Idk my face from my feet

So today we left Ryan at the Inca Market AND Emily Booth lost her passport in the Lima airport so that was ~ exciting ~. But we went into reverse and Tom Tom and Pepe found him then the flight attendants found Emily's passport on the plane so that was super lucky. The day started at 530 again at the Cusco airport. I ate a delicious chocolate filled croissant and dreamed of how amazing they're going to taste this summer in Europe!!!!! Once we got to Lima we stuffed our faces at Chilis. I. Love. American. Food. ❤️❤️❤️

{ Also Stephen had a nosebleed and used a tampon so that was exciting }

Waiting for our baggage in Lima I felt like a balloon releasing all of it's air. I could feel the major difference in the altitude it was awesome. After lunch we went and hungout at the beach where about nine people got baptized in the ocean. It was super cool and I found so many fun rocks!!! The pacific is way different than the gulf but it was still so beautiful. 

After the ocean we went to the market and I got lots of fun goodies. I don't think I could go there again though, three years later it's still the same stuff. For dinner we got to go to this INCREDIBLE fancy buffet style restaurant (which we were way underdressed for). There was food everywhere so yummy. At about 10:30 we realized we were SO LATE for our flight so we ran through the airport.  This time we were the Asians who arrived last minute 🙈 

Good trip. Such fun. Such friends. Peace out Peru 

Machu Picchu: one of the main attractions in the beautiful state of Iowa

Suffocation, burning fires, and poison, are all great ways to murder someone. After having to wake up at 2:50 a.m. I repeat TWO FIFTY A.M. freaking Ryan (boyfriend) and freaking Lucy (Alden's roomie) and freaking Matt (Spencer's roomie) decide to beat box the whole two and a half bus ride back .. 8-10:30 😵 so if they don't wake up please hide this evidence and hire me a good lawyer. God forgives all sins right????

Besides that today was the first day I've actually felt good and not sick so hallelujah for that! 🙌 Going to Aguas Calientes again was really cool, the mountains definitely never lose their luster and the town is just fun to hangout in. Actually walking through Machu Picchu kicked my butt. By the end of the day my legs were wobbling and I didn't even want to check my tan lines. 

Thomas did a really cool devotional type thing on a space overlooking the ruins. He talked about the tower of Babylon and  Psalm 121:1-2. The Incans were never able to finish Machu Picchu just like the people building the tower of Babylon were never able to finish their tower to heaven because it wasn't in God's plan. ~ pretty neat analogy and visual ~ 

Tomorrow we are waking up at 5:20 and flying out of Cusco around 8. Then we get to hangout all day in Lima and apparently we're eating at this insanely nice restaurant so that should be pretty cool! 

I'll be on my way to see you in almost exactly 24 hours!! 

Adios y buenos noches ❤️

**** did you even go to Machu Picchu if you didn't chase around llamas?? ***

Welcome to Peru where anything is possible and nothing is safe

So let's talk about altitude sickness. Why oh why did no one make me take it before this trip... I came back to the hotel while everyone else went to the Cusco square. But I'm not that upset about it because me and you (dad) and cat already went and hungout there. So now my plan is to shower sleep and wake up at 3 am for Machu pichu! YAYYYY!!!!!!!!!

** my current feelings about this **

Today we actually did something really cool called "Vera ferreta". It's like climbing a mountain but there are ladder rungs that you climb up. I thought it was going to be easy but they had you like sideways scaling the walls and making giant stretches to reach the rungs. Of course that could have just been due to the fact that my limbs are maybe a foot shorter than everyone else's. We got to take 7 zip lines down afterwards so that was cool too.

 This is me sweating mid hike. 

I can't believe there are only two days left but I am going to sleep now so I can hopefully appreciate them!! Here are some more pics of the day.. 

Hasta luego, pray for me and my sickness ❤️

~ Emily ~

Donde esta la Chipotle, Zaxbys, y pizza¿?

*** this will be short because my alarm is currently set for 5:30 am *** 

I've been meaning to mention how I finally understand Katy Perry's frustration with whoever is "hot and then cold" (ask Sara if you do not understand the reference). When the sun is out it's SO HOT and the moment it goes behind a cloud it drops at least 15 degrees. It's like heat whip lash. 

