Hi everyone!

A few new things have happened. I keep forgetting how aclimated I am to certain things in peruvian culture. Like seeing dogs do it on the streets every time I walk to and from the training center, which is two times a day. So I see street dogs, stray dogs, do it at least twice a day. can you believe that! I'm not even exaggerating. Twice a day, EVERY DAY! Thats alot of dogs having sex. (I hope this doesnt offend anyone). It struck me, yesterday, that this is supposed to be strange. That we dont actually have stray dogs in the US, let alone seeing them do it twice a day. Another weird cultural event is seeing women breast feed all the time. In the market, sitting on a bench in the park, on the bus, when I am hanging out at another volunteer's house and their mom talked to us while she breast feeds her child. Usually people dont do that in the US, do they. Also, everyone here has a dog, if not two dogs. And, sadly, most of the dogs are on the roof of the house. And remember, its always sunny here in Chaclacayo, so those poor dogs are suffering in the heat and sun all day. But thats just where people keep their dogs. Other volunteers who have dogs on their roof say they have never seen the dog come down. So I think they just stay up there all the time. Thats their space. They only get to run around on that little piece of land.

Sunday, I went to my host grandma's house in Chosica. There are 20 people living in her house! All of them are siblings of my host dad, and their kids and spouses. Its kind of crazy, how many people were around. I was also going to see the bull fight in chosica with my sister and a cousin, but it was kind of expensive. I didnt have enough money on me at the time. You guys are going to make fun of me when you find out how much money was "too much money". It was 15 soles (the equivalent to $5). But seriously! I have to think in Peruvian terms now! My family said it was too much money, so we didn't go. Which is fine with me. I can see it for much less in the main city of my site.

I also got my cell phone from the Peace Corps on Monday! I was super excited. Now I can call of the other volunteers for free! We have a plan that allows us to do this. But it is kind of expensive to call people outside of our network. So I probably wont be doing that a whole lot. YAY for phones!

Happy Travels Everyone!

Teigan