Keeping in touch

When I lived in the U.S, I remember thinking that technology had made the world cold. Between texting, emails, phone calls, Skype, twitter etc. I felt like communication was no longer personal. In college, people would sit in a room together and text other people instead of talking with the people in front of them. While I still think that some of the situations were a little ridiculous, currently one of the best things about my week is my weekly Google video chat with my family. Every Sunday at 7PM EST/ 6PM CST/4PM WST(didn't realize this was so early for you Kat) we all join the Lake Family group video chat. We have managed to do this no matter where we are. (My eldest sister has videoed in from Napa while vacationing, my middle sister will be videoing in from the DR this week, my mom has called in when she couldn't video, I videoed in from Cajamarca, and my dad has videoed in from India, and while on a plane!) Technology is amazing! These video chats, my video chats with Mike, my video chats with friends (Knickele, Swen, Nick etc.), and my chats with other friends (Ann, Holly etc.) have really made my time in site easier. It has enabled me to keep up with what is happening in the lives of everyone I love. Being able to hear someone's voice is great but being able to see a person's expression while they talk is powerful. It almost makes communication personal again! Aside from the amazing video chats, an older form of communication, handwritten letters, has really made my Peace Corps experience magnificent. Going in once a month to my capital and getting mail from family/friends is the absolute best. I really appreciate everyone who has taken time out of their day to write me such beautiful letters. It is so easy for people to say, "We'll definitely keep in touch." But to those of you that have really gone above and beyond to stay in touch, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Our "2012 Christmas Picture"

A video chat wouldn't be complete without Izzy

Nor would a video chat be complete without Lily

Messing around with the google effects

Christmas!

My uncle and my babygirl, Lily

Originally the snorkel was on Izzy

I'm here to protect Pachamama and all her natural resources.

Pilsen Advertisement Much?

Don't even remember why you made this face

My awesome letter/pictures from students wall

Postcards!

Galentines Day

Once a month, all the volunteers get to go into their regional capital and meet up with all the other volunteers from their region. In my region (La Libertad), instead of staying in Trujillo, we stay in Huanchaco (a nearby surf town)) because it is cheaper! This Friday, we (the ladies of La Libertad) celebrated Galentines Day!  For those of you who do now know what Galentines Day is, it is a day for Ladies celebrating Ladies, independent of any relationships they may or may not be in (it is a made up holiday from a TV show called Parks and Rec, but a wonderful holiday.) It basically just a day where you and your lady friends appreciate each other for being wonderful ladies. While it wasn't on February 13, and we did not actually throw together a banquet, it was really fun hanging out with my nearest and dearest Peace Corps lady friends. I think Galentines was a huge success this year and I look forward to celebrating many more in the future!

Each gal got a unique Galentine because they are all beautiful unique tropical fishes (line from Parks and Rec)

Amanda and Nicole

Jamie and I!

I take this as a sign that I was meant to be here for galentines day

Just being Gals?

Nydelis, Carlhey, Brittany and Callan. All in all a great galentines with some pretty awesome gals.

Valentines Day Continued!

On Valentines Day, I made my English class a Valentines themed class! However... my English class did not know what Valentines Day was. (I was later told that Dia de la Amistad (day of friendship) is what is celebrated here but none of my kids mentioned this.) Our vocabulary for the day was words needed for writing Valentines, I explained the origins of Valentines Day, we made Valentines in English, and candy was of course involved.

Safiro striking a sassy pose with this Valentine she later gave to me. She is my favorite (not that I have favorites...) but she has REALLY improved in my class and is the absolute sweetest. She brings me tongue twisters in English each week. Also her mom has asked the director to have me teach all year.

Leonardo who was super into the activity

Joicy made this adorable Valentine for her dad.

Why you shouldn't hate Valentines Day!

