Hello there! So it's been two days since I got here and it's been incredible. I don't even know where to start or how to organize my thoughts. There's been so much to soak in in only two days. there are so many new things, new thoughts, new experiences. like...

ceviche, awesome fruit, coca tea, combis, crazy transportation, deers in the university, agua sin gas, beautiful sunny cool weather, extra strong solar rays,pisco sour(popular alcoholic drink), gonna get run over, wow i'm in lima, already got some peruvian friends!, tour of the city, minimal sleep, soles..the currency, fried my straightener..silly 220V, I live in barranco, saw the ocean, palm trees, little children beggars, what a cool city, everyone's so tan, spanish!, necesito recargar mi movistar, chinese people...speaking spanish?, So many things to see!

Ok so i'll try to explain a few things. The city, Lima, is awesome! It is a huge city of 9 million people and it is spread out and divided into a bunch of different districts...i've heard 43? It's very city-like with lots of noises, and tall buildings, and bill boards..with fun peruvian advertisements, taxis, combi's, coasters, venders, beggers. I love it. There are rougher looking parts of the city but there are also beautiful parts of the city, with parks, green grass, flowers, statues, pretty buildings, colonial style buildings. The main cheap transportation system is the combi's and coasters, which i'll be taking to school. They are crazy! They are like these teeny tiny buses that speed around town.They have no strict route and have the freedom to take whatever route they want. The driving here is wack. But all these crazy things are what make Lima Lima so it's so awesome! The combi system is really scary as of now because i am not sure how I'm supposed to make it an hour across town to get to school in a speedy combi or coaster with no official route or schedule...this makes the 'shady' bus system in austin look like heaven! The combi system is such a part of lima that apparently social scientists have coined the term "cultura combi." Interesting! BUT we took our first coaster ride today in groups and I'm actually really excited about them. When I got there was spanish music blasting and the windows were rolled down, the weather was great and it was nice. I guess I'll get the hang of them, I have no choice!

The University, the PUCP, is really nice. It's big, there are pretty flowers and grass, and there are deer on the campus! So hilarious. I want to go study next to a deer.

The group that I am traveling with is made up of 21 students from all across the country. They are so encouraging because they are all here for the same reason as me...adventure.

Tomorrow I meet and move in with my host family! So excited! The directors told me that they are super awesome. They are a family of artists and their home is filled with artsy things. The dad and one of the sons are art professors at the University and the other is a student there. (supposedly they are cute, i'll let ya know. tehe)

But basically I feel so blessed and amazed and excited to be here. It's everything I imagined and more.

I randomly keep getting hit with the realization that I'm in Lima. Then I'll picture the map of peru in my head and I'll remind myself that I'm right there, in that little dot that I've been reading about for so long. I'm there now. It's crazy.

I gotta go get some sleep now though, I don't think I can survive off the adrenaline rush any longer.

Hasta pronto :D