Chapter Two

It's been almost a week since I arrived, and what a week it has been! 

My host parents are spectacular and so understanding about the language barrier (well it's more like a language speed hump... I might slow them down a bit in conversation, but it's nothing we can't just drive right over). I eat breakfast and dinner with them and any other host students that are hungry at the same time. They have two students from Germany here, and I have gotten to travel to a couple parts of Lima with one of them. It is really cool that we both speak Spanish because with out it we would hardly be able to communicate. I am living with some students from Cuzco, Peru (Risa and her younger brother Gonzalo). They are full time students and she is working as well, so I don't see very much of them; however, they are nice and I get to practice my Spanish when they are around. I watched a bit of an Argentinian tela novela (US equivelant would be a soap opera) with Risa the other night and it actually was pretty funny.

Classes at the university will start on Monday, and so far I have pre-enrolled in some courses. During the process, I got to meet some more exchange students from the US and from Mexico, and I know we will be going on some adventures together. The campus is absolutely beautiful and so quiet and peaceful in the midst of such a bustling, noisy city (people here LOVE to use their horns. For everything). Next week I get to try out my courses, and then my schedule must be finalized by the 27th. But that's enough about school...

Sunday I am going on a trip with a group of students from PUCP to a place called Lomas de Lachay. It is a location up in the mountains that is very beautiful: of course I am taking my camera! Today a trip to downtown Lima is on the menu. There should be a TON of old architecture (government buildings, cathedrals and the like) to take pictures of. Hopefully the sun will come out this afternoon so I can go to town with the photography. (Don't fret, I will share some pictures with you all). Yesterday was the first day I have seen direct sunlight since I left the states...and it was a bit of a winter-time weather fluke. Pray for sunlight!

I probably should have packed some sunlight in my suitcase