an assignment from class.

So today in class we got an assignment and I wanted to share it with everyone because I think it will be helpful for you to know.

1. I know I have changed since my arrival here because.....
.....now I feel like I am able to make decisions more efficiently and instead of judging someone or something I step back and think about the situation before jumping to conclusions. ->which I know I definitely haven't done before. I usually just make judgment or stereotype right away without really thinking about it.

2. My friends at home understand ________, but they don't really know.....
.....how an experience like this could change me but I feel they don't really know how different I really am now. I am not saying all my friends fail at understanding me, I am just worried that it will be difficult for me to portray in words how this experience has affected me.

3. I would feel better about going home if I knew.....
.....I could continue to use, learn and hear Spanish every day. I know I will still have my Spanish classes next semester but I am going to miss being completely surrounded in the language and having to use it in everyday situations.

4. I wish I could bring these things home with me....
.....chifles, jugo de maracuya, the ocean, the flowers, ají, my friends (Peruvian and American), the bread from Vivanda and the kids I volunteer with (yep ALL of them) because I am going to miss them VERY much. Of course there is a long list of things I miss from home but these are the things I really don’t want to leave in Peru.

5. Since coming here I have learned....
.....that if I am able to support myself while being in a foreign country without my main comfort/support system I should be better at handling situations when I get home. Especially because this experience has been an emotional rollercoaster, an experience I am very thankful for but one that on some days was quite difficult.

Hope this helps to understand me a bit. More to come on what I have been up to soon. Maybe after finals at the end of next week. <3 aj