oh goodness

It's been an interesting week

We started our first week of official classes at the PUCP. The study abroad people get to try out classes before we register, which is this coming monday. Ugh, it was tough.

It's tough because I have to strain my ear and mind to try and comprehend what the professors are saying. It's not easy learning a new subject in a new language. eek! So yeah, for instance i went to this one class that was titled Cine, or films and movies and all that fun stuff. It sounds pretty cool but the whole time i was in class i was on the edge of my seat, putting my hair behind my ear, and poking my ear out towards the professor while i concentrated really hard to understand him. oh goodness. It was a discussion class so the other students get to talk...which is even harder to understand because they either talk super fast, or super mumbly, or with slang that i don't know. By the end of yesterday I was craving me some english.

It's hard being 'that girl', the foreign kid. Sometimes I try way too hard to try to blend in and do a good job, but I have realized that I got to accept it. I got to embrace being the foreign, exchange-student kid. It's funner to embrace it anyways! There are so many mistakes that I make but that's ok! They make for some pretty hilarious stories.

It's also difficult trying to communicate with other adults and college students when you have the vocabulary and speech facilities of a 5 year old. Wha!? I'm trying to convey who i am, my thoughts, my passions, and trying to relate to others BUT I can't always do that. It's so strange. It's such a helpless feeling. I want to get to know them so bad but I'm chained by my minimal skills! It's such a new experience. It makes me appreciate communication so much. But yeah it can get frustrating but what's so great is that I have my group of "US american" friends (american is incorrect when referring to people from the US because south america is technically american too. fact of the day!). So it's neat to be able to relate with them about all the funny or frustrating or silly things that we do because of our non-spanish speaking ways. Lol.

So yeah spanish is tough. I appreciate knowing english so much now. I have gotten pretty descent at comprehending but there are still those times when i have no idea what that person just said to me. I have found out that when in doubt, just nod your head, smile, and say 'si'. I think this works about 74% of the time. And the other 26% could potentially lead to dangerous situations, or severe mocking. ha. anywho.

Oh yeah! another thing about being a 'foreigner' So people here greet each other by a kiss on the cheek. WELL in the US, of course, we shake hands. SO, I have found out that it upsets me when people come up to me and shake my hand just because they know I am from the US. I didn't fly all the way out here for you to shake my hand, give me my kiss! But yeah, I want to be treated like they naturally would treat others. Not with an awkward handshake. I also dislike it when people automatically try to speak english with me. Maybe they are trying to be nice? but it comes off as really condescending, and it feels really exclusive.

So on one hand, it's tough communicating with people, but on the other hand I'm here to learn the language and culture, so of course I want to be treated with it. It's a hard life but good life.

Alrighty, well now I am going to go eat lunch with my host mom, audrey and laura. Then we are going to Polvos Azules...the other black market! What adventures will we behold today?!