I have a job

I had an interview last night at the Centro de Idiomas , which is the language school part of the University here. I was told to come at 8pm but the director didn't come until nearer to 9pm. She was fab. Pretty much just accepted my experience, told me that the pay was about 255 Soles for a month long class (1&1/2 hrs a day) and I could have as many as I want. She did however feel that for them since my spanish was not so good, it would be better for me to teach Intermediate level so that I would be the same level as my students.

I get to use books with AMERICAN english!!!! After 1 and a half years of teaching British english this is a great relief! Also, the books are much better organized than many of the British counterparts (although some of the newer British books are decent- I never again want to use some of the others!!)

Class begins July 4th, and since my visa runs out on July 10th, I'm going to take a little Cross-border trip to Bolivia this week. I'll be able to leave most of my stuff here which will be nice.

Shay (Israeli guy) is leaving today for Lima. All the best to him. I'll miss him.

On my part, I realized that I was actually getting bored. It's been too long without working and if you are in one place you have no direction without work. There's only so many parades that you can watch...and other than the days in bed, I've seen about 10 days worth!

The festival of Inti Raymi, the Incan sun god was pretty cool. Every year they sacrifice a llama amidst much pomp and circumstance (dancing, costumes, bellowing by the king and rainbow flag bearers running all over the ruins) this year though, no llama. They sacrificed a youth instead. Sigh. Everyone around me in the crowd didn't mind the youth, but they really wanted the llama. I don't know why the change. A german girl told me it was because they only pretended to sacrifice the llama and last year the llama got up and walked away after it had been sacrificed. grin. Don't know if it's true.

On Sickness
Officially back on REAL food!!!!!!!! I'm so happy. I can even drink a little bit of alcohol!!!!!!! (sigh of relief). I have got to say, I have never been so thrilled about pooping in my life. Face it, it's not one of the greater joys. However, after two days of EVERYTHING coming out- even when I didn't actually have anything in my body, followed by a week of NOTHING...it's good to be regular again.

Thank God for small pleasures. :-)

I got sick...full story at 11.... (quick, unedited version full of mistakes)

I'm not eating anything but soup and rice right now. I just spent two days in the hospital with salmonella. Top that off with a little bit of microbacterias too. The latter weren't up to a noticeable level and the doctor wasn't concerned, just gave me some pills. Pretty normal stuff in gringos.

Salmonella - quite a bit more serious, but all is going to be ok. I was out with my friend Miguel until very late and slowly from about 3am on I felt growing and then significantly worse pains in my stomach and intestines. I tried to ignore and then finally I just wanted to be alone (Vanderbosch's DO so HATE to be sick around other people). He took me back to my hotel and I kind ran to the bathroom, shouting "Ciao" as I fled. He was very concerned and left instructions with reception to call him if I didn't get better. I spent the next 15 hours between vomiting, diarreah, and my bed. Around 6 or 7pm I managed to stumble to reception and they called him.

Reception helped me back to my bed and then the girl waited with me until he came with a friend.

Being a Vanderbosch, I was sure that either it would pass or you know, I could go to the pharmacy for something tomorrow. He said, "NO. Hospital." I answered, "are you sure?" He just looked at me, shook his head, rolled his eyes and stopped a cab.

Half of his household came to visit me that night to make sure I was ok, did I need anything? He spent the night in the hospital with me and the next morning he and Angel (who had visited the night before and came back) talked thoroughly with the doctors about everything and although I didn't understand everything, I caught about half.

-note:Angel is the only person who speaks even a little English-

Boy am I glad that I spent half of my travel money on InsuranceŞ!!!

After about 17 hours on an IV, they secured my release and took me straight back to their home where I spent the day in bed with liquids. They nursed me for two days, with Tatoo (the household cook) making special meals for me according to the doctors orders. God bless. Miguel took the day off, and then went out and bought a DVD player and movies for me to watch.

There are 5 living in the house, all of them work for Miguel in his tattoo and piercing studio, and sort of generally in life. Suddenly I found myself with 5 nurses round the clock.

Today I went back to my hotel and sorted things out and then they took me out to lunch (chicken soup and Coca tea- it's good for digestion).

