smiles

this was another fabulous day...because it rained in palpa. it was actually wonderful to be getting back to site with the rain, because after being in lima for a week i was getting used to the convenient life with options, variety, the ability to blend in, and was regretting a little that i had to go back. but, rain changed it all! I was in lima for the one year med checks. i checked out all fine. mouth is healthy, heart, body, mind, spirit. so, í guess i cleared for the next year! crazy! crazy, crazy, crazy to think one year in site has gone by! and i am here, doing some little projects, apparently the new seniors in site since the peace corps 12ers are leaving in these days (or already have). i am so proud of the pcv watsanners down here with me for all of us sticking together. it´s had hard moments that made me wonder if some would go home, and incredible moments that i never wanted to end. my first year has been an experience for myself that has been about palpa, myself, friends, endurance, discipline, flexibility, understanding, confusion, innovation, pain, and much, much, more. i wouldn´t say i would trade it for anything.

so...i got back to palpa and walked into my house with my older of the younger brothers listening to ¨baby gets back!¨ on his sterio. hah! he just loves to listen to music. he will sit on the sofa with his sterio and usb stick plugged in listening to whatever goes on. mostly they are songs in english and he doesn´t know the lyrics, but that´s what i come in. and translating things like ¨junk in the trunk¨ and ¨she caught me red handed...¨ don´t translate exactly the same. hah! but he laughs when i try to explain it, or i just make up something else for what they are trying to say. then i went over to my grandmothers house where my mom is (because she is still split with my dad chillin there). i played volleyball and soccer with my little brother and some neighbors girlfriends of his. now, the rain has stopped and i am heading back to my house to make some wallets. since i am leaving in two weeks to go home, i have to try and prepare presents for my friends here and the states these coming weeks! along with that, i have to wrap up a recycling project that is going on in 3 schools, an HIV/AIDs awareness campaign and see where the canal project is at.

the hardest thing about leaving site for these mandatory meetings that feel like they happen all the time is leaving the canal project. it is an on going project that always seems to be at a critical moment, and if i can´t be around to help it along i feel like i am fallaring (failing) the project. but, it feels so good to get a break from the craziness of it at times as well. there are a lot of political turns it takes, reasons for why we can´t get money for the project which are coruption issues, and difficulties motivating the people at times.

so, that´s life right now. i am on a computer that is going to kick me off in 6 minutes. i am gunna go home and do laundry in the dark because i ran out of clean underwear, do some yoga, and hopefully the wallet stuff if there is still time. oh, and hang out with my puppy who i haven´t seen for a week. :) i hope life where ever you are at is well! :) oh! and put your shoes out tonight - it´s St. Nicholas Day tomorrow!!!