The End of my First Month in Peru

El Parque del Amor in Miraflores

Las Huacas

El Parque del Agua

El Parque del Agua

Tomorrow marks the final day in January and so far I feel like I have learned enormous amounts since I arrived here in Surco. Just this past week was filled with a whirlwind of activities. I still really haven’t been able to grasp the concept that life is still going on in Kearney while I am in Peru. Sometimes I can’t help but think what I would be doing right now in this moment if I was at UNK. Then, there’s nights like this past Saturday when I realize that if I wouldn’t have studied abroad I would have never gotten to experience and learn all about Peruvian culture.

This past Thursday was the first day I acted as a volunteer Teaching Assistant in a second level English class at the university I attend here. The experience was awesome and I can’t wait to go again this next Thursday. I feel like as an education major I picked up on a lot of the little aspects of the classroom that others might now have noticed. It amazed me how much time the students spent actually speaking in English. The majority of the class was spent going over a new topic, such as reflexive pronouns. After the given topic was introduced and explained, the students then partnered up and put into practice what they learned. In my Spanish classes back home the teacher lectures the majority of the time and we are not actually given time to practice the new skills we have acquired.

Saturday morning we had a class field trip to Miraflores to learn about the history behind the district. I was thinking of my dad and Paul throughout the whole experience because I know they would have found it very interesting. For instance, the houses here are built in a very specific way according to climate and other factors. The roofs are actually flat because in Miraflores they only receive 7 millimeters of rain per year. After walking around Lima we then received a tour of “Las Huacas.” The Huacas are sacred places that serve as a ceremonial center. Within the Huacas are tombs of human sacrifices.

Saturday evening the UNK students and a few students from UPC went to El Parque del Agua. It was so much fun. The park is filled with huge fountains that you can run through. Each fountain is unique in its own way in regards to the colors it gives off and the structure. At night time they also have this awesome show of fountains that shoot off water in all different colors and shapes and in the middle of it all you can see a man and a woman dancing together. A video was actually filmed of the UNK students running through the fountains. You can find it at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zf9ySi5Nuuw&feature=youtu.be

I’m the one in a blue shirt and gray shorts that comes running in about 20 seconds after the video starts!

I know I have blogged before about the famous Peru, Nebraska video, but I have decided to attach the video to this blog. It’s unbelievable how famous the video is here. This past Friday a cousin of my host mom was over and she asked where I was from. I told her Nebraska and then the conversation moved on. Roughly thirty minutes later in mid-sentence the whole Peru, Nebraska idea dawned on her and she of course asked if I lived close to Peru and if I had seen the video. My professor for my Conversation and Culture class even showed the video during class and for homework we are now reading articles from two different authors about the video. In one article the author really loved the idea of the trip these famous Peruvian people made to Nebraska and in the other article the author was not a huge fan of the idea. The video is in Spanish but it does have English subtitles. In the video the people from Nebraska try lots of foods I have had hear. Do you remember when I blogged about how Inca Kola tastes like bubblegum? In the video a man from Nebraska tries Inca Kola and right afterwards he says, “that tastes like bubblegum.” Here’s the link to the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_xBZcVEH1I

Last night my host family and I attended a church I had never been to so far. The Eucharist and whole celebration still amazes me every time I go. I have found it odd the entire time I have been here in Peru that only about half the church receives Communion. I finally got up the courage to ask my host sister what that was all about. She said that people here only receive the Eucharist if they are free of sins. That also explains the huge lines for reconciliation you can find before mass. Another really awesome aspect of church is how the Eucharist is put away in the sacristy. After communion the whole congregation is sitting. Then, when the priest goes to put away the remaining Body of Christ the entire congregation stands up and bows. The whole celebration is awe-inspiring.

Before I start to study I thought I would share this little tidbit from Sister Rosy, the director of the Newman Center at UNK. I know that all our lives are extremely busy and it would be impossible for all of us to call each other or e-mail on a daily basis. However, in the words of Sister Rosy, “we can stayed connected through our prayers.” My thoughts and prayers go out to all of you. I hope you have a GREAT week! J

<3 Mary  

Marylinda has Arrived!!!!!!!!!!

