Olas (Waves)

I have officially been home for the same time I was in Peru. It felt great to land on U.S. soil, but I also sad at the same time. I was sad to leave behind: the country that kept me for 4 months, the culture (not the taxis), and most of all my host family. I actually cried on all three planes back because I was so sad. I have grown so much from my experience and have changed in so many ways because of it.

Olas = waves = waves of change. The title of my blog is Olas because I am going through a lot of waves of change and also because my host brother, Martin, wanted this to be a title. Many things stayed the same while I was gone: my friendships, how I interact with my family (even though my brother said everybody forgot about me), my room, my guitar was still in tune (that was crazy), and my car (I was so excited to drive again!!!). But there were also many things that had changed and continue to change: my sister’s feet are huge and she got so tall, my brother graduated high school, the kitchen cabinets were painted…again, summer has come and gone, but MY BROTHER GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL!! I don’t think he’s old enough to do that yet! I don’t think I’m old enough to have graduated high school. I’m a Junior in college now. I AM GETTING OLD.

Another “ola” I felt was a wave of reverse homesickness. One morning I woke up and didn’t want to be here because I wanted to be eating breakfast with Carmen and looking at Alejandro doing his crossword. Don’t get me wrong, I love being back and being with my family and friends, but I miss some things about Peru so much. It is weird having to check the weather here all the time because it is constantly changing. In Peru, I knew the weather was going to be above 75 degrees and sunny every single day. I also just wanted to speak Spanish all the time again! I needed a challenge and it was weird speaking English again. When we flew into Houston I ran into a lady and said, “disculpa”, she looked at me like I was crazy for not saying sorry in English.

Reverse culture shock is real and I felt an “ola” of that too. While I was in Peru I noticed that my host family never really talked about drama (maybe I just wasn’t catching it because of the whole language barrier thing) and none of the girls in my group were really about drama either. It was a nice change from hearing about some people talk about stupid, material stuff. For example: “Oh my gosh did you hear about that girl that’s dating that guy?” or “I couldn’t believe a mom would even say that to me.” In the first week I was here, I heard more drama than I had heard in the 4 months I was gone and it was overwhelming to say the least. From time to time we can all be guilty of it, but being aware is what also brings about change. 

I have an “ola” of regret. I regret not making even more friends in Peru, I regret not speaking Spanish as much as I should have this summer, and I regret not taking more pictures even though I took close to 700 while I was there.

But most of all, and I know this sounds cheesy, I felt an “ola” of love. I got to surprise some of my friends and family when I came back early and I wouldn’t change that for anything, I have given several presentations on Peru which made me feel more love for Peru and the USA, and I have spent some much needed time with some amazing people in my life. I video chatted with Martin, Jenny, Fabrizio, and Rafaela this summer and I hope I get to do it again because I was so overjoyed talking with them that when we got off the phone, I burst into tears because I miss them so much.

What I have taken away most from the time I spent in Peru and the time that I have been back in the good ol’ USA is this: ALWAYS STAY POSITIVE AND PRACTICE AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE. I saw some people in some conditions that were not favorable, but they were still some of the happiest and most appreciative people I have ever met. I have heard many people before tell me how appreciative some of the Latin American cultures are and WOW... I got to know that for myself. We have so many wonderful opportunities to do great things to help each other, and when we can, we should. I have a deeper understanding now of what it means to serve others. Our money really isn’t our money. It is God’s money. He gave us the opportunity to obtain that money so we can better help others. We were all put here for a reason and maybe sometimes we don't recognize the reason, but I know that we were all put here for the purpose to love ourselves and others. I seem to know something...something...something... that I didn't know before. 

Con amor,
Mariah