The Adventures of Abby : The shoes on my feet, I bought 'em

In the home stretch of the trip, I'm still fighting between the the excitement of coming home and the sadness of leaving my new home away from home. The last couple of weeks have been full of fun, but a different kind of fun. It hasn't been as exhilarating as taking a trip to the beach, to the andes, or to Machu Picchu. It's been more of the everyday, simpler, kind of fun.

I did, however, get to check going white water rafting off of my bucket list! Last Friday, some friends from the gym and I traveled about three hours away from Lima and white water rafted. It was a lot harder than I expected, and I was actually really sore in my shoulders the next day! We also got to try some local honey, wine and pisco. The trip was definitely worth it.

Most of the other fun has consisted of hanging out at the gym and running around with some of my new friends. We've created all sorts of fun, whether it's come from super painful pedicures, going to the movies, making a cooking show video, or my really really terrible attempts at trying to salsa. I've always claimed that the best nights of my life have been spent dancing, so I'm still in love with the fact that Lima is full of discotecas.

On another note, the Nebraska girls (and our wonderful professors) have planned a trip to the Amazon, which I'm super pumped for. I'm just praying that my underlying fear of piranhas (instilled in me by my brothers, thanks guys) doesn't get the best of me. Maybe I'll stay in the jungle with my monkey cousins forever or maybe I'll come back and see my parents when they come to visit two weeks after! :)

We've also found a sushi restaurant across the street from our school, and have made several trips back. It's literally the best, and I still can't believe the first time I tried sushi I gagged... ha. ha ....

*Although I absolutely love it here, I found myself with a list of complaints the other day while texting some of my friends back home. I've found myself missing the freedom of having a car, not having to depend on ANYONE to get anywhere, and being able to get across town in 15 minutes. Everyday here is taxis taxis taxis, and traffic traffic traffic. I also miss being able to put on solo concerts in my car, those ease the soul. I miss the independence of being able to cook for myself. I miss not having to ring the doorbell every time I come home. I miss not having to wake up anyone to let me out of the house if I want to get up at 5:30 AM to workout. Basically, the theme is that I'm missing my independence. While spiritually, I've become so much more independent, physically there's no possible way of being independent.

*this section of the post was written while listening to Miss Independent by Kelly Clarkson and Independent Women by Destiny's Child.... in case you were wondering ;)

I really am having a hard time writing my blogs lately, probably because the excitement and newness is wearing down, and everything is becoming less and less foreign. My everyday life is becoming more routine and I've cut back on the traveling. Although I still have a lot of Peru to see, I'm enjoying spending more weekends in Lima, getting to know my host city a little better.

Until the next post... abrazos y besos XOXO

Abby