Welcome to Peru

Wow. I can't believe the last time I blogged was in November. Slap myself on the wrist! It's time to revive this blog from it's forgotten state. Thankfully Peru provides me with fun stories to actually blog about! haha

This trip originally started out just as a wish in the wind. My friend Markie just suggested the idea in a conversation last November. It's been a lot of work getting here - especially in convincing my mom that I wouldn't die, but it worked out and here I am! I flew to Peru last Sunday morning with Markie Palmer, her mom, her sister, and her cousin. Two layovers later, we arrived in Arequipa Monday morning.

It's been quite the culture shock being here but it's such a neat opportunity to experience the cultures and customs of a foreign country. I just wish I knew Spanish! We have security guards here, and body guards as well, so I feel very safe. Markie and I went for a stroll around the neighborhood yesterday and the guards would radio between their different stations to inform the other guards that we had just passed them and that we were coming their way. Haha, they take their job very seriously.

Sister Palmer warned me about altitude sickness, but she can't describe the symptoms. She said it's the worst thing I will ever go through if I get it. The bad part is that I won't know I have it until the third or the fourth day, so I could be sick right now - but won't find out until tomorrow. Awesome. To prevent this "indescribable disease" you just need one thing - water. And lots of it. I've been drinking bottle after bottle of water and I have to go to the bathroom almost every hour. I don't want to get sick! However, as of this morning, we have no water in the house. Where am I supposed to go to the bathroom!!????!!

This is one of the street in the neighborhood. Just for you mom. I am alive, and smiling. I love it here!

The view from our walk this morning. So beautiful! Although Arequipa is mostly desert, the river that runs through the mountains makes this area perfect for farming.
There are small neighborhoods on the opposite side of the mountain, facing the fields. Obviously this neighborhood had community spirit. :)
The mountain homes. Opposite from America, the higher you get up on the mountain, the poorer the population becomes.
So beautiful, isn't it?

Welp, that's it for today, but there are sure to be more adventures coming soon!

Adios!