Mar
31
Sharing this is a little embarrassing, but I do it for a few reasons:
1) To let future study-abroaders know that they are not alone in feeling frustrated/discouraged while experiencing culture shock.
2) That culture shock does happen and can be severe–certain destinations are not for the faint hearted–choose wisely.
3) To cope with my feelings and say GOODBYE to them! 🙂
I am admitting that I have now experienced TRUE culture shock on what is my 3rd study abroad trip. I have had many ups and downs these first 3 1/2 weeks. I was often discouraged by my classes, people, transportation, boredom etc. At one point, I truly considered coming back home.
However, things are now back in perspective for me. I came to Lima to accomplish certain goals of mine:
–Experience a new culture for a longer period of time than I ever had before (my other two study abroad were one month apiece)
–Become more fluent in Spanish
–Take Quechua lessons
–Challenge myself and grow my levels of confidence, independence, and travel skills
These goals are definitely works in progress, but I have already gained some unexpected lessons from my first 3 1/2 weeks. It never hurts to get old ideas reaffirmed in new, memorable ways 🙂
–Things are not always as expected. You have a choice to give up or get tough.
–Lima can be liberating. Studying abroad can liberate you from outside pressures that you never realized existed. For example, in the future I might want to settle down in a place that is smaller and very different than Lima. (But now having experienced life in other cities: some in the US, as well as Guadalajara, Oxford, and now Lima,) I wouldn’t be doing it from pressures such as fear or ignorance of the unknown. [I think prior to coming to college and studying abroad these might have been issues for me]. I would be doing it because I CHOSE to, knowing about and feeling confident in a variety of different atmospheres. I am ready for whatever challenges life throws my way–I can feel confident living wherever I want or need to! Lima has liberated me from fear, ignorance, prejudices, taking things for granted, ….the list could go on.
Yes combis are a little gross, tiring, and incovenient. Yes, I often think that people could benefit from some manner lessons. Yes, I miss my comfort food, friends, family, and boyfriend–my support system. Yes, I’m often bored because I don’t know how to get around and do things.
However,
–I will most likely get the chance to drive a car (not ride in combis) for the next 30+ years. In addition, the system really is quite ingenious. How else are you supposed to get 8-9 million people around? If everyone had their personal car, there’s no way–and their economy can’t really support adding new infrastructure like a subway. Plus, it gives the cobradors, drivers, and the men with the clipboards jobs!
— Ppl are bound to be rude, and I’ve got to let it go. Also, sometimes being pushy might be their idea of a perfect tool for getting things done here with so many people and chaotic circumstances.
— My food will be there when I get home, and when might I get to experience real Peruvian food again? I’ve just got to choose wisely, and thank goodness my stomach has finally settled WAHOO!
— My friends, family, and boyfriend will always be there for me no matter what the distance, and absence really does makes the heart grow fonder.
–There have been days in the past I would’ve killed to be bored so I should find a good book or movie. Besides, the city and getting around will become easier.
I am determined to spend the next 14 weeks of my trip soaking up all the experience (good and bad) that Lima has to offer (and learning and growing as a result)!
Hopefully we find something to do for Semana Santa weekend! We started planning a little too late :/ …oh well!
HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (It’s my favorite holiday! Will someone PLEASE eat a Cadbury egg for me??)
And look out LIMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mar
29
Anything I have said in the past about the beauty of this city is no longer valid. Today I saw just how beautiful this place truly is, with the first tru glimpse of spring. I walked the streets with no hat, my jacket left open, and the sun shining upon my face as I strolled. The snow that I had grown so accustomed to melted away, and I was able to get my glimpse of the city without this ever present footprint of nature. I stood on a bridge over the Fontanka near my apartment and watched for the first time as the river flowed, rather than standing still in a sheet of white snow and ice.