Aída and Coque

Luciaño enjoying his ice cream! :)

Me, Aída, and Marylinda

Marylinda and Flavia

Wednesday night we loaded up the cars and headed out to the airport to pick up my new host sister, Marylinda. Everyone was excited throughout the day as we anxiously awaited the arrival of Mary. Finally, at 10 P.M. it was time to leave!!!! Mary was greeted by both her family and friends at the airport. Now that Mary has arrived, it’s time to give you a run-down of who I will be living with the next three months:

Aida (Sr.)-Aida (Sr.) is the oldest in the house and serves as both a mom and grandmother to the people who live here. She is an extremely sweet lady with a kind heart. She does everything she can not only for her children, but for me too. For instance, she discovered that I love peaches and one day I came out of the shower to find a fresh peach on my desk straight from the market. She has bent over backwards for me these past three weeks and I feel so blest to have her as a host mom.

Gladius- Gladius (A.K.A. Tia) is the sister of Aida. When I am around her I am automatically able to relax. Gladius exudes this sense of calmness.

Aida (Jr.)-Aida is the oldest of the four children. She is married with three kids of her own. She is actually the person who picked me up at the airport since Aida (Sr.) was still on vacation. She has taken me under her wing and always makes sure I am safe and have everything I need. She has already gotten to know me so well. The other day Aida (Sr.) asked what I wanted to drink and before I could even answer both Aida (Jr.) and her husband said lemonade.

Coque- Coque is the husband of Aida. He is extremely funny and even plays tennis!!! He only knows a couple of words in English but whenever he tries to explain something to me he always uses really good hand gestures and acts it out and I usually catch on.

Aleesia (age 10), Flavia (age 4), and Luciano (age 2) are Coque and Aida’s three children. They are constantly making me laugh. We all went swimming this past Sunday and later that evening we noticed that Flavia was a little burnt. She turned to me and said that she was burnt just like I always am!

Pito- Pito is second in line after Aida and he is hilarious. He is always teasing his siblings and getting into little bickering arguments with them. He is also very handy and fixes whatever breaks in the house.

Veronica- Veronica is Pito’s wife and she speaks English very well. Pito and Veronica actually lived in Atlanta for six years and that is where they learned English. Veronica is so sweet and always makes sure I am well fed and have everything I need.

Adriana (age 8) and Lyah (age 5) are Pito and Veronica’s two children. They are both extremely kind and can always make me smile. Adriana is very patient with me and whenever she says something and I don’t understand she always says “A Ver” (hold on) and then thinks of a new way to explain it.

Marylinda- Marylinda just arrived at the house after a one year internship in Atlanta and is the youngest of the four children. She is one of the cheeriest and prettiest people I know. Whenever she is around the happiness level in the room always increases and everyone is always excited to see her. She is so inviting and everyone just wants to be around her. Even though she speaks perfect English, Mary and I always converse in Spanish because she knows that I came here to learn Spanish.

If you have been following along, you have discovered that I live with 12 other people!!!! This makes for a full house always on the go and constant energy going in every direction. And I wouldn’t change my situation for the world. I feel so blessed and am so grateful to be considered the newest member of the Castro family. They are extremely welcoming, they always make me laugh, and they always make sure my every need is met!!! 

I came across this quote the other day and I think it fits my new family perfectly:

“Other things may change us, but we start and end with family.”-Anthony Brandt

When you are with the Flores family it is clear that they all have unconditional love for each other. Any family member would do anything for another family member. Just the other day Pito went out of his way to drive me to the post office to pick up two packages from my parents. I can’t really put into words what family means here. I know in the U.S. some dads have a bad rep for not being involved in their children’s lives. Well, I can tell you that is not the case for Pito and Coque. When they get home from work and on the weekends they are always playing with their children and just spending time with them. My favorite times here are when the entire family is together just talking and laughing. Family is everything here and that has been made very apparent to me by mi familia nueva! 

Angels Watching Over Us

The zoo in Lima!!! Check out the giraffe in the background!!!

La Playa Punta Hermosa!

