WOW took long enough! But I finally love the school I'm in. No, there is nothing to do at recreo, no permission to play volleyball, no posters on the walls, no lockers or hallways or clocks or water fountains (because you can't drink the water here haha) but. I love it. All of a sudden, not sure what changed, but I'm no longer super super pissed off and annoyed by my loud, screaming classmates. Took long to get used to, but it's awesome. Starting to loosen up with the teachers too, and I didn't realize how much spanish I can understand! I'd almost forgotten what the first few days were like, when I just sat there zoning out. Now I zone out, because it's what I do at school, no matter what country; but I can still understand (for the most part) what's being said/what's going on. It no longer takes all my brainpower to focus on every sentence. Awesome. And I pretty much LOVE my classmates. Omar, Luis, Yuriko, Yessenia, Christina, Chenny, Kathy, Maricielo, Daevis, Pablo, Junior, Anna-Emily, Veronica, Josue. Todos. We're tight. <3 haha and yesterday, for the first time, I DID AND UNDERSTOOD MY HOMEWORK WITHOUT GOOGLE TRANSLATE, and even got it mostly done before I went to the cine with Fran and watched Resident Evil 4 with spanish subtitles :P
I know I had a lot to write yesterday, but didn't get a chance, and now I forget it. Nancy now takes the modem away and hides it because Fran is on the computer too much. Also, I'm not sure why, but she has a "no homework after dinner" rule. So if I'm not finished it before dinner, then. Too bad. I have no idea why finishing homework after dinner is a bad thing. Anyways... i'll try to remember.
OOO. Yesterday. Right. So yesterday, after green-coloured chicken-foot and leg soup, I DECLINED an invitation to the sauna with Fran and Jhosey; no idea why. Something's obviously wrong with me, but anyways. When they were at the sauna I had some time alone in Jhosey's room, and I put on my headphones and just started crying. That breakdown was a LOOONG time coming. So I'm glad I got some of it out. I hate that weird tension on and under your skin and muscles when you're holding in sadness and frustration and such, was way overdue for a release. Hoof! Feel better now.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Another Exciting Title
Man. For some reason my memory is HORRIBLE here. Feels like I've been living here forever, and as if so much time has passed. Mona and I were talking about it tonight; it's hard to remember what we did only yesterday! Or even the stuff that happened today. So. Not much obviously. Finally was able to spend 153 soles on my uniform (not including the shoes I have to buy..) and 90 soles on my cellphone. Great! I am officially empty pocketed. I've thus far avoided going to the bank to get money or exchanging my leftover US dollars. Tengo miedo! Haha
Today, I thought I understood my first physics question! But I didn't.
Starting to finally enjoy colegio. Today, I had fun. I have no idea why. It was the same boring nothingness and lack of understanding that usually comes with it, but it was enjoyable. I realized that all of a sudden I have more tolerance for things that used to make me hyperventilate. Like people TOUCHING me constantly. Leaning on me and such. And I'm pretty much used to everyone screaming and whining and getting worked up in the class conversations, even when I have a headache hahaha. But I'm starting to fall in love with the people. The classroom setting is a lot different. All of a sudden, now that I'm closer to the people and more comfortable around them, I see the classroom atmosphere from a different point of view. Everybody is soooo tight and supportive of eachother. There are no cool kids, and everyone has respect for everyone else. Three of my close friends have said that if I need to, they've already spoken to their parents, and would love to host me if I need to change families.
Nancy took me to el centro today to buy my cellphone (well i paid duuuh). Maybe with a phone I'll have a little bit more freedom! Either that or she'll call me every 5 minutes. Which is probably a foreseeable sacrifice... :P haha
Until 15minutes ago, when Talia told me it was Thanksgiving weekend, I had no idea that it was Thanksgiving weekend. I had completely forgotten. They don't have Thanksgiving here, or at least they haven't mentioned it. Many things are told to me 5 or 10minutes before they happen and I'm taken somewhere or dressed up for visitors or something... like tonight. I was told that I had to go give a presentation about my AFS experience to the parents at my colegio, less than 30minutes before it happened. Coooool. Hahaha maaan when I'm through this experience I'm going to be so relaxed. Surprises have stopped phasing or frustrating me.. I'm used to floating around without a clue and having to immediately drop things that I had planned or wanted or needed to do in order to accomodate someone else. And patience! Hoof. Gonna have the patience of a saint. It's always MIA ABANZA!! Hurry up and wait. And wait. Peru time means if your event is at 7pm, you leave at around 7:45. If you're ready. :P
Today, I thought I understood my first physics question! But I didn't.
