With Love From Mexico.

Okay, it is currently 11.20am, I've worked up a sweat approximately four times, and our air-conditioner is on its highest setting. Oh, heat waves. 
I've been feeling really sorry for my rabbit, Gizmo, but the thing is, he doesn't like being indoors. He gets all antsy and freaked out, and he lasts about ten minutes before he wants to be let back out. So, since it's already close to 40℃, I've resorted to pouring buckets of cold water on him. Initially he wasn't a fan, but I think he's starting to enjoy it. The result is incredibly cute. I shall post a picture, if he will ever hold still. 

So I told you I'd come back and fill you in on the other more exciting things that were keeping me from blogging. I'll start with the most exciting- meeting my penpal of three years.

Okay, so in early 2010, I decided- for some reason- that I might like to find myself a penpal. Now mind you, I already had a penpal- my cousin in Sri-Lanka- but at some point, one of us stopped writing and I guess I just forgot about him (I really hope he's not reading this*). Anyway, I made myself a profile on interpals.net and waited. Occassionally I would search for people myself, but a lot of the time, people either didn't reply to my messages, or when they did, they were just incredibly douchey/rude/lame/hard to understand. In October, I stumbled across the profile of 'Klesker'. He was Mexican, and one year older than me. We had similar interests, and he did seem awfully friendly. So I messaged him. He messaged back. We talked. We added each other on Facebook. We talked a little more. We added each other on Skype. We talked a bit there too. We sent letters and presents, we made each other CD's and keepsakes. By 2012, I confidently called this Mexican boy whom I'd never really met, my best friend. 
Regardless of time differences, and the fact that the two of us were leading completely different lives in completely different hemispheres of the globe, we managed to make the friendship work. I'd text him in class, and we'd Skype just before I went to bed and he left for school. He'd send me pictures from his travels, and I'd send him pictures of.. well- Melbourne. Despite the enormous distance, he was often closer to me than some of my friends just around the corner. 

So that's the back story- I met this kid online and we became the best of friends. How lovely, right? 

But get this.

In December, he spent a day and a half travelling- spent Christmas all by himself on a plane over the sea- to come and surprise me, here in Melbourne, in my house, on Christmas Day. Just let that sink in for one second. It still hasn't sunk in for me. 

So apparently his plane landed at about 9.30pm, and he was at my doorstep by about 11.30pm. Now, with it being Christmas Day and all, I was mighty exhausted and in bed and asleep by about 10pm. An hour and a half later, I was awoken to my sister- and my Mexican penpal- standing in my bedroom. 
I can't even put into words the bizarre mix of emotions I had going once I realised he was really there. The guy who usually existed on my laptop screen was now sitting next to me, on my bed, in my room, perfectly three-dimensional and real. 

He told me he was only staying for a week, before heading off to Sydney, then New Zealand, then China and then finally back to Mexico; in between pinching myself to make sure I really wasn't dreaming, I had to think of ways to fit the very best of Melbourne into six very short days. Pictures are coming.

Spending a week with my Mexican penpal was such an incredible experience. Aside from it being the nicest thing that anyone has ever done for me- ever- I realised, in retrospect, that it was an experience that helped shape me, too. So, amigo, if you're reading this, I hope you enjoyed Australia and I hope you enjoyed finally meeting me.

Time to go stand outside and spray myself down with the garden hose.

I'll be back tonight.

X.



*- I still love you, cus!