These past couple of days have been filled with a whirlwind of events. I have realized there have been so many angels watching over us this entire time in Peru. For instance, I do not believe it was just pure luck that before I went to board my plane in Atlanta I randomly met a father and son who told me they would watch out for me. I also don’t think it’s merely a coincidence that all the e-mails, messages, or skype conversations I have had with people just happen to occur at exactly the right moment. Last night a couple friends and I were leaving a district of Lima that is about 45 minutes from Surco (the district we live in). We only kind of knew how to get back and right when a bus was pulling away we literally saw a friend we had just met earlier that night and hopped on the bus at the exact right moment. This friend is originally from Michigan and he is fluent in both Spanish and English and he made sure we got home safely. Pure luck??? I think not.

Something that has amazed me over the past two weeks I have stayed here is the way in which all the students here from UNK have came together. We all come from such different walks of life, yet we all protect each other and look out for each other. No girl ever has to walk home by herself regardless of whether it is light or day. I was at a friend’s house a couple days ago and he lives 25 minutes from me by foot. We decided it was time to leave around 7:30 P.M. because it was already pretty dark out. He was nice enough to walk me all the way back to my house even though it meant that he would have a 25 minute walk back to his house alone.

Also, the way that women are treated here has really surprised me. Whenever we are with Peruvian native men they open our car doors for us and are very protective. If we are getting on a bus they always let the women get on first. If we are on a crowded bus the men always give up their seats for the women. If we are walking down the street they always walk on the side closest to the traffic. It’s just the little things that really add up.

Earlier this week we met with two English professors here at UPC and they informed us what we would be doing for our volunteer tutoring and Teacher Assistant jobs. I will be helping with an English class every Thursday for two hours and then tutoring on Mondays. I am soooo excited for this opportunity. It will be a great way to meet new people and I also think I will learn a lot from it.

This past Friday the students from UNK and myself went to a zoo here in Lima. A couple students from UPC also joined us and we had a blast. Saturday was spent at two discotecas with some UNK students and some UPC students also. That leads me to today. This morning I went to mass and it was the most amazing mass I have ever been to thus far in my life. It is so hard to put into words everything that happened. It was the first mass I have been to here in Lima that has had music. And let me tell you, it was BEAUTIFUL music. The Eucharist is so sacred to the people here. When we go to receive the Eucharist we still go up in an organized fashion pew by pew. But, when you get to the priest that is handing out the Eucharist (and it will be a priest compared to how at home members of the community can distribute the Eucharist) you kneel down on a “mini pew.” Also, there are people that place a “gold plate” underneath your mouth when you are receiving the Eucharist to ensure that the Body will never hit touch ground. These people that hold the plates are either nuns or altar servers. Besides the music and the importance of the Eucharist I was in awe at the blessing all the children receive at the end of the mass. All the children go up to the priests in the same way that people go up to receive the Eucharist. Also, if adults would like water to be blessed they can join the end of the line and the priest will bless the water. Even though I was not able to understand word for word what was going on at mass today, I could just feel the Holy Spirit within me.

Something else that really stuck out to me this week is a song we analyzed in my Conversation and Culture class. It is called “Cuando Pienses en Volver.” It just gave me a new perspective on the world. The song was about a country that sends immigrants as compared to a country that receives immigrants like the United States. It talks about how even though there are more opportunities for success outside a person’s native country, the love of friends and family far outweighs success.

This week has also been filled with meeting lots of new people. I was able to meet two of my host mom’s brothers and a couple of their children as well. This past week my host mom’s sister has stayed with us. Right now we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of my host mom’s daughter who has spent the past year in Atlanta, Georgia working at a hotel.

I hope life is well wherever you may be. Wishing all those going to Uncle Fred’s funeral safe travels!!! Thank you for the many prayers and know that you are in my prayers as well!

<3 Mary

Happy Birthday to my Dad and Lima!!!!

Dancers at La Plaza de Armas for Lima's Birthday Celebrations!!!

My friends Derek and I in the Combi! (As you can see we are a little squished!)

This past Sunday my dad celebrated his 50+ birthday. I was very sad that I could not be with him to help celebrate. I did however eat a piece of chocolate that day in his honor. J My siblings and I always joke about how old my parents are. Well dad, I have some good news to cheer you up: you are way less than half of Lima’s age. You look like a baby compared to how old Lima is. Last night marked the first night of festivities in celebration of Lima’s 477^th birthday. The students from UNK all got together and went. There were literally thousands of people everywhere. We were able to witness Peruvian dancing and some other cultural celebrations.

