Oeee! Que tal extranjero?

Well, I've done it again. I have managed to put off blogging for a long time again haha! Oops! I have a lot to share! We pretty much have all of December to catch up on!

December went by so quickly, but a lot happened...

December 1-2, I participated in Handicamp with the other exchange students. Handicamp is a two-day camp in which we volunteer to spend time and do activities with people of all ages with mental and physical disabilities. We did activities including sports, art, and a talent show. It was fun! I was in charge of the soccer activities!

December 14, the exchange students and I held a talent show to raise funds to give to an orphanage. I really enjoyed doing the talents show. Plus, it made the exchange students and I even more united! I was in charge of the bake sale for the talent show! I made chocolate chip cookies-- this was a challenge! Why? Because brown sugar does not exist in Peru. Alright, so I tried to make my own brown sugar with molasses and white sugar... molasses is also non-existent in Peru. In place of molasses I had to use Chancaca-- this was a very hard substance. In the end, I didn't really use brwon sugar in my cookies haha! It was an interesting baking experience! Here's one of our acts from the show! Home

December 15, I went to an all-girls orphanage with my host Rotary club's Interact. At this orphanage we served lunch, danced, and gave out Christmas presents.

December 16, Rotary held it's Christmas lunch. All the exchange students went! We did a gift exchange among the students. Three of my friends and I sang "Santa Baby" for our exchange committee's president, too haha!

December 19, I had my school's graduation ceremony and prom dance! Leave it to my luck that on all days the water was turned off on this day!! And of course, I had gone running this morning. I had to bathe myself using a tub of water and a cup haha! Whatever, at least I was clean haha! It was so cool to graduate and have a dance in another country! I was glad that I could graduate here in Peru, too, because I won't be able to in the U.S.

My parents and me!

My date!

My teacher!

December 22, I went to a poor town in Lima to hand out gifts to children! I really enjoyed doing the little activities like this throughout December, it really made me feel the meaning of the Giving Season!

December 24, I stayed up until 3a.m. celebrating Christmas with my family.  In Peru, you start celebrating Christmas on Christmas eve. My family and I went over to my grandma's house around 11pm. At midnight, we ate dinner and opened gifts as a million fireworks went off outside. Afterwards, we stayed up listening to music and dancing. I fell asleep around 3a.m., but the rest of my family stayed up until early morning. Around 10a.m. the next day (Christmas) we got up and had Paneton (a bread with dried fruits) and hot chocolate for breakfast. Then, we went to my aunt's house and had Christmas lunch and opened more gifts. 

At Grandma's! 

December 31, I went to a New Year's Eve party with friends! It was so much fun! We stayed up all night! I was questioned the entire night why I wasn't wearing yellow-- the color of the new year. It's like not wearing green on St. Patty's day haha! Fireworks, were again set off at midnight to celebrate the new year. Although Peruvians do not do new year's resolutions, I still made one for myself-- exercise more!! I could really use it considering how much delicious food I eat here haha!

January 3, I had a dinner with some of my closest friends in Peru! We made my mom's spaghetti! It was so delicious! I really miss her food! 

January 5, I visited the governmental palace with the exchange students. The colonial Spanish architecture was beautiful! After visiting the palace, we roamed around the surrounding area-- Plaza de Armas (in the center of Lima). This part of the center of Lima is so beautiful and interesting for its colonial architecture! I love walking around and just looking! 

I also changed host families on this day (part of the rotation of host families in the Rotary program). Now I live with the Olivares family. I haven't gotten the chance for photos yet though! It was sad leaving my old host family, but that is how exchange works. It's part of the program-- to see how other families live and function. Plus, I can always see my old host family! I get along well with my new family! I can already tell we are going to be very close by the end of my exchange (they are my host family for the rest of my exchange)! In my new host family, I have two sisters that are 15 and 18, a 5-year-old brother, mom and dad, and grandma. 

The flowers I gave my family as a going-away gift!

Today, January 8, my host mom took me to Mercado Central (the central market) in the center of Lima (the most dangerous part of Lima). I loved it! There were so many venders and costumers! Lima's liveliness truly puts me in awe! This is one of the things I have come to love most about Lima-- it's people and their liveliness! Walking down the streets of Mercado Central feeling the sun beats down on your skin, hearing the venders yelling, smelling the food (...and the trash haha), and seeing all the different colors-- is an experience that I feel only Lima can offer. My host mom took me to see just a few of the countless stores in the market! We went to Calle Capon, which is where many Asian products and clothes are sold. Everything was so pretty and cheap! That's one of the great things about Mercado Central-- quality products at a very cheap price! My host mom already bought me pretty bracelets and hair pieces! She's so nice! We also went out for lunch! My host family has also taken me to their country club where we can go swimming, go to the beach, and play soccer, tennis, or volleyball. My host family also told me that there is a women's soccer team that I might be able to join!!! That would be great! I miss soccer so much! My sisters and I are planning on signing up for the gym soon, too! 

I have been on summer vacation since mid-December and I will me until March. I feel like the next couple months will fly by though!! There's a lot to look forward too-- trips, RYLA camp, tours, hanging out with friends and family, visiting more of Lima, etc. In March, I will begin university here at  la Universidad de San Ignacio de Loyola (USIL for short haha). 

One of the cultural customs of Peru that I continue to struggle with is its male chauvinism! I cannot walk anywhere without being whistled, slurped, or looked at! It's revolting! Naturally, I want to give them a piece of my mind, but I can't do that here. The way men work here, you would not want to see how they would react to a woman standing up for herself. I have to adapt to the customs of Peru, but this one has been especially hard to deal with. I'm not sure I will ever become accustomed to it. But have I already, if i don't stand up for myself? If I do things with more caution because of how men are here? 

One custom I have adapted to (more or less haha) it Peruvian time-- how much slower it is here than in the U.S. I have taught myself to relax more, to not always be in a hurry. Peru has taught me to slow down and really enjoy every moment. Hopefully, this will help the second half of my exchange slow down. I am really loving my time here in Peru! My first half already flew by! And I only hear that the second half goes by quicker! 

Well, that's all for now! Until next time, chau and besos!!