Dani in Peru

THE END

2009-07-23T11:18:00.000-07:00

I guess my blog should probably end here, because it is called Dani in PERU, and sadly I´m not in Peru anymore, so if you want to stay in contact with me or have some questions about doing an intercultural exchange or something else you can write me an e-mail.

--> gilmore_kelly@yahoo.com

I´d like to thank all of my loyal readers, who were always up to date on my blog. And I would also like to encourage anyone who is thinking about doing a year abroad or something similar to what I did this year, because this has been the greatest experience I have ever had and probably also the greatest year in my life and I know that this year will help me in the future.

I am already looking forward to visiting my Peruvian friends and family in a couple of years.

my AUSTRIAN home

2009-07-23T11:04:00.000-07:00

When I opened the door to our apartment I immediately had the feeling that everything had gotten smaller. I went into my room and found everything really clean. It was good to be back, but I still really missed my friends and family in Peru. I unpacked, gave mom and dad some presents I had gotten them, gave them some chiffles and also made them listen to peruvian music. One of my best friends Lily came to my house and stayed until late. Then I stayed up late chatting with my boyfriend and some peruvian friends on msn. At night I cried and I have every day since I got here because I miss Tefy and everybody there soooooooo much!! I guess it´s going to take a lot of getting used to things again. It´s just so weird that I can drink the water from the tab, throw the toilet paper into the toilet and have so much luxuy again. And all the people speak German here, which is extremely weird for me.

It´s a LONG, trip

2009-07-16T17:01:00.000-07:00

Daniel and I got up at 6 am. I took a quick shower, closed my suitcase again and carried it outside to the taxi that was already waiting for us. We were brought to the airport were an AFS volunteer was already waiting for us. Lucy came too and we checked in. Then we sat down and ate breakfast, said goodbye to Peru and got on the plane to Caracas, Venezuela. It was a 4 hour flight and I cried half of the time, because I couldn´t believe that I was really leaving the country I had been in for 10 months and that I loved a lot. Lucy and Dani made me calm down, but I just couldn´t help feel really sad. =(

In Caracas I bought some food in burger king, because I hadn´t been able to eat the airplane food. We checked in and were sitting in the plane hoping to take off soon, so we could then make our connecting flight to Vienna in Frankfurt when the pilot informed us that there had been some kind of problem with some passengers and that we would be taking off an hour and a half later than planned. So I started watching a movie called " 17 Again" and then finally we took off. I slept for about an hour on the plane. It was a new plane that had stairs that led down to the bathroom, which was awesome! Then about 11 hours later we landed in Frankfurt. We had missed our flight, so we went to change our tickets for a later flight, waited for not too long and then got on the plane to Vienna. It was only an hour flight and when we got to Viena Lucy spent about 15 minutes changing and putting on make-up in the bathroom, because she wanted to look pretty for the people who had come to see her. :) We quickly got our suitcases, then Daniel transferred some videos he had of me singing in Lima from his laptop onto my USB and then we walked outside into the "reception" hall. Mom spotted me before I had a chance to see her, ran up to me and hugged me and then Dad did. As we walked out of the airport I told my parents how weird it was to see so many white people with blond, brown and sometimes even red hair. Then we drove home and at 5:30 pm on Thursday we were finally in Graz.

Last stay in Lima

2009-07-16T16:21:00.000-07:00

In Lima we went to call all our friends and family, then went back to the youth hostel and waiting until Nancy who was not staying in the same place as we were, picked us up to go eat lunch. After lunch we went to the "Indian market". Naja had a ton of money she wanted to spend so she bought Nancy a scarf and me a little chime. In the evening we went back to the youth hostel. I took the chip out of my cell phone and gave the cell phone to Nancy to give to Tefy when she got back to Piura. I used the internet in the hostal, chatted with a friend from my graduation class who lived in Lima and told him the adress of the youth hostel, so he could come visit me and he really did. We hung out for quite a while until 1 am and it was really good to see him again. I said goodbye to Naja and went to bed.

Saying goodbye

2009-07-14T11:36:00.000-07:00

Gianmarco and Diego before giving me the flowers
me with tears in my eyes because of the nice gesture
Charly and I
friends!

Ana Claudia and I
Fiorella and I
Diana and I
My tutor Miss Claudia and I
me wearing the signed school shirt they gave me :)
my class
the girls from my class :) ( one day we went to school with normal clothes)

In the morning I went to school with normal clothes because my uniform was already packed in my suitcase. I stayed until 11 o'clock and then said goodbye to everyone including my best friend Carlitos Vara. I cried a lot, I can't even imagine my life without all of my class mates and teachers in Peru. Then I went to the post office to ask how much it cost to send a package to Austria, because I could only bring back a suitcase that weighs 20 kilos and a carry one that weighs 8 kilos. Then I went home, where Carlos was already waiting for me. We spent some time together and then he and Tefy went with me to the post office to send a package. I said goodbye to Carlos, meet two really good friends of mine and said bye to them too and then went home, showered and squeezed the rest of my things into my suitcase. Then we put the big suitcase on the roof of the Volkswagen and the little one in the back and my mom, my sister Kathy, my aunt Bello, who had come from Catacaos, Tefy and I squeezed into the car. Our neighbor, Laurita drove, but the car kept turing itself off in the middle of the roadm which kind of made me nervous. When we were about to drove up onto a bridge the car stopped and started rolling backwards. We all had to get out, asked a couple of men to help us and starting pushing the car up onto the flat part of the road, which was hilarious because all the people stopped to watch us. Then, because it was late already Laurita drove like a wild person, shouting at everyone who got into her way. The rest of us in the car just laughed until we got to the bus station. Laurita, after parking the car said " Get me out of here!!!! ". :) Almost all of my clas mates and my best friends from last years graduastion class had come to say goodbye to me and my whole family was there too. I started crying and hugging all of them. I was still hugging people when someone told to to hurry up because the whole bus was waiting for only me. So I took one look back and got on the bus. Naja, the girl from Greenland and I had first class seats. We were both crying like crazy people and when then when the bus pulled out onto the street all of my friends ran up to the window or just stood there and waved until I couldn´t see them anymore. I cried for a really long time, and then listening to spanish songs which reminded me of my friends and family and made me cry even more. =( Neither Naja nor I were hungry, so we skipped dinner and then cried ourselves to sleep.

Last weekend in Piura

2009-07-14T10:43:00.001-07:00

On thursay I did something really crazy, then went to a friends house to work on a spanish presentation, which was really fun. So many things happened that day, I'm sure I will never forget.

On Friday I went to school, had a power point presentation in Spanish class and we had a little going-away party for me. We took lots of pictures, ate chips and cookies, danced and had a good time. My class gave me a shirt from school with all of their signatures on it and also a really big thing of roses and other flowers. I cried a little. :(

In the afternoon I went to the market and then to the center with Claudia, a friend of mine. In the evening we were all supposed to go the Steve's house before going to Queens (the disco), but there was no water in my house, so I had to fill containers with water and wash first my hair in the sink and then the rest of my body by pouring water in cup over myself. That took quite some time and when I was finished straightening my hair and getting ready it was already really late, so I went straight to Queens where Steve, Lisa and the rest of the AFS people were already waiting for us. I think I was one of the few people who didn't get drunk that night. I danced with a couple of friends, including Ricardo, whom I was looking after since Tefy was grounded for getting bad grades and didn't go to Queens. We went home a little after 4. It was a fun night.

On Saturday I got up early, cleaned the house, put baloons on the walls, decoraded the place and then got read. Carlos came to see me in the morning and we had a good talk. Around 3 my friends starting coming, Winnie, Ricardo and others. We sat in the living room and talked and ate and had a good time. In the evening we all went to a friends house, but went back home early.

On Sunday I spent the whole day packing my suitcase which was really frustrating becauase it weighed a lot more than 20 kilos, so i came some shirts and a sweater to Tefy which made things easier.

MOVIES

2009-07-08T14:27:00.000-07:00

We really do look like brother and sister, white skin and green eyes, just like on the poster :)

Ricardo and I eating french fries and ice cream in the food cort

On Sunday Tefy, Ricardo and I wen to the movies and watched "La Era de Hielo 3" (Ice Age 3). On Monday I just stayed at home doing my homework and on Tuesday I went to the university with Tefy and got to know all of her friends.

Friends will always be there for you!

2009-07-05T10:56:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, on Friday Tefy and I stayed in but on Saturday Winnie, Maria, Carlos and I went to a birthday party. Tefy wasn't allowed to go because she was still grounded. That night my boyfriend broke up with me and he didn't even tell me a good reason. I guess that's just the way some men are here, machos. :( But a week later he told me that he only bryoke up with me because he didn´t want to suffer from the fact that I would soon be leaving him. =(

On Sunday I went out to eat with all the AFS people and did an end of exchange evaluation of how our experience here in Peru has been.

In school I have a ton of homework and papers to write. On Wednesday I had a power point presentation about Austria to once and for all let my class mates know where in the world Austria is situated, that the people there speak German and not English and for them to "get to know" my mom, dad and brother in Austria.

On Friday in the afternoon Tefy and I went to the center and walked around. We went to the " Chalán" to drink ice drinks and eat cake, a ritual we have. In the evening we stayed up late watching movies on the computer. On Saturday all of my class mates were supposed to meet in a friend's house, Claudia, to go out to eat as a kind of going-away party for me. I went to Claudia's house and we waited for 2 hours, but noone showed up, so the two of us went out to eat. I was kind of disappointed because everybody had told Claudia that they would come, but then they didn't.

In the evening Winnie, Ricardo and other friends from my graduation class and we went to a friends house with all of my friends from my graduacion class. Later on Tefy and then Maria came too. It was really fun to go out with just my friends again.

Caritas Pintadas =)

2009-06-26T18:03:00.000-07:00

In school I have A LOT to do these days, so I'm always happy when we are in art class, because it's relaxing. I have a class called "Caritas Pintadas" which means " painted faces". There's one guy in my class called Jose Luis Chen. Everyone calls him by his last name, Chen. He's a true artist, so in art class I asked him to paint something pretty on my face. Here are the pictures. =)

It was on of my friends birthday so we went to visit her. I sat with Winnie! =) Tefy and I went to see the world premier of Transformers 2, which was awesome!!!

Catacaos & Narihuala

2009-06-23T15:58:00.000-07:00

The fireworks on the plaza

my cousin Ana Maria, Tefy and I

Sergio, Ana Maria, Tefy and I

Tefy and I in the sementary of Narihuala

Tefy and I and the old enchanted church of Narihuala

old ceramics of the inkas

Our tour guide Abel, Tefy and I

On Friday Tefy, Ricardo, Carlos and I stayed in and just talked and listened to music.