At lunch Tattoo asked me if I was going to come and live with them. Angel hit him and Tattoo turned to me and said, "Don't you like us?" Apparently the position of "Mama" in the odd family is open. :-)

It's an odd little family they've put together but they're all really dear and devoted to each other. Apparently it's another two days before I can eat anything very solid. (I wanted chocolate in the supermarket just now and Angel stepped in and said no- he's the official one with all of the Doctor's orders).

Such a weird few days. I was really lucky though. VERY lucky. Today they made me choose a few more movies (The Two Towers, X-men II, Spiderman, and something else they chose- hey, I'm watching with a bunch of guys. I couldn't very well choose The Pianist.) They were very sweet and kept asking in different stalls until they could aquire the movies in English with subtitles so that I could understand too).

I can't even say the feeling of God watching over me when the Dr came back and said I had salmonella. Alone I wouldn't have thought to go to the hospital- just the pharmacy...although by the second day it would have been tough to go the one block. As it was I could barely manage reception down the hall.

Lesson learned. Thank God and keep me in your prayers please.

The salmonella I got in Chile from the only time that I didn't eat just bread and butter with honey. My last day in Santiago I ate in a food court in a huge mall. I ordered a wrap sandwich and was disgusted to find it had all sorts of awful sauce. However, I'd just spent $3 (more than a day's worth of food) on it and I was hungry and going to be on a bus for many many hours...so I ate it. I can't say that my judgment came into it cause it was so very like an american mall. wuff.

The COLD....

As much as I hate gloves, I've been pretty happy about the alpaca ones with the missing fingertips. I can still type (I'm wearing them now) and play guitar in them but my hands are warm. It gets really cold here at night. On the bus I was grateful that I had bought another sweater (an old half toothless woman who was seeming so desperate to sell- she knocked the price down to about $3.25...I couldn't say no. She just seemed in such need. I can always give it as a present.
The second sweater was a life saver on the bus to Cusco (which arrived 3 hours late). It was so cold that I was wearing a normal shirt, with the alpaca sweater over that and my fleece over that, an alpaca hood, and the fleece hood and then the other sweater was covering my legs (also gloves and my scarf which I put in my hat as a pillow and then covered my entire face with the end of it. The cold is painful with anything less. Any part of me sticking out from under the layers experienced not cold, but pain.

You'd think that after being in winter for so much of the past 2 years, I would have more imagination about how cold cold is. Unfortunately I don't. Here it's bloody cold at night. Many nights in addition to all of the blankets on the bed, I've slept in my silk robe plus all of my sweaters and gloves and my scarf. Then I'm not too cold, just aware of the cold. Nice thing about having a roommate is that if it's too cold, you can always share blankets and body heat.

The Local Women all have blankets in their great bundles which they carry on their backs. At night they wrap the blankets around their waists as they sell their wares or walk around the street. I understand why. Grin. There is no heat anywhere and the nights are all below freezing. Of course the days are lovely and sunny and warm...

The Israeli guy is an absolute doll at 22yrs, he's like a kid in a candy store with all the pretty girls here. Our room is HUGE. We each have a good sized bed big enough for two people and we're only paying $3 a person a night, and this is right across from the Tourist police and a couple of blocks from the main square.

He's just out of the army, as are most of the Israelis here-you are required to serve 3 years in the Israeli army when you turn 18 (2 if you are female). There are so many Israelis here that people on the street will greet you in Hebrew when they want to sell something.. There are also signs everywhere in Hebrew. Went to a restaurant last night with him and I looked around and realized that I was the only non Israeli there. The waitress looked a little confused, but finally decided to give me the hebrew menu. I asked for the spanish one please. Grin. I think she was a bit thrilled that someone that spoke spanish was in the place.

Grin. He IS a doll. A bit little brother-ish and very travel smart. Of course being Israeli makes all the difference. Everyone gives them much cheaper prices for everything. Sometimes 30-50% less. Incredible. It's because there are so many of them. If you get in with the Israelis, then your business is always full. It's that simple.

Cusco is FABULOUS!!!
More to come. I intend to be here for at least 10 days, in which I will go to all of the famous ruins around Cusco. Hooked up with an Israeli guy from last nights bus, and we're sharing a room to make it more economical. Prices are all much higher now because of the upcoming festival of the Incan sun god Inti Raymi on June 24th. It's why I'm here too of course.

