Day Nineteen

Another lovely day in Lima.
The morning went as usual, and we just practiced the various forms of the subjunctive during classes at El Sol. However, I finally said "ingenieria" correctly so that was a bonus.
After classes, a group of us headed over to Manolo's. I ordered a chicken, tomato and mozzarella sandwich (which was served more in pizza form as it was completely covered in cheese), and it was a delicious. The best part were the churros though. That's right, I had my first ever churro (and second and a half) and it was one of the best things I have ever tasted. It was filled with dulce de leech then drenched in warm chocolate; utterly wonderful.
Once the bill was paid (taxes here are ridiculous), we did a bit of souvenir shopping. There's one two foot alpaca that I really want to bring home (it's 100 US dollars - completely worth it), but I just do not think it would fit in my suitcase.. Que pena :( Don't worry, I picked up other Peruvian novelties, and am still trying to figure out a method of bringing the alpaca back to America.
After shopping, we all got our mani-pedis. Well, the boys only got the pedis, but I guess they win since they had fish eat the dead skin off of their feet.
Finally, it was time for salsa classes. That's right, I'm basically a professional now. Just kidding, unlike Shakira, my hips do not exist, therefore I struggled, but you know, I struggled and emerged. Regardless, it was a blast and I can't wait to practice soon.
I headed home, had the dinner Ana Maria left out for me, and now I am trying to finish my blog before going out (when in Peru, amirite?!). So, hasta la pasta amigos.

Day Eighteen

I'd like to start out by saying that personally, I think today was a free day well spent.
I started the day in the usual manner and headed to El Sol. As usual, we worked on the subjunctive, specifically the past subjunctive. I still struggled to pronounce "ingenieria" which is rough as I have to say it every time I talk about my plans for the future and engineering in general. Although school proved to be interesting, the real fun began after classes.
A group of us headed over to Cafe La Paz for lunch. It was amazing, especially the tequenos. The eggplant sandwich was good too, it was just an overall good meal.
Once we were fed, we all piled into an Uber van and headed down to the beach. Here, we all put our names down on a list and waited patiently to be called. Luckily, I brought my Rubix cube to help the time pass. Finally, my name was called and I did it; I went paragliding. It was breathtaking; there are no words to describe how mesmerizing the ocean,coast and city looked from floating hundreds of feet above it. The best part, however, was the tricks the pilot did at the end. We twisted and turned as we sped through the air, and it honestly felt as though we were flying.
Never in my life would I have imagined that I would be paragliding in Peru, but now I can officially write it on my bucket list and check it off. (Side note: Paragliding in Peru sounds like a great title to a Magic Tree House book).
When we all finished our turns, we headed back home to relax and relish in the day's activities.
Adios!

Day Seventeen

Wow,  halfway done already?!
Today, I went through the same morning routine as usual. At El Sol, we changed professors so now I have JuanCarlos for grammar and Diana for conversation. They are both amazing and hilarious, and surprisingly enough, make learning the subjunctive tolerable.
After school, we had a glorious gift: a free afternoon. To celebrate, a group of us went to Enano, which is a sandwich shop about a half hour walk away, but well worth it. If you ever get the chance to go, be sure to try the orange and strawberry juice.
In attempt to explore the city, a smaller group of us headed to Barranco. It was very artsy and provided the opportunity for a lot of pictures. Also, we made friends with a band that was playing on the lookout who helped us practice our Spanish. They even sang "La Bamba" for us.
When it was time to go back, we took the ambitious route and walked home along the beach. Although it turned out to be a lot longer than we anticipated, it was a beautiful journey with the waves crashing next to us. Ultimately, once we reached Parque Kennedy it was a unanimous decision that we all earned Pinkberry (banana froyo with brownies and chocolate sauce for me). Then, we shopped a bit, and even found Rubix cubes. As I was trying to teach Cati how to solve one, a woman asked to take our picture, and apparently her 15 year old son can solve one in 10 seconds. So not only is that interesting, but it provided us with another opportunity to practice Spanish.
To end our day, we headed home to eat and do homework, but returned to Barranco to celebrate the several birthdays within our group. All in all, it was quite an eventful, yet relaxing day.
Hasta la próxima vez!

