I never realized how concerned we are in the States about personal and private space. I’ve been in Huaycan for over a week now, and I’ve discovered that the lack of personal space is exhausting. It never occurred to me until now that I’m used to having an awful lot of time to myself: getting dressed, taking showers, eating breakfast, commuting to and from work, watching tv alone or reading a book, spending any kind of time at all in my bedroom, sleeping, going to the bathroom….

It seems a little ridiculous to consider some of those examples as personal time, …Read More

I’ve tried to write about the last several days, but each time I end up just staring at my computer screen. Each day is packed with new experiences, and it’s impossible to capture everything. I can’t seem to do it justice. So instead of trying to record each day’s events, I’m going to try to focus on one particular aspect of life here for each post. Maybe it will become easier to describe each day after I’ve been here for awhile, and everything isn’t new anymore, but for now, I’ll start small.

The Light …Read More

Lara and I picked up my dad from the airport yesterday, then the three of us met all the other LLI volunteers at a French restaurant in Lima run by nuns. I had probably the best green beans I’ve ever eaten, and Papa and I split an amazing dessert of fresh strawberries and cream. The highlight, though, was when the nuns serenaded us with “Ave Maria,” which they sang in French. It was beautiful.

Yesterday I visited Zone Z for the first time, which is where I am teaching an English class every Tuesday and Thursday. It is the most remote …Read More