I love all holidays and I especially love Valentines Day. It really saddens me that Valentines Day is the most hated holiday of the year. One of the first things I always hear about Valentines Day is that it is a day to make single people feel bad. But this is not true at all. Valentines Day, while often seen as a day for married people/people in relationships, is not that. Valentines Day is a day about "significant otherS" not just a significant other. It is a day where you get to tell everyone in your life just how much you love them. I mean sure, you can do this everyday, but most people don't and so this date is a little reminder to appreciate the important people in your life. Sure you can say that it is a commercially exploited holiday, but that is only true if we let it be true! In my opinion homemade cards will always trump store-bought cards. With my limited Peace Corps resources, everything I gave to Mike for Valentines Day was homemade (aside from the carepackage of American candies.) Finally, people dislike that it puts pressure on relationships, but that is only true if you let it be true. While we were not able to exchange gifts in person on Valentines Day this year, I LOVED my presents and I hope that Mike loved his as well. In support of my original point, Valentines Day is about telling everyone important just how much you love them! Thus, this weekend I will be celebrating GALentines Day with some girlfriends from my region. For those of you who do not know, GALentines day is a wonderful way for ladies to celebrate ladies! We will be eating junkfood, watching a movie, and just having some good old-fashioned girl time. I am SUPER excited and cannot wait! Expect a GALentines day post later. Also a few weeks ago I sent home Valentines to my family (I hope they got there in time!) Anyways, sorry this post was so long. Spread the love tomorrow with some homemade cards and baked goods! Love is good for the heart. 

I'm so happy Mike understood this card, a lot of my friends did not get the reference... Do you get the reference?

I made Mike SnickerDoodle cookies (his favourite) for Valentines Day!

I also made Mike a felt fortune cookie with a special handwritten fortune, a knitted scar, some more memories for his memory jar (Christmas present), a few souvenirs from Cajamarca, a box of paper conversation hearts, a crocheted heart, and a care package of American candies!

Mike made me an even bigger better version of my Christmas present to him, a memory jar! A memory jar is a jar filled iwth slips of paper with previous funny/great moments. It is something you can constantly add to and a great gift! He also wrote me the sweetest letter, got me a beautiful handwoven scarf from the forest near him (great minds think alike!), and put together the most amazing care package of Japanese foods I was really homesick for! A FANTASTIC Valentines Day gift :)

My memory jar :) with 310 memories and counting!

Visiting China and Africa!

For my Vacaciones Utiles classes (summer school classes), I have been teaching about different countries from around the world. In the first class we made passports. Each week they get a "customs stamp" from a new country (it is just a stamp I design.) Before they get their stamps, we go over interesting facts about the country of the week. Last week we learned about China. Did you know that soccer originated in China? Did you know that toilet paper was invented in China and originally only used by emperors? How about South Africa? What do you know about South Africa? South Africa has three capital cities. In South Africa 3/5 of the world's fastest land animals live (the cheetah, the wildebeest, and the lion.) South Africa has the cheapest electricity in the world. Also, South Africa has its very own penguin colony! After the boring informational part, we do a craft from that country. So far we have made Chinese New Years lanterns and masks!

They got really excited to do the lanterns and started swarming my desk...

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They look super happy to be taking this photo with me...

Nayeli is one of my favorite students

The boys really liked the masks and the girls the lanterns

Fernanda one of my other shining students. Also check out Jany's photobomb haha

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She stayed an extra 20 after class (during recess) because she wanted her mask to be perfect

Enrique being spider-man and wearing a spider-man shirt haha

Cajamarca

Here are a few more beautiful photos of the trip. It was a wonderfully beautiful area and I cannot wait to go back there with Mike! I am so grateful my host family included me in this trip and I am very excited to continue to travel during my time here in Perú.

The beautiful Cajamarca

Cajamarca is most well known for dairy products

Just an average Cajamarcan house with sheep in the backyard

A little girl herding her sheep

I really want a puppy like this

Sheep and cows, just hanging out

Some local ladies picking flowers

Some pretty heavy local graffiti, it means "You pay, he dies. "