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.

One family across the globe.

There have been many surprises for me finding my way into Rotary International and preparing myself for a year in a wonderful country like Perú. When we talk about a trip like this we almost always talk about the grand expectations for a changed perspective and a powerful insight to changing our world here at home. These things are great to talk about but I feel like the last few months have been more ¨bigger picture¨ rather than talking about one of the most simple yet enjoyable experiences that Rotary has to offer: making life long friends across international borders.

Naturally I have one younger brother, but if you were to ask me now how many siblings I have the answer you get would most certainly not be one. There is an incredible network of people in this world I have come to know and I hope that through my  journaling you will understand why I call them my family, complimentary to the loving and wonderfully supportive family I have known for 17 years. My friends Tassiana and Karoll from Brazil who are always energetic and having a good time with me no matter what the circumstance, Sophie Juge from the small town of Leon France whom I found I could always talk to about life’s marvels, Carl from Sortland Norway (my current host brother living with my family and I) a tremendous and respectful friend who I laugh with everyday about something new, and Emilie from Denmark, a very caring, dedicated, and trustworthy fellow Peruvian outbound whom I already believe has a giving heart ready for anything.

All of these incredible people (many of which you will see in upcoming photos have inspired me in some way to do better and be more for other people in anyway I can. I’ve seen them all in good times and bad and through our months of knowing each other we’ve all grown a tremendous friendship that I know no national border will stop. These are the relationships that Rotary strives for, its the people closest to your heart that make all the difference, and I am proud to say between my friends and loving family (both domestic and international) I have tremendous love and support for my adventures wherever they take me. And for this I could never be more thankful.

My Host Family!

Dear friends, tonight was one of the most important nights of my life, tonight I recieved an email from my host sister in Lima who informed me I will be a part of her family next year in Surco  Perú. Words cannot begin to describe my fellings for this moment and I must say that the power of all of this and realizing the significante of another family taking me in for several months is just incredible. I am so thankful for everything and I know that the Castillo family and I are going to never be the same after this trip and I hope that I will always remember the connections I make these next few months. Thank you to all of my supporters and please help me celebrate this exciting moment for a Rotary student. Blessed and blessed again, thanks again  to all of you who have been there for me. Para siempre……¡Vivá Perú!

Rotary Host families for St Johns 2013-2014

Over the last few weeks I have had several families ask how they can be host families for next year’s students in the United States through the Rotary program. An important thing about Rotary is that it is always looking for more parents and families to volunteer for this incredible oppurtunity so please don’t feel sha asking! If you feel that your family is interested or would like more information please feel free to contact me. Right now we have Carl , a student from Norway and we are truly enjoying him living in our house becoming a piece of our lives. My brother and I get along great with him and already I can see a great friendship growing. If you’re on the bubble of deciding I would encourage that you at least look into this once in a lifetime oppurtunity! 🙂

http://www.nationmaster.com/country/pe-peru/edu-education

http://www.nationmaster.com/country/pe-peru/edu-education

When I first started this program and discovered that I was going to the birthplace of the Incan Empire I was certainly curious as to just about everything regarding what Peruvian life had to offer, what was the education rate? How strong was their economy in relevance to GDP and Per Capita income? These types of questions and many more really drove me to find some answers. I found a lot of language history and traditional practices in my textbooks for Spanish but when it came down to Peruvian life in general, life in Peru really wasn’t going to Machu Picchu everyday. This website helped me gain a better understanding of just where Peru stood in classes such as Poverty, currency strength, religious devotion, and others. Now I know most people look at Statistics and wonder how they can be trusted which is a very valid point. This site has been running for some time now and after talking to a few people Iv’e found it very consistent with the actual truth in most cases. I hope that you find it as useful as I did in figuríng out exactly what life might be like in Lima when July rolls around! 

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Pwe-pA6TaZk?rel=0

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Pwe-pA6TaZk?rel=0

Hello everyone! This is one of those special things that I thought would be fun to share with everyone. Before I was ever chosen by the program to travel abroad and go through this incredible process the Vice President of Outbound Students Daphne Cameron sent this video to all of us that applied. I have found it and still find it to be a powerful reminder of just how close we all are and how no matter what happens our world is larger than we think and people everywhere share some of the most basic traits in common, the forremos being love. We are one family and although we may act, pray, speak, or write differently, we all are striving for the same things and this video helps remind me that above all a Rotary student is a bridge between cultures, people, and languages. I hope you enjoy this as much as I have and please take a second and think about how we can use inspiration like this to make our world a better place. Thank you very much and I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! -Connor B.

