Semester Abroad (Lima, Peru)

Another temporary goodbye tonight to my two friends Mike and Alicia.  I will hopefully see them in less than two weeks when I finally leave Lima and go to Cusco. I have had the pleasure of spending close to two weeks with them here in Lima, shooting the shit, exploring the city, playing drinking games, partying and going out to the clubs. 

They're here (including Prachi as well who's staying for 4 more days) as students from various universities from the United States. Each of them are involved in various projects involving social issues within Peru. Mike is a sociology undergrad major, studying the gay community here in Peru, trying to analyze issues they have around equal rights and social stratification. We have had a lot of great conversations around this topic and I have been able to connect him to a couple local guys that I have met who have a lot of things to say about this topic. I feel like I am back home in my job making connections in the field. Alicia is studying nurses that act as counsellors in prisons. And Prachi is studying issues within the mines of Peru.

Ahhh... to be a student again would be amazing. I love sitting around with them as they talk about their issues, their research, their professors, their ideas and thoughts about certain topics, and their fun student lifestyle.  At the same time, it is nice to bounce around my own ideas and my own experiences of what I know as a social worker.  I've said it before, but hanging out with people of different ages, different experiences and backgrounds is always so interesting.  I'm glad to have met them. 

I wish I had this awesome opportunity when I was their age (Mike just celebrated his 21st birthday last weekend here in Lima!). To have your mind opened to a different culture and country. They tell me about all these interviews they are performing with all these various people, some VIPs, some just your regular ol' person, and I am in awe of how well they go about it with such confidence. 

I guess I am not that far removed from what they are doing, I am just doing it in a different context. I love my life at times.