Tomorrow is the beginning of our second official week of classes. I've decided to take a literature course and choir for my direct enrollment classes. I attended a lot of classes last week, got overwhelmed, and therefore decided to take my semester somewhat easy. I realized that I am going on 10 years of being in choir (crazy huh?) and didn't feel like taking a semester off. And anyway, it will be a great way to meet friends. The first choir class was a really awkward experience, first of all, because I stand out so much. It was funny because everyone else felt really embarrassed and awkward so I didn't feel quite so bad. I think that most of the people in the class are first year students, not very good singers, or at least have no experience in music. So...it'll be interesting for sure. haha
My Lit. class was interesting also. The professor is really nice and helpful. It's definitely overwhelming trying to understand what's going on in class, but I know it will get easier. Something that bothers me is the way the readings are dispersed for the classes. Basically, they're not. Some professors leave the materials at a specific photocopying center for you to purchase, but others give you the list of readings and you have to find them and make copies yourself. This is the case for this class. Another girl in the class said she had to go to the library to find the readings but we're not allowed to check out books yet, so she had to find someone who could check them out for her. What a pain!
The great thing about my schedule is that I don't have classes on Fridays (and neither does Aaron), so we will be able to travel a lot easier. I also have my afternoons free so I have time to go home to eat lunch.
I had a fun weekend. On Friday we got a little salsa dance lesson from one of my friend's host sisters and then went out to a club to try out our new moves. Unfortunately, the club we went to didn't play any salsa music. haha... It was still fun though. On Saturday we went on a boat tour to an island where about a thousand sea lions live. A bunch of the group members (myself not included...too cold and too smelly) got suited up in wetsuits and jumped in to swim with them. It was a fun trip. On the way back to shore the crew served us snacks and coffee and the Beatles were playing on the radio.
That night we celebrated the birthday of one of the group members, Abbe. It was her 21st birthday and her family had ordered Papa John's and had plenty of beer to go around. We hung out there for a few hours and then left on a bus she had rented for the night to go to a cool dance club in the district of Lince. Aaron didn't come along to the club because he had had a little too much and thought it best not to try and dance...haha. But I had fun nonetheless. I met a nice Peruvian guy who was a good dancer and got my dance on. It was fun dancing with a local, but really hard to talk to him (especially in Spanish) because of how loud it was. The bus took everyone home at the end of the night.
Today I slept really late, just hung out at home, did some studying, and ate yummy homemade food. All in all, a good weekend.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Monday, August 18, 2008
All about my mountain trip
Wow, it's taken me a long time to do this post. I guess I was just daunted by how long it would end up being... :)
Well, how do I begin? I guess from the beginning... We left Lima last Friday night, took an over night bus (8 hours) to the city of Huaraz. Huaraz is located in one of the most amazing places I've ever seen. It is surrounded on all sides by mountains. You can see the snow capped mountains in the distance and the shorter ones nearby. The climate their is hot and very dry. Everything there is much cheaper than in Lima (hard to believe, huh?). We stayed in Huaraz two nights to acclimate in a hostal that cost roughly $6 a night and feasted on delicious food that was practically free. This city was practically destroyed in the 70s by an earthquake and it is slowly rebuilding. It is, for the most part, quite rustic, except for the fairly built up down town/plaza area where most of the tourists hang out.
We left with a group on Monday morning for our trek. It was a 3 hour, bumpy, nauseating bus ride up a crazy mountain road to the trailhead. Our first day started with a packed lunch of bread with cheese, cookies, and fruit (this was practically identical every day except for the flavor of the cookies and what was on the bread). We hiked for several hours, a moderately difficult trek in my opinion. The mountains were astounding every day. We camped the first night in a valley next to a stream. The horses grazed nearby. It was incredible. But, when the sun went down, it sucked. I was not prepared for how cold it would be. And the man who had set up the 4 day/3 night package had told us there would be a winter jacket for me to use.... But, as I should've expected, this wasn't the case. At night, we ate soup, noodles, rice, potatoes or egg omelets (yes, the actually brought several dozen eggs hiking in the mountains...as to how they managed to stay whole...).