And this morning, as all this beauty surrounded me, her opposite showed her hideous head. There is not much I can say that can do justice to the loss caused by the great injustice committed in this country today. Today, as the people of Moscow carried about on this, otherwise perfect, day, two bombs were ignited in two stations of the Moscow metro system. Roughly forty people lost their lives this morning as I stood on that bridge. Countless others were injured. And injury from a bomb I can only imagine is just as horrific. Molten shrapnel and flame flying through such a confined space is one of the closest glimpses of hell I think any human can witness.
I don’t know what else I can say. It was on my mind as I rode the subway to and from the school today. Even the beautiful sights around me could not push the thoughts from my mind. The senseless violence seems to know no borders. Everywhere there is someone attempting to rectify some past injustice by perpetuating a new one.
Here is a work of Russia’s greatest poet, and a translation. I think it is appropriate. It is beautiful, as the day was, yet holds a serious message of loss and yearning.
Не пой, красавица, при мне
Ты песен Грузии печальной:
Напоминают мне оне
Другую жизнь и берег дальный.
Увы! напоминают мне
Твои жестокие напевы
И степь, и ночь — и при луне
Черты далекой, бедной девы.
Я призрак милый, роковой,
Тебя увидев, забываю;
Но ты поешь — и предо мной
Его я вновь воображаю.
Не пой, красавица, при мне
Ты песен Грузии печальной:
Напоминают мне оне
Другую жизнь и берег дальный.
———————————————-
Oh, Beauty, merciful be to me –
Songs of doleful Georgia sing not:
The sounds of such a sorrowful glee
Remind my life and the love I’ve got.
Alas! Heart-hurting songs of yours
Bring visions of steppe and tender night,
Your hurting songs revive my moans
For the poor girl under the moon light.
This dear image, fateful, bright,
I can’t help losing on seeing you,
But it appears in my mind
When hums of yours I’m listening to.
Oh, Beauty, merciful be to me –
Songs of doleful Georgia sing not:
The sounds of such a sorrowful glee
Remind my life and the love I’ve got.
Mar
24
Hi there! Sorry it’s been so long, but it has been an insanely busy two weeks! I’ve been finishing papers for classes and country hopping and having the time of my life.
First, let me explain the schools here. It works differently than in the US. We go to class for 10 weeks, then two weeks for Spring Break, two more weeks of class, then 3 weeks of exams. As a history student, I have a paper for every class and an exam at the end of the semester. It’s that time of the year, so I’ve been writing papers every night it seems! Everything is just a little different here. Instead of letter sized paper, they use A4, which is basically just longer paper, but I had to figure out how to change my computer to A4, UK spelling, and learning a new style of referencing. You never think you can’t use MLA until you go somewhere where they don’t know what that means! But, my papers are turned in now so I can breath easy. Everyone in my classes is hoping for passing grades (which is only a 40% here!!) because your first year classes don’t count as long as you pass. Only half of your second year classes count and all of the third year counts. It’s been odd figuring out how different the school system is here. We only have class 2 hours a week per class. There is one hour for lecture and one hour for discussion groups. I can’t believe I only have 3 weeks of actual classes left!
My friends and I have been traveling like crazy lately. We spent St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin because we didn’t have class on Wednesdays. We were only there for 20 hours, but it was so fun. I saw the parade, which reminded me a lot of Mardi Gras with its colors and outrageous floats. Then we walked around and saw all the festivities that were happening the St. Paddy’s Day festival. The amount of green that was there was crazy! The flight to Dublin landed at 10 am and the flight back to London left at 630am so we slept in the airport and did the longest 20 hours of my life, but it was so worth it.
Then, this past weekend we went to Amsterdam. After the 12-hour bus ride there, 45 minutes in the Chunnel, and 2 stops at border control, it was so nice to get out and walk around! Amsterdam was absolutely beautiful. My friends and I took a 3 hour walking tour through town first and saw everything from the canals to the Red Light District. After exploring the city on Saturday, we decided to take a boat tour of the canals on Sunday morning and it was so cool to get a different view of the city. All the buildings are built to lean forward and they all slowly drift sideways, so it was fun to find the houses that were slipping sideways! Then, we went and toured Anne Frank’s house. It was one of the more sobering moments of my life. It felt so surreal to walk through the bookcase entrance that the Nazis had dragged her and her family out of and to see where they lived for over two years and pages from her actual diary. It was an experience I suggest everyone do if they get the chance because words cannot describe how inspiring it was.
