FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

Today we started school at El Sol in downtown Miraflores. My roommate, Ally and I got very lost on our way to class and ended up being the last students to arrive at El Sol, whoops! Don't worry, we still made it with one minute to spare and from what I can tell, that's pretty early in South America.

I started the day with a two hour long grammar class where I reviewed affirmative and negative words and phrases. After reviewing --which felt more like learning for the first time-- I was feeling rather sleepy. To feel more awake for conversation class, I ventured into the coffee/team room and poured myself a warm cup of Mate de Cocoa. Mate de Cocoa is a traditional Peruvian drink made from cocoa (cocaine) leaves. I highly recommend.

After escuela, some friends and I did some exploring! Here are some photos from our exploration...

I spy surfers

I think they're in love

I hope this is a metaphor!

Street art along el Parque Kennedy

On the cliffs of Lima

After extensive exploration, the entirety of our program visited la casa de Ricardo Palma. Supposedly, one could learn the history of Lima just by studying his work. This is not all that surprising, given that Palma has written over 500 stories. He is generally known for mixing historical events with his own mystical tales. At the end of the visit, some of us were given a book of short stories by Palma. Perhaps I will read one tonight!

Ally and I continued the night with a romantic dinner for two at La Paz Cafe. The day had taken a toll on us, so we turned to another traditional Peruvian drink, el Pisco Sour! Pisco Sour is made with pisco (a type of brandy), lime, and egg whites. Basically, they're really healthy and good for you!

Feeling rejuvenated after a large pizza, el pisco sour, and a chocolate bar, we boarded a double decker tour bus for a three hour long ride around some of Lima's major districts including, Barrancos, Chorrillos, and San Isidro. Unfortunately, my phone was dead so I was unable to document the tour. To make up for this devastating detail, here is a photo of my host mother's dog, Maya! 

Que bonita