Goodmorning, everyone! Yes, I am actually pretty sick with a cold and have been for about two days, but today I feel good enough to write to you all about what's been going on. Which is a lot.
Last Monday, I started school. Let me tell you, it has been nothing like America. I attend a private school, "San Ignacio de Recalde" in the San Borja district of Lima, along with six other exchange students from my rotary district. The first day of school for us was actually the beginning of second semester for the Peruvians because of the hemisphere flip over the equator. After about 15 minutes of class, we were led down to a gathering area where each student in the school lined up in short rows facing a center area, around a podium with several flags behind it. What was happening was a welcoming ceremony for the second semester. I didn't get much out of it besides the fact that a junior soccer team won a tournament and a student from my grade level went to a national debate tournament. Then the exchange students were introduced. One by one, our seven names were called and we were applauded (not that any of us knew what was going on besides our introduction). The whole ceremony lasted a good hour and a half while we stood there and listened without much understanding. I do feel blessed to be going to a school with so many exchange students. Many of us are alone in schools, which has got to be terrible. Our schooldays at SIR go kinda like this: 5 classes per day with one recess and one lunch period. Each class is an hour and a half long, and no one day is like the next in terms of class scheduling. One day for first period I have physics, and the next, chemistry. I kinda like it, it's never going to get boring, especially with the students in my particular room. (By the way, we stay in the same room all day and the teachers come to us). South American students have zero respect for most of their teachers, but the teachers don't really care. There could be total anarchy going on behind them and they will just continue lecturing. I kind of admire them for that, I really don't think an American teacher would last ten minutes down here. As far as my understanding of the classes, it's tough right now because of my less-than-stellar Spanish skills, but the two classes in English that I have should be just fine, same with art and gym.
Outside of school, I have been playing tons and tons of soccer, wherever we can. Usually I am with my friends Bastien and Moritz, other exchange students. There are some cement courts close to our school that we go to to play pickup games with Peruvians. I would like to say that my soccer skills have already improved a bit, I can't wait to see how I've grown by the end of the year. Also, I have been going to see several movies. Here, movies are dirt cheap, especially on Tuesdays, but the theaters are at least three times as nice as American theaters. Mostly I go only where I am taken (except to school) but in a month or so I think I will have a bit more freedom to be after school with my friends. There is a place very near to my house that is on the way home from school called kennedy park, named after JFK. It is a sort of shopping plaza with lots of great restaurants and stores. A few days ago we stopped there for some Belgian fries and inca kola, and I think we will make that a weekly tradition because it was great fun.
I've been around my extended family a lot as well. Last week, I was taken to a show in city center by my aunt. Called 'Brisas del Titicaca', the show featured about six hours of traditional highland dances and live music. I had so much fun watching, and even more fun dancing, when there was audience participation time. Next, there was a party for my aunt, who was turning 80, and let me tell you, this was some party. It lasted from 7pm until 3am, at one of the nicest hotels in Lima. About 150 family members were in attendance from all over the world, including Italy and Wisconsin! Arriving at 7 (two hours late ) we were among the first arrivals to this formal event (yes I wore my rotary blazer) and we began eating at around 830. Finishing dinner around 1030, the wall of desserts was soon devoured and the dancing began. It was honestly one of the most fun nights here so far and I can't wait to have some like it with my friends.
Finally, the departure of my host brother Nicolas to Belgium. After two weeks of him helping me around Lima, we took him to the airport Sunday morning to say goodbye. I remember my departure being very different, taking my time packing and saying goodbye. With Nicolas, he packed the night before, and
