Colca Canyon

Just got back from Colca Canyon this morning. It was an interesting/disappointing trip. We left Thursday night and took a 10 hour bus ride to Arequipa, the second biggest city in Peru. The bus was really nice-it had to be for a 10 hour ride! We arrived in Arequipa the next day and basically spent the day exploring the city. Arequipa had a much more urban feel then Cusco and a more European feel. It was really nice and beautiful. I took my first ride in a Peruvian bus-they are like these little rumbling vans and you hop on and everyone is standing up and they are really crowded. It was very rocky and probably not very safe, but a good experience. On Saturday morning we met up with our tour  group and drove 3 hours to Chivay. Along the way we stopped to look at llamas and snow. We stopped to look at snow! When the tour guide said we were getting out to look at it Heather and I just started laughing. We got to Chivay in the afternoon and basically just spent the afternoon doing nothing. For most of our meals we went to the grocery store and got picnic lunches. We did this because after being here for 3 months, Heather is pretty broke. I didn't really mind because it saved me money too. On Sunday we woke up pretty early and set off for Colca Canyon. The Canyon was beautiful and we got to see the flight of the condors which was pretty cool. We then headed back to Arequipa. The bus ride back was not so good. Heather and I both got sick and I threw up 3 times:( Throwing up and being sick sucks, but it especially sucks when your on a bus for 10 hours.
Overall the trip was definitely an adventure, just not worth $250. We realized we should have really done the Colca Canyon trek(hiking) which we would have enjoyed a lot more. Our house mother helped set up the trip for us and we really should have planned it on our own. We did however meet some interesting people. For instance this little old lady helped us find our way back from to the main plaza in Arequipa. Were pretty sure its a miss-communication, or she might have been crazy, but she told us she has a blue dog with feathers. We would not have found our way back to the plaza without her help, so we are grateful for that. Then there was the energetic waiter that we met for the one dinner we went out for. He basically invited himself to go dancing with us and tried to convince us to order the most expensive meal on the menu. Then there was the Dutch couple from our tour group who bought us drinks and the Canadian guy who we met in a little coffee shop.  It was interesting talking to both of them about their country's and about their experiences in Peru so far. The whole trip made is realize how much we love Cusco.
Today, Heather and I were sick and slept the whole morning. This afternoon we watched some movies and relaxed. Tonight we are having a little dinner for one of our other housemates birthday. We all made food from our countries. It just sucks because Heather and I probably wont be able to eat much since we are still a little sick. We made banana pudding-hopefully the others wont get sick!! I was sad that I had to miss going to the orphanage today-especially since I only have 3 more days with the girls:( Its hard to believe that I only have 4 days left in Peru(and one of them I will be spending most of the time at the airport).These last couple weeks have gone by so fast, and I cant believe Ive been here for almost 4 months.  I feel like there is still so much I want to do in Peru before I leave. I still want to improve my Spanish, and I want to spend more time with the girls at the orphanage. But I know that going home will be bitter sweet- I start preseason right away and I'm excited to see all of my family and friends. I'm also excited for the last three weeks of summer and to start senior year. I will however miss Peru a lot! I really do love it here, and I'm so glad I got to come and have this amazing experience. I decided that I want to backpack through South America doing volunteer work in each place I visit. I want to go to Argentina (Ive been told I look a little Argentinean!!), Chile, Ecuador, and Brazil!
I really want to just enjoy my last few days in Peru, so hopefully I will feel all better tomorrow. I will try to post one more time before I head back to the States!

Great Week- now off to Colca Canyon!

The last couple of days at the orphanage have been great. Especially teaching karate to the girls because they are so excited about it. We have been continuing to practice the basic kicks, blocks, and punches and on Wednesday we did some easy techniques. I showed them choke hold from behind, bear hung from behind, and crossing talon. Some of them have had some karate in the past and even showed me a technique they all ready new. It was for when someone grabs your hair. Besides practicing a lot of karate we have been playing a lot of volleyball and cards. And on Tuesday I brought nail polish and we all spent a while painting our nails. The girls were so funny because they would paint their nails and it would look nice, and then they would take it off because they wanted to paint them again. By this time their nails just looked messy and gross aha. When they were done painting their nails they all sang a thank you song for bringing the nail polish. It was so cute and they have really beautiful voices!! I really feel like I'm connecting great with the girls now and they all seem to really love me. They always want me to practice more karate or volleyball with them. I feel like I'm really making an influence in their lives and giving them a lot of love which they need.

