Yay for Parents!

I went out to dinner with Corey's parents (Mark and Lynne) along with Chandler, Erica, and Kate on Sunday evening at Inka Grill in the plaza and it was wonderful. Corey has such an adorable set of parents. He is literally the spitting image of his dad and his mom is so cute and makes you feel right at home. I had a delicious musrhoom, artichoke, and asparagus risotto. If anyone wants to go to a not incredibly over-priced (but still on the more expensive in Cusco) restaurant I would highly recommend going to Inka Grill. I feel like they are becoming my pseudo parents as they have been here for only 3 days and I have seen them three times. They came to my concert last night and today we took the chocolate making workshop, which by the way, was AWESOME! The process of making chocolate is super interesting and we got to take home 24 pieces of chocolate that we made. I made ones with raisins and ones with coconut and cinnamon. Yum! I think the cutest thing that Lynne (which is also my mother's name without the e at the end) wanted to meet Marco so that she could relay to my mother what he is like. :) It's super fun hanging out with them and seeing how they interact with Corey. He is a very very loved kid which is always a pleasure to see and be around and they are hilarious when they all interact.

So of course, with other people's parents around I started thinking about my own parents and how much I love them and miss them. My mom has had her fair share of health issues lately like me so we have been in better contact lately. It should be like that all the time really. I plan on keeping the contact much more frequent. I have been pretty good with my dad too. His girlfriend sent me a letter and I have to reply to it. Maybe I will do that tonight since I have a bit of free time. Anyway, I appreciate my parents more than they even know. I am blessed to have such wonderful supportive ones that tell me "go for it" when I say that I want to move to another continent and live here for who knows how long. I really wish they could come visit but plane tickets aren't exactly cheap at this moment in time. No matter what, I know that they will always be there for me and I am forever indebted to them for having raised me to be an independent, responsible adult.

In other news, my brother is coming this Friday and we are going to go on a few adventures ourselves. I have to get into tourist/traveler mode because that is what we are going to be doing. I also need to figure out if I want to splurge on a train ticket to Machu Picchu or take the chance of having to walk a lot due to landslides if we take the bus. We shall see. I'm just pumped that he will be here to hear me sing with The Guardians here at the hostel on Friday!

Lomo Saltado

I am super proud of myself! I made lomo saltado for Marco last night. Well, technically it was molinado saltado since there wasn't any lomo left at the market when I got there. Fortunately, ground beef works just as well as lomo. I wanted to do something nice for him before he headed out to a village about 10 hours away to guard the presidential elections. Everyone is required to vote here. If you don't vote you have to pay a multa or a fee. It's actually a great idea but if anyone ever tried to force that law in the states people would could crazy about it. Imagine if everyone had to vote. It would sure change the dynamic of running for office. All the poor people would vote because the wouldn't want to pay a fee for not doing so. Interesting thought. Others would probably be up in a huff about taking their right away to vote or not to vote. Anyway, dinner was delicious and I think Marco was quite pleased with the outcome. It's kind of tough living up to Peruvian cooking standards. I will have to do it again some time soon but he said that it's his turn to cook for me next. I'm excited!

In other news, I am going to be teaching a private English class at Viajes Pacifico starting next week. It will only be for one week but I am looking forward to it anyway. It gets me out of the hostel and keeps me on my toes. It's also some extra cash which is always helpful.

I head to the dermatologist tomorrow morning for a check-up on my shingles. I am super happy because the nerve pain has gone away and I barely feel the itchy rash anymore. Yay for anti-virals!! I have to make copies of all the receipts because I filed a claim with World Nomads, my insurance company. There is a $100 deductable but

My dream of waitressing might not happen as soon as I thought it might. Pasta Mama may not be opening due to difficulties among the owners. We will see what happens.

I am taking some people from the hostel out to a Peruvian bar tonight and possibly going salsa dancing as well. I look forward to showing them a good time. I like that I have a good sense of what there is in Cusco for tourists to do. Of course, I still have lots more to see and try but I have a pretty good bag of tricks as they say.