Today we did some VBS and I played with my friends Alejandra and Rosa. They are so freaking cute and I want to take them home with me. We also went to the market to do some evangelism but it wasn't that exciting. Cusco is so pretty and all the ladies walk around with their babies in their rainbow ponchos with two long braids down past their butts. I highly enjoy it here. 

Tomorrow we are going rock climbing but we were told to bring our rain gear... So wish us luck and I will be sure to bring back lots of pics! 

Xoxo ~ Puruvian Girl ~ 

(Ask Sara if you do not understant^^)

Day 3.

So I got sick last night but I have a rockin rebound rate and was still able to frolick with the kids this afternoon. (as seen in the insanely high quality picture taken by Matt Conrad) 

The day started with bread and plain pancakes in bed thx to rhanley since I slept through breakfast. Then I helped paint the church from green to white with extremely watered down paint. Around one o'clock me and Stephen decided we wanted to walk around and find a shop with coke and these amazing Peruvian chocolate covered saltines (sigh ❤️).  The rest of the group came and we had fun exploring the streets a little bit 

The rest if the day was spent doing VBS which was AWESOME because my Spanish suddenly started sounding good and could actually converse with the children. Which is good cause they clearly thought I was hilarious. Everyone has farmers tans so that's funny to look at, it also makes me feel better about remembering sunscreen. 

Highlight of day: Pepe's wife telling me I was good at Spanish even after I tried convincing her it wasn't me she heard 😍

Lowlight of day: not being able to eat the cheesy potatoes or fried chicken we had for dinner #sick #SOsad 

Adios Papa, hablaré contigo mañana ❤️

Te amo!

I honestly don't even know the day date or time at this point

I'm. So. Exhausted. My body hates me. After getting out two hour "nap" we had a FULL DAY of work! It feels like we landed in Cusco a few days ago not this morning. I think God forgot to mention something about child labor laws in the missionary field... After all I thought Sunday was the day of rest?

The flight was a short hour but it was through lots of clouds so it wasn't as cool as the first time. I also tried to try my Spanish out on the lady next to me and she called me out big time. Thanks five years of Spanish classes a lot of good you did me!

  

After the airport we got on a bus and arrived at our hotel by 9. Then we threw on some clothes and went straight to the church. Too sleepy for details but basically some groups evangelized, some groups painted, and after we all went and put on a VBS show at a playground. It was insane the view was something out of a movie. The kids also don't understand my Spanish and when they acknowledge ANY Spanish word I happen to say I feel great about it. Like look at this omg 

 

My head is killing me from lack of sleep and my bed is calling my name. The bed I'm sharing with Emily Booth. Check out our view 

Toodaloo for now! 

Xoxo Emily

My Return to the Land of the Llamas

It was too good to be true. Three free rows. Well, more importantly, a single free window seat for yours truly. My assigned seat was aisle seat, middle section, second to last row of a 45 row plane; not ideal for a comfortable 6 hour plane ride. With five minutes left till take off I optimistically move my pillow there so I can quickly transition to my perfect window seat (god must be happy I'm going on a mission trip!) after take off. With five minutes till take off a group of THIRTY ASIANS rush on to the plane taking my window seat and all happiness that came with it! They then proceeded to play soduko for six hours whilst me and friends watched animated movies. I don't want to talk about gpa's...

Other than that the day consisted of sweating profusely in the back of the plane and the whole bus ride to our nunnery where we stayed overnight. Lima is H-O-T. Like clothes stick to your body I can smell myself hot. But I guess it's not a mission trip or group bonding without BO. The leaders referred to this time at the nunnery as "nap time" since we got there at 2 a.m. and woke up at 4 a.m. College has trained me to run on negative sleep though so I was out before we even turned our lights off. 

You may wonder Emily, how did you write this if you fell asleep? I'm glad you asked. I'm on the airplane to cusco now but I can't tell you about it because that's for post two! Also - this is uploaded late because no wifi yet. Also - don't know if my chargers are ~compatible~ Here so posts may be scarce. 

**** sneak peak ****

Flight Details

Movies: Big Hero 6 - surprisingly SO GOOD 

Frozen - classic 

The Departed - good and has a ~ surprise ending ~ 

Food: peanuts / pretzels

Chicken dish (didn't eat it) (there were peas and carrots involved) - came with role, cheese, sub par blondie, crackers, and salad 

Box of food with crackers, spreadable cheese, juice, weird cinnamon things with orange sauce, and mixed dries fruit

Until next time,

Adios Papa