Day Sixteen

I did not want to get up this morning, my bed was too warm and cozy. Nonetheless, I scraped myself up and tried to shower off the sleep, to no avail. I was running late so I quickly scarfed down my breakfast (a ham egg and cheese of course) while in the uber to Parque Kennedy.
Today, we took the Mirabus to Callo, which is the port area of Lima (just like Boston). In fact, it's the oldest port in South America. Call was a lot more cultured than Miraflores. Where Miraflores is very Americanized, Callo is arts with its brightly colored buildings and intricate murals, it was what I imagined Peru to look like. Overall, today's activities included the naval museum, a submarine tour and a tour of the military base. Unfortunately, the submarine was not yellow, but other than that, everything was great. Oh, and I even solved a Rubix's cube all on my own, so that was cool too!
At the end of the tour, I walked home from Parque Kennedy like always, but stopped at Viviendo first to get some snacks for the upcoming week. Although a few people are going out tonight, I am making the responsible decision to stay in and catch up on sleep so that I can be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for school tomorrow!
Hasta la próxima vez!

Day Fifteen

Today was just about the longest day yet. It started with a nice 4:15 am wake up call so I could do a bit of yoga before the 6 am bus ride. After getting all of my stuff together and uberring over to the bus, I got settled in and headed to Caral.
The trip to Caral was four hours, so I tried to sleep the best I could. When we got there, we had to walk twenty minutes to reach the site of the ruins, but it was worth it. To you, it may seem like we drove eight total hours in a car just to look at some sand, but it was so much more than that. Aside from Mesopotamia, Caral is one of the oldest civilizations, it is the oldest in South America. Knowing this made the ruins simply breathtaking, there are just no words to describe it.
We headed back on the bus and headed home, only stopping for lunch at a hotel (where we all dipped our feet in the pool). By the time we got back, it was already 8:30, but the night was just beginning. I had to go home, shower and change as the class was taking a field trip to a club in Barranco.
Before heading to Barranco, Natalie, Kelly and I went out for dinner and drinks, but don't worry, we made it on time for the 11:30 start time. The night started with a dance spectacular, and my personal favorite, the Marinela and Festejo (they actually lit each other on fire - it was wild). After the spectacular, we all got to dance, and I dazzled with the macarena.
Finally, it was time to leave so we could get up in time for Callo tomorrow.
Adios!

Day Fourteen

Two weeks already?!
Today was an early start at El Sol due to our weekly test, but I managed to get my Starbucks and arrive with five minutes to spare. The test was a review of the week's lessons on the subjunctive and imperative, so it was quite a breeze. Then, we continued to practice these topics in class, but we ended on the high note of learning the words to "Despacito."
We did not have conversation or history classes today, so during the break, a group of us went to the grocery store to pick up the finishing touches on our gifts. Then, we headed over to a vegan restaurant, the Jardin de Jasmine, where we ate some of the best food that we had in Peru so far. At 1:25, we headed over to the bus and took off to one of the poorer districts in Lima.
If I am being completely honest, I have never witnessed such poverty before. Trash lined the streets, dirty dogs scavenged for food amongst the litter and, it may just be the environmental engineer in me, but it seemed that all I could notice was the pollution. Regardless, when we arrived, all we could see were little, colorful shanties covering the mountains for miles. Nestled in to every crook and crannies, each of these wooded shacks housed a family and their abnormally large amount of pets. As were toured the town, we saw every thing from chickens to dogs to guinea pigs. Although these residents seemed to have next to nothing, the lovely woman who showed us around did not focus on what she lacked, but rather on what she had. She then proceeded to explain the strong sense of community housed in the town, and with that, how calm and relaxing it is to live there. I was left dumbfounded. Here I was, pondering how difficult it must be to raise a baby in such conditions, when I should have understood that in this case, the village is truly raising the child. This trip has opened my eyes to the true meaning of happiness and pride in one's culture, and I have realized it is often those who have the least material goods that have the most positive spirits.
After our tour, we were matched up with our buddies. Although I was anticipating and prepared for a three year old boy named Fedricio, I was matched with nine year old Isaac. I felt terrible handing Isaac his gift filled with baby toys, for which I know he had no desire, but he showed me the utmost respect and thanked me profusely. I wish I could have actually bought him stuff that he would have liked and wanted aside from the cookies and candy, I feel terrible as if I have let him down. however, he remained high in spirits and ran around with a soccer ball as his friends chased him. It was breathtaking to look around and see how much fun the kids were having, if only we could have stayed longer.
Eventually, we all did get on the bus and headed home where we all prepped for Caral tomorrow!

