Journal Entry Eight in Peru - 24/02/10

Journal Entry Eight in Peru - 24/02/10


Highlight of the day: Sighting my first hummingbird
Discovery of the day: Catholic morality is wide awake at 3am.
Over-riding emotion: Sleepy and tired.
Nooooo.... : Forgot the hot sauce after spending an extra 15 minutes wandering round the supermarket trying to remember what I'd forgotten.




It had been a rather drab day and I had just about given up getting anything exciting out of the day when, on my way home, I saw my first hummingbird! I had been told they could be found around the school, but not expecting or looking out for it at that particular moment made it that much more of a highlight and a definite raising of the spirits. I changed my route today to avoid another encounter with the old security guard with whom my initial attempt at being nice by smiling and exchanging pleasantries every morning and evening had turned awkward with his inability to understand that my Spanish currently extended only to the polite greetings and repeated efforts to have a lengthy conversation. I was beginning to feel rude and a long tiring day didn't need that cherry on top. Now, with the possibility of encountering hummingbirds, the route will be changed permanently, although I will have to forego the more fragrant of my jasmine trees.

I'm beginning to wonder if I shouldn't have opened with the good news, as now all that remains is to describe the drabness. There was one minor amusement in the wee hours of the morning when the son of the household returned home after a party with his girlfriend who was too tipsy to go home. Mum was awake and immediately setting up a makeshift bed for him on the living room floor as they couldn't possibly share a room under the roof of a good Catholic woman. It goes to show liberalness, artistic temperament and disowning one's mother religion in favour of astrological fervour counts for nothing when you live with your mother!

Currently, school is a bit chaotic as the special software they got in order to modernise the timetabling method has failed spectacularly and it might well be the case that we have no idea which class and where to teach come Monday morning. I have suggested that they announce a Sports Week, giving them time to sort it out and me time to finish my lesson plans. Sitting in the library trying to concentrate, although constructive, has given my a rather painful bruise on my upper right thigh due to the strangely designed desks I keep slamming my leg in to when I attempt to get up. Not getting up was proving to be an excellent preventative method until the librarian actually shooed me out in order to go home herself.

My eyes are drooping, so I'll sign off to watch one episode of the Big Bang Theory before I hit the hay.

Hasta Mañana!