day 216: it's 13 days into 2012 and i'm still keeping my resolutions. go me.

Buenos mi amigitos!

So it's Friday (Friday, gotta get down on Friday) and Friday the 13th no less. My bff up in Zaña just told me that a bus exploded this morning and killed 8 people. Sadly, this kind of thing isn't as uncommon as you would wish it to be. The roads here are NOT safe. Not only are they generally just really crappy roads (although the panamerican is, for the most part, pretty alright), but the drivers are insane.

Insane in the membrane.

A large chunk of them are very young, having received their license in some sort of shady manner, and do not know what the road symbols that exist mean. A number of drivers have had some drink, especially in areas that are cold (to keep them warm, obvy). And I would probably go ahead and say more than half of these cars are not fit for the road. Let's just say, when I get into a car that is literally held together by duct tape and twine, both rear view mirrors are now just a view of exposed wiring, and it takes the driver a few tries to get the damn thing to shift gears... well, let's just say I say a very long and desperate prayer the entire ride. 

I've also seen a number of smashed messes of metal and glass next to the police station, blood dried but painting what would have been windows and doors, as well as the charred remains of vehicles by the side of the road, where they exploded into flames or had the unfortunate accident of crashing into vehicles marked "gasoline"

: /

Never, ever, in my life, will I ever drive in Peru. NEVER. Not only is it illegal  for volunteers to do so, but even if it were allowed? Nope. Hells to the no. 

Anyway, that's not what I wanted to talk about it.

I wanted to BRAG about how it's been 13 days into the new year and I'm still working on my resolutions! Usually, I just forget it all by now because really, resolutions aren't any fun. BUT this time I did something different- I made actual, concrete goals! Instead of "lose like a million pounds this year," I decided on "finish the p90x program, from start to finish" and "run the half marathon in Pacasmayo this July" 

I have no idea if I actually wrote that in my blog, but guess what. That's what it is now. 

My thoughts on p90x? Well, here's a list of my facebook status updates relating to those:

Monday- think i'm going to cry. just did p90x chest back and abs this morning and stuff that i used to do without too much issue in the days before peru have become disastrously difficult... I AM SO OUT OF SHAAAPPEE DAAAMMMN ITTTTT!!!! guess all i can do now is grit my teeth and get back into it! ggrrrrr......

Tuesday- p90x plyometrics this morning... made it half way before pausing the video b/c i thought i was going to puke my guts out... thankfully i hadn't had anything to eat yet... also note: you should wear shoes for this stuff. ouchies.

Wednesday- p90x shoulders and arms: DO NOT DO LAUNDRY AFTERWARDS. hand washing laundry is an arm/shoulder/back workout on its own... trying to do it after working out shoulder and arms means my laundry is still dirty, but now wet...

Thursday- p90x yoga: the guy says "clear your lead, live in the moment" and all i can think is "this moment is VERY PAINFUL" ... dunno if that's what he was going for, but that's what i got.

Friday- today was cloudy with very light drizzle so i thought, hey! i'll go for a run after p90x legs/back... first of all, oh my god i thought my legs were going to give out on me... second of all, tons of people saw me run and i think i may have involuntarily formed a running group...? we'll see how many people show up tomorrow morning! 

So yea, it's been a mixed bag of pain and pain but hey! good is coming out of it! My body HURTS so good... love that feeling. I've also been taking my vitamins pretty religiously and staying well hydrated like in the good ol' days.

Health wise, I'm getting better! Sadly, I'm still snacking, but that should end soon. I started a food journal like I did back in college to remind myself that I can't just forget the stuff I eat, so hopefully that'll keep acting as a reminder to watch it.

As for my projects, they're moving. I'm going to be teaching valores in Pacasmayo at a school for vacaciones útiles (fun fact: I had no idea I was going to teach until I just decided, on whim, to show up... this is going to be interesting) and I'll be teaching health and nutrition in my site (not sure when or where yet, these classes don't start for another week). I'm going to be acting as sort of a teacher's aid for the vacaciones útiles courses as well. What this means is getting to know more students, and maybe getting myself into the pool to help teach the littlest ones how to swim. That's more for me than anything, because I'll make any excuse I can to get into that pool.

It's so damn hot. (okgo anyone?)

Oh, and of course there was a parade with all the students interested in vacaciones útiles. Of course. And I was in this one too. Of course. Oh parades. But actually, this was a good way to advertise the classes and things (there were signs) and remind people of the fact that the municipality here will be starting their classes (and they're all FREE! I love my municipality!)

What else, what else... I have a million and one meetings for next week, when I'm not teaching, to see if I can get some of my programs underway with the health post as well as with the CEM (that's Centro Emergencia Mujer, which is a place for men, women and children to go to when there is violence in the home and such). I'm actually really hoping that my health and nutrition classes continue throughout the year and sort of extend themselves into other things kids might be interested in doing (running club anyone? yoga group? anyone? anyone?) but mostly, I'm just pumped because I'm hoping the nutrition class means I GET TO COOK AGAIN.

oh, wouldn't that just be so lovely??

SIGH, but I dream...

I still haven't had the courage to get myself to the police station to talk about the prison... I know, I know, there's a 2% chance of me getting it to convert into a youth center... but a girl can dream.

Plus, if I don't ask, I've already failed. We can't have that now, can we?

I WILL ASK. Just hold your horses. First things first, I want to talk to the health post. I also want to plant a garden in the benificencia. They have this space in the back. It's just dirt and trash. Wouldn't it be better as a garden? I need to find some resources on how to start a garden... I'm pretty sure that they'd be alright with me converting it into something useful. Plus, I might extend those nutrition classes there so that we can grow and then EAT the things we grow! THAT WOULD BE AWESOME.

So here we go, here's to hoping I get a move on these projects and make awesome happen in my site! 

And yes, yes, yes. I will talk to the popo. Maybe next month. I am such a coward sometimes...

Until there's something more to report, 

Love and Peace <3