Time Flies When Having Fun

As the old adage goes, “Time flies when you are having fun,” and let me assure you time is flying. I can hardly believe that it is already over a week into October and that we are in our fourth week in Peru. Days are pretty full.

Each morning starts with all of my family sitting down together to eat a breakfast of rolls and some form of hot beverage. Each breakfast is rushed but yet full of conversation about the upcoming day. Breakfast is usually followed by language class. Sometimes language classes are in the Training Center and other times classes are in our class members' homes in his/her community. It's fun to have classes in others' homes; it is a great opportunity to learn more about different communities and see different styles of homes.

Every day includes catching a combi. A combi is the public transportation system in Peru. They are like buses; however, the experience of riding a combi is unlike any experience I've ever had riding a bus. No matter how many people are on a combi, there is always room for more. The first challenge is to climb onto the combi and find a spot to stand, but one must do this rapidly while simultaneously finding something stable to hang on too; otherwise, that combi will begin to move and you may find yourself falling over or into someone's lap. The next three challenges are rolled into one. First, you have to ensure that the doorman/woman is well aware of where you want to get off. Second, you have to pay the fee and explain to the doorman/woman that you are well aware of the prices and know that they are overcharging you. Exact change is key. Finally, throughout this conversation, exchange and maintaining one's balance, you also have to keep you eyes open for your stop and shout out one more time where you want to get off. Then the combi comes to an extremely brief stop, and you jump out. Success! The first day the combi ride was a little stressful, but now I find the rides more as an exhilarating start to the day.

At the Center, we have classes until 5:00 each day. There is usually a group of us that goes running after class most days. This means by the time we get home, it is already nearly 6:30 and getting dark. The evening is quickly filled up with interacting and hanging out with family, studying Spanish, doing homework and watching soccer games.

Today is a national holiday, so we do not have classes. Today and tomorrow all the volunteers have their second language placement interview. I am amazed by how many new things I learn in Spanish each day. Sometimes it feels a little overwhelming, and I feel like I am not making progress, but I just have to keep working at it. By Friday we will have new language groups to work with, people's levels may or may not change (I'm quite confident I will stay at the level I am at right now—which is fine by me), and I may have a different professor than whom I have worked with for the past few weeks. My interview is tomorrow morning.

Even though life has been pretty busy, I have thoroughly enjoyed it. Most of the days are filled with many smiles, and I have to constantly remind myself that I am in Peru with 46 other incredibly talented, smart and amazing fellow volunteers. Life is good1 Time flies when you are having fun, and I am most definitely having fun! What an opportunity.