On Saturday Tefy and I got up early, got our stuff ready and went to Catacaos, which is were my peruvian grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins live. It was a 25 mintute ride in combi and when we got there my Mami Nene (mi grandma) , aunt Bello and Chana were already expecting us. Then my cousin Ana Maria, who's Tefy's age, her boyfriend Sergio and I went to Narihuala, which is a touristic place, which has a lot of peruvian history. Our tour guide was 6 year old Abel, who knew the whole history of Narihuala, which really suprised us, considering he was still a little boy. Then we went to eat cebiche, and drank chicha and then went back to the house, ate lunch and then went to buy stuff. Catacaos is a really touristic place, because the jewellery is extremly cheap!! I bought some presents and saw some some English speaking people walking around. Tefy told me to talk to them, so I did and asked two girls where they were from. The girl, Olivia, told me that she was 17, from Chicago and on a school trip. She asked Tefy "Do you speak English?" and Tefy answered " Yes, but just a little. " I was proud of her =) The Olivia presented me to her teacher and then said goodbye and went back home. Tefy and I were really tired of walking around in the blazing sun all day, so we took a nap, then ate shrimp with mayonnaise and drank milk, then watched on TV the female world champion of boxing Kina Malpartida, who's peruvian, defend her title, and win, and then went to the plaza where there was a small town party going on. We watched really pretty fireworks, and just walked around the plaza all night. We went back to the house quite late, slept in on Sunday, which was, in Peru, fathersday. Tefy and I both had a really bad stomach ache, Tefy even threw, so when we went oyt to eat with the whole family plus my ma, pa, brothers and my aunt who had also come to Catacaos, we both ate soup, but we didn't feel better afterwards. We went back to the house, layed down for a while and then went back home to Piura, 8 people in one little Volkswagen. As usual, Pa, Giampi and Javier sat in the front seats, Tefy on my lap, Karina on my aunts lap, and my ma in the back. Luckily Kathy didn't come because she had to study beacuse we were already squished in the car. Tefy threw up again, so they brought her to the emergency room. I also felt bad, but I started washing my clothes, by hand as usual, to keep my mind off of my pain. When my ma and pa came back they told me that Tefy had to stay in the hospital, because she was really sick. I went back to visit her with them. She was sleeping. Her arm was hooked up to some kind of liquid, and she looked even skinnyier than usual, which made me really worry about her. We bought some medicine for myself and then went back to the house.

Carlos came to see me later in the evening, the 21st was our 4-months anniversary. =) When he left at 11 pm Tefy came home and went straight to bed. She looked better than before, but still really sick. =(

On I went to school and Tefy to the doctors with her mom and when she came home she told me that she had Gastritis. She is incredibly skinny and one time about a month ago a nutritionist came to our house and evaluated us. He told Tefy that she, to be in a normal weight range, for her age and height, she had to gain at least 10 kilos and he also told me that I have to lose some weight,...=) My whole family, my friends and everyone we know is worried about Tefy and we are all trying as a team to get her to gain weight.

Staying in/ being grounded

2009-06-16T14:45:00.000-07:00

I only went to the gym on Monday last week. The rest of the week I didn't because I was grounded, because I'd gone to a friends' house after the gym without my moms' permission, which is probably the most important thing for parents here in Peru. I wasn't allowed to go out on the weekend either, so I stayed in and worked on a Phisics paper until 2 a.m on Friday and on Saturday I went to the Club Grau with my friend Valeria. We ate, sunbathed and then went for a swim. We met some of her friends there and watched them play a professional game of ping pong. In the evening all of my friends plus Tefy and my brother Giampi went to either the party that was organized by the university of Piura or to a party called "fiesta de Tekila", where a shot of Tekila cost about 3 Soles, which is less than a dollar and a lot less than a euro. Carlos came to see me, because for one, I wasn't allowed to go out and also he didn't have any money to go out himself. We sat on the doorstep talking, as usual, until 12 p.m., then he left and I went to bed. I didn't fall asllep until late and then at 4 a.m. Tefy came home and woke me up. She had drunken a little too much beer and Tekila, which is never a good idea. I stayed up with her for 2 hours, then went to my sister Kathys' room, slept for an hour and then had to get up to go to school for a " father's day" performance (although Father's day in Peru isn't until the 21st of June). At 12 o'clock lunch time Carlos came and I was happy because I was really bored being in school on a Sunday! We went home around 3, and just sat in the little park in front of my house for a while. =)

Doing school work

2009-06-11T18:58:00.000-07:00

Pierina and Lisley

Today two friends from school, Pierina y Lisley, came to my house to work on a Phisics paper. When we were done I played the guitar, we sang and then took some pictures. Then Carlos came to see me.

Spending time with friends =)

2009-06-10T20:52:00.001-07:00

Winnie Pooh (Cristhian) and I =)

Since none of us really had enough money to go out Ricardo, Tefy, Maria, Gaimpi, Winnie and I went to have our own "little party" sitting in the basketball court across the road from my house. My boyfriend couldn't come, but I had a really good time with just my friends.

On Saturday we had a AFS meeting in Steve's houes. We all had to bake a typical dish from our country, so I went to the market with Tefy and Karina and bought all the things we needes to make "Vanillekipferl", which an Austrian dessert. Tefy, Kathy and Maria also went to Steve's house with me, and we all ate a lot, Crepe and Kish from France, Zopf from Switzerland and many other tasty things.

School and being sick =S

2009-06-05T18:12:00.000-07:00

I have been sick for the last couple of weeks, and now it's getting colder and colder here in Piura because winter is coming. I'm already so used to the warmth, so I get cold really fast. We don't have warm water in our house, so we can't shower in the mornings anymore, because the water is freezing. I have been going to school wearing, besides my school uniform of course, a sweater and a scarf, because we still have air conditioning in our class room. I got back into the habit of doing my homework and taking little tests. I really like going to school. I think the fact that teenagers here in Peru can graduate and go to the university at 15 or 16 years of age is absolutely amazing, in many ways. Of course their education status isn't, by far, as good as ours' in Austria or in the USA, but most of the kids do ok.

In my class I don't have a lot of real friends that I go out with or that come to see me at my house, like I do from last years graduating class with Tefy, there's only one of my best friends called Carlitos and a friend called Gianmarco.

In the afternoons I just hung out at home, looked after my little cousin Karina, did my homework and spent some time with my boyfriend Carlos.

Cusco and Machu Picchu

2009-05-25T17:55:00.000-07:00

Adrian(Canada), me, Diddi, Thomas and Sophi (Germany) wearing our masks, Thomas and SophiThomas (Germany) and I on the plane (Canada), me, Diddi

MACHU PICCHU!!!!!

people from all over the world where there, only a few peruvians

Me, Sofie (Germany), Clara ( Switzerland), Emily (France), Suzanne, Evelyn (Belgium)

a little rabbit

Diddi

5 am, it was cold!!

the line of people waiting to go to Machu Picchu

me and the train, many people have told me that I really look like an American in this picture, do you think so?

next to me: Florian ( Germany), opposite of me: Adnar ( Iceland ), Clara ( Switzerland)

Ronald, the AFS volunteer that went with us, me, Diddi and Daniel ( Austria )

Diddi and I eating cocklo (corn)

Nickolai (Denmark), he was really cold, just like all of us!!

Dani with delicious, warm, salty corn

THE inka, and Evelyn (Belgium)

Can you see the English spelling mistake here??

Nachos with Guacamole...(??)

Pizza

the market in Cusco--> a lot nicer and cleaner than the market in Piura

two little cute street dogs fooling around

Cusco

the train station in Cusco

Suzanne (Belgium) and Adnar (Iceland)

Diddi and I

me and the train again =)

me after the disco

we went shopping a lot

me in the bus in VIP with a little cup of Sangria (wine)

The ones who went to sleep got woken up at 4 am. We packed all our and were brought to the airport. We had to wear mouth masks because of the swine flu. In the plane I got a window seat next to my friend Thomas from Germany. We spent the whole flight comparing German German with Austrian German, which was quite fun. It was only a one hour flight over the mountains, which was really beautiful and when we got off the plane it was really cold. I could see my own breath , so I quickly bought some gloves and got on the bus that brought us to our hotel. We went straight to our rooms, to bed, which is were I stayed all day, because I feeling bad. The rest of the AFS people went out for lunch and sight seeing around Cusco. Diddi brought me wool socks when she got back in the evening. All I ate all day was a little piece of bread and I drank Coca tea, which is good for you, especially if you have a stomache ache. The second day we all got up early, I felt a little better, so I went with the whole group on a sight seeing tour through Cusco. When we got back to the hotel we got our bacgs ready and went to the train station. We had to wait for two hours and it was freezing cold, so we ate warm, salty, delicous corn. It was an hour to Aguas Calientes, the city you go from to Machu Pichhu. We split up into our rooms, I shared a room with Diddi and Miriam (New Zealand).

The next day we got up at 4 am, ate breakfast, left the hotel at 5:15am and got into the long line of people waiting to get on the bus to Machu Picchu. We finally got on a bus, and a half an hour later we were in Machu Picchu. We started walking around and our tour guide explained Machu Picchu's history to us. Then everybody from our group, minus 6 girls and the guide went up a very dangerous trail on a mountain called Waynapicchu. I didn't go because I was still feeling bad and had a stomach ache, but I still had to walk a lot, because Machu Picchu is enormous. After our very private tour we just enjoyed the sun that had found its way out between the clouds and enjoyed the beautiful view of Machu Picchu. Around 12 o'clock the 6 of us got back on the bus and went back to Aguas Calientes because we still wanted to get some shopping done. In Peru, you always have to bargain, because they always tell you a higher price than it actually is. Diddi and I have gotten quite good at bargaining and it's really fun too. The trick is to bargain as long as you can and if they don't want to go down any lower with the price you just walk away slowly and most of the time they yell "ya, señorita" after you, which means, they give up, and you got the price you wanted. At 4pm we went to the train station and back to Cusco. For some unknown reason this train ride back, which should have been, like the train ride there, an hour, took 3 hours plus then half an hour in a bus to our hotel we had stayed at before. As soon as we got to our room we got showered and got ready to go out to eat and then to the disco. I still had a really bad stomach ache, so all I had to eat was soup. Then we went to dance, in a bar full of foreigners and I got to know some intersting people: a guy from Argentina, a guy from Brasil, a guy from Egypt and a guy from Israel. I spoke English and Spanish with all of them. We got home late and went straight to bed, it was freezing at night.

The next day we got up early again, as always, and went off in groups. Diddi and I went shopping and I got a little present for each one of my peruvian family member, minus the dog, my 3 best friend Ricardo, Maria and Jose and my boyfriend Carlos. At 2 we got all our stuff and got on the bus to the airport. We had to wait for only half an hour and then boarded the plane. This time i sat next to two guys from Argentina, I think. We landed in Lima an hour later, got jammed into a little combi, 11 people plus all our luggage, which was a lot, because everyone bought a lot of stuff, and went to the AFS office. We stayed there for about an hour and then went to the bus station. AFS payed for a sandwich and drink fot us. I was the first one to go and I was the only one from Piura who went to Cusco. Luckily I had a seat by myself in VIP and I was really tired, so I even sleep for a couple of hours, which I normally can't do. We got served Sangria (wine), dinner, which I didn't eat, tea or coffee and breakfast. It was a 14 and a half hour ride, but finally I got to Piura and went home by taxi. I said hi to everyone, gave them their presents, which made them happy and spent the day with tefy and my little cousin Karina. It's really good to be home!!! =)

Performing on TV!!!!!

