Smile

Things that make me smile in Lima:

When Paula makes apple pie, cheesy quinoa, seco, or her famous choclo con pollo dish :)

When Alejo cracks a joke at me and starts laughing hysterically, although i have no idea what he just said :)

Waking up to a mixture of Footloose blasting from the school down the street and Alejo´s birds singing in the room across mine :)

Kika´s contagious joy, free spirit, full heart, and bottomless knowledge of Peru :)

Never knowing what´s for lunch. I love surprises :)

Walking down a dark shady street by myself at 1 in the morning and realizing that I feel safe :)

Getting my favorite seat on the micro :)

Realizing that I’m no longer a tourist here, I live here, I know this place :)

When Alejo pulls out the 5 pound box of manjar blanca after lunch because he knows how much I love sweets :)

Finding moments when I’m actually having a legit conversation with someone in Spanish, and loving it because it means so much to be able to just talk to people :)

My awesome gringo accent :)

Meeting someone new everyday :)

When I can go more than a month without stomach issues :)

Getting emails and messages from friends back home :)

When random micro tickets fall out of my wallet, passport, pants, books, bible, etc :)

Sundays. Which always mean that aleja and abuela gringa come over with abuela´s amazing food and we have a cozy family luncheon :)

Taking long walks along the malecon :)

Abby, Audrey, Catalina y Laura :)

Talking to Paula about random life things and getting to know her while she cooks lunch :)

My friends from CBU :)

Giving micro directions to a Peruvian :)

Getting kisses everyday :)

Chancho, our dog, and his lion/teddy bear/poofy creature-self :)

When Mateo breaks out his bag pipe and starts jamming out :)

Watching telanovelas with Alejo :)

Realizing that I´m going to see my family and friends whom I love and have missed so much in less than a week :)

Random realizations that I’m in Lima, I’m blessed, God is ridiculously merciful, and this life is surreal :)

To be continued :)