The city is beautiful and much cleaner than the other places I've been so far. I mean face it, I've been covered in dirt and dust for well over a week. I'm THRILLED to say that today I have slept in a bed, it's warm outside, the sun is shining, my clothes are clean and I splurged on the most wonderful breakfast today in this lovely city.

Que Vida!

I am feeling much more tranquila about Peru now. I've gotten a bit more into the groove, but it really is a different world. I'm a stranger. Somehow it doesn't seem right how everyone from more affluent countries come to gawk and take photos of everyone here. What has been for a very long time- the traditions and cultures and so much more are heavily exploited for tourists. At the same time, tourism will probably be the saving grace for the economies here. You can make so much more money off of tourists than you can with the local people. It's bread in a mouth that might otherwise be hungry.

This is such a different world.
I'm not sure that I can explain it yet. I hope that in the future I will be able to create pictures with words for you about this trip. At first Peru was intimidating. I didn't understand anything and everything seemed ruled by confusion. As such, I've made my reservations so far through agencies but the prices have been the same or less than the Lonely Planet told me to expect. Especially in Tacna- a horrid place. All the Peruvians that I talk to agree. People on the street looked at me a little too greedily. Funny though, sometimes sitting still is an answer.

For some reason, just sitting enjoying the sun and relaxing puts out a good message about you. Maybe they think that you can't be all that bad if you just sit and enjoy and joke with whomever talks to you. Maybe I seemed a less interesting target sitting down. I don't know.

In Tacna it's VERY confusing around the bus terminal. To go from the terminal to the bus was about 5 minutes by taxi- which was included in the price of my ticket and the woman from the agency accompanied me to make sure that all was ok. When we got there, there were two buses that were closed. I understood that there was a problem, and something about the time changed.

Meanwhile, all the people that wanted to be on the two buses were sitting around in the mud and squalor and there were people walking around selling breads, mandarins, popcorn, sweets, everything...this is in addition to the vendors with carts selling different colored hot liquids, and more. Packed VERY closely in with the rest were the usualy assortment of tourist kitsch- hats, sweaters, gloves, socks, mostly on carts but also all of the old women have large bundles on their backs with wares for sale- all of alpaca and all handmade. That's what they DO all day is move around convince tourists to buy their wares and knitting all the while.

I didn't understand anything and truly felt like a stranger in a strange land and was soooo grateful that the woman from the agency stayed with me the whole time. Furthermore, she was pushy and made sure that the conductor understood that I was in the special compartment on the first level of the bus. Looking in, I was again thanking God cause my compartment had three other people and only about 10 seats in total and all became beds, I had two seats to myself and we had heat- for which I was grateful. I had noticed that everyone on the bus had heavy blankets with them to protect from the sub freezing night. I did not.

When I arrived in Puno at 5am, thinking that I would have to wait in the freezing bus station til the hostels opened, I was met by Luis (independant travel agent) who has arranged everything for me in Puno for less than the Lonely Planet quoted.

I'm feeling much more comfortable with everything now. I also found this FABULOUS internet cafe with the BEST connection and very nice keyboards to type on. I will go to Cusco tonight. I will unfortunately arrive very late (2am) and don't know what awaits me. I'm sure it'll be fine.

Food is grand. Simple but very filling meals in the places where the locals eat are only 2 or 3 sols (60-90 US cents) True, they aren't fab- but certainly the best 60-90cent meals I've had in my life. Besides, that's with a meat which is something that I've been missing (protein- oh-so-necessary for me!!) A nice large bowl of soup, rice, small salad, a bit of potatoes and a serving of fish or chicken. My daily meal prayer is of thankfulness for the food and "Please don't let this make me sick. Please don't let this make me sick."

All in all this has been the most religious trip of my life. Every minute of everyday I'm aware that I'm in God's hands.

ˇQue vida!

Puno and the Floating Islands of the Uros
Yesterday morning at 5am, I arrived in Puno. I didn't get much sleep on the bus since 2am when a woman jumped up and started yelling the name of the stop for about 4 minutes. Startled everyone terribly...especially those who needed to get off. They hastily grabbed their stuff and leaped off.

Puno is located on Lake Titikaka, orginally Lake Titikala, meaning the Puma stones. The ancient peoples from the area thought that the lake was in the shape of a puma eating a rabbit. Titi means "puma" and kala means "stones". When the Spanish came they didn't understand either the Aymaran speaking peoples or the Quechas, and so they renamed the lake Titikaka (puma shit)
Lake Titikaka is the highest navigable lake in the world. You have to be careful for the first couple of days when you arrive because altitude sickness is VERY common and some people die from it. The lake is located at 3820 m above sea level.

