last post from Perú

I'm leaving to come home today.. and this isn't going to be a very long, in-depth post, but I want to blog after I am home for however long too and talk about what that's like.

spent my last weekend partying with good friends on friday night, running along the shore, going for walks, eating at my favorite sandwich place (going there again today, too), hanging out with my family, having a goodbye breakfast with the IFSA group, going to La Punta, a beautifuuullllllll district outside of Lima near the big port, baking pumpkin flavored things for my host family, shopping for last minute Perú stuff, packing & enjoying everything!

I'm ready to come home, especially because I know I have such a great family & holiday to look forward too, but sometimes I wish I could come back to South America next semester!!! I see myself spending a lot more time in Latin America in the future.. I hope so..

This has been a WONDERFULLLLLLLLLLL semester, mostly because of how much I feel like I've grown and learned. I wouldn't take back choosing Lima over Europe, because I learned things here that cannot be found or understood in a country like Spain, and for that I feel reallyyyy blessed.

There were a lotttttt of frustrations and still many things that I wonder if I'll miss about life in Lima, but I survived & conquered :) and even though it doesn't feel like a big deal to me now, I feel like when I'm back in the States for a few months I'll realize how great of an impact that has.

all is well, here I come snowy PA.


p.s. everyone should wish me luck on my flight because I had a dream about me being the only survivor in a plane crash the other day.

I've noticed that on my new digital camera about 70% of my photos are of all of the flowers I love in Miraflores (my town). I'll miss them on a blizzardy, icy, grey-ugly-now january day. I just know it...

Everything's been pretty good for my last week! Nothing special, just overall content. I've officially completed a 15 page research paper in Spanish, recieved a 17 on my International Relations final (best grade I've gotten in that class everrr on the hardest exam) AND turned in my preproposal thesis statement/research plan to temple for Junior Research Scholars.. I feel confident with my thesis topic and look forward to getting back to classes at Temple & working with a professor in this research that I only hear great things about! Anyways, ACCOMPLISHING week. Those are always confidence-boosters.

I am officiallyyyyyy on vaca :)

Yesterday and today I had two GREAT long coast runs.. the weather was PERFECT! not too hot and a good breeze to keep me energized. after running a few miles I stopped to sit along the cliffs in my town that look out into the ocean and just relax and enjoy some zen moments :) I realize that even though Lima is a chaotic city, it's definitely gone one thing on Philly.. the ocean. Even when I am stressed or anxious here or just caught up in frustration or whatever I can find a nice park to enjoy the ocean in and forget about whatever it is! I loveee living on the coast.

Today I also spent some time just lounging in the park and reading and enjoying the little bit of sun there was today because I know I need to soak it in while I can.

Tonight I went to go see a friend's dance recital but overall the event was planned horribly and they wouldn't let us enter.. about 100 people. they completely underestimated attendence. I was beyonddddd disappointed. So we went out to dinner instead.

Tonight I spent some time hanging out with my mom.. it was really cool because we talked a lot about religion because in Perú they're trying to pass a law to make all religious bodies have equal rights (right now the Catholic Church has a lot of power here, too much if you ask me..) anyways the conversation was cool because we have similar beliefs about the catholic church and about our own beliefs and it was cool to realize that she understands my beliefs because not many people do and her thoughts and conversation was really comforting to me. and i pretty much thought the majority of peruvians were catholic... i wondered if people had seperate beliefs about the status of religion in general in the country. I'm going to miss my host family soooooo much! It was also funny today because Zaira, Oriana my grandma and me were having photo shoots in front of christmas decorations in our house! It was just fun.. they're all so amazingggg!!!!

hey, last week.

yesterday was good.. i got a lott done on my project, got a new digital camera, proved that i can argue to get my way in spanish at a department store where they didn't wanna let me return something, went for a decent run, ran into my host uncle and walked home with him and had interesting conversation, enjoyed the sunset at the park, saw fireworks in miraflores & was serenaded by a man playing the guitar and pan flute at the same time.

today.. doing more WORK! I have a 15 page research paper in progress (all i have left now is the conclusion and major editing).

wish i didn't have sooo much to do my last week!

started packing.. going to be an adventure fitting everything to come home and i havent even gone souvenir shopping for anyone yet.. hmm..


host mom & me!

:( :( :( :( :( :( :(

not ready to come home.

okay i know, you're thinking my emotions/feelings about coming home to USA are all over the place. and THEY ARE!!! i'm jealous of AFS students who get to live abroad for a YEAR... because right now i'm starting to feel that this has been too short.

we had a re-entry talk about reverse culture shock from Perú to USA. Now that i'm thinking about it.. I think it may be harder to readjust to the states. this makes me nervous, I hope everything transitions smoothly. Major problems that previous study abroaders have identified that we talked about are boredom in not having adventure in daily life everyday (yes, EVERY day is an adventure, it's true) and that it's lonely because no one truly understands or wants to listen to what you want to tell them.

then we had a going away get together among students and families (and our salsa teacher!).. my host mom & sister and her friend, kamila, came. it was a nice night :) but it also made me realize how much i love them and am going to miss them because i don't know when i'll visit them again, this makes me soooo sad. after the get-together the 4 of us gals went out for ice cream and then i came home and just relaxed and talked to my mom and sister instead of going out... it was a great evening with them, i'm glad we got to spend it together!

i envision myself missing perú a lot next semester...

at least i know i'm coming home to a supportive family and big hugs at the airport to keep me happy in returning.


ah, emotions all over the place. damn study abroad.

mi casa es tu casa ♥

I feel soooo at home here with my host-family lately. As I'm excited for Christmastime with my family at home, when I think about saying goodbye to my host-family, it makes me sad :( Not only are Christmas decorations, the tree and the rainforest indigenous nativity scene on display (mom, you would love it), but I feel so comfortable and at home here. Today was my host-grandma's birthday and I spent the day relaxing with her, her son and his wife who joined us for lunch! Zaira made a delicious lunch and my granma's fried had a HUGE CAKE delivered to our house for her birthday... coconut & manjar blaco!! SOOOO GOOD, something else to bring back to the states... Manjar Blanco. to. die. for. We talk for some hours, ate cake and coffee and it was really fun! I'd never met my would-be host uncle's (??) wife before, but she is sooo sweet. She was telling me how she did an AFS program in Iowa when she was younger, which is what my family & I do at home, so it was cool to talk about the experience and the great experience of living abroad with a host family. My host-uncle (?? not really sure what he is lol) talked to me for awhile about marraige which was funny.. like a typical older man he told me a lottt of stories and gave me a lot of advice, the staple being that communication is key in relationships and to always have values and its best to raise your children than to send them off to a nanny all the time. It was quite funny how much it reminded me of spending a Sunday afternoon with my family, parents and grandparents, enjoying a big meal and lots of conversation.

♥

I read a cool story about studying abroad today that our director emailed to all of us.. in the end it was about how they were able to make a life for themself anywhere they went after their experience living in London. and it's true... I've made a life here, even if only temporary, and that's a reallyyyy cool accomplishment/realization.