recibí mi primer beso en Lima hoy...

Yep, first kiss. From a girl. Oh god, it was on the cheek, calm down.
Random lady doing a mayorial campaign.
Later recieved them from maid, host mom, host dad, host sister.
Guess I won't have to worry about a lack of love while I am here.

Which leads me to...

The catcalls of Lima.
The occasional "hola lindas", "Ay..tan hermosa" or "niñitas" is better than the hisses, whistles, and obvious sexual grunts we also heard from men EVERYWHERE. Even the police officers. Creepy.

K.O and I went to explore Lima Centro today, and got to witness the changing of the guards at the President's house! Very cool- a band plays for the crowd standing outside watching.
Lima Centro is crazy; it is full of (but not limited to)
-narrow streets and markets that could get a person lost (see next PP for details)
-5-year-olds trying to sell you candy
-ceviche (raw fish in lime juice), chifas (chinese style restaurants), Norky's (like KFC?)
-people that look at katie and me like we are white aliens
-the worst traffic I have ever witnessed (no street signs, no use of traffic lanes, no right of way, no stopping for pedestrians, constant horn honking)

So...naturally since it was our first day, Katie and i decided to get lost.
Couldn't find our hotel for an hour. Damn those winding streets that all look alike.

We made it to Jesús María by 4:30, more about our host family later.
Dinner consisted of arroz (white rice), papas amarillas (pureed potatoes with milk), neon-pink puddingy stuff...and our beverage- which I do not know the name of, nor do I care to.
We see it in a pitcher, thinking it's lemonade by the color.
WRONG.
Hot (as in like slightly cooled down from boiling hot) and a flavor mix of bubblegum/lemon/melted down suckers that you get at the doctors/vinegar.
Bahhhhh.

I am all about trying new things but MAN. Shudder.

Also: we only speak Spanish. Yes, I realize you may be thinking "Um DUH LAURA it's Peru". Clearly I realized we would speak Spanish here, but going from never using it, to having to understand and speak in it fluently in ONE DAY is rough.

Okay, this is long.
Write to me:

Elias Familia
CO: Laura Podlich
Jr Caracas 2625
Jesus Maria, Lima 11
Peru

besos y abrazos