoy it. i'm trying not to focus on what i'm going to do when i get home because i want to be here now (sound familiar to anyone?)

and currently being here now means watching the spain-germany game. i'm really hoping that spain can pull it off. i was pretty disappointed to see south america get ousted by the netherlands yesterday. maybe next time.

alright, time to wrap it up. my mind is racing on a roller coaster of thoughts and emotions. maybe i'll take a nap. probably will.

(more) little letters

dear hillary clinton,

please leave lima so that we can open up javier prado once again and i don't have to go over the river and through the woods to get to la católica. (from june 8th)

dear lima,

i've really come to love you.

but i think that a nice little 4 week break will do us some good.

dear kraps,

despite your unfortunate name, i think i like you better than ritz.

dear rebecca,

happy birthday! (from june 29th)

dear ferrin lot,

i can not wait to behold your smooth, flat, pothole-less freshly-paved beauty.

dear bennet,

i can not wait to go swimming. every. single. day.

dear corn in daddy's garden,

please please please grow so that i can enjoy you when i'm home.

dear mom,

i would love you forever and ever if you had a chocolate chip bagel in the house when i get home. preferably from bagel world.

dear abby,

why do you spend your time writing blog entries when you have work to do and finals to study for?

dear prof. quezada,

i am still upset that you told us to come in at 8:30 am and then did not show up for class.

dear deer #14,

i saw you sneak up on me the other day.

don't think you can fool me.

dear elan at CET,

thank you for helping me fix my gordon email.

i felt lost and empty without it.

dear God,

i'm sorry that i'm so stubborn and it takes me a long time to realize things.

thank you for not giving up on me and loving me anyways.

dear contact solution,

why are you so stinkin' expensive here in peru?

dear lit final,

ya fuiste.

dear body,

please get better.

i hate blowing my nose every five minutes.

dear anyone who can answer,

why have i never seen a peruvian blow their nose in public?

is there some sort of social norm that i'm unaware of?

dear pandora,

i wish you would work in peru.

dear mommy's little honda civic,

i am so looking forward to cruising around blasting some good tunes.

dear sarah,

while you're home i've decided that we'll go to the beach every single day.

dear west church,

i've really really missed you.

dear richardson's farm,

get those cows ready because i'm gonna be drinking a lot of milk while i'm home.

dear juan carlos,

sorry i didn't go to our last class on wednesday.

dear norma and elisabet,

you are beautiful women that i admire very much.

dear teachers at deporte y vida in oasis,

you are all saints.

dear cute little puppy tarzan,

where have you been recently?

dear summer,

i can't wait to bask in your glory.

Princess Abby

So I thought I would share some links with you. Things that I enjoy looking at and that I find funny.

My host brother Mario informed me of this yesterday at breakfast:

Princess Abby

Awesomeness

Disney Channel Stars

Best Cat Jump Ever

Faces in Places

Raptor Kitty

KITTENS!

I think this is a totally cool concept: Totally Looks Like!

I wish I could think of something cool to do like THIS

Enjoy!!

Faithful to me

Faithful to Me

[Jennifer Knapp]

All the chistles I've dulled carving idols of stone
That have crumbled like sand 'neath the waves.
I've recklessly built all my dreams in the sand just to watch, them all wash away.

Through another day, another trial, another chance to reconcile
To one who sees past all I see.
And reaching out my weary hand I pray that you'd understand
You're the only one who's faithful to me.

All the pennies I've wasted in my wishing well
I have thrown like stones to the sea.
I have cast my lots, dropped my guard, searched aimlessly for a faith
To be faithful to me.

Through another day, another trial, another chance to reconcile
To one who sees past all I see.
And reaching out my weary hand I pray that you'd understand
You're the only one who's faithful to me.
You're the only one who's faithful to me.