Day Thirteen

Thirteen days gives me thirteen reasons why Peru is simply amazing, but right now I will just stick to why today was a great day.
I went through my usual morning routine, and even finished early enough to get Starbucks. At El Sol, we continued learning subjunctive and the imperative. In history, we finished up our unit about the Incas, then it was time for lunch.
Like we have all week, we headed to the Air Force school at one. The class I was assigned to today taught us about the various Peruvian traditions and important aspects of their culture. As always, their English was impressive, so much so that I made sure to accept the plethora of Facebook friend requests I received after meeting my group to ensure that we can stay in contact. We returned to the library and listened to a short presentation about Peruvian culture, then went to the auditorium for the final celebration.
It was honestly terribly sad to say goodbye to the students. They gave heartwarming speeches, and even though we knew them for a mere four days, it felt as though we have known them for years. Finally, we were treated to several performances, dances and songs, which were mesmerizing. The Air Force school should be proud to have such talented and wonderful students.
When we finally party ways with the school, we all headed to the Polvos Rosados in order to buy toys for the children tomorrow. I have a three year old boy so I bought  bought a ball, a Pikachu stuffed animal and Lightning McQueen car.
All in all, it was a great day, which we celebrated in the most American of ways: with dinner at TGIFriday's on a Thursday night.

Day Twelve

On the twelfth day of Lima, Miraflores gave to me another day of activities.
Well, if I'm being completely honest, today was basically the same as it has been all week. I went through my morning routine, went to class, went to the Air Force school and walked around Parque Kennedy for a bit. The only difference was that today at the Air Force school instead of teaching, we played games with the students. At first, I was put into a PE class where we exercised for a bit in a circuit then had to sit back to back with a partner and try to stand up (emphasis on the try - I was successful a couple times though). Then, we played basketball. Not going to lie, i was very nervous at first because basketball was one of the sports I did not even bother to try because I knew I lacked the proper hand-eye coordination and height needed to be a baller. However, I was pleasantly surprised at my basketball prowess. That's right dad, I just may be the next IT, well in Peru at least.
After basketball, we headed back to the library where we learned about the emancipation of Peru. That San Martin was an interestingly ambitious guy who wanted to liberate all of South America, a pretty lofty goal but I guess that's why he wanted to pursue it. With the inspiration of independence still lingering in our mind, we headed out once again but this time to the soccer field. I will be honest, I did not think it was possible but I may have gotten worse. Although, the boys just might have been really good, so I'll just go with that explanation instead.
Finally, we headed back to Parque Kennedy and I looked around in the shops before I headed home to talk to my host mom about her progress in the tennis tournament over a dinner of, wait for it, rice, potatoes and pollo (it was actually delicious as it was flavorful and served with a mango salad).
That's all for now folks, vayan con dios y no con el diablo.

