Day 4

My last post was from yesterday morning it just didn't post until now for some reason. Yesterday was my busiest day yet. After breakfast when I went down to the salon, one of the ladies who work there gave me a manicure (my first ever too). After that, I left with mi abuelita to go to the bank. We walked a long ways but I like walking down the sidewalks because everywhere you go there are hundreds of street venders selling various things. On the way to the bank, mi abuelita bought some maíz dulce (that's how she explained it to me) for me to try. It was really good. It had a similar consistency to popcorn but it was sweet. Around 1 we returned to our house to have lunch (we eat lunch at 1 everyday since that's when school gets out). Next I went with mi papá to take Nico to tennis and when we got home he gave me a map of Sucre so I could find my way around. I went out on my own (I know I'm such a big girl!) to get my chocolate fix for the day and I found an elderly lady selling some chocolate about 2 blocks from my house. What a deal! I got two big chocolate bars because she said they were her two best kinds. One is called Crocante and the other is called Ao Leite. I'll have plenty to last me for a week! Then I walked back home (there are tons of hills since Sucre is in the mountains) and went with mi mamá to pick Nico up. On they way home we stopped for ice cream and then we stopped at one of the shoe stores that mi mamá owns. While she was busy doing some stuff, Nico and I played tons of games of tic-tac-toe. Once we got to the house we dropped off Nico and picked up mi abuelita to take her to the airport. At the airport there was a chocolate store called Chocolates para Ti and mi mamá bought some chocolate for us three. The chocolate there was really good and super cheap! A truffle that costs $2 in the US only costs 1-3 bolivianos here (14-42 cents). When we got home, some of the ladies in the salon did my hair. Then I sat around showing them the pictures I brought for my presentation, letting them look through all the pictures on my phone, showing them the bracelets I made on the way here, and talking to them in my choppy Español for three hours. They absolutely loved every second of it and so did I! They told me to come down there and talk to them when I feel homesick, have questions, am bored, or just want to talk. (: Then around 7, we left to go to my other grandpas house (Mauricio's dad) to celebrate his birthday. I met all my relatives (I think) from that side of the family. I especially liked 19-year-old Andrea and 5-year-old Rachel. Andrea speaks a little English and she is super friendly. She started talking to me right away and sometime soon we're gonna hang out so she can show me around Sucre a little more. Rachel is sooo adorable. At first she was shy but once I started talking to her she latched on to me. Lastly, we came back home and I spent the night playing soccer on the PS2 with Nico. I have my first Rotary meeting tonight and I'm super excited. I've already met my counselor and my youth exchange officer. They're very friendly. Gradually I'm getting used to greeting people with a kiss on the cheek and my Spanish is quickly improving. Every time someone says something I understand more and more of it and every time I speak I have to think bout it less. Bolivia is amazing!