colgate

so, i just started using the colage toothpaste that mike brought down for me from the states. it´s amazing. first off, the actual tube it´s in is bigger than anything i have bought here in peru (not to be crude), and it has an amazing flavor. a little bit of america in a tube. fabulous.

recently i have been feeling a mixture of emotions - excitement, frustration, and distance. the excitment is because this past week has been filled with celebrations which were all leading up to my towns anniversary on the 15th. it started with the miss naranja event on the 6th. then each of the different offices had a different day to put together celebrations in the plaza de armas. i participated in two marathons and got first for both (since in the women category there were only 2 women each time). the best prize being a whoooping S/.30. watched a bike race, a carros tubulares race, a bull fight, i was one of the 5 judges for a miss gay palpa event which was hillarious (a little uncomfortable and shocking when the stripper came out), a concert, and cock fighting. on the 14th came a well known band from Trujillo (though i can´t remember their name! something like, bianuevos) and i showed them around town after randomly running into them and getting to know them. so, obviously, they had to do several shout outs to me during the concert. i would say that they were accepted into my groupy click! haha. at the final cockfight each of the 16 finalists recieved the plates i have been painting for the past 1.5 months. it was so satesfying to see them all situated on the table with the other prizes. i got interviewed by the press because they were interested in the prizes and wanted to publicise them on the web. and now i have people asking me if i will paint pictures of their family and more plates. awesome! more painting! sounds good to me!

now it´s tuesday the 17th and all the celebrations have come to an end. palpa has turned quiet again until the next year. as for the frustration, i am frustraited by politics. because it´s an election year, all the candidates are trying to promise projects to the people so they will be voted for. this means that politicians are trying to take credit for the canal project i am working on with jose in palpa, which has turned this mucky. it is absolutely annoying. people who you think are your friends will tell their friend politicians what is going on in the project, and then befor eyou know it ´they have taken credit. you really dn´t know who are your friends at this time. then, it comes to the money part of the proejct and all peruvians are trying to be incharge of it because that means they can steal the money. so, then we have to start worrying about who is dealing with the money. so there are a million things to get frustraited about with that. sigh.

then, there is the distance. i have been told that month 10 is a difficult one and i am now at month 11 in peru, month 9 in palpa. so, i am feeling distance. something that i don´t really notice until i am talking with friends in site about my family and sometimes i can´t help but tear up. aaaah. so, i miss my home, friends and family. it´s wonderful to have people come visit, but it´s nothing like just being at home. i am excited to be back to visit, but i know once i am there the time is going to fly and it´ll be difficult to return. we´ll have to wait and see when that time comes. currently, i enjoy the toothpaste i use in the morning and at night, and am looking forward to making peanutbutter with the new blending i got in exchange for painting plates!