TMI

HOLAAAAAAAAA CHICOOOOS. Since we have talked. Or rather I typed on my iPhone and I read it, I got travelers diarrhea. Yeah maybe TMI. But common here. So I went to La Punta with another homestay family. The ones I went to drink and salsa with. They made real chicha morada which is a drink made of dried purple corn, pineapple skin and core, cinnamon, and cloves. Boiled and then drained. The drink turns purple from the corn. Super good. Can be drunken cold or hot. Back to la punta. It’s a beach or port. Pebbles beach. The large pebbles hurt my feet. The water isn’t so cold as I thought it would be. It was me and Anna and the family, dad is Rafael and mom is Cecilia and son is Nicholas. Anna and I got soaked. We walked around and saw an artsy part of town. Murals. Tried some stuff on the street, yeah I know, not safe but the family paid for it without asking if we wanted it and had us try it. So I couldn’t refuse it would be rude. It was a thicker kind of chicha morada and a rice with condensed milk. And peaches. It was good. Also tried a cake fudge graham cracker dessert from the same family on the street. Good as well. Saw some crabs. Fed some dogs (bought some dog food to throw to some strays BUT way moreee stray cats here). If dogs have a dog coat on then it has an owner, it’s like their collar. Bought some more interesting fruit. Cow-ca is one. Another look a like a cucumber but inside looks like a cotton looking banana. Another is very sour. Idk. I’ll post pictures later. They all taste fine. I never puked. One looked like brains and u can only swallow it because the seeds are so acidic.

OKAY, here is where I got sick. I went to have lunch with the family at their place and I agreed to try ceviche. It’s a traditional very very Peruvian fish dish. Half cooked fish. Cooked with only lime and lemon. Well I tried maybe three bites. I didn’t really love it or hate it. It was completely new to me. I never had raw fish and haven’t had fish in over three years. So half an hour later. Still sitting at the table. (Btw they also made me causza a potato dish here with olive dressing idk. Good it. Good meal for vegetarians). Still sitting at the table talking about the Peruvian culture and I instantly got fainty and a fever and stomach is doing summersaults. I’m like oh I’m fine I can last another hour and head back. No. It got worse. I stood up and was like I have to go. I explained. I felt sooooo bad that I left and it was because of the fish. I later came to visit (last night) with some wine and explained it wasn’t because of her cooking.

So many new people came! Orientation was Monday morning. Sydney. Oxsana. Kyla. Rachael. Wei. Megan. Idk more people. The new people are great. So many people to do stuff with and get ideas. I ended up getting an awesome placement. Esperanza. An orphanage of about 30 kids. Ages 0-10 and all special needs. I had my first day today. It was all about getting to know the kids limits and personalities. I didn’t get to spend time with the babies but I think tomorrow or Thursday I will be able to. I have some kids some toy plushies I got at Wongs (a supermarket here) for them to squeeze and feel. Brenda. Stella. Marco. Anthony. Carlos. Willi. Etc. It is so hard to remember all the kids names and volunteer names and Spanish words and places. It’s been a whirlwind. I don’t even know how many days I’ve been and here done what.

• Cassandra is the dog here at the homestay. Cocker spaniel. 
• Barranco was a place I visited today with some girls after work. Art district. Murals. Hipster. Got some beer with them. Going back Thursday to visit again with them. 
• I guess I’m cat lady because I gave one stray cat some of my dog food and then three more came up to me. 
• People will touch art in the museums here. 
• Vultures everywhere yo. 
• Sea wolves not called sea lions. 
• The sounds I hear at night are constant. Dogs fighting. Car alarms. Honking taxis. Airplanes about to land. 
• Chocolate tea yo. Cocoa mate something. So good. 
• The islands by la punta used to house criminals. Prisons. 
• Learned that what I thought was fog and clouds is really just pollution. Lima is like number one down here for pollution. 
• Oh I took the pills my doc gave me for travelers diarrhea and it was gone within like 35 hours. I think I lost like two pounds from not eating and puking and crapping. TMI. 
• On chapter 14 of Harry Potter year 4. 
• Got a few things done at the lavenderia (laundry). One kilo is 3 soles. I paid one dollar for my laundry. 
• Signed up for Machu Picchu and rainbow mountain (4 hour hike, so I am buying hiking boots next week)
• Signed up for huacachina (probably spelled it wrong) with like 5 girls and it’s sandboarding, wine tasting, pisco and chocolate, sand buggy in the dessert dunes.