~ShatteredSmile

Laura

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On Bearing Resemblence to Dora the Explorer

Sun Jul 27, 2008, 6:43 PM

So I've been in Peru for two weeks now, hanging around in Arequipa. The orphanage that I volunteer at is incredible. The kids are resilient and affectionate and love hugging, despite my lack of coherent Spanish and the fact that they can't understand me at all. I only took a week to memorize all their names (around fifteen kids), and they took a week to memorize mine (Tia Lala for the little ones, since Laura is SO hard to remember). I've been taking two hours of Spanish lessons everyday. I haven't improved at all.

So far, I've done the following:

- Gone to see the Toro Muerto petroglyphs: Inca rock carvings that remind me of the Anazazi part of Timelapse, best computer game in the world
- Gone to see the seaside town of Camana, riding a boat with the fisherman to see the sea lions and penguins
- Accidentally poked a passing Peruvian in the eye while trying to hail a taxi
- Got a lot of crepes for my birthday dinner on July 24
- Hiked on a three-day long trek to Colca Canyon, bathed in hot springs and saw huge condors
- Mis-asked a kid their age SO horribly (I said: "how do you have years?") that another girl had to translate for her
- Drunk coca mate a LOT
- Developed a British inflection in my speech
- Aaaaand various other shenanigans

And it's a little startling to realize that I can make friends wherever I go.

12 Comments

Mood: Content
Listening to: Porcupine Tree... forever.
Reading: The Black Swan
Watching: The steam of my tea
Playing: Roles
Eating: Not mango, since it's out of season
Drinking: Coca Mate

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~hourglass-sentinel Jul 27, 2008, 8:23:51 PM

That's so cool. You have so many opportunities and it's fantastic that you've done so much with your travels! I'm incredibly jealous. But even moreso, I'm glad for you!

And I'm sure you've progressed with your Spanish. You have to be pretty hard to teach if you're not soaking in anything from two hours daily!

--
Chase the heathen call; we belong, you and I.

~ShatteredSmile Jul 28, 2008, 4:19:31 AM

Haha, my Spanish teacher insists I'm improving but I think she's just trying to give me false hope. But thanks.

I'm definitely not taking my opportunities for granted--I'm extremely grateful for them. Thank you.

~mtsofan Jul 28, 2008, 5:33:43 PM

Sounds like you're doing wonderful work. And, I especially like your last statement -- about making friends wherever you go.

*IfrozenspiritI Jul 28, 2008, 6:43:27 PM

Umm, wait a minute, you can't be Dora the Explorer because Dora the Explorer is really good at Spanish. DUH.

Buahaha just kidding. Remember that time you tried to speak Spanish with a French accent? I bet you are so much better than that right now it's not even funny. Spot wouldn't even recognize you, probably. That is, if Spot were still alive. *sniff*

Also, your face is out of season. But it's ok.

--
_{'cause there's beauty in the breakdown}

~ShatteredSmile Jul 28, 2008, 8:12:57 PM

Wait she is? Not in AMERICAN TV she ain't. C'mon, use your brainular.

I was actually thinking about that time today and it totally cracked me up. Sometimes I still say stuff with a French accent. In memory of good old spot.

Mmmm well my face is just going to have to wait to be harvested next season.

~ShatteredSmile Jul 28, 2008, 8:14:20 PM

I sure try to do good work.

And I never realized that making friends was so easy before.

*IfrozenspiritI Jul 28, 2008, 8:26:19 PM

Well she's always teaching little kids Spanish so I ASSUME she knows what she's talking about. And I may just have to harvest your face now for that.

--
_{'cause there's beauty in the breakdown}