Blowin´ through the Jasmine in My Mind

It´s strike season, according to the locals. This means that not only the professors at UNSA are striking but also the administration! Which means we couldn´t get through the gate today. So, we vamos-ed to Lucy´s house.

She has a beautiful complex with a huge, fenced-in backyard, bordered by countless types of flowers. I was so happy when we had our Spanish class outside because being in the sun always lifts my spirits. While practicing the subjunctive and imparative modes, I gazed at the fruit trees, lillies and her pet monkey fighting with her Dachshund and just smiled. (Yes, she has a baby monkey named Toto and an adorable dog named Mushi. She also has a tortoise, but I swear it´s the spawn of Satan! It´ll bite your toes off, and it´s FAST! See FB for pics.)

Today´s weather was perfect for class outside but weird for Arequipa. I woke up to a partly cloudy sky. That´s already strange. But the longer I´m here and the closer we move to summer, the more clouds we´re having. My first month here, a cloud caused people to gawk and point at the sky. Today was gorgeous with a steady, cool breeze and a hot sun. As the day progressed though, the cloud cover grew until, at 4 in my taxi, it was overcast. It´s the 2nd completely cloudy sky I´ve seen here.

And then, joy of joys, it started to rain! As I walked from my taxi a block to my apartment complex, I felt something wet hit my face. I stopped in the middle of the deserted road and just held my arms out and lifted my face to the sky. Honestly, it was just a sprinkle, but it was still RAIN!

When I got in my room, I decided to make the wise life decision and take a nap. The room was gray, the breeze was blowing my sheer window curtain around and my bed looked SO comfy. When I woke up, this song was in my head. It´s not summer yet, but the mood of this song goes along perfectly with my day and how I´m feeling.

Read, listen, enjoy! (PS - Dad, I know you want to say SOMETHING about the chasms in my mind!) :)



Summer Breeze

See the curtains hangin' in the window
In the evening on a Friday night
A little light-a-shinin' through the window
Let´s me know everything's all right

Summer breeze makes me feel fine
Blowin' through the jasmine in my mind
Summer breeze makes me feel fine
Blowin' though the jasmine in my mind

See the paper layin' on the sidewalk
A little music from the house next door
So I walk on up to the doorstep
Through the screen and across the floor

Sweet days of summer -- the jasmine's in bloom
July is dressed up and playing her tune
And I come home from a hard day’s work
And you're waitin' there
Without a care in the world

See the smile awaitin' in the kitchen
Through cookin' and the plates for two
Feel the arms that reach out to hold me
In the evening when the day is through