So much for blogging every day while Brian’s gone!! I thought I’d have more time, but then I didn’t. And then the internet didn’t really work for over a week, so here we are. He comes home in three and a half days (Friday afternoon) and I seriously cannot wait. It’s all I can think about! This is my background on my laptop right now:
This is my absolute favorite picture of us, taken at my brother’s wedding two years ago. Yup. Love that man.
So, the last couple of days have been full of interesting cultural stuff. Saturday, I was able to introduce a bunch of Peruvians to American food. The girl that’s been staying with me is from the States and we decided to celebrate the fourth with some Peruvian friends. We introduced them to real hamburgers, potato salad, and s’mores. SO much fun! Here’s a couple kids enjoying the food:
Can you tell they’re related? 
So, that was definitely fun. Nobody had ever had a hamburger made out of real hamburger meat; the burgers down here are all processed meat. And s’mores is just something you see on TV, not something you actually eat. Very fun.
Today, I was given our first wedding invite! Wow, was it gorgeous. Take a look:
I learned that invitations are always super fancy like this, but the super fancy ones aren’t given to everybody. So, I felt special to get one. 
And then, I also found out that most Peruvians have like a “sponsor” for their wedding. It can be anybody who’s related, has money, is like a mentor, a godparent, etc. They help get the wedding ready, mentor them while they are engaged, and even help pay for the wedding sometimes. Interesting, huh? This wedding is for July 26 and I’m very much looking forward to it. It’ll be our first wedding ceremony here in Peru and it’ll be held here on campus!
We have a neighbor who lives on our property. They lived here before BCM bought the property and the deal is that they won’t complain as long as we give them electricity. Pretty easy exchange. Without us, they wouldn’t have electricity. Anyway, their dog had puppies about five weeks ago. Beautiful little dogs! But, the culture down here is so different. I’m used to pretty, clean, healthy puppies. These poor little guys are dirty, mangy, and riddled with illness. If they don’t get vaccines, they won’t make it. They’re also starving; I’m not sure why the mama is no longer feeding them. Today, a couple of us gave them baths (which didn’t go over so well with them!) and they are covered in mange, mites in their ears, and fleas all over. They’re kind of clean; they’re a little fuzzier than usual. But, they have a ways to go. Not sure if they’ll make it. Kind of sad. It’s something I still am not used to. On the way back from school, too, I saw “my” dog. She’s a pretty golden lab whose puppy follows her everywhere, but is almost bigger than her now. She’s the sweetest, gentlest dog ever, but again, not a house dog, like we think of them. She won’t come with me to my house so I can feed her. She eats out of the trash and runs off as soon as any man shows up. Today was the first day her puppy came to me. Reminded me of my old dog, Comet. Strange how this cultural difference is the one that gets to me most often. I want so badly to care for these dogs, but I know that not only is it not culturally acceptable, it would never work. We’d be over-run with dogs and not all of them are this tame. I grew up loving on animals, especially dogs, so it’s been hard to change my view and look at them as wild, not friendly or even desiring to be owned.
Safety has turned into a bigger issue than before as well. We live in a small town and our campus is about a 10-minute walk from the actual village. The street lights end quite a ways away from our actual road as well. One of the single missionary girls was coming home Thursday evening at 7 (it gets dark at 6 here) and was followed from the bus stop and mugged as soon as the street lights ended. She’s okay, but she lost everything she had on her (except for the money she thought to tuck into her pants at the bank). So now, no girls are allowed out after dark by themselves at all. Somehow, I’m okay with that rule. Being blonde, I’m not normally allowed out by myself at all. But, I went out Thursday afternoon to get some stuff from the tienda. I can’t believe that could’ve been me. I thought about going later, but changed my mind last minute. God’s protection is amazing. My friend could’ve been easily hurt (he carried a machete-like knife that he threatened her with), but she’s perfectly fine. They’ve doubled the guard here and I’ve had some of the men checking up on me over the weekend. Still can’t help thinking a dog would sure be nice!! But again… don’t think that’ll work.
I’ve also discovered that I need to spray for spiders every single day or they burrow into clothes, suitcases, shoes, etc. But, now that I spray for spiders once a day and then sweep them all up (including their webs) 20 minutes later, I haven’t had such an issue. Amazing the number of big spiders that show up dead on the floor. YUCK! I’ve also dubbed the tiny bugs that land on my clean, wet dishes in the drainer “U.F.I.’s” (unidentified flying insects) and the crickets are “C.O.U.S.’s” (crickets of unusual size – watch “Princess Bride” if you don’t know what that’s about). Yup. Life is definitely interesting down here! Can’t wait for my hubby to get back.
(trust me, it’s bigger than it looks. and this one was relatively small.)
