Random Rambling

After a bit of a gloomy week, I am feeling much better. Yesterday I was talking on a phone to one friend, and another friend called on the other line. Because the conversation we were having was pretty serious I didnt click over. After I finished my conversation, I listen to the message. It was Danielle apologizing for not calling me back the other night and then casually mentioned that she was on a bus to Lima at the moment. What!? one of my best friends coming to Lima and she not telling me until the last moment? So I rearranged my schedule to day to go into Lima for the afternoon. Danielle will be in Lima all weekend, but the reason she came in was because she is Jewish and this weekend in Yom Kippur (spelling?), which means she was going to be in temple tonight, tomorrow and wouldnt be able to east or drink for the rest of the day. So I got to enjoy Danielles last meal before her fast. It was so great to sit with a friend and share our experiences of site over the last month. We havent seen each other in 4 weeks, but it didnt feel like that much time had passed. We laughed a lot and had a Starbucks. Even though it was only a few hours, I felt regenerated as I was going back to site. I didnt realize how badly I needed to just escape everything for a bit, see a friend and speak some English.

On my ride back to site, Lillian called me and we re going to organize a dinner at her house sunday night (in Lima) and invite the jewish girls that are in town for the weened. So I get to see Danielle one more time before she leaves. On top of all that, I have Jake and Jah in town next weekend. So Im totally on cloud nine compared to how I was feeling just yesterday.

I have gotten so many wonderful messages from every one, mainly team Woodland. You guys are my light in the storm and I can never express how your support and words of encouragement help me through the lonliest days. I have to agree with my mom, Amber, you are a gem of a friend. Im even so touched that catherine, who I was under the impression never used computers or the internet, has commented.

In response to my moms comment about the contradicting ideas that I live with a family that doesnt have enough money to buy enough meet, yet my gym is full of women who want to loose weight. I think this is a perfect example of the problems in Peru. I always have such a hard time trying to describe what its like in Peru. Lima is a classified as a third world country. It one of the poorest countries in all of South America. But at the same time it is modernizing at a very rapid pace. 50% of the population lives below the poverty line, less than two dollars a day, but changes are everywhere. Where I live for example, Buena Vista, is a very poor town. The town has no running water. My family is one of the few houses that has water. A truck brings water twice a week and a house is run through our house to fill a giant tank up on the roof. Gravity does the rest of the work bringing the water from the roof to out faucet and shower. We eat meals that consist of rice and potatoes cause we cant afford much else. That is the reality for the majority of Peruvians. In Lurin, there is a bit more money. The gym is brand new, only a few months and is a good example of how things are changing.

Like technology and other ideas of modernization, the idea of being thin has transcended borders. Peruvian women are on the rounder side. Their very traditional role of baby maker and cook has not produced a skinny, fit society. Its hard to grasp their concept of what health and weight. This is a broad generalization, but Peruvians dont seem to have a clue about nutrition. Body image is very important in latin american countries, and I feel US idea on the importance of being skinny clashes with the latin idea of curvaceous and voluptuous women. I really dont know where Im going with this, and dont think Im making any sense. So I guess Ill just stop there.