Is it really December already?

Hello friends, family and people I love,

I've been filling up my time the past few weeks with Graduate School applications, an online economics course, teaching and, THANKSGIVING! It's been a full schedule, but really fun and keeps me on my toes.

I'm going to reflect a little on what I've learned about gringos while I've been here (which is a culmination of conversations I've had with some of my American friends. Particularly Michelle, Caitlin, Becca, Teresa and, while not American, Alvaro.)

Enjoy!

I feel like I've been on top of my applications, and have already turned in 1! (The UC Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy) It was difficult to write my Statement of Purpose because, while similar to undergraduate apps where you have to sell yourself, it is a much more comprehensive and direct structure. What background do you have? What are you doing not to prepare yourself? What are your future plans? and How does our school fit into your plans? It has to be somewhat creative, but mostly straightforward, clear and concise. It was a good experience to put all of my plans on paper, and would not have been able to do so without the help of Michelle, Leo and Marisa. Thank you guys for taking the time to help me :D

Teaching is great, but super busy. I've become accustomed to the sporadic and unpredictable lifestyle that comes along with teaching private lessons and am much better at just rolling with the punches. One of my students recently proposed an unusual project. He wants me to record myself reading a book on Project Management. Since he like audiobooks and he couldn't find one for this book, he offered me the job of making one for him. As curious as this project is, it certainly is an easy way to make some extra money.

Given that I have very little quantitative background and a Public Policy degree is certainly filled with quantitative analysis, I decided to step up my game and enroll in an online economics course. One problem is that to buy the book necessary for ht ecourse I'd have to drop at least another $50-60 for the e-book which seemed absurd since I HATE doing long readings from a computer screen and didn't want to wait 3-4 weeks until a hard copy arrived to Peru. Fortunately, Alvaro's university has the textbook I need (well, kinda, it's 3 editions behind and in Spanish, but hey, who's judging?). Advancing slowly, but surely like the turtle in the race against the rabbit, I know, someday, I shall finish.

Okay, onto my first ever top-10 list:

Top 10 Generalization about Gringos I've learned in Peru:

1. We always think we're right and we deserve the best of everything
2. We like camping and being "away from it all"
3. We get offended at almost anything
4. We're obsessed with exercise and diets, yet we simultaneously eat packaged and processed goods
5. We're over-achievers, and, consequently, stressed about everything and nothing at the same time. Similarly, We believe that if you work hard, you will be rewarded
6. On-time means 10 minutes early
7. We're never "American", but "from Texas" "from the Bay" "from D.C." (and it makes a difference dammit! yeah California!!!)
8. We are all afraid of the police
9. We take pills for everything since we all have a minor case of hypochondria (especially with stomach problems)

and, last but not least,

10. We refuse to acknowledge our need and love for family and people that are close to us because we insist on claiming independence at all costs.

Now, I don't want to expand upon all of these, but if you have any comments, please feel free to write away. I'm sure people in other countries might have some other reflections than I do being in Peru.

You may or may not agree with any or all of these statements, but they're all things that have come up fairly frequently in conversations over my past 16 months here. Realizing the differences between my society and that which I am living in in Lima, I have been able to recognize and try and change aspects of my personality that I do not like, and also realize and appreciate certain characteristics that make me who I am. One of those things is the joy of being away from urban civilization.

In Peru, urban=modern=civilized because the only legitimate comercial hub is Lima, the capital city. In the U.S., civilization and modernity can be seen in many ways otuside of a dense urban population. Seeing hills, trees, racoons, deer and other scurrying creatures near my house does not make me feel less civilized, but could very well freak the heck out of a Peruvian who expects to be away from all of that nature stuff. Even though we love our technology and creature comforts, the idea of the "rugged American" is still present in somewhat subtle ways. Even though it may not reach stereotipical and epic proportions, we still have a bit of "I can make it a night in the woods" attitude. Think of all of our National Parks. While they're not as popular as a Vegas trip might sound, if you think about how many people go trekking across in an RV to visit these places, you can see what I mean. How many of you have had an urge to go on a hike, go camping, go to the desert/mountains/beach with the intention of NOT having to be on a computer, surrounded by smog and cars, and certainly less people? Quite a few I can imagine.

Basically, what I'm trying to say, is that as different as we all are, there are still elements of a national identity that, while not VERY strong, still keep our nation together. They may not be what everybody imagines it should be (like in favor of a militaristic approach to international relations...), but we do have things in common that we are not always consciously and/or actively recognized.

I'll try and write one more time before I head to the US for Christmas holiday times! Love and hugs all around friends!

A life worth living

Hello friends!