Day Eleven

Buenas noches amigos!
In general, today was more or less the same as yesterday. I went through my morning routine as usual, but one difference was that I decided once an for all that I need a bread cleanse. So, rather than consuming the copious amount of toast left for me at breakfast, I decided to  be nice and feed the Peruvian birds: win-win.
After classes, we went back to the Air Force school and had our "first day of teaching." In reality,  I just talked with a group of thirteen year old years about my life for an hour (all in English by the way). However, I did learn a lot. For example, I learned that Ed Sheehan is the best musician there is, that if you're not careful your group will find your name and try to add you on every form of social media, and finally that my little brother has a Peruvian fan club now. All in all, it was an eventful hour.
We then switched classes to the older students who were more in the 15-16 years old range. Each group was given about two students with whom we spoke with in Spanish for a half hour. It was a struggle, but it was really fun to practice and learn with people closer to my age.
Finally, we ended our day at the school with a history lesson which basically reviewed the book we are supposed to read. I should probably prepare more questions for next time.
Once we were finished at the school, we taxied back to Parque Kennedy. Here, we went to the pharmacy, then had a bit of celebratory sangria before I had to pick up my laundry and go home. At home, my host mom made me a salad with a delicious plate of bolognese. While we ate, I became more confident in my speaking skills and began to talk about the importance of languages and life at Northeastern. I may have had to struggle and emerge, but it was great to see my progress with communicating. Let's just hope I can keep it up!
Hasta mañana!

PS: The shirt did not bleed and my lulus are fine!

Day Ten

Wow 10 days down already.

I finally feel like an adult today. First of all, I to to run this morning and it was glorious,  so I felt a lot better than I did all weekend. After a quick workout, I showered, dressed professionally (dark jeans and a pretty shirt counts right?) and prepped my backpack for the impending day. Then, I did something I never done before; i put all of my dirty laundry in a plastic bag and headed to school. Mom, I know when you read this you probably thought that I am disgusting, however I am not the first to do this. The laundromat opens at 9, by which I am already in class, and the only other time I could go was during my lunch break. Don't worry I promise that it did not smell too bad. Long story short, I knew I had to do laundry, therefore I summoned up the courage to do what it takes (muttering in Spanish while handing the lady my bag) in order to complete the task. I guess you'll have to wait until tomorrow to check my success.
After completing my first adult task, I boarded the bus with my class to the Air Force school. This is where we will all bye teaching English for the next three weeks, but if I am being completely serious I do not think that is possible as most of the students speak better English than me. Regardless, it was great to converse with all of them and practice my Spanish as well. So far, I have learned that it is so much better to practice with younger people as it is less intimidating and more relatable, therefore I am not searching for topics to talking about on top of stressing about my Spanish: it is just all more natural. The best part about this school though was that the students were eager to speak with us to learn about our lives and practice their English as well helping us with out Spanish. Actually, their love of learning made me think about wanting to teach in the future, but again Mom please do not get your hopes up I still need to save the environment first.
When we returned to Parque Kennedy, we all experienced something new: free time. Normally, I would take this time and waste it napping or playing the homework time, but I chose to adult once again. Instead of wasting my precious time, I decided to fully immerse myself in the Peruvian culture, and what better way to do that than to shop. Yes, Cati and I ventured into the boutiques of Lima and were amazed at how cheap everything was. I ended up buying two dresses which may or may not both be black party dresses, but they were cheap, pretty and my tax return just came in so I consider it a justified purchase. When in Peru, right?
I ended my day with my favorite activity of all: grocery shopping. Knowing I cannot stand to even look at another piece of bread, I went right to the produce aisle and bought enough bananas, apples and oranges to last the week. I am very fortunate that my host mom is a competitive tennis player and only cooks wholesome meals unlike many of the other families, but there is only so much one can do to stomach an El Sol lunch; I think I'll just brown bag it for now.
Well that's it for now folks, tune in tomorrow to see if the red Northeastern shirt I accidentally put in the laundry bleeds all over my other clothes. Ciao!

Day Nine

Whoops.

I did not really sleep much last night due to my stomach, but Christie gave me some medicine and it has been working so far, thank god.
Another early day, we left by 7 and headed to Paracas. Though we were all tired and did not want to spend two hours on a boat, this ended up being one of my favorite days so far. For the readers that do not know, Mom and Dad pay attention, Paracas is known as the Peruvian Galapagos as it is a series of islands that serve as a sanctuary to the marine life. We toured the islands and say everything from pelicans (which were a lot bigger than the one in Nemo) to sea lions to , my personal favorite, pinguinos!! It was incredible, and I got to remember how much I love boats (Dad).
After Paracas, we headed to Carmen. This was about an hour away and is a very impoverished Afro-Peruvian village. Unfortunately, we were the obnoxious Americans who drove our bus through a river because the local bridge was broken,  and to make matters worse, the bus was so big that it took down one of the few local power lines. I still feel terrible.
However, the day quickly got better with the Ballestas, a family famous for their spectacular dancing and performances. We got to listen to the history of the Peruvian slaves and their culture, then got to watch the dancing, step and drumming that left us all in awe. Though the performance was incredible (especially the eight year old who could merengue like no other), the best part to me was how happy they all were. Here they were living with what many would consider nothing, but they are so proud of their culture and who they are, that the material goods do not matter. I hope i never forget it.
We parted ways and headed back to Lima to prep for teaching tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Day Eight