Since I last blogged, I have had my advanced Spanish Grammar class. The teacher is really nice but talks a little bit fast. Oh well, we’ll catch on quickly. After classes on Thursday, the UNK students decided to play basketball and soccer. We ended up meeting some native Peruvians who were extremely nice. At the beginning of the game I told one of them “No juego.” (I don’t play.) I meant this as I don’t play well by American standards which are nothing compared to Peruvian standards. The Peruvian man responded in English by saying you try to kick the ball in the goal. I felt totally incompetent. I know the purpose of the game…I just meant I’m really bad at it. After about an hour or so we exchanged information with our new friends and they invited us to the beach the following day. Unfortunately, all of us already had other plans but perhaps this upcoming weekend we’ll get together.

The students from UNK and I do not have classes here on Fridays. So, we split up and about half of us went to the beach and the other half headed to Jockey Plaza (a huge shopping center). I joined the group going to Jokey. Jokey Plaza is roughly a 50 minute walk from the college we go to. Consequently, we took our first Combi. Combis are little white vans that travel around Lima and drop you off at different spots. They squish as many people as possible on these things. Once we got to Jockey plaza, the rest of the day was spent having fun shopping and exploring. On Friday night I went to Barranco with my host family. It is a nice little town with lots of restaurants and bars. We were able to walk around and get an excellent view of the sea. Saturday was spent at the beach and then in the evening we went to a mall in a different district of Lima. Sunday we went to church and then ate Chifa, or Chinese food for lunch.

As I’m sure you have guessed, there have been quite a few differences between Peru and Nebraska. I remember myself saying multiple times how boring I thought Kearney is. Well, I never realized how grateful I am for certain aspects that Kearney has. For instance, there is always noise here. When we are sitting in class at least two to three times a car alarm goes off. You can always here construction and honking from the outside window as well. When I return home, I cannot wait for the peace and quietness of Kearney. On the other hand, something I like better here is the way people walk. Here, everyone walks much slower. They aren’t on a mission to get where they need to go as fast as possible like what is so often seen in America.

I am excited to say that I think my Spanish is improving. Yesterday during our Literature class I was able to understand at least 95% of what our teacher was saying. I thought this was because he was talking much slower but I asked my other classmates and they didn’t think he was talking slow. It makes me excited to think I might actually be catching on a little bit. This afternoon the students from UNK have a meeting with two English professors from UPC because next week we will start being volunteer TA’s. I am super excited about this. Later this week we will also be having a meeting with a representative from the U.S. Embassy. Our professor here from UNK said he isn’t exactly sure what this is about. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

I need to go get ready for my meeting with the English Professors. Adios for now!!!! J

Getting Settled In

My New Campus!!!!

My host sister Aida and one of her children, Alessia!

 

 

 

Well, it's been 5 days since I arrived here in Lima. This past Monday we had orientation. I was facebook chatting with one of my friends from UNK that is studying here with me here in Lima before orientation and we both agreed that when we saw each other in person we needed to talk Spanish in order to completely immerse ourselves in the language. The first thing words that came out of my mouth when I saw my friend where all in English. Wow, you don't know how refreshing it is to talk in your native language after going so long without it (And by long, I mean 3 days). I have a brand new appreciation for the English language and for a lot of what we do in America. I remember walking around campus at UNK and I would hear the Japanese students or other students that were at UNK studying abroad talking in their native language. I always thought to myself that it definitely wasn't helping them improve their English. You do not even realize how refreshing it is to talk in your native language after going without it for 3 days. And for me, I wasn't even completely without it. My host sister, Aida, speaks very good English but we try to talk as often as we can in Spanish. I need the practice and also her husband and 3 children know very little English and we want to include them in the conversation so we talk as much Spanish as possible although it can be really challenging at times. And I have it good. Just think of all the Japanese students at UNK. At least people here know some English but I cannot think of a single person in Kearney that speaks Japanese besides the exchange students.