Spanish classes continue to go well. On Tuesday morning Walter and I walked around Cusco for a while and then went to the Chocolate Museum. I learned how chocolate is made and about the different parts of the tree.And I got to try  a few pieces of chocolate along with chocolate tea.
I really like the new girls that are staying with us. They are really nice and a lot of fun!! The other three new volunteers that live in a house nearby are also really nice. They go to Spanish school at the same time as me so we take a taxi together.
Tuesday was a really fun night. Ellen (girl from UK), Jade (from Paris), Heather, Sean (a volunteer who was with abroader view but now is with a different volunteer program-and lives near us), and I went to a restaurant for quiz night. The restaurant was really cool because it was kid themed and a charity. The guy who owns in runs school programs for local kids. The money from the games went to the charity. First we played bingo, and then trivia game. There was trivia from different categories like history, art, sports, music, etc.. Some were really hard and some questions really easy. An example of a hard one is what women holds the world pole vault record. And easier one was what year did the 2nd Iraq War start and who was Brad Pitt's first wife. Anyways it was a really fun night! Wednesday night Ellen and I went to the Plaza de Armas for some shopping and dessert. We then came back towatch a movie which I fell asleep during.
Heather and I are off to Colca Canyon for the weekend. We will be gone for 4 nights, 2 of which are on a 10 hour bus ride. Will update when I get back and tell all about Colca Canyon- the deepest canyon in the world!

Machu Picchu!!!

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, I have been very busy! The end of last week was nice-Spanish lessons were good and so was my work at the orphanage. The girls love love love playing cards and we did that some more. Thursday was kind of an odd day because it was visiting day for the girls families. As far as I know, a lot of the girls at the orphanage were abused when they were younger and that is part of the reason they are at the orphanage. Family members are allowed to visit them on these days. On Friday the girls had to do their laundry and I helped them with that for a while. They do it the old-fashioned way- they clean and scrub their clothes in buckets of water and then hang then out to dry. Last week I also joined a gym!! I joined with Maria Elena my housemother and Heather my roommate. Heather and I were the only gringos(white people) there and it was a little awkward at first. But we got a personal trainer who showed us how to use of the machines. And guess who else was there working out at the same time as us? The Cusco mens soccer team! So we worked out with the Cusco soccer team. How cool is that?! I also took a spin class and it was awesome. Its such a great workout and a lot of fun. I want to do it when I get back to the states. On Thursday night Madison, Heather, and I had a movie night and ate desserts while watching The Notebook. Friday was Madison's last night so we went out around Plaza de Armas.
Saturday morning I left for Machu Picchu. I went with three other volunteers- Jamie and Savannah two sisters and a guy named Dan. We planned our trip through a travel agency who took care of the transportation, hostel stay, and tickets to MP.  We took an hour and half taxi ride to the train station. Then we had an hour and a half train ride. The train ride was really beautiful and it was a pleasant ride. We sat across from a few guys from Argentina and became friends with them. That is one of the things I'm really enjoying about this trip- meeting so may new people from all over the world. I have met cool people from Chile, Argentina, Australia,etc... And of course a lot of awesome local people! When we arrived in Aguas Calientes(the town closest to MP) we went to our hostel to put away our stuff. The hostel was actually decent- we had our own bathroom and they gave us breakfast. We then went out and explored the town and got lunch. The food was on the pricey side, and it wasn't even that good. I actually really liked Aguas Calientes. A lot of people said they really hate it, but I thought it was nice. I wouldn't want to spend more then a few days there tho. In the afternoon we went to the hot springs. They were really dirty but I'm still glad we went. It was a good experience and  kind of relaxing. On Sunday morning we woke up at 5:30 and took a 30 min bus ride to MP from the town. I was amazed by the surrounding mountains they were so beautiful. MP is really cool because its tropical. So there were so many awesome plants and it was a lot warmer(I could wear shorts!). But I was even more amazed when I saw MP itself. It's like nothing I have ever seen before. Pictures do not do it justice. If you get a chance to go, it is so worth it. We got a two hour tour of MP and I learned a lot about the Inca culture. We also had some free time to explore and I petted a lama and got a picture with one:) After the tour we went hiking. Jamie and Savannah had tickets to hike Wayni Picchu the famous hiking mountain in MP... but Dan and I weren't able to get tickets in time so we hiked Machu Picchu mountain instead. This is a harder hike then Wayni Picchu and takes more time. It is supposed to take two hours up and two hours down, but we did it a lot faster. We did it in an hour and 20 min up and 45 is min down.  It was a hard hike because the path went straight up. The views were amazing and I felt very accomplished when I made it to the top. After MP we went back to town to get dinner and then took the train and a bus back to Cusco. It was such a fun weekend and MP was amazing.

