How is it only day 5? All today I was like... after tomorrow's classes, I am going to Machu Picchu! I'm really excited, obviously.

I cannot express to you how freaking cold I am. Already, as I put on my pajamas, I am dreading tomorrow morning when I will have to take a shower in the super cold. How depressing is that? So, I still have like 16 tortuous shower mornings to go.... uh, how depressing is that too? I just wish I could be warm in the house or warm in the bathroom and not feel FREEZING. ANYWAY!

Today for breakfast was a banana and bred with stuff that was kind of like nutella but just kind of tasted sweet and not chocolatey and it was a lighter brown.

Morning class we went over a little of relative pronouns and then we read this paper thing about technology and the future and discussed it. During the second morning classes, we each read our little biography things and talked just randomly for a while and then we read an excerpt from this story about a deacon who wanted to learn magic but turned out to be a jerk.

I walked a different way home from school today. But before I turned from my regular path, I stopped in on some book stores because I want to bring some stuff back... I tried to buy this one book that was 11.50 soles, but when I tried to pay with 20 soles, she told me no. Uh, seriously, you cannot make change? Whatever. There is like a kids book store two or three shops over from that other one and I think I might buy a bunch of stuff from there before I go because there are lots of storybook coloring books and I can make copies of them if I buy them cause there is no copyright on them. HA!

Anyway, my different way home was to turn down Calle Huascar instead of crossing it, and it turns out there is this huge open air (kind of?) market down that street and I want to check it out later. I might check it out tomorrow before lunch if I have time.

In my private class, first we talked a little bit about relative pronouns, and then we talked a lot about all the different verbs for "become".... which for me is a really difficult topic so I'm glad we talked about it.

After the afternoon classes were over, Natascha, Caitlin and I went to the Plaza de Armas and there were all these kids in cool Peruvian outfits doing group dances in the street. I think they were just doing like a practice for the upcoming parades and stuff, but I don't know. We met Anne and went out to eat our cheapest set meal yet! I had cream spinach soup, a vegetable omelet, and a little chocolate pancake thing that was really thin and had chocolate sauce drizzled over it. 8 soles! Take that! Less than 3 American dollars for all that. I all the omelet and pancake but the soup was so enormous it was never going to work.

Maria is still the only person who responds to my emails. I will weep in self-pity. I also reeeally have to remember to bring this to school tomorrow! I also really want not to be cold.

I am going to Machu Picchu the day after tomorrow!!!

Today I was just absolutely freezing when I got out of bed. I now truly understand how terrible it is to be wrapped up in your warm bed.... and then have to go get naked in a bathroom with the window open in winter. AWESOME! Seriously I felt like I was going to die this morning after my shower. I was that cold. And it effected me when I was going to school too because I just couldn't warm up, and I still was feeling tired that I haven't been sleeping the whole night through, and I just felt like crap.

Also, my breakfast was kind of funky.. it was like this cereal but the pieces were small like almost couscous and it was kind of... fluffy? That doesn't really describe it, but I can't think of another word. And then I was supposed to mix plain yogurt into it... yuck, I was really grossed out by it, and I tried adding jelly, but it was still gross. I ate it anyway but I really didn't like it.

Morning class was fun. Today all ("all") four of us were there. Recap: Marilu from Brasil, Paul from USA, and the sick person, Sean from USA. Turns out Sean lived in McKinney for some time, so I thought that was strange. Oh, and at one point yesterday, someone said that they knew someone from Gainesville which I thought was hilarious.... I forget who said that. Anyway, my class! I talked about my running of the bulls thing, Paul talked about technology, and Marilu talked about the thrill seeking read that I read from my first private class. Basically we just discussed with each other the whole time and it was fun. I seriously love my teacher Rodolfo. He's awesome.

Then afternoon class we talked about like indirect dialogue and indirect commands and leaving messages and it was pretty interesting but also wicked easy. I guess I just learn fast because the first time I see it, it just seems to stick and I don't need to have it repeated a bunch of times.

Then I came home for lunch. We had first this really awesome soup with semolina and these fried bean things and little pieces of me. I want to have Nancy show me how to make it so I can teach Maria, because I think she'd like it. Then we had like a pasta salad type thing. Just regular pasta with some vegetables on top and like a big olive.

