an update

Alright so i've been in Lima for about 2 days! (this is my second)

Let me think... I'm going to have a hard time remembering all I've done (my memory's bad)

We went to the super market yesterday and picked up some groceries.  When we returned, I'm not quite sure what I did, probably went on my computer for a little bit, watched TV maybe (they like That 70's Show, which is awesome).  Then my host mom and I went to a birthday party of her cousin or something...not quite sure, I think they were related haha and I was super tired so I was like sitting in an arm chair and I actually fell asleep. Then we went home and I was really tired so at about 8 PM or so I showered, brushed my teeth and started getting ready to go to bed.  Just as I was about to curl up on the couch, my host mom was like "come on, we're going to get something to eat!"  because apparently dinner is served significantly later here, like 8 or 9 PM.  So we went out and ended up at a Chinese restaurant ( they call it Chifa -- peruvian chinese food).  Well, I hadn't been  feeling very well since I arrived (stomach ache, and I just dont feel hungry at all, occasionally nauseous), so I didn't really eat anything, my, host mom just ordered me a hot tea.  My host family was kind of concerned about how little I had eaten in the day and a half I'd been here but I just didn't feel like eating, and the smell of the food in that restaurant made me nauseous.  Well the food came and the tea did not, so my older host brother called over the waiter and reminded him about the tea.  (the waiter also brought more food than we actually ordered so we went home quite a bit of leftovers) . The waiter said he didn't hear us order a tea but gave us the impression he would get it.  My host family finished eating and we waited for the waiter to return with the tea and the check.   We waited for a while (it was pretty busy) and when he finally came with the check, he did not have the tea.  And my host mom was like "you forgot the tea, she can't eat and all she ordered was tea" and he didn't even reply hahaha my host mom was kind of mad he didn't even say sorry or anything.  So they didn't tip him very much hahaha.  So that was an interesting experience.

Then we went home (I was so exhausted at this point) and my host mom made me a tea but it didn't help much, and I went to bed.  so I didnt end up in bed until about midnight and I was kinda annoyed because I began spanish classes the next morning, but it was ok.

The classes began at 9 the next morning.  I got up and still felt sick so I turned away the sandwich my mom offered (I felt bad but I seriously was going to throw up if I ate that, or at least thats what it felt like haha) and I had tea but it didn't help much.  I looked at the clock and saw it was about 5 minutes to 9, which was concerning because it takes a while to get to places in lima because its so big!!  So we left at about 9 and arrived a little late but it was fine (WE TOOK A TAXI.  kinda scary. no seatbelts in most, which is apparently normal here, it seems like most people dont even wear them), I arrived just as all the exchange students were going into the classroom, and a few arrived even later than me.  After we all introduced ourselves, we were split into groups (when we applied for exchange, we indicated our level of competency in spanish-- does that sentence make sense?? idk) I was in the most advanced group with 3 others, 2 of which had lived in Spain so yeah... haha.  Anyways, our teacher never showed up so we ended up in the group below us.  Not much learning was done hahaha we did have a teacher, but she was young, and also a few peruvian students who are outbounds (they live in peru and will be leaving for exchange in other countries within weeks) helped teach us.  We had a break, everyone had a chance to kind of get to know eachother, and we finished at 1. 

Then my host mom and I walked directly to the grocery store and picked up some things for dinner. then we walked home.  she showed me the route I will walk home after school.  It's kind of a long walk, like probably more than 6 blocks, and its scary because theres always a lot of traffic and people. 

At home, I uploaded some photos to facebook, and then we had lunch.  I am FINALLY feeling a bit better and I could actually eat some things.  Chicken, rice, green beans, and corn.  It was a good lunch.  We ate at about 3, a bit later than in the US.  I'
ve noticed here that even if you say you're not hungry, people will still give you food.  And I try to choke it down even if I hate it haha.

 Here are some pics.  The one below is taken from my bedroom window. That's the view from my house.

 

Below are just a few of the many balloons I was presented with at the airport and me with my host sister and mom.

 

They're big on security here.  Barbed wire and broken glass bottles cemented on top of the concrete fence.

Me by the street by the house

Inca Kola is a popular soda here.  Above is a stand featuring Inca Kola (people stand in these and direct traffic apparently)

Large buildings all over Lima

Condiments in bags. Some in plastic bottles like back home

In the supermarket, fish for sale sit on ice

Many kinds of bread available

We began our spanish class today!  Above are other exchange students waiting to begin

This was hilarious.  We had to write a word or phrase we didn't know how to say and someone else had to translate it (or attempt to translate it)  The result was this:  A girl named Brooke wrote "giving birth in taxi" (I have no idea why she wrote that, it was getting kind of crazy in there haha) and the girl that tried to translate it wrote "to make a baby in a taxi" instead of 'to have a baby in a taxi"hahaha it was so funny and she was embarrassed.  I laughed so hard and just HAD to take a picture.

A group of exchange students!  Everyone is so great.  From left:  Moritz (Germany), Erika (Finland), Emilie (Denmark -- she's in my club and school), Sascha (Denmark), Felisa (Germany)

Felisa and Benjamin (both from Germany)

Benjamin (Germany), Simon (France), and Felisa (Germany).  Simon is extremely tall.

Okay so I think thats pretty much it.  I hope youre enjoying reading!  I have spanish class again tomorrow (through saturday I think, but I like it because I get to spend time with the other exchange students).  Byeee!

PS:  a lot of the words in spanish are different here (like, different from what ive learned in the US in spanish class)  specifically clothing. 

in english--->what i learned in US----> what it is here

Shirt---> Camisa ---> Polo
Light/lightbulb ---> bombilla ---> foco

Also my family points out things and teaches me vocabulary but I pretty much immediately forget the words haha.