Life is Good

Time for a little journal time.  I have been keeping a separate journal for stories I'd rather not blog about (mostly out of sheer embarrassment) but I there's definitely some stuff that can go on here as well for all you faithful readers.

Things really have been going well.  I love it here, even when I don't.  I'm learning to accept how I'm going to live for the next three months.  I didn't think I would ever be okay with our kitchen but either it's not as bad as it first looked, or my sanitation standards are slowly declining.  I'm getting better at faking that I know what adults are talking about.  I'm okay with my clothes being a little dirty and my hair a little (or a lot) greasy.

I'm still not used to cold showers.  I have taken three showers in the past two weeks.  Can you say gross??  But I really don't feel that gross.  Probably because the kids are way dirtier than I am.

I have a new appreciation for washers and dryers.  I will never again complain about walking to the other side of my apartment complex to do laundry...even if it's -20 outside.

This is hard and I won't pretend it's anything else.  Learning a new language is tough and I haven't worked as hard as I need to to get it good and not just enough to get by.  My eyes are being opened, as well as my heart.  These kids have nothing and yet they come smiling and cheerful to us everyday.  They make my day brighter even when my brain hurts trying to talk to them.  I wish I could tell them how special they are and learn all about their lives but that's just not possible at the moment.  By the end of this adventure I sure hope I can.

Noelle and Brittany are great.  I can't even put into words how amazing they have been.  It's crazy how the three of us came to do this together and how well we've meshed when none of us have lived together before and I didn't know either of them well at all.  We've been able to bond so well!  Last night we talked about our individual strengths and weaknesses and it's awesome that one of my biggest weaknesses is Noelle's greatest strength.  I love these girls so much and couldn't have asked for better roommates this "semester."  They inspire me to work harder, to smile more, to speak up more, and to stretch out of my comfort zone.

I miss school and all things associated with it (minus homework) more than I thought I would.  Sometimes I just crave a good talk and laugh with my old roommates, or to walk a block and visit the greatest group of guys I've ever met.  It's good to get away and have new experiences but all consistency from my life has evaporated.  NOTHING is the same as it was.  I think I crave those missing relationships more than anything.  Just because I moved away doesn't mean everything and everyone at school was put on hold.  They're all doing a semester of growing and learning as well.  Of course, I'm glad that we all have the opportunity to progress....but I still want people to be the same as when I left them!  Before leaving for Peru I was so excited for Spring semester since I'm moving to a new apartment complex, getting new roommates, a new ward, new everything.  Now, I want to go back to what was comfortable.  I've had enough change for the year and having something familiar when I go back would be nice.  Oh well!  I'm doing a cannonball into the pool and I'm going to make a splash when I return.  I don't know what's in store for me these next three months but I hope it's nothing short of a miracle.

Life is good here in Peru.