This weekend is a resting weekend! Spring Break is in a week and a half and I am hoping to see Italy, France, Germany, and Spain! I hope it works out, *fingers crossed*. Cheers!
Mar
20
This week at school was TOUGH. I tried out several different classes, and I was discouraged by many of them. I found that either I couldn’t understand the majority of what the professors were saying or they assigned a LOT of reading (readings that would have been hard enough in english). But….I did find a few professors that speak English and are allowing me to write papers in English, take tests in English, and come to their office hours. I know this kinda seems to defeat the purpose of total immersion, but believe me the poli sci classes here would be hard enough in English and I don’t have the correct Spanish vocab background to understand all the concepts. I’m trying out 4 Poli sci classes (only need 2): Seguridad Internacional, Pensamientos Político Clásico, Justicia y Organismos Públicos, y Temas en Relaciones Internacionales. I’m also taking Quechua 1 y Ant: Etnicidad, Identidad, y Nación. I’ll drop two of the Poli Sci classes before April 8.
I’m sure it will get easier as time progresses…. And I know that going to the beach yesterday definitely helped. It made all the stress of school seem far away. Gonna cut this short though because I have a million things to read.
Chau!
Bobbi
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- There were over 300 steps!
Mar
12
On Wednesday, all the exchange students met for an orientation. The University in Lima is very safe–there are guards at all the entrances that only let students with ID’s in (carnet? en castellano). We discussed how foreign exchange students sign up for classes here. Basically, we can try out whichever classes we want until March 22. Then on March 22, we have to turn in a finalized list, but we can put extra classes on the list and then drop them before April 8 for free.
Also on Wednesday, I got to meet my “compañera de PUCP.” This is a student that will help me get acclimated to life in Lima and at the University. Her name is Karla, and she is super nice. I could not have asked for a better compañera. She took us to the Plaza San Miguel, a mall near campus, and she also helped us take our first combi from school to our house.
Combis are the buses which make up the public transportation system. They are CRAZY. “Cobradoras” (men at the doors of the combis) yell “sube sube sube sube” y the name of the place they are going. Sube means –get on. The drivers swerve in and out of traffic very quickly. The driving here in Lima is nuts. There are no traffic regulations and no such thing as a “right of way”. In a turn lane in between medians for example, in the US there is normally one car— here there can be five or six. When someone pulls in front of us in the US, we slow down–here they speed up! Combis are the safest and cheapest way to travel, but they are still very scary. There are no schedules for the combis. You just go to a “paradero” (stop) and wait. Then, get on a bus that says your location or ask the cobrador if the bus goes there. You have to make sure you get on the bus in the right direction that you want to go. The bus might say where you want to go, but is going in the opposite direction–then you need to cross the street and take the bus from there.. Seems simple–but a very easy mistake to make.
On Thursday, there were orientations for specific types of classes. For example, you could go to a meeting to learn more about the classes and teacher and difficulty level of the Political Science. Then we went to an obligatory meeting about Security. This meeting made me really scared. The director of the exchange program (programa de intercambios) talked about many scary things. Afterward, Calin and I didn’t ever want to leave our house here again. But the father of your host family assured us that is like every big city–there are parts that are more dangerous than others, especially at night. We do need to be aware of our surroundings and belongings and speak Spanish to each other–but we don’t need to worry all the time, he said. Our district is especially safe and for this I am thankful. However Karla warned us “Tengan cuidado” (be safe, or take care), and we will be sure to follow her advice.
