February Recap

I'm a little slow on this one, but it's better late than never. February was a busy month with a nice combination of work and fun with my summer school classes and a trip to Cusco. Here are a few things that stand out-

-It's HOT here. I've said it before, but I'll keep saying it until it gets cooler. Hot like 90-100 degrees. Like all the time. I sweat all day, every day. I'm getting used to it though, slowly but surely. 

-Summer school classes were awesome. The kids in my classes were fantastic and I hope to work with each of them again in the future. Teaching was a lot of fun and this summer course renewed my love of English teaching. 

-Kids are more creative than they get credit for here. I think the problem is not the kids, but rather the fact that they are never asked or encouraged to be creative. 

-Teaching is a lot of work. To the teachers out there, I tip my hat. Sure, 4 hours of teaching every day doesn't sound like much, but when you throw in all the planning, preparing, material buying, internet research, etc., teaching is a lot of work. Find your local teacher and hug him or her. Thanks :) 

-I got to watch the Superbowl... and it was completely underwhelming. Sure the 4th quarter was good, but by that point I had left for a sandwich, so I only saw that part of the game in replays... probably because it was the only part worth replaying. 

-I rode out mango season until it's bitter end... and I'll be ok if I don't see a mango for awhile. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing. 

-I got to spend a tiny smattering of time in Lima before and after my Cusco trip. This means I got to go to a big fancy supermarket that felt like another one of those Miraflores trapdoors that lands me into the US. I found myself some bleu cheese, dark chocolate, and red wine. Om nom nom. 

-Cusco is as cool as they say it is, though it felt a little bit like the Disney version of the Peru I know. That was weird, like a parallel universe. 

-I was at Machu Picchu the same day Bono (of U2) was there. I did not see him, and that is totally ok. 

-Having a visit from a friend from home was wonderful, as expected. It's so nice to have the familiarity and comfort of an old friend in a new place. It's also nice to see my friends doing so well. Her awesome job brought her to Peru for a week and I'm so happy for her to have found such a good fit, profession wise. 

-The relatives from Cajamarca came at the beginning of the month. Their little baby is growing fast and was really fun this time. She likes me. The next time I talk to my brother Bryan, I will brag about this. He is not the only Nigon who babies love. Ha. 

-Valentines day was fun this year! I mean, it's Valentine's day and I still think it's a lame holiday, but it was fun spending it with my summer classes and sharing American traditions with them. 

-Two trips in one month: Cusco and Ancash! I'm so fortunate :) ...and both of those places are cold. Such a treat for me in this brutal summer heat of the North. 

That's all I've got for February. Great month. March is shaping out to be even better. Stay tuned...