Kickass weekend

I had a really good weekend. I found out I have shingles but once I got a diagnosis and drugs I felt much better and was ready to have a good weekend. That is exactly what I did. On Friday I went out to a Korean restaurant with Marco. I thought it was delicious but a little overpriced. Marco, with a bit more of a particular palette (he's picky) didn't like it too much. He's a trooper though because he tried everything which is what my parents taught me to do when I was a kid. I think that is why I eat everything now. There is very little that I refuse to eat. Anyway, after dinner we went to the Pirwa hostel and met up with Cecilia and Sadidt, my two Peruvian chicas. We played some pool and then headed to Mythology for a bit of salsa dancing. I am in love with salsa. On Saturday at Maximo I was the example for everyone. It was pretty cool being told to come to the front for everyone to follow. It was super fun! Anyway, after dancing at Mythology we went to Hibrido where we found pretty much all the Maximo staff celebrating Amy Phillip's birthday. I don't know why, but it was a lot more fun than usual hanging out with everyone. I especially enjoyed Corey pumping himself up with Schwitz power. Hilarious! :) One of my favorite pictures I have taken down here is this one.



I am surrounded by awesome people. I love it! Last night was a ton of fun because there was another dinner party at Marissa's. This time it was a potluck and a DVD exchange. We got to try three different types of cakes too. One had a maracuya sauce on it. Delicious! I noticed that for every gringo there, there was a Peruvian significant other. I shouldn't be surprised by it, but I certainly noticed it and thought it was kind of cool. I thought Marco would be sort of bored but he liked the English listening practice.

Today there was a desfile or parade in the plaza de armas. I don't know exactly what it was about but it had everyone in it from cycling clubs, to the workers at Molino shopping center. Everyone paid their respects to the local government and Marco was there standing at attention for it all. You can't see him but he is standing near the podium in his uniform under the white tent.

So overall this weekend rocked and I got to spend time with all my friends. I think I am going to go salsa dancing with Erica tonight. The more practice the better! I talked to my mom today too which was really nice. It's always good to catch up with my momma. She is one of my best friends and I tell her everything. Thank goodness for awesome parents.

Shingle Jingle

I got shingles, yes I do, I got shingles cuz I had chicken pox when I was two!

This month has not been a good month for me in terms of health. First I get salmonella, then my throat starts giving me problems and now I have shingles. I wonder what awaits me next! It is a new month today and I wish I could say that the shingles was an April Fool's Day joke but alas, it is not. So you may be thinking what the heck is shingles? It's chicken pox for adults and usually older adults get it. When you get chicken pox as a kid you always have the virus in you and when you are older and your immune system is down it might flare up on you. The good thing is that, like chicken pox, once you get shingles once, you won't get it again. The bad news is that it attacks the skin as well as the nerves. In my case the pox are on my lower back and the nerve sensitivity/pain is down my right leg. Awesomeness right? What's even better is that the name of it is called Herpes Zoster and I get to take Valtrex which is used for people who have herpes. It's not the name actually but the price of the medicine that sucks. 370 soles for a weeks worth of valtrex. I have spent about 800 soles or so on medical treatment this month which is roughly $260. Now, when it comes to medical care in the states, that amount of money is nothing but when you aren't making anything (well I made 400 soles from teaching this month) it's a big dent in the wallet. Thank goodness for my tax refund. I am also going to see what I can get out of my travelers insurance and if shingles falls under emergency. I think it does. It's sure painful enough! I am also glad that I got it figured out because for a second I thought I might have MRSA. I went to the clinic yesterday and the doctor did two blood tests for bacterial infections but they both came back normal. He said to come back on Sunday morning at 7:30am and that didn't sit well with me. I called Marco who came over and comforted me and then proceeded to find a dermatologist at a different clinic and set up an appointment for me for today. What a great boyfriend! I am happy to be diagnosed and with medicine. Hopefully, no more stupid diseases will come my way any time soon.

