With a hundred soles in my pocket...

Hey everyone!!

It's been a strange couple of days both because I've been in a really good mood and everything in Huaraz has just been insane. For example, I called my brother and Amy today, which was awesome!! However, I went to pay and I had 14 soles or a 100 sole bill. The bill was just a little over my change, but she couldn't break a 100 sole bill (I've had this conversation with EVERYONE who has traveled here... How do locals get around? The ATM spits out 100s but NO ONE takes them. It's very frustrating.) So, I said I would be right back (I see her a lot, so we're friends... You know the kind of friends where one of them pays the other one for services... WOW. That sounds awful but I can't think of how else to phrase it. She's the phone lady and I pay her. Sometimes we have conversations about Hindi music or what she wants to do with her life... That's friendly, right??) So, I go walking down the street to the gas station (grifa... I learned a new word!) where I ask if that lady could give me change for a 100. She affirms that I want soles and says yes. Then she proceeds to give me 100 soles.... in coins.

That's right, coins!! And only 30 was in 5 sol coins. A good 35 was in 1 sol coins and the rest was in 2 sol coins. My pockets are absolutely bulging. It's pulling my pants down... I'm going to have to stop by the hostel to drop some of this madness off. Plus, I think I have a 10 bill somewhere, maybe in yesterday's pants pocket. The tens are much more convenient, but even those, some people can't break them. It's insanity. The whole town is insane!!!

A little boy was walking down the street with his mom, but she stopped to look at a street vendor's goods, but he kept walking. I was stopped also, and he came over and wrapped his arms around my legs because he thought I was his mother. It was adorable, but I hadn't been paying attention, so I made a surprised noise. He looked up and started sobbing. Broke my heart. His mom turned quickly and scooped him up away from the crazy gringa, but I just raised my hands in front of me, the universal gesture of "Hey, sorry, it wasn't me!"

I also had this interview with this socialist tourist guide... he was crazy, too!! I liked it, though. He was funny, and I agreed with a lot of what he said. He was really angry with the United States, and I was like, I can't blame you. You get screwed over a lot in the name of capitalism... However, he was telling me that I needed to tell my government... and I'm like, I tell them what I can, but no one cares what I think. I can't even get all my friends, who love me, to read this blog... The U.S. government is NOT going to listen to me. Especially if I talked like he did. He was REALLY angry. However, I liked him. He was funny. It's people like him that are angry at the U.S., but aren't mean to me that make this more fun. Well, they don't have to be angry at the U.S. to be fun. But the people that have really strong opinions but don't yell at me.... I love them. I liked that guy so much that I bought an absolutely expensive and useless book from him. It's about geography in the Cordillera Blanca. It's mostly stuff I know already, but high five for the little socialist capitalizing on capitalism. Of course, he said that business is WAY down this year. I felt bad. He obviously really cared about the area and saw it crumbling before his eyes.

I don't know, I'm still striking out a lot with interviews, but people haven't been MEAN this week. I know what it is!! I only went to the bus station one day and left after everyone on four buses rejected me. None of them were particularly mean, although it probably would have hurt my feelings during the first couple weeks. The people from Lima like to glare. A LOT. They just get this look on their faces like you are the stupidest person they've ever met and they hate you for bothering them. That look crushed me every time for a while. Now it's just kind of funny. Well, it still bothers me, but I've learned not to be a glutton for punishment. If I feel bad vibes from the bus station, I leave before I want to cry. It's a much better system. Rather than sitting there because I feel like I have to, I sit as long as I can stand it and then go buy another DVD or hats for someone... It's nice.

Anyways, it almost feels like Huaraz (the city as an entity...) is trying to make up for a lot of the crap it's put me through as a whole. Funny, crazy incidents, but none of them involve late night phone calls to Sandip where I try to avoid crying in the phone booth... I'm exaggerating a bit. However, I do feel like I'm just happier now than I was for a long time. I don't know if I'm just seeing things differently or they ARE different. Who knows? Either way, if this keeps up, I'm going to miss Huaraz as soon as I leave. Funny, funny people. Although, I still think all drunk men should be locked up before they bother me... But I've learned to give them a wide berth and ignore anything they say. jerks..... The stories I could tell you would shock you!!!