The grind never ends!

After a lit night of karaoke, we all were awake by six and in the bus on the way to Nazca by seven. Nazca was a preIncan civilization mainly known for the infamous symbols, lines and effective aqueduct system.
The first stop of this tour were the aqueducts. I did not expect them to be like large spiral staircases, and certainly did not expect to see so many. However, the Nazcans knew what they were doing because the construction of these ducts lead them to find the water table and a pool as a fresh water source. We toured some more ruins and then headed to our next stop.
Then, we visited a ceramics shop that aimed to preserve the Nazcan technique and culture. It was great to see all of the different objects they made and symbols on them. I loved two so much I had to buy them to bring back to the states, but hopefully they do not break. After this, we visited a gold shop and learned the mining and refining process. Again, I loved one ring so much I had to add to the collection.
Our final stop of the day was the Nazca lines. Despite my multiple questions, I still do not completely understand how, but the Nazca drew giant figures in the ground thousands of years ago but they still are here today. Crazy.
We ended our night by the pool where I learned how to make the best Cuba Libre you'll ever try. However, I had to call it an early night due to some terrible stomach pains (thank you Peruvian food), but it was still a good time.

PS: I forgot to write about the vineyard yesterday. It was amazing and very generous. I learned that I really like rose and tangerine pisco. That is all.

Day Seven

First week down!!

I just want to start by apologizing to my fans, I know I have not been posting for a while but I was a bit busy (and without wifi) in Ica.
Today,  I woke up at the lovely hour of 4:40 am (which I guess isn't a huge deal since this is the time I used to wake up during the year). Regardless, I do not regret enjoying the Peruvian night life prior to this as I was able to shower, grab all of my things and hop in an uber early enough to arrive at the bus for the 5:30 am meeting time, where I promptly slept through the majority of the four hour bus ride.
Once we got to Ica, we just dropped our bags off in the hotel and hopped on another bus to take a tour of the various sites to see, like the Seven Headed Palm Tree and the Bruias de Cachiche. they were great to see, but the surrounding town was far more destitute than Lima. What especially broke my heart was not only the stray dogs, but the overwhelming amount of litter that lined the streets. As we drove from place to place, it just became more apparent, and in some places, they resorted to burning in order to get rid of it.
After lunch, the fun began with the desert adventure. Although my stomach started to hurt, I rallied for the sand buggie and do not have any regrets. We sped up the picturesque sand dunes, and once we got to the top, all we could see was sand for miles; it looked like a Windows screensaver. The view was great, but the sliding down the hills was even better, aside from a couple chipped teeth and a few lost hats. Just when we thought this could not get any better, our guide took us to a hidden lake with in the desert and it was simply incredible.
Finally, we headed home and ended our day with a night full of complimentary drinks and class karaoke.

Day Six

Buenas Noches!

