Bargaining

Isabel's dual-language kindergarden teacher would be proud! Not only has she been practicing Spanish with everyone she meets, but she has become a professional "luchador de precios" (bargain shopper). She usually ends up paying about half of the asking price for the trinkets, key chains and little purses that she wants to buy (in the picture above she just down right charmed her way to a free hair clip from that lovely store owner!). She has taken to carrying her own money and feels very independent when she has the opportunity to purchase something with it. Today she walked up to a street vendor and bought a bottle of seltzer water for her grandmother and "surprised" her her with it.

The best story was the taxi ride home after church today. The taxi driver started at 6 soles (aproximately $2). By the time Isa was done she had a ride for 4 soles. She was with her grandparents. She had given the taxi driver the address and had discussed the weather, where she was from, and everything else under the sun.

If you know my daughter, you know that she would not be happy if she couldn't be social. She will not allow the language barrier to slow her down.


Tonight our lawyer travels back to Lia's birth city to pick up her new birth certificate. When he returns we will begin the process of getting her new Peruvian passport and U.S. visa. Sounds pretty simple, right?

Wrong.

Before the U.S. Embassy will grant her the visa, she has to have one more physical with a U.S. approved doctor. There are only three such doctors in Lima, a city of over 8 million people. We might have to wait awhile for that appointment.

Please pray that we will be able to return home by the 17th. Otherwise we will have to move for the fourth time since coming to Peru. Not a big deal, but a hassle none-the-less. We have enjoyed Peru, and are not ready to trade the weather for the rumors of more snow in Chicago, but we will be ready to return home in two more weeks.

Thank you.

mbp