2009-05-20T21:14:00.000-07:00

My darling Miriam (New Zealand)and I

Tine (Belgium) and I

I look like a real news reporter!!! =)

Tine

Diddi

A famous peruvian actos and us

All the people that performed plus the AFS people who came to watch

Lisbeth Sanchez, the AFS Lima Director/Coordinator and I

The Germans, Lisbeth and I

Me performing =)

Tine being interviewed

The only reason I look mad was because I was cold and I didn't know I was being taken a picture of...

We went speed shopping again today, then Diddi and I spend an hour and lots of money trying to get back to the youth hostel. (I called my Austrian mom and wished her Happy Birthday !! =) ) I took a shower, got ready and left for the TV channel place. We got there, got make-uped and the next thing I know I was already on stage waiting for my live performance. Of course I was introduced as Danella Newman from Australia, which I made him correct later on in the show. =)It was so much fun (I sang "No me doy por vencido"-.Luis Fonsi, which is one of my favorite songs) and when I was done singing Gonzalo, one of my big brothers wrote me a message, that he had just seen me perform on TV, which was quite exciting!! =) 3 guys from Germany also performed a Spanish song and the girl from Belgium, Tine, who was supposed to perform a peruvian dance, couldn't because the music didn't work :S We took lots of pictures which are soon to come and then went back to the youth hostel.

Tomorrow we are going to go to Cusco....we're all excited!!!

Dissapointment =/

2009-05-18T21:46:00.000-07:00

We didn't get to go to the jungle because the Peruvian mountain people are striking and do not want any foreigners to come visit their villages and get to know their cultures until the government gives them more money and property. :S

We're in Lima now, I'm sick and it's really cold!!!!!!!

I'M GOING TO BE ON PERUVIAN TV/ A SITE IN THE INTERNET TOMORROW!!! I AM GOING TO SING A SPANISH SONG!!!! I'M EXCITED , BUT WORRIED TOO BECAUSE I'M STILL SICK AND HAVE A REALLY SORE THROAT.....

Getting ready for / the trip

2009-05-13T06:49:00.000-07:00

Doreen (Belgium) and IThe sunrise in Lima It was cold, so i slept in my sleeping bagLisa and ILene (Germany) dancing a typical peruvian danceHannes (Belgium) playing a peruvian instrumentgroup pictureThe AFS chiclayo peopleCarolina (AFS PIURA volunteer/ my friend) and I The AFS Piura peopleGonzalo, my big brother, love yoU!!the fountain park in Lima, where you can listen to Austrian music!! We were hungry!!!Inca or Coca Cola, that's a common question in PeruDiddi and I in the mountainsA discoteck in the mountains

Diddi holding a bottle of Pisco ( alcohol ),...and I

a peruvian center of town in the mountains

typical Peruvian cows

AFS people

me, tasting wine, which was quite delicious

Diddi (Austria) and Christian (Holand

playing a game....rock, paper, siccors,...

and if you loose you have to run.....

...or else be pulled...

...or carried to the other side,.....it was FUN!!

made a fire and grilled marshmellows

me in my tent which I shared with Lisa and Naja

we presented AUSTRIA in a peruvian school in the mountains

Diddi was in her element =)

took pictures with cute school girls

pretty landscape!!

enchanted house,...didn't see any ghosts, but lots of white people...haha

a bridge, which moves a lot when you jump up and down on it

Diddi and I ate a tropical frute called Wanawana (??)

Some peole jumped intp the liver,...I just sat on a stone with my feet in the water

we ate really tasty food!

all of the AFS people minus the poor two people who had to take the same picture with at least 30 cameras =)

it's beautiful in the mountains of Peru

back in Lima, where it was freezing cold!!!

I am really excited and looking to my trip! This week I'm on vacation anyway because we're done with all of our exams (which I did quite good on!!), so on Monday I went to "Club Grau" with Maria, which is a club with 2 pools, tennis courts, volleyball and basketball courts, ping pong tables, a gym and all kinds of sport equipment. It was really hot as usual, so we went for a swim, then ate a little Cebiche with her uncle who had come too. Then we went to buy some things I needed for my trip and then I went home. In the evening I went to the gym, as usual, and then walked home with my boyfriend. On Tuesday I spent over 3 hours washing all my clothes and hanging it up to dry. Then I went with Lisa, Steve and Naja to get our bus tickets, then went to convert some dollars into soles, came home, changed, and went straight to the gym. In the evening I stayed up until late folding clothes and checking what I am going to take with me on my trip. Today, Wednesday, I got up early, at 7, and helped my sister type a paper for the university. She tells me what she wants me to write and I write it, but I have to be honest, it's not easy, because my sister is a law stundent and there are just so many words that I don't know, which has nothing to do with my lack of knowing spanish, law is like a whole nother language!!
I went to the market with my aunt and bought a travel bag and some other things I needed. Then we went home, Maria came and we went to eat Cebiche and Chicharron with Ricardo, Jose and Gustavo, the birthday boy.
On Thursay I packed my bags, got ready, and left for the bus stop with Tefy. I got lucky and got to sit in the VIP section because one AFS person ended up stayiong in Piura for personal reasons. I sat next to Doreen, a girl from Belgium and Lisa and Naja sat behind us. We left at 4:45 p.m. on Thursay and got to Lima at 7:15 a.m. on Friday. It was a 14 and a half hour ride and although the VIP seats are really comfortable I could hardly sleep.

We waited for the AFS people from other cities like Chiclayo and then were brought to the monk school we stayed at when we first got to Lima in September.

FELIZ DIAA!!!!

2009-05-10T13:51:00.001-07:00

my friend Carlos, the birthday boy and I

one of my best friends Carlitos and I

Maria and my boyfriend Carlos

Maria and I

My brother Giampi, Maria and I

Maria and I eating Cebiche ( raw fish )
Maria's aunt Karina, Maria and I
Maria's uncle Alejandro, Maria and I + lemon pie =)
we ate cabrito!

On Friday we went to school for a mothers day show. Then on Saturday first Maria came to my house and we drank Piña Colada with my brother Giampi and his friend Gerson. I played the guitar and we all sang, which was really fun!! Then I went to a friends birthday party with my friends Maria, Carlos, and my boyfriend Carlos. =)

On Sunday ( mothersday) I was invited, by Maria's grandma, to have lunch at their house. The rest of my family went to Catacaos, and I went to Maria's house. She has a ginormous family, she lives with three families( aunts and uncles+ cousins ), her mom and brothers and her grandparents. We ate Cebiche, Cabrito and lemon pie. They drank beer, and I drank wine and we had a really good time, her family is awesome!!

I gave my Peruvian mom and aunt a little box of chocolates and a card each, and my mom in Austria, a phone call, which always makes her happy. =)

Examenes

2009-05-03T18:05:00.000-07:00

This week the bimestral exams started. In the exams all the kids from 11-16 years get split up into different class rooms, so you would most probably end up with only 2 or 3 kids from your class, which makes it almost impossible to cheat.

On Monday I stayed up until 2:30 a.m. studying for my Fisics exam. On Tuesday I stayed up until 1 a.m. studying for my Geography exam. On Wednesday I went to bed early (around 11p.m) because I had an english exam on Thursday. It's not like I don't have to study anyhting at all for the english exam, because the vocabulary is kind of hard, and I always get mixed up with the tenses. In the afternoons I rest and in the evening I go the gym (started on Monday) and do Spinning. ( look it up if you don't know what that is)

On Thursday we didn't have classes , so we in the evening Tefy, Ricardo, Sebas, Gerson, Giampi, Jose, Carlos and I sat by the basket ball court, talking, listening to music, and just having a good time.

On Friday Tefy and I went to Ricardo's house with all our friends and at midnight we sang Happy Birthday to Jose who turned 18. We stayed there for a while, enjoying quality time with our friends.

On Saturday in the evening I went to the movies with my borthers Javier and Giampi and a friend of his and saw "X-man, wolverine", which was awesome! Then we went home. My parents had gone to a wedding and Tefy to Jose's house, for his little birthday party. I didn't have my moms' permission to go, but my aunt ( which usually never happens) gave me permission until 12 o'clock to go to Jose's house, which was extremly nice of her. =)

It was also the family dog's (baby oso) birthday. =)

On sunday I stayed up studying until 3:30 a.m. because I had a math and civics test the next day.

Comment please!!!

2009-04-27T23:24:00.000-07:00

¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡

I feel like noone is reading my blog, because noone (a few exeptions) even bothers to comment on my posts. I would really appreciate comments, because I am truly putting all of my effort into this blog.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Peruvian wedding

2009-04-26T16:01:00.000-07:00

On Friday I went out with the boys. I was going to hang out with Lisa, but she wasn't home, so I went to Gustavo's house with Ricardo, Jose, Sergio and Sebastian. It was really good to go out with just my friends again!!

On Saturday I got up at 7:30, because I had to be at school for an event day at 8, but there was one little problem which made me late: there was no water, nor electricity in the house!! So I filled up a bucket with water from where we usually connect the hose to water the garden and showered with that, pooring water on myself with a cup, which a lot harder than it sounds. Then I spent the whole day until 5 o'clock in school with my class mates playing games, including games with water baloons, singing, and having a good time.
When I came home I was completly beat, extremly tired and so I rested for an hour and then we all had to get ready to go to my dad's nieces' wedding. As usual Tefy sat on my lap on the car ride to Catacaos and we arrived just in time for the ceremony. When it was over and the happy married couple walked down towards the door the people threw rice at them. After the ceremony we went to the party, ate some good food, and we were totally eaten by mosquitos. I swear that on my legs alone I have over 20 bites. At midnight I held a speech congratulating my cousin Ana Maria to her 18th birthday. At around 3:30 we drove back to Piura and went to bed.

School and stuff!!!

2009-04-22T19:45:00.000-07:00

I have had a lot of studying and homework to do for school, which kind of makes life stressful, and even more so because it's still really hot when I come home from school.
On the weekend I taught Maria some German words, which was really fun.
Yesterday Honey and I went out for a change. Normally when he comes to see me at home we sit on the door step for hours talking. We went to the food court and ate hamburgers and ice cream and it felt really good to get away from home for a while, just because it gets boring staying at home all the time.
Tefy and I packed all our clothes and other stuff in bags and put them in my aunts room. We took the beds apart and moved everything out of the room because we're getting a new floor in our room, which will take a couple of days. In the meantime Tefy will be sleeping in one bed with her mom and I'll be sharing a bed with Kathy.

PLAYAAA!!!!!! =)

2009-04-13T18:34:00.000-07:00

This weekend was " semana santa" (Easter) and we had thursday and friday off. Tefy left on Thursady for Colan with some of her friends and I went to Catacaos with my whole family, which is where the whole extended family lives.

