Home at last

There are a few things running through my mind at this moment:
1) Whoa. I'm here.
2) It's really cold.
3) Am I really here?
4) I can't believe I'm here.
As redundant as that sounds, I have been drifting in and out of shock every day I have woken up in South America. I just cannot believe where I am right now!!
But yes, I arrived safe and sound to Peru Sunday morning. My flight from Miami to Lima was wonderful. As soon as I published my last entry, people in my terminal began to stand in line for boarding- even though it was an hour before takeoff- so I lugged my things and claimed my throne. We boarded 20 minutes later, and I was seated by the window (the prime spot for pictures, of course!) next to a Peruvian woman who seemed pretty annoyed with how far back her husband was pushing his seat right in front of her. Airplane problems. The flight was smooth, and I slept for a while. However, the adrenaline from the excitement of it all got to me around 2 am, so I decided to indulge my insomnia with a free flight movie. I chose Life of Pi, which I thoroughly enjoyed- and by "enjoyed", I mean I sat glued to the screen from 2 to 4 am without even drifting off, and I even let myself get all sappy and emotional when Pi began to bond with his new best friend, the scary tiger. I eventually fell asleep again just in time for our landing, woke up, got my things, made it through immigration (I only got slightly lost and, well, super confused), baggage claim, and customs. A coordinator from VivePeru was waiting with a trusty taxi driver who took my hefty bags (even with the language barrier, I could tell he was shocked that a young woman could handle so many heavy things!) and drove me over to our hostel in Lima. I snuck into the room the owner pointed to and promptly fell asleep with no regrets. When I woke up a few hours later, I met my three roommates: two girls who are traveling with the Peace Corps, and a girl from North Carolina who is backpacking through Peru on her own for two months. They were all super nice and interested in what I was also doing in Peru! I then got my lovely prepaid cellphone and yet another information packet about my schedule with VivePeru (I've begun a little collection) and met some other volunteers. All I can say is, my excitement level was already annoyingly-high when I landed in Peru, but it went through the roof once I met the other people I will be working with. I'm obviously very ecstatic and am loving everyone and everything so far. I met a group of great girls, and we decided to give ourselves a little tour around Lima yesterday- not only did we get to stick our feet in the ocean and walk around a cute Peruvian market with souvenirs, but we also did not get lost at all! Win. I ate many delicious meals while in Lima, including a burger with bacon and eggs in it, a lot of chicken, some squid, and a LOT of rice...and potatoes. Rice and potatoes= every meal. It's not as bad as I thought it would be!...then again, this is only day three. ;) We then boarded a bus at 9 pm last night and took it overnight to Trujillo, the city in which I will be working! I slept almost the entire way and woke up at 6:30 am to hear the bus driver welcoming us to Trujillo in her all-too-soothing voice. It made me want to go back to sleep. But once the bus stopped, we all got off, grabbed our things, and went to meet our host families inside the station. However, the three other girls assigned to my homestay and I were approached by one of the coordinators to hear that the husband of our host mother- our host father- had unexpectedly passed away from a heart attack just this past Saturday night, and because of that our host mother was still at home and we would meet her there. I had been told when I arrived on Sunday about my host father's death, but it is still a shock and is very, very sad. It's so difficult to imagine how quickly things can change in just a day, or even 30 minutes. So the four of us piled into one taxi, stuffing all our bags into another taxi- apparently I'm not the only one who overpacks!- and were dropped off 10 minutes later to the door of our host mother's home. We rang the bell, and after unlocking the intense plethora of locks on the front door, she welcomed us with teary eyes and kisses on our cheeks. My host mother, Elsa, is an extremely kind, affectionate, light-hearted, beautiful woman. Although her heart is broken- which she told us as soon as we sat down to talk- her spirit is infectious and insuppressible. She is one amazing mother, wife, and grandmother, and I already love her. She helped us to our rooms, showed us her absolutely stunning three-floor house and roof, and she made us breakfast. After we all took much-needed showers, ate, and gave thank-you presents to our mamá and received more kisses and hugs in return, we walked around the neighborhood, La Merced, with Elsa, accompanied by two protective neighborhood watchmen. Elsa told us many things about the stores, the streets, the people, safety, etc.; she speaks only a little English, so my Spanish is quickly coming back to me as she speaks to us with exaggerated gestures and a slow tongue! We went to the Peruvian version of Costco/ Target, called Metro, and bought toilet paper and handsoap- it's what all the cool tourists buy (or maybe just just the clean ones). In Peru, most public restrooms and even bathrooms in the house don't have toilet paper or soap. You're expected to provide your own whenever you use one! You usually have to pay to use public bathrooms as well- if you're cheap like me and want to spend money on souvenirs and not toilet fees, that's a good incentive to wait and only use the bathroom at home! I like what I've seen of Trujillo so far, and we begin our first orientation in Trujillo in an hour (after lunch- the biggest meal of the day!). Lima was so beautiful, with the ocean, the gardens and parks, and the clean streets. Trujillo is slightly warmer, although it's still between 50-70 degrees most days and it has more smog. I've loved meeting the Peruvian people so far, and they are always very surprised to see such pale people walking their streets! I am called a "gringa" (white girl) here, and I've already gotten used to being referred to that way. Several Peruvian people have asked if my friends and I are from California (and, of course, they say it slowly and excitedly: "Call-ee-FOUR-nee-yuh?!") or New York; when I said, "No, soy de Michigan" to a taxi driver, he just stared blankly. Poor Michigan- no love here.
So far, I love everything I have learned about Peru: I love its customs, its bright colors, its emphasis on family time and eating. I love how animals are just everywhere (But my life will not be complete until I lay my eyes upon the majestic llama!) and how people interact with one other here. Everyone talks so intimately with one another, like the person they are speaking with is the most special being they have ever met. I love looking out the window and seeing laundry hung up on the rooftops. I like how I've even seen DOGS on the rooftops! I actually really enjoy observing and hearing the busy streets that are packed full with drivers who would have gotten their licenses revoked in about two days in the States. I love all of it! And tonight for our orientation, we will learn more about Peruvian culture and way of life, receive more Spanish-speaking classes (praise the Lord!), and we will learn to cook our own Peruvian dishes- and, of course, eat them. This place is just a dream.

