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So, today I only had two classes out of the usual four.  I took the micro to PUCP and actually made it to my Peruvian Social Reality class, unlike on Monday. :)  Today, we talked about race again.  We've been talking a lot about race lately, but at least it's still interesting and it's a very real thing here in Peru and in other places.  We talked about the Afro-Peruvian race today and the difference in treatment between light- and dark-skinned people.  It's actually really sad.  Pretty much it's this vicious cycle of discrimination.  We talked about how racism is "positional" meaning it matters where you are in the country.  For example, my professor said that in Puno he is seen as a gringo, but in Lima, he is seen as having a dark complexion.  Also, discrimination is all relative.  A person may be a victim of discrimination for being dark, but that same person who is discriminating against them is also a victim to someone else.  That's where the vicious cycle comes in, because there is always a person lighter than you who will discriminate against you.  Crazy and sad, huh?  Also, though, we learned that it's not just about the physical traits.  It also has to do with social class, language, and culture.  For example, a person may have a dark skin tone and another person may have a light complexion, but if the dark-complected person speaks castellano (Spanish) very well or even English and is from the upper class, then they are seen as more "blanco," than the lighter-skinned person who may speak Quechua and of the lower class.  Now, I'm not saying this is right by any means.  I'm just telling you how it is.  Again, sad, I know.  Okay, one last little story:  Apparently a few years back, there was an African American student studying here in the same program that I am now.  This guy was trying to get into a discoteca or something and the guachimán (watchman/bouncer) told him he couldn't go in because it was a "private event."  Now, obviously the guy started speaking Spanish and trying to figure out why he couldn't enter and the guachimán realized that he was North American, well needless to say, he was left in after the bouncer realized that, but that story just shocks me.  I wish that stuff like that didn't still happen, but it does, and not just here, but in the U.S., too.

Anyway, after discussing this horrible issue in Peruvian Social Reality, I went on to my Living and Learning class.  Unfortunately, we didn't go over anyone else's curious and obvious pictures, which made me sad, but the activity we did was still kind of fun.  It was titled "Mid-semester Reflection."  I'm not too big on the whole reflecting thing, but it's part of this cycle of learning and apparently if you don't do every step of the cycle then you fall short.  Needless to say, we were forced to reflect on things that we have accomplished so far and how our goals that we set at the beginning of the year are coming along.  We were given writing prompts to write about.  We had to pretend that we were just the ideal study abroad student and we were on the plane back to the U.S. already reflecting on our experience in Peru.  I answered the question of "How has your experience abroad changed you as a person?"  Well, this was kind of hard to answer considering we had to do it from the point of view of having been the "ideal" study abroad student (which is impossible), but I tried my hardest and one of the main things I talked about was self-confidence.  If there's anything I gain from this experience, I hope that it is self-confidence:  Self-confidence in my Spanish skills and in life, in general.  We then discussed our reflective papers a little in class.  We talked about the attitudes and actions that we can have/do in order to complete this transformation in ourselves.  I'd say I already took step one by asking Lucia to lunch with me on Friday.  I mean it only took me two months, but I'm getting there.  Anyway, our homework now is to re-look at our goals and revise them to match how we want to feel when this is all over with.

After this class, Tonisha, Sheila, and I ate lunch and headed out.  Tonisha and I spent most of our afternoon at Café Z, which was great.  I tried this delicious strawberry frozen drink, which was amazing and I will definitely get it again soon.  We also bought our tickets to Iquitos for next weekend.  Yep, that's right, were heading to the Amazon, to a place that is not accessible by road.  At least were not doing the boat thing.  Two guys in our group, Mark and Kevin, are leaving this Friday for a boat trip there.  They are going to take the rivers all the way there.  They should be there by next week.  If I didn't worry so much about having to go to school, I would probably consider it, but plane just seems better. :)  Anyway, Tonisha and I got some homework done, too, at Café Z.  Not a ton, but it doesn't matter anyway because I don't have anything due until next Tuesday, except for reading my two books, which is an ongoing thing.  Tonisha and I both have a love for dance so we spend a lot of time talking about that so it's great.  What else?  Oh, I had the unfortunate experience of exchanging money on the street (don't worry, it's legal).  Yea, I went to take out S/.140 out of an ATM and instead I took out $140.  That was an annoying mistake!  I'm going to blame Tonisha because I was talking to her during this particular transaction. ;)  Anyway, so yea rather than taking out what I thought was around $50, I took out $140!  And really, U.S. dollars don't help you out too much here, but at least now I have more emergency cash if I ever need it.  Anyway, long story short, there are luckily official people on the street that change Euros or dollars to soles, so that's good.

Tonight, I've just been hanging out at home.  My mom sounds a lot better and can talk, but she says her throat really still hurts.  Luckily, I'm still feeling great so that's perfect.

Anyway, I want to end this blog by demanding that you tell your family and friends that you love them.  Let them know that you are happy that they are in your life and make sure they know that you appreciate them.  Also, if they are near to you, go ahead and give them a hug, too, because they might not always be there. Buenas noches.