As I am sitting here, trying to think of a topic to write this week’s blog about, I cannot help but feel nostalgic about the past semester. For the first time in my life, I realized a dream that I had never thought I would actually do; I studied abroad. I have been living in a different country for almost four months, and that is difficult for me to wrap my mind around. Four months is a long time! In the grand scheme of life I suppose that it is not actually very much time, but in other terms, I have been abroad for 1/3 of an entire year. If I had the chance to go back and decide whether or not I wanted to take this trip, I know that I would still choose to take it every time. Regardless of the time commitment, I can honestly say that I have learned more this semester than I have during any other semester in my college career. It is not that I have taken easy or poorly taught classes before, but a semester abroad is so much more than an opportunity to learn in a classroom; it is a life changing, maturing, life-skill learning experience that I hope to someday repeat.
I have many fond memories of the semesters behind me that I know I will cherish for many years to come. In fact, I will not only remember my time in Perú; I will incorporate my time spent here into my daily life when I return home. For example, I will continue to read, watch movies, and listen to music in Spanish. By doing those things, I can further improve my Spanish skills, which will allow me to better communicate with people in my future career. I will also make Peruvian recipes for my American family, and hopefully I will be able to cheer for my new, favorite soccer team, Alianza. Perú has become a part of me that I cannot fight. I want to keep the spirit of this semester alive after I have gone home.
There have also been parts of Perú that have been very different than what I am used to in the States. This only makes sense considering I am 4000 miles South of where I normally reside, but I cannot help but notice the differences, even if they were expected. Perú is not necessarily an easy country to live in. For example, there is a lack of normal amenities that most Americans take for granted. Some of these may include anything as significant as free, public restrooms, to something as insignificant as having to pay for refills of drinks in restaurants. The sidewalks here are inexplicably slippery, and the men are relentlessly sexist. Transportation of any form is dangerous because people simply do not follow the rules of the road. They are fully aware of the lines on the road, and they do not use them! Drivers also move much faster than speed limits suggest they should.
All the ways that Perú has been different than America have made me appreciate this trip more than I would have had I traveled to another developed country. That is not to say that, for example, England and America are anywhere near similar, but I think something can be said for more similarities existing between two developed nations versus a developed nation and a developing nation. There are days that I sit here, and I honestly wonder how people endure life here every single day. From the heat, to the extreme poverty, to the dirty facilities, life seems like much more of a challenge in Perú than it does in other places. However, I have noticed that many people are happy here. Perú has a rich, indigenous culture that still thrives today, and people are proud of where they come from, because they know what their ancestry is. There are signs all over the country the read, “Somos Perú” inside of a heart. I asked my siblings about it and learned that these signs are propaganda for one of the Presidential candidates, but regardless of what the candidate stands for, I really like the add. Perú is not a country free of struggle, but it is a country with a strong culture, a strong people, and a strong heart, and for that, I think “Somos Perú” could not be more accurate, and I feel like I am part of that too.
I have many fond memories of the semesters behind me that I know I will cherish for many years to come. In fact, I will not only remember my time in Perú; I will incorporate my time spent here into my daily life when I return home. For example, I will continue to read, watch movies, and listen to music in Spanish. By doing those things, I can further improve my Spanish skills, which will allow me to better communicate with people in my future career. I will also make Peruvian recipes for my American family, and hopefully I will be able to cheer for my new, favorite soccer team, Alianza. Perú has become a part of me that I cannot fight. I want to keep the spirit of this semester alive after I have gone home.
There have also been parts of Perú that have been very different than what I am used to in the States. This only makes sense considering I am 4000 miles South of where I normally reside, but I cannot help but notice the differences, even if they were expected. Perú is not necessarily an easy country to live in. For example, there is a lack of normal amenities that most Americans take for granted. Some of these may include anything as significant as free, public restrooms, to something as insignificant as having to pay for refills of drinks in restaurants. The sidewalks here are inexplicably slippery, and the men are relentlessly sexist. Transportation of any form is dangerous because people simply do not follow the rules of the road. They are fully aware of the lines on the road, and they do not use them! Drivers also move much faster than speed limits suggest they should.
All the ways that Perú has been different than America have made me appreciate this trip more than I would have had I traveled to another developed country. That is not to say that, for example, England and America are anywhere near similar, but I think something can be said for more similarities existing between two developed nations versus a developed nation and a developing nation. There are days that I sit here, and I honestly wonder how people endure life here every single day. From the heat, to the extreme poverty, to the dirty facilities, life seems like much more of a challenge in Perú than it does in other places. However, I have noticed that many people are happy here. Perú has a rich, indigenous culture that still thrives today, and people are proud of where they come from, because they know what their ancestry is. There are signs all over the country the read, “Somos Perú” inside of a heart. I asked my siblings about it and learned that these signs are propaganda for one of the Presidential candidates, but regardless of what the candidate stands for, I really like the add. Perú is not a country free of struggle, but it is a country with a strong culture, a strong people, and a strong heart, and for that, I think “Somos Perú” could not be more accurate, and I feel like I am part of that too.