¡Vamos!

Well, here we are. I am currently sitting in the Miami International Airport and am waiting for my flight to Lima to take off at 1:00 am! I will arrive in Lima at 5:00 am, so the flight is only 5 hours (with the time difference). As I sit and wait I get more tired and excited, so you will notice I am pretty goofy in this post!
I cannot believe how quickly this week flew by. One minute it is Monday afternoon, and the next moment I'm waking up to see my twin sister, Rachel pack up the remainder of her things and drive away to Cleveland on her own musical adventure. This past week has been relaxing, full of funny moments and great memories, and I can proudly say that many great movies that have been on my list were watched! In all, it was perfect. I got everything ready to go, and yet I still didn't feel completely ready when I walked out of my house to the airport. Despite my impressive packing skills (I fit my things, including four bags of donations, into two 50-pound checked suitcases- and trust me, that's REALLY impressive for me!), I still felt like something was off. After being dropped off by my amazing mom and going through security, I felt a little more at ease. And then the storms started. And then after sitting through Detroit traffic on the way to the airport, I sat again and listened to the same poor flight attendant make an announcement every ten minutes that it would be...another ten minutes. But an hour after our original take-off time, the lightning and thunder subsided long enough for everyone to board and sit in the plane- for another hour! Luckily, I was so tired from the multiple long nights of cleaning and organizing our bedrooms at home with my trusty twin that I conked out until takeoff and remained that way for the first half of my flight. Three hours later, we landed in a humid Miami, I lugged my two ridiculously-heavy carry-on bags (yes, THAT is my secret to keeping my checked bags under 50 pounds!) across the entre airport, went through security again, and finally ate dinner around 10 pm at the best place in town- Starbucks (well, it was the only thing open, actually). I then called my family and took advantage of my last hours of free phone calls and texts, and we all said our goodbyes. After filling up three bottles with pure, fresh water that I will deeply miss obtaining for free while in Peru, I sat in my gate and went through the various forms I will need to have filled out when I go through customs in Lima. As I sit here and type this entry on my phone- yes, be impressed!- I can finally process the fact that this trip I have been planning for and preparing for for months is finally happening, and I am really about to enter South America by myself in a few short hours. And I now realize why I have been feeling a slight sense of chaos and a not-fully-ready feeling- it is because I really don't know what to expect! I know the general outline of my schedule once I touch down in Lima and eventually bus to Trujillo, but I have no idea who I will meet, what Peru will become to me by the time I leave, the type of memories I will make, and- of course- what kind of pictures I will take. I don't know what will happen. I'm hoping I will love it. I want to fall in love with this city and country. I feel called to it and cannot wait to see what happens this next five weeks. This trip is an adventure I have been craving for a while, and it is becoming clearer to me each moment how much God's hand has been at work. He wants me there, and I have faith that He will protect, guide, and use me while I'm there. I believe deeply in prayer, and I believe that God always hears and answers us, whether we realize it or not. And if you believe those things as well- or even if you don't!- I would love prayers. Please pray for my safety, especially physically. I would also love prayers for wisdom, as I navigate a new country with a language I haven't learned since tenth grade! Prayers for peace, unending and infectious joy and love toward others, a compassionate heart and an unselfish spirit. Pray for strength in my weaknesses. Pray that I can reach to the people of Trujillo and show my heart, which will hopefully only ever reflect His heart. And any other prayers would be great! I am praying constantly and it is so comforting to me to know I'm never alone, that I'm protected and loved always.
In the mean time, I now only have one more hour until we take off, and I'm feeling ready to get on the plane and sleep and get away from the large group of French high schoolers who are playing games and laughing right next to me. College must be aging me, because I do NOT have that energy at midnight anymore!!! ;)
The flight attendant just came on the intercom and spoke completely in Spanish- I understood a few words, so this will certainly be an adventure! However, I did recognize some sort of name that resembled mine and when up there to get my new boarding pass for Lima. If every Peruvian pronounces my name like, "Tooth Ee-leez-ee-beeth Hoe-glee" (Ruth Elisabeth Hogle) with a thick accent, I think I will be having many laughs this next month, and I am grateful for that! ;)  Of course, wait until they hear my Spanish...!