Starting to finally enjoy colegio. Today, I had fun. I have no idea why. It was the same boring nothingness and lack of understanding that usually comes with it, but it was enjoyable. I realized that all of a sudden I have more tolerance for things that used to make me hyperventilate. Like people TOUCHING me constantly. Leaning on me and such. And I'm pretty much used to everyone screaming and whining and getting worked up in the class conversations, even when I have a headache hahaha. But I'm starting to fall in love with the people. The classroom setting is a lot different. All of a sudden, now that I'm closer to the people and more comfortable around them, I see the classroom atmosphere from a different point of view. Everybody is soooo tight and supportive of eachother. There are no cool kids, and everyone has respect for everyone else. Three of my close friends have said that if I need to, they've already spoken to their parents, and would love to host me if I need to change families.
Nancy took me to el centro today to buy my cellphone (well i paid duuuh). Maybe with a phone I'll have a little bit more freedom! Either that or she'll call me every 5 minutes. Which is probably a foreseeable sacrifice... :P haha
Until 15minutes ago, when Talia told me it was Thanksgiving weekend, I had no idea that it was Thanksgiving weekend. I had completely forgotten. They don't have Thanksgiving here, or at least they haven't mentioned it. Many things are told to me 5 or 10minutes before they happen and I'm taken somewhere or dressed up for visitors or something... like tonight. I was told that I had to go give a presentation about my AFS experience to the parents at my colegio, less than 30minutes before it happened. Coooool. Hahaha maaan when I'm through this experience I'm going to be so relaxed. Surprises have stopped phasing or frustrating me.. I'm used to floating around without a clue and having to immediately drop things that I had planned or wanted or needed to do in order to accomodate someone else. And patience! Hoof. Gonna have the patience of a saint. It's always MIA ABANZA!! Hurry up and wait. And wait. Peru time means if your event is at 7pm, you leave at around 7:45. If you're ready. :P
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Miercoles the 6th
So... there are always flies. On your food. In your house. On your bed. Get used to it.
Last night Francheska and I went and visited Mona in the casa of Arlette for awhile, and then went and ate a piece of strawberry cheesecake. It was less of a cheesecake and more of a milk jello blob. But...good.
Inthe afternoon today we had tutoria, which means nothing, and gym, which means nothing. I sat with Maricielo and Daevis and we played charades in spanish. I also showed them other hand games like slaps, knuckles, "manos calientes" (where one person's hands are underneath trying to slap the persons' hands on top) and another one that I don't know the name of. It's where everyone sits in a circle with their hands overlapping and the point is to keep the clap going. One tap passes it to the next person, two taps changes direction, and three taps skips a hand. It's really fun with more people, and everytime someone messes up, they remove their hand. Then we had thumbwars. Yup. Another productive day. Oh, and everyone here is for some reason ABOSOLUTELY AMAZED that I can do a handstand, cartwheel and somersault. Um. So can almost every 3 or 4 year old I've ever met?! Anyways. Oh, and in physics, I yet again understood nothing. I never took it in Canada because well. I've never cared for it very much and I don't understand it. And the teacher here is very unhelpful. She gives you the problems to work through, and then leaves. So it's super hard to get help. And none of the other students actually care enough to do work, or don't know what they're doing either. And I'm pretty sure there's an exam I'm gonna fail tomorrow. yay. OH and, great news, the children of Senor de la Vida colegio have discovered that I am one of the most ticklish people on this earth. I now need to wear bulkier coats to protect my sides. My cheeks hurt from laughing and screaming.
Maricielo and Daevis are determined to take me for lunch every Saturday after classes because apparently they are shocked at the amount of delicious food I have not been exposed to! Hahaha sounds good to me :P The food here is. Delish. But I miss my veggies! So much that when I found a salad yesterday, I scarfed it down so fast i almost choked! I used to HATE tomatoes. But now, just randomly, for no reason, they're actually my favourite vegetable ever. I can just bite into a delish tomato. Omg. I want a tomato. Right now. So good!!
Then after helping Francheska with her english homework;Leo, Jose, Tonio and Jhoselyn came over and Leo and Jose looked at all my photos and were super interested about Canada. Leo also made me take out my violin, and apparently he plays flute! He then searched up the titanic theme song on youtube and I figured it out to play for him. Then he said I have tarea (homework) for the next fiesta at his house, and I have to learn the titanic theme song. And jsut bring my violin anyways for entertainment :P The last time we were at his house was really cool. The upstairs leads right to the roof, where there's speakers and space to dance. He said that's where we're all gonna be for Nuevo Ano :P
Last night Francheska and I went and visited Mona in the casa of Arlette for awhile, and then went and ate a piece of strawberry cheesecake. It was less of a cheesecake and more of a milk jello blob. But...good.
