Since I last blogged, I have had two major life changes. The
first is that I have two new friends here in Chocta! Two teachers were hired a
few weeks ago and they are renting rooms here in town (unlike most teachers who
comute from Luya or Lamud). The first reason it is really good is that they are
my age! It has been nice hanging out with women who arent teenagers or old
ladies. Two, they are single and happy. I dont have to explain why I am still
single or why I am currently not looking for a boyfriend or feel awkward as the
only 20-something without a child. The gossip and dating stories is fun too. Three,
they arent from Chocta. I love the people here but conversation with people who
have never left this little town gets old. With these girls, we can talk about
going out, what restauants are good, where weve been and where we plan on
going. And lastly, they like to work out! We have been jogging and exercising
at the concrete soccer field almost every morning for the last 2 weeks and I
feel great. People dont think I am so weird when they see that Peruvians also
like to work out! So at my year mark, Ive had a little refreshment to my life
in Chocta.
Second life change: I am now cooking my own breakfasts and
lunches and only eating dinners with the host family. I have been wanting to do
this for a while, but the bottom line is that i have been lazy. Even if the
food is pure potatoes and rice, you cant beat someone cooking for you! Shopping
for groceries is not an easy one stop at Safeway, and making lunch is not as
simple as pulling lunch meats from my fridge and making a sándwich! But the
lack of variety finally got to me, and Ive been busier and cant always wait for
whenever the food will be ready. Ive been cooking since the start of October
and love it. My host mom almost cried when I told her and it took them a while
to get used to it. They kept asking me to eat. They get the message now and I
told my host mom a white lie that it isnt because i dont like her food, its
that i want more Independence and to learn to cook! And i do like the food, i
just cant eat it every meal every day. Ive been eating lentils, meat, veggies
and fruit everyday and its amazing. I have plenty of money to buy those things
with the money i used to pay the family to feed me rice and potatoes. But its
not their fault. They like their diet, its what theyve always eaten. And when
there isnt money for everyone to eat meat itd be awkward if they cooked it just
for me. So I found a solution and Im very happy with it. I still get to spend
time with them at dinner time when I get my daily dose of potato soup!!
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| My breakfasts before and now :)) On the left my rice and potato soup with a hard boild egg and on the right oatmeal with banana and raisons |