Next time I write, I will be in Peru!...and hopefully on a computer again. ;)
¡Hasta luego!

And so the countdown begins...

I will be flying to Peru in 8 days!

Today is my first day of summer after completing my sophomore year of college, and I leave for Peru in a mere week. Things on my checklist to prepare for Peru include: buying multiple bottles of strong insect repellent (prepare to be overwhelmed with fear and confusion, loser mosquitos!), catching up on sleep lost from finals and packing up my dorm room, doing loads and loads of laundry, purchasing all sorts of travel guides and maps, talking myself out of going and then back into going out of the country by myself for the first time. I'm sure the days will go by quickly, especially if I end up sleeping in until 10 every morning, as I did today! But I know that next Saturday, whether I feel it or not, I will be ready to embark on this exciting adventure of living and teaching music in Trujillo, Peru for 5 weeks this summer.

For those of you who may not know the details of why I am going to Peru or what I am doing there, let me explain. ;) I will be volunteering with a program called VivePeru, a nonprofit organization "dedicated to fostering understanding of Latin American and Peruvian culture and providing much-needed aid to Peruvian communities". I will be working with Peruvian children at a local conservatory in Trujillo, teaching cellists privately and helping them in orchestra workshops. These kids have grown up in the "marginal urban sector" of Peru- a place with not many opportunities or life goals except most likely becoming involved in crime, alcohol, drugs, or prostitution. Only middle and upper-class families in Peru can afford to explore their musical interests and even turn this hobby into a plausible career goal, so bringing free music lessons to these less privileged areas can literally change the course of these kids' lives. Here is more information about the organization and what I will be doing with my music down there: http://viveperu.org/programs.html.

As some of you may know, I have become very passionate about using my musical skills and education to reach kids in the lower-class communities around me and create more hopeful futures for them. I currently volunteer with a program founded in Chicago known as People's Music School. People's Music School has recently begun a new project known as the YOURS Project, where music teachers (including many college student volunteers like me) come into local Chicago public schools and teach orchestra, band, music theory, and specific instruments in group lessons after school each day. I have been going to Ames Middle School for the past two years and have been teaching three middle school girls once a week how to learn the basics of cello. It has been super rewarding and has revealed to me that music is a wonderful way to open my hands and help others. 

Needless to say, the sense of reward and joy one feels when helping others and seeing their work make a difference can become very addicting, and I wanted to stay on that "emotional high" somewhere outside the country this summer. Then, one magical day this winter, a colleague of mine in the DePaul cello studio told us all about a program he had volunteered and taught with last summer, and I was hooked! I applied to VivePeru, received an email from the program director who expressed great excitement over my experience and passions one day later, and I was accepted two days later.

As I physically prepare for this journey of teaching and sightseeing, homesickness and trials, I am also trying to prepare myself emotionally and spiritually. There are questions that are continually running through my mind (especially when I'm trying to fall asleep!): What can I give to these children/ What do they need from me? Who will I meet and whose life can be changed because I decided to spend my summer this way? Who will I meet who will change my life this summer? How can I use my cello to provide hope in the hopeless places of others' lives? Above all, I want to be open to learn, to love these people- children and adults- and I want to shine a light in any dark places revealed to me while I'm there.

I have many itineraries and documents to print, multiple toiletries to stock up on, and I have many emails to read before I feel ready to leave for Trujillo, and I feel pretty nervous that I will get trapped in some obscure airport because I forgot that one document I accidentally left in my Detroit bedroom or that I will get the ominous plague of "traveler's diarrhea" everyone is warning me about... But I have a feeling that no matter how scary, chaotic, or physically-grueling my month in Peru is, it will be worth it, and I will be just where I'm meant to be.