Two Months Later....

Whew.  Two months later and I've FINALLY finished writing about our actual Peru adventures.  I wouldn't be surprised if I think of something else to write about and add a few more posts after this one.

How's American life, you might ask?  Well for starters...it's AWESOME.  Man, I love America.  I love this country so much.  I love the freedoms we have, the laws that keep the country in order and the language people speak.  I love the clean sidewalks, hot water and microwave dinners.  I love my family, friends, ward and bed.

There's been some things that have taken a while to get used to.  It took over a month to not hesitate to get water out of the faucet to drink.  I don't want to trust it to be okay.  But I have yet to get sick from it so I think it's okay!  I'm not an everyday shower taker anymore.  I'm not a twice a week shower-er, but I don't feel completely disgusting if I don't shower every single day.  I probably average five a week now.  It's a nice feeling actually.

I'm not nearly as worried about cleanliness as I used to be.  This is not a good thing.  I've let my room get messier this semester than in semesters past and I rarely do the dishes in my apartment.  I have yet to take out the trash and I basically only clean every other week for clean checks.  I've turned into that roommate.  The one that doesn't do anything.  I hate it.  But I haven't yet changed.  Why is this?  Well I think the little things just don't bug me and then even when it gets bigger, I brush it aside because it isn't nearly as bad as carpet mold on ceilings or mice having babies in your kitchen.  Three fruit flies on an apple is nothing compared to having 15 flies buzzing around your kitchen at any given time.  Garbage doesn't need to be taken out until it's literally busting out of the bag on the floor and smells like a barn.  What's a dishwasher?  I'm still trying to remember that one.  I promise I'm working to do better and the second half of this semester I'm really going to try to be more help around the house.  With that said, I'm rarely even home so I don't feel like I make huge messes all the time, but I'm going to be extra considerate when I do use things to put them away.

Sometimes I still want to wear my clothes multiple days in a row.  Socks are the biggest culprit.  It's hard to put a pair of socks in the laundry after one day when you wore shoes with them all day so they're still white and fresh looking.  Heck, in Peru I would wear socks that were visibly dirty for four or five days before washing them.  And sometimes, I just gave them a break for a few days before wearing them another one or two.  Please don't judge me.

I've had the urge to go to the bathroom with the door open.  Thank Noelle for that one.

With that said, I miss Peru almost everyday.  Not necessarily the country, but some part of our trip.  I look at pictures of the kids and wish so bad I could see them one more time.  Their cute, dimpled, smiling faces.  Their worn-out shoes and tattered fleece pants.  Their rambunctious spirits and tender hearts.  Their dirty faces.  Their dirty hands working endlessly to write me the most thoughtful and beautifully simple notes.  After not being with them for one measly day, they would run up to us with arms outstretched and give us the tightest hugs and jump all over us, vying for our attention.  I can't even imagine what would happen if I could go back now.  I'm not trying to be prideful, but those kids loved us.  They really, truly did.  Without a doubt in my mind we were their heroes.  Someday, I know I'll get to see them again.

I also miss my two gringas more than ever.  They were my strength and my sunshine while we were there.  I can't imagine those months without either of them.  I couldn't have picked a better two to go with. 

I feel privileged to have met some amazing people while we were there.  They have each taught me a special lesson.  They were placed in our paths to help us through those trying times.  I learned that there are good people all over the world.  It's not like I ever doubted that, but now I can say for certain that I've actually met them.  

I got to do something not many people get to do.  I got to make a difference in the world.  I also got to leave my American bubble and experience the world.  I didn't just go tour somewhere and see the sights.  I lived the life.  I experienced an entirely different culture.  It's three months I wouldn't trade for anything.  It was hard and I may have cried a few times (though not nearly as many as I had planned on) but it was worth it.  I proved to myself I can do hard things.  I can live with practically nothing.  I can wash my clothes by hand and eat the same soup everyday for a week.

While we were there we talked about what it would be like when we returned to the states.  We talked about how funny it would be to say that we "went to Peru" in past tense.  We wouldn't have the anticipation of "I'm going to Peru!" or the thrill of "You guys!  We're IN PERU!!!"  It would be "I went to Peru."  It's in the past.  It's probably not going to happen again.

Well, here I am.  Putting it in words... 

I went to Peru.  I lived in Peru.  I made a difference in Peru.  I learned from Peru.  I loved Peru.