Another day in the books. Today started bright and early with a test at 8:30, which thankfully, was not as difficult as I anticipated. Unfortunately, the early start meant I would have to wake up even earlier to run, and noting how the sunrise is not about until 6:30, I decided against the morning run (see mom and dad I can make wise decisions). I could not tell you why, but today's classes seemed to drag on. I love my teachers, Romeo and Andres, but the complimentary coffee just did not do the job. Anyway, the day at school ended with a lunch of pasta with meat sauce (I swear all Peruvians eat are carbs and protein, I will be shocked if I do not come back at least twice the size I left), then a quick trip to the grocery store for snacks for the field trip.
Our adventure today was a tour of Pachamac, the Incan god of the earth. It was just a sampling of all the ruins that Peru has to offer, but it was still breath taking. At first, the endless hills of sand and mountains on the horizon reminded me of a scene straight out of Star Wars (which I hate to be the stupid American to admit). However, once we climbed to the top of El Templo del Sol, the view changed drastically. On one side, we overlooking the sand dunes and houses nestled into the mountains, but once we turned around we were in a different world. Suddenly, we were admiring the intense greens of the polo fields below, then beyond those, the sea stretched far beyond the eye could see. We could hear the waves crashing on the coast below, and peered into the light fog to make out rocky islands scattered about.
Once all the pictures were taken, we hiked back down the way we came and boarded the bus. The ride home was a lot more lively than the ride there as we all participated in the mandatory sing-off of "Bailando," which I won for supuesto. I walked home and remembered to call my family for the first time since my arrival, making packing for Ica a lot more fun than it was initially.
Pues, ahora necesito dormir. Adios!

Day Five

Hola desde Peru!

Today, started with another early morning run, school and lunch like always. Everything was great until we all learned that everyone has a test tomorrow, and to make it even worse, we have to go to school an entire half hour early in order to take it. Yay. 

Right after school, we hopped on the bus and headed to the center of Lima. We visited a couple of nights on the Marabous tour, but during the day we were able to appreciate the venerable details of the architecture and the beauty of the city in its entirety. 

The first stop was El Congreso de la Republica (the Congress building). Overall, it was pretty similar to the capitol building in Boston. There were still the regal painting in gilded frames, the congress floor and the frantic interns running around in their business casual attire, only this time they are all Peruvian.

The next stop was the Afro-Peruana museum. Here, we learned about the lives of slaves in Peru and a great deal of Peruvian history in general (most of which I did not know or expect). For example, Peru had very detailed caste systems regarding heritage and what ethnicity the Peruvians were. Although the museum was relatively small, it not only contained a plethora of information, but it was also beautiful, with carved dark wood doors and elegant, wrought-iron frames. 

The final stop today was La Iglesia San Franciso. Of course, like everything in the city center, the church was beautiful with its extravagant details, breathtaking artwork and courtyard filled with various types of greenery. The library, though archaic, was one of my favorite parts. It reminded me of something out of Harry Potter with tattered books, which were all in Latin, covering the mahogany shelves, and the two spiral stair cases that connected the two floors. As if was not enough, we headed downstairs where we found the entrance to the catacombs. I was not a huge fan of the idea of going into a church basement, especially knowing that I was on my way to see dismembered skeletons, but once we crawled through the small doorway (I swear it was the door from Alice in Wonderland), I loved the eerie feeling. There was something exhilarating about wondering through the maze-like pathway with bones of those who died long ago surrounding you. Unlike a few of my classmates, I was careful not to "accidentally" touch the bones as I did not want to entice any ancient Peruvian spirits to haunt me. I guess we'll see what happens. 

Once again, we boarded the bus and walked home (after I bought a duffle bag to bring to Ica on Friday). Now, it is time to study for my test tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Nos vemos!

Day Four

Today I was finally able to run! I left my house and ran along the cliffs that overlook the sea. Initially I was worried I would be all by myself, but the pathway was full of other joggers, bicycles and dog walkers, and I got to watch the surfers tackle the waves that were crashing below. After my run, I got back to the apartment just as my host mom was leaving for her tennis practice. I showered, changed my clothes and packed my bag for the day. Before I left, I made sure to grab my usual breakfast of a ham, egg and cheese sandwich and a smoothie, then headed out for the day.

At school, we reviewed the conditional tense and conversed about potential problems we might encounter and how we would solve them. In history, we learned more about Carval and the various items discovered there. When classes ended, we had a lunch of chicken, rice and potatoes then waited for the bus that took us to the Museum of Anthropology and Archeology.

The museum taught us all about Peru during the ancient civilizations and it was great to see all of the different artifacts on display. Another great part was the courtyard which was filled with trees and greenery, which we sat under when our tour ended. 

Monica surprised us with a wine tasting after the tour, where we all tried the "best wine in Peru." The name must have been true as the majority of us left with our own bottles, me with rosé. 