Lock Down in Huaraz

So, I know I just posted, but all that stuff was from camping. So, I'm writing from the California Cafe in Huaraz, Peru, with the big metal door pulled down in front. A national strike is stirring up trouble in Huaraz. All of the workers want everything to be shut down, so I guess there's a risk of rocks being thrown at any businesses that are working. People are parading through the streets chanting and waving signs, and apparently... throwing rocks.

We're all fine, though. We had a fun night last nigh at the Xtreme bar, playing fuseball and Jenga. Today is more of a data consolidation than anything else because nothing is working. You can't even leave the city in a car because the roads are blocked off. The buses aren't running. Everyone else is freaking out a bit because they want to go to Lima so they can go home. However, I'm totally here forever, so wheeee for me.

I am, however, getting work done. Interviewing and data collection- whooo!!! It's been fun. I think I'm better at this sort of data collection than the field collection that involves camping in below freezing weather. Especially with whatever I'm allergic to. I'm not the kind of girl that enjoys pottying in a hole. I'm not sure there is a kind of girl like that....

Anyways, we're on lock down in Huaraz. I'm totally enjoying myself and getting work done. Yesterday was exciting because I was at the Office of Statistics gathering some information when the parade of angry strikers went by. I got yanked down away from the window by the guy I was interviewing so that the workers wouldn't throw rocks through the window at an open business.... It was crazy! They shut the lights off and locked the door. craziness.

It'll be sad to see everyone go this week because then I'll be here alone. However, it'll be nice to have my own room for a while.... I think Kyung feels the same. We definitely don't have the same sleep schedules. However, I will miss having someone to giggle with at night. It'll be more sad than happy. Anyways, love you all!!! Wish me luck as we ride out the strike!!

Have you ever noticed that I write the most when I have the least to say?

Well, hello again!

I am writing with little news, but lots of hope... I am starting to get better. Sort of. I'm still super super congested, but my headaches and body aches are subsiding. Hooray! Anyways, I'm hanging out. I think I will be meeting with Jeff Bury today, which is good!! But then I will have stuff to do, but I don't know if that's good or not... What a lazy little butthead I've turned out to be.

Anyways, it's been nice just hanging out. The other people seem really nice on the trip. I have been the lazy butthead who sleeps all day. However, they have been nice anyways, and I have more facebook friends! Hah... isn't that the way of the new world?? You know you're friends with someone once you're friends on facebook.

So, my big plans for today, besides meeting with Jeff Bury, is to take an afternoon shower. Yes, afternoon shower. You can't guarantee hot water around here, and there is NOTHING worse than taking a cold shower then stepping out into the icy cold morning/night air. So, I have become all about the afternoon showers here. Problem is, afternoon showers totally cut into any and all plans for the day. However, I just don't care. I will stay smelly until the afternoon. deal with it, folks!! At least this isn't a smelloblog.... :)

Ooooh, so my illegal movie fetish has rubbed off on the two undergrads from St. Rose. It's funny. They went out and had a Huaraz buying spree very similar to mine in Cuzco. However, I would like to point out that I still have the better selection. One of the other Sarah's is currently borrowing my copy of Sex and the City movie (that's right... still in theaters in the US, a fabulous DVD in Peru!). I also think mine are a bit better quality than theirs, but I don't want to rub it in. However, the ones here aren't so bad. So, if anyone has a hankering for something... let me know! Get hanged for the lamb as well as the sheep.... That's something Bryan was saying before. Not sure about my "hanged" versus "hung" grammar, but it doesn't look bad.

Well, like I said, not much to report, but maybe I should try to call Jeff Bury to set up our meeting. He's a nice guy. I'm excited/terrified about this project. However, cliff jumping and all that... Anyways, I'm off to do fabulous things/eat a second breakfast because we've all become a bit more like hobbits since being here. LOVE YOU!!!

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!!