Also I want to add that I am getting used to Caitlin, haha. I think I just needed to adjust because she's kind of an intense person but I think she means well... she's just sort of caught up in... who knows what. I'd say caught up in herself but I don't know if that's right. Also, holy crap, just since Sunday her Spanish had improved phenomenally. I couldn't believe the way she was talking at lunch. Seriously, in the "beginner" class, it seems like they learn SO MUCH and SO FAST in terms of grammar. Natascha showed me her notes from the past 3 days and it was like..... tons and tons! It obviously is paying off though because until today Caitlin seemed more hesitant about using Spanish and she'd give up and use English, but now she doesn't really do that when talking to our host mom. Anyway, I just think it's cool how much she either learned or just got her memory refreshed and can use since getting here.

Ok, after lunch we took the taxi back. Oh, and on my walk home from class, I went through that llama park thing again. And bought a toothbrush because somehow I lost mine. Anyway, then I had my private class with Charo. This time, we just talked a little bit about what I did in class and I retold her the story I had to write from my 2nd group, which was a story supposed to be in the past and I told the story of when that guy had me model in Japan and how I looked crazy. After that, what she had for me was this questionnaire type thing where it would say like "What option do you like best/what sentence do you agree with more, A, B, or C" and then I'd just have to talk about which I agreed with or preferred and talk about why. And we spent almost the whole time talking about those questions and we had really good conversations about friends. I do feel more and more confident about communicating during each private class because obviously if we can carry on hour long conversations, then even despite my speaking errors, she knows what I am talking about and I know what she is talking about, minus a few words here or there that I ask her to explain for me. After that, we started talking about ways to greet someone that you haven't seen in a while, but then we sort of ran out of time.

After my private class, I went back to the computer lab in the main school and worked on my homework for my 2nd group class with Paula, which was to write a little biography about someone who I think is important to my country. I picked Thomas Edison because he made electric lights more accessible for the average person and basically made electric lights the standard from then on. This actually took forever because once I got to the computer lab, I was feeling kind of crappy again. Oh, and I got to talk to Neil on FB chat! :) And, I saw Noah on FB chat but he apparently closed the window as soon as I messaged him, or my chat list was slow in showing he wasn't on anymore... either way, I was sad because I thought I would get to talk to him and he didn't respond since my last e-mail. Booo!

After that, the other girls got out of class and we went to go meet Anne in the Plaza. We went out to dinner on another sidestreet and I got some vegetable soup which was kind of weird tasting until I put salt and pepper in and a chicken omelet, and Inca Kola to drink. It was ok. It was 15 soles which seemed like "a lot" after paying 12 soles last night... but let's not forget that 15 soles is like $5.50, so I shouldn't complain. I don't like going out every night to eat though... I feel like I will burn through money very fast, but I only get breakfast and lunch at home and I'm not allowed to cook my own dinner or anything, so I don't really have a choice.

On our way back to the Plaza to take a taxi, we found this little market "inside" a building and I ended up buying a little hat to keep warm for 8 soles. So freaking cheap! Haha, and then when we were in the plaza, these two boys (like high school age) came up to us and asked if we wanted to buy a hat and Caitlin is like "No gracias! TENGO!" ("No thanks! I have" as in, she had one on) and the kid goes "Pero es feo" (But it's ugly) and we were just kind of joking along with the kids and it was funny.

Then I got home, thinking "Oh, awesome, it's so early!" and then stupidly got wrapped up in some extra work that technically I didn't have to do because he only told us to do the first part, but I like doing little exercises so I did like the whole packet... oops! Minus like 2 questions. So now it is like 10:30 and I am stupid because I need sleep.

Goodnight world! I think I will put this on my flashdrive and either upload it tomorrow or the day after. I also think I should bring paper to Machu Picchu to write down stuff like a journal since I don't think I will be bringing my computer. I dunno.... there is free wifi I think in our hostel so maybe I should bring it? Also, every time I try to type "hostel" (even just then, thinking about this!) I spell it the Spanish way "hostal" because I see that word all over, being in a tourist down.

Ok, seriously, goodnight!

Against, this is a late entry and I am wicked tired!