---------
hmmm...there's a bit of a strike going on outside at this moment. all sorts of chanting and whistles being blown and yelling for justice. hmmm...peaceful though. that's good.
---------

So, 5am...I thought I would have to wait at the freezing bus station for a few hours until the hostels opened up, but there was a man there that knew a 24 hour hotel near the Plaza del Armas (usually the town center and the nicest square in town) for about $4.50 a night with a private bathroom and hot water. His name is Luis, and he's a travel agent and also had many tours. I booked the all day tour of the Uros people's floating islands and the Isla of Taquila.

The floating islands are very interesting. They are constructed entirely of reeds, as are the houses (except for the solar panels for electricity), the boats, everything except for the clothes. The Uros origonally built the islands to isolate themselves first from the Collas and the Incas and later from the Spanish. Now there are now pure blooded Uros left, as they have intermarried with the Peru-indigenous Aymara speaking peoples- although they speak spanish as well. About 300 people live on the islands that are over commercialised now, but still interesting since there really isn't anything else like them in the world. The islands are sort of soft and springy and you can see them move a bit like a water bed when a couple of people are walking around at the same time. Very cool. I went on a ride in one of the boats to another island. There are only a few families on each small island and the women sit in front of their houses with their traditional and touristy wares for sale, while wearing their traditional garb. The men are all out fishing and hunting. Every Sunday the women take boats up the coast of Lake Titikaka a ways to a town where there is a market. Here they trade fish for potatoes, fresh fruit and other things they need.

Many people ask for propinos (tips) for taking their photograph. 1Sol is enough (30 US cents), but it's a better thing to give fresh fruit or food instead (that's what our guide said). On one of the islands an old woman was grinding some grain with a great half moon shaped stone in hopes of having her picture taken. Naturally many people wanted to, and I watched as several from our group did. One didn't give her a propino and she argued with her body language and made some awful faces and (I'm sure) muttered a curse under her breath. Another guy took a picture and was trying to decide if he should pay her or no...he spoke with me, "but the guide said that it's better to give fruit or fresh food, not money." I asked if he had any fruit-he didn't- and said, "Well then...think about it. For you it's a few centimos and for her it's her liveilihood. She's old besides" He agreed and gave her the Sol which she turned over in her hands, surveying happily with a smile and put it in her pocket. I asked if I could take a photo and with a determined and serious face she resumed her grinding. I thanked her and watched her look the coin over happily and pocket it. I wish I could have gotten a picture of her smile!!

Lunch and Adventure on the Island of Taquila
It took two hours in the hot sun and cold wind to reach the Isla of Taquila. You must enter the island from the port on one side,and hike up a steep pathway of rocks about 1200 meters high. It takes about 20-30 minutes and is not recommended unless you are acclimated to the altitude. I was surprised to find myself easily winded and with my shoulders aching under my pack after the first 1/3 of the path. Determined though, I rested for a couple of moments and hurried up the rest of the way to the center of the island. There is a community restaurant and for 8 Soles (about $2.30 US) you can have a lunch of vegetable soup and either omelette or fish from the lake, as well as a cup of tea. Tea made from the Coca plant is very common in Peru- to provide extra energy.

After lunch we were allowed time to explore the island a little and then had to meet in the plaza to walk down a different road to the port on the OTHER side of the island. I stepped into a store for no longer than 4or 5 minutes since the last time I saw my guide. That was when everyone met and left. The guide didn't count at the top, just left. Back in the plaza, it only took a moment to realize that no one was around. I didn't know where the path to the port was and luckily I speak spanish. (I say this because if it had been one of the others in my group it might have been much worse). As it was, the people were shaking their heads and saying that I was much too late and should stay there. I thanked them and asked them to please tell me where to find the port just in case my boat hadn't left. They finally pointed me on my way, chuckling the whole time.

