Greetings from November!

I'm writing to y'all from my second week of my third month in Cusco. Yep. Two months down, two more to go. I can't believe how time has flown.

I'm lucky enough to have yet another killer schedule- 7-10 in the morning and 6-9 at night. That big break in the day is really nice. (Though, I do miss having evenings to myself- it kinda takes away from prime Skype time. Beggars can't be choosers, y'know?) I also have two more advanced classes and they're going well- I've decided to get a little more creative and so far, so good. In one class, we're reading about and discussing Scientology and in the other, we're reading David Sedaris (my fave). I get such a kick out of watching my students get a kick out of Sedaris.

I'm having a lot of fun and feeling at home, though I can't help but feel butterflies when I think of touching down at O'Hare in...wait, lemme count...55 days. Yowza! And to think that in that relatively short time I will miss the Franny Burger Bake-Off (family tradition), Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years, but that also means I get to experience some pretty memorable holidays here.

When I first got really sick was when I first felt the real pangs of homesickness and since then (as I predicted), there's been an ebb and flow. I have not felt a horrible longing to get home, but there is always a quiet anticipation. I've mentioned before that this is the longest I've ever been away from home, so y'know, I'm pretty jazzed to see everyone again. I know the next time I go abroad I'll have a little more endurance.

So,yes I'm jazzed, but I'm also nervous...nervous to come back and have to get a job, nervous to return home with the memory of the high note from which I left...nervous to feel disappointment and discontentment. BUT! This is all part of the experience and I mean, I get to come home to the greatest family and the greatest friends in the world, and that's more than enough to look forward to.

In the meantime, I have parties, holidays and a trip to Lake Titicaca to look forward to. I also intend to embrace the time I have left with the wonderful friends I've made here. Let's just hope the parasites keep their distance...!