Lauren Wille

Here in Peru we are using a classroom at a local school, Instituto Peruano de Arte y Diseno. Last night, the students threw us a ¨reception¨ which gave us a chance to meet and mingle with Peruvian students our age. The language barrier made things difficult at first, myself feeling like an awkward teenager again. It was like a dance in middle school: boys on one side, girls on the other, accept this time it was Columbia College vs Instituto Peruano. This awkwardness and staring lasted about ten minutes, and somehow we all began to make or accept conversation with the students.

I don’t know if it was Lady Gaga’s ¨Just Dance¨ that sparked the social side of me, but after awhile speaking with them became easier. I quickly reconnected with my four years of highschool Spanish, and many of the Peruvians spoke at least a little English, and many of them were fluent.

I thought I would have nothing in common with any of these people. You see the dark skin, you hear the accent, you observe their surroundings and it´s like a different world. But these kids were cool. they`re passionate about what they do, they like sports and partying, and they want to make something of themselves. Sound familiar? Sure does.

I searched the room for friendly face, and jumped in on serveral conversations. it was cool because they were all so interested in hearing about us. How old are you? Do you have any siblings? (here they phrase it ¨do you have any brothers?¨ even though they mean both brothers or sisters) Do you have any pets? (yes and I would like to make an addition by taking home one of the hundreds of stray kitties in the area) What’s your ten year plan? And with all of these questions the one thing we were all asking in return is ¨Where do you guys party around here?¨

I met a guy who spoke perfect English. his accent was barely audible, and he has never been to the United States. He was with a girl who spoke a little English, and by using the guy as a translator, we really ¨hit it off.¨She asked me if I was on TV or if I had ever been in a movie. I should have said yes. Celebrity treatment in Peru? Not bad. Not bad.