I RAN down the path (those of you who know me well know that I NEVER run). Unfortunately it lead me UP (not down) to some pre-inca ruins and then to some farms. Oy. Running straight up at this altitude was not an easy task, let alone in my sandals. The path ended. Oy. I saw a local up a ways and yelled greetings and asked for directions. Unfortunately the response was carried away on the wind. Luckily there was a woman there and she pointed the direction. I thanked her and ran on leaving them laughing. Now I could see the ocean at least and knew I was close. However, the path had split again and I was confused. I looked and saw 4 boats pulling way away into the vast lake from the island. I knew I had missed out. I had no idea how to get down there and it didn't seem to matter now anyway. I climbed down a ways and sat on a big rock and cried. I knew I would be fine, but I just...in that moment, well..I cried. I didn't want to stay the night on the island. I didn't have enough warm stuff and I just didn't want to. My stuff was in a hotel in Puno and I didn't want to pay for two nights (because I couldn't get back until the next night) in addition to paying for a night on the island or sleeping on the rocks. Besides, I would have to reclimb the whole thing to get to the other port!! Yeah. I cried.

As I was sitting there crying like a lost child, a little girl found me and with a quizzical look (in spanish) asked me what was the matter. I said I lost my way and she looked at me solemnly for a moment as I explained that I was going to the port but got lost and now I thought my boat had left without me. She didn't seem to think this was a problem. "No. I think it will be ok. There are other boats." She told me to follow and then took off like a little mountain goat. I tore after her, remembering my own girlhood racing through the woods with my little brother. She obviously knew every rock and tree on the island. I was just glad that I could keep up and keep my feet. At the top of the hill with a very direct path down to the port she left me.

I thanked her and asked her if she had ever heard of the country Nueva Zelanda. She shook her head no, and I explained how it was very far- half the world away, but that there were people there very much like her people and they had a tradition of wearing necklaces of bone in the shape of fish hooks- they believe that it brings good luck and safe travel, especially over water- for example when fishing. She took it looking at me as if I was a funny sort (I also gave her a sol) but vaguely interesting. She didn't laugh until I left her (Half of the island was laughing at me- but I didn't mind, cause I liked their faces better when they were laughing).

I tore past the few people on the island who hadn't seen the red-faced running gringa with her long red gypsy skirt tucked up into her belt on both sides (doubled up it was knee length), black shirt against white skin with breathless "Buenos tardes!" as I ran by. They all turned to watch my descent with goodnatured laughter. At the top of the lower half of the descent it was straight down. I could see my boat and I was pretty sure that they saw me...it took a long time down. They could see that I was running, but it still took a long time. I arrived just in the nick of time and collapsed in the boat in the shade breathing heavily and searching for my water. Everyone had lots of questions but laughed and agreed to wait until I could speak again.

I told the story and they were all very impressed that I ran the whole way. I should have been only a few minutes behind if I hadn´t gotten so lost. They were also impressed at how far it was from the top- they could see that I was running- the boat was leaving when someone saw me and realized I should be on the boat...they were watching my descent and kept wondering how long it would take.

I said that I was lucky- cause I was SOOOOOoooooooo happy to make the boat, and soooooo happy that I was in good enough shape to run up and down a steep 1200 meter rock and dirt path, and sooooo happy not to spend the night on the island...and they were just normal, ladi da...ok, on the boat...going back....grin.

Well, well, it HAS been quite awhile. First I'd like you to please pardon errors, I'm on an english keyboard set to type in spanish. This means that I can't see all of the keys that are going to type.

Let's see, where to begin? I lost my job about 5 weeks ago. SARS. Just not enough students. I was given four weeks notice, of which I only had to work one week. I was lost. Didn't know what to do. This was on a Thursday. By Sunday I had decided to leave New Zealand. On Tuesday I found a cheap ticket to London via two months in South America- beginning in Santiago and leaving from Buenos Aires with the option to change the date of departure. SOLD!! I was waitlisted for part of the ticket and so couldn' t purchase it until it finally cleared on Thursday. I bought 6 months of travel insurance to go with and that was that.

On that Saturday I threw a large going away party with about 30-35 people in total for the night from about 16 countries. IT WAS WILD. Mark has promised to post the photos on a page so that everyone can view them' and NO, it's not a peep show, and they were just wrestling on the bed. Sunday I was supposed to finish packing, but was unable to do much of anything beyond just staring for most of the day- as were the rest of my flatmates. It was like that old song, [Maria's Party[ about the party that you always hope to find but never do. At 4.30am when everyone was leaving, some of whom had been there since 7pm...it looked like the streets of Barcelona lined with attractive young people lying around looking half dead at 7am on a saturday morning. Stunning. I especially love the short videos I took. Hopefully I'll get a link up to all soon.

