la vida loki

It's been an absolutely insane week. I don't even know where to begin. The people here are ridiculous, the work is ridiculous, everything is just out of control. I've been moved into the staff room, which may be the closest thing to a frat house I've ever lived in. In the past week I've had drinks bought for me and been told I had the best body 'of all' by patrons. I'm going to take that last one to mean that I have the best body of all the women in all the world of all time. Pretty big compliment. I mean, I don't even work out. This is easily the funnest job I've ever had.

I went whitewater rafting a few days ago with some guys who came into the bar, a Kiwi and a South African. I think they really only asked me so they could get a discount for having more people, but it was still so much fun. Such an adrenaline rush.

The last time I went whitewater rafting, I was maybe 16 or so, and I was in Colorado with my softball team. So basically I'm an expert by now.

Last Wednesday was Straya Day (Australia Day). We had an all-day celebration, with drinking games and a barbecue and all sorts of insanity. To follow that up, I tried to get everyone on the bandwagon to celebrate Kansas Day a couple of days ago, but no one was having it.

I sang 'Rehab' with a couple of the other barladies the other day. I chose the song because, well, we work in a bar, and if I were a good enough singer to have a 'wheelhouse,' Amy Winehouse songs would be in it. Also singing with us was an Argentine guy named Gonzalo. He was Pumba in the Buenos Aires company of the Lion King musical, and he was hilarious. We sat at the bar with the South African guy and the Kiwi, making origami swans. After a series of escalating dares, Gonzalo jumped up on the bar and started singing Britney Spears in a dress. Because he did this (and rocked it), Kiwi lad (aka Sammy) had to walk up and down the bar in a bikini. Good fun.

Unfortunately, I have no pictures of this because the night before, my camera had broken while I was taking pictures with the other barladies. I'm not actually sure what happened; I just know that I asked someone to hold it while I went to the bathroom, and I came back to find it broken. Thankfully, another bargirl, Jane from London, broke hers on the same night and took it to get fixed the next day. She got a great rate on it, and gave me the guy's card, so I went by today. The man looked it over and told me to come back in an hour for a quote.

While I waited, I went for a stroll to find some of the local markets. The most common souvenirs from here are things made from wool (hats, sweaters, gloves, socks, legwarmers, everything), silver jewelry, and cheesy souvenir tees. It's all pretty cheap; for instance, a sweater will set you back around $10, and a tee will cost you more like $3. So let me know if you want anything.

Anyway, I got back to the camera shop, and the guy told me he could fix it, and it would be S/60. That's $20. I jumped on that, since the last time I had a similar problem in the States, I was told to give up and just buy a new camera. When the man was finished and my camera was in proper working order, I was over the moon. "You are a genius," I told the man. "You are a man among men. A legend." He seemed unimpressed. I bet he gets that all the time.