Inthe afternoon today we had tutoria, which means nothing, and gym, which means nothing. I sat with Maricielo and Daevis and we played charades in spanish. I also showed them other hand games like slaps, knuckles, "manos calientes" (where one person's hands are underneath trying to slap the persons' hands on top) and another one that I don't know the name of. It's where everyone sits in a circle with their hands overlapping and the point is to keep the clap going. One tap passes it to the next person, two taps changes direction, and three taps skips a hand. It's really fun with more people, and everytime someone messes up, they remove their hand. Then we had thumbwars. Yup. Another productive day. Oh, and everyone here is for some reason ABOSOLUTELY AMAZED that I can do a handstand, cartwheel and somersault. Um. So can almost every 3 or 4 year old I've ever met?! Anyways. Oh, and in physics, I yet again understood nothing. I never took it in Canada because well. I've never cared for it very much and I don't understand it. And the teacher here is very unhelpful. She gives you the problems to work through, and then leaves. So it's super hard to get help. And none of the other students actually care enough to do work, or don't know what they're doing either. And I'm pretty sure there's an exam I'm gonna fail tomorrow. yay. OH and, great news, the children of Senor de la Vida colegio have discovered that I am one of the most ticklish people on this earth. I now need to wear bulkier coats to protect my sides. My cheeks hurt from laughing and screaming.
Maricielo and Daevis are determined to take me for lunch every Saturday after classes because apparently they are shocked at the amount of delicious food I have not been exposed to! Hahaha sounds good to me :P The food here is. Delish. But I miss my veggies! So much that when I found a salad yesterday, I scarfed it down so fast i almost choked! I used to HATE tomatoes. But now, just randomly, for no reason, they're actually my favourite vegetable ever. I can just bite into a delish tomato. Omg. I want a tomato. Right now. So good!!
Then after helping Francheska with her english homework;Leo, Jose, Tonio and Jhoselyn came over and Leo and Jose looked at all my photos and were super interested about Canada. Leo also made me take out my violin, and apparently he plays flute! He then searched up the titanic theme song on youtube and I figured it out to play for him. Then he said I have tarea (homework) for the next fiesta at his house, and I have to learn the titanic theme song. And jsut bring my violin anyways for entertainment :P The last time we were at his house was really cool. The upstairs leads right to the roof, where there's speakers and space to dance. He said that's where we're all gonna be for Nuevo Ano :P
Questions from Peruvians
1) So... is Canada a big country? No, right?
2) "How many hours is it in plane from Belgium to Peru?" "15." "And in bus?"
3) Do they have movie theatres in Canada?
4) "So, in the capital, Toronto, -" "The capital of Canada isn't Toronto, it's Ottawa." "...no it's not. What!?"
5) Do they have chicken in Canada?
6) Do you have water and a telephone?
7) It's always cold there, right?
8) Europe is in Belgium, right?
9) Are there swimming pools there?
2) "How many hours is it in plane from Belgium to Peru?" "15." "And in bus?"
3) Do they have movie theatres in Canada?
4) "So, in the capital, Toronto, -" "The capital of Canada isn't Toronto, it's Ottawa." "...no it's not. What!?"
5) Do they have chicken in Canada?
6) Do you have water and a telephone?
7) It's always cold there, right?
8) Europe is in Belgium, right?
9) Are there swimming pools there?
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
El martes de los muertes.
So today... I saw my first real dead body. Dead bodies. But at least it was in a university morgue, not on the street. But still. Couldn't eat all day because my stomach was all weird and my head was all painful and tingly from the strong nasty preservative fumes. Kind of shocking to think that they were real, because they looked so fake. I even saw their internal organs. Interesting, but. Interesting.
We were on a tour of the different buildings of San Pedro University, which are scattered across Chimbote. The university was very plain and cement and simple. The classrooms were very bare and small, only 15ish students in each. Not many materials. MAAAN we are lucky to live in Canada. It was a fun day, but when we got back to colegio I fell asleep (numerous times) while sitting upright in history class.
Yesterday I went to the birthday party of Chenny, one of my colegio friends, and it was fun. Feels weird to hangout with people who are 15/16/just turning 17. For once I'm the oldest :O ! But I'm getting used to it haha and tomorrow I'm going to finally go buy a cellphone for 100 soles (around 30/40 bucks, prepago) There aren't plans or anything nice like that, so I just have to buy a card with a certain amount of credit, and punch in the numbers and voila. I'm buying one of the cheapest models there are :P
We were on a tour of the different buildings of San Pedro University, which are scattered across Chimbote. The university was very plain and cement and simple. The classrooms were very bare and small, only 15ish students in each. Not many materials. MAAAN we are lucky to live in Canada. It was a fun day, but when we got back to colegio I fell asleep (numerous times) while sitting upright in history class.
