Typical Day in Peru

This upcoming weekend is my last weekend in Lima. After this, I am taking a flight to Cuzco, and spending next week hiking the valleys, mountains, and ruins, and seeing Machu Pichu. I did not notice many of the improvements in my personal growth that I have made until now, either because they were gradual, or because I have been so busy. In the past month I have successfully adapted to a completely new routine, with different constraints on my time, energy, food, and communication. A typical day goes like this:
I wake up around 7 AM-7:30 AM and have a light breakfast, unless I have a lot of extra time to eat. I like to get as much sleep as I can, so usually I take a banana and a few oranges or some toast for the walk to school. The walk is a right turn out of my house, four blocks down one of the busiest streets in Miraflores, and my school is on the left. It usually takes around 10-15 minutes, and the district of Miraflores is a bright collection of coastal neighborhoods that makes for a beautiful walk every morning. My three friends and I that live on the same street arrange a time to meet outside my building, and we walk together.
We arrive at school just before the start of class at 9 AM, and settle into class for the next three hours. The Spanish grammar class is the first two hours, followed by a ten minute break and a less tenuous conversation class. The grammar class is where I have learned the majority Spanish on the trip, and the conversation class is a powerful way to practice what was just taught as well as expand my Spanish vocabulary.

Either in the break between classes, or afterwards, my hungry friends and I race each other to the French-Peruvian café around the corner, where there is a limited supply of freshly baked empanadas (similar to Hot Pockets) and cookies every afternoon. The snacks are a perfect portion to hold us over until lunchtime, and I am often conflicted between my favorite empanada fillings: Aji de Gallina (Buffalo Chicken), Lomo Saltado (burger meat with cheese and peppers), and Mixto (chorizo, ham, and cheese).
After classes our entire Northeastern University group meets for an activity, usually a museum visit, volunteer event, or guided tour; this past week we visited the Universidad Femenina del Sagrado Corazón , and on Friday we had free time for a group lunch. I tried one of Peru’s most famous dishes: Ceviche. Ceviche is a mix of fish, potatoes, and Jugo del Tigre (“Juice of the Tiger”: lemon juice and seasonings). Most days we get back around 7-8 PM, and I either do homework or go out with friends after dinner with my host. Almost every day I have a full schedule and a full belly, but I am looking forward to getting back to the abundance of familiar fruits and vegetables in the US. Blueberries and spinach have been especially hard to replace.
The key to success is finding the right time to complete each task. It has been very often helpful to restock on food and snacks and water the night before, rather than trying to find these things on the go. Homework can be done on the bus rides to events rather than at night when I could be sleeping. Finding the most efficient ways to spend your time and energy is crucial and I feel that I have become a lot better at managing the schedule than I was during the first week. Next week I will be exploring one of the great wonders of the world: Machu Piccu. Until next time!