Today I had a ton of fun at the orphanage. We played a lot of volleyball and I taught the girls how to spike the ball. They then set me and I got to practice my hitting too which was nice. They were all very impressed with it aha. After volleyball I taught them karate. There were about 20 girls this time, and some of them were knew so we reviewed some basic kicks, punches, and blocks. Then we did some safety. I talked about using eyes-eyes-eyes, palm-palm-palm, kick-kick-kick. And then they practiced on the pad. It is very challenging teaching them karate because of the language barrier. I often don't know how to correct them because I don't know how to say it in Spanish. But I figure as long as they are getting the basics thats all that really matters. I took some videos and pictures today and will try to upload them. Here is the link to the videos:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8_VUVgOpdn-NJueN85XeYA

I'm having such an amazing time in Peru. I love it here so much, and I'm not going to want to go home. A few more volunteers arrived this weekend which is nice. Two girls, one from Paris and the other from the UK are staying in the same house as me. They are both  in their early twenties and really nice. I think it will be nice to have them because its more people to hang out with and go out with. There are also three other volunteers staying in a house nearby. They go to the same Spanish school as me, but have a different teacher. Hopefully we will be able to take a taxi together. Tomorrow Walter(my Spanish teacher) and I will go to the Chocolate Museum because Marion will not be there. I'm really excited to learn about how the chocolate here is made and of course to sample some Peruvian chocolate.  This Thursday night Heather and I will leave for Colca Canyon!! I'm really excited for this trip, its going to be awesome!

A great day!

Everything continues to be good. I'm having a great time and really starting to fall in love with Cusco and Peru in general.Cusco really is beautiful.  Spanish lessons are good, but very long. Four hours is just to long to be sitting in a class room learning Spanish. At least today, my teacher Walter took Marion and I to a little free art museum sponsored by Banco de la Nacion. It has local works of art such as prints, painting, and sculptures. It was really cool and I'm really glad he took us.  Otherwise we are just reviewing grammar. I think at this point I really just need to practice talking and expand my vocabulary.
Yesterday when I arrived at the orphanage the girls were playing jenga. They then did this coloring project for a while. They are all really good artists. After that I taught them how to play go-fish! It was hard to explain in Spanish, but I was able to and the girls loved it. I felt like I was really able to connect with them a lot more while we played. Today when I arrived at the orphanage they were playing go fish again. I guess they really enjoyed it! We played for a little, and then some of the girls asked if we could practice karate. I was so happy they wanted to! I took a few girls to the side and we reviewed some of the stuff we learned last time. We did front, side, and roundhouse kicks. And then all of the blocks and some punches. The girls practiced in the air and on the pad. They loved it!! It is challenging to teach them because I don't know how to say some of the stuff in Spanish. For instance I had trouble correcting their roundhouse kicks because I didn't know how to tell them to turn more. After that I showed them front-round. One of the girls is really getting the hang of karate-I think she will end up being really good.  All the girls seemed to really enjoy it and they want to practice more tomorrow. I got a video of them, and will try to post it on the Pinkarate facebook page later. After practicing karate I played volleyball with one of the girls. This was really fun and a great chance to practice volleyball while in Peru. The girls are decent at volleyball and we peppered for a while. After volunteering at the orphanage I met up with my friend Marion from Spanish class. We went to some of the places on the Boleto Turistico Del Cusco pass. We visited the Museo Municipal de Arte Contemporaneo which was actually very disappointing. There were a few galleries of paintings and then they had a furniture display.  The furniture was really nice, just not my thing. Then we took a nice long walk to the Monumento Pachacuteq which is a big statue. We climbed to the top and got a nice view of Cusco. After that we went to the Centro Qosqo de Arte Nativo and saw a live performance of traditional Peruvian music and dancing. It was very interesting. I also finally got a chance to stop at a Peruvian supermarket where I picked up some snacks. I got these really good chips called Inca Chips that were basically like vegetable chips. Peru has so many interesting little snacks that I want to try! Tonight my host mother Maria Elena is having a  party. The food should be very good, but I feel like it will be awkward for me because I don't know anyone and my Spanish is not great. But we shall see. Overall today has probably been one of my favorite days. I felt like I really connected with the girls and am making a difference in their lives.  I also really had fun visiting the different site with Marion. And I had a good lunch-fried eggplant, rice, and beet salad!