Recently, I have been reflecting on what it has been like to teach here (partially after going to my second ever English teaching conference and also because I am nearing the end of my Diploma program). I have also been thinking about why I am so happy in my life, even though it may not seem super exciting and I’m not out “saving the world”, if you will. So I’ll talk a little about teaching first, then reflect a little on how I’ve been keeping afloat in the real world.

Teaching

Since I’ve been in Lima I’ve taught a HUGE variety of English related classes including:

1. In a school, where I was the teacher for 1st grade primary to 5th grade secondary
2. Group classes with kids (ages 7-9)
3. Individual classes with kids (ages 5-15)
4. Group classes with adults (basic, intermediate and conversation)
5. Individual classes with adults (basic, intermediate, advanced, business)
6. Tests: TOEFL and GRE

I never realized how many different types of English classes there were given I’m from an English speaking country, but daaammnnn, it’s insane! Each one requires a different approach and a different set of skills. The two basic dividing factors are age and level and they can create a myriad of unique challenges depending on the students personalities, as well.

I’ve come to really love my private students because they allow for a lot of flexibility. The problem, however, is that with adults at a basic level, there is no space for them to really practice their English with peers. While talking with me can kind of work, ultimately, in my opinion, it is important for basic level students to interact with one another so that they are forced to use their English in a real way. Once they know you’re a teacher, they’ll be tempted to either ask you questions in Spanish or feel a bit uncomfortable because they know they you’re already fluent. I try and encourage these students to keep doing individual activities on their own, but motivation can be difficult since the only person they will let down is the teacher they see once or twice a week (another problem! Time spent doing English is usually between 1-3 times a week, and if you don’t know a language, that’s a sloowww process).

While simultaneously teaching and getting my English Teaching Diploma, I have the privilege to think and learn about teaching strategies, reflect on them with other teachers and have real experiencial knowledge to compare with the information in class. I really enjoy being in a classroom setting, having something concrete to focus my attention on. While it certainly isn’t the most challenging course I’ve taken, I think that it is incredibly useful. There are so many things to be gained from constantly and continuously learning new things and expanding our minds to see things in a different way. It’s also great to meet other people interested in the same topic, but who may have little in common. I feel satisfied and gracious that I’ve met so many amazing teachers through this course and it has really added to my time here in Peru and in my life after college.

Life

I teach English, hang out with friends, read, exercise when I can, cook, and, well, just live. What I realized has made me happy has been the fact that I keep little goals for myself, mental (and sometimes real….okay, most of the times) check-lists of things I want to do for the day, for the week, for the month, or for life in general. It keeps me motivated and excited because, however small, I have something to look forward to. I keep myself busy by planning out a fun bike adventure with Alvaro and getting myself psyched up for all the amazing places I could go and jobs I could have once I have my Masters. Little or big, being excited about and looking forward to something makes life worth living.

When we’re in school, our lives are neatly organized for us. When we make choices, they come down to a list of courses, work-study options, or Winter Term projects (if you’re an Obie) and summer jobs. There’s very little freedom and, I personally feel that it actually keeps us sane. Once we start to realize all the possibilities we truly have it can be mind-boggling. Let’s face it, graduating with a bachellors degree from a small liberal arts school is NOT pushing us in a very clear direction. We can go abroad, work locally, become farmers (Laurel!!!), bike across Canada (Lizzie!!!), continue being academics, sit at home and watch T.V., the options are endless.

I know many people find it hard to be set free, while it has been challenging at some points, I’ve come to embrace my very free lifestyle. My life is not about filling my life with work and money, but realizing the potential of the opportunities I have available to me. While I’m not saving up tons of money, I don’t think that I need to be thinking about that quite yet. I’m not planning on living somewhere permanently or having any children, so right now it’s just me and Alvaro being together and being happy. I know that once I start graduate school (I hope!!!) my short term goals will be different, but for now, I’m enjoying having the freedom to do the things I enjoy doing simply because I can.

Hello friends,
I’ll start by talking a bit my first steps into applying to graduate school and a trip to the mountains.

I’ve finally decided to apply to Public Policy Programs at UC Berkeley, UCLA, UT Austin and American. I definitely feel good about the programs and am keeping my fingers crossed. But for now, the work has officially begun. I have my spreadsheet of requirements for each program and have started getting prepped. I’m asking my professors if they are still willing to write me recommendations, getting started on my essays and trying to figure out finances. I want my focus to be in education development in developing countries, especially after my experiences in Peru. I’m really excited about potentially being able to study this and being back in school doing something that I’m truly interested in. Basically, I’m teaching fewer classes than before and focusing my weekends on applications. I’ve also started to read some scholarship on Peruvian education and getting back into the academic world.