Today, we went to Miraflores with Karla. She showed us the beach and the mall and Parque Kennedy (a very pretty park where lots of cats live) and La Calle de Pizzas (basically a sidewalk with about 10 or 15 different pizza restaurants). We were still scared and tired from the day before, and my stomach hurt from the change in food here. Stomachaches are common for foreigners when they travel to new places, but after awhile my body will adjust. I hope we didn’t seem rude today because were a bit tired, scared, and sick– we really appreciate her showing us around and being so nice to us.
****tips
–Here in Lima, there are different districts like Miraflores, Puebla Libre, Jesus Maria, San Borja, Surco, Salamanca, etc.
–Take combis but be aware of theifs
–If you take a taxi, make sure it’s one with a clear windshield that has certification stickers–the most safe are white or yellow in color and the university gives you a list of taxis that you can call
–something cool!!!!! Many of you may know that there are multitudes of squirrels on OU’s campus that allow you to get very close to them –well in the university here (Católica) there are DEER the same way!!!!! (see pictures). And according to Karla they don’t have special words for female, male, and baby deer like doe, buck, and fawn. They are all called “Venado” (deer), except the call the babies “Bambi” at times.
—“de repente” can mean “all of a sudden” or is a synonym for “tal vez, quizas, etc” or “maybe.” Here they frequently use it as maybe
–“Chau” y “nos vemos” are the common ways to say goodbye and they say “aló” for hello on telephones 🙂
—“Chevere” is their word for cool
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- Classroom–not all are this nice 🙂
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- Pretty Doe
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- Buck caught in some branches
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- Peruvian Flag with our university’s name monogrammed on it.
Mar
12
Another delayed post! DIO MIO! Mi dispiace, for the delay! Just when you think everything is in order, everything changes! It may not only be a lesson I take from studying abroad, but also one that seems perfectly suited for life. If you are a student reading this and planning on studying abroad for a semester, listen to what people tell you about the emotions you will experience. For me, I was listening with only one ear, thinking that it would be nothing like they said. So after almost 50 days in Italy, the honeymoon is over. But this doesn’t mean the excitement has ended by any means. In fact, it has only changed. For me, I have settled into this new identity, which at first seemed so foreign that everyday was a lifetime in itself. The days seem to pass faster and faster now that the newness has frayed away. With that in mind, I suppose something you might find a little less personal…
ROME IS NOT REAL.
For starters, Vatican City sits to the west of the center. Secondly, it honestly doesn’t matter where you are, there’s something to see on every street. Thirdly, the Seven Hills of Rome are completely conquerable thanks to the subways that are relatively new and easily manageable. I could go on, but Rome’s title as “The Eternal City” begs to differ. A few of the OU in Arezzo students and I stayed in Rome for a weekend, surely not enough time, even for spirited university students, to see all that Rome has to offer. Our first task was the looming cupola designed by Michelangelo that adorns St. Peter’s, Vatican City. Not sure exactly how we would buy tickets, find the line, or even have enough time to go through the Vatican Museum (it has the largest collection of art in the world), we hopped on a metro bound for the Vatican. Funny thing was though, the moment we stepped onto the street, there were at least five people offering guided tours. Advice to all travelers, you should be weary of people offering you things, but when you are in Rome, just say yes.
Our tour guide was actually originally from Boston, and came to Rome nine years ago to finish her art history degree. She’s been there ever since. She was a certified Vatican Tour Guide, and said she had been in the Sistine Chapel over 1600 times! Imagine standing under what is debatably the most famous set of frescos adorning a religious structure in the world a couple times a week for a decade. I can’t, and I don’t think I could ever get used to that idea. And for our tour guide, it seemed like she was experiencing it like she had never seen it before. Something that struck me deeply, (besides the fact that the Japanese financed the restoration of the Sistine Chapel because at the time the Vatican was broke!), was when our tour guide brought us to a sculpture known as the Laocoön, you could see tears in her eyes. For some reason, I knew exactly how she felt: to be standing in front of the real object that has been published and republished as one of the triumphs of humanity not only humbles you, but at times is too much to handle. Italy may be a popular place to study abroad, but understand, it is for a reason.
