It's hard to believe that in one week I will be sitting in the airport ready to board a plane back to the United States. I've been in Peru exactly 4 months today; some days it still feels like I've just recently arrived. The other night I was reading through my journals of my first weeks here; I was so scared of the buses, going out alone, speaking in Spanish, etc. However, 4 months has brought me a long way. I'm no longer afraid to try the buses to get various places. I've learned enough about the main places I travel to know kind of where I'm going. I also very much enjoy speaking Spanish with my friends, and I've learned a lot more of the language since I've been here.
The last weeks have flown right by; I've hardly had time to think (or update my blog). Today was my final day with my students. Yesterday I was able to take them swimming as a class since most had finished their work earlier in the week. We had a Christmas party today; we decorated cookies, sang Christmas songs, read Christmas stories, and shared some traditional Peruvian goodies such as paneton and chocolate milk. A few of my students cried when I told them I would not be back to the school next year, but I promised that if I come back I would make sure to visit. I have to work all of next week doing grades, filing, cleaning, etc. We also have an awards program next Friday night, and I will leave straight from there to go to the airport.
Aside from school, I went to the Inka Market this last week to buy Christmas gifts, and I spent Wednesday evening at the home playing with the kids and went to a movie with friends later in the evening. Thursday I went to Bible Study, and I spent tonight decorating Christmas ornaments with some of the kids from the home and afterwards I went to church with a few friends. This weekend and final week appear to be just as busy. I will finish Christmas shopping tomorrow, attend a professional ballet of the Nutcracker (for free) with some of the teachers I work with, and Sunday I will spend the day with friends at the beach. Sometime before Friday I need to do laundry, pack, and clean.
I'll try to upload pictures from the recent weeks sometime soon. I'm looking forward to seeing some of you when I return! Please pray for me this week as I begin to say good-bye. I really dislike good-byes, and the fact that I still don't know what I'm doing next year makes it a little harder. My heart really wants to be in Peru, but the lack of appropriate teaching opportunities is making it a bit difficult. We'll see what happens!
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