Since I last blogged, my host mom, Aida, arrived in Peru from vacationing in Ecuador. She knows no English. I actually think this is great because then I am not even tempted to talk in English. However, as I mentioned above it can be a bit challenging. For example, today we were talking about how the whole dating system works in America. I misunderstood her and thought she told me that in Peru you fall in love first, then date, and then get married. I told her I thought that was odd and tried to explain how it works in America. Unfortunately, I didn't know the word for engaged so I was trying to act out the whole scene. I told her that first you become boyfriend/girlfriend, and then I tried explaining that after awhile you get engaged. I got down on my knee and told her the man asks the woman if she will marry him and puts a ring on her finger. I thought we both understood how everything works in our cultures. Then my host mom's daughter walked in who speaks English and both of us were completed wrong about what we had understood!!!

I had my first class on Monday with the professor here form UNK. He sent us an e-mail today describing two different options we have to do for his class. We can either by an assistant to an English class at UPC helping with activities or we could hold an office hour in which students would come and we would help them with papers they have written or whatever they need. I am really really excited about this. On Tuesday I had my Peruvian Literature class. Peruvian Literature is definitely nothing like English Lit. Our professor had us read what he called a "simple" story about a Peruvian myth. After giving us ample time to read it he began asking us questions about the story. Unfortunately, no one new any of the answers. He then asked us how much of the story we understood and after a brief silence one of my brave classmates raised her hand and said "Nosotros no entendimos nada," (We understood nothing). Luckily, our professor was very nice and helped us a lot. He uses a lot of gestures and does a really good job of explaining what is going on. Today I had my Conversation and Culture class. Our professor is a riot. I wish all of you could come and observe our class. It is the perfect balance of learning new words mixed with laughter and fun. Something I am really looking forward to are all the field trips associated with my classes. In February we will be going to Cusco and touring Macchu Piccu. During my class today we all voted to go see a play one night which I cannot wait for (Lauren I will be sure to fill you in all about this later!) We will also be going to a cometary and another town surrounding Peru!!!

Something I found very humorous that I thought I would share is how everyone here constantly talks about the Peru College Commercial in Nebraska. My host family asked me if I had seen it the day I arrived, my professor asked us about it today in class, and if you get in a taxi and they figure out you are from Nebraska they are bound to ask you if you have seen the commercial. The commercial is actually played on T.V.s here in Peru!!!

I feel like I am beginning to get settled in here. I have more of a schedule and I already feel like my Spanish is rapidly improving!!! I hope all is well for all of you reading this right now!!! Thank you for the many encouraging words and prayers!

Mary

Safe and Sound

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have been through more changes in the past 24 hours than I could ever imagine!!! Well first off, I am safe and sound and sitting in my host mom's house right now. Adriana and Leah (two of the grandchildren) actually just walked in and we talked for awhile, in Spanish of course!  Since I am already on the subject of my host family, let me continue. Last night I eventually found my host family at the airport. Aida (my host mom's daughter) and her best friend Cynthia came and picked me up. This morning I woke up and met the rest of the family. I live in a condo that is connected on either side with Aida and Oscar's (my host mom's son) condos. Everyone is so nice here. I think the first surprise that I am still getting used to is the way you greet people here. When you wake up in the morning, or get home from shopping, school etc. you greet everyone with a kiss on the cheek. After some introductions, we began to get to know each other. Speaking Spanish is hard, but at the same time I am really enjoying it. Adrianna, Leah, Alessia, Flavia, and Luciano are all extremely nice!!! When I talk to them it just makes me think of the pharse "we all smile in the same language." Sometimes I don't understand what they are trying to tell me (especially the 2 year-old and 4 year-old) but when they say something and then laugh it doesn't really matter if I didn't undertand. Flavia and Luciano are still getting used to me (which is very understandable). However, as the day has progressed Flavia has begun to talk to me!!! The parents of these wonderful children are just as great. They are so kind and help me in anyway!!!


Now, moving on to what has happened to me since I flew out of the Omaha airport. On the flight from Omaha to Atlanta I sat by a very nice couple that was traveling to Jamaica for their daughter's wedding. Their were actually 20 people attending this wedding on the flight. My nerves started to kick in as we were being called to board the flight from Atlanta to Peru. As I spoke on the phone to a friend I started getting more and more worried. Once I finished the call the man and his son sitting next to me asked if I was alright. This then spurred a conversation about where we were from and why we were going to Peru. I discovered that the son played football for Ohio and Solich was his coach. At that point I was wishing my three brothers could be with me because I know they would have really enjoyed talking to this man. As we were boarding the plane, the father and son both told me they would keep an eye out for me throughout the plane ride and on our way through customs. Wow, what kind people there are in this world!!!