So here are some more culture aspects of Peru that I noticed but forgot to mention earlier. There are dogs wondering all over Cusco. Tons of them. Everywhere you look. The other day one even wondered into a restaurant and no one cared. So different from the states. I think I mentioned about the cars- how they will run you over if your not careful. When your walking on a busy street, the air is a little polluted with the smell of gas. There are tons of street vendors. A lot of them sell Inca Kola, bottled water, coke, and lots of Peruvian snacks. Then there are people selling street food like baked goods, popcorn, and nuts. And  there are people selling fruit.
In Peru when you greet someone or say good bye you give them a little kiss on the cheek. This is how the girls greet me when I arrive at the orphanage.

One Week Mark

So I've been in Peru for about a week now. It's hard to believe that last week at this time it was my birthday  and I was getting ready to leave for this adventure.
I'm really enjoying Peru so far. Everything is very different, and it is definitely very challenging being here on my own.  But it is such a great experience and I  know that I'm already growing from it.
This weekend was great. Yesterday I met up with some new volunteers and went on a tour of Cusco. We got a tour of the main Cathedral in the Plaza de Armas. It is absolutely beautiful!  We also went into the Convento De Santo Domingo. Then we visited four archaeological sites- Sacsayhuaman, O'engo, Puca Pucara, and Tambomachay. We got to walk on a little of the Inca trail and I learned so much about Inca culture. I bought a 10 day Cusco pass that gets me into all these  archaeological sites and museums.  I wont be able  to make it to all the ruins that I would like to see, but I really hope to make it to some of the museums this week. Today Heather, Madison, and I took a bus to Pisac. It was a beautiful ride through the mountains. I also got to see more of Peru's poverty in the little towns that we passed along the way. The bus was kinda sketchy- there were many locals on them and some of them had animals wrapped with them aha. But we made it there and back safely. In Pisac we visited the big outdoor market. There were so many beautiful things and I wanted to buy all of it. I ended up buying a really nice alpaca blanket and scarf. After visiting the market we walked around Pisac a little more and I was able to get a nice feel for the town. Everything is just so different here. The streets are dusty and cars will run you over if your not careful. You cant flush toilet paper down the toilet....you have to put it in a little trash can. I'm still getting used to that and sometimes I forget. whoops.
Anyways, after walking around Pisac we got a little bite to eat at this roof top cafe. It was so pleasant sitting up there with the rooftops and mountains in the background. The food has been pretty good so far. Last night I had an amazing piece of Tres Leches cake. It was unbelievable. I plan on trying to make it when I get back! For lunch today our cook made a nice soup and rice, egg, and fried banana for me. So far it hasnt been bard being a vegetarian, but I have to be careful. Another Peruvian thing I tried is Inca Kola. Its like a bubble gum flavored soda. I'll try to bring some back, along with other little Peruvian snacks!

This week I have Spanish lessons again in the morning and work at the orphanage in the afternoon. I'm excited to continue to improve my Spanish and to see the girls again. I also can't wait to teach them more karate! Also talking with some of the other volunteers here has given so many ideas for volunteer projects back home. I'm so glad that I have to chance to volunteer in a third world country, but there are also so many people back home that need help, and I want to be there to help. My brain is flowing with community service ideas right now. Not sure what my plans will be at night this week. I hope to visit some more sites around Cusco and I think we are going to have a picnic, watch some more movies, and go out and explore town more. I also made my plans for Machu Picchu next weekend. I'm going with the new volunteers that I met yesterday. Will tell you more about the trek plans later.

Update!

