de Peru!

Hola de Peru!

So far, Peru is wonderful! The people, places and food are amazing. Los alumnos de la programa son marviollsos tambien! I live with 3 other students and we are hosted by dos hermana who are somewhat older. They are very nice and their house is beautiful I have my own room and my own bathroom, which I did not expect at all! Ella y Norma are very nice and sweet and love hearing about our homes, families, and adventures de Peru. Tuesday was our introduction to the university and we met our compañeros. Tambien fuimos a un comercio, es como un Walmart, para comprar los necessarios.

En miercoles fuimos a Lachay, Barranca y Puerto Supe. Lachay es en el desierto y es como un parque nacional o reservado. Fue muy bonito y calme. Noy hay nadie excepto nosotros de la programa. Fue intresante mirar un parte diferente de Peru y salir de la ciudad. No hay muchos animales pero los pajarros, como los hawks or falcons.

We hiked up a mountain trail and the view was amazing. Yo saque los fotos but I couldnt capture the beauty. We drove to Lachay from Lima, along the coast. That was extremely beautiful as well, probably even more beautiful then Lachay, because we were about 50 or more feet above the water and could see the waves and sides of the mountains/sand.

After Lachay, we drove to Barranca, a small town right by the sea. The town was very interesting because the homes seemed so poor and there were dirt roads and stray dogs everywhere - a very common thing in Perù. No hay muchos gatos pero hay muchos perros en las calles y sin dueños, y tambien en los techos! We ate at a restaurant - Tato and had "tacu tacu" ours was made with rice, beans and seafood-squid, octopus and shrimp. It was very delicious. Tambien comimos "ceviche" es como raw fish w. lemon and onions. Aunque no creeo que la pescada esta "raw" porque I think it is broiled a bit. We also had a purple corn dessert - mora morada - con dried fruits. A mi no me gusta bastante, but it was OK. After lunch we went on the beach for a while and I put my feet in the Pacific ocean por la primera vez, ¡yay! I was very excited =)

Despues, we went to another small town, Puerto Supe, and were on a dock there. We saw a dead and erroding sea lion - que triste - and some blue footed bird - como se llama blue footed booby. Two of the guys played soccer with some jovenes and we learned about a Peruvian poet - Blanca Varela - who made that town famous through a poem she wrote about it. Then we left and came to our hotel ***Hotel Chavin (three stars).

We reflected for a bit about Peru and our expectations&impressions. Then we went out on our own - I went with un grupo and we had pastries y yogurt, yum! The yogurt is very thick&delicious.

En jueves, tuve qe levantarme a las seis y media. En el dìa fuimos a Caral - la civilacion mayorìa por las Americas. (the oldest civilazion in the Americas, and 3rd oldest por el mundo). Fue interesante porque es la civilacion mayorìa, pero allì solamente rocks and ruins.

Now I am at the university in Lima. Lima is a very busy and crowded city, but I like it a lot. We havent had much time to explore the city, because we were gone wednesday and thursday. But, on Tuesday the group went to dinner in Mira Flores a una chifa. Las chifas are chinese restaurants that are all over Peru, because Peru has the 2nd largest population of Chinese people outside of China. The food was amazing and smashes the chinese food in the US.

Tonight we may go shopping or out to explore the city, en un grupo claro! Y mañana vamos a un partido de fùtbol en un estadio. Next week will be my first week of classes and I am really excited for them to begin! En jueves, vamos a Tarma y Pichanaqui for a few days, and that will should be an amazing trip as well!

Me encanta Peru and estoy emociona por las semanas que vienen. Ciao!

roses

i know it's past visiting hours, but can i please give her these flowers?...see my family, we know where home is. so instead of sending flowers, we the roses...

the past couple days have forced me to think. my friend's aunt just got diagnosed with lung cancer, she's a heavy smoker. last night, she threatened to kill herself. and now, they're moving her in with her daughter - but of course she doesn't want to go. she doesn't want to lose her independence. very stubborn.

and during all of this, i feel for my friend. deeply. because it so closely resembles things i have gone through with my own family. grandma - died of lung cancer, she was a heavy smoker too. and my dad still smokes knowing cancer took his mom, grandma, and grandpa early in life. brother - last year, used to call me a lot, drunk. the conversations would always come to "i just want to be with Dorian (his brother who killed himself years back)" and me, 300 miles away, trying to convince him that suicide is not the solution to his problems. mom mom - now suffering from alzheimer's. before she went into the home, she couldn't take care of herself anymore. my pop pop couldn't afford an at-home nurse and had no choice but to move her to an assisted living place, but she put up the biggest fight for years. she wouldn't go to the hospital for treatment, didn't want to live in the home, didn't want anyone's help. very stubborn.

now i wonder, is it coincidence that our families have these similarities? or, do all families have cancer victims, suicide threats, stubborn people who refuse help, alcoholics, etc? the latter seems more realistic. more real. real life. 

it's crazy how connected we are all. we have similar experiences, stories, interests, families. it should be able to help somehow - but it usually doesn't, because when you're dealing with these issues it seems like nothing else bad is happening in the world but what is happening to your family. and, you're not worried about who else is going or has gone through the same thing. you're worried about your family, family member, yourself and the pressure headache you have from thinking, helping, crying, trying not to cry. 

and i need to help him, but i'm not exactly sure what to do. how to help. i can be there and listen, hug, hold, and console him. i'm not too great with the advice, but i'm doing what i can, where i can, and when it's necessary. i hope that's better than nothing.

...i smile, when roses come to see me. and i, didn't wait for the sunny day. didn't wait for the clouds to break...roses bring the sunshine...