For some reason, my straightener does not work at all. Not with the converter (which maybe then is broken!) or anything. I hope it did not somehow break on my way here because I love that thing. Anyway, this will make my new hair more challenging, but oh well.

I had my first morning classes this morning. (Obviously!) So my individual class teacher's name from yesterday is Rodolfo and he is my first group class teacher in my morning group. Apparently there are 4 people in the morning group but one of them is sick so he wasn't there. Two of them are Marilu and I, and the fourth is a guy named Paul. So it was just the three of us today, but that's cool. My second group teacher is named Paula. Group classes were ok. I still thought any grammar stuff was super boring (again, obviously) but I am definitely learning lots of new random vocabulary.

I walked to my classes and then walked back home for lunch. We had these big corn kernel things that were good. I forgot their name... mobo or something? Then some chicken with reddish sauce and rice. Caitlin still has afternoon classes so we took a taxi back and I had my second first individual class. It was with Charo from yesterday, like I said. At first, she didn't show up and I was waiting in the 2nd school all by myself and then the person at the desk said to go to the office and when I walked outside, Charo was walking toward me. I thought it was really fun. I feel like I learn a lot during the individual classes. I'm glad I decided to do them because some people here have said they thought the private ones were pointless but I definitely disagree!

After my private class, I wandered around and I did finally get a smaller backpack for school and I also by mistake bought books. But they were cute and grey and short and I wanted them so oh well. I am a size 35 and everything 35 fits amazing. I tried on this other pair of black ones that I really really liked but obviously didn't need to buy two pairs at once.

After wandering around, I went back to the school to meet Caitlin and two other girls (one from Caitlin's class, but I met them both on Sunday) were in the office setting up for one of them to go to Picchu. Anne is from Canada and she already had plans and Natascha is from Switzerland and she was adding on and yesterday Natascha and I talked about wanting to go so I went in and I was like, I want to go too if I can!! So....... we are all going! Also, Caitlin already had plans to go so she is obviously going too! Natascha and I aren't sure about our tickets yet but the lady said just to bring the money tomorrow and it all will be okay and Anne booked a hostel for the three of us. It's $240 for the tickets for the bus ride and the guide and "admission" to Machu Picchi (seriously) and the hostel will be $50 split between us. O M G, I am going to Machu Picchi this weekend!!! I am super excited. I wasn't sure when I could plan the trip and I was nervous to go alone so I am wicked happy that I will be going this weekend and NOT alone! So this weekend will be Machu Picchi and next weekend will be Sacred Valley climbing and ziplining with Caitlin. Fuuuun stuff!!
After that, Anne and Natascha wanted to check their email but Caitlin got impatient and left (lol) so I went out to dinner with the other two girls. We were looking for a cheap place to eat and some lady comes running up to us in the street saying she had a set meal for 12 soles (about 4 bucks) which including an appetizer, a main meal, and either a drink or a desert so we went there. It was funny because then we had to walk back to the restaurant with her because she ran so far to flag us down. I got a vegetable salad and pesto spaghetti and mate de coca tea. Natascha order a bottle of water and the lady said she didn't have anything... and then for some reason, the music turns off in the restaurant and the lady disappears...... uh, she went out to some store to buy Natascha a bottle of water, haha. Oh, and we were the only people in the restaurant at the time and it was in silence so it was weird. Anyway, when the lady came back with the water, I asked her if we could have the music back on and she turned it on but it was so strange.

Then we kind of just walked about Plaza de Armas and then walked home. Natascha lives in the opposite direction from the Plaza than me, but Anne kind of lives on my way home. When Anne and I were walking home, I sort of went her way and I said, "oh, I'll just take this other street" that I could see on my little map-card thing from my host mom, but then when we were approaching it, it sort of seemed weird looking to me because one side of the street was just this big brick wall but Anne said that she wanted to walk down it to see... and that wall turned out to be the wall of like a llama house or something.

Ok, now it is almost 11 again and I need to do my homework. Goodnight!

It was my anniversary today. :( And I missed it! I miss Noah and I wish I could have been with him today.

At the same time, I've had a crazy day. It's 10:30 and I'm exhausted.

