La Primera Semana en Perú

Hola a todos!


Writing to say that I am alive, well, and enjoying life in Lima!  I have been in language school for the last week, and have pretty much been studying, speaking, and reading in spanish, as well as eating (la comida es super rica!), walking around, and trying to find my place within this city (for a person living in a city of 9 million it is not that easy).  I am living with a host family across the street from the school-Ryan lives 40 minutes away a pie (I think I got the good end of the stick!).  They have been wonderful and very hospitable.  I am also living with 4 other students/workers (3 from the U.S. and one from Japan), but there is no English to be spoken in the house!  Me, Laura, and Ryan (my other two community members) have been taking advantage of the past week by walking around the town and exploring new restaurants for lunch everyday.  Mañana we are planning on heading to central Lima to see the historical Lima.


I hope to write more in the next couple of days, but I just wanted to send out a quick note with a quick update of my life.  I hope that everyone is having a wonderful time, wherever you all are! You are all wonderful!


paz y amor.


~Michael

Contact Information

Hey all!  

I would love to stay in contact with everyone, be it through conversations, emails, and/ or letters!  If you would, could you please fill out this form so I can have all of your contact information in one place: 

https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dDVsbGptWTB3R2xBcUlsX0liUU5BQ1E6MQ&theme=0AX42CRMsmRFbUy0wYjVlZjc1Mi00ZmQ1LTQ1YTktOWUyMC05M2IxMzljNTJkOTQ&ifq  

All of my information is on the right hand side of my blog page.  Thank you!  

paz.  

Michael 

A Beginning

As July reaches us, I have decided to send out an invitation and welcome to friends, family, and all who are curious to what I hope to be my regularly updated blog on my life in Lima, Peru.  A month from Monday, I will make the trek up to Milwaukee for a 2 1/2 week orientation and the beginning of my 1 1/2 year commitment to Cap Corps.  Throughout my time in the program I will be volunteering at Ciudad de los Niños, an orphanage/boarding school for boys age 3-18 in San Juan de Miraflores, an area to the south of Lima.  At this point I am not entirely sure of what I will be doing, apart from the high probability of working with the older kids at ciudad, but I have no doubt that it will be a challenging and rewarding experience that will test me in many ways.  Through this blog I hope to not only recount interesting, important, or fascinating stories, but also convey what I am learning, feeling, and even struggling with.  My hope is that I will become more knowledgeable about Peru and the factors that bring the boys to Ciudad, more faithful to God, and more connected to the people of Peru and the people I love around the World.  

Although I am still doubting that I will be in Peru in a month and a half, I am equally excited and nervous for the journey to begin.  It will be a culmination to a period of great thought and discernment as well as a beginning to something I obviously cannot explain yet.  But I hope people will stay with me and come to see what this year and a half will bring.  

paz.  

Michael