Yesterday I went to the birthday party of Chenny, one of my colegio friends, and it was fun. Feels weird to hangout with people who are 15/16/just turning 17. For once I'm the oldest :O ! But I'm getting used to it haha and tomorrow I'm going to finally go buy a cellphone for 100 soles (around 30/40 bucks, prepago) There aren't plans or anything nice like that, so I just have to buy a card with a certain amount of credit, and punch in the numbers and voila. I'm buying one of the cheapest models there are :P
Monday, October 4, 2010
Sunday, October 3, 2010
I always forget what I wanted to write about during the day when it's blog time.
So apparently there HAVE been short jokes in Peru. I just couldn't understand them until now.
I always thought it was silly when Jhoselyn locks the doors when we get inside a vehicle. However, you have to lock the doors when you're in a taxi here, and roll up the windows, because people will open the door or reach through the window and rob you. Great. How cool.
Yesterday we went and visited Louise in her new family (because her other family was only temporary, and left on a month long trip, possibly longer, to Argentina) and it felt really good to have some time just her, Laetitia and I in her new room talking about every problem and frustration and letting everything out. Not to mention being able to express ourselves more easily in english. We were probably a bit rude, being in her room for a couple hours while everyone else visited, but didn't care at that point because we never get time alone to talk and seriously SERIOUSLY needed it. Felt like a sleepover, and we just started talking about good times with our friends or boyfriends back in our home towns and laughed and yeah. I felt a lot better afterwards, like clean and refreshed. Hooof! We've decided we need to meet up once or twice a week, and definitely see a sauna date in the near future!
Today Jhoselyn and I went with her mom to vote. The whole city was packed, and every street was crowded. There were vendors everywhere and it was a little crazy. The lines to all the voting places were over a block long in some places! Then we went to 'el centro' to try and find me a uniform again, but all the stores and everything were closed for the election! So we went and had lunch in a ''cevicheria'' and seafood restaurant. First toilet I've come across where I didn't need my own toilet paper. Anyways, I used to hate seafood, but it was good haha. I kinda love chicharones de pescado. Pretty much just bits of deep fried fish with onions and some other sauces. Yuumm
Crap!! I knew there was something else I needed to do today other than a mountain and a half of homework that I didn't get done anyways!!! Laundry. UGGGGH almost 11pm. Too late.
I always thought it was silly when Jhoselyn locks the doors when we get inside a vehicle. However, you have to lock the doors when you're in a taxi here, and roll up the windows, because people will open the door or reach through the window and rob you. Great. How cool.
Yesterday we went and visited Louise in her new family (because her other family was only temporary, and left on a month long trip, possibly longer, to Argentina) and it felt really good to have some time just her, Laetitia and I in her new room talking about every problem and frustration and letting everything out. Not to mention being able to express ourselves more easily in english. We were probably a bit rude, being in her room for a couple hours while everyone else visited, but didn't care at that point because we never get time alone to talk and seriously SERIOUSLY needed it. Felt like a sleepover, and we just started talking about good times with our friends or boyfriends back in our home towns and laughed and yeah. I felt a lot better afterwards, like clean and refreshed. Hooof! We've decided we need to meet up once or twice a week, and definitely see a sauna date in the near future!
Today Jhoselyn and I went with her mom to vote. The whole city was packed, and every street was crowded. There were vendors everywhere and it was a little crazy. The lines to all the voting places were over a block long in some places! Then we went to 'el centro' to try and find me a uniform again, but all the stores and everything were closed for the election! So we went and had lunch in a ''cevicheria'' and seafood restaurant. First toilet I've come across where I didn't need my own toilet paper. Anyways, I used to hate seafood, but it was good haha. I kinda love chicharones de pescado. Pretty much just bits of deep fried fish with onions and some other sauces. Yuumm
Crap!! I knew there was something else I needed to do today other than a mountain and a half of homework that I didn't get done anyways!!! Laundry. UGGGGH almost 11pm. Too late.
Cake (I know Talia will read this..)
