As a student abroad in Peru, I had the same dilemma buying gifts for my host family in Cusco. Photos (ones of me, my family, my home) and postcards went down well. The family also might enjoy some foods that aren't typically found in the area. A positive thing about these types of gifts is that they are something that you and your host family can share, something that might start off a conversation and help them learn more about you.

I also stayed with a few host... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by summit at 3:49 PM on June 1, 2008 marked best answer

Peanut butter, raisin, honey and Textured Vegetable Protein sandwich on whole wheat
Caramels toasted over a fire and squished between two Ritz Crackers
Sliced up bananas in milk with sugar sprinkled on top, eaten with a spoon
Flour tortillas smeared with chocolate pudding (esp the kind that comes in little cups)
Tomato soup with popcorn floated on top
Soda crackers dipped in chocolate
A lot of kids I know mix together bacon bits, ranch dressing, and croutons
posted to Ask Metafilter by summit at 8:38 PM on April 2, 2008

I spent 4 months in Peru as a vegetarian, though mostly in the highlands. Compared to Cusco or some of the small villages, I found Lima to be no problem food wise because there was a much larger variety of restaurants. Like sweetkid mentioned, you can get some really nice fish in dishes called ceviche. If you're doing any of your own cooking while you're there, Lima has plenty of large grocery stores (Wong is a big chain) where you can get lots of veggie friendly food.
posted to Ask Metafilter by summit at 8:28 PM on March 28, 2008

If, like PercussivePaul suggested, you do want to go on to be a practicing psychologist, PsyD is another option. It's more clinically and less research based than PhD programs in psychology, so there's an option for getting more towards real world application than academia.
posted to Ask Metafilter by summit at 5:04 AM on March 2, 2008

This may not curb your sugar cravings, but may help prevent you from acting on them. If walking by the bakeries near your house is a big temptation, don't carry cash or just leave your entire wallet at home if possible. Once at home, even though the temptation to buy is less, it's still helpful to keep very little cash in the house. Like 45moore45 said, stopping yourself from taking the first bite can make a big difference.
posted to Ask Metafilter by summit at 2:12 PM on February 17, 2008

Sleep studies specifically tend to give pretty big compensation for participation, but often require a long stay in their facility. I just read one on craigslist that offered $9,075 for 39 consecutive days and nights living there.
posted to Ask Metafilter by summit at 6:28 AM on February 12, 2008

I know it's mentioned briefly in the Mayo Clinic article, but it's worth highlighting that Nizoral is available OTC in the 1% concentration and by prescription in the 2% concentration. It can get expensive if your insurance doesn't cover it, but it might be worth asking your doctor for the stronger stuff. It made a difference for me.
posted to Ask Metafilter by summit at 4:53 PM on December 11, 2007

Under FAQs on the company's website:

CAN I DRINK EMERGEN-C HOT?
Yes. You can drink Emergen-C hot. Use hot but not boiling water.
posted to Ask Metafilter by summit at 8:43 AM on December 5, 2007 marked best answer

The suggestion for guacamole is great. Try adding mango, cilantro, onion, and lime juice along with the avocado, salt, garlic, and tomato.
posted to Ask Metafilter by summit at 6:13 PM on November 9, 2007

My doctor's advice to me was this:

If you are in a monogamous relationship and neither you nor your partner has HPV, it may be safer in the long run to wait a year before getting the vaccine. While the CDC says that clinical trials have been done in over 11,000 women ages 9-26, why not wait a year (or more) to see the effects in a larger sample group?

She also said that there is another HPV vaccine set to release in the near future that is... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by summit at 6:02 AM on October 29, 2007 marked best answer

Fill your Nalgene bottle with ice water, wrap it in a small towel and sit with it between your legs.
posted to Ask Metafilter by summit at 8:00 AM on May 29, 2007

Frozen peas make the best cold compresses post-wisdom tooth extraction. Buy four bags and rotate between freezer and face. Believe it or not, the ice can make a big difference with pain.

Don't take more drugs. Just ice your face. You'll be fine.
posted to Ask Metafilter by summit at 12:57 PM on May 24, 2007

Canicula: Snapshots of a Girlhood en la Frontera by Norma Elia Cantu
posted to Ask Metafilter by summit at 4:53 AM on May 18, 2007

The Complete Book of Long-Distance Cycling by Edmund R Burke and Ed Pavelka says, "Do you ever get the feeling that the wind is always blowing against you? It actually is, more often than not. According to the laws of physics, only those winds within the trailing 160 degrees of an imaginary circle drawn around you provide assistance. Wind from anywhere in the other 200 degrees works to slow you. In other words, even a pure crosswind raises the drag. It must shift another 10 degrees to... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by summit at 8:01 AM on May 8, 2007

Something that makes running easier for me is to be fully hydrated. Drink a lot of water gradually during the day, but just small sips right before your run. Make sure to drink a lot after as well, even if you don't feel thirsty. If you're exercising, you should be drinking more than the recommended 8 glasses a day.

And stretch. A lot. Take your time doing it. Stretching before running makes it feel easier (not to mention helps prevent injuries) and stretching... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by summit at 5:36 AM on May 8, 2007

When using SkypeOut, you don't need to sign on with $29.95 per year fee. Since you're only going to be away for 3 weeks, it looks like adding on a sum of money (I think the smallest is $10 at a time) to your account would be easier. Calls to both land lines and cell phones in the US cost 2.1 cents per minute.

Be careful where you're calling from when using prepaid cards. Sometimes additional charges apply if you're using them from a pay phone or locutorio.
posted to Ask Metafilter by summit at 1:24 PM on May 3, 2007