The quinceanera last night was so much fun! In the afternoon I  headed to the orphanage to help them set up. We blew up so many balloons and all the decorations looked awesome. Then I went back to my house to get ready for the party with Heather and Madison. We all wore dresses and did our hair and stuff and it was actually really nice to dress up again. The girls all looked gorgeous in their dresses and with their hair done up. We danced for a while(I forget how tiring dancing can be...especially in this altitude) and then we all sat down and they introduced the girls whose quinceanera we were celebrating. There was lots of food that the girls had made and they served all the volunteers and adults a drink called pisco. Pisco is a very sour cocktail drink. Im glad I got to  try it, but I don't think I would go for it again. I took lots of pictures of the girls so you will be able to see them all dressed up. They also love pictures and kept on wanting to take more and see them.
I had never been to a quinceanera before, so I'm really glad I got to experience it! After the party, Heather, Madison, Sabrina, and I went out for Sabrina's last night. We went to a relatively fancy restaurant and I got this delicious Andean cheese, apple, onion, and pecan sandwich.  It cost about 21 soles which is only about $8 American dollars...not bad for a nice meal. After that we did some dancing( I'm still trying to learn how to salsa!!) and ended up getting back pretty late. I now have a sore throat...I think from the extreme temperature changes. It is freezing outside here at night!

Also here is just some more information about my basic day here. I usually wake up at 7:15 and shower. Then I go grab breakfast which is just some bread, tea, and sometimes fruit. I then take a taxi to my Spanish school. I have to take the taxi myself, which kind of sucks but Ive gotten used to it. They cost about 3 or 4 soles which is about $1.50. Its not that expensive, its just that it adds up quickly. I have Spanish lessons for 4 hours. It is a tiny school on the third floor of a dentist office. There is the school director who only speaks Spanish and then my teacher Walter. He speaks a little English, but we mostly converse in Spanish. There is one other girl in the class named Marion. She is from Switzerland and I think she is 21. She is in Peru just to study Spanish and do some traveling. We may end up doing some day trips together. She will be here the next two weeks. So in our lessons we normally just review tenses and grammar. Then half way through we get a little tea break. And then we normally walk around Cusco a little. Walter has walked me home a few times which is nice because then I dont have to pay for a taxi. I usually get back around 12:30 and get a little break before heading to the orphanage. For lunch we get soup and then a hot meal. So far we have had some vegetable dishes, lentils, rice, etc.. Its actually pretty good! After lunch I walk to the orphanage with another volunteer named Madison. It only takes about 15 min. She works in the kitchen in the afternoon. There are also a few other volunteers there in the afternoon. One is named Michelle and she will be here for 3 more months. Then there are 3 girls here through a Rutgers programs. I'm really glad  they are all there the same time as me...otherwise it would be very difficult. We are going to try to plan some activities for the girls for the next couple of weeks. After the orphanage I come back and just relax or go out. I share a room with Heather, and Sabrina lives across the hall. But she is leaving today:( Maria Elena is our house mother and she is  in the room next to mine. Her father Papito(he is in his 90's..but pretty healthy) also lives here along with a morning and afternoon cook/nurse. Oh for dinner we pretty much get the same thing as breakfast-bread. I'm going to try and go to a market this weekend and buy some more fruit and stuff for myself. I'm definitely learning to be a lot more independent here. I basically do everything on my own. It is hard, but a good challenge.

This afternoon I will meet up with some new volunteers and go on a city tour of Cusco. I cant wait to meet them! And then tonight I think we are just going to have a down night...watch some tv and relax! Will update again tomorrow about my city tour and  Pisac!

5th Day in Cusco!