There is a syndrome known as Stendhal Syndrome, named after a French author of the 19th century of the same name, who after visiting Florence in the early 19th century, experienced a dizzy spell and fainted. The spell of confusion is now classified as an actual psychosomatic illness certain people may experience when viewing art. If one thinks that he or she is at risk, AVOID ROME. Renaissance architecture, strangely enough, with its clearly defined floors and orderly façades, is becoming a thing expected in every Italian city for me. However, Baroque architecture, with its extreme proportions, heavy use of undulation and dramatic diagonals, and complete saturation within the city of Rome, certainly left me Stendhal-ed. From Saint Peter’s, to the Baroque artist Caravaggio’s exhibition celebrating the 400th year of his death at the Scudiere del Quirinale, it was like I was in Stendhal hell, or heaven–depending on how one looks at it. Looking at paintings by an artist, whose work has survived longer than the United States of America has been in existence, solidified my new perspective on time, which I have been trying to make sense ever since entering “Old Europe.” The following day, making sense of the Roman Colosseum and Forum was simply futile at that point.
My friends and I were officially Stendhaled.
Laocoön at the Vatican Museum
Another church in Rome-this ceiling is a barrel vault! Optical Illusions!
Mar
9
March 9
Yesterday we left Oklahoma City at 7:10 am, flew to New Jersey, had a 3 hour layover, then arrived in Lima at 10:30 pm their time.
On the plane I met the nicest girl named Cynthia. Cynthia lives in Lima and goes to San Martín, a different university than the one I will attend (PUCP). We talked in Spanish and she gave me her bracelet (see pictures). The bracelet shows Christ hanging on the cross with purple and glitter accents! It’s very similar to a bracelet I purchased in Guadalajara, Mexico, that had the Virgen Guadalupe on it instead. Cynthia and I exchanged emails, and she might travel with us!
Our host family : Soooooo nice, especially the father who is very jolly. We live with a man (Enrique) and a woman(Ingrid) and their 28 yr old son (Willy). There is also a daughter, 26 yrs, who is visiting her fiance in Holland! I don’t think we’ll get to meet her 🙁 The family has been very accomodating. Our rent includes breakfast and one other meal, and they said we could choose if we wanted lunch or dinner and that it doesn’t have to be the same one each day. The house is awesome–I love their decorating style: knick knacky, eclectic, antique,…..
For breakfast this morning Ingrid left us each a little note card that said there was juice and butter and milk in the fridge. I ate bread with marmalade and drank tea ( blueberry tea that I packed).
Today we’re going to go out into the city and purchase shampoo, soap, a fan, etc. Tomorrow we have orientation at the University and the next day we enroll for classes. Monday is our first day of school!
I think I’m going to stop typing now because I’m having difficulty since I have been speaking Spanish frequently now. Will update soon 🙂
-Bobbi
–-picture link, but only if you have facebook :/
–tried to post pictures on the blog, but am having difficulties. I will try again later 🙂
Mar
9
Гуд-бай, Америка – о!
Где я не был никогда,
Прощай навсегда,
Возьми, банджо, сыграй мне на прощанье
Last night I spent the evening with some friends in a cafe/club next to my apartment listening to a Russian band play covers and a few songs of their own. My new roommate, Aleksey, and I sang the words we knew at the top of our lungs and beat the table like a cheap drum as girls danced in the middle of the room. Yesterday was their day. International Women’s Day apparently is a global holiday, although it is not celebrated in the States. It’s nice to know that women are appreciated here. Someone asked me if we don’t celebrate this holiday because Americans don’t love women. After I finished laughing I assured them that is not the case.