Today me and Caitlin started off with breakfast here at the house and then went to school for orientation and our placement test. The written placement test was pathetically easy... obviously just checking if I knew grammar rules, which obviously I do. We also had a little oral interview thing to help place us. I got afternoon classes and so between the test and our classes at 2:30, we just went shopping for some stuff... I want to get a smaller backpack-y thing to bring to class but I didn't find one I liked. But I got my hair cut..... kind of a lot! I'm undecided on whether I like it or not, but it's too late now! I was just so used to having long hair. Oh well! The girl did a really nice job and it was fun to chat with her.

Actually, before we got the the salon, we were looking for a good place and we came across a sign over one little entrance for un salón de belleza so we asked about it, but the girl said like they weren't open or something and so she walked us to a different one. Her name was Luz and we chatted for a little bit. It was fun. She gave me her business card so I can contact her and we can hang out.

After our haircuts, we went to school for classes.... I ended up in the advanced G2. I don't know how many levels there are but there was like Inicial G1 and G2, Intermedio G1 and G2, and Avanzado G1 and G2 in the afternoon. And even though I feel so yucky about my speaking ability, I ended up in Advanced G2.... it was just me and one other girl from Brazil who I thought had awesome Spanish (but super Portuguese accent which made it hard for me to understand her). So just us two for our classes! Our first teacher was named Charo and she is from Spain, actually. She started to review some grammar with us but then when she realized we already knew what she was going to teach us this week, we kind of just randomly talked trying to shove in the grammar point as much as possible. I am obviously a pretty shy person so the other girl Marilu really dominated the conversation. Boo. Oh well! I can't help how shy I feel!! After two hours, we had a little break and Marilu and I chatted a little in Spanish and then our second teacher came. She is Peruvian and her name is Desiree. Basically we talked about random stuff, the same way as before, and tried to use random grammar stuff.

At the end, she told us that we had to go talk to the office because Charo told the office that we were too advanced for the level we were in and we needed to go up a level. When we got there, the lady in the office Libia (?) told us we were getting switched to a higher class in the morning. So, uh, yay? Way to go me? I told her I was nervous though because it seemed like Marilu spoke so much more easily than I did and I didn't want the upper class to be over my head because then I couldn't learn anything, but she told me not to worry... so I won't?

Oh, when I got my schedule today, they told me I didn't have individual classes... but I did! And I paid for 2 hours a day! So I showed them my receipt and they schedule them from 6:30 to 8:20pm. Ewwwww! But, then when they switched me to morning classes, now I have private classes from 2:30 to 4:20. But, tonight I did have one late private class. I forget my teacher's name though... it was a man. Anyway, most of the time we just talked because at first he asked me if I had grammar questions and I told him, no, I just want to make my vocabulary bigger. So he had me read this little thing about people who are thrilling seekers and then we just talked for a long time about that... but it got pretty off topic and at one point I was trying to tell him the whole plot for the movie Skeleton Key... haha, so hard to do because the story is so confusing! And eventually we had this big discussion about doctors and medicines and natural cures. It was fun and I thought it was so much easier to talk with just one person. I think I get stage fright in the group class, haha. But it's sad because that was my only day with him. My individual classes will be with Charo, I found out, which is cool because I like hearing Spain Spanish.

After my individual class, my teacher walked me to the restaurant where we had our student welcome dinner. Dinner was okay... but... Caitlin is just.... overwhelming. Just very overbearing and kind of whiny. I think she means well but..... siiiiiiiiiigh. Afterwards, she wanted me to carry home this heater she bought so I trekked the whole way back alone with the heater. I was scared to take a taxi by myself..... I know it would have been safer in a taxi, but on my walk home, I just walked behind other groups of people and that just FELT safer than being alone with some dude in a taxi... so... whatever. I made it home alive, though I am super tired.

I think the only altitude problem I am having is not enough water... I will definitely drink even more tomorrow. My lips are dry and look very dark and its kind of scaring me. Last night, I had the hardest time falling asleep.. so actually I lied, I did had other altitude problems. I felt like I couldn't breathe through my nose... like I couldn't get enough oxygen and I was kind of gasping through my mouth so I started to pray the rosary and then my breathing kind of calmed down and eventually I did fall asleep. I really hated that feeling of not being able to feel like I could breathe deep though. Also, the elections were yesterday and people partied like ALL night long so I kept waking up to the really loud music and singing until past 1 am.