On Saturday I got up early, packed my back pack, went to the store with Kathy to buy some food for our little trip and then we were off. First we got on a bus to Paita, which is a one hour drive, and then we went by collectivo half an hour to a beach called Yacila. We met up with Kathy's boyfriend Karloncho, who was the one to invite us to his house in Yacila in the first place, and then we went to the beach. Yacila is extremly beautiful, and the water is ice cold. Karloncho, his cousin and I went for a swim. The waves where enourmous and wild, because of the full moon, and I have a bruise on my shoulder and on my nose ( believe it or not ) from the waves. Then we went back to the house, showered and started getting ready to go to the party in Colan. A couple of hours later we were finally ready and we got a ride with some of Karlonchos' friends.
The party was divided into the general part (40 Soles), where they only sell beer and the VIP part (70 Soles) where you could take whiskey, wodka or whatever with you. Kathy, Karloncho and I bought paid the cheaper ticket, but then Karloncho's cousins, who had gone to VIP ripped off and gave us their VIP-bracelets, which we then "glued together again" with gum, and we went to VIP, which was awesome!! We stayed until 6 o'clock in the morning and then went back to Yacila with the same people we had come with, of course with a designated driver. We ate the left over Mac and Cheese, and then went to sleep.
I got up just a couple of hours later, put sun screen on my back, face and shoulders and went to the beach alone to get a tan. =) Then I went back to the house to get Kathy and Karloncho and we all went to the beach, but this time I was the only one who went for a swim. The water was freezing again, but it felt extremly good, beacuse it was really hot. Then we went to eat (arroz con mariscos= rice with sea food, which is really tasty) and then we went to the beach again. Kathy, Karloncho and his cousins sat in the shade, but I wanted to get a tan, so I burnt in the sun for a while and then went for another swim alone. I love Yacila!! It's so incredibly beautiful and the water is perfect, because there are no dangerous animals nor seaweed in the water.=)

My Weekend / Soccer in Peru

2009-03-30T19:50:00.000-07:00

Tefy y Ricardo

watching the soccer game with little hope for Peru

IcE cReAm!!!

Inca Cola!!!!

On Friday I went to the movies with Lisa, Steve and Carlos. We watched "simplemente no te quiere" (he's just not that into you) and I really liked it. But I guess Lisa and Steve didn't because half way through the movie they got up, said goodbye to Carlos and I and left for a party. =)

On Saturday I went to a "group-hang" with my friends from school. I was going to bring along Carlos, but my friends insisted on me going alone, so I had a good time with just my friends. =)

On Sunday I went to the food court with Ricardo and Tefy to watch the Peru- Chile game. It's pretty similar to an Austria- Germany game, because Chile, just like Germany always ( unless there's a miracle ) wins. I ate chifa ( which is a mixture of peruvian and chines food and is delicious!!! ) and Ricardo and Tefy ordered a pizza. Peru lost 1:3, which was what everybody was already expecting, but hoping it wouldn't be that way. Then we went to Saga, the main and biggest store of Peru, met up with Carlos and just walked around the store for a while.

This may sound like I'm only having fun here in Peru, but that's just because I think it's boring to write about me doing my homework and studying all morning and afternoon. Here's some other non- interesting, but necessary things I did this weekend: clean the house (my room, the bathroom, the windows,....) , help cook! ( I'm really getting the hang of that now =) and I guess I would be considered a cook you can trust, because I've gained a lot of weight here --> for those who don't know what I'm talking about, there's a saying that goes: Never trust a skinny cook! ... get it??! haha). What else did I do? Fight with my brothers and my sister, but just small fights. I can't think of anything else I did, but maybe I just forgot because it was irrelevant. =)

Honey's Birthday !!

2009-03-26T21:21:00.000-07:00

dancing with Honey and his cousin Claudia

Gustavo ( one of my brothers,..because he's one of the "whiter" peruvians) me, and Carlos

friends =)

me, Carlos, his brother Jose, a friend and his sister Vanessa

The 21 st of March my boyfriend Carlos, whom I call Honey, turned 18 and it was also our 1-month anniversary =) In the afternoon all our friends from school came and we went together to Carlos' house,... we were there all afternoon until late. I was the last one there, Carlos and his brother had fallen asleep so I talked to his sister, and then his parents brought me by car to one of my friends from school 's house, who was having a birthday party. It was definatly a fun day!!

School stress

2009-03-20T19:05:00.000-07:00

Wow, I can't believe the day school started again is only 2 weeks ago, because it already feels like a month of school. Every afternoon I come home with a red face, from the sun, and all I want to do is take a cold shower and sleep, but I can't because I hace tons of homework to do and tests to study for. I don't take Comunicacion (Spanish) tests, because I'm not on that good a level of Spanish as the native speakers, but in all the other subjects I do, which is sometimes still pretty hard.
In the afternoons I mostly just do my homework, play the guitar, watch TV or sleep, because I'm not allowed to go out, unless it's to a friends house to do homework or study, which is what I did this week. I went to my friend Analu's house with " the new girl" Ale and we studied math and phiscs. In the evening my boyfriend usually comes to see me.

School,...again =)

2009-03-10T16:48:00.001-07:00

On Monday school started again. "Las Arenas" has moved its location and is now a lot closer to my house. My brother's school is right across the road from my school, so we go to school together (by mototaxi) in the morning. After school I walk home alone, because my brother gets out earlier than I do. This week I only have school until 1:20, but next week we're on the new schedule. My class mates will have school until 3:30 every day of the week, because they have normal classes plus 2 hours of a cours callesd " Pre U" which is a preparation course for the university, which I won't be taking, since I won't be studying here, so I get out at 2:45 on Mondays and 2:05 the rest of the week. There's one new girl, from a different school, so everytime a teacher asks "Is there someone new here?" they all point out Alexandra. I guess it feels good not to be "the new girl" anymore.

This year is certainly going to be different as far as learning and understanding things goes, because last year, although I did take some test and do all the homework I could, I was still learning to speak Spanish. This year I understand pretty much everything in Spanish and I will certainly try to do all the homework and tests, and the teachers really expect me to do a good job.

We're really lucky because our class room, is one of the only rooms with air conditioning. The other class rooms only have fans. It's nice and cool in the class room but once you go outside you pretty much get a heat shock.

Since March is the hottest month of summer, we ae allowed to go to school with our P.E. uniform until the first of April, which we are really thankful for!!

This afternoon I already did my first homework for a class called "Cívica". =)
I'm really glad to be in school again, although now I do have 7 hours of math and 5 hours of Physics a week... uffff

Basketball =)

2009-03-01T11:18:00.000-08:00

I bought a basketball in the market, and the last couple of weeks I went out to play basketball by myself in the blazing sun, to get some exercise and to get a nice tan. =) In the evenings I play with friends and one time I even got to know new people who asked if they could play too.

I get along great with my brothers and especially with my sister and I almost always get along with Tefy, so that's pretty cool!!! I always help Kathy with her English homework, which is really fun, because I learn more words in Spanish by trying to translate English sentences into Spanish.

Unfortunalty this last week has been a week of losing things. Tefy lost her cell phone, and so did I and my mom lost 100 Soles. =(

Every day in the morning my grandpa, whom everyone calls "Papi Lencho" comes to spend the day in the house or in the little parc, which is right across from the house. He's a little deph, so everytime you talk to him you really have to shout, which is quite amusing. When you first get to know him he seems to be really serious, but he actually loves to joke arounf all the time. =)

I'm dying to go to the beach, so I hope we can do that next weekend.

¡¡My LaTe birthday party!!

2009-02-16T18:41:00.000-08:00

a happy "birthday" girl

that was after they dunked my face into the cake, and that's Tefy's mom, my aunt Chela

the one in the blue shirt is my brother Javier, and those are his study buddies. they were studying for a big exam the next day

Ricardo, Carlos, Maria and I

my mom, my sister Kathy and her long term boyfriend Karloncho

Ricardo, Tefy, Maria and I

Ricardo and I (he calls me his little sister, because he is whiter than most peruvians and we both have green eyes =))

Maria and I making the pizza....so did Tefy, but she took the picture =)

Yesterday we celebrated my birthday because on the 30th of december, which is my actual birthday I went to the beach and then in January I was in Chiclayo for two weeks and we never had time to have a little party with cake. So yesterday I turned 16+1 month and a half. =)

In the afternoon Maria, a friend of ours, invited Tefy and me to go eat ice cream. When we got home we started preparing a pizza, which is a rather rare thing here in Peru.

Then Ricardo and Carlos came and we hung out, ate pizza and drank sangria, which is a type of wine. Then they got the cake I had picked out and eveyone sang first happy birthday and then cumpleaños feliz for me. Then they held the cake up to me and told me to take a bite, so I did and Ricardo shoved my face into the cake, which is a peruvian birthday custom. But he didn't shove very hard, so my face wasn't totally dunked into the cake, but it was definatley fun. Then we ate cake, sat around and talked. It was just my clostest friends and family, and it was really fun.

-------> By the way... we took these pictures with Tefy's camera, since mine is now entirely broken, and her camera is kind of old and doesn't work that well, so the date that shows on every picture is over 4 years wrong. *haha*

Boy news =(

2009-02-10T13:05:00.000-08:00

So what did I do yesterday? - Break up with my boyfriend =( Just didn't work out anymore... We were a couple for a little more than 2 months...

¡¡Vacation!!

2009-02-09T14:24:00.000-08:00

February is one of the hottest months here in Piura. The main cities here in Peru have a nickname and Piura is "city of the eternal heat". Around lunch time the temparature sometimes goes over 40°C. We don't even bother to leave the house until after 3 pm, cause the sun is so hot, and even if you put on sun block you get a sunburn. Well, not everyone - I do, anyway...
There's always something to do around the house like cleaning the windows or sweaping the floor, and I often help my aunt cook lunch, so I'm learning to cook,...more or less =)
The rest of the time I spend with Tefy, my sister/ brothers and my friends.

One day we suddenly didn't have any water anymore in the whole house, so we went to ask the neighbour, who has a water tank, to "lend" us some water, so we could at least cook lunch. Then we showered pouring water from a bucket over ourselfs with a cup, which was a nice experience. =)
But then, the next day the water came back and everybody was relieved.

Back home =))

2009-02-02T16:11:00.000-08:00

I got back home yesterday in the evening. Tefy, Ricardo, Jose and another friend Mafer were waiting for me and I spent the rest of the evening with them. Said hi to my mom, my 2 brothers, my sister and my aunt- it's sure good to be home. =)

Chiclayoo!!

