Bienvenida A Mi Nueva Casa: First Post Ever

Hola from Peru! I'd like to start this by saying I wasn't sure if I would start a blog, but I think it will be a really helpful for myself and others, as well as a productive use of my time while I'm here. So far, I haven't had much time to even think. I'm certain my volunteer friends can agree! I am so pleased to be here with such an excellent, diverse, and an altogether unique group of individuals. I am really excited to learn with and from them and to experience this crazy roller coaster ride together.

(This section may more relevant to future/prospective volunteers.) There is so much to say, I can't decide where to begin. Thus far, this experience has been a whirlwind filled with a mixture of emotions and new experiences. In fact, "New Experiences" should probably be the title of my blog. I have to say, this has already been the neatest and most exhausting ordeal I've been through to date. There has been so much going on since day one. We got to D.C. and immediately checked into Staging, had an hour break, and then Staging began. From the moment Brooklynn and my plane touched down in D.C., we've been constantly busy in some form. Staging was a nice way to introduce everyone and get a better feel for what we're getting involved in, though it truly started to feel real upon landing in Lima.

Our flight got into D.C. at 11:00 a.m. and Staging registration was at 12:00 p.m. Staging began around 1:00 p.m. until that evening. Brooklynn and I ate out that night and then went straight to sleep, already tired beyond belief thanks to nervous, restless sleep the night before. We woke up early the next morning and got on the bus at 7:00 a.m. for the D.C. airport, then got to sit at our gate for three hours and watch numerous other groups board. Though I figured that time would seem to take ages, it was really great to chat with people and open up a bit more. We flew out to Miami, had a layover for a few hours, then we were on our way to Lima on a nice five-plus hour flight. Again, the time was spent talking to one another, learning about each other and sharing our excitement and nerves about what was to come.

Then we landed in Lima. It was pretty wild to suddenly be in a place where I spoke and understand very little of the most common language and needed to quickly navigate and orient myself. I followed the group - thank goodness for those who know Spanish! - and made it out just fine. We went straight to the retreat center at 11:00 p.m. that same night. Yet another late night. The retreat was a great way to become oriented with the staff and other trainees. I say trainees because we have not yet been sworn in and aren't considered volunteers until then, at the end of training in August. I may have already mentioned this, but it's worth reiterating, the people in this group are truly fantasticos. I have enjoyed getting to know many of them already and look forward to forging even stronger bonds throughout training.

After the weekend retreat, we moved in with our training host family. My host family is absolutely lovely. This could not be a better match. They are so kind, generous, and very patient with my limited vocabulary. We have fun with trying to understand each other, acting things out in an exaggerated manner with "Como se dice?" attached to the action. I am amazed by the connection that can be forged by what were complete strangers, which is true for the other volunteers and myself, but even moreso for my family who comes from an entirely different country and with different perspectives on life. They are incredibly accepting of our differences and I am absolutely grateful for that.

An interesting observation to me is that throughout this process our proximity to each other is becomes more distant, our relationships grow deeper. You develop fast friends in the Peace Corps because you are brought into very real (honest), and sometimes very serious discussions about what to expect for these next 27 months. Today completes my third day of training, which is mind-boggling to me because it seems it should be much longer. We have eight-hour days with multiple tasks and goals to complete each day. I am learning a lot already. I know that what's ahead will be a crazy road of ups and downs, but I believe that with a strong will and a wonderful support system, everything will be all right :).

A little more about me:

My name is Allie. Tienes 26 anos y soy de Tejas. I studied sociology in school and received my Master's of Science in December. Currently, I am in training to become a Youth Development Volunteer here in the beautiful country of Peru. I studied Spanish as an undergraduate, but forgot most of it. I look forward to using my Spanish skills further down the road. I was vegan for over two years but integrated pescado y pollo into my diet to make the transition to Peru easier. I made this decision, which was very importante para mi, so that I could assimilate into the culture better and hopefully reduce my chances of being sick more than necessary - jury is out on that one! *Knock on wood* I love to write, practice yoga and meditation, read, watch movies, and take in cultural experiences. Peru is probably the best place I could have been placed for its history, culture, various climates, and so many more remarkable things. And by the way, it was difficult when I first began eating meat again a few months ago because of moral reasons and health concerns, but the food here is positively rico.

I have every intention of keeping up with this site as much as possible, which may be dificil during training, but I look forward to writing my next entry and hope you all can enjoy this ride with me. I will post videos and pictures as much as possible to keep you posted.

Three groups of adolescents were in the park practicing Traditional Inca dances. I felt like a complete tourist, but I had to record it.

My Gerber-Bear Grylls Survival Knife complete with an actual knife, fire starter, whistle, and blade sharpener. I also have a Swiss Army knife. You know, just in cases...(Love Actually shoutout!)

This "just in cases" notion will get me into trouble. I packed so much stuff! So much. This is what my bed looked like the night before I packed it all into two checked bags (one Army duffle and one REI hiking backpack) and two carry on backpacks. I'll post a packing list at some point.