Made. Me. LAUGHHH.

I got to sleep at Albergue every night this week! I really like that schedule (although I miss my host fam)... after dinner and chores it's pretty chill, we get to watch a movie or go to a nearby playground to play basketball. The girls are more relaxed at night and also a little bit crazy... everyone being exhausted can contribute to some quite hilariously loopy conversations and of course, mad dance parties (with loud, loud music... since I'm the only "staff" in the house in these times, and I happen to prefer it that way. Mwahaha.)

And it is just a special thing, to be there at night, too. It feels deeper somehow... some of the most profound or "real" conversations have been as I go sit on the edge of one of the girls' beds to kiss them goodnight. What a privilege to be the last one to say goodnight and God bless you and sweet dreams, to get to "tuck in" girls who maybe didn't get that at home.

Andddd... then I have my days FREE! Yayuh.

There is, however, also the stressful side of it. Going from days to nights means that I go from being the cool big-sistery person whose SOLE JOB is to hang out and do whatever with the girls, to being the medication-dispenser, chore-taskmaster, and bedtime-enforcer. This isn't BAD, but it is different and my people-pleasing self gets pretty stressed out about it. And unfortunately, the girls definitely know how to manipulate that. It's a longer story than that and it's in a good place right now, but it was frrrrustrating at points this week.

Just to illustrate the point (and because it made me laugh when I figured it out): I recently took an absolutely amazing vacation with my beautiful friend Christine Kirschner, who is a HNGR intern in Peru- HUGE blog post coming on that once I load the pics. But anyway, I noticed that our accents when we spoke Spanish were pretty different (even after accounting for the fact that her Spanish is 8 million times better than mine)... I noticed that compared to hers, my Spanish tends to have a kind of sing-song rhythm, and my syllables are really drawn out. Hm, I thought. I wonder if that's the "Cochabamba" accent.

And then I got back to work and noticed something one night...
"Hermaaaaaaaana, porque no podemos miraaaaaarrrrrr unaaa más pelííículaaaaa???" ("Why can't we just watch oonneee more movieeee???"), followed by a large pout...

Yes. My job has ensured that I have learned to speak Spanish with the cadence of an Adolescent Whine. Wonderful.

OK so anyway, something that (at least I thought) was kind of hilarious happened the other night...

The reason I'm staying there all week is because the older woman who normally works nights is on vacation. She's adorable. Super sweet, very grandmotherly, great with the girls, etc.

So I'm sleeping in her room upstairs all week, which was very nice of her to let me do. The other night I was looking for a movie to put in for the girls on her nightstand.

And I noticed, lined up against the books, five wine corks.

Hm.

Maybe they're for decoration.

Maybe she collects them?

Orrr.... maybe this sweet little old lady who pats my cheek and wears glasses on a chain around her neck... wants to yank her hair out at the end of a whole night of "No really hermana, I'm going to do my chores in just five more minutes" too...

Ahhh... it cracked me up.