Painting in Peru!!!!:-)

My host mom painted this!!!! She is really good. There are paintings all over the house:-)

Phrase of the day: "Webon" (pronounced way-bongggggg;-) = friend... but only to guys evidentally. (But it isn't a bad word lol)

Just wanted to let you guys know a few things about Peru that I have learned so far...

1) The people are so much more warm and welcoming than in most places in America. Because you greet people with a kiss on the left cheek, it allows you to get a lot closer to them and become friends much quicker. Some exchange students have a problem in their country making friends, but here I absolutely do not have that problem. God has supplied me with a sister much like my sisters back home. Very helpful and supportive in every area of my life.

2) Even though Peru is a 3rd world country and may look dirty to tourists... it really isn't. Dirty to one country in comfortable to others. In some areas, we are dirtier than them, and in some they are dirtier than us. Like my host dad washes the porch at least 2 times every day... and I have seen many people doing the same.

3) The winter here is like 60 degrees and much of my peruvian friends are freezing all the time, when I have a t-shirt on and flip-flops... it is very strange.

4) I am not homesick at all. I mean I want my family to be here with me, but I don't want to go home at all. Peru is such an amazing place. At least Lima is. There is a patience and chillness of the people. They walk soo slow, but it is relaxing... they spend a really long time sitting around the table after they eat... like a tremendous amount of time.

5) Peru doesn't drive really by the rules. They run stop signs, they drive in the middle of two lanes, they park in the middle of the street... but it is awesome. And it makes me feel like I am back on the farm;-)

6)The stop lights have timers on them!!!!! Like in Seattle where the cross walk signs have timers. Yah. But on the stoplights! It's awesome, you can totally just take off right when it hits 1...;-) or sometimes before...

7) I have now eaten the equivalent of 2 animal hearts... They are called anticuchos here. :-) Surprisingly, they are really good.

8) My record for not drinking pop, 8 years, is now broken. I have drank Inca Cola every day I have been here...;-/ but it was well worth it!!! (It smells exactly like liquidized dubble bubble bubble gum:-)

9) I honestly feel like I belong here... it's incredible. Not one moment have I wanted to go home.

I went to the ocean tonight. It was amazing. Vanessa (my host sister) told me that she is taking me to have surfing lessons every Friday!:-) Also we went across "el puente de deseos" a bridge where you hold your breath, run across, and make a wish... i bet you can guess what mine was... to become fluent at spanish!!!:-)

Oh and did i mention that dinner down here costs only 10 nuevos soles!!! It is basically the equivalent of about 3 dollars. For an entire meal and drink! I haven't been to mcdonals yet but I don't see how they can beat that... :-)

I had much more to write, but I forgot it... Love you guys!

Blessings,

Lucas

P.S. Oh and tonight I went to one of Vanessa's house and they gave us blank white shoes which we got to paint with a special paint so that it would stay on:-) It was "chevere" =cool ;-)

P.S.P.S. In Lima, late isn't 12 o'clock. We usually don't go out until 12:-0 My body is still adjusting to it, but now I am usually going to bed around 3:30 in the morning!!!:-0

Te Amo Lima.