Update for Thursday February 28th

Hello everyone! Long time no see huh? Things have really progressed since we last left off and perhaps now its time to put up a little update for all of us to be on the same page of this journey… The more and more I read about Lima the more and more I appreciate such an incredible city: culture, food, music, history, and tradition, Lima is the city which has it all. And it will be what I call home for nearly 11 months. Sometimes that thought is more evident to me and at others it simply slips my mind that I will be leaving the safety of my home in order to see that wild blue sky across the horizon, the untouched frontier in my world that finally will be open to me. That is fitting actually because all of my life adventure has been a calling for me that has driven many of my normal decisions and as a kid I always dreamed of distant lands and a world much different than mine. One of my greatest inspirations has come from J.R.R. Tolkien’s famous works The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings where we find our dear protagonist Bilbo and later Frodo Baggins on life changing adventures that not only allow them to grow but also affect their world with every step they take. These novels for me have represented the ever present “draw” of adventure, to throw oneself into the wind and test one’s will against any obstacle, along the way making friends that will remain with you forever.  Finally I am given that chance to expand my world, take life by the horns as it were and learn my true self through independence and self reliance. Throughout the course of these past few weeks I have talked with many different people from many aspects of my life about Peru and my future there. No matter how the conversation has manifested itself I always arrive at the same conclusión: no matter how I want to describe my anxiety, excitement, humility, or thanksgiving I can never construct a sentence to give any of these feelings the magnitude they deserve… I can only hope that through my life and its actions I show that I am prepared for such an expedition into a new world and that I am incredibly in awe at what he may be done through me while I travel to a region of the world that will surpass my wildest dreams. Simply incredible, the feeling that I have for this oppurtunity, it isn’t a job, or a vacation, it is a life changing transformation that I am after and I know through anticpation, and a strong faith that this year abroad will change everything for me. It will take the character, faith, confidence, and support that I have received for nearly 17 years and it will bring it to transformation. At the end of the trip I do not believe I will recognize my self, and I mean that in a positive connotation not in any negative sense. The man who steps off that plane will be built on a strong foundation of greater faith, stronger understanding, and more unconditional love for my fellow man. As I will say for most of these updates at one time or another, the fundamental truth revealed to me through my faith is to love, learn, and live. Love God and your neighbor as yourself, learn as a scholar to improve the world around you, and live everyday like it is the last time you will draw in breath. One more day is enough for one more good work and one more oppurtunity to change this world for the better. Thank you all for your support and if you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me or comment on these posts. Thank you! -Connor Bradley

Lima, a city in the mountains.

October second I attended my first Rotary informational meeting. Before any language camps, orientations, country assignments, or applications I simply went to Ponte Vedra Beach Library to discover what such a program like Rotary Youth Exchange was all about. If you had asked me then what all of this meant to me I doubt that I would have been able to give you an answer that could capture my excitement and thankful spirit that I have for the oppurtunity given to me by this organization. There is no doubt that this trip will change my life and It will be one of the most revealing moments imaginable when I look back on my country from my plane sometime in July and realize that things will never look the same to me. There are few things that may change one’s perspective so dramatically, what a blessing to anyone who might experience this. Today I have been told which city God will change my world in and I am proud to say that I will be living in Lima the capital! A beautiful city with nearly 8 million people this is the largest city in  the country and through the streets of Lima, a collage of cultures exists making it a diverse and special focal point where an exchange student may blossom! This is going to be my home and I will never be able to explain all of my thoughts regarding this placement, country, or year. I am speechless and I wholeheartedly believe that perhaps that is all in the beautiful design of this program. Our world is so diverse and there are many walls that look to divide people that share very similar goals to one another.  Education, money, these things can”even” the field so to speak but there is one thing that I have seen shared across the world that the above cannot compete with: Love. Understanding love for your fellow man and woman will always carry the day and in my case it makes me smile just think about it. Life is a short and fleeting thing, I am not going to waste any of that time building walls, I am going to make bridges and through Rotary now I have an outlet to do that in another area of the world! Tears, smiles, friendships, I could use every word in English and I don’t think they would accurately be able to describe what I have felt with my adventure to Peru. The best part of this moment is that I have not even arrived yet in Lima. Everyday is a gift given to us to make the world a bit brighter, use everyday like its your last and that is when you will have no regrets! Thank you all soooo much for your support and from the bottom of my heart I can tell you that every thought and prayer is felt.

Peru Outbound Homemade video 2013

Peru Outbound Homemade video 2013

This is a video sent to me by my District Chair in Lima Peru from District 4450 Señor Malaga. On behalf of all the Rotary Students around the World who are currently in this wonderful country this video is dedicated to showing what a Rotary Experience in Peru is truly like. I felt tremendous excitement about what will be my new home and I hope you learn a little bit of this lively nation. Enjoy!