Enjoying It While It Lasts

Since we are now over half way through our Peru study abroad experience, I feel it is time to 'stop and smell the flowers.' Lima feels like a place we went to a couple years ago, all the travelling now has gotten my days all messed up, and frankly, I can't even remember what I did yesterday. My wee little brain has soaked up so much in terms of academics, language, and of course, culture that I am having trouble keeping up. As a firm believer in the importance of sleep, if I get a spare hour during the day I take a nap. But this has put me behind on my journaling, which is where most of my thoughts are organized.

I keep looking at myself in the mirror and asking what has changed. Everyone raves about how great study abroad is and that it is such a vital experience that everyone should have during college. Why do they say that? I have a few to answers to that.

Firstly, with a crazy intense schedule in such a stimulating atmosphere, you learn what your priorities are. Showering and getting ready in the mornings and at night turn into one of the most calming parts of the day. I have started to look forward to them. But you only have a certain amount of time before you need be at breakfast or in bed in order to get over 6 hours of sleep. So I have started focusing on washing my face and wearing my retainer rather than putting on make up and brushing my hair... again. With my limited wardrobe and small amount of possessions, my things are always organized and ready to go. I may have become a minimalist.

My diet has changed for the better. It may be because of the food culture here or the fact that I am travelling with a couple vegetarians, but nevertheless, I can see a change. I feel healthier and more awake. When I look at a menu now I tend to stay away from chicken and pork. I have only eaten chicken and ham four or five times this entire trip. Vegetable omelettes taste amazing and the soup is always better than I expect. Sorry Dr. Brown, but the avocados are delicious in Peru. I eat them at least once a day.

This trip has allowed me to discover things about myself that I may have never found out otherwise. For example, I have found my new fear. I have always been slightly afraid of heights but the exhilaration of roller coasters and cliffs always trump. My new fear is a bit irrational and I can't quite explain it.

It occurred to me this morning when we were walking to the bus stop at four thirty in the morning. We walked across the bridge into an opening where the view of the sky was not hidden by buildings. The sight of stars has always fascinated me, so I looked up. But what I saw was a small area of sky speckled with stars and then black. A sheet of black that covered almost half my vision. It took me a second to comprehend what I was looking at but I then came to the conclusion that it was one of the mountains. I do not believe my terror came from the idea that it was going to move and come after me, but rather that I knew how gigantic it was but couldn't make out where it started and where it stopped. Only that the dots of stars halted and did not show back up after a certain point. I looked away and back a few times, wondering why a rock had such an impression on me. But ever time I looked back up, cold terror ran through me. I am going to conclude that it is simply because I have never seen anything like it at night. It was new, and my perception was not a fan.

As much as I miss my family, my dogs, and the softer hills of North Georgia, I really enjoy this lifestyle. It's captivating at every moment, and you can make it ad interesting and fun as you want. You can push yourself in almost any task: talking to strangers, using Spanish before English, and finding and conquering your fears. The dull moments are only there to let you catch your breath.