In other news, I sang four nights in a row this past week. Three of the nights were with Michael and one night was with Claudio, Carla's (my boss) brother. He is an awesome guitarist and just got back from Spain. We might be putting together a band with two of his friends who are a bassist and drummer. That'd be awesome! We could jam out at the really big venues in Cusco and play songs to dance to. Do I feel like I am ditching Michael and the Guardians? Nope. Carlos plays in three bands and I don't think that makes him any less a part of the band. If you can be successful then do it! Also with The Guardians, our new CD is out!! If anyone wants one just let me know what your address is and I will send you it. They cost 5 bucks. The songs are really Michael's. I just sing harmony on the first five tracks. Either way, it's still exciting! I am grateful for all the gigs too because I made almost 100 soles in the past four days which is great! Something funny happened on Tuesday night when we played at Kamikase (for the last time thankfully. They are cheapos over there). A guy came up to me after our show and told me that he was a producer in Lima and has worked with a lot of different bands. He threw out a whole bunch of names I never heard. Anyway, he raved about how I have a very interesting voice and a lot of talent and that I should go to Lima to work with him if I want to get big. He was a bit drunk but I appreciated his enthusiasm. It's funny how I had just talked to my mom that morning and she offered that I might not continue with teaching but with my music career. What a coincidence! I would have to go to Lima though and I really don't know how much I trust the guy. My life is in Cusco right now and I love it here. I am comfortable and super happy here.

I went out salsa dancing the other night with Erica, Chandler, Ricardo (the new roomy) and Marco. It was a ton of fun and I can't wait to do more. I have met quite a few salseros here in Cusco and I have to say it's quite a small world among the salsa dancers here. Lot's of drama too but I feel like that is to be expected in the dance world. I am working on conquering all the combinations for the circle. It's so much fun!

This weekend is dedicated to being healthy and taking care of myself. No drinking for the week and no singing until Monday with Claudo at Le Nomade. If you read this blog and are in Cusco you should come out. 9pm on Choquechaka across from Jack's cafe! :)

Spending Time with Friends

I have done a lot of thinking lately about friendships and relationships. I consider myself to be extremely outgoing and friendly. I have no problem walking up to someone, introducing myself and starting a conversation. It has proven to be quite an asset at times and I have met some really interesting people. My best friend here in Cusco became my roommate because I overheard her saying she needed a place to stay and offered a room in my apartment. Thank goodness! I am so glad she moved in and we started a great relationship. While I am happy that I can make friends easily, I have also realized that many friendships are fleeting, especially when you live a nomadic English teacher lifestyle in South America. It really sucks to see friends leave but it's inevitable. Gone are the days when people grew up and continued living in the towns they grew up in with all their childhood friends. Of course, I am not saying that we should all stay put and never move around or explore, but there is something to be said about planting oneself and really making it home. Lately, I have been feeling like Cusco has become a home to me and I asked myself why. It wasn't difficult to realize what the most important part of having a place feel like home. It is the relationships that I have with people that make it so homey. I could be anywhere in the world and if I am surrounded by good people and good company I will be happy. Of course, another part of it is that I am very comfortable speaking the language, eating the food, and dancing a LOT. These are all things that I can get in cantidades grandes (large amounts) here in Cusco. I guess what I am saying is that I am grateful for the people that I have met and the friendships that I have made here.

I have also thought about the relationships that I have with people back home. People have asked me if I am homesick at all and while I occasionally get a pang of nostalgia for certain things like the sound of the central fan in my house during the summer, I can't say that I am very homesick. The internet is a great tool that has allowed me to stay in touch with family and friends quite easily. There is still no way to keep in touch with everyone though. Facebook makes keeping in touch extremely easy but at the same time people somehow fall out of contact. It's normal. It's supposed to happen because it's a part of life and if I held an intimate relationship with everyone I was "friends" with on facebook I would have no life. It would be consumed by internet use and that is no way to live. I had the opportunity to talk with my best friend from high school the other day and it was so fantastic catching up with her. We hadn't talked for a little over a year and it was so great to hear what she had been up to and to be able to share with her what my life has become since moving to Peru. It only takes the occasional phone call or email to keep in touch with someone who matters to you. Even though we haven't seen each other in a while I still feel like she is a great friend and that when we do see each other again it will be great. It's nice to know that when (or if) I return to the States, I will have good people to come home to.

