My time in Peru has already surpassed two weeks; and, mastering the basics of public transportation is one of my proudest accomplishments to date. As I become more familiar with life here, I am learning--and doing--more and more.
Serving in this community is something that I have been eager to do.
I volunteered with Hearts in Action on Thursday. A family connection
led me to this organization where I will volunteer once or twice a week.
Kim, one of the organization's leaders, gave me a tour of the facility;
and, after completing volunteer paperwork, I proceeded to help with my
first project! I helped sort toys for a giveaway and prepare craft
materials for a character-building lesson. In addition to assisting with these randoms
tasks, I will be tutoring students, too!
One of my biggest observation in Lima is that family connections are invaluable. When I explained to my Peruvian friend Paloma some of the difficulties I was having in scheduling my classes, she immediately referred me to her second cousin Jorge who works in the international office. While Jorge was unable to help my situation, he apologized profusely, saying how he would have done anything within his power to help a friend of his cousin.
Since the opportunities for submerging myself into this culture are plenty and my time is quite occupied, homesickness has yet to be an issue. While I miss my family, I cannot dwell on these feelings too much, or I will lose the moment here and now. My first feeling of nostalgia for my American home came on Thursday when a Peruvian friend and I went to a movie. Since the movie was in English with Spanish subtitles, I was able to understanding the context of the movie without thinking about it. This inexplicably made me reminiscent of my home.
I have exactly 122 days remaining in Lima; and, while that may seem like an abundance of time, I know I will be in America again soon. I am so grateful for this opportunity and the support of my family and friends around the world as I capitalize on this experience!
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