One month is in the bag down here in Peru with 26 left to go. I think it is time for a little reflection. Today we spoke about culture shock and diversity during training. It really forced everyone try to analyze their past month here and the experiences they have had. I think one of the hardest things I’ve been dealing with down here is not being able to really get to know some people really well, because we are all hanging out together in big groups so much. Therefore, you really don’t have a go to person down here, at least thus far. Another thing which has been tough has been living with children. I would love for just once to be able to close my door without a little hand or foot shooting through to prevente me from doing so. That is really part of living in another country though. There are going to be little things that will bug the hell out of you, but you need to step back and look at why they bug you and why they are happening instead of just getting angry about it. On the brighter side, I think the positive aspects definitely out weigh the negatives. This past Saturday, we had a party for my host dad’s birthday. A bunch of volunteers came over and we had a little bonfire out back where we just sat, ate and drank. It was really nice. Towards the end of the night it was just my host parents, 2 other volunteers and myself. During this time, my host mom just had the most wonderful things to say about me and other volunteers in general. For example, how i’m a part of the family, how she houses volunteers for the cultural exchange and not the money , and how hard it is going to be when we end up leaving. There has been a stark contrast between my study abroad experience and this one. The families here do not take in americans for the Money or as a Business. It’s because they believe in what we are doing and want to help. It’s really awesome. So, yea you have your nagging cultural aspects, but the wonderful relationships you have with people really starts to outweigh those little negatives.
Anyways, a little update on what I’ve been up to. The fourth was lots of fun even though I was in Peru. We had a mini field day at the training center with relay races and such. Then we went to a party at night which was cool. The next Saturday, as I said, we had a party at my house for my host dad. We were at my house til 230 with my host parents. Then, down the street, the other volunteer’s brother was having a birthday party. This wasn’t just any birthday party however. The room the party was in had a disco ball, different colored lighting, and a strobe Light. It was pretty much a discoteca. It was lots of fun and I ended up in bed by 5AM haha. All in all pretty good stuff. Keep the emails coming I really enjoy them. I will respond eventually. I put them on my flash drive so I can type up a response.
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