2009-01-20T16:28:00.001-08:00

Museo de Sipan

Stefan de Islandia y Lucy de Autria tomando Chicha - a really tasty tradicional drink with a little alcohol

Kimmi, the future AFS Chiclayo president - Inca Cola =)

rice fields Kimmi, Daniel de Autria y yo

Carmen and me

Part of the whole AFS is a short exchange to another city and to live with another family for 15 days. Nancy, the AFS Piura president, told me that I would have a sister called Carmen, who was 30, and a mom and a dad.
The night before I left Steve wrote me a message to be at his house at 7am the next day to go together to the bus station and see if we could travel that day because there was some kind of barrier in the road. We asked and they told us that the buses to Chiclayo/Trujillo ( which is where Steve is going ) had no problem passing. So I went home to pack my stuff and then with Steve to the bus station. We said goodbye and I went to Chiclayo by myself, which is an about 3 hour bus ride.

Nancy had told me to wait for an Afs volunteer to come pick me up and take me to my family when I arrived in Chiclayo. I sat and waited and then a lady came up to me and asked me if I was Danella. I said "yes" and she said " hola, soy Carmen". She looked older than 30, so I was a little skeptical, and then I found out she was 41 and her parents both close to 70 years old. Even the guitar they have is 40 years old, so I'm the only young thing in the house. =) Carmen had gone to the US in 1986 as an AFS student and her family had been a host family twice already. They are all really nice!!

FRIENDS

2009-01-14T16:45:00.000-08:00

Tefy and Carlos

Sergio, me and Carlos
Sergio and Ricardo My teddy and I

my brother Gian Pierre and I

Tefy and I

"--"

On night we got together with acouple of our friends from our old class. We sat outside Jose's house, talked, laughed and had a blast. Tefy and i took my little brother Gian Pierre with us and we took lots of pictures. =)

Mojann!!! corre!!!!!!!!!!

2009-01-11T12:59:00.000-08:00

So, here in Peru in summer the people of all ages like to get water baloons and hit you with them when you're randomly walking down the street, so you always have to have your eyes ( and ears ) open, and be ready to run. It really wouldn't matter, if they'd just throw the baloons at you to get you wet, because it's so hot here, and that would feel good, but the thing is that they don't just get you wet, they come up to you and touch you in all kinds of places, which is rather uncomfortable.

Tefy and I were walking to the main street to take a taxi to the center, when Tefy yelled" mojan!!! corre!!!!", which means " they have baloons!!! run!!!!. She grabbed my hand and we started running back where we came from. About 15 boys of all ages were right behind us.

--------------------------

We asked a man, who was washing his car, for help, and he opened his gate for us, so we could stand in the front part of the building until the boys were gone, but they just kept standing outside. Then one of the boys asked Tefy if she was Ricardo´s girlfriend, and when she said yes, the boy yelled: ¡¡¡no las mojan!!! ( don't throw the baloons at them), which was kind of funny. They left and when we felt safe, we thanked the man and went to the center get some stuff done.

In the evening my parents took me by car to my friend Valeria's house. Later that night we went to buy gum, to the nearest kiosk. We were walking and talking and suddenly like 5 or 6 guys came up to us and starting throwing water baloons at us. I tried to dodge the last one, but it was already too late anyway, because my whole but and part of my shirt in th back were already soaking wet. The only good thing about this experience was that in the evenings it's still kind of warm, so at least we didn't freeze and get sick. This was definatly an experience I will never forget in all of my life. =)

HOTTTTTTTTTT!!! °°°C

2009-01-09T18:01:00.000-08:00

Here in Peru, summer has officially begun. This means that at around 12 o'clock lunch time it gets EXTREMLY hot. In the shade about 30°C and in the sun about 35°C. We always have some house work or a project to do before lunch, like cleaning the windows, or something else. So when it's time for lunch we're all really tired and sweating as if we'd just run a marathon. Today our "tasks of the day" were cleaning our room and a cubboard for my clothes, which we still have to set up and cleaning the dog, baby oso. (Oso means bear in Spanish) He is really old and doesn't have a lot of fur left, and he bites when you touch him (except when you're washing him) so I prefer not to be around him too much, although he does always watch movies with us and begs for food when we're eating. =)

SUNDAY

2009-01-04T20:28:00.000-08:00

Sundays in Peru is a family day. This Sunday we went to eat Ceviche (raw fish) which is a speciality of Peru. We're 8 people and we all squeezed into one car, which is really fun, especially when it's hot (around 35°C) outside. Then we went to the semetary and I got to know my grandma. Then Tefy showed me around and I saw the "graves" the poorer people make for their loved ones. They just bury them in the ground without putting them in a box.

COLAN - Año Nuevo

2009-01-03T21:57:00.000-08:00

The 31st in the morning we were kicked out of the garden of the house we were staying at, for reasons we don't understand. So AniLu and I brought our stuff to Rafo's house, one of Jose's friends, where Jose and his brother Cesar were staying. Then we went to eat lunch and in the late afternoon went to beach to get a tan and swim in the ocean again. After spending some time in the Camacho we went back to the house to get ready for the party. We put on our dresses and make-up and went to the party. There are so many people in Colan for this party for New Years, so to get in the party you have to stand in line for quite some time in order to get in. And in order not to being standing in line at midnight you have to get there at least half an hour earlier. At midnight we saw really pretty fireworks and then the party started. We danced and had fun, although it was extremly cold. The party was divided in 3 parts: Preferencial ( this is where most of my friends and I were ) , VIP, and Platinium. We stayed until like 5 o'clock in the morning and then went to the Camacho to wait for Jose's parents to get us by car. There were so many people in Rafo's house, so AniLu and I shared a bed and a blanket. We got up late the next day and went to eat lunch, and then I got a temporary tatoo. =)
There was another party the 1st and after the party we slept in Rafo's house again, but then on the second we went and rented a bungalow for the two of us. We got ready and went to the party, but this time we made it work, so we could get into VIP, which was really cool. The third of January Tefy, Ricardo and I went home by bus.

Mi cumpleaños =)

2009-01-03T20:15:00.000-08:00

The 29th in the evening I went to my boyfriend Jose's house with Tefy and Ricardo and Jose'e brother Cesar and later me aunt ( Tefy´s mom ) came too and we sat outside talking. When it got close to 12 o´clock Tefy and jose started arguing about who was going to hug me first to wish me Happy Birthday,which was really funny!! =) At 12 bith of them jumped on me and hugged me at the same time and then I hugged the others. Then we went inside, where Jose's dad was waiting with champagne. Jose made a toast saying how special I am for him, and told me he loved me infront of all of them including both of his parents and then his mom gave me really pretty earrings and a necklace as a present! I was overwhelmed and really happy. We all sat down in the living room and talked while drinking more champagne and wine. Tefy, her mom and I left at around 1 and went home to sleep.
I had to get up at 6 to get my bag packed and then went to meet Valeria (Peru) and Linden (Australia). Nancy wished me Happy Birthday and a good trip, and we waited an hour and a half for AniLu (an AFS volunteer). This is called " hora peruana". =)

Then we took a bus to Paita and then a taxi to Colan. We went to the house where we were supposed to stay and set up the tents. Then AniLu and I went to eat lunch in a restaurant. We went to the beach and layed in the sun. I just couldn't believe that it was my birthday, because I was lying in the burning hot sand and then we went swimming in the Pacific Ocean. But in Colan you can only go swimming when the tide is high, because when it's low there are lots of sting rays. ( picture ) In the evening we went to change, but we werern't allowed to use the shower in the bathroom, so Anilu showered in the garden in our bikinis, which was really cold, but a lot of fun!! Then we got ready and went to the Camacho, which is the center of Colan. with all the stores, which is where everybody goes to meet other people.

Feliz Navidad!!!!!

2008-12-26T13:32:00.000-08:00

The 24th of December was awesome!!! Christmas here officially starts at 12 o'clock, midnight, the 24th of december. In the morning we went to the market, yet again, to buy food and whatever else we needed. I love to go to the market!! Some parts are disgusting, like where they sell meat, but the fruit section is amazing. There are sooooo many different kinds of fruit and so many colors and smells, it's cooL!!! Going to the market with Tefy's mom is like a sport, because although she's a small woman, she can walk really fast!!! And what Tefy and I try to do is run after her, and that's not as easy as it sounds!!! =) Because I'm the stringest of us 3, I always carry the heavy stuff, whcih makes it even harder to keep up, but it's also very fun. In the afternoon Tefy's (Ricardo) and my boyfriend (Jose Carlos) came to see us, and we gave them our presents ( a teddy bear, and a christamas card, because I call him Teddy =) )
Then later Jose came again and gave me a heart necklace for Christmas --> really pretty!!! =)

My blood related brother Chris called me. When my brother here told me who was calling, I screamed soooo loud, I think they must have thought I had gone crazyyyyy!!!! =) But I was just really happy =)

In the evening, we got ready to go to Catacaos to Papi Lencho's ( the grandpa) house. The 8 of us squezzed into the Volkswagen, which was really fun. =) We walked alround town, then went back to the house, where I met the whole family. At 12 o´clock I hugged everyone, saying " Feliz Navidad", then we ate rice with fruit, turkey, and for desert paneton, which is a specialty for X-mas and Pastell. Everything was soooo tasty, and I ate A LOT. In fact, I ate so much that I wasn't hungry the whole next day. =)

This was my first christmas without my family and without presents, but it was an amazing experience and all I really wanted for Christmas this year was to be with my best friend and a family that really cares about me and my wish was granted!!!! =)

Fiesta de Promocion!!!!!!!

2008-12-19T12:16:00.000-08:00

Steve and I

Tefy and Winnie (her best *boy*friend)

Tefy y Ricardo

On Wednesday I moved into Tefy´s house. We don´t have my bed set up yet, so we squeezed into one bed =) In the morning we had to go to school, because Tefy and lots of my other friends from quinto had repeat exams, cause they failed the ones before. I waited for a couple of hours. Yesterday in the afternoon I went shopping for my corsage with Steve, because he´s my pareja for the fiesta. Then in the evening we got ready and everything and first went to school for the graduacion ceremony. We were really late, it was almost over, but we were just in time for the group foto, so we quickly out on the graduacion gound and the hat. Then we went to the fiesta, which was in a really fancy back yard of a huge house. First every student from quinto danced with their mom/dad. This is the part were I just watched, cause I didn't have anyone to dance with. Then we danced walz with our pareja and then just sat around, talked, danced and had a good time. At 3 we were kicked out of the house. All the parents left at 3, and so did Tefy and I, because she had another make-up test the next day. She was really mad at her mom for that, but what can you do, right??

Quinzañero/ Nelly's birthday

2008-12-17T14:15:00.000-08:00

On the weekend I went to my first quinza#ero. When a girl turns 15 in Peru they usually have a really big party. I went with two of my friends. It was a little boring, because I didn't know anybody (not even the girl who's party is was :)) but when i got back to the house there was a birthday party from my sister Nelly, who turned 20, so I hung out with her and her friends, which was really fun.

