First Day of School!

I think it´s safe to say that my first day of school could have gone a little better.... It wasn't exactly bad, it just got off to a bit of a rough start. The school day began with the entire school meeting out in the court yard to say a prayer (because it´s a Catholic school), sing the national anthem, listen to a welcome speech by the principal, etc. The entire school was standing out there for about 15 minutes. After a while I started to feel really hot, dizzy and sick, so I grabbed my host sister´s hand and dragged her out of the crowd with me saying, "Necesito sentarme" which means "I need to sit down." However, as soon as I started walking, it got worse. My vision starting to blur and I couldn't stand straight. I couldn't even explain to my sister what was going on. I could barely form sentences in English, let alone in Spanish! All I could say was "I'm about to pass out, I'm about to pass out!" My sister was practically carrying me to the nurse's office while I was collapsing in her arms. At one point I fell all the way down and a group of students rushed over to help me up and bring me the nurse. Everyone was staring at me.. When we got to the nurse's office, they laid me down in a bed and I was out. I laid there for a while before getting up and going to class, partly because I was still pretty woozy, but mainly because I was afraid to go meet my new classmates after what had just happened!

On my first day of Peruvian high school I passed out in front of every single student, teacher and faculty member at the school. How's that for an embarrassing first impression?! Not only am I the new girl from the United States, but I´m the new girl from the United States who passed out on the first day of classes. Oh and I´m Jewish too. In a Catholic school... To them I´m like an alien. But they're intrigued, and everyone wanted to talk to me so it looks like I have some new friends!

It was so strange to have school in Spanish. All of my notes are in Spanish and I had to write a poem in Spanish for one of my classes! It´s just so different. Everything is so different. I am 100% out of my comfort zone but hey, that´s being an exchange student. I'll get used to it, and eventually this will become my comfort zone!

It's normal to feel lost, uncomfortable and even embarrassed at times. It's all part of the experience. Even though my first day of school felt a little uncomfortable for me, I know that I´m going to do just fine there. I already have friends at school, and I can feel my Spanish improving. So yes, I passed out and embarrassed myself in front of everyone, but I know that in a couple of weeks I´m going to be laughing about it. It's definitely a memory that I won't be forgetting any time soon!