gettin´ jiggy with it

The longer I wait to update, the more things I have to say. Well, that´s obvious, but really, all I did was wait one day after the weekend to update and already I have new things. So, I think rather than working my way forward, I´m gonna work my way back. Let´s give it a try, so how things go:

I have danced more in the last four days than I think I did in my whole college career put together. Ok, I may be being a bit hyperbolic, but really. I danced. A lot. And not just like, normal sway your hips, try and pretend you have rhythm kind of dancing (although that too), but also the salsa kind, where I step on my partner´s feet and then get all embarassed and flop my arms towards the floor in exasperation. Yeah, that kind of dancing. Also, the kind where I stand there awkwardly and short Peruvian boys (and one tall one) dance around me and then chant in unison to the beat "abajo, abajo, abajo". And once one of them starts going "abajo" (down) you can´t just stand there. I mean, as if I wasnt already too tall for Peru, then the boys squat/dance on the floor and I´m a goner. And then usually I fall over.

At least my thighs are getting a workout. I don´t think these Abajo Muscles have ever been used before.

In any case, we went to a birthday party for one of Valerie´s students last night. What a fun night. We were served chicken and fries, chicha, sangria, beer, cake. There was an 11 month old baby who was absolutely adorable. AND, the Gringas loved him so much we got invited to his 1 year birthday party on saturday. Woooo, another Peruvian birthday party (I´m sure my thighs will be just as unhappy after that party as they were after this one).

It was quite an experience though. As soon as we got to the house they cleared the furniture out of the way so that the chairs surrounded an impromptu dance floor. Well, I guess it was not realy impromptu. Knowing these Peruvians and how they love to dance, they´ve had this dance party planned for years.

In fact, everything can be a dance party for them.

We had these same students over to our apartment Sunday night to "study". Well, English speaking, turned into Backstreet Boys singing (they´re obssessed. the boys that is, not the girls) which turned into dancing. So the Peruvians struck again. They somehow managed to find a music source and start a dance party. It was the first time our house has ever been hot. And of course, I, in all my awkwardness refused to dance for quite a while (my salsa skills are really quite atrocious). But eventually when one after another Peruvian grabs your hand to pull you to your motionless feet, you gotta just give in. And so I did.

And last night I gave in again. This time, slightly more awkward as it was only me and the birthday boy dancing, but how could I say no? It was his birthday! He gave me cake!

Oh, on the subject of cake. If you have ever have a cake shoved in your face on your birthday, you have never had a cake shoved in your face like a Peruvian. I´m not talking about some little slice of cake. I´m talking about the whole freaking cake. And it was a trick cake shove. Not that the a rabbit was pulled out of the cake, or some trick like that, but Claudio shoved, backed off, then shoved again. And the cake went flying. Amazingly, the birthday boy summoned the little hand eye coordination he had and managed to save the cake from falling completely to the floor´. I´m half surprised he didnt try to kick the cake up off the heel of his foot, futball juggling style.

Yup, that´s the cake we ate, the cake that was shoved in the face and then fell to the chest of the birthday boy who had spent the last hour sweating and dancing through the house.

And let me tell you,

It was delicious.