ITS BEEN A MONTH ALREADY?!?!?

The time has really flown by in Arequipa. I can´t believe it, but I am leaving on Sunday. I had no idea I hadn´t posted anything in almost two weeks. I apologize to anyone who has been reading this.

The last week or so has been a bit hectic because my hours at the school totally changed my schedule. I should explain the teaching position a bit. A woman that I work with has a niece that goes to a school called British Columbia (The man who started it is Canadian) which is about a 40-minute bus ride from where I live. Its still technically Arequipa, but really shares none of the features. When you get out to the Colorado region of Arequipa, it is all dirt roads without a building over one story in sight. Its great to see that side of a city. I have never seen another gringo while I´m out there or on the bus to get there.

The teaching deal went more or less like this: Susie, the woman I work with, told me that I would be helping their current English teacher during class. I would ASSIST with things like pronunciation etc. because they have never been taught by a Native English speaker.

The reality, which was painfully obvious on the first day was that I was the teacher. I teach every grade throughout the week which is kids from ages 8 - 14. In some ways its been a valuable experience, but its been exhausting and showed me that I´m just not cut out to be a teacher. I don´t really like kids and have a lot of trouble controlling them. When I was having trouble getting certain kids attention, a little girl in the class pointed to a whip hanging from the wall, but I´m not really into the idea of beating kids. So its been a bit stressful.

Positive thoughts are that the kids who really do want to learn I think are getting a lot out of my being there. There are a handful that ask great questions, come to class with their homework done, and really make it worth my time and effort. Its also been awesome in terms of practicing my Spanish because I have to give all instructions in Spanish. I will hopefully finish out the week with them, but I have been sick so the last couple days I didn´t have the energy for them.

Overall, Arequipa has been great though. The people I work with are all really helpful with my Spanish and I´m going to miss them when I leave. My next major destination is Iquitos which is a city in the jungle in northern Peru. I´m really excited to start moving again.

My Mom was asking me about different foods I´ve eaten here so...

Anticuchos - These are grilled cow hearts that are absolutely delicious. they are served on a skewer with a salty marinade and potatoes. Definitely one of the highlights of the food here.

Capirina - Cow intestines, lungs, skin, and some unidentifiable thing. These are really greasy, but it makes my mouth water thinking about them. The cooks fry them all together in a wok with a slightly spicy, red mix of herbs and spices.

Ceviche - A specialty in Peru ended up being a horrible night for me. It was a giant plate of raw fish that tasted great, but ended with me groaning in bed all of last Saturday night. For about 12 hours (not exaggerating) I was back a forth from the bathroom. Another American guy who just got to the hostel today had the exact same experience.

Menu del Día or Local menu - There are tons of restaurants in Arequipa that serve a set menu which is usually a huge bowl of soup followed by a main course of meat (chicken, fish, pork, or beef depending on the day) and rice. It usually also comes with a drink. All for 3 soles, ONE DOLLAR! This is my favorite for lunch if I don´t feel like cooking.

Chicharron - This is a pork dish I get at the local market, but its also pretty common in restaurants. Chicharron is a bit ambiguous because I´ve seen it with other meats, but I like the pork. Its baked and comes with a tomato onion salad and corn.

Corn - There are so many different types here, but its pretty common to see something that looks like corn nuts either as an appetizer or with your meal. Its a bit less crispy, but delicious. Their fried corn is probably my favorite snack food. Another type of corn is choclo, which is a common street food. Its a much heartier, less sweet version of corn on the cob.

Chufa/Chifa - Peruvian and Chinese fusion is also nice if you want a cheap lunch. Just like anywhere else, there are the chain types and also high quality Chifa. Lomo Saltado is a common Chifa dish which is a beef, tomato, onion, pepper, and fried potato stir fry.

Cuy (Guinea Pig) - One of the funnier things I have eaten. Just a whole fried guinea pig on a plate complete with teeth, claws, heart, lungs, and livers. It just looks silly on the plate all sprawled out. The meat is excellent though. It has a bit of a salty, seafood flavor very similar to frogs legs.