It was nice having a guide, I have to admit, because the trek wasn't easy. They fed us 3 meals a day (even tended to my vegetarianism!), gave us tents and sleeping bags, brought donkeys to carry our heavy bags and equipment, and were overall very interesting guys. Two of the them were indigenous men who spoke Quechua and Spanish. They were fun to talk to. And, although they had little money, they seemed to be loving life. I mean, how couldn't they? All you had to do was look around at the surroundings to understand.
The second day of our trek was, without a doubt, the most difficult. We climbed nearly the entire day. Six hours of difficult, altitude climbing, huffing and puffing effort to get to a height of 4,750 meters (or 15,675 feet). I don't think I had ever been so exhausted in my life.
The last two days were fairly easy...mostly descending and much easier on the lungs. We saw such beautiful sites this trip. Such gorgeous mountains and lakes, strangely beautiful flowers and plants, birds and curious indigenous people.
When we returned from our trek, we ate pretty much an entire mountain worth of food. It was quite ridiculous actually. My stomach wasn't happy with me, and still isn't quite back to normal from the trials of that trip.
The worst part of the trip, I must say, was the bus ride home. Not only did I feel sick and uncomfortable, but...my camera was stolen from the cargo hold. I'm very disappointed, but I guess that's life in Peru.
The other day, because we were missing them so much, Aaron and I MADE bagels from scratch. It was so much fun, and we spent the entire day doing it in his host family's kitchen. And his family ended up eating almost all of them... these crazy American little breads. We made plains, sesame, a special peruvian kind with Aji pepper, red onion, and lime juice, and everything. They were amazing. Aaron and I decided to make this a regular Sunday afternoon activity...now I never have to worry about not having my favorite American food. :) That night we also went to see a Peruvian rock band that was doing a tribute to the group Radiohead. It was a lot of fun.
Hmm...one more update. Today was the first day of classes. I am quite overwhelmed by how difficult they seem. That, and I believe I'm in the beginnings of some culture shock depression. They say that about a month in, or at the beginning of the actual semester for this group, you really feel overwhelmed by everything. Let's just say I just REALLY wanted someone to talk in English to by the end of a day of only listening to Spanish. In two of the classes I attended to check out, I was practically the only international student. It was pretty scary. I'm sure that things will get easier soon. I feel like once I get into the semester, meet some more Peruvian friends, and actually choose the classes I'm taking, things will be much less stressful.
Well, that's all the pain I'm gonna put you guys through today...I regret I don't have any pictures to post now, but I will hopefully get some from the others from my group and figure out how to post some soon. Hasta luego, todos!
Well, how do I begin? I guess from the beginning... We left Lima last Friday night, took an over night bus (8 hours) to the city of Huaraz. Huaraz is located in one of the most amazing places I've ever seen. It is surrounded on all sides by mountains. You can see the snow capped mountains in the distance and the shorter ones nearby. The climate their is hot and very dry. Everything there is much cheaper than in Lima (hard to believe, huh?). We stayed in Huaraz two nights to acclimate in a hostal that cost roughly $6 a night and feasted on delicious food that was practically free. This city was practically destroyed in the 70s by an earthquake and it is slowly rebuilding. It is, for the most part, quite rustic, except for the fairly built up down town/plaza area where most of the tourists hang out.
We left with a group on Monday morning for our trek. It was a 3 hour, bumpy, nauseating bus ride up a crazy mountain road to the trailhead. Our first day started with a packed lunch of bread with cheese, cookies, and fruit (this was practically identical every day except for the flavor of the cookies and what was on the bread). We hiked for several hours, a moderately difficult trek in my opinion. The mountains were astounding every day. We camped the first night in a valley next to a stream. The horses grazed nearby. It was incredible. But, when the sun went down, it sucked. I was not prepared for how cold it would be. And the man who had set up the 4 day/3 night package had told us there would be a winter jacket for me to use.... But, as I should've expected, this wasn't the case. At night, we ate soup, noodles, rice, potatoes or egg omelets (yes, the actually brought several dozen eggs hiking in the mountains...as to how they managed to stay whole...).
