Friday, April 24

There are two things I must let out --- first the bad news.
Cusco always has this slight chill to it which seaps through your bones and makes you cringe and I CAN´T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!! Looking at a map you will see that we are located between the Tropic of Cancer and the Equator - the hottest latitudes in THE WORLD. What is going on??? Seriously.

Second -- I had my first decent spanish conversation with a cab driver last night!! =) It was about 15 minutes long, no english, all spanish, and made complete sense. I´m soo happy to be improving on my language with no formal training. It´s almost crippling to be living here without it. So, my goal this month is to make as many Peruvians friends as possible so I can improve my spanish and salsa.

Tonight one of the teachers is throwing a party at her place for the legalization of gay marriage in Iowa - random. But it should be fun... Im gonna dress up as guy and my roommate, Kelly, will be my woman. A little weird but I think I can work it. GAY MARRIAGE! YAHHHH! hahaha

Another brief update -- A friend of mine named Jay just moved up to Via San Blas. Basically it´s really high up, above the city, on this property that belongs to this divorced couple (Peruvian and Canadian). They built the whole place by hand and have made it the coolest, chillest spot in ALL of Peru. The past week we´ve been using our 5 hour break in the middle of the day to go rock climbing up there... its the most amazing place someone could live. Right by the intersection of the old Incan roads that basically put you smack dab - in the middle of the EMPIRE!!! Not to mention they have a rock climbing wall going up one of the sides of the house with the coolest Peruvians - who - I still can´t figure out how they make money because all they do is smoke and climb. Luis (whose Quechua name is Songa) is the owner. He was married to this Canadian lady who left last week, back for Canada. I can only assume he probably wasn´t faithful because Peruvians have a problem with that but now Luis lives there with his 2 beautiful labrador dogs, Tiki and Rockcoo. Tiki is pregnant and I´m stealin a pup in 3 months when she gives birth. It´s gonna be me and my dog in a Peruvian Shanti over looking the Andes --- or so I hope. LOL

This place has become my new escape (as if Peru wasn´t enough) but teaching can wear on you after a while especially when you feel like you´re on permanent vacation. Anyways, this is a short one, I need to take my afternoon nap now. Buenos Dias Chicos!!!

P.S. Tickets to Peru are the lowest they´ve ever been from Chicago. Check out Spirit Air. Last time I looked it was $250.