Hello from Huaraz!

Hello world!

I am officially at work today.... meaning I am checking my e-mail from my hotel where I will be living the next month and a half.... Eek!! I have yet to meet the elusive Jeff Bury, but I'm sure I will sometime today. I am a big ol' bundle of nerves about that, but at this point, I just want to rip off the band aid...

Huaraz is pretty. I think Sandip just about wet his pants over the mountains... Yeah, mountains are pretty, but I think I'm like the Dixie Chicks with their Wide Open Spaces.... you can't grow up in Bay City, the flattest little town in the world, (not a verified statistic, but we used to practice our hill workouts on the overpasses... you can't get much flatter than that!) and not feel a little odd when surrounded by the high peaks. Not that I'm complaining!!! It's gorgeous here, and I'm enjoying the scenery. It's a bit of a less glamorous town than Cuzco, though. However, my laptop works here, so I'm happy. Odd how you get attached to things like that...

I am actually sad about leaving Cuzco. I made friends with my teachers and the other students. Plus, there is still so much more to see! I can see why Cuzco and Machu Picchu are the #1 tourist destination in South America. I would love to go back and just live there for a while. I could stay at Amauta and take Spanish classes for a month or so.... Or do their volunteer program!!! That seemed sooooo cool. I was jealous of the people who were staying for a nice long time. Plus, they'll all be fluent in Spanish be the end! I'm practicing, but I can't understand people in English half the time, so I do not have hope for too much of my Spanish. Plus, I keep running into mumblers. STOP MUMBLING, people. I was born partially deaf, leave me alone. yes, that's right, 25% hearing loss, people!!! Not that I have that now.... but I think I do!!! I CANNOT understand the mumblers. That's gotta be a hearing condition. meh.

Anyways, I obviously have nothing more to report. I did SOOOO many cool things in Cuzco. I'm getting over the flu (bleh), but I have absolutely no voice (so anyone that's wondering why I haven't called... that's why!). I am a mute! And deaf.... So all my Spanish practice was moot because I'm still having Sandip say stuff for me. But not for long!!! Anyways, besides that, I'm doing very well. Sandip is here now for one more week, and the other students only have 2 weeks to go on their trip. I, of course, still have a month and a half. However, besides being sick, I'm doing very well. I'm falling in love with Peru, specifically, and South America in general. I'm utterly jealous of all of the Europeans and their gap years traveling the world. Someday.......

Until next time, keep the e-mails and updates coming!!