The clinic was active today. I bounced between rooms, playing with all the kids. The boys room seemed less visited than the infants and girls areas so I spent more time con los niños. I grew attached to a couple of them right away -- particularly Jonathan (pronounced Yo-nathan). I spend a lot of time just touching them -- rubbing their heads or hands, tickling them or giving besos (kisses). Some are needier than others but that's just like the real world, no?
Lunch at the clinic is a messy process. Feeding the kids takes over an hour and as I just said, it's a little messy. I'm not a fan of mess. I'm working through it. Did I mention that lunch is messy?
After lunch is my favorite time at the clinic (so far). It's when we help get all the kids washed up and put them down for a nap. I go from bed to bed rubbing heads and giving kisses. As we leave each of them we say "Hasta mañana." I'm already dreading the day I can't say that.
I walked home for lunch -- again, the biggest meal of the day. Started with soup, salad of crazy delicious tomatoes, avocadoes and lettuce. The dressing is simple lemon juice with salt. Lots of salt. The main dish was meatballs with a brown sauce and potatoes. It's too much food for me, but I manage somehow ;)
I headed off to "class" early by taxi. This was my first solo taxi ride today and let's just say that the driver took a liking to me. Our conversation went something like this:
Driver (in Spanish): Are you going to meet your husband?
Me (in broken Spanish):
No, my husband is in the United States.
Driver: You are very beautiful. Do you like your husband?
Me: Yes, I like him very much.
Driver: No other? You are very beautiful. You are very beautiful. Life is short.
Me: Ok, here is good. Thank you. Adios.
And then he blew me kisses as I got out. Ok.
I told Jorgan (correct spelling this time) about the conversation and he nearly fell over laughing. Thanks, Jorgan. At least the taxi driver thinks I'm muy bonita -- even with my sunburned face.
Spanish class today was out and about in Cusco. Ok, let's be honest: I'm not really interested in sitting in a classroom for 4 hours a day. And I don't think Jorgan is either (although he would because that's his job). So I think my $140/ week is getting me a friend/tour guide/Spanish tutor, in that order.
He took me to an overlook that was truly amazing and we hung out there for about 2 hours. We talked in Spanish and English, listened to music on my iPhone and laughed over his book, "How to Talk Dirty in Spanish." I now know words I never thought I needed to know in Spanish. Mierda!
We walked to another overlook, still coversing in Spanish and English (the Spanish is growing) and started to talk about la energia de la ciudad. This is a truly spiritual city and you can almost feel it vibrate. His uncle passed on early this morning and he told me that he gave a lot of thought to the conversation we'd had yesterday about life and death, parents, and being an adult when sometimes you just want to be a kid again. He wasn't sad to lose his uncle as death is a part of life, and he feels that his place is to support his mother (who, by the way, has the same birthday as me). Sounds familiar.
We walked home together and parted ways near my house.
Dinner tonight was cream of rice soup and a new fruit called tuna! Lots of seeds that you just crunch through and a mild sweet flavor. It wasn't my favorite but I'll try anything once. Well, not anything. I'm still deciding on cuy.
"Lost" is a week behind here, so I'm watching the rerun. It's still good.
Hasta mañana.
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