This is probably not socially acceptable to admit, but I don't think too many people are gonna read this anyway so here goes. I've been growing mold in a cup for some time now in my room. I was curious what would happen if I let chicha morada- the essence of Peru in a cup, sit around for a while. My observations so far have been that the strawberries my host mom put in there have hardened, and within the first three days a bluish greenish mold had started to grow. There is also a smell of rotting bananas that is now coming from the cup. As soon as you walk into my room, the odor hits you. However I am too curious to see if the drink will become a living creature or something of the sort that I don't want to throw it out. What is the goo humans supposedly came from was actually chicha morada??? Maybe I'm going to bring forth human life...just kidding but really though I want to see what happens next. I'm just slightly concerned that my host mom will get mad if she ever comes into my room for any reason. She washed my sheets one time because I eat so many cookies in bed that she was worried I would attract ants. Its been so long since we've had chicha morada that she probably won't even know where I got it. However that being said, its transformed so much already she might not even know that's what it is. I guess I could always tell her I'm making my own penicillin. My host mom also has a science experiment of her own going right now. She started a new diet today where all she eats is cabbage soup. I was a little scared what she would serve me today for lunch, but was thrilled when it was lentils and rice instead of cabbage soup. Having it once would be more than enough, let alone if she decided to put me on the diet with her. Sometimes she phrases questions rather interestingly, she asks me, "Would you rather have pop, which will make you fat, or tea, which won't make you as fat?" I still pick whichever one I actually want, since water isn't really a thing here, but its an interesting way to phrase it. She seems really concerned that I'm going to gain weight, which is interesting to me, but I guess nice she cares? I don't know. I think its a lot more important to be happy and healthy than it is to be thin. I personally don't think the cabbage diet is worth it, but its her choice. Just like eating a cookie- or six- is mine.