That's Not Chicken

Yesterday, there was an earthquake and I ate guinea pig for lunch...just another typical Sunday. Sorry I haven't been keeping up with blog updates, they've been keeping us so busy here I haven't been able to write! But I vow to be more diligent from here on out. But so BIG NEWS! I got my site assignment last week and I'm headed to the coast! I will be spending the next two years in Lambayeque, which is a department in northern Peru so it's going to be HOT. My town is called Monsefú and it's 32,000 people which is a big site so I'll have my work cut out for me. It's only 15 minutes from the beach and 15 minutes from the regional capital of Chiclayo, so basically I hit the jackpot. And therefore I'm expecting visitors, this means YOU. You can google map it if you want to see where I am in the world!

I'm actually going there for a site visit on Saturday. We take an all night bus from Lima for like 15 hours (totally normal here) and then arrive in Lambayeque to meet the people we will be living and working with for the next two years! I'm super excited and nervous to meet my new host family but they sound swell on paper. Should be an awesome and awkward time. I'll be only a three hour bus ride from my BFF Mandy's site which is basically like 20 minutes in Peru travel time so we're feeling pretty good about that. The post office here has been on strike for like ever (there's always someone on strike in Peru) so if you've sent me something and I haven't reported that I've got it that's why. SUPPOSEDLY they're going back to work on August 5th though so I'll get back to you on that. Oh also, I noticed there was an old man living in the room across from me in my house for the first time two days ago. I've been living here for two months. There are THAT many people living in this house. MISS AND LOVE YOU ALL!

Un abrazo,
Kimberly

Dance Dance REVOLUTION

Yesterday I went to a giant soccer, volley ball, and basketball tournament that had teams of kids from 5 different churches playing against each other, and also I became a celebrity. My host brothers and sisters played in the soccer and volley ball games and let me tell you the competition was FIERCE. It was an all day event and there were literally hundreds of people. Then, they ended it with a dance competition and asked ME to judge it!!! I was so scared but it was so awesome. I watched all 5 groups and gave them scores in various categories, and then announced the winners over the microphone to hundreds of people IN SPANISH to raucous cheers. It was so exhilarating. They introduced me as a dance teacher from the United States even though I told them I wasn’t. I got A LOT of applause in my introduction, way more than the two other priest guys who were judging with me. I feel so famous. And I have video.

Also my trip to Lima last weekend was THE BEST! A couple of my Peace Corps brahs and I went to the beach (it was actually sunny, which it never is in Lima) and climbed out onto these rocks that jutted way out into the ocean and just kicked it and watched the sunset over miiiiles of ocean and sand and city and got so Peace Corps with it. Then we went to a restaurant and had awesome ceviche and then went to a discoteca and danced the night away, like legit Latin style dancing. Uh if I were anymore Peruvian right now it would kill me.

Oh and also, a few days ago I put on my running shoes and there was a giant cricket the size of a ring pop in it. I mean these dudes are huge, like make an audible pop noise when you squish them. Unfortunately my foot was all the way there before I noticed. Moral of the story, always check your shoes for crickets.

Nos vemos,

Kimberly