In other friends news, I went to a dinner party the other night at my friend Marissa's new place in San Blas. She make enchiladas and tacos. It was super cute because it turned out to be more of a couples dinner party. I was happy that Marco was able to share it and meet some of my friends and eat excellent food too. We discussed the desserts that were possibilities for the restaurant. This delicious picture is a chocolate and peanut butter cake. Mmmm. I felt kind of bad that we were speaking mostly in English because Marco is still pretty novice but he said that he understood a good portion of what was being said even though he didn't get every word. I have no doubt that he will eventually master English. He is a dedicated student in everything he studies. Hmmm maybe that's why I like him so much. :)

I also spent yesterday morning and early afternoon with three of my Maximo friends who I adore, Erica, Jordan, and Corey. We had a brunch with pancakes, fruit, and eggs. I don't laugh as hard with anyone here like I do with them and it makes me incredibly happy. Everyone should have friends that make them laugh really hard. It is really one of the best simple pleasures in the world.

Something that always intrigues me and really makes relationships and friendships the most interesting and what bonds us are the things that don't always come out or get found out until after the superficial stuff has been said. It is the stuff underneath that leaves us vulnerable and our trust in one another that bonds us and makes friendships strong. Trust, loyalty, dependability, and respect are four things that make a great relationship. If that is in place among two people, there is no doubt that the friendship will last and that is what I try and foster with my friends and loved ones. So to all my friends and even if you are an acquaintance, I hope that you feel the love and know that I am grateful for meeting you and if we haven't talked in a while drop me a line, a comment, or a facebook post. Let's catch up. :)

Below are two photos I cropped and played with on iphoto. My old roommates from Saphi and Erica and myself.

Happy St. Paddy's Day!

Well, you might thing St. Patricks's Day is just a big excuse for Americans to get drunk but it's also an excuse for gringos in Cusco to get drunk too! Haha. Our hostel hosted a St. Patrick's Day Party and then everyone went out dancing afterward. For some reason I was surprised to find that St. Patrick's Day was celebrated here but I should have known better. Of course they would celebrate in Cusco. Any excuse for a party is a good excuse. It was a fun night and I got my face painted too. It was also my best frined from college's birthday. HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY AMANDA!!

For more pictures check out the "Yamanya" album.

Japan

Well, I am sure most of you know about the earthquake that hit on March 12th. We spent the entire morning watching the BBC. The death toll started at a few hundred but within a few hours it had risen to the thousands and now they are predicting that the death toll will be over 10,000. There was talk that Peru would be hit by waves from the tsunami but so far it hasn´t been too bad. There was some damage done by the 1.5 meter waves but nothing too serious. I have been fascinated with the aftermath and I have been reading a lot about what the consequences might be on a social and geographical level. I met a couple here in Cusco on Thanksgiving at the Real McCoy. They were riding their bikes through South America and then heading to Japan. I have followed their blog and they were on the last flight into Japan before the quake hit. They are currently living in the airport and have quite the story. It´s an interesting read. To end the hyperlinks I have one more that I recommend looking at. It´s a New York Times page with before and after satellite pictures of Japan. It´s insane!

Either way, the Earth is pissed off at us. The thing with natural disasters is that there is no one to blame. I personally blame the human population as whole but it´s kind of difficult to make a direct connection, other than we consume and don´t give back. We have lacked respect for our planet and she´s firing back. The worst part is that lots of lives were and are going to be lost in the subsequent natural disasters. The best we can do is help out in anyway possible to help reconstruct and take care of those affected. It wouldn´t hurt to become a little more conscious of our actions and how they affect the environment around us. My heart goes out to all the people in Japan who were affected, including my college classmate who was signing a renewal contract to teach as the quake hit. Fortunately, he took cover and was on the 9th floor of a building, so he was not swept away by the subsequent tsunami.

In other news, there are new pics up in the albums ¨Peru¨, ¨Maximo¨, ¨Yamanya¨ and ¨An Ecuadorian Christmas¨. I realized I never put up the pictures from Christmas on the blog so here they are. Enjoy!