Nearing a month…

Hard to believe really that it was more than three weeks ago that I stepped off my flight to Lima Peru and walked out into a new world. Now it almost seems like a dream coming here, as if it wasn’t even real. Then again after more than three weeks with a new family, school, city, and country I guess that feeling can almost be expected by any voyager who has left there home in search of something truly important: adventure. Much has happened since my last entry so I won’t drag on the sentimental peace for all of you readers who are busy at work or school! The last note on my thought process here would be that Peru is ever growing more like home to me and the quaint differences between my life in Florida and here in Lima are becoming just a part of my existence here. I can’t change them so I adapt and smile knowing that at the end of this year my customs in Florida will be the ones who seem different to me! Anyway on to business matters!

First and foremost my biggest change since my first week journal has been that I am now in School here in Lima! A very good private school named San Ignacio de Recalde. With a uniform, school song, and rotating teachers instead of students it was very easy to see the changes I would be making between my new school and Creekside Highschool, the one I left back home. I have over 10 different classes including different Maths, Sciences, Language and literature classes (Spanish obviously), Dance, Gym, Civics, and of course History! I find my classmates to be great people and the teachers are all extremely caring for all of the students making sure that everyone (including the exchange students in my class) know what we are doing everyday.

Outside of school my life has expanded here in Lima and everyday it seems that life is taking me off into some new adventure with friends or family! The food, music, people, and atmosphere of Peru as a whole is incredible and I am positive that there is not a better country for me to do exchange with (yeah maybe a little biased 😉 ). My host family is incredible and my host sister and brothers have been so nice in showing me the ropes about moving around the city so that now I am doing it by myself, a feeling that seems insignificant but I promise you is very important for an exchange student! My life here is a peruvian one and after that I couldn’t ask for anything more. The language improves everyday and each time I speak I find myself with new vocabulary, new conversations, and new ways to branch out to the people with whom I am sharing this new world. I am becoming a part of the country not as a tourist or a foreigner, but rather as a Peruvian, perhaps that is the feeling that I will always carry with me. The Rotary camps, school, social events, are all fun don’t get me wrong and I love them. But what makes them all worth while is that I am taking part in them in a culture different then my own, I am finding new customs, new connections with where I am, and I am writing a new story that one day I will be able to tell in full to all of the wonderful people who have supported me.

Thank you to my family, friends back home, Rotarians hear in Peru and back home in Florida, my fellow inbounds, and now my fellow Peruvians. Through all of you and through the help of the Lord I am here living the adventure I have always dreamed. I have been blessed with so much during my life, may I never forget the love that has been shown to me both here and at home. Until our next meeting my friends!

D-Day, and the first week of my life in the Andes!

When the plane touched down I hardly knew what to think. I was tired, excited, anxious, and reflective all at the same time and I had no idea what was in store for me when I would walk into the cool Peruvian air and realize that this beautiful country would be my home for a year. As I passed through the airport my steps came closer and closer to meeting my host family for the first time and finally before I even knew what was happening I was there in front of them. With a huge sign that said my name and a “Welcome Home” balloon my host mom Ana, host sister Johanna, and host dad Jorge all welcomed me into what would be “our country” as they described to me. What I felt in that moment was an idea that I have had a very hard time explaining: becoming a part of another family, culture, and country distant from the one I have known for your entire life.

I am separated from all that I know right now and yet for as much fear as one might think this adventure comes with, I can’t say that I am scared of the new world I have found myself in. I am in a second story balcony of an apartment in San Borja Sur Lima, Perú. My first day was perhaps the most emotional as I traced my thoughts trying to explain what sort of feelings I was experiencing away from my family and my home. It happened to be Peruvian Independence day and the first full day I was in Lima I watched La Parada Militar with my host family showing tremendous pride in the joy of being Peruvian. While I sat and watched the parade I couldn’t help but smile knowing that this wonderful family had been so excited to see me and was already accepting me as a brother and son.

It didn’t take long for the memories of this year to start appearing. Monday the 29^th of July was an emotionally difficult day for me because it was the first day I spent without my parents and it was here I truly realized what I was doing. That being said many things happened to help distract me from the thoughts I was having, first of all being the Spanish classes I began taking on Tuesday July 30^th. It was the first time I was able to meet the other exchange students and I can’t describe what it was like to get to know my Rotary family… they are a bunch of characters to be sure! Already I have numerous friends in the current inbounds and in the outbound class that is preparing to leave for their countries, including my Host sister Johanna who will be leaving for Germany very soon.

Recently I have been able to take part in several fun events like meeting my new friends Karena and Marcos whom I met my third day here in Lima, traveling to Jockey Plaza and Los Alamos with my Host Sister and her friend who bought me Chullo (Peruvian type of hat),  and the other day my family and I went to La Bistecca which is a very popular and high end restaurant in my area. Wednesday my sister and I, along with a French gentleman and his host sister Nicole went to Bembo’s (similar to a Peruvian McDonalds) to grab a bite to eat, and then we watched a scary movie (apparently Peruvian girls love scary movies), and topped off the evening by going to our Rotary Meeting of San Borja Sur, it was amazing to see all of the students dressed up in their blazers and making presentations for their countries. I felt extremely proud to come from America, Florida, and especially the Bradley family as I thanked Rotary for the opportunity of a lifetime! After I presented a Rotarian approached me and said that he was sure I made my country and my family very proud, I wish I could describe the emotions I had after hearing those words, knowing that I was and am representing the United States of America while I am here in Peru. My first week has been extremely exciting and as much as am enjoying my new life everyday I carry the lessons of the one I have just left. I could never ask for a better experience and I am sure I can promise everyone that there are many interesting stories on the way. To my family: Sam, Mom, and Dad, I miss you guys incredibly, I love you, and without all of the love and support you have given me I could never do what I am doing here in Lima. Thank you for everything and I know during my year I will hopefully show everyone what it means to be Bradley. Until we meet again I wish everyone many blessings, and a good night.