Mountain and Rebar apartment

I can finally say that I am "somewhat" settled into my apartment that will be my home and refuge for this coming year. It took a whole lot of patience and uncertainity and paint fumes before I actually moved my suitcases and furniture there, but it is all in. I am living in a 2nd floor apartment that has windows that stretch the length of walls, which make the mountains seem larger than life. Besides the mts., I also get a great view of all the rebar metal sticking up from neighbors unfinished rooftops - the sense of optimism that the house is going to grow. I´ve got the works: kitchen, patio overlooking the downstairs garden, bathroom complete with a luke warm water shower, and internet soon. It feels a little more grounding to be in a place of my own. There is a sweet family that lives downstairs, although during the whole moving process, they continued to tell me something would be done and then come to find out it wasn´t. For example, the apartment wasn´t clean when I was going to move in. I have much to learn about Peruvian communication.

Something I do appreciate about Peruvian culture is that as soon as you meet someone, they are your friend. No matter if there are differences, peruvians have extended their friendship invitation to me only moments after meeting them. Now it is a matter of growing those friendships. Pictured here are my friends Maggie (Director of Discover Hope), me, and Elizabeth at a swanky karaoke bar in town.