Mail for ME =)

2008-12-10T14:33:00.000-08:00

<-- my camera is still broken, so the only pics I can put in my blog are either from other people or the internet ( like this one)

When I got back from Chicayo I got a package from my old home, which was sent to me from Austria!! I was really excited and wanted to open it immediatly, but I had to wait, becuase we went out to eat with Mery, the AFS lady, I´d been staying with and then I switched houses again to where Steve is living, Nancy´s house, who is the president of AFS Piura. I´ll be staying here until they find another family for me.
Today Steve and I sat down to open our mail. He had also gotten 2 boxes with stuff from his family in Switzerland. We took turns opening pur presents. My parents had sent me a " Milka- Adventskalender", some christmas stickers and a letter from my mom. I opened the windows of the Adventskalender up to today, and was eating chocolate while watching Steve unpack his packages, which contained lots of chocolate, and christmas cookies. Then we took turns reading the letters we had gotten to each other, I read Steve´s letters, which was really quite hard because most of them were in "Switzerdeutsch" which is the German they speak in Switzerland, which I think is quite easy to understand but really hard to read and he read the letter I got from mom to me, which was also really hard from him, because he, like so many people, could not read my mom´s handwriting. =)
Mom, Dad, thank you so much for the package and for thinking of me!! I love you and I miss you!!

And of course you too my beloved brother. This may sound weird, but I miss fighting with you. =)

Chiclayo

2008-12-10T14:11:00.000-08:00

On Saturday I went to Chiclayo with lots of AFS people. We stayed at a hotel about 2 miutes from the beach, which was awesome. When we left piura it was really HOTTT but in Chiclayo it was windy and kind of cold. We went to the center of Chiclayo and walked around a little and then went back to the hotel to get ready for the party, another "50 years of AFS" party, but this time for Chiclayo. The theme was black and white, and it wasn´t elegant, but casual, so I put on a short white skirt and a black shirt. The party was in a restaurant on the beach, which was really noce. Diddi was there and so was Miriam, which was awesome!! I sang "My Heart Will Go On" again, this time not just with music, but also with Celine, and it was really fun. We ate, talked, danced and then went back to the hotel.
The next day we got up early and went to the beach to walk in the water, which was really cold!! Then Linden, from Austrlia kumped in the water, so i did too, well up to my shoulder, which was a blast!!! Then we went to the center of Chiclayo to find a prom dress for Lisa and we did. We had lunch in Pizza hut, and I also had a really nice conversation with a guy working in Starbucks. Miriam spent the whole day with us, which was really cool!! In the late afternoon we went back to the beach for another quick swim. The waves were ginourmous and the current was strong, but we managed to keep it under control. Afterwards we went to one of the AFS volunteers´house for cake and then to the bus stop. Our bus left at 8:15 and we were back in Piura a little before 11:30.

finally switching family

2008-12-03T06:43:00.001-08:00

So, I have had some problems with my family, mostly with my mom, because she has never been happy with me, so today I am switching families for good. I'll be living with a lady from AFS for a couple of days, then on the weekend we're going to Chiclayo for a AFS fiesta, and when we come back, I don't know where I'm gonna live, which pretty much sucks!!!!!!! =(
I really tried everything I could with the Seminario family, but for them I guess it was never good enough......
Right now I don't have a family, I don't have a home, so all I got right now is my friends.....

jose y carlos =D te quieren de verdad

So in the evening my mom brought me to Mery's house with all my stuff. I said goodbye to Charo and Eduardo and mom. My mom told me "te quiero mucho", I cried and they were sad too, but what can you do, right? We decided to be friends and mom promised me that she would make my dress for my fiesta de promocion, which is really nice of her....
So now I just have to wait until AFS finds a new family for me,....then we'll see how that turns out, but hey, nobody should be worried about me, cause I'm fiine, and my friends and the people from AFS are extremly awesome and always there for me!!!

la despedida

2008-11-30T19:33:00.000-08:00

So Tefy and I got ready and then another friend Patsy came too. Then like five or six guys from quinto got us and we all walked together to the house where the despedida was. We took lots of pictures with Tefy's camera, which I hope she will send to me sometime soon. We had a good time, ate, drank, danced a lot, and it was really fun.

On Sunday we all went to the church again

at night. I'm quite proud of myself today because I understood pretty much everything the priest said. =)

doing things on my own

2008-11-30T16:39:00.000-08:00

During the week I almost never go to the center, and on weekends only sometimes, so when I run out of something I need, I gotta go by taxi to the supermarket. Normally Steve, or one of my peruvian friends goes with me, but on Friday I went to the center, without meeting up with someone, alone, for the first time. I bought the stuff I needed and went back home in taxi. Then there was a science fair in my school, which we were expected to attend wearing our school uniform, and then after that I went to Tefy's house to get ready for the despdida, which is organised by cuarto for the students of quinto.

Yesterday Diego left for Lima, which is where he's going to be studying from now on. He has preparation classes for a big exam in March to get into a really good military college. We broke up, because long distance relationships are really hard, so I'm pretty sad about that,..... = (

back home

2008-11-25T14:23:00.000-08:00

<--this picture of me with guitar was also in the newspaper

I'm back home with my old family. It feels good to sleep in my own bed again =) I switched classes on Friday, from cuarto to quinto, because I'm going to be graduating and going to the "fiesta de promocion" with quinto in december, so my tutor thought it would be good to get to know all of the kids better. My best "girl"friend Tefy is in quinto, so that's cool and I made some new friends too.

This is what I did on the weekend: on friday there was a "50 years AFS Peru- Piura" party, which was awesome. Almost all the AFS students from Chiclayo inculding my friends Diddi (Austria) and Miriam (New Zealand) came and I sang " I don't wanna miss a thing" by Aerosmith and I even had my picture in the newspaper again ( for the third time since I've been here!!! ). I went with my mom, my brother and my boyfriend Diego. It was a lot smaller that the fiesta in Lima, but it was fun as well.

change of house-yet again

2008-11-14T12:47:00.001-08:00

Everything was cool, after school I mostly just hung out at home and at night I went out with some friend, just to talk and stuff. My family I'm living with now is going to Trujillo for the weekend, so I'm going to stay in Gonzalo's house with my friend Steve from Switzerland from thursay till Sunday. My mom's in Piura, but she has to take it easy for a couple of days. Steve's house is directly in the center. It's really cool!!!

Lima!!!!

2008-11-14T12:42:00.000-08:00

I don't have time to write right now, but stay tuned, cause Lima was awesome and i have a lot to tell you about it!!

So, we left on thursday in the afternoon. It was only Lisa, Steve, Gonzalo ( Steve's

brother), Nancy ( steve's mom) and me. I sat

next to Lisa the first part of

the trip and then next to Gonzalo. I fell asleep listening to my MP3-player, which was under the blanket, under my shirt, but when

I woke up it was GONE!!!! We searched for it for

at least half an hour, as did the people sitting in front, behind and next to us, but it was hopeless, my MP3 player with lots of awesome music ( that I can replace), but with all my pictures I took in Peru, which are irreplaceable, was gone =( 15 hours in the bus, looking forward to an awesome couple of days, but that wasn't the way I imagined our trip to Lima to start,...

Well, anyway in Lima, we waited for an hour, for Guillermo ( France) and then we went to our youth hostel, which was really quite nice. Then, we went to eat Chifa ( which is a mixture of Peruvian and Chinese food, and it's really tasty) and then we went shopping in Miraflores I think. I bought a cool Roxy shirt and a Justin Timerlake-style hat. =) Then in the evening we went to eat at KFC and then went to a park with awesome fountains, with special effects =)

Then we went home, changed and went out. Gonzalo worked in Lima for a couple months this year, so he knows good places to get something to drink and where the music isn't so loud, so you can have a nice conversation. We were introduced to 2 of his friends, who are from Piura, but study in Lima, and we had a really good time.

Then on Saturday we got up, had breakfast in the youth hostel and then just hung out playing ping pong and talking. Then Steve, Lisa, Guillermo and I went to the supermarket to buy some things and then when we got back, all of us went to eat lunch in Pizza Hut. =) We also took a tour bus around Lima and up a hill, with many poorer houses of Lima. Then we went shopping again, and I bought a beautiful black dress. Then we went back to the youth hostel, because there are like 3 or 4 bathrooms, and there were A LOT of people who had to get ready for the party. Then finally we were ready to go.

My first impression when we got to the place was WOW, because it was extremly beautiful. We paid 100 Soles, which is about 25 Euros, for this dinner, so I knew it was going to be a magical night, and it sure turned out to be. As soon as we stepped inside, there was already a waiter waiting to give us a glass of pisco sour ( speciality of Peru). I sat at a table with some of my friends, some people from Trujillo and the president of AFS Lima. We were on the upper deck, so we had a perfect view of the little ponf and the orchestra and the person with the microphone. I was told that I was going to perform with a guitar, but then Nancy said, there was no guitar there, and that I should pick a song and the orchestra would accompany me. I had to think fast, so I just said I would sing " My heart will go on" from Celine Dion. I was really nervous, because I didn't know in what key the song was and how many times to sing the chorus and all that lind of stuff and there was no time left to practice, so when they announced my name, I was a little nervous. There were like 200-300 people there. The music started and I sang, and it was incredible, like seriously amazing ( and I don't mean my singing, but the feeling i had when I was singing ) I was standing there in front of a little pond with a pretty dress that I had borrowed from my sister, and all the people were staring at me. I think there wasn't a single person talking and one thing I always wanted to know is what musicians think while they are performing, so I'll tell you my crazy thoughts while I was singing: ok, here we go,.....every night in my dreams,...mhm,....the music is pretty,.....I feel you,..... hey, I can see my friends, mm, just keep singing,.....once more, you open the door,...wow this is really fun,.......near far, wherever you are,.....hey, look at them all, they're staring at me, did I sing that part correctly?,.....love can touch us one time,......( my friends Lisaand Steve gave me the thumbs up)they are such good friends, gosh I love them,.....my heart will go on and on,..........(applaus) I LOVE PERU!!!!!!!!

After that we celebrated and I was really happy. I felt like in a movie, because everything was so unreal. There were waiters standing around waiting to be called and given "an order" and when they were holding a tray with drinks you could just go and take as many as you wanted to, and when you got up and there was a waiter close to you he would pull the chair back for you and everyting was just really awesome!! Daniel from Austria, from Trujillo was there too and we talked a little and then everybody danced =) I can't remember at what time we left, but all I know is that this "50 years of AFS PERU"-party, was the best party I've ever been to.

Changing family

2008-11-02T09:50:00.000-08:00

On Thursay, the 30th I packed my bags and was moved to another family, because my mom is going to Lima for 15 days, because she has a tumor in her neck and has to get an operation in January. Charo and Edu are going to stay with their grandparents. Two AFS volunteers brought me to the family, which lives really far from my house and school. I have a mom and dad, who are both doctors, but my mom works at home, a 28-year-old sister called Ana-Sofia, whom I share a room with and a 17-year-old brother called Miguel. They are all really nice!!
On Friday in the evening we went to a Halloween party with some of the AFS people. My sister didn't get a ticket, because they were sold out, so I went with my friends. I dressed up as a crazy girl,....but I don't really have to dress up for that, I'm crazy as it is =) I wore a short blue dress, black shorts, black tights and Converse, it looked awesome and crazy =)
Yesterday my family took me out to eat to a place where they play Peruvian music and dance typical dances, it was really nice and the food was delicious!! Then in the evening I went with Miguel to the movies. Both his and my friends didn't come, so we went to visit his cousins and then they went with us to see "High School Musical 3" and then we hung out and talked and stuff.

