Semana Sola...

It's been a quiet week. Mark left for DC in the wee hours of the morning on Sunday and returns tomorrow (from El Salvador). This job is certainly keeping him busy. The bad part was that I was sick when he left. I seemed to come down with the flu combined with a stomach bug on Friday evening. Of course, it was almost as soon as we got to our friend's place for a fiesta. We were meeting lots of new people and all I could think about what curling up in a small ball in our bed. We left after not having been there long and I suffered through that night and Saturday with a moderate fever. That went away on Sunday but my stomach continued to be disfunctional until yesterday.

I decided to go to a doctor in order to get rid of whatever I had. Of course, the morning of my appointment, I already felt better. That always happens to me. I went anyway, with dictionary in hand, ready to tell the doc everything I could about my digestive patterns in Spanish. When I finally saw the Dr., Doctora- actually, she ended up speaking some English. What a relief! I couldn't believe it. She didn't speak really well, but it definitely helped. Apparently she's seen a lot of this stomach bug lately so she gave me some cipro (aka the cure all antibiotic) to take as well as some probiotics. I am guessing the probiotics are to restore some good bacteria to my stomach since cipro pretty wipes out all bacteria in general, eek. I took it once in Kenya when times were rough in Kisumu, Laura remembers, it was bad. And cipro was great. Hoping for similar results this time around.

Today, I had my final Spanish class. It's hard to believe that four weeks have past. I have been here for almost a month, strange. Anyways, we had a written test that I took Tuesday while a little ill and then an oral test of sorts today. Needless to say I passed with flying colors :) Actually it was kind of unfortunate because I didn't learn a ton in the class and a lot of my fellow students were below the level they should have been for this class. It was a little slow for my liking. So I think I will refrain from taking another class there. Also, there will be an abundance of visitors, and therefore travels, in July and August, so I won't really have a month free for a class.

Speaking of visitors, Beth (one of my closest friends from NJ and my former neighbor there) arrives Wednesday night! I am quite excited to have her here. Right now I have a lot of alone time and it was nice at first but now it's getting a little depressing, so quite frankly I need the company. Beth and I are traveling to the Sacred Valley which includes Machu Picchu, Cuzco, and Ollantaytambo (try saying that ten times fast). We'll also have a few days in Lima so I can show her my city and we can celebrate July 4th (hopefully with some other American visitors, Jane and Dan, here on vacation from DC). After Beth departs, Mark's parents arrive, and a few days after that Sarah Anne comes to town. Like I said it will be quite busy. Thank goodness...

I should be in Lima from July 9th onwards, showing a few folks around AND volunteering with Special Olympics (Olimpiades Especiales). I met with them yesterday and am going to be involved in their training clubs, which is similar to what I was doing in DC, I think. I will find out soon. Right now they are organizing for some local competitions within the country. I just missed the national games they had in Lima earlier this month, which is probably why it took me a while to hear from them. I am attending a workshop they are having today, but I am not sure what it's about yet, just that I wanted to go and get info. Vamos a ver ("we'll see") how much I can understand in Spanish. I am looking fwd to it nonetheless since most of today I spent in competition for the 2 washers and 2 dryers that accommodate all 20 floors of our apt. building. Good planning, right?

Anyways, for those of you who don't know, it looks like we will be hanging around Lima until November. This gives those of you who didn't think you had time for a summer vacation to plan a fall trip instead. I know, it's a great idea, you can thank me later. Hope all is well in your lives. Keep me updated. Abrazos :)