Anddd we back!
On February 6th, I hopped on a plane to Canada. And then I hopped on another plane to LIMA! Yeah, I know that going north to go way south makes no sense at all, but it was cheap so it makes at least a little sense….
Leaving for Peru felt a bit different this time around. I already knew what to expect of the university, the people, my house, the program, and my host family. The only 2 major differences were that it was going to be a new group of Holy Cross students and I’d be arriving in the depths of SUMMER.
So on February 9th, I arrived at Tanta for my welcome lunch part 2. Walking up to the table a few minutes late, like a true Peruvian, I was warmly greeted by a hug from our cultural advisor, Luis, and lots of smiling faces. After just that day, I knew that it was going to be a great group. The beauty of study abroad is being able to connect with diverse individuals and people you may never have been friends with otherwise. While I knew all the Holy Cross students coming for this semester, during my two weeks here so far, these previously “hi”-friends have become true friends. I’ve always believed that the people you surround yourself with play a crucial role in the shaping of your life and the experiences you have. The group’s positivity, desire to improve their Spanish, and overall commitment to taking full advantage of the opportunity to be in Peru for a semester has already made the beginning of this semester special!
Over the past two-ish hot, sticky, and wicked sunny weeks of summer, the mornings have been spent back at El Sol Spanish school in Miraflores. In the tardes, we either have activities organized by the EdOdyssey team, or have free afternoons to disfrutarnos. As I write this blog, it is a free afternoon and I’m sitting in a park by my house writing with pen and paper, and watching dogs play with each other. The sun is beginning to set, and the cool breeze feels like the perfect refresher after another hot, humid, Lima summer day.
There are many more updates to come, but I’ll pause here…. Peru PARTE DOS is going just dandy. Only a few tears have been shed so far, mainly due to the frustrating bus system, so I’ll consider that a win. It has been great to see and hear from Peruvian friends again, dip my toes back into the nightlife, and bond with the new EdOdyssey group! Additionally, being the only student with my host family this semester, I’ve been able to connect and chat with them a lot more. Due to summer vacation, the daughter of my host brother… my host niece, I suppose… has been staying at the house and it has been a real blast spending time with the energetic and talkative chica!
Cheers to 5 more months in Peru!!
Enjoy some fotos from my first two weeks!
