Oh how things have changed since the first time...

...I shipped out to this gorgeous place. (Or at least, can we just pretend I'm wiser?)


Have I ever told you all that I also occasionally blog here?

No? See how mysterious I am? I could have 13 fingers and work in a traveling circus for all you know! "Which would have to mean that you're cleverly good at using photoshop all those times you included you're hands, and backgrounds from Peru, and pictures from home.... and that you made up all those stories about being at Nazca, when we know you're not really that creative..." You're getting awfully critical mister!

CIEE in Lima, which is the study abroad program I'm in, has recently started a blog, the main organizer and often writer being none other than yours truly. Which might also account for some waning on the number of blogs here, you may or may not have noticed.

But anywho, the point of all that being, if you're still with me, that right now we're writing to the students who are soon to come to Lima for the first time. I thought recently that they might like to know the things that are different that I'm taking and leaving this time as oppose to last.'

Maybe you would too?

Leaving:

Extra dresses. For some reason I seem to wear dresses a lot more in New England, where I go to school, but I really only had a couple semi-formal occassions that I wore them for in Lima.

Books. I like to read, but PUCP has quite a few really good libraries which even have many English books.

That's my short list of "leaves." I ain't exactly a light packer. If it fits and I'll use it, it comes along.

Taking:

Brown sugar. Had to be #1 on the list. I love to bake (you may benefit from this) American baked goods, and this simply does not exist.

Chocolate chips and chocolate bars. I'm a huge dark chocolate fan, and while I've heard opinions to the contrary, I'm just not sold on Peruvian chocolate.

Peanut butter. (Are there a lot of foods on this list?) This does exist, but it's decidedly in the "expensive foreign imports" category, from which my new host family may or may not buy. I'm not taking any chances.

Boots and Converse. For some reason, in the winter and spring these were the footwear of choice for like 8/10 students on campus. It will get cold again.

Beauty and skin care products. These are a bit pricey down there, especially as compared to the outrageously inexpensive food. Shampoo, conditioner, face wash, makeup...I'm stocked for 5 months.

Folders. Regular cardboard with two pockets? A peruvian friend claims they have them, but I have yet to find them.

Contact solution and contacts. This one. Really, take my advice. I just bought a bottle in the Walmart Vision center that cost me 3 or 4 times as much in Peru. And out of necessity, I bought the exact same brand of contacts down there that I buy here, and they just bugged my eyes for some reason.

That's some of my list anyway. There are other various things that I didn't tell them, (I know what you're thinking, but I swear there's nothing illegal) cause they seemed unimportant, relatively, and I try to keep my word count down over there. Here, of course, you just have to listen to me rant on and on and on....

The next time you see me, I'll be there once again. I love you all! If the plane crashes, I bequeath you this brilliantly written account of the last four months of my life.