I wish I had had time to e-mail today. I got online for like a couple of minutes when I pulled up my invoice to show them I really did pay for classes and Maria was the only person who responded to my email so I just sent her a quick one back.

Ok, now it is almost 11 and I am beat, so goodnight!

Something I regret about my 4 month stay in Japan is that I didn't really keep a record of it. I didn't really update my journal that often and for whatever reason, when I did, it wasn't really the important or interesting stuff. Maybe I can keep myself on track here in Peru... because I have no internet at home to distract me! Plus, I don't know if it's because it's Sunday, but my roommate and I came home at like 6:30 and it was so dark and almost everything was closing and no one was really out and about on the streets. I know we close things early on Sunday in the US too, but in a city, I'd expect it to be more lively.

Ok, rewinding!

Saturday, I got up! (Exciting so far, right?) For whatever reason, I rethought my packing, transferred everything into a larger suitcase... and then changed my mind and switched back to a small one. Basically a waste of the early morning. I packed one smallish checked bag, one carry-on size suitcase (kind of puffy because I shoved my pillow in there), and then my backpack. I kept thinking I packed too much but for whatever reason, I forgot a bunch of stuff despite my packing ahead of time. I forgot my towels and worst of all, my jacket. I remember my raincoat.... and not a real jacket, and it's "winter" (or at least getting there)!!

Anyway, I hung out with Noah in the morning, Debbie and Noah's cousin Crystal stopped by and Debbie gave me some holy water and a finger rosary... the holy water kind of spilled in my bag as I just found out, so I sprinkled the spilled stuff over my bed!!

Then, Noah and I went to Gainesville and I got my nails done so they wouldn't annoy me here. And the lady talked me into getting my eyebrows waxed which I had never done before and I guess it was fine?

Then we went to Denton and Noah got pet food and then we went to Thai Ocha and I got curry puffs and Tom Yum soup with tofu and it was a great last home meal. And then Noah brought me to the airport. Sad face! I was proud because I didn't cry! I definitely will miss him though, especially since I can't call.

My flight to Miami was delayed quite a bite, but I made it in time for my connection to Lima. I wanted to sleep the whole night since it was from midnight to 4:35am (like turned out to be only like a 5 hour flight or whatever) but then they served food and I wasn't going to say no to free food! The salad was actually great.

Then I got to Lima really early this morning and I got the red light at customs so they scanned my bags, big deal. They didn't open them up which was good because it's always a pain to have to repack stuff. Then I had to go back through security for my flight to Cusco and it was then that I realized I forgot to wear my watch. I wanted to buy one but... I didn't. I think maybe I'll buy one tomorrow?

Then I got on my flight to Cusco and made it in at like 9am. Some guy from the school picked me up along with two other girls. One was named Natalie and the other was Farima, or something? Natalie is with a host family but Farima is stayed in the student residence. He brought us by taxi to my host family.... which turned out to be different! The family they originally had me with is apparently not here but instead on vacation or something in Lima, so I am with a different family and to be honest, I still don't know the address!

My host mother's name is Nancy. She has two college aged daughter, but I didn't catch their names because they said hi to me for like one second and then walked away. I guess they are used to having students be here all the time.... but I want to get to know them so hopefully they will hang out with me at some point! Nancy has a six month old dog named Bonji and she's kind of a long-haired shaggy white and black dog... wearing a red dress. It makes me laugh, that little fleecy dress.

Anyway, when I got here, I also met the other student staying here. Her name is Caitlin. I don't want to be snarky, but whatever. She's kind of high strung and I think she might get on my nerves. I think she's kind of spoiled. I think when I meet other people who don't have the same kind of values as me, it sort of is irritating. Like, I know I can be whiny, but I wouldn't be whiny as a guest. Whatever. Anyway, Caitlin, Nancy and I sat in the living room and talked while I drank mate de coca tea which is supposed to help you not feel sick from the altitude. (I had a headache toward the end of today, but I feel okay now.) I was surprised at how much more confident I am with my Spanish than I thought I would be. I know I obviously am a Spanish teacher and I speak Spanish but speaking with native speakers always makes me nervous.... well, there's been basically nothing I haven't been able to understand when people talk to me and the only Spanish word I got stuck on so far was "chewy", haha.