Yesterday was a rough day for me because I felt really homesick and the altitude sickness finally hit me. I ended up not going to the orphanage because I didn't want to feel worse. I felt bad that I  couldn't go, but was glad that  rested. Then my roommates Heather, Sabrina, and I made pancakes for our host Mother Maria Elena. Then we watched some TV and a movie. It made me feel better:)And things are going even better today! This morning I walked with Walter(my Spanish teacher) to Sacsayhuaman. On the way we stopped in the Cathedral in the Plaza de Armas. The Cathedral was  really beautiful! There was some sort of service going on too, which was interesting. At Sacsayhuaman we didn't actually go into the ruins, because you have to pay but I got to see the basics of them and there was a great view! The walk wasnt too bad but it was a little difficult because it was up hill and im still adjusting to the altitude. But we took lots of breaks and it was fine! It was also nice too because I got to see more of Cusco. Walter and I just talked a lot in spanish which was good practice. This afternoon I will go to the orphanage for a little, then come back and get ready for a party at the orphanage. some of the girls are turning 15 and we are throwing a quinceanera for them.I have to  dress up, so I'm borrowing a dress from Heather. Then later tonight we are all going to go out for Sabrina's last night.  
Other good news! I have talked to Maria Elena and made travel plans. Tomorrow I'm going on a bus tour of Cusco with some other volunteers that recently arrived. Then on Sunday Heather, Madison, and I will travel to Pisac which is a big market town. Then the following weekend  I will go to Machu Picchu with some other girls. Then my last weekend here (Aug 4th) Heather and I are going to travel to Colca Canyon. I feel so much better now that I have all these plans!! I'm also very excited to go back to the orphanage today and for the quinceanera. And I  cant wait to teach the girls more karate! 

Third Day in Cusco!

Today is my third day in Cusco and everything is going pretty good so far. I'm enjoying it here, but there are a lot of adjustments. For lunch we get a nice warm meal, but for breakfast and dinner we just get bread and fruit. Today is my second day with the Spanish lessons and volunteering at the orphanage. There is another girl in the Spanish class with me named Marion and she is from Switzerland. I also really like the teacher. His name is walter. Right now we are just reviewing tenses and grammar which is good because I need review. I can't believe how much I forget from only a month ago. The orphanage is nice, there are about 50 girls aged 10-18. I have to tell them I'm 20 so that the ones that are older will respect me. The girls are great tho. It is a little hard right now to converse with them but it is getting better. Yesterday we played some volleyball and they braided each others hair. 9one of the girls braided my hair and it looked awesome! Today I Started teaching the girls karate and they loved it! I taught them front kicks, punches, some blocks, side kicks, roundhouse kicks. They don't want to learn how to do it exactly right, but they enjoy hitting the pads. Some of them have had a little karate in the past and were very eager to learn more. I can't wait to continue to teach them. I'm very much on my own here. The other volunteers are very nice and friendly and I'm having a good time with them. We went out the last two nights which was fun. I'm still gettingto know them and it's a little hard since they have all known each other for so long. I also have to take a taxi to and from the school on my own. Yesterday I had to walk back from the orphanage my own and I almost got lost but eventually found my way! Right now I'm at a little Internet cafe down the street from my house. It is a nice place to use the Internet and relax. Tonight I'm going to go buy some warmer clothing because I'm cold! Once again sorry for the unorganized blog post...it's hard on my iPod touch! I'll continue to keep you guys updated! All I can say is this is a very different but good experience. And it is challenging!

Arrival in Cusco!

I arrived in Cusco this morning. Heather, another volunteer picked me up from the airport and we took a taxi to Maria Elena's house where I will be staying.heather and I will be sharing a room. She will be a senior in college next year and she has been in cusco for a while now so she knows the ropes. She will be leaving around the same time as me. Another volunteer,Sabrina also lives in the house but she is only staying for another week. Alex and Madison live in another house near by. Alex is leaving tomorrow and Madison will be here two more weeks.today we all walked around cusco together and tonight we will go out. I really like them and they are all very friendly and nice! Sorry for any grammar and spelling mistakes...I'm writing this on my iPod touch. Oh and tomorrow I will start Spanish lessons and volunteering!!

Pre-Trip

I'm leaving tomorrow and I'm so excited!! I'm a little nervous, mostly just about getting there and navigating the airport. But I cant wait! I will be in Cuzco (which is at an elevation of 11,00 ft) and I will be taking Spanish lessons  and volunteering at an orphanage called Hogar Buen Pastor for girls. There are about 35 girls  aged 8-15. While I'm there I'm planning on teaching the girls some volleyball and karate! Pinkarate is coming to Peru! I plan to teach the girls  some basic karate and self defense. My karate teacher Liz is sending pads so the girls can practice on them as well as pinkarate t-shirts. The pinkarate girls at home sponsored shirts to send which is really nice:)
And tomorrow is my birthday! 17!! Woo cant wait!
I hope to keep everyone updated every few days on here. But feel free to email me at gabbyoleary15@gmail.com or facebook message me!