Sooo, my birthday passed a few weeks ago and it was a fun, two-part celebration. I had dinner with some friends at this delicious Indian restaurant called Guru and highly improved last year’s situation (which I won’t go into, but, basically, since I had just arrived, it was quite lonely). Alvaro and I also went with another couple, Andres and Miriam, to Canta which is a small mountain town just a few hours west of Lima. It was gorgeous, had tons of dishes including trout (a popular river fish in the Peruvian mountains) and, most importantly SUN! While every week there’s maybe an afternoon of sun in Lima, I dearly miss it and was glad to have sun all weekend. We got to ride horses, eat good food, go on little walks and just enjoy a relaxing time.

I’ve been doing a month of intensive yoga (ideally going every day, but ends up being 5 days a week) and loving it. I’ve never joined a gym before and wasn’t too keen on the concept, but I’ve really enjoyed this month of yoga. I’ve been mostly doing hot yoga, which makes me sweat like I’ve never sweat before, and also feels really relaxing. I’ve started to do a little bit of yoga at home and hopefully when my time at the yoga center is up I can keep it going.

It’s starting to get warmer here now, more sunny days in Lima are more than welcome. I’ve also been baking and cooking a lot more and have made some bomb coffee cake, scones, lemon pie, baked tilapia, enchiladas (thanks to Flee bringing me back some tortillas from the US!) and generally yummy things. My friend Jacquie (who is unfortunately back in Switzerland….sad times) gave me a great book of postres peruanos for my birthday and I’m excited to start exploring some recipes from there, too.

Ooohh, I helped a friend out the other day with a Spelling Bee. She works at a colegio and the primary students were having a spelling bee competition and a friend and I were asked to help read the words out to them. It was really cute to see these kids so excited, ANNDD they had INCREDIBLE spelling abilities (in English….which is why I was asked to help pronounce the words clearly). It was a fun little morning excursion, just thought I’d share, hehe.

Again, things are great here, hoping to do some more travelling before the year finishes up (I’ve got Arequipa high on my list) and getting this grad school business finished up. Keep in touch friends!

Ever exploring and contemplating- a year after arrival

Alvaro, Jacquie and me at Lllanganuco Lake
Llanganuco Lake

Hi friends,

This blog post is going to serve 2 purposes, to do a general update about what I’ve done the past month and a half, and to show some reflections I have about the Limeño society that I’ve come to know during my first year back in Lima.This will come in a variety of parts to so as not to confuse or bore those who don’t wish to read all of my ramblings J

Part 1: (Huaraz trip!)

I’ve spent the past month working as per usual, but also got to take my first trip in Peru since I’ve returned. Huaraz is a city that’s not terribly spectacular on it’s own, but is surrounded by endless gorgeous white-capped mountains known as the Cordillera Blanca. A friend of mine from Frisbee is great friends with the owner of the Llanganuco Lodge, an incredible escape from the business of the city out near one of the Cordillera’s sights, Llanganuco lake.

In total, our group was 15 people, but we all divided up into different groups. Alvaro, Jacquie (a friend from Switzerland) and I organized ourselves and took a bus up to the mountains. 2 couples from the US Embassy plus 1 awesomely adorable 3 ½-year-old took a car up. My 2 friends from frisbee, a couple they know from Rugby (the male counterpart of the couple, Pablo, plays rugby here), a friend and a pet doggy came in another car. The last couple came up on bus, as well. As crazy as it was, especially since not all of us knew each other (although everyone knew at least someone), it was quite fun to be there all together.

Sooo, while its normal guest count is around 12-16, since we went for Peruvian Independence day weekend, they had 26 people staying there (whoopsy! Our bad, haha). Many stayed in tents outside, but the real fun came at meal time, well, primarily dinner time. Part of its isolation leaves it with only 1 food option- the restaurant. While incredibly delicious, the space proved a big tight for 26 people, but that definitely didn’t stop us from having an amazing time! Made pre/post-dinner game time! We had endless Risk, BS, Pictionary and Charades either inside in the candlelit dining area or outside in front of the campfire (complete with s’mores!).

I’d say the trip was most certainly a success, filled with fresh air, hiking and…….ULTIMATE FRISBEE at 3500 meters! Woot woot! We played a great game of disk for over 2 hours (surprisingly given all of us gave the game MAX 45 min given the high altitude) and, while I stepped out because of a sprained ankle (the dried basin of a lake isn’t exactly a smooth terrain), it was awesome.

