The Storm

This week has been crazy! Here are some of the highlights and lowlights...

- Left AZ

- Made it to Perú!

- Saw friends at the airport

- 24hr+ travel day

- Met my Comp, Élder Fuentes!

- Lots of walking!

- I got shot!

- Perú do be crazy

AZ

I'm really sad about this, but I finally had to say goodbye to all of my friends in AZ and the states in general. Thats right! My transfer news is that I am finally in Perú!

I had to say goodbye to a ton of awesome members and a ton of power houses of missionaries, which was quite honestly depressing. However, the work must go on. 

I left AZ and flew across the US to Atlanta, where I boarded a plane to Miami. There, I got to see 2 MTC buddies! I am so greatful that I got to make the last leg of the journey with Elder Crockett and Elder Parry. 

Perú

Did I say last leg? Oh man am I funny!

After we arrived at the airport, we were met by our APs, and they told us we were waiting for one more plane. I had to say goodbye to Elder Crockett and Elder Parry. Muy triste. I also got to see Elder Rodriguez in the airport while waiting for the last plane! It was awesome to get to talk with him for a couple of minutes. About 10 or so minutes later, out walks a bunch of missionaries, including Elder Nichols!

Super pumped I got to see him. 

We then travelled to the mission office and met the mission president and his wife, the Holts!

We got told a lot of things, one such being to not be super realistic in our emails. The mission president doesn't want frantic calls from family members saying that I need to go to the hospital or whatnot. Well, I want to be as honest as possible in these emails. 

NO MATTER WHAT IS STATED IN THESE EMAILS, DONT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES CALL MY MISSION PRESIDENT! AT ALL!

Like, please. Just don't.

Now that that is out of the way... 

My apartment doesn't have carpet, but has cement floors. The bathroom is on the roof, and the shower! Oh man. I have to turn the heat on before I step in, and its more like the water sprinkles out of the head rather than actually shower.

I only have 5 minutes with the heater, so I have to be quick. (I can see my last comps chuckling about that one) 

Everything is in gosh dang Spanish. That said, my Spanish is improving! Slowly but surely!

I've seen a surprising amount of American references here though. Stuff like autobot symbols on cars, or unedited Justin Bieber songs playing during service projects. How would the people that don't speak english know that there are a couple of F bombs in there?

Every night I've been here thus far, there has been a fiesta outside. I found out that if I sleep with headphones in, I can get a couple hours of sleep!

My compañero is really interested in my American gadgets. For example, we both really love my electric dog whistle! I've already used it like 40 times! Most angry dogs back off. It's pretty awesome!

The food here is pretty tasty. I've had potatoes with like every meal, even on hamburguesas! 

There is SO MUCH DUST

Oh! Also, they have mototaxis here (essentially a motorcycle converted into a taxi.) Those are really fun to ride in.

I'm so stinking tall. Like, its noticeable. Also I'm white. Ive already been noticed like crazy because of it.

Which reminds me... the people here are non chalantly racist. Ive already been told that I "live like white man, work like black man" and when I asked, the man who told me this made a whipping motion.

BRUUUUUH

My comp here has an Orbee gun, and the second day here he shot me with it. We then had a war with our zone leader who also had one. Me and my comp surrendered.

I think that is all for now! I'm off to start P-day! (Which starts at 8 for some reason.)

This intales soccer and watching Disney movies!

Adios, and till next week!

- Christmas tree!

- Peruvian sunset with my comp!

- instead of a golden hour in the states, we have a crimson our because of all the dust! (Also this is apparently the first sunset my comp has ever seen)

- Elder Fuentes admiring US dollars (by the way, the exchange rate here is crazy! 1 US dollar is like 3 to 4 sols here, and you can get across town with 3 sols. A decent meal for like 6 sols. Its crazy!)

- me and Elder Fuentes with the Christmas tree