I leave for Perú in ELEVEN days!!! On the outside, I cannot wait another second. On the inside, I am definitely freaking out a bit – speaking Spanish, being in a completely new culture, new school, new routine, new people, so many new things… The good news is that everything is coming into place after so many months of wondering what this would finally feel like, being ready to jump on a plane and into a new culture.
I’ve got one of those massive suitcases that could easily fit a few small ponies. I have a backup supply for several months of my favorite shampoos, sunscreens, toothpaste, etc. I know where I am going to be living and have exchanged emails with my host family. I have that requisite gnawing feeling like I’m forgetting something really important. Obviously, that feeling doesn’t go away until you get there and realize you’ve forgotten something really important.
So for now, I’m just curious about what my life is going to look like soon. I’ve always loved traveling, seeing another lifestyle, different routines, different foods, different norms, different conversations, a totally different scene. But I have never lived in a foreign place for a period longer than a few weeks. So I wonder what it will be like for me personally to join the other: to live that completely different way, the Perú way and the Lima way. I know the adjustment is going to be hard, but there are so many things to look forward to that I keep forgetting to be scared of the impending culture shock. Maybe that will come later, as I’m about to get off the plane and realize the massive undertaking I have signed myself up for. Or maybe, the fear of adjustment won’t even happen; when the time comes for me to adjust I’ll still be just as excited (let’s hope!).
Nevertheless, I can’t wait to share the whole process of adjustment, acclimation, and the creation of a new lifestyle over the course of this year!
Hasta pronto,
Margaret