Part 2: (Context- Lima)

Now, I’ve been here for a year, and I’ve had countless conversations with my American and non-peruvian friends about Limeño cultural aspects and habits that contrast with our own. I am extremely happy here, but I can’t deny that there are some things that get on my nerves. I do not intend this to be negative commentary, but a way to show how I’ve dealt with certain culture-clashes and recommend some constructive ways to adapt and accept certain differences between the Lima and our versions of our American culture.

Now, I will preface this with a brief and obviously insufficient description of Lima. (not Peru since I haven’t travelled or lived in enough of it to talk about it) It’s the biggest city in Peru, and by biggest city I mean the only developed city. It has about 9 million people and is situated on the central coast of Peru. The government has very obviously spent the majority of its money developing Lima and virtually ignoring the rest of the country. In the 1990’s terrorist ran rampant through the mountainside and had a few effects in the capital city (while Limeños talk endlessly about the terrorism, the truth of the matter is that the real and damaging effects happened to the poor people in the small mountain towns. Check out the film Paloma de Papel for a good understanding of this). People started migrating in masse from the mountains to the outskirts of the city and “invading” (as it is commonly referred to here) land. Basically, people started constructing shanty towns out of whatever they could get a hold of and build on government owned land that was not in use because it was (practically) un-live-able desert land. Now the city is very populous and does not have enough housing or organized transportation to deal with the influx of people. Buses are everywhere, and extremely cheap, but there is not a single bus map to be found which means people have to guess a lot, and it’s certainly not tourist-friendly (which could be a much bigger industry since Peru has SOOO many amazing things to offer). When you walk around the central part of the tourist area (Miraflores, also where I live right now, but in the residential half), you see many things that most modern cities come with, green parks with beautiful flowers, artisans exhibiting the fruit of their labor, well paved streets, movie theaters, over-priced retail and, of course, fast-food chains such as KFC, Pizza Hut and the infamous McDonalds. Okay, this is getting really long, but, if you have more questions, you can ask J But basically, the city is quite modern looking, but there’s no place in the rest of Peru that have even remotely close to the same services and goods available.

First things first, here in Lima, if you’re an American you generally get put together with all other Americans no matter what (hmm, sound familiar? Immigrants will get pushed together despite their different experiences in their home country). That being said, I’ve been given the opportunity to meet people I never would have met had I stayed in the US. I’ve met people generally from the American Embassy and the American school (teachers, not students, don’t worry), but also random occurrences. Being one of the few (maybe only?) person of Latino origin that I know here, I know my perspective is a bit different, but in general, I’ve come to realize a lot of things that make me very American.

One of those things is being fervently independent (for better AND for worse). I am very attached to the idea of not living with my parents, washing my dishes, cooking for myself and working. Just organizing my life the way I want to. And, as I’ve established with other people my age here, they generally desire the same thing making me believe this is a very American concept. Now, in Lima, most people will live in their parents’ home until they get married which is when they and their partner purchase a home of their own, ideally in the same district, but, if not, then certainly of the same economic level. This could mean moving out when you’re 25 or 35. This, to me, sounds like hell. No offense to Mom and Dad, I love them very much, but I really like doing things on my own and organizing my own space. If this means in a small, one bedroom apartment with potentially no internet, then so be it, but it’s mine dammit and I like it that way. Haha.

Okay, but this reality is due to a few factors. Summer jobs simply don’t exist here so young people have no way of making an extra buck here and there even if they wanted to. People also go to University while living at home since Lima is the only place that can actually offer a decent education in Peru. The city is not that big (geographically speaking), so living “on campus” doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. Therefore, people do not leave home for University and maintain similar social networks as they did in secondary school, but now their classes are in a different place. Campus life is not really existent for that reason as well, since people just go to class and go home. People will generally get their first job around the ages of 22-24, and will get paid an amount that would cover the cost of transportation and going out (aka nothing worth saving for an apartment). This job is called a práctica (basically an internship) in the field that they are studying. After they graduate university, they then begin to work either in the same place they did their internship or in a different company, also in the direct field of their study. They get paid more, but also no benefits (not quite ideal for living on your own). So, basically, it’s highly impractical to venture out and find a small unfurnished apartment to live in when you’ll be struggling to even get to and from work with the pay you get.

That being said, some people also have it quite good at home. (and by this I mean those who are from the top levels of the socio-economic pool- usually those who go to University). Most families from this level have at least one maid (many times live-in) who cleans, cooks and maintains all little details of the house. People never have to worry about any household issues because someone is always there to immediately clean up after them. You don’t even have time to think about making your bed because by the time you’re done with breakfast it’s already made. (IMPORTANT NOTE: I am currently living in Alvaro’s parents’ house and am under the care of a maid as well, which is an extreme privilege, although quite strange for me.)

