Buscando Novia?

A lot of volunteers have left Arequipa, and as it stands right now, there are only 5 volunteers. So, obviously, we are working a lot. My hours every day, minus Saturdays, are from 9am-7pm or 8pm. My work has expanded from just teaching English and working in the homework project to taking children to the dentist office and waiting for them (3+ hours) and also to making and serving breakfast to 40 kids twice a week in San Isidro. We are all sharing the work, but we are exhausted. It's funny, because we were talking about how when we first got here, we went out to clubs nearly every weekend, and now we're like if we go out for dinner two times a month. But we're still loving the work!

Funny story: There's a girl in first grade at the school I teach English in in San Isidro. She talks and talks and talks. Anyway, one day, after everyone had left school one day... I was playing with this girl on the playground, and here is the conversation that pursued (while you're reading it, remember she is only 6 years old):

Katie: Do you have a wife?
Me: No. I'm pretty young to have a wife. I am only 18 years old.
Katie: Why does that matter? You should have a wife.
Me: Really?
Katie: Yes. I will help you find the prettiest girl in Peru and make her your wife. But you have to do some things too.
Me: Like what?
Katie: You have to always look handsome, be very sensitive, and - sometimes - make her jealous.

Four days later, and I'm still laughing about this conversation.

I have three pictures to share:

> CONGRATULATIONS TAR HEELS ON WINNING THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP! Hate that I wasn't there.




> Miah McClinton (on the right) is one of my really good friends in the states. She is a model and works for agencies that sell her photos to various companies all over the world. Here, in Peru, there are two cellphone providers - Movistar and Claro. Most people have prepaid cellphones, so they have to constantly buy these cards that refill their credit. Well, one day, I looked in a store window, and saw my friend Miah on the Movistar card for 10 minutes. Small world...





> The view of Arequipa from my room.