These past 5 days have felt like an eternity and it's crazy to think they are over. I finally found time to sit down and share my last few days in Peru and my travels home. I left off on the Friday before I left. That night and into Saturday, I spent time packing and preparing for my departure. My suitcases were packed with more than I had brought with me. I also went shopping to find something to give my sixth graders. On Sunday, I went on a tour of central Lima. I am so glad I found the time to explore the city before I left. We went to the central plaza, watched the changing of the guard, walked through the cathedral and the famous San Francisco church, and spent time in the Parque de Aguas. It was a beautiful (and quite warm) day for walking and learning more about Lima. Below are a few pictures from my adventure.
These pictures are from the Plaza de Armas, Cathedral, and Barrio China (China Town). The San Francisco church was beautiful and filled with history and catacombs but no pictures were allowed :(
The Parque de Aguas (or Park of Water) was probably my favorite place of the day. It's an amazing park with flowers and so many different fountains/water features. There are fountains to just look at and other for children and adults to walk through and play in. I didn't actually get in any fountains because I was not dressed for the occasion, but I did walk through the tunnel a few times. (see if you can guess which picture captured my reaction to being unexpectedly dripped on by some pretty cold water in the tunnel)
Monday and Tuesday went by quickly. I went to school and continued to help my students prepare for Mother's Day and their upcoming monthly tests. It was so hard to hear "don't leave Miss" from my students and have to think I don't know when I'll see them again. However, we have already been in communication since I left and I know these unique relationships will last a long time. I am so grateful for every single staff, student, and parent who played a part in my journey. Everything I have learned in Peru is invaluable and will forever affect how I see teaching and the world in general. There is no way I could say thank you enough to everyone, but I handed out some thank you cards and gifts on my last day at school.
On Tuesday night, I exchanged thank yous, good byes, and gifts with my host parents and brothers. We had a nice meal and conversation before turning in early. I packed my last few things and carried my suitcases downstairs. My alarm went off at 2:30 the next morning to get to the airport for my 7am flight. Everything went fairly smoothly especially considering it was international travel. I finally got to O'Hare in Chicago and met my parents around 7pm. It felt amazing to be home. I found myself still trying to talk in Spanish. I would go to say something, change it to Spanish, and then stop myself before it came out of my mouth. It really showed me how much practice and being in an authentic environment contributes to new language acquisition. Anyway, we found my bags and continued on to Indiana to help my sister move out of college. Moving her out and waiting for her to finish her last final took up most of the day on Thursday. We got on the road for my actual home around 7pm, arriving around midnight. I was tired, but was able to get up and go to school the next morning because I was excited to see my first graders and Sunnyside team. It was nice to see them and answer their questions. I know I will get back into the swing of things this next week. After school, I also went over to SNC campus to pick up some last minute things before graduation and see my friends. We decorated caps and enjoyed each other's company for our last few days as undergrad students. Needless to say I got to bed late that day as well. Saturday, I unpacked a little, found a dress for graduation, and went to a friend's graduation party. Sunday was a big day. I got up early to get ready for graduation. My family and I went headed over to campus for the Baccalaureate mass. After, we went out for a nice brunch before taking pictures and the actual ceremony. The day flew by and I cannot believe I am now (kind of) an alumni of SNC. I still have a few weeks left of student teaching before its final. There are no words to express how much the people, education department, and opportunity to go abroad at St. Norbert College have meant to me. I have grown immensely in these last few months and I'm nervous, but excited for what lies ahead.
(Peep the Peru stole. I was proud to represent the country I called home for 2 months at graduation)
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