Then Nancy told me that I should sleep probably until like lunch so I wouldn't feel sick so I did... and hooooooly crap, it's cold!! Even it my bed, I was cold. Noah told me not to bring my boots but now I regret that because my feet are going to be coooold! I slept until about one and then had lunch with Nancy and Caitlin. It was cream of asparagus soup, bread, chicken with peas, and rice. It was delicious!

Nancy told us she couldn't bring us to the school because she had to go vote today. Apparently in Peru, you are required to vote and if you don't vote, you get fined! She also mentioned that if you don't vote and don't get some stamp, then they can deny you rights to certain things but she didn't really say what. So different from in the US, huh? Luckily, Caitlin kind of knew where to go....... I say that, but I mean you just showed the address to the taxi driver.

Where I am living, I can apparently walk to school but it takes like 30 minutes and it gets really steep at times. The taxi ride to the school is 3 soles which is like $1.10 per ride.... boooo, they said it would be $0.75. I actually think probably 75 cents is for local people... and then the taxis charge the tourist looking people more. Whatever! So if I taxi both ways to school, it'll be $2.20 a day... I guess that's not THAT bad if I don't want to wake up and walk.

Anyway, before we went to the school for the city tour (which was crappy, haha) at 4pm, Caitlin and I went to this market called Molino (or Molina, I didn't really see) and we looked around for jackets and I bought one for $18 (50 soles) which I think was pretty cheap. It's sort of fleecy and I think it will be good! It's black with a teal stripe down each side under the sleeves. I did bring my black sweater so I can layer if it's too cold. After that, we went to the school and casually met some of the other people and then took the walking city tour but it sort of went in one ear and out the other so I don't really remember of it.

There was this group of students from Northeastern and some of the boys were really annoying... like saying how they stayed for 2 weeks in Lima and terrorized their host family and how funny it was that they made a mess of their house and barely cleaned up. It made me embarrassed for them. I'm sorry but just because you're a college student, it doesn't mean you can lack manners. Why live with a host family if you aren't going to respect them? After they laughingly told me that story, I didn't really want to talk more with them but I didn't want to seem standoffish... whatever!

After the tour, Caitlin and I went to an internet cafe so I could tell my family that I made it and I was okay. Oh, and Caitlin and I are going to the Sacred Valley and doing some rock climbing and zip lining.... she had scheduled just zip lining but we watched a video of climbing up the rock (there are like metal handles) so we're going to do that on the 18th. Yay! Exciting things!! After the cafe, we went to a restaurant and split a dinner of spaghetti and I got a cafe con leche and it was 21 soles for me which is $7 or so, which isn't bad I guess. Even though we split the dinner, I still thought the portion we each got was pretty big. And I had bought a bottle of water and forgot it on the floor in the restaurant. Waaah.

Our ride home was interesting...... in a bad way. The taxi guy was totally lost and then wanted to charge us more for getting lost. It wasn't our fault! Then we made it home and here I am.

One disappointing thing about my room is that there are only two plugs. One for the bed light, and then one across the room so like my phone alarm has to be across the room... I hope I actually get up! Same with my computer, I have to sit on the very tip of my bed to charge and use it.

Apparently, the water does not get that hot. I think I will skip shaving for the month if the water is that hot. Apparently, also, if you barely run the water, it gets warmer.... but... then how do you use it? We'll see tomorrow. I'm trying to wake up with plenty of time to get ready just in case I have a disaster.

I guess that is all for tonight. I know I am overestimating myself if I think I will be this dedicated and write this much everyday... but hopefully I will so I will remember my trip to Peru better than I remember my trip to Japan. I hope I meet some friends to hang out with in my classes... and I hope my host sisters maybe want to hang out too. :)

Buenas noches!

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Friends Only = comment.to.be.added

So, we finally got our magnets in the mail.... I adore them!!

( Secret of Mana + Chrono Trigger!Collapse )

Dana gave me the pictures... we took over 900! It was 5 GB of pictures. No joke. Ha!

So here are some of my favorites. I've got about 130 of them uploaded to my Facebook albums and they are linked here. I know I should have narrowed it down more... but I like too many of them!

There are 21 of them below the cut:
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After Noah and I played locally with our gamertags, it did add us to the leaderboards....



