Some micro business

I feel bad for you guys when nothing exciting happens in the day.  So I always try to think of the most 'exciting' things to tell you, so here comes the 'excitement' for the day...

I had ballet today!  I never know what to tell you about ballet..I feel like as long as I don't fall on my butt or something than there's nothing to ever say about it except for I really love it and my instructor is crazy good.  I also started reading one of my books for my Ethnography class.  Of course I decided to start reading the English one first.  So far it's good, even though I'm still in the Introduction.  It's about the people living in the Bajo Urubamba and how they refer to themselves as having 'mixed blood.'  So far, I feel like several of my classes overlap with their material, which is a good thing, that's what classes are supposed to do, right?  Moving on...  In my Cine class, we watched Erin Brockovich!  I absolutely love that movie so I was really excited to see it.  Plus, since I've seen it so many times, I know what happens, so I was able to focus more on the subtitles and learn new words.  To be honest, I was kind of scared at first to watch it, I was hoping that I didn't have another laughing attack because of the simple fact that noone else was laughing, but luckily the Peruvian students understood the sarcasm and jokes of Julia Roberts.  If you haven't seen this movie it really is a GOOD movie and you should.  Plus, it's based on a true story.  :)

Okay, here's the semi-exciting part of the day.. After class, I bought a snickers from a street vendor right outside of the university.  I stood waiting at the bus stop for one of two micro lines that I take everyday and finally the number 26 came.  I sat down and, once we were down the street,  the cobrador asked for the money.  I kindly showed him my Student ID (because we only have to pay 1 sol when we have it) and I handed him the coin.  He then proceeded to ask where I was going and again I politely answered "Larco."  And then this is where I was no longer polite..(I mean I didn't yell, I guess I was still nice, but yea...)  He told me I owed him 20 more centimos.  Well I haven't paid S/.1.20 since I've gotten my Student ID, so I said, "No, with this (holding my card) it's only 1 sol.  I take this micro everyday and it's always 1 sol."  He then pointed at a sign that had all the different rates on it (one of which says University-1 sol) and wouldn't change his mind on the price.  So what do I do?  I say, "I'm getting off then" and he gives me my sol back and I get off.  I'm really becoming frugal here..I mean come on...I got off the micro because of 7 U.S. cents.  And mind you, I had just bought a Snickers for 3 soles ($1.10)!!! :)  But, hey 7 cents adds up, I could eventually buy another Snickers with those saved centimos!  But, anyway, I continued to walk to the next paradero and got on the next bus that came and guess how much I paid...yep, 1 sol!  It was worth the switch, too, and I'll tell you why...

You know those times when you're sitting on a micro, just thinking about how much you want to be home, and you see a really fast micro pass you and you think to yourself, "Man, I wish I was on that micro"?  Well, that was my micro tonight!!  I'm not quite sure where my driver was heading, but he definitely was driving like he had somewhere to be.  He was cruising and I'm positive that we passed the micro that I got off of and I laughed at it as we flew by it.  :)  Needless to say, I would probably choose to get off a micro again before paying the extra 20 centimos (7 cents).  Buenas noches!

Oh wait, one last interesting thing...there's a strike going on at Polvos Azules (the black market).  Although some of you won't understand the Spanish, check out the video:  http://www.rpp.com.pe/2011-09-12-comerciantes-atrincherados-en-polvos-azules-lanzan-bombas-molotov-noticia_402937.html  It's funny, Tonisha and I wanted to go there this Friday...guess not.  Also, Mistura, last night, was literally right next to Polvos Azules..crazy!