That’s right, spring semester 2011 is OVAH!!!!! Woo! 4 exams and a paper later I am SPENT, but relieved that I have finished the semester. I have NO IDEA what my grades are for any of my classes… but here’s hoping for the best.
Recent events: Julio’s birthday! My roommate Julio’s birthday was July 4th (lucky guy) so we celebrated it the weekend beforehand. Birthday celebrations are always fun, and well, I gotta give kudos to Julio for surviving the night. Fun was had all around.
*Happy birthday, Julio*
AMERICA!!: Independence Day was… uncelebrated on my part :( I really would have liked to, but I spent all day long at school studying and taking exams. I also had my last guitar class, and for whatever reason was the only person who went! Private lesson, woop woop. After my “class,” during which I struggled through Pirates of the Caribbean, Yesterday, and Californication, I had a nice chat with my teacher, who told me the woes of music education in Peru (basically, there is none). It’s unfortunate really, that in many high schools and middle schools there aren’t mandatory music classes, or even any music classes at all. America’s independence also witnessed a Mexican loss in the Copa America… which brings me to my next point:
FÚTBOL: After watching the USA lose to México in the Copa de Oro (and having to buy Julio’s ceviche the next day as my punishment for the bet we made) my roommates and I have enjoyed the daily games of the Copa America, or the tournament of South American teams. Now I can root for Mexico uninhibited - except for a little conflict of interest when they play Peru on Friday. (Still going for Mexico though).
Tomorrow morning, I’ll head to the airport to pick up my 5th guest of the semester, best friend India Wells! Then, tomorrow night we’re heading off to Trujillo, a colonial city with nearby ruins, with the rest of the week open for more adventures. In less than 2 weeks I’ll be heading to Mexico, and though I’m excited, I truly will be sad to leave. SO, I guess I gotta make these last couple Peruvian weeks really count!
Sound the Claxon!
(“claxon” is Spanish for “horn”)
Just now, one of my friends in Guadalajara put up a Facebook status saying how thankful he was that Tapatíos (people from Guadalajara) don’t use their horns very much in traffic, and suggests that maybe the people of Mexico City should also use them less. Well, he would NOT be a very happy camper here in Lima!
Traffic is already crazy enough in Lima, but something funny/slightly annoying is that EVERYONE uses their horns AT ALL TIMES. In my first week here, the señora of the house drove me to the plaza, and used the horn approximately 5 times in the 7 minute drive. This may be a characteristic of many cities, I don’t know, but you gotta wonder how effective it is (in my opinion, not very). In some areas of the city, people are really conscious about it and signs have been put up declaring “Silent Zones,” in which you can not honk your horn. I can say from personal experience that these signs are useless. Maybe Limeños honk their horns to show their frustration, goodness knows I too would be frustrated to drive in this mess, but I can honestly say that honking your horn at a red light will NOT make the car in front of you move. Let’s take a page out of the Tapatío book, and preserve our horns for when they’re actually needed!
My family’s visit to Lima :)
Last Day of Classes!!
Technically, yesterday would have been my last day of class, but I have a make-up class this evening, so: TODAY IS THE LAST DAY OF CLASSES! My classes this semester have ranged from “awesome and interesting” to “boring and frustrating.” I definitely have learned a lot this semester, which feels good; I’m totally ready to start watching Jeopardy again when I get back to America.
What’s left for me this semester? 4 exams, a 10 page paper, and week of traveling with my best friend India! My old roommate Laura and I also have a “lecture-burning” party to plan, aka a symbolic burning of the stacks and stacks (and stacks… etc etc) of papers that we had to read this semester.
In other news, the USC Gamecocks play again in the College World Series tonight - GO COCKS!
Pisco Peruano
While listening to the radio this morning, the two show hosts started discussing Shakira’s music video for her new song “Rabiosa” featuring Pit Bull. At around 1:20 in the video, you can see several bottles of Peruvian Pisco, which is the most well-known Peruvian alcohol included in drinks like the famous Pisco Sour (a favorite of my father, after his visit to Lima). Apparently, Peruvians are pretty psyched about this, and the hosts even called it “subliminal messaging” that Peru is on the upswing. I guess it’s a pretty big deal for Shakira to endorse your country’s alcohol
Here’s the link to Shakira’s music video: look for the pisco! They’re on the table at 1:20
I’m anxiously awaiting an appropriate hour to leave for the airport to pick up my family (still at least another 3 hours to go…) so I guess I’ll write a pre-emptively nostalgic post about my time in Peru.
Anyone who knows me, even a little bit, even if you just met me 16 seconds ago, knows I’m in love with Mexico, specifically Guadalajara. I probably fell in love within my first week of studying there, which was over a year and a half ago, and the love has not died out, not even a little bit. Needless to say, my experience in Peru has been a little different. I did not fall in love in the first week, not in the first month, and actually have felt much more anger towards Peru than love. A tough first couple months here left me counting down the days until I would get to go back home (aka, back to Mexico), but all that is changing now.
Lima will never be another Guadalajara for me, but MAN it is really fighting for it’s own special space in my heart, which it is definitely winning :) Although sometimes I want to ask it, “why did you wait so long to make me fall in love with you, Lima?” I guess we’ll say it’s better late than never. The city has it’s own special beauty, and though you may have to look closely to find it, once you see it you can’t let it go. The vibrant life that I loved so much in Mexico is here in Peru too, just much more hidden. Lima has challenged me to find the good in everything - through muggings, illness, explosions, and whatever else, the people I have met and the growth I have made here can not be replaced or taken away from me. I’ve gone through several phases here of personal change, and I feel like I am better prepared to confront any challenge that may be thrown at me in the future.
But I don’t want to exaggerate, it’s not as though my whole semester in Lima has been overcoming challenges. The simplicities of life here and the little things during the day that put a smile on my face and remind me of Lima’s charm have been the icing on the study abroad cake. Provided nothing happens in these next 4 weeks that kills or seriously injures me, I will return home from this study abroad experience with a love and admiration for Peru and its people.
Alright Lima, I’ve confessed my love for you, can we be friends? :)
The parents are coming, the parents are coming!!
And the older brother!
In 4.5 hours I’m heading to the airport to welcome my mom, dad, and brother James for their short visit to Lima! I can’t wait to see them! It’s been 5 and a half months since I’ve seen any of my family, it will be nice to have them here for a few days :)
