felizzisssiimmmaaa :)

noticing more and more how much spanish is starting to click for me. i feel like i understand the news almost completely now, reading for class is much easier and i'm starting to speak faster (says my family).. so i'm hoping my speaking especially continues to progress this next half of the semester.

walked to larcomar (mall on the beach kinda thing) tonight and the walk was beautiful.. perfect temperature, blue skies, blue ocean, palm trees... :) i could get used to living on the shore.

i feel like i'm also starting to get a lot more comfortable with my family, too.. i feel like i lucked out with the BEST host family, i am sooo happy to be living here. and grateful, because i know how much a lack of chemistry could impact an experience abroad.. but my family and living with a host family is probably my #1 favorite thing about being here. my grandma, mom, sister and zaira are all such beautiful people! :) and living in a house full of 5 women is lots of fun.

i see the rest of my experience only getting increasingly better with the spring weather starting to replace the winter weather, more comfort and confidence in this country, and more understanding and tolerance of everything.

sometimes i try to figure out why i am so blessed with this wonderful life. why me? what brought me to be living in Perú, South America, at 20 years old?! How lucky I am to explore these lifestyles before I enter a chapter of life where I won't be as free to just get up and go and do cool things like this. Not everyone has this chance, not everyone even wants this.. and I'm blessed with every bit of it. even when it's frustrating to be here, a gringa, and away from so many familiar things, I try to hold on to these thoughts :)

went out for indian food last night... GREAT IDEA! IT WAS DELICIOUS! and so close to my house, i'll definitely being going again sometime. A fancy, delicious restaurant with an entree and a side of naan (YUM) for only $13. love it.

tomorrow = STUDY STUDY STUDY midterm
tuesday = STUDY STUDY STUDY midterm
wednesday = breather.
thursday = WRITE A PAPER, ewwwww.
friday = free massage :)
this weekend.. i need to have a lot of fun!

mom & oriana are going to argentina for the week.. in the meantime i'm going to find recipes and hunt for ingredients in Perú to make pumpkin flavored things.. like pumpkin roll, pumpkin pie, baked pumpkin seeds and cinnamon.. i wanna surprise them!


SMILE
:)
hope everyones enjoying my favorite season.