Ice Cream, Birthday Parties, and Movies

Wednesday, November 3rd

Today was an oddly enjoyable day. I woke up with a migraine, it eventually went away (after taking some pills), then I continued on with my day, doing a little laundry, applying for some jobs, and planning some Hodder Designs stuff. Then the migraine came back, just before I took Gaby out for ice cream. I went anyway, and thoroughly enjoyed my coconut and passionfruit ice cream. Unfortunately, I saw the person who served it wash the ice cream scooper off with tap water in between my two scoops. So I may now get a stomach virus from my ice cream. I just couldn’t throw it out, though. Silly, but I risked it. I really don’t enjoy having to put so much effort into avoiding foods that can come in contact with tap water, and then sometimes having the tap water end up in really unexpected things (like ice cream). Fingers crossed that I don’t get sick!!

Lately I’ve been really thankful that I haven’t been incredibly ill yet. I’m really hoping that continues. The last time I lived in Lima I was deathly ill for about 4 months. I wasn’t able to leave the house and could barely walk, and made a lot of trips to the doctor for blood tests and brain scans and consultations. They tried a variety of treatments and nothing helped. I stayed sick until I got myself out of Lima. So, if that doesn’t happen on this trip I will be incredibly grateful. So far I’ve had a couple of migraines, a cold, and some allergies. A definite improvement over the last trip. I’m only one month and one week into a 2.5 month trip though, so who knows how it will go!

Anyway, I have been thankful for my health, because I’ve been really productive here. I’m getting a lot of jewellery made, applying for jobs, getting a lot of volunteer for done for Taking IT Global, and planning stuff for my jewellery business (Hodder Designs). After I decided to stay in Lima instead of going to Ecuador I decided to be productive and so far it’s going well. I don’t sleep in anymore, and I make sure to fit as many productive activities into my mornings as possible, and leave my afternoons and evenings free to hang out with Gaby and Ruth when they are free. On weekends, sometimes both of them are out all day, and other times they take me out, so on the days alone I get a lot done at home. It’s going really well. As long as I can avoid major illness, I see this trip being very pleasant and productive, even if it is boring to outside observers. The thing is, I have seen most of what there is to see in Lima, and I don’t mind hanging out at home.

Also, I almost forgot to mention that I did some fun stuff this week. On Monday I went to Ruth’s older brother’s birthday party. The whole family was there, and a bunch of Ruth’s fiance’s family too. It was really nice. Lots of food (I fried myself some eggs to have with some rice and boiled potatoes while everyone else enjoyed their meat), then cake and ice cream, and then people kept giving me chocolate. I left very stuffed. After the food I hung out with some of the family and chatted for hours. It was really nice.

Tuesday, when Gaby came home from school, we went to see “Life As We Know It.” It was pretty funny. Gaby really enjoyed it. We had some popcorn and I brought some chocolately snacks too. Then we had 10 minute massages, minus the scary chiropractic stuff they usually do at the end, because we were both pretty sure they were going to snap our spines the last time they did it, and then we got some groceries. It was a very enjoyable day.

So, now I’m going to finish a necklace I’m working on, maybe stay up for another half an hour, and then go to bed. I’m not tired, because I napped today for 2 hours, trying to get rid of my migraine by hiding under the covers in my bed. But I can’t stay up late because tomorrow morning I’m trying to hold a meeting with the Panorama editors. I’m not sure if anyone is going to show up, but I’m really hoping they do! I didn’t give them much notice, but I’m really hoping to get the ball rolling with Panorama.


PS- on Monday I had a really nice chat with my best friend Alison, and realized that although I am broke right now, and really shouldn’t be in Peru, I am really lucky to be here. I have had the chance to have a full year without a full time job (just an assortment of part time jobs), and it has allowed me to spend 2 months in Mexico and 2.5 months here. There won’t be many times in my life when I can just take time off like that, I expect. And not many people get that chance. So I am very grateful that I have had these opportunities.