We got on the bus once again and headed to the Magical Fountains. Basically, this was a park filled with thirteen different, extravagant water fountains. In other words, the park included thirteen different reasons for us to take a group picture. It all ended climatically with a spectacular water show. 

Tired and hungry, we got on the bus once again and headed home to finish our homework. 

Day Three

Today, was the first day of classes! I walked to our school, El Sol, and arrived in time for the classes that began at 9. The first class, Grammar and Conversation, was taught by Romeo. He reviewed the subjunctive with our class, which was extremely helpful because I completely forgot the conjugation and conditions f when to use the subjunctive. After grammar, our other teacher, Andreas, taught us History and Culture of Peru. Specifically, we learned about the ancient civilization of Carval and many of the aspects of it, like the different temples and gods they worship. After class, we had a lunch of rice, egg and soup and then were dismissed.

During the small break we had, a group of us went to Pinkberry and Starbucks in order to use the wifi so that we could do our homework. Then, we met the class at El Parque Kennedy, and walked together to the Ricardo Palma museum. Ricardo Palma was a famous Peruvian writer during the nineteenth century, and we got to tour his house and learn all about his life. In fact, I learned so much that when the guide, Guillermo, asked us questions about Palma, I answered one correctly and won a book. 

Before the night tour of Miraflores, a group of us went to go get dinner so that we could experience authentic Peruvian cuisine. Of course, it was incredible.

Finally, we ended the night with a tour of Miraflores and, like always, it was breathtaking (and a bit chilly). Overall, it was an eventful day, but it is only going to get busier from here.

Day Two

Today, my host mother showed me around Miraflores and all of the different places I would ever need to go. We through the park to a small mall close to our apartment that had a grocery store, pharmacy and laundromat, which was great to learn.
My most mother's daughter invited us over to her house for a Mother's Day tea. Here, I met the majority of her family, including her grandson and three granddaughters. Although it was intimidating to be surrounded by so much Spanish, the two youngest granddaughters helped ease me in by talking about their favorite American musicians and other famous trends. They even told me that I spoke Spanish very well, but they might have been trying to be nice. Aside from helping me with my Spanish, the girls, who have previously lived in Spain and Brazil, were able to practice their English with me, so we all helped each other learn more.
After tea, I met my class at the Huaca Pucllana, which is an upscale restaurant that resides next to ancient ruins. Of course, the food was amazing as was the pisco sour, Peru's national drink. When dinner was finished, we toured the ruins and it was all simply unbelievable. Finally, we had to head back home to prepare for the first day of classes tomorrow!

Day One

Today was our first day in Lima! To start the day, my host family made a delicious breakfast of eggs, ham, cheese, smoothies and bread, a lot of bread. Then, we drove around Miraflores and even visited the weekly farmer's market, where I was introduced to several types of produce I have never even heard of before. It was exhilarating to actually live like a local and converse with the vendors in Spanish.
My host family had to attend a tennis tournament that my host mother was competing in, so I spent the next hour unpacking and settling into what will be my home for the next month. By the time I finished, it was already time to meet the group in El Parque Kennedy.
From there, we walked to lunch as a group. The chicken was just as delicious as Monica described, especially the dark meat, which I ordered per her persistence that it was the best. The ice cream I got during the free time after, Ron y Pasas, simply completed the meal. Now that our stomachs were full and our appetites satiated, we began our bus tour of Miraflores.
The tour took us everywhere in Miraflores, from the ruins to Lacomar to el centro, and all of it was captivating. It was great to learn more about Lima's past and to see the effect that it had on shaping present-day Lima. After the bus tour ended, many of us walked back to Lacomar to discover it more in depth and marvel at the view of the sea. However, fatigue eventually won and we all returned home.
To end the first day in Lima, my host family made another delicious meal, this time which included quinoa and fried plantains, and even had cake for dessert. They continued to help me practice my Spanish by conversing with me well past dinner ending. After the long day, I decided it was time for bed and went to get more sleep to prepare for the adventures coming up.

Gracias por su tiempo!

Hannah Arlauskas