Almost 6 months in Peru!

              Hard to believe, I will have been here in Peru for 6 months come March 15th.  Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, a Birthday.... it has all flown by so fast!  I have really enjoyed being a part of the Maximo Community- after working for over a year in a school where it was hard to feel accepted, having a social network of people, gringos and Peruvians alike, has been really nice.  The only problem--- every month someone leaves!  Fortunately this month, though my best friend Amy has left Maximo, she is still in Cuzco and I can go visit her at her hostel she is now working and staying at!  I am teaching 7 classes this month, rather than the normal 6, so my schedule is a bit busier, but I am really enjoying my students this month.  I am slowly getting better and stronger at climbing, and Chandler, my housemate from Texas, and I have been going to the rock climbing gym once a week, and hiking up to go bouldering at "los techos" when weather and time permits.  I hope I can continue the sport when I get home, and perhaps in Costa Rica!
               Last weekend I had my first Reggaeton concert experience- Chino y Nacho!  While I am really not the biggest fan of reggaeton unless I have had a couple of drinks at the club and am dancing with my girls, it was actually a pretty good show.  Amy and I skipped out on our last classes to "tailgate" in the line.  While we were finishing off our box of Clos, unfortunately Amy fell victim to theft- some shady characters looked as if they were trying to cut us in line, and someone they pick pocketed Amy's camera and concert ticket out of her jacket!  She dealt with the situation extremely well... as really, what can you do?  Let a couple of thugs ruin your night?  Not my Amycita- we got her a ticket from a scalper quite easily, and she didn't let it put a damper on her night.  The opening act, the Monkees, were alright, but Chino y Nacho actually impressed me with their dancing (AKA hip thrusting) and we had a great time.  Here is a little taste of the action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOY7sqEVyG4

            I have also been getting back into salsa dancing.  Amy and I went to the free salsa classes at Maximo the past two weekends, and after 3 hours of practice, we then went out to the clubs to show off our skills. I can now make it into the advanced dancers circle at classes!  I'm sure I still look like a gringa trying to shake it like a latina, but in my head I got in goin'on! 

             With less than 2 months left at Maximo, I am now starting to plan my travels for May.  Hopefully my friend Sarah, who is in Costa Rica now, will meet me in Cuzco and we will head to the Amazon, then down to Argentina.  Then back to Maine for Brett's wedding! I can't wait to spend some time with the familia... and then get back to the beach in Costa Rica in July!  This is the school I will be working at in Playas del Coco:
http://greenlifeacademy.wordpress.com/ess.com/