...where to start?

So, its not very exciting but this is my daily schedule: I wake up, eat, have some quiet time, do my Spanish homework (usually takes about 2 hours) and go to my classes at 12- 4. Its lots of Spanish but I know it’s helping. It is hard at moments to realize that learning Spanish is my whole life right now. However, I understand why it has to be when I get into a taxi or talk to friends on the street and I can only have a superficial conversation with them and lots of the time I’m nodding my head and making some kind of affirmative noise to say: “I’m listening” which I am, but really I’m not understanding completely.

After my Spanish classes I come back home, try to get some work done and then I try to do some kind of activity in the evenings. Lately this has been a lot easier then in the beginning. I am so thankful I have met some really cool people as of lately and they have been encouraging me in ways that I didn’t fully realize I was lacking before. Making friends is one thing that has been really quite challenging. Really it is such a different culture here, especially when it comes to people of my age demographic. In Canada the 20 something are living the high life, starting their first jobs (trying to recover from the debts of university) but for the most part actually having a moment to learn about who they are, apart from their family unit. Here in Peru, people my age don’t have that opportunity, and it quite obviously breeds a different type of mindset. Young people here stay in their parent’s house until they get married, and most often after they are married as well.

I’m still trying to come to my own personal conclusions about what I really think about this; it definitely has its pro’s and con’s, and a lot of times it depends on the mentality of the parents. Some are really protective and dominating, and others are happy to lead separate lives from their children, letting them develop more in their independence. Either way its been really interesting to observe the difference. Quite honestly, after living with a Peruvian family, I actually really miss my way of life in Canada, but that is probably because I was very much established in my independence there.



If this picture shows up as I think it should.... this is the view of "Misti" from my house. (its pretty hard to navigate my blog spot as it is all conveniently in spanish!!)