But, much has happened in between the holiday of Men when I last wrote and the holiday Women that was yesterday. To begin with, I have moved from the apartment in which I was first living. The price there was astronomical, so I took the advice of the Russian proverb that translates, “I don’t have 100 rubles, but I have 100 friends” (It rhymes in Russian) and I asked around until I found a new place. I now live in a Communal flat, with a strange assortment of neighbors, but overall I love the change of pace from the last residence. Half of my neighbors are musicians, and upon my arrival they promptly tried to get me to drink vodka and play American songs on the guitar. I obliged them the songs.
The next day I went with my new roommate Aleksey to IKEA. It’s identical to the ones everywhere else except for the alphabet they are using. I ended up buying a couch/bed which fits nicely in the corner, but gave me the best night’s sleep I’ve had since I arrived. A good purchase, I think. Anyways, after the IKEA day, I went to a friend’s party and again was asked to oblige them with American and Irish songs. There were several musicians, so we all ended up playing many songs, or bits we knew and sing together. It was a lot of fun.
Music and parties are certainly not the only thing I have been spending my time doing here though. Of course there is the academic aspect, and almost every day I am in Nevsky Institute studying, or perhaps better to say sitting in a class trying to understand what is going on. The classes are interesting, or at least what I understand them to be is interesting to me. The nicest part about being in the school though is that I have made quite a few new friends, and while they are far more often in class, as my schedule is lighter, I can usually find someone to converse with during the day. I can’t express enough how warm the hospitality is here. Over the past several days I’ve met people by chance who just were so happy to meet a foreigner who was interested in their culture and language. It’s nice too that they don’t all think I’m a spy. I’ve been in that situation before.
The downside of all the Russian speaking however, is that I can tell my English has taken a toll. For one class period a week I teach a conversational class to four students, who in my opinion are close to native speakers. I found myself struggling to correctly phrase whatever sentences we were working on at the time while they ran circles around me. My own mother commented that my word order is a bit off, although she seemed excited that this comes from me thinking in the language here. I think it also comes from the fact that emails in English are completed underlined with red squiggly lines, so I try not to doubt myself.
Overrall though, I’m still loving my time here in Piter. The company, the conversation, the food, the music, even the weather has become agreeable. (It’s been above freezing the past few days). I’m amazed at how quickly the time is flying by here, and a little sad to think this little adventure will come to an end soon.
Mar
4
Coming to England has given me so many opportunities I never imagined I could have. I have been able to meet and talk to so many different people from all over the world! A great way to meet people is through programs that are put on by the International Student Association at the school. It is wonderful to get with the other international students and compare their journey here so far with my own. This past weekend, the activity was visiting Stonehenge and Bath. I was very excited to go to Stonehenge and see one of the seven wonders of the world. I was not disappointed. It felt surreal seeing in person what I have heard about back home. You aren’t allowed to touch the stones anymore, but we were able to get rather close with the barriers. You basically just walk in a complete circle around the stones, but it was an amazing experience.
Next, we had an hour bus ride to Bath. Here, we had a guided tour through the city, learning about all the history of the Roman Baths and how the city was created. It is fascinating to walk on roads that have such a rich history and see the baths the Romans felt were so sacred. We took an audio tour through the hot spring baths and took a drink from the mineral water. It has over 40 minerals in it, if I remember correctly, but it did not taste good AT ALL! It reminded me of the taste of a penny, but it is suppose to be the healthiest water in the world!
This weekend, my friends and I are taking a trip to Edinburgh, Scotland. We’ll be on a bus 8 hours overnight to get there, but I can’t wait to do more traveling! I will try to figure out how to put up pictures soon. Cheers!
Mar
3
Hey everyone!! Sorry about the delay but I have been trying to get things figured out the last couple of days, but things are finally getting sorted out. I unfortunatly do not have internet in my dorm, but the beauty of it makes it even. I will have to upload pictures soon (once I get the internet situation figured out). Pictures I think will not do it justice though. On a more academic note, I took my placement test this morning and will begin the language courses tomorrow. The test was sort of hard, but luckily it is not for a grade : ) I am about to go to the store and look for things to buy for my dorm! I will have pictures soon!!!! Tschuess
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