Adios Arequipa!

Yesterday was a sad day: my last day at school. We did a despedida at school which is where all the kids make cards for you and then the classes stand in front of you and sing you songs. It was really sweet and funny and sad, I have to admit that I cried just a teeny bit! I was also presented with a really nice plaque saying thank you from the teachers which was really generous although it's going to be a lot of effort to lug around.
Then last night I had my final barbecue, as a leaving present I received a very cut llama (to add to my quite substantial collection of llama related objects!) I also had to start packing which is proving to be quite a feat, despite the fact that I am leaving some stuff behind. I will keep pushing though and hopefully it'll all squeeze in!
I've really really enjoyed my time here in Arequipa and I'm finding it strange that I'm not going home now because it feels like the end of a holiday when in fact I am only halfway through my entire trip! I'm going to miss knowing the city, my host family, the kids and the all the other volunteers. But it's okay...I'm moving on to other exciting experiences. I leave for Cusco tomorrow night where I'm going to stay for ten days and then I fly up to Quito in Ecuador where I'm meeting my next GVI project: the Amazon Rainforest Expedition. So far I am approaching it with a mixture of excitement and apprehension. The apprehension is mostly due to the fact that I know that it's going to be ridiculously humid, there will be a lot of bugs and I have a sneaky feeling the showers are going to be cold. It will definately be an experience though!
So it's a sad farewell to Arequipa...for now!