It was nice having a guide, I have to admit, because the trek wasn't easy. They fed us 3 meals a day (even tended to my vegetarianism!), gave us tents and sleeping bags, brought donkeys to carry our heavy bags and equipment, and were overall very interesting guys. Two of the them were indigenous men who spoke Quechua and Spanish. They were fun to talk to. And, although they had little money, they seemed to be loving life. I mean, how couldn't they? All you had to do was look around at the surroundings to understand.
The second day of our trek was, without a doubt, the most difficult. We climbed nearly the entire day. Six hours of difficult, altitude climbing, huffing and puffing effort to get to a height of 4,750 meters (or 15,675 feet). I don't think I had ever been so exhausted in my life.
The last two days were fairly easy...mostly descending and much easier on the lungs. We saw such beautiful sites this trip. Such gorgeous mountains and lakes, strangely beautiful flowers and plants, birds and curious indigenous people.
When we returned from our trek, we ate pretty much an entire mountain worth of food. It was quite ridiculous actually. My stomach wasn't happy with me, and still isn't quite back to normal from the trials of that trip.
The worst part of the trip, I must say, was the bus ride home. Not only did I feel sick and uncomfortable, but...my camera was stolen from the cargo hold. I'm very disappointed, but I guess that's life in Peru.
The other day, because we were missing them so much, Aaron and I MADE bagels from scratch. It was so much fun, and we spent the entire day doing it in his host family's kitchen. And his family ended up eating almost all of them... these crazy American little breads. We made plains, sesame, a special peruvian kind with Aji pepper, red onion, and lime juice, and everything. They were amazing. Aaron and I decided to make this a regular Sunday afternoon activity...now I never have to worry about not having my favorite American food. :) That night we also went to see a Peruvian rock band that was doing a tribute to the group Radiohead. It was a lot of fun.
Hmm...one more update. Today was the first day of classes. I am quite overwhelmed by how difficult they seem. That, and I believe I'm in the beginnings of some culture shock depression. They say that about a month in, or at the beginning of the actual semester for this group, you really feel overwhelmed by everything. Let's just say I just REALLY wanted someone to talk in English to by the end of a day of only listening to Spanish. In two of the classes I attended to check out, I was practically the only international student. It was pretty scary. I'm sure that things will get easier soon. I feel like once I get into the semester, meet some more Peruvian friends, and actually choose the classes I'm taking, things will be much less stressful.
Well, that's all the pain I'm gonna put you guys through today...I regret I don't have any pictures to post now, but I will hopefully get some from the others from my group and figure out how to post some soon. Hasta luego, todos!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
chocolate crepes and a mountain adventure!
I can never think where to begin when I write these blogs...there's so much I want to say. I have been busy exploring Lima and learning new things every day. Learning "jerga" or slang, learning words specific to Peru, trying to find my way around using the Micros. Yesterday Aaron and I stumbled upon a restaurant in his neighborhood that serves international beers...a godsend as I am already sick of the Peruvian beers...which are quite similar to Miller Lite or other cheap, light beers. haha... Aaron had an English amber beer and I had a Winterbock. And I ordered a chocolate crepe. It was wonderful... that place was so unique. It felt like a pleasant escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, with its rustic environment, giant stone pizza oven, stack of firewood in the back, and plant lined walls. I believe the owners are French and Italian as their specialties are varieties of pizzas and crepes. Either way, I'm definitely going to become a regular there. The best part was, it isn't all that expensive. I am in love. :)
This week is the last week of class before we get a 10 day break before the semester. I am ecstatic because I am going with Aaron and 4 other group members to trek and hike in the Andes. We are traveling to a city called Huaraz, an 8 hour bus ride away, to begin the adventure. This city is beside the Cordilleras Blancas and Cordilleras Negras: a white, snow capped mountain range along side a less high, rocky mountain range. We are planning to do a 4 day, 3 night trek in the cordilleras blancas. We are able to rent all the equipment we need for the trek/camp in Huaraz and can even rent pack animals and guides. It should be a fairly easy trek, as I have read, full of beautiful sights. Lagoons nestled between mountains, an amazing array of wildlife, and, of course, magnificent mountain views. I will be sure to take tons of pictures and post afterwards to tell you all about it!