Yesterday, after being 15minutes late for colegio and being freaked out at by the cop person saying that next time I might as well not even come to school unless I'm on time, and next time I won't be allowed IN if I'm not on time, and having a near-breakdown type of day from over-build up of frustrating craziness and denial, we baked a cake. :)
Jhoselyn and I bought all the ingredients (her mom doesn't even use recipes!!) and then Soledad and I pretty much did all the work by hand. It's a LOT harder and more time consuming when you don't have any electrical whippy things. As well, the sugar here is very large granules, and Peruvians can be somewhat fussy perfectionists, and so we had to stir and smash the batter NOT EVEN KIDDING for over an hour and a half to get it smooth and creamy and get the sugar grains fine as dust. Never thought my muscles would get sore from baking. Most delicious batter ever, too. Could've eaten spoonfuls of it! mmm and we also made an apple pie! Just for fun :P Pretty sure it's all gone now though hahaha. Also pretty sure that one meal gave me an extra 5 pounds, just when I was doin good! Hahaha
Andre and Tonio came over for dinner/dessert and we played an extremely pointless boring game and chess. Kinda getting sick of hanging out the four of us, because Andre likes me, I don't like him, Tonio and Jhosey are always making out, and they're all best friends, and Tonio is trying to get me and Andre together. Ugggh just amigos please!! haha
Anyways, during it, her dad came home, saw the four of us and her mom having dinner, got a super awkward look on his face, and left. Then after the boys left, her dad came back and gave Jhosey a private (but not quite, because we could all hear) lecture for over an hour and a half (not exaggerating, people here like to talk) about bringing friends over and not studying enough and how he doesn't like her having an enamorado. While this was going on, her mom and I were sitting in the sala at the kitchen table, and her mom explained everything to me. I'm not sure how much of it I should write here, but it explained a lot, and right when I was about to change families, I realized I can't. Her mom has been through a lot with her dad, (they're seperated), ever since Jhosey was a baby. The culture here is very machotistic. Is that the right word? Macho. The father is the father, and he has final say in everything, even though we are living in her mother's house, under her mother's rules, when her mother said it was okay. She also explained that here it is very common for a man to have two, three, four or even five women at a time. This has been a problem throughout her life, and because she no longer works, he has all the money and all the power. She hasn't been able to do anything about it either, because she needs the money for her four children, for her hijos. Here it is a lot harder for a woman in that situation than in Canada. Especially for a woman who does not have her own source of income because she has four children to take care of. Back then, because they were younger, she couldn't have just screamed at him and slammed the door in his face. She needed to stay quiet for her children. (this is how she told it to me)
Jhoselyn and I bought all the ingredients (her mom doesn't even use recipes!!) and then Soledad and I pretty much did all the work by hand. It's a LOT harder and more time consuming when you don't have any electrical whippy things. As well, the sugar here is very large granules, and Peruvians can be somewhat fussy perfectionists, and so we had to stir and smash the batter NOT EVEN KIDDING for over an hour and a half to get it smooth and creamy and get the sugar grains fine as dust. Never thought my muscles would get sore from baking. Most delicious batter ever, too. Could've eaten spoonfuls of it! mmm and we also made an apple pie! Just for fun :P Pretty sure it's all gone now though hahaha. Also pretty sure that one meal gave me an extra 5 pounds, just when I was doin good! Hahaha
Andre and Tonio came over for dinner/dessert and we played an extremely pointless boring game and chess. Kinda getting sick of hanging out the four of us, because Andre likes me, I don't like him, Tonio and Jhosey are always making out, and they're all best friends, and Tonio is trying to get me and Andre together. Ugggh just amigos please!! haha
Anyways, during it, her dad came home, saw the four of us and her mom having dinner, got a super awkward look on his face, and left. Then after the boys left, her dad came back and gave Jhosey a private (but not quite, because we could all hear) lecture for over an hour and a half (not exaggerating, people here like to talk) about bringing friends over and not studying enough and how he doesn't like her having an enamorado. While this was going on, her mom and I were sitting in the sala at the kitchen table, and her mom explained everything to me. I'm not sure how much of it I should write here, but it explained a lot, and right when I was about to change families, I realized I can't. Her mom has been through a lot with her dad, (they're seperated), ever since Jhosey was a baby. The culture here is very machotistic. Is that the right word? Macho. The father is the father, and he has final say in everything, even though we are living in her mother's house, under her mother's rules, when her mother said it was okay. She also explained that here it is very common for a man to have two, three, four or even five women at a time. This has been a problem throughout her life, and because she no longer works, he has all the money and all the power. She hasn't been able to do anything about it either, because she needs the money for her four children, for her hijos. Here it is a lot harder for a woman in that situation than in Canada. Especially for a woman who does not have her own source of income because she has four children to take care of. Back then, because they were younger, she couldn't have just screamed at him and slammed the door in his face. She needed to stay quiet for her children. (this is how she told it to me)
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