I have found it difficult to connect with people my age because our social realities are quite different. While I have friends, it’s certainly not the same as the connections I made at Oberlin because our values are so different in that sense. People are so well taken care of at home, and the idea of being less reliant on parents is simply a non-issue. The current US recession has made it necessary for many post-college grads to go and live at home since jobs are quite hard to come by, but it’s seen as a set-back while here it’s perfectly normal. I feel that another effect from living at home is a huge lack of time-management which can be personally irritating. Figuring out when to study, wash clothes, get food, go to work, clean up the bedroom and other little details are ingrained into American college students, but may NEVER have to touch the reality of a privileged Limeño. Comparatively, it may seem maturity hits later, but the reality is that it’s simply a different reality. I know in Oberlin we wax poetic about cultural relativism, but living in another country has really helped me see how easy it is to generalize other cultures. It’s taken a lot of reflecting to come to terms with cultural differences and see the intricacies of how the different societies function.

While I’m learning a lot from all the Peruvian people I’m friends with, sometimes I find it easier to just chill with some of my gringo friends because we like to do similar things and think in more alike ways. I came here under the impression that I would not need to talk to many Americans (other than my own friends from home via FB or Gchat), but I’ve realized that as amazing as they are, they don’t know what it’s like to be an American living in Lima, and my American friends have helped me a lot in realizing what’s important to me and how to accept cultural differences.

I don’t want to make this blog post any longer, but I will continue with my reflections on another day. Much love friends! <3

Traversing the US in planes and automobiles (no trains this time)

Hello friends,

My latest adventure(s) took place over the course of 10 days during my quick stint in the US of A. It goes as follows:

Sun: fly from Lima to Houston to SF

Mon: arrive into SF, go home, do errands, eat dinner in the city, then pass out after no sleep for 36 hours

Tue: go to Lindsey's high school to hang out/deliver cupcake, more errands, go to Santa Cruz (crossing treacherous conditions on the 17) with my brother Stephen and friend Christopher to see my friend Kelly Helfrich's salsa performance

Wed: fly from SF to the Chi to Cleveland, party til 3amish in Oberlin

Thu: check out all the new building around Oberlin and hang out with amazing people

Fri: more Oberlin!

Sat: more Oberlin and fly from Cleveland to the Chi to Baltimore, wait in the airport for mother then drive 3 hours to Princeton

Sun: Princeton graduationy things with my cousin Viviana

Mon: more graduationy things and frisbee-ing with family

Tue: actual graduation and food consumption beyond all reason, helping Vivy finish packing until 1am

Wed: wake up at 3am to drive to JFK to drop off Vivy, then, at 6am arrive to Newark airport for my flight at 2:30pm.....it was a LOOONNGGG and boringass wait :)

In short, it was totally awesome, tiring and worth the many many flights. I gained a good 5 pounds and am now slowly going to work on adjusting my lifestyle back to normal. I am eternally grateful to Eric Oeur who picked me up, dropped me off, gave me a place to stay and was an overall super amazing friend during my few days in Oberlin.

One unfortunate reality is that the Houston airport security is INCREDIBLY hostile. Like, beyond all reason, kinda. I felt so scared and nervous the whole time just because of the attitudes. There were 2 personality types I noticed: silent and brooding OR angry and yelling. The most awesome part is that you can't really talk back to any of these people because if they feel like it they can detain you. And with all the stuff in Arizona, I don't want to be giving anyone "reasonable doubt" of my loyalty to the US.

One thing that I soaked in while in the US was GREEN! Man, I am super happy in Lima, but it has absolutely no natural life (sorry, but parks that are MAYBE 1 block long just don't do it for me). I am not a city girl by any means, and going down the 280 and being surrounded by hills and green life was incredibly refreshing. I feel it might have started something in me and I think I need to travel to the mountains here in Peru damn soon before I get cabin fever. I miss being able to run down dirt trails without seeing or hearing a single car and breathing in pure air that is filled with the scent of pine needles. **Sigh**

Well, I have more to say about a billion other topics, but until I can wrap my head around all of them, I will sign out for now. To conclude this post, I am happy, busy and would not change anything about my life right now for the world. peace and love people!

Moovin' and a Groovin'

Soo, have been a little late on a post, but here I am :)

Since my last post, the basic rundown of my life goes like this:
1. I've taught a billion classes
2. did awesome in my Diploma class,
3. decided to start teaching myself many things (economics, calculus, better Spanish grammar and how to make a webpage...why...good question, but will be explained later)
4. got pretty sick and had my stomach swell to practically pregnant sized proportions (frightening, but went down after I went to a clinic, yay!)
5. started getting into ultimate frisbee (and meeting some pretty cool expats)
6. had my parents and little sister visit for a week and FINALLY
7. move from Alvaro and my apartment back into his parents house (long story, also explained later).