Ha!

I made sure to have exactly 0 plans for today so I could sit around and be lazy FOR ONCE.

And it has been beautiful.

And I've probably played like 6+ hours of Rock Band 2 today on drums.

Weeeeeee.

Since last night, I've 100%ed on Expert drums:
-The Hellion/Electric Eye
-Here We Go
-Come Out And Play (Keep 'Em Separated)

And got a 100% on the drum solo of Spoonman.

And finally gold-starred Joker and the Theif (usually I get 99% but no gold-star).

Ah, I miss having free time to screw around.

This entry is public so Kristen & Kari can see!

Lots of dress pictures underneath!
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Ok, and here is the dress that I think I am liking the best. After first I thought the layered part in the front looked weird but it really helped me look less short & so I think this may be the one I end up with. It comes in a 0 Petite & the dress I'm wearing is a regular 2, so just pretend that it fits.. it's way way too long! Some of these pics are blurrier because they are from my future-sister-in-law-in-law's iPhone (Noah's sister in law? My sister in law? Whatever...)

( Dress #3Collapse )

So.... me & Noah are getting married! <3

He proposed on my birthday. (This past Sunday.)

It was sort of sad because we had plans to go to Dallas and go to the aquarium and stuff that day, but then I got cramps and just sat around feeling sick most of the day. We ended up driving the 45 minutes to Denton (I slept on the way, haha) to go to 5pm mass at this church that my school has a teacher's retreat at, Immaculate Conception. It's a really pretty cute and the way they had their 5pm mass was nice. The opening song was this really cute song that was sang at Sacred Heart when the women came back from the ACTS retreat (maybe it was called "Come Now Is the Time to Worship"? Or something?) and I was glad they did that song because it had such a cute melody the first time I heard it.

After that, we went out to dinner at this pan-Asian place on Avenue C called Mr. Chopsticks. Avenue C is also the same place as Siam House, which we've gone to twice.. but it's worth the 45 minute drive! Anyway, at Mr. Chopsticks, I got some good curry and we discovered that they had amazing hot and sour soup.

Then I slept on the way back.. sue me, I was feeling sick!

Then we went over his parents house to say hi but they weren't even home and I was just feeling sick and tired and just wanted to go home but then eventually they got home. So we stayed and talked for a while, but I was feeling really crummy and so we went home soon after.

So I was at home and just feeling junky and just wanted to change out of my teacher-y clothes into pajamas so I was going into my room to get some and Noah kept calling to me and I was like "I'm getting clothes!" and he was like "Wait, wait" and was in the doorway to my room so I walked into my closet because I JUST WANTED TO CHANGE, haha. So he followed me in there and cornered me and was like "Wait!" So then I stopped whining... and he said "You know how the other day I asked you if you still want to stick around forever?" And I was like "..Yeah..." and then he said "Well, I was asking because I want to know if you really do.." and then he pulled out the ring in the open box and I just started laughing (?) and gave him a big hug and then he's like "Look at it, look at it!" and I said "Well aren't you going to ask me a question?" and then he said "...Do you want to spend the rest of your life with me?" and I was "Yeah, of course!" and then that was that. I just kind of kept laughing afterward for a long time.

Later on the couch he was like "Doesn't it feel really different?" and I was like "No not really..." and he's like "Well, it's like we sealed the deal" and I said "Well, in my mind, we sealed the deal once I moved here and we combined our video game collection because I knew what a huge deal it was for you to have someone else be holding onto all your games." ..Apparently the next morning Noah told his mom that I said that and she laughed at us.

The next day in school, Noah's littlest sister (she's a junior) came by to say Happy Birthday and she was like "Oh, what did Noah get you?" and I showed her the ring and she like "AH REALLY?!" and then she went and told a bunch of my students... so when I got to 6th period, we were supposed to have a quiz but I wanted to give them another day to study so I wrote on the board in Spanish "We're taking the quiz tomorrow because I want you all to study" and when I was trying to get them to translate it back to me, one of my kids yells "We're taking the quiz tomorrow because you're engaged!" and I was like "NO, ESTUDIEN DOESN'T LOOK LIKE ENGAGED." :P I guess you had to be there but it was funny..

