Calling All Tall Men

Ok I get it finally! Back in the US I am not exactly what you would call a tall person. People like to say I'm short but I just respond with average. But here in Peru I feel like I tower over everyone! So tall men, I finally understand. Below is a picture of me on the bus (my maid mode of transportation) and there is actually space for my legs! I decided to document the moment because usually my legs are pressed up against the chair and hurt after a few moments so I choose to stand or get over it. Let me point out that I am only 5'5" (165 cm for everyone besides the US). So today was a good day!

So much ample space!

Anyways besides buses I am now into my second week with spanish classes and it is going well. I realized these classes will teach me all the grammatical errors I have been making and once I am done taking the classes it is up to me to study more words so I can put sentences together. Teaching is great as well. I like all my students.  One little boy is 5 so he speaks to me in Spanish and I respond in both English and Spanish so he understand the instructions, so really it's helping me practice more spanish.

So cute!!!

Anyways this past weekend I took a trip with 10 others to Las Islas Ballestas and Huacachina.  We left Saturday early in the morning to catch a boat out to the islands. Though we aren't able to go on the islands it was great to see them because . . . THEY HAVE PENGUINS!!! It's like that movie that ShisaLeBouff (beautiful man) did called Surfs Up. Anyways there were penguins, baby seals, and an ancient geoglyph usually found in Nazca. They are huge patterns in the land and no one can explain how they got there. Hmmmm. 

The geoglyph. 

 After Las Islas Ballestas we headed out to Huacachina. This is an oasis in the middle of some pretty impressive sand dunes.  We were exhausted when we arrived but decided to hike up a dune/mountain that took around 30 minutes going up but 5 minutes running down. After, we washed off in the water and had an early dinner. Considering there are around 10 buildings in the whole town it's safe to say the nightlife is pretty quiet. We chose to enjoy some beers while sitting on the street with the local dogs. Sunday we went on a dune buggy that takes you out for sand boarding.  Some people had snowboards while others had boards where you would sit on your butt or lay on your stomach.  I kinda thought I was gonna die but I think it was just the blood rushing from going so fast down a MASSIVE pile of sand.

Huacachina with the sand dunes in the back ground. 

We were fortunate enough to hit a lucky streak this weekend. While taking a taxi into the local city to get a bus back to Lima our driver "knew a guy" with a bus and we decided to trust him. Best decision ever! His friend was driving back to Lima and said he would take us for cheaper than the other buses. We didn't know we would have our own private tour bus! He picked us up and we sprawled out all over the bus relaxing, post cerveza stop may I add.  Overall it was a very good weekend and I will hopefully get pictures from friends for Facebook soon!

Big pimpin' in our own bus.