Thursday, September 22, 2011

The Decalogue

Okay, I'm sorry for the late post, there was event last night that the university put on so I got home late and didn't feel like writing my blog so here's my blog from yesterday (Wednesday), but also a little from Tuesday.

Here's some from Tuesday:

Okay, so the Polish movie we watched Tuesday was The Decalogue.  Apparently it was a mini series and each episode was loosely based on one of the ten commandments, I'm slightly more interested in the movie now.  I'll have to go back and pay more attention next time.  We obviously only watched one episode and from the episode I'm pretty sure we watched the "Thou shall not kill."  Now, the second thing from Tuesday, I didn't write this in my blog that night because it hadn't happened yet, but when I went to see my host mom's apartment building that she is building, she told me that there was an apartment in our building that she is renting/hoping to sell right now so I asked to see it.  Well I got to see it last night and it's so cool!!  It's perfect for one or two people.  It's pretty small and she's worried that she won't sell it, but I told her that I would buy it if I could.  It's sooo nice and home-y.  I also learned that our apartment building was the first that she built and it's sitting on top of right where her actual home used to be - cool, right?

Anyway, on to yesterday (Wednesday)... I had Peruvian Social Reality and we did indeed continue to discuss the migration of the Chinese into the country and all the discriminations that they went through.  After, I had my Living and Learning class.  We talked about social mapping and how Peruvians usually try and make connections with other Peruvians.  The three main ways of this are family, friends, and schools.  By schools, it's not their universities, but their High schools.  When Peruvians meet other Peruvians one of the first questions asked is "What High school did you go to?"  This can say a lot about a person here in Peru.  We also discussed "optical illusions" in the Peruvian culture and steps to help figure them out.  The steps include:  Stay curious, Stay open, Seek context, Seek patterns, and Ask questions.  We were given an interesting assignment, but I'll wait to tell you more about that when I do it.

At lunch, I indulged in this delicious chocolate cake that I have had WAY too many times at the university, but it's soo good, I can't help myself.  Plus, I'm getting my exercise with walking and ballet so I figure it's okay.  In Spanish Writing Workshop, we learned how to write a letter in Peru.  Apparently, it's a pretty standard format that is used.  We also had a practice midterm just to show us what the midterm will be like.  I actually don't know when midterms week is, but it's definitely coming up.  Finally, in Ethnography, we talked about the effects that flights and highways had on the Amazon.  Obviously, one of the effects was a migration to the Amazon so that was interesting to hear - I think there were 64% more people after one of the major migrations.

Okay, on to last night..After dinner and a little bit of homework, I went to a place called the English Pub that is right here in Miraflores.  Four universities here in Lima (including PUCP, the one I attend) put on this event for all foreign exchange students.  It was pretty much an event to just go meet and mingle with all foreign students that are in Peru.  I didn't expand my horizons too much (meaning meeting people from outside the U.S.), however I did meet a girl from Germany and a girl from France.  Other than that, I met so many people from Wisconsin that go to UW-Madison.  I swear half of the foreigners at PUCP have some kind of association with Wisconsin.  Anyway it was really fun and we got free food (and beer, but I don't care about that).  The food was papas fritas (french fries), tequeños (which are these fried tortillas with ham and cheese in them), and chicharrones (it's fried pork - I think). :)  Anyway, it was delicious and a good time, and that's why I am late writing this blog.  My apologies.  I hope you all have wonderful days and I will catch you later.  I heading to ballet now!  Yay! :)

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