some stresses

Things have been going so well for so long it was getting boring..
hmm.. ok, that was a lie, I loved it.

Now, though, things are getting a bit tougher. I think I've got a cavity in one of my teeth and am trying to decide what to do- go to a dentist here and try to deal with the insurance stuff.. or wait for 2 months until I get home. I think I'm going to wait, and if it gets painful, I'll get to a dentist here.. that's the plan.

I've got some final papers to get working on, so that's never fun,
but the biggest problem right now is with Peru preparation. I need to get a visa, but it won't be as easy as I thought. There's a Peruvian consulate here in Madrid, so I thought it wouldn't be a problem, easier even, than going to chicago in the states. But alas, visas should be applied for in one's home country. But, one should apply for a visa 3 months ahead of time, anything under 4 weeks and they won't even take the application. and i need to turn in my flight information with the application, so I need to buy my Lima flight soon, but how can you buy a flight if you're not sure you're going to get the visa? So.. my options now are: 1) try to get the embassy here to make an exception for me 2) Try to get my visa as soon as possible back home. I'll have just 5 weeks in the states.. I hope that's long enough 3) apply to the embassy in the states through the mail - the problem with that is, I would then be in Spain without my passport, because you have to turn your actual passport into the embassy so they can stamp the visa in it. 4) Maybe look into getting an earlier flight home? argh.

Those options are also in the order of how I'm going to try to make things work. HOPEFULLY i'll be able to get it through madrid's consulate, but i don't know if they ever make exceptions to that rule... so i don't know what to expect.

Please wish me luck!