Outside of news about me and Noah, life is pretty good. For this quarter, I don't teach 8th period and even just having one less class and one more planning has made my life infinitely more manageable. I really like Sacred Heart. It's a cute school and it's got really great kids even if some of them like to talk a lot!

So as we all know, I moved to Texas and although Noah & I aren't living together, our games are living together at my house. Both of us had decently large game collections on our own, but together, it just looks totally badass.

SO CHECK OUT THE NEW GAME ROOM.

We finally finished cleaning it and decorating it today, so we're excited.

( GAMES GAMES AND MORE GAMESCollapse )



Oh, and while I was typing this up, Noah just beat Through the Fire and Flames on expert in GH3 for the first time.

( With pics, of course:Collapse )

When I've sold GBA games on eBay, I never sell the box or manual so I guess I just naively assume that you can trust people. I found a seller selling PAL versions of games and so I bought four of them. But as soon as I opened the package in the mail, I was like, these have to be fake. So I called Nintendo customer support to confirm that these details prove that the games are not legitimate copies. I have unscrewed and opened up all the cartridges to see the inner layouts and they are all similar to counterfeits listed in this guide:

http://reviews.ebay.co.uk/Fake-Pokemon-Gameboy-Games-GBA-Avoid-Counterfeit-Game_W0QQugidZ10000000003210454

The items are listed at PAL versions, but one game even says it is a US version when loaded on a GBA.


(inside a real copy)


(Fake)


Kirby: Nightmare in Dreamland: Nintendo seal of approval is not metallic and is missing the pointed bursts around the edges, the cartridge has the wrong texture, no serial number printed on the front of the game, no embossed number printed on the front of the game, 'Nintendo' not printed on the internal board, internal layout is different from the same official GBA game, cartridge art from US-purchased game is different, auction said PAL version but game shows US version, the game loaded a screen of a monkey with a banana that is not featured in the official US version before the title screen




Kirby: The Amazing Mirror: Nintendo seal of approval is not metallic, ESRB rating is has see-through text, the cartridge has the wrong texture, no serial number printed on the front of the game, no embossed number printed on the front of the game, 'Nintendo' not printed on the internal board, internal layout is different from other official GBA games



Breath of Fire: Nintendo seal of approval is not metallic, ESRB rating is has see-through text, the cartridge has the wrong texture, no serial number printed on the front of the game, no embossed number printed on the front of the game, 'Nintendo' not printed on the internal board, internal layout is different from other official GBA games



Breath of Fire 2: Nintendo seal of approval is not metallic and is missing the pointed bursts around the edges, the cartridge has the wrong texture, no serial number printed on the front of the game, no embossed number printed on the front of the game, 'Nintendo' not printed on the internal board, internal layout is different from other official GBA games

I've filed disputes to PayPal and eBay already.
Lame. It bugs me when people are dishonest.

Awwwww:

Watch us cook!
^_^v

On the website Endless Nocturne (if you register, you are entered to win a free copy of Eternal Sonata for Xbox 360!), one of the activities was to make a cosplay of a character.

Uh, I'm too lazy and cheap to make a quality one for MYSELF.

However, I am definitely not too lazy to make a cosplay for an American Girl doll. Unfortunately, upon assembling the costume, I realized I have no idea where my mom moved any of my dolls. Then, very fortunately, I happened to find a box that contained just one of my older sister's dolls and it just also happened to be Kirsten, who is blonde and blue eyed like the character whose costume I had created.

Such luck!

And so... Polka!



Reference:



The only major thing I'm off on is the shoes and then the bloomers, but oooooh well. I had a plan all set for the bloomers, but Samanta must be wearing her original underwear bloomers and I can't find her! :( And who gives about the shoes.

Ready Steady Go (Rock Drum - pro): 90

Yeah! Meccha Holiday (Rock Drum - pro): 91

...So, now I officially have a 90+ for every part on every song in Daigasso Band Brothers.

:D

Too bad the expansion doesn't save scores...

I played Eternal Sonata for 8 and a half hours today.

Uh.

I like it.

Oh, and its soundtrack is amazing.

I had been waiting for this game to come out all summer, since Neil had told me that I'd probably like it when he played the Japanese version in June. And seriously, it surpasses all my excited expectations!!