After almost 8 hours I arrived in Lima. Our flight was late due to head winds that caused mild turbulence about a fourth of the ride. I went through customs and immigration and finally stepped into the room that held everyone who was picking up someone from the airport. There were literally people everywhere holding up signs with someone's name on it. After a couple complications, I finally found my ride and headed to my new house.


I woke up this morning thinking it was 9 AM. I couldn't find a clock and no time is displayed on the microwave. I showered (no hot water) and went next door to find Aida. We began eating breakfast and Aida commented on how early I woke up. Thinking it was close to ten by then I gave her a confused look. She explained to me that it was only 8 AM. Crazy!!! After eating, we packed up and headed to la playa (the beach). Driving here is a lot different than Nebraska. People cut out and in of lanes like crazy. I seriously thought we were going to be in a wreck multiple times. After a 30 or so minute drive we arrived at the beach. I have never seen such crazy waves before. They were HUGE!!! The situation I experienced at the beach was way different then anything I have experienced. People constantly walk up and down the beach selling you anything from clothes, jewelry, food, newspapers or even massages! When we wanted something to eat/drink, my host brother simply had to wave or whistle to get someone's attention who immediately came over and served us.


I would like to finish with one paragraph dedicated to my brother, Paul. He gave me some advice as I said bye to him and a part of the advice was to not be scared to try new foods. Well, breakfast started off with Chocoton. I would describe it as similar to a piece of chocolate cake. The tables at the beaches all had this snack that looks like an uncooked kernal of popcorn. I then had french fries and tried uca which is a type of potato. To drink I tried Lima's signature beverage, Inca Kola. It tastes like bubblegum. I then tried some type of fish that came in a glass filled with milk, onions, and something else green. For lunch I had pollo a la plancha (grilled chicken). Here in Peru we eat breakfast and then lunch at 2 pm and that's it. We don't have dinner so I am actually done eating for the day!


Thank you for all the prayers and encouraging words. Once I figure out how to post pictures I will show you what my new house looks like as well as a couple pictures of Lima!!!


Mary

Mi Futura Familia

In less than 24 hours I will be driving to Omaha with my parents. My flight is at 7:20 A.M. Friday morning so my parents and I will be driving to Omaha tomorrow afternoon. Since I last blogged I have learned a lot of information about my host family! I feel so blessed and grateful to have been chosen to live with the Flores family. My host mom's name is Aída. She is in her sixties and has four children. I will be living in a condo with my host mom and eventually my new sister Marylinda!!! (Marylinda is currently in Atlanta completing a one-year internship with the Marriott Hotel and will be returning in late January.) Their condo is directly across from the university which will ensure my safety and also be very convenient. On either side of the condo live two of Aída's other children; Oscar is married with two children and her other daughter also named Aída is married with three children. Aída's fourth child, Kirk, is also married with one child but he and his family will not be living with all of us. My host mom watches the grandchildren while the adults go off to work. My host mom is currently in Ecuador and will be returning to Peru on Monday. Her daughter, Aída, will be picking me up at the airport on Friday. I have received e-mails from my host mom and both of her daughters. They all seem extremely welcoming and very kind. I can't wait to meet all of them. I feel beyond blessed to be able to live with them for the next four months!!!

In closing, I would like to thank all of you for the many prayers and encouraging words. I will be traveling all by myself from Nebraska to Peru and I am both very scared and excited. I have been on an emotional roller coaster these past couple of days. At times I am so excited and cannot wait to experience the food, culture, and language and am beyond excited to live with the Flores family. Then there are times when I have already begun to miss my friends and family and am nervous about the entire experience. The e-mails, phone calls, text messages, and letters I have all received the past couple of days have come at the exact right time. I cannot thank you all enough for your support. I am so blessed. 

Next time I blog expect it to be from Peru!!!! 

Love,
Mary