This week is the last week of class before we get a 10 day break before the semester. I am ecstatic because I am going with Aaron and 4 other group members to trek and hike in the Andes. We are traveling to a city called Huaraz, an 8 hour bus ride away, to begin the adventure. This city is beside the Cordilleras Blancas and Cordilleras Negras: a white, snow capped mountain range along side a less high, rocky mountain range. We are planning to do a 4 day, 3 night trek in the cordilleras blancas. We are able to rent all the equipment we need for the trek/camp in Huaraz and can even rent pack animals and guides. It should be a fairly easy trek, as I have read, full of beautiful sights. Lagoons nestled between mountains, an amazing array of wildlife, and, of course, magnificent mountain views. I will be sure to take tons of pictures and post afterwards to tell you all about it!
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Surfing, haircuts, and fancy restaurants
On Tuesday, I took a surfing lesson. It was so crazy. Less than $20 for a lesson, wetsuit, board rental, and 2 hours in the ocean. Needless to say, I definitely am not cut out for it. Surfing is hard. It was difficult enough trying to survive the waves, let alone try to catch waves and attempt to stand on a big board. I think the hardest part for me was not being able to use my legs to swim. I don´t think my arms have been that sore since powerlifting in high school. But...it was definitely an awesome experience.
Last night, Aaron and I went out to eat at pretty much the fanciest restaurant in the city. It is out on a pier into the ocean. To get to it, you either have to take a cab or walk down a LOT of stairs. We opted to take a taxi. When you arrive, you walk down the pier, are greeted by staff, and escorted to your table. Where we sat we were surrounded by ocean and could see the beautiful city lights. We had a nice appetizer, a bottle of wine, each had a nice seafood dinner, and an amazing dessert. It was spendy, but for the environment, quality of food, and the service, it was definitely a better deal than the U.S.
Today I was brave enough to venture into a beauty parlor to get my hair cut. I was worried that communication would be an issue, but I ended up getting exactly what I wanted. And it was CHEAP...only 20 soles (less than $7 U.S. for a haircut...and they even gave me a massage while I was waiting for the stylist...crazy). My hair is definitely extremely short now. I will be sure to take a picture soon for whoever is interested!
I realized that it hasn´t really set in that I actually LIVE here. I feel more like I´m just here on vacation and definitely don´t feel like a Peruvian. I guess that constantly being treated like a tourist when I´m in public doesn´t help. Most Peruvians assume that because I look American and have an accent that I can´t communicate in Spanish. It´s pretty frustrating. But I know things will get better with time.
Well I´m off to get ready to go running! ¡Hasta luego!
-Jamie
by the way, pretty much all the Peruvian t.v. programs I´ve seen are super lame. And it is really weird watching American shows dubbed. Just thought I´d say...
Last night, Aaron and I went out to eat at pretty much the fanciest restaurant in the city. It is out on a pier into the ocean. To get to it, you either have to take a cab or walk down a LOT of stairs. We opted to take a taxi. When you arrive, you walk down the pier, are greeted by staff, and escorted to your table. Where we sat we were surrounded by ocean and could see the beautiful city lights. We had a nice appetizer, a bottle of wine, each had a nice seafood dinner, and an amazing dessert. It was spendy, but for the environment, quality of food, and the service, it was definitely a better deal than the U.S.
Today I was brave enough to venture into a beauty parlor to get my hair cut. I was worried that communication would be an issue, but I ended up getting exactly what I wanted. And it was CHEAP...only 20 soles (less than $7 U.S. for a haircut...and they even gave me a massage while I was waiting for the stylist...crazy). My hair is definitely extremely short now. I will be sure to take a picture soon for whoever is interested!
I realized that it hasn´t really set in that I actually LIVE here. I feel more like I´m just here on vacation and definitely don´t feel like a Peruvian. I guess that constantly being treated like a tourist when I´m in public doesn´t help. Most Peruvians assume that because I look American and have an accent that I can´t communicate in Spanish. It´s pretty frustrating. But I know things will get better with time.
Well I´m off to get ready to go running! ¡Hasta luego!
-Jamie
by the way, pretty much all the Peruvian t.v. programs I´ve seen are super lame. And it is really weird watching American shows dubbed. Just thought I´d say...
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