This week in the news of Dani

Yo dudes! I know I haven't been writing much. But hey, this blog is supposed to be a fun thing, not a stress thing. So you get what you get, buddy.

A random sampling of the thoughts I've had over the past week:

1) The highways in Virginia and West Virginia makes me nervous. Too much tree-y space. Too many giant hills to climb. Toooo little signs of civilization. I wanna speed up but I'm constantly having to check myself for fear of those undercover traffic cops that just pop out of nowhere. In PA we may drive 15 miles above the speed limit, but at least you can blame it on the cars in front and behind you. "But officer, I was just going the speed of traffic!" (In theory...I've never actually been stopped for speeding, so, maybe don't try that excuse.)


2) Oh how I miss the city!! Lima, yes, but just any city. I want the tall buildings that make you feel like men can do great things. I want the strangers running around who are simultaneously a part of each other and paying no attention to each other. I want the neighbor's noises leaking in through my window. And a hundred other things. I'm practically tearing up right now just thinking about it.


4)Even after a month and a little, I still occasionally lapse back into Lima phrases and habits when I'm in new situations. Especially with new acquaintances or service people. I accidentally mumbled "Como?" last week when I didn't understand the man in the ticket booth. He obviously didn't understand, but mercifully I think he just thought he didn't hear me. But it was still embarrassing.

5) I'm super super excited to go back to my college in good old New England! (Writing and saying college again, instead of university, like it would be in Spanish, still feels very strange. Actually, I'm pretty sure I mostly don't change it, even though my school isn't technically a university.)

Especially apartment living again. Really cannot wait. Especially looking forward to being with my lovely friend and future roommate Jess. (I love you Jess!) You'll probably be hearing more about her.

4) I've searched through and gleaned out some of the best photos from the last year to hang in our apartment. My original idea was like ten 5x7s and ten 6x4s. So naturally I ended up with about twenty 5x7s and eighty 6x4s. But I won't hang them aaalll, silly! I mean, probably not. Maybe not.

Here's a sample of my soon-to-be wall paper. Some have made it into this blog before:

From a birthday party for my friend Nate last semester, which was in a very nice house

Champion, the driver of the boat when we went to swim with the dolphins.

An old woman (or man, can you tell?) buying a magazine in New York last winter.

An inspiring wall in Via El Salvador, Lima. One of the poorest districts.
From when we went to talk with a former mayor.

A wall and floating stools from la Casa de Panchita, where I taught English classes.
Okay, I turned it upside down. I like it that way.

A flower in our front yard from the first real rainstorm we had after I got back from desert Lima. I ran outside to take pictures. I got soaked. The lens got wet. It was miraculous.

I love these photos. I love that they're each a different story. I can't wait to hang them.