I have some pictures, I'll try to transfer them to the PC tomorrow!!

Newest update on life

2008-10-26T12:19:00.000-07:00

Lots of kids from our school performer in the theater on Thursady. The costumes were awesome, and so were the actors. Even the little ones, like 3-year-olds performed. =) The theater was in the evening, so we had the next day off.
After that I went to my friends house, and then we went to my friend Gianmarco's birthday party.

It was really fun!

Then on Saturday my friend Lisa (from Germany), her friends and I went to a thing called "almuerzo de ingeneria", which was hosted by the university. There are people of all ages there, and you basically just stand around, talk and meet new people,...and I met lots of new people, plus almost all the AFS kids were there =)

Then one time 2 of my friend came over to talk, play the guitar, sing and act like niños on the playground =)

to be continued,...my brother is kicking me off the computer, AGAIN!!....=)

Vacation =)

2008-10-14T17:49:00.000-07:00

Every school here has one week vacation around this time in October, but not all at the same time. I had last week off. I slept in every day and mostly just hung out at home. A couple of times some friends cam over and stayed for a while and I went to the center with AnaLu and Tefy like 3 times, which was really fun. We went clothes shopping and went to eat ice cream and all kinds of stuff. And one time we went to my friend Alba's house to watch a movie.

Another time AnaLu, Tefy and Alba cam to my house to watch a movie. We ordered some food and watched "PS. I love you". After the movie they stayed for a while to talk, sing, play the guitar and stuff. It was really fun!! =)

On Saturday there was an AFS meeting, because some new people had arrived. We all went to a restaurant. Steve ( Switerland) and Lisa (Germany), two good friends of mine and I had a lot to talk about and it was fun!!! Then Lisa and I went home with one of the AFS volunteers, Mery, who live really close to our homes. My family was out eating, so I went to Mery's house for a while. We talked and stuff,...she's really nice!

Then in the evening the AFS "crowd" went to Queens, the disco. I danced a lot and got to know lots of new awesome people. After Queens I slept at my friend AniLu's house. She's 19 and she was in America for a year, so she speaks really good English. Then my family got me the next day and we went to eat in restaurant. It was tasty!!

That's pretty much all I did on my vacation. =)

Afterschool activities

2008-10-09T15:39:00.000-07:00

Last week we went to the university to hear Charo and her choir sing. It was kind of like a church service, because it was at the university's chapel, so it took really long. Basically it was a priest chanting in Spansih, and the only time I wasn't really bored was when the choir was singing, which was beautiful! It was really windy and everyone was cold, but we stuck it out, and it was ok. I dressed up for the occasion with Charo's clothes, and so I was wearing a nice shirt, a blouse and a skirt, everything in black and high heals, and I'll tell you this: I felt like a giant!!!! I think, I was the tallest woman there that night! =)

In one picture you can see how tall I am with the high heels compared to my cousin Meli. She's naturally small, but I seriously look huge!!

-------------------------------------------------------------

Everybody loves soccer here (well, the boys do). There aren't many games in the stadium, because the teams are so bad, but everytime there's a major game of Peru on TV the teachers and the students bet on who is going to win. So when Peru-Argentina played the teachers bet that Argentina would win, and if they didn't they would buy a meal (chicken) for every single student in our class, but if Argentina did win, the class would have to buy a meal (chicken) for the teachers. And if the teams tie then the teachers and the students would go out to eat together.

I watched the game at home with Charo and guess what happened. They tied in the last second. 1:1. So on Friday we were supposed to go out to eat with the teachers. We said we would meet at 7 o'clock. I was there at 7:10, but nobody else was. My mom and Meli explained to me that Peruvian time is different-->they are always at least a half an hour late, and so we waited and Meli and I took pictures of each other.

Half an hour later there was still noone there, so I called my friend and she told me t go to another restaurant. There I met 5 of my friends. They were the only ones who had come. Even the teachers hadn't kept their promise!!!!!

So the 6 of us ate chicken with fries and drank Inka Cola,...it was reallt tasty. Then Sofia and I went to the bathroom and took lots of crazy pictures--> really fun.

Afterwards AnaLu and her friend got me from the restaurant and we went to her house for a while. Then we took a taxi to where two more friends were waiting and there we waited for Tefy, another friend from quinto. =) Then I went with her and my other friends from quinto and we just hung out and talked and stuff....it was really fun.

Sofia´s Birthday =)

2008-10-05T20:10:00.000-07:00

On the first of October was Sofia's birthday. She's one of my best friends. She turned 15 and here in Peru that's like turning 16 in the USA-->it´s a big deal. Lots of families who have money have a huge party daughter (it's only girls, the boys "important" birthday is 18) who turns 15, with a big cake and fancy dresses and stuff, but Sofia didn't. Instead she had a small party at her house with everybady from our class and her family.

But before I tell you about the party I'll tell you about some customs for birthdays that I learned about in school. Sofia had to pick 4 of her favorite people from our class and I was one of them =) Then she closed her eyes and all the kids in the class decided Sofia had to kiss, hug, kick and hit on the head. I got to hug her, and the other girl got to kiss her, and then Sofia got to kick Gianmarco and hit Christian on the head.... it was hilarious!!!! =)

Then in the break we were all standing around talking to Sofia when Chen (a guy from our class) randomly walked uo to Sofia and cracked a raw egg on her head!! =) Sofia was shocked, and everybody laughed!!! She went to wash her hair and Chen went to clean up the mess, but our class room still stank like egg for a couple of days =) Normally in Peru it's not just an egg that you dump on the birthday persons head. Sometime it's flower, or confetti, and all kinds of things. Another custom for birthdays here is if you have a cake you shove the birthday person's head in it.....tasty!!

<-- AnaLu, Daniela y yo (2 of my BFF) But now I'll tell you about the party. First we just sat around and talked and thought of quotes for everyone from our class plus the teachers. Mine were " No entiendo" which means "I don't understand" and "Aiaiai" =) Then we sang together and it was really fun. When people started leaving, and there were only like 10 of us left, we went to the playground and had fun on the swing set. =)

We spelled out LOVE, can you see it?

-->Pierina, AnaLu, Lis y yo =)

Life and Friends and Stuff

2008-09-30T16:42:00.000-07:00

One weekend we all went to eat at a club,...it was nice =)

Another weekend we stayed at home and cooked, ourselves. My cousin from Lima is here, and she helped us. Her names Melissa, or Meli, she's 20, really small and really cute. I speak only Spanish with her.

The food we cooked was delicious!! =)

That same weekend I went to the festival of gimanstics in colegio Santa Ana with my friend Pierina, her cousin Daniela (really nice) and some of her friends. It was awesome. Schools from all over Peru and even a school from Ecuador participated. We talked, watched the performances and had a great time. I went home in a secure taxi with Sofia. She stayed at my house for a while and then her dad got her. It was fun!!

Meli likes to put make-up on people, so one day she put A LOT on me.

One day after school, in the afternoon, two of my best friends AnaLu and Daniela came to my house to work on a presentation for Comunicacion. At first we did, and we finished it, but then we played the guitar and sang, and took lots of crazy pictures. I love them, they are awesome!!

Colan - Class trip to the beach

2008-09-24T14:18:00.000-07:00

We got up early on Sunday, mom took me to the store to buy some water ( a huge bottle ) and then to the bus stop, where the others were already waiting in line. We had to wait for a really long time and then finally we got on the bus. I sat next to my friend Lisley and AnaLu sat next to Gianmarco (picture). Unfortunately Daniela couldn't come,...but we still had lots of fun. The busride was about an hour, then we got off and everyone squeezed into a combi (a minibus). And when i say squeezed I really mean it!! We were 21 students+4 teachers+ the driver in one small bus, so believe me when i tell you that it was cr owded!!! We drove for about 15 minutes, and when we got out, everyone was sticky and hot.

We put our stuff our rooms, which were really nice, and then we went to the beach. We walked bare foot in the water for a really long time and it was awesome and so beautiful!!! Then we sat down to eat lunch,...I hadn't brought any, so I just layed in the sand and enjoyed it =) Then I went into the water,...well up to my knees, with my friend,...I splahed him a little and he splahed me a lot (so that I was soaked), so I ran after him and fell on my knees in the sand. My wound, that had just started to heal, was covered with blood, and it was running down my left and into the sand, which looked really disgusting. My friend didn't know what to do to stop the bleeding, so he took his white shirt and whiped up the blood with it. Then he tied his shirt around my knee,....it was quite funny =)

When we got back to our rooms, we changed into our bathing suits and jumped into the cold pool. We splashed around, played various games and it was really fun. After that we just sat around in the hamocks and talked. Then it got really windy and cold, so almost everyone put on long pants and a sweater and we watched an interview of a guy, who was a drug addict for many years. Then we sat in a circle and discussed the video. Everybody had gotten the warm blankets from their rooms and so there were like 2-4 people to on blanket and it looked really funny =) I would have taken a picture but it was freezing cold and I didn't wanna take me hands from the warmth of the blanket =) Finally, at 8:15 we ate dinner. I was starving, because I hadn't eaten any lunch. Then we walked down the road, for a long time until we came to what looked like an old fallen apart building, where only the walls were showing. We explored a little and made a fire, and took a lot of picture, which was FUN(NY)! =)

We walked back spread out. There was a big group of us further ahead, and like 6 of us+ the 4 teachers walked in the back. Then a pick-up truck came and we jumped onto the back. When we passed the others we laughed at them and we were at the hotel like 10 minutes before they were. It was kind of ironic, because at 4 teachers were at the hotel with us, and the rest of the kids were walking alone =) I played the guitar and sang for a while and then we "went to bed".

The next day we were woken at about 7:30. We ate breakfast, then went to another house, also owned by Gianmarco's parents and did some activities. I had a sunburn in my face and on my back from the day before so I put even more sun creme than usual on my body =)

When we got back, we swam a little, then packed and left =( This time we didn't all go in one minibus, but in three different cars. I sat in the back of a car with my friend Jorge.