Monday morning I left with my two friends, Keith from China and Sora from Korea to the South Island. Three weeks of traveling and adventure ensued as we hiked glaciers, rainforests, mountains, took many photos and so on and so forth. The two BEST things on the whole of the south island- overnight luxury cruise at Milford Sound -we paid for the backpackers but got upgraded!!_ and the Speight's Brewery in Dunedin. I know, it's cliche, but it truly was a fabulous tour. My next dream tour is the Guiness Brewery...

4th of June I left my wonderful companions in ChristChurch, flew to Auckland and then to Santiago, Chile where I arrived 5 hours before I left. I was met at the airport by Elizabeth, a friend of a friend, who had a sign with my name on it!! How exciting!! I've always wanted to be a person on one of those signs at the airport! The first hour was a little difficult, but by the second I was doing really well. Elizabeth doesn't speak any english. She invited me back to her house for lunch and then helped me reserve a room at a guest house in Santiago. Several of the neighbors poked their heads in to ask about something else, but really wanted to know who the machilero -backpacker with the guitar was. I was introduced as being from New Zealand and that got a nice warm welcome. I also showed postcards and money and such. They were quite pleased. I was dying to take photos, but it wasn't really a good time.

Ten minutes out of my door on my second day in Chile I encountered my first protest. Apparently, students don't get discounts on bus and metro fares, so they have been protesting and shutting down the city center and intersections a few times over the last few weeks. Unfortunately, it started to rain and it broke up not long after. Or fortunately if you were one of those on the buses.

My last day in Santiago Elizabeth met me early in the day and we went to many museums and a castle and such. My favorite was the Museo de Pre-Columbian cultures. There was a guard that took a fancy to me and followed me around giving me in depth explinations of everything. Invited me out that night before I left, but I had to decline. Also, it was a bit of a spanish overload. I'm amazed at the rapidity that I'm picking things up..but sometimes it's too many new words and too much of an overload. Elizabeth and I left quickly out the side door without saying goodbye.

Spent the night on a bus and arrived the next night in Calama' not much there. Adobe buildings, brightly colored and flaking. Beautiful town center. Basically I was just there to get to San Pedro and Valle de la Luna'- a mystical place in the desert. I also visited Valle de Muerte and a few other places in the desert. Valle de Luna at sunset is the big thing and I had to climb the world's largest sand dune to get there - ok. maybe not, but it FELT like the world's largest!! The best part was coming down. I stripped off my shoes, rolled up my pants and every step my naked feet plunged up to my shins in cold sand. felt FABULOUS.

Back in town, completely parched, sat on the dusty streets playing guitar until my bus left. Got on the bus with the other now brown travelers, spent the night on the bus to Arica, the northernmost city in Chile and from there crossed into Peru. Arrived this morning covered in dirt and dust. my hands are covered in ink from an exploded pen, my nails...well, glad my mother isn't here to see them! grin

having a good time. don't have enough money. doing a lot of praying. also a lot of sleeping on buses and the occasional busking. Id like to do a little more showering..but hey. you take it where you can. besides, it's winter and the showers are cold anyway.
still, after a few days hiking in the deserts...wouldn't mind a rinse.

Tonight I go to Puno to see the manmade floating islands of the Uros. Originally they built the islands to isolate themselves from the Incas. Now there are no pure Uros left, as they have intermarried, but the tradition continues. A bit touristy now, but it's unique in the world and therefore worth a look. Afterwards I'll either voy a Cusco for a week and a half of exploring Inca ruins, or on to Lima and then to Cusco. I want to make the Incan festival of the sun god, Inti Raymi on June 24th, but given the state of emergency in the country and the travel advisory in effect, I don't know exactly what I will do. Although the country is in a state of emergency, the violence has died down. It might be better to travel with a native and a male right now instead of my usual solo ventures.

My friend Inti is supposed to be in Lima and has invited me to stay with him and his family and to do Cusco and Machu Pichu with me, but I don't know when he arrives, or if he has already. I'll just have to wait and see.

I will try to update as I can. Peace be with all of you and pray that it goes well with me too!