Classes and Trips

This week has certainly been interesting.  To start, last Sunday was El Día del Niño or in English Kid's Day.  This meant that church was way different than normal.  To make things even more interesting, I chose this Sunday to bring someone to church. I think it was a little bit of a shock.  Instead of a sermon, we had a puppet show (it was a lot more like VBS than a Sunday service).   Then, later in the afternoon I got to hang out with a fellow Will Ricer, Linda!  She had been in Peru for the summer, and happened to be in Lima.  It was super fun to get to hang out with another Rice kid.

On Monday the real work started.  Visiting and figuring out classes.  I have discovered two very important things about taking classes in Spanish. 1) Don't expect things to necessarily start or end on time.  (the Peruvian conception of time is a lot looser than the American conception). 2) Always sit close to the middle and front of the class.  If you do not, you run the risk of not being able to hear the professor and missing out on what he/she is saying.  (American are much louder than Peruvians)  Another interesting difference between the Peruvian academic system and the American system, is that group work is much more valued in Peru.  It is really common for students to break up reading assignments and to work collaboratively on projects.

Another encouraging development is that I feel that I am starting to break through and make some Peruvian friends.  This is one of the things I was really looking forward to when I decided to study abroad in a Spanish speaking country, and I am excited to see how things pan out, and who I meet. One thing I want to try to do is to make a point to have lunch with the different classmates.  I feel like this will give me the chance to get to know them better and open up conversations.

This weekend there is a large group of people from my study abroad group that has decided to go see the Nazca lines several hours south of Lima.  The Nazca lines are huge pictographs that the ancient cultures constructed on the desert floor between Ica and Nazca.  The interesting thing about them is that you can only see the picture if you are up in the air!  The lines are a mystery kind of like a Peruvian version of Stonehenge.  This will be my first trip via bus in Peru.  I am excited to experience the country outside of Lima and to see the sun!

At the end of my last post, I had said that I wasn't sure quite yet sure why God has given me the opportunity to be here in Peru.  The conclusion I have come to so far is this: I am here to not only learn about another culture and improve my Spanish, but to also engage with the people around me about the things which matter most.  Among the site seeing and new experiences, I want to invest in things that will make a difference in my life and the lives of others.