Talent show and Disco =)

2008-09-20T18:22:00.000-07:00

On friday there was a talent show in my school. Some kids from my class danced to " We go together" from Grease and I sang " I'm Yours". There were many people and it was really fun. Mama and abuela (grandma) couldn´t come, because they went to a fashion show, but Charo, Salva (her BF) and Edu came, and I think they liked it =)

<--Daniela (one of my best friends)

<-- Jorge and Daniela *lol*

<-- Fiorella, Pierina, Liz, AnaLu y Daniela =)

Gianmarco y yo =)

After the show we went home, Charo straightened my hair, did my make up, her friends and her BF came to our house and then our dad took us to queens. Actually you have to be 18 to get in, but they don't ever check ID, and there are 13-year-olds in there. At first it was a little boring, but then my friend AnaLu came and I went with here to a table, where there were other people we knew from our school ( one year older ). We talked, had fun, and danced,....well,...I tried,....they taught me how to dance reggaeton, and a little salsa and it was extremly fun. I danced with AnaLu and some guys from my school. We went home at 2:30, it was fun =)

The next day I was woken up by someone knocking at my door. It was my brother and he said " tus amigos estan aqua", which means " your friends are here". I jumped out of bed, washed, put on some clothes and went downstairs and there they were,...many of them. They had just come from "colegio Montessori" where there was some kind of event, and they were all wearing their school uniform. We talked a little and then I went with them to Montessori and we walked around a little. Almost everybody left and in the end it was just my two friends Jorge, Carlos and me. They walked me home, we talked a little and then they left. I am SO HAPPY to have such awesome friends!!!!!! They are SO NICE!!!

There's a first time for everything!!!

2008-09-20T17:56:00.000-07:00

I finally bought a call phone and I also bought a dress to go to the disco =) Last weekend I went to the movies with some of my friend and my brother and we watched a movie called " Viaje al centro de la tierra". It was all Spanish, and I didn't understand everything, but quite a lot =) It was really fun! Here foreigners are called gringos/gringas. Charo was chatting with her friends and one friend asked her " UNA GRINGA VIVE EN TU CASA?" It was really funny, because I was sitting next to Charo......I have another new friend (the same guy), who was in America for a year and speaks really good English. His name is Junior, but I call him JJ, just like everybody in America did. =) I tried typical peruvian food, which was sea food. It was REALLY salty, but ok.

School

2008-09-20T17:26:00.000-07:00

My first day of school was exciting! I was really nervous and scared, and even moreso when my mom just told me to go and look for the principal by myself. A teacher helped me find Miss Charito and she introduced me to her daughter Sofia, who is in my class. She's really nice!! She introduced me to everybody else from our class and showed me around. Everybody, absolutly EVERYBODY stares at me in school. The first couple of days were the worst. I couldn't make a move without everybody noticing....it's kind of weird, because in our class in Austria I'm not theg the center of attention, so I'm not used to it. My English teacher came up to me after class and said,....I know I'm your teacher, but I also want to be your friend. If you have a problem you can come talk to me. Everyday in the first week I was at school we played sports. Soccer, basketball, volleyball, everything, I absolutly LOVE me school, although it gets boring from time to time because I don' understand some things, and I can't write tests or do homework yet, because my spanish isn't good enough. But I still participate in class and my friends help me a lot. =)
When I told my friend that I want to be a singer they immediately handed me a guitar and demanded me to sing =) I sang a couple of songs and when I looked up at my friends they had tears in their eyes. I guess they really liked it =) Then I played the Star Spangled Banner and one guy seriously started crying an everbofy laughed at him.

Every day I can go to school with either my normal uniform (blouse and skirt) or my sports uniform( blue pants, white shirt, grey polo shirt). I only have one of each, and I wash it a couple times a week, but sometimes it isn't dry in the morning,...so one time, in the morning when I checked my pants and they were still really wet, my mom put them in the microwave, took them out and put them back in. She did this about 6 times and then suprise, suprise, my pants were nice and dry =)

Bienvenido Dani!

2008-09-13T10:52:00.000-07:00

The next day, I got up and took my first peruvian shower = COLD!!!! In my house we have hot water, but we have to turn on a boiler or something and wait for a while for it to warm up. =)

I went to the city with my mom and my mom wanted to buy some chicken, so I thought, ok great, we are going to the supermarket, but no. What we did was stop on the side of the road, then a lady holding a living bird came up the car opened the door, and my mom poked the bird to see how good the meat was. I was seriously shocked. We didn't buy the bird, and as I didn't know the word for bird in spanish, I said " La comida vive", which means " the food lives/ is alive", and my mom said" Si, es normal". =) After lunch, Charo and I went to a house and listened to a priest praying for like 20 minutes. Then we sang some holy songs and stuff and it was really weird. Then she showed me the city center and we took a taxi home. Piura reminds me of New York City, because there are SO MANY taxis everywhere, I like it =)

.....................

2008-09-07T14:13:00.001-07:00

In Caracas we waited for two hours and then got on the plane to Lima. In the plane, after I had gotten back from the bathroom I suddenly a kind of panick attack. I wasn't feeling so good, because of the airplane food and then my eyes teared up and I couldn't breathe, so I was hyperventilating. But then I calmed down slowly and everything was fine again. The flight to Lima was about three and a half hours and after going through customs and getting our luggage we changed some dollars for soles,...that was exciting =) Then there was an AFS person waiting for us. He spoke German, but there were two other ladys( one from Trujillo, and one from Piura) who onlz spoke spanish. They brought us to a car and the car brought us to a type of school or something, where we stayed for the next two days. Diddi and I shared a room. The rooms looked like prison cells: there were two beds, a sink and eveyone got a towel, some soap and a role of toilet paper. Then I took a shoed and went to bed....we were really tired.

The next day we got up, ate breakfast and met lots of new people from all over the world. We found out that there were about 20 people from Belgium, 10 from Germany, 2 from Switzerland, 4 from Austria, 4 from Denmark, 3 from France, 1 from New Zealand and 1 from Canada. There was noone from the US or China, but we found out later that there were supposed to be 3 people from China, but they had a problem with their visa, and were going to come to Peru later. I made lots of friend, like Jessie from Switzerland, who spoke perfect German and Miriam from New Zealand, who is really crazy, just like me =) We mostly just hung out and relaxed, because there was noone from AFS there. Noone to tell us what to do,...there was just us,..the kids in Peru from other countries.

The next day, after breakfast an AFS volunteer showed up and we had and introduction in English. Then we got split into groups and a Peruvian talked about Peru in English. He said that Peruvian don't care about being skinny, as long as they can eat, they are happy and if they wanna make you happy, they give you food =) Then we got split into even smaller groups and had to perform certain skits. The rest of the day Miriam and I played cards, and we made a guy from Denmark and Miriam read out German words that I wrote down...that was fun =) Some people had already left for their towns. We ate dinner, got our stuff and got into minivans. The minivans took us to a busstation, we checked in our luggage, and got on the bus. We were on the second floor. It left Lima at 21:30 and we ate dinner on the bus. I couldn't really sleep, although the seats were really comfortable. We were in Chiclayo at 9:45. Diddi, Miriam and some other AFSlers left us and then we continued and were in Piura at 12:30. It was a 15 hours bus ride, I slept about 2 hours and I was tired.

I got off the bus and there was Rosario holding a huge sign that said " Bienvenida Dani". I spoke English with her....then her mom came and she only speaks Sanish, so whenever I didn't understand something Rosario ( a.k.a. Charo ) translated for me. At home they showed me the house and my room+bathroom ( so awesome!! ) and then we got Eduardo ( a.k.a Edu ) from school and went to a Chinese-Peruvian restaurant. It was good. We went back to the house, chillaxed and at 11 o'clock in the evening Charo's dad came home. He's really nice! We talked a little and then I went to bed ( SOOO TIRED....)

Diddi and Jessie (Switzerland)

Dani and Dani =)

The Adventure Begins

2008-09-05T17:46:00.000-07:00

After I had everthing packed, I went to bed, but I couldn't really fall asleep. We got up at about 1:30, I said goodbye to Chris and we left home at about 2:45. I slept a little in the car, and we got to Vienna at a little past 5. Diddi and Daniel were already there and also this other girl from lower Austria called Luzia, but we all call her Lucy. We checked in, said goodbye and then we were off. Lucy and Diddi with tears and Dani and I with a sparkle of expectation in our eyes. The first flight was about one hour and 15 minutes. When we got off the plain there was a guy waiting for us, with an AFS sign. He was really nice, he led us to our next gate, and then left. We sat for about an hour on the floor waiting, plazing cards and talking. The flight from Frankfurt to Caracas was about 10 hours long. I can't really sleep on plains because it's so uncomfortable, but i watched to movies. One of the movies was Kung Fu Panda, and I wrote down this saying

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mistery, but today is a gift, that's why it's called the present.

Getting the visa

2008-08-26T09:18:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday Diddi and I went to Vienna to get our visa. On the train we met Daniel, a guy from Carinthia, who is also going to Peru this year. He was very helpful and we found the Peruvian embassy in Vienna quite easily.
The consulate, a rather tall, skinny guy, who mostly spoke Spanish with us, looked at us carefully and after he was done with one of us, he sent us outside to wait. It was funny, because before we went into his office Diddi and Daniel seemed really nervous and he gave them every right to be. But what made his office more comfortable was that there was music in the background and he kept tapping his foot and singing along to the music =)
When we were done, we still had lots of time left, so we went to Stephansplatz and sat down for a drink. We also went to the "Manner"- shop and bought some sweets.
The Daniel brought Diddi and me to the train station and we went home. This trip was fun!
Diddi's mom got Diddi that night. We had lots of fun together. =)

Going - away - party

2008-08-19T10:31:00.001-07:00

Last Friday I had a going-away-party. It was really fun. 8 girls came, although I had invited more,...and then there was Nick, Alex, Traude, Gerhard, Erdrun and Franz. My parents prepared the food for many hours, and I helped wherever I could. At the party we talked a lot, played volleyball and ate the amazing food. The girls sat at the table to eat,....and the boys sat on the swings. =)

Later on, everyone gathered in the living room, and we first watched a video of me singing at the concert, and then we watched a couple of videos about Peru and Piura. Then I played the guitar and sang, and everyone who knew the lyrics sang along. Then we played a game, where everyone got a piece of paper with the name of a celebrity on it stuck on their head. For example, my dad was Hilary Clinton, my brother was Heidi Klum, and they had to guess who they were by asking questions like "Am I an American?" It was really fun!!!

In the evening there was a really bad storm outside and some of the girls had to go home by taxi, because their parents couldn't come get them.

The party was a big success. It was extremely fun, the food was incredible and we had a good time.

Welcome!!!

2008-08-19T02:38:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone and welcome to my blog!!

I created this blog so people can experience with me my adventure in Peru. In exactly two weeks ( not counting today) I will be sitting on an airplane and flying to a continent I have never been to.

There is so much to prepare, from getting a visa, getting shots to packing lightly, since I'm only allowed to take 20 kg with me. Oh, and having a going-away party, which was a lot of fun, by the way.

Tomorrow Diddi is coming. She's also going to Peru, but to a different city. I'm going to Piura, which is really close to Ecuador, and Diddi will be a little further south in Chiclayo.

There were some complications with our visa, so we have to go to Vienna on Thursday to get things straightened out.

I have to prepare a presentation about Austria in Spanish, which Diddi and I are going to work on together. I wonder if they even know where Austria is...