Well, where to begin, I suppose with the move. Alvaro's father is a Peruvian diplomat, and, as such, he gets moved around every couple of years. He has been due for his last salida (assignment out of country) for a while, and we'd heard they would be assigning soon, but didn't know quite when. About 2 months ago he got a call saying that he would be assigned to the consulate in Los Angeles. SWEET! Basically, the following things happen due to this new information: his parents move to Los Angeles (therefore Alvaro and I were asked to move in as nobody would be in the house...free rent!) AND, equally as important, as a dependent Alvaro gets temporary residency to the US. Being that I was planning to move to the US in about a year (hopefully after being accepted to some sort of Master's program), this makes Alvaro coming to visit significantly easier as he will have the visa. Also, being from California, this makes visiting Alvaro (if he stays with his parents in the US at some point) and my family SIGNIFICANTLY easier as they will now not only be in the same hemisphere, but the same country, same state, and same city! So lucky and made me super happy.

Ultimately we had to move out of our apartment which was sad, but it was a nice experience and, c'mon, how can I say no to free rent?

Next on the list, hmm, okay, frisbee. So there's this cool website called ExPatPeru (Ex-Patriots are people who live outside of their homeland, basically as residents of a foreign country) that has updates about events, jobs, housing, and other needs related to ExPat's interests. I check for jobs and events on occasion, and saw something about ultimate frisbee and though "awesome times, I'm on it, yo". I see it's at the American School (Roosevelt) here, so I show up one day and get into the game going on. While I certainly wasn't "on my A game", I've been improving and even got to play at the American Embassy once (SOOO INTENSE, you'd never believe how hardcore 30-50 year olds can play, for reals. I hope I'm that fit in 20 years). Basically, while never intending to mingle with pure gringos during my time here in Lima, it's a cool group of folks and nice to meet people in an athletic setting.

Now, why I am I trying to teach myself Calculus? The one thing I swore to avoid for all eternity? Well, in researching Public Policy programs, I realized that having a background in Calc and Econ will help me significantly as most require you to take them as part of the program. So, not wanting to get left in the dark, I've collected a series of books from the Bayona family and some my family bought me and planned out my self-teach plan for both Calc and Econ. Now, on the end of Spanish grammar and how to make a web page, those, well, are for pure pleasure and personal development. As many of you know, I'm totally technologically inept and want to improve my life-skills as all those young people are so into the techie stuff, I need to keep up with the times!

Now, I've got to run, but I will add my post about my parents and sister's visit when I return from some meetings. ooh, ooh, that's right I'm also volunteering at this sweet place called South American Explorers and we're working on developing a book about Sustainable Travel and responsible volunteering in Peru, so yeah, more about that later. Love!

Okay, I have returned, soo, my family (-Stephen's) visit:
My family was here for a week to visit me in Lima. It was fabulous, extremely busy and tiring, but lots of fun. Aside from the obvious highlights of fun family banter and eating amazingly delicious peruvian goodies (and the consequent result of my gaining far too much weight...), we got to do some touristing around Lima, chill in the hotel, but the semi-stressful part for me was the meeting of the, for lack of a better term, "in-laws". Honestly, all went well, the first day was, as to be expected, a tad awkward and formal, but all in all I think that my parents and Alvaro's parents got along well and that happy times were had by all. yay. The last night was memorable because Lindsey, Alvaro and I went out. Now, I don't go out much, and my sister obviously doesn't because in the US 15 is far to young to go out to smoke filled, alcoholicy type bars and clubs. But, in Lima, age is just a concept and she (after adjusting a few wardrobe issues) hit the town, as they say. Went to a hipstery spot first and came to the conclusion that hipsters are universal in their sense of style, taste in music and dancing abilities (or lack there of depending on how you look at it). We kicked it there for a while, then made our way to a different spot that had a more club-like atmosphere for some dance-age. At about 2:30am my old ass was tired and we took Lindsey back to the hotel before going home. The last day was super relaxed and laden with pedicures, gift shopping and movie watching :) It was nice to have some family time for a little while.

Now, about my volunteering. The place I have been working with is called South American Explorers. It's fairly well known and has 4 offices in South America, one being in Lima. I decided to start looking for some internships in order to get some experience working with NGO's. This one caught my eye, particularly because it offers more than a simple tourist package, but helps people get the information they need to be well informed travellers, not just stomp through a place without having the slightest sense of cultural norms. After a couple meetings, a group of 4 of us (one being the director) are working on putting together a book about sustainable and responsible travel. It's likely going to be a year-long project as we're trying to do extensive background research on NGO's that are dedicated, organized and accessible and have a strong program developed that can take volunteers. Between the 4 of us we can have developed different positions, if you will, and are hoping to tackle it step by step. Our biggest concern is funding as, in order to approve of an org, we decided we need to visit them and, as we are volunteering and don't have a ton of personal funds, we need to find a way to fund the visits to check out our potential orgs. Anyways, I'm excited about working on the project and will keep ya'll updated on how it turns out.

Well, now that this blog has reached epic proportions, I think I shall say farewell for now. Love from afar, keep in touch and come visit Lima!!!

I need Lost to stop toying with my mind

So what's been happening in the life of Lauren?

Okay, sooo, had a fabulous time at this club by the beach, playing some basketball, rockin it in the waves and playing some intense pictionary. A friend, Sandra, hooked a group of 8 of us up to spend the night camping at this club called el Bosque and, one early Saturday morning we head out on the Panamericana to the beach. We kicked it in the pool for a bit, wandered around the area, and chilled on the coast looking out at the water. We took a short trip to Punta Hermosa since el Bosque beach is quite (and by quite I mean painfully) rocky, and we wanted to venture into the ocean's small, but surprisingly powerful waves. We got back, played some ball and tennis, then messed around in the pool before the evening came upon us. At night we got the barbeque set up and while the rest of the crew feasted on chicharrones and alitas I contently nibbled away at my sandwiches (yay being vegetarian in peru.....although I'm cheating and eating fish now....whoops). After I took a nice long nap, hehe, we played a couple of rounds of pictionary Alvaro, Sandra and I versus Andres, Miriam and Jaquie. While we tied, a rematch is certainly in order to determine the true champions. We spend the next day there, but I had to head out early since I teach a class Sunday evenings. Overall, a weekend well spent (although my nose was a bit crispy after soaking in all the sun....oh yeah, and my lip swelled up twice its size monday morning....but yeah, it's cool)

Still teaching English, having a good time, no complaints. Looking forward to my family's visit in April!!! Trying to figure out how to show them Lima in just a week. Due to the tragic events in Cuzco, their plans to visit have been stunted. Hoping to travel to Bolivia to visit Kirsten for Semana Santa (conveniently before my tourist visa runs out, hehe) and get some Obie reunion time going on. Been taking exams (WhAAAA?!) for my Linguistics class, which, while not terribly difficult, is kind of a weird shift from not being in school, and the fact that the last 2 years of college I only wrote papers, no exams. But yeah, good times being a "real" student.

I've been keeping up with my New Year's resolutions thusfar, although sometimes difficult given the time somehow slips away so quickly. Been running as much as possible, and shooting around when I feel inspired. Finished The Sorrow of War which was extremely depressing, but incredibly well written. Definitely recommend it. Working on Around the World in 80 Days and just about finished, very funny and provides for some fascinating commentary on the British opinions on the foreign, uncivilized cultures of the world. Way to go White Man's burden! Also just some sweet historical flashbacks to culture and travel in the late 1800's, you know, if you're into that kind of thing...

I have exclusively reserved Friday nights to the viewing of Lost at the Makabe residence for the rest of the season. Soooo, to all those Lost fans, what the f**%4#!!! What is going on with this parallel world business, why is smokey suddenly John Locke, and, ummm, Claire? The new Rousseau??? Opinions and commentary are welcome.

The time has come for me to set about doing some work, so I bid adieu until a later date. Much love to all!

Making myself a home

Welll, back to blogging after 2 weeks, hmmm, so, what have I done? Basically, been working a ton (most days I start at either 7 or 9 am and end around 10pm with a few breaks in between...sometimes...) and working on some of my new years resolutions. Been running more, hopefully will be going to the beach and aprovechando del verano (taking advantage of the summer), and accomplishing my New Year's resolutions little by little. I'm feeling super content with life and just enjoying my time with the love of my life and and life in Lima.

I mentioned last post that I am taking a class with the intention of getting a TEFL Diploma by the end of the year. It's been going great so far and I'm in love with my fellow students/teachers. Everyone has a different experience and personality and it's great hearing all the chatter throughout class, discussing the issue at hand (this particular class is called Introduction to Linguistics and is part 1 of 4 courses required for the Diploma). I'm learning a ton, and it's giving me insight into what I hopefully want to do in the future.

Speaking of which, I have been mildly exploring Public Policy Schools and am getting excited at the prospect of learning more about Human Rights and Education NGO's. I've recently applied to a local organization in Lima that is a hub for many travelers and foreigners interested in volunteering. Hopefully I'll have more to update about them if I get the job (*fingers crossed*).

Recently had a visitor by the name of Stephanie (a friend of my good ol' buddy Kelly Helfrich) and had a blast. She is travelling through Peru and crashed at our place for a few days before she hit the road for the South Coast. We took her around Lima and had a great night out in Barranco and in Miraflores (at the great queer club Downtown). While I paid my dues for drinking a little more than my normally alcohol-deprived body could handle, it was so worth it and we had a great night.

I've come to realize that I've fully immersed myself in making Lima my home, which, after being in Oberlin and making myself a fabulous home there, I thought would prove super difficult. While I've had my ups and downs, I'm in a great place, with amazing people and am thrilled about being able to spend the next year and half here. The idea of home is constantly changing and morphing as I move from place to place, and right now mine lies in a one-bedroom apartment in Surqillo. I ride buses like a pro (which was a big shift from my car-dependent, suburbanite self) and am living on a budget I never thought livable, and having the best time of my life working, cleaning, cooking, reading, teaching, and, as always, learning.

Time for me to leave the cafe and go home, good night all! Much love <3

Funny how being in a foreign country can feel most like home

Hello friends,
I know I've been super terrible about updating, but one of my new years resolutions is to be more on top of it, so we'll see how that goes. So, what's been going on? Well, Alvaro and I spent about 3 weeks in my home state of California for Christmas, New Years and a bit more. The basic rundown goes as such:

I arrive home to Stanford; the next day Lindsey, Stephen (my siblings), Cinnamon (my fuzz ball dog) and I drive down to Los Angeles; we pass Christmas in LA with my cousins and extended relatives; siblings, Alvaro and I drive North up the 101, stay a night in Buellton and tourist it up in Solvang for 1/2 the day; Steve, Dad, Alv and I go to a Warriors-Celtics game (so good!!!!!!), we hit up SF a few times (walking the golden gate, taking the ferry over to the ferry building, fisherman's wharf, the mission, the castro, Emperor Norton's grave (check it out! - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_Norton), and a ton of stuff in between :)


Warriors v. Celtics

Universal City Walk


So yeah, being home for the holidays was really nice, seeing family and eating far too much food (which factors into the "must-work-out-more" part of my new years resolution...hehe). It's funny to be back in California, because, as I realized, as much as it's my home, I haven't lived there for long enough for it to kinda be a bit of a "foreign territory" if you will. Taking Alvaro around San Francisco, for example, I've spent more time there coming back on visits than I ever did when I lived in California, and always hitting up the touristy spots I never took advantage of before I left. Interesting, I think Eric might know more of the city than I do at this point, hehe. (Ps- ERIC OEUR is the bestest for coming to visit!!!!! I love you :))

Driving North up the 101 with Stephen, Lindsey and Alvaro was great. We started off at Tommy's Burger's (famous for it's chilly cheese burgers...I ate some fries by the way, haha) before fully heading out of LA. Then took a nice drive up the 101 soaking in the gorgeous coastline before stopping in Buellton. Got a nice, cheap (repeat, cheap!) hotel with a jacuzzi right outside our patio door and Pea Soup Andersen's (delicious!) right across the street. Had a fun night watching Dumb and Dumber and Tropic Thunder before passing out to prepare for full-time-tourism the next day. Got to have a HUGE breakfast in downtown Solvang (Alvaro had his first Country Fried Steak, a good ol' American breakfast, hehe), wander around, buy Danish pastries and tinker around trinket shops owned by some quite grumpy locals.


Hit up a pro and college basketball game while at home too! The aforementioned Warriors-Celtics game was brilliant, aside from the fact that the Celtics lost, and a Stanford vs. Cal Women's game, where under the guidance of the infamous Stanford Women's coach Tara Vanderveer, the Cardinals ripped Cal apart (as it should always be).


Lindsey, Alvaro and I spent a day out in Half Moon Bay, which was so beautiful, and, as always, reminds me of why I need to live by a coast! Once West Coast, always West Coast (I suppose Lima, too, counts as West Coast, but without the gorgeous greenery, it's hard to compare, hehe, no offense Lima)



One highlight was the midnight showing of Rocky Horror Picture Show ! Lindsey and Vivy were the resident non-virgins to the experience while Stephen (who happened to turn 20 that night), Alvaro, Kelly and I were the virgins awaiting to be exposed to the audacious performance of the Bawdy Cast. If you've never seen the movie, there's no way to explain, but for those who have, you know precisely what I'm talking about :)



Well folks, I've been avoiding doing my homework (I'm working on getting a Diploma for teaching English, will take about a year to do, and I'm starting now. yay!) for